What's supposed to smell good? What smells good about her? Aenwyn bristled.
Goosebumps ran across her skin. She had never used any perfume, and she was very careful about these things.
Aenwyn shoved him away.
"What are you being so fierce for?" the one pushed away grinned cheekily. He leaned in again. "Tell me, where did you buy the scented powder?"
"I didn't use any." Aenwyn moved further away from him, only to bump into Ludovic behind her.
"Don't mess around." He reached out to steady her by the waist, a light touch, like a dragonfly landing, then he quickly let go.
Aenwyn steadied herself. "I have matters to attend to. I'll be leaving now."
She just wanted to get away from the two of them as soon as possible. One had seen her in women's clothing, and the other had seen her wearing a mask. It was only a matter of time before her identity was exposed.
After all, recognizing someone often doesn't depend on seeing their face.
Young Master Zhou grabbed her shoulder and turned her around. "Look outside. Do you want to bring those people into your home?" He smiled as he spoke, but there was no warmth in his eyes.
Aenwyn glanced outside the bookstore and saw several strangers lurking around. Her expression darkened slightly.
"We mean no harm. We just want to make your acquaintance." Ludovic came over and spoke in a gentle tone that made people feel at ease.
It was strange. In the capital, people constantly tried to befriend them, yet they were now interested in her.
Could it be fate? Young Master Zhou rubbed his chin in thought.
"That bastard pretends to obey but actually resists. But it doesn't matter. Just follow me. I doubt they'd dare tail you."
Aenwyn sighed and blew at her bangs. What a mess this all was.
Young Master Zhou watched her childlike action and laughed again. She was really interesting. She seemed very guarded toward strangers, yet her eyes were innocent and her aura pure.
"Come on, let's go." He draped his arm over her shoulder again.
Aenwyn pushed his hand off. "Don't touch me. I'll walk by myself."
She looked at him with a rejecting gaze. Her clear eyes looked like stars scattered in the night sky. His face flushed red.
"Alright, you go ahead." Young Master Zhou coughed and fell in step behind her. He was sure he didn't like men, so why
He couldn't explain it.
The first time his heart ever raced was that night when he held her. It felt like a dream.
It was midday. Drinking wasn't suitable for going to wild entertainment places. So the group went to a plain little tavern.
The three of them each took a side, kneeling opposite one another.
In this era without tables and chairs, Aenwyn knelt properly.
She looked at the young gentleman across from her. His posture was poised and elegant. Every movement flowed like drifting clouds and flowing water. She felt inferior in comparison.
After just a short while, her legs hurt. Usually, when with Indigo, they sat however they liked.
"I still don't know your name," Ludovic asked as he poured wine for her. The clear drink had a light plum scent.
Aenwyn reached out for the small cup and couldn't help taking a little sip.
It was delicious. Though called wine, it was more like fruit wine, sweet and sour, with a faint alcoholic taste.
Her eyes widened slightly.
Then she downed the whole cup in one go.
Indigo never let her drink. Come to think of it, this was the first time Aenwyn had alcohol since coming to this world.
She remembered the old days of clubbing and dancing, like it was from another lifetime.
"My name's Hart," Aenwyn said, setting down the cup.
Young Master Zhou nearly spit out his wine. What kind of name was that?
He wasn't sitting upright anymore, leaning to the side with one long leg stretched out. His posture was a little carefree and unruly.
"Is there a Jia Yi back home too?"
Aenwyn looked at him like, how did you know? "Yes, my older brother is Hart."
"Hahaha."
"Your mother must be quite a character."
Her dad wasn't anything special, but she thought this guy was.
He looked careless, spent money like water, but was actually very sharp and not easy to approach. Just look at how Ragnar acted like a mouse around a cat when facing him. He clearly wasn't as gentle as he seemed.
She still didn't know why these two were paying her so much attention and even brought her out for drinks.
Seeing her cup was empty, Young Master Zhou poured her another. "You seem like it's your first time drinking."
Aenwyn thought, it wasn't her first, but here it really was. "Yes, my family's strict."
Indigo was strict. Even though he wasn't very old, he acted like an old man, always threatening to break her legs.
"Don't drink too much. This wine hits hard later," Ludovic warned as he saw her down another cup.
"It's fine, just a light drink." It was fruit wine, she could drink it like water. In the modern world, she could hold her liquor without getting drunk. No way she'd be scared of this.
"I still don't know your names," she asked while holding her cup, relaxing a little.
"From the capital, Ludovic," he said with a light smile.
The small tavern felt warm with sunlight shining through the window. Spring wind played with his black hair. He looked like he was glowing.
Aenwyn couldn't help but stare at him while holding her cup. Her mind was already sketching compositions. A masterpiece, truly a masterpiece. Her fingers itched. It was rare to find such great inspiration.
"Hey, hey, look over here."
"My name's Young Master Zhou. Or you can just call me Brother Xiang," he said lazily.
"Pleasure to meet you." Aenwyn drank again in one go. It tasted so good. She hadn't had juice in ages. She wanted to cry.
Every day it was dry flatbread, mush, dried meat, or roasted meat. The hopeless food in this world had long drained any joy she had for eating.
