The first light of day crept in through the window as the birds outside began to chirp. Jiang Yan slowly opened her eyes and rubbed them, trying to shake off the remnants of a nightmare that had plagued her in the night. She took a deep breath, trying to make sense of the situation.
Jiang Yan remembered feeling sick in the middle of the night and someone coming to take care of her. But she was puzzled, knowing that no one in her family cared about her wellbeing, especially her stepmother, Madam Tian. She knew they would rejoice if she fell ill and died.
As Jiang Yan sat there, a table beside her caught her attention. It had a water bowl, thermometer, and two wet cloths. It was clear that someone had been taking care of her, but who?
Just then, her door creaked open, and in walked Chu Ran, the cook. Jiang Yan smiled weakly at her as she approached, holding a tray of steaming porridge.
"Good morning, Young Miss Jiang. How are you feeling?" Chu Ran asked, with a caring tone.
