Chapter 3: A Drastic Change in Personality

“What do you mean, 'what'? You unruly old thing! Is my Young Mistress someone you can just point at recklessly? If you dare lift a finger again, I’ll chop it off and throw it to the dogs!” With a sudden stride, Chaxin stepped forward, positioning herself between the woman and Gu Baiyu. Her almond eyes were wide, her tender cheeks filled with a look of fearlessness and devotion to her mistress, her words utterly blunt.

Originally, she possessed a fiery and fearless temperament, but it had always been suppressed by the original Gu Baiyu, whose character was cowardly and averse to trouble, forcing Chaxin to restrain her temper. Seeing her Young Mistress acting with such poise and dignity today, Chaxin was surprised, but her original nature was sparked. Seeing the woman acting unreasonably toward Gu Baiyu, she didn't think twice before raising her hand and slapping the woman across the face.

“You lowly wench, you actually dare to strike someone? If I, your Master, don't teach you a lesson today, you truly won't know the height of the heavens or the depth of the earth!”

Seeing his wife slapped by a mere maid, the leader of the group—a man in coarse brown cloth—rushed forward. He raised his thick arm high, intending to strike Chaxin's face, but unexpectedly, before the blow could land, his wrist was gripped tightly by a pair of cold, soft hands and instantly twisted behind his back.

“Now, do you know how high the heavens are and how deep the earth is?” The voice was cold, like a sudden downpour. Gu Baiyu held the man's arms behind his back, her gaze sweeping chillingly over the crowd attempting to step in to help. Her presence was like rolling thunder, freezing them in their tracks.

“Ow, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts so much! Eldest Miss, I was wrong, I was truly wrong! Spare me, I won't dare do it again, please spare me...” Having never imagined that the seemingly fragile Gu Baiyu would suddenly erupt with such immense strength, the man in coarse brown cloth broke into a cold sweat, incessantly begging for mercy.

A dazzling bolt of lightning flashed across the horizon, making Gu Baiyu's already pale face appear even more deathly white. A cold smile curled at the corner of her lips. Gu Baiyu did not lower her head to look at the man kneeling before her; instead, she said indifferently to the crowd, “Is there anyone else who wants to show me some ‘unreasonableness’?”

As if intimidated by the eerie and freezing smile on Gu Baiyu's face, the hearts of everyone in the courtyard tightened. They instinctively took a step back in unison, unable to utter a single word for a long moment, leaving only the man's continuous wails to echo through the air.

“No one else?” The smile on her lips grew colder as Gu Baiyu spoke word by word to the cowering crowd, “Go back and tell your master: if they still want to show me some ‘unreasonableness,’ let them come. I, Gu Baiyu, will be sitting right here waiting. Oh, and next time you disguise yourselves as farmers, remember to grow some calluses on your hands. These soft, delicate hands of yours really aren't suited for farm work!”

As she spoke, Gu Baiyu pressed down hard on the man's hands. Those hands were fair and calloused-free; they were in no way the hands of a farmer accustomed to years of hard labor. As a former forensic doctor, Gu Baiyu's observations were always meticulous, and she naturally would not overlook such an obvious detail.

With a flick of her hand, Gu Baiyu shoved the unprepared man down the corridor steps. The man tumbled into the mud, looking utterly pathetic.

“Our Young Mistress is granting you a way out today. If you don't get lost immediately, are you waiting here to die?” Seeing the five of them still standing in the courtyard like wooden stakes, Chaxin stepped forward and cursed loudly.

“We're going! We're going!”

As if suddenly waking from a dream, the five disguised men responded in quick succession and fled from Gu Baiyu's courtyard as if escaping for their lives.

“Cough, cough... cough, cough, cough...”

The moment the five figures disappeared beyond the gate, Gu Baiyu could not suppress a violent coughing fit. This body was simply too weak; she had only been forcing herself to hold on just now. Had they not been scared off in time, she feared she wouldn't have been able to endure even a moment longer. Dizziness washed over her, and a heavy taste of blood filled her mouth. Had Nanny Liu not stepped in immediately to support her, Gu Baiyu would have collapsed onto the ground.

“Chaxin, go quickly and fetch some water for the Young Mistress.” Supporting the frail Gu Baiyu, Nanny Liu hurriedly commanded Chaxin, who was standing under the corridor, while simultaneously scolding the coughing Gu Baiyu: “Miss, why did you have to go out like this? Getting angry with those ruffians for no reason. If something were to happen to you, how could I face the Madam? Quickly, lie down, lie down quickly.”

After helping Gu Baiyu onto the bed, Nanny Liu took a thin, damp quilt and wrapped Gu Baiyu up tightly. Her aged face was full of worry; though she scolded Gu Baiyu, her heart was filled with nothing but heartache. Taking the hot water handed to her by Chaxin, Nanny Liu offered it to the pale Gu Baiyu, who was leaning against the headboard. She watched Gu Baiyu's eyes and features as carefully as if she were looking at her own biological child. As the intense scene from moments ago resurfaced in her mind, Nanny Liu felt a sense of relief.