Just staying alive, that's all.
Taking advantage of Indigo's absence, she drank more. She completely forgot what she had told him when she left, that she would return by noon.
Indigo waited a long time at the inn but didn't see her come back, growing anxious.
He asked for the direction of Hua Bookhouse and went straight there.
"Are you talking about that young master Hart?" Manager Ye remembered clearly, since they had been trying to recruit him. "He was dragged off by Young Master Zhou for drinks."
"Drinking?" Indigo's face turned cold.
She dared to go out drinking with another man. He laughed angrily, maybe he had spoiled her too much.
"Where did they go drinking?"
"That I don't know." Manager Ye saw that he seemed furious. "You can check along this street, there are only a few taverns."
"Thanks." Indigo turned and left, full of anger.
At this moment, Aenwyn had already drunk three rounds. She drank quite a lot, her cheeks slightly red.
Ludovic suggested playing a drinking game. She lost terribly, cup after cup.
She lost again this round and realized the alcohol was hitting hard. "No, no, I can't drink anymore."
The men at the next table, already tipsy, began talking nonsense.
"It's rare to see a woman like that, but do you know, pretty men actually taste quite good too."
"What, did that scholar yesterday give in?"
"Haha, Brother Wei, you know me well."
"That skin, that figure, and those hidden places." He paused with a laugh.
"Indescribable, simply amazing." He sighed, clearly savoring the memory.
Young Master Zhou looked at him while holding his cup. The slightly flushed cheeks and glossy lips made him feel warm.
Damn it.
"How does that one compare?" the man whispered, pointing toward Aenwyn. Although Ludovic and Young Master Zhou were also good-looking, they obviously came from noble families and weren't easy targets.
In Nanfeng, men with delicate bones and refined features were more likely to become targets.
Aenwyn was already half-drunk, her head spinning.
Wasn't ancient alcohol supposed to be weak? Then why? She rubbed her head, only to have someone grab her hands.
The person gently pressed her temples. She was still slightly conscious, pushed the person away and tried to leave.
She stood up, swaying.
"You're drunk." Ludovic reached out to steady her.
Her dusky skin was flushed from the alcohol, and she was sweating a bit. Her makeup was smudged, making her look even more attractive than when they first met.
Her misty eyes narrowed. Aenwyn forced them open and pinched her own leg, the pain snapping her back to awareness.
"I drank too much today, I'll leave now," she said calmly.
But the men at the other table were stunned by her tear-brimmed eyes.
One of the drunkards tried to grab her, only to be kicked away by Young Master Zhou in a rage.
He had wanted to beat them up for a long time. He was filled with a rage he couldn't explain. How could men be more appealing than women? He was the only heir of the Zhou family, responsible for continuing the family line.
What amazing hidden places in a man, total nonsense.
But his injuries hadn't fully healed. Fighting several men alone, he was soon overpowered.
Ludovic frowned, put down Aenwyn, and rushed to help.
Aenwyn saw the fight break out. So naturally
She left first.
She dodged flying bowls and bottles, heading for the door.
"Hehe, Indigo, why are you here?" Aenwyn saw Indigo appear with a dark expression and instantly thought, oh no.
Indigo looked at her. Her cheeks were flushed from drinking, her lips as red as roses, and he wanted to strangle her right then and there.
"So our dear Aenwyn is now going out drinking with men behind my back." He emphasized the word "men" through gritted teeth.
"Hehe, misunderstanding, it's a misunderstanding. I only drank a little."
"A little, and you're already like this?" he questioned.
Seeing that she couldn't bluff her way out, she said, "Indigo, my head hurts, can we go back first?"
The tall boy scooped her up. Though he looked delicate due to the makeup, he carried her effortlessly, drawing attention.
Ludovic glanced at them. It was him. The man he had seen at the clinic that day. Was Hart the one he bumped into?
He remembered that stunning glimpse and was filled with doubt.
After helping Young Master Zhou deal with those men, he quickly came over and grabbed Aenwyn.
Indigo looked at the person in his arms being grabbed by the collar. "Let go," he said.
"Ludovic, let's meet again next time. I have to go now," said Aenwyn, still resting in Indigo's arms.
"And this is?"
"Hehe, my older brother." Actually, it was her younger brother, but if he wanted to be the elder, she couldn't do anything about it. He just loved taking advantage of her.
Young Master Zhou also came over. Looking at the hands holding Aenwyn, he felt annoyed. "What's with a man carrying another man around like that? Put him down."
Aenwyn ignored him.
"You..." Ludovic hesitated to speak. Was he going to ask, "Did you draw that portrait of the beauty?" or "Is that a real person you painted?" or maybe "Do you know her?"
In the end, he said nothing.
"Hmm?"
"Nothing. Go back and rest well." Ludovic reached out to pat her head, but Indigo moved her away.
At that moment Young Master Zhou said to Indigo, "You're injured?" So thin and weak, and yet trying to carry someone?
Indigo wore a pale robe, and the bright red blood stains on his sleeve stood out.
Blood? Aenwyn looked down. At first she thought it was Indigo's, but when she felt something flowing down, her face changed.
She had gotten her period.
The men looked at her with concern. The blood was coming from her.