Although she did not know why Gu Baiyu's temperament had changed so drastically after waking up, seeing that she was no longer that weak child who only knew how to cry and appease others, and considering her own advanced age, Nanny Liu felt that this was for the best. If the day came when she was no longer around, at least the girl would have the courage to protect herself.

“Nanny Liu, please don't be angry. I will be more careful with my health next time.” The urge to cough surging in her chest was suppressed by the warm water. Stroking her chest to steady her uneven breathing, Gu Baiyu reached out to take Nanny Liu's cracked hand. The coldness from before was gone from her tone, replaced by the manner of a child who had done something wrong.

“Miss, this old servant is not angry with you; I am just worried. The Madam passed away early and entrusted you to me. If something were to happen to you, I truly wouldn't know what to do.” Gripping Gu Baiyu's chillingly slender hand tightly in return, Nanny Liu's eyes reddened. “The Madam was such a good person, and the Miss is so innocent. Why must you suffer such unfair grievances? What kind of karma is this from the Heavens?”

Nanny Liu's words brought a shadow to Gu Baiyu's expression. The memories flooding her mind told her that the original owner of this body was not just unfavored in the Gu family, but was even loathed by her biological father, who had abandoned her to fend for herself at a young age. This loathing was publicly justified by saying Gu Baiyu had a "too strong" horoscope that clashed with her kin; the best evidence was her biological mother, Lady Cui, who had been bedridden with illness since Gu Baiyu's birth and had passed away before the girl even turned three.

However, Gu Baiyu knew clearly that all that talk of "strong horoscopes" and "clashing with kin" was merely a lie used to deceive others. The reason her biological father, Gu Yangu, loathed her so much that he wished she would disappear was entirely due to his selfish and prideful nature. He could not tolerate the fact that his vast family estate had been built upon the wealth of Lady Cui, the woman he had eloped with. Even though Lady Cui was dead, the Gu Baiyu living before him served as a constant, unerasable reminder of that past.

*The days ahead truly may not be easy.*

Reviewing the bitter scenes of the past in her memory, Gu Baiyu sighed deeply in her heart. Although she had been a rigorous person in her previous life, she was not rigid; under the influence of Wang Shuyao, she had read her fair share of transmigration novels. When those protagonists first arrived, they were often poor, weak, or unfavored. By some coincidence, when it happened to her, she was poor, weak, *and* unfavored. Setting everything else aside, this frail body alone was enough to give her a headache for a while.

Fortunately, Gu Baiyu was not one to complain about fate. As the saying goes, "make the best of a bad situation." Gu Baiyu felt that with her experience of living thirty-two years in her previous life, even though living in the body of an eighteen-year-old girl might not lead to great wealth or soaring success, she would at least not be left to be bullied in such a miserable and tragic manner.

At this thought, the slight frown on Gu Baiyu's face relaxed, and she felt a small sense of relief in her heart.

“Nanny Liu, look at you, why say such things? Isn't the Miss perfectly fine now? I think the Miss looks much more spirited today than usual!” Seeing the shifting expressions on Gu Baiyu's face, Chaxin feared that Nanny Liu's words might trigger Gu Baiyu's sadness again. If she started crying, her existing ailments might worsen.

“Yes, yes, this old servant is truly getting old and muddled. Why am I saying such foolish things? Our Miss's future will surely be bright.” Seeming to understand Chaxin's meaning, Nanny Liu hurriedly wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. A smile stretched across her wrinkled face as she repeatedly agreed with Chaxin.

“Nanny Liu, Chaxin, you don't need to worry too much. I thought about things all night and have come to understand. From now on, I will no longer hurt myself with sadness. If anyone comes to bully us, we will work together to drive them out of our home. If everything is peaceful, we will just close our doors and live our lives well, alright?” Her weak voice carried a hint of softness. Nanny Liu's kind appearance always reminded Gu Baiyu of the caring professor from her previous life, and combined with the warm emotions from the original owner's memories, it made Gu Baiyu's heart soften.

“Alright, alright, we will do exactly as you say, Miss.” Looking up into Gu Baiyu's determined eyes, a genuine smile finally appeared on Nanny Liu's face. She hurriedly agreed, a strange sense of stability welling up in her heart.

“There, there, Nanny Liu is smiling! Now the storm has finally passed! If you ask me, from now on, the three of us will live happily together and drive those ill-intentioned people crazy with envy!” Seeing the smiles on both Nanny Liu and Gu Baiyu's faces, Chaxin deliberately acted as if she were relieved, speaking to them with a beaming smile.

“You little rascal, such a sharp tongue!” Nanny Liu said with a laugh, reaching out to gently pinch Chaxin's cheek. Turning back to the still-haggard Gu Baiyu, she continued, “After all that commotion just now and the cold wind, Miss, you should lie down and rest for a while. We will come call you once the food is ready.”

Nodding, Gu Baiyu lay down as instructed. This body was truly too fragile; even if Nanny Liu hadn't spoken, Gu Baiyu would have needed to rest. As drowsiness washed over her like a tide, she pulled the thin quilt closer, and before long, she drifted into a deep sleep.