Wine-scented Beauty

Chapter 18: Partnership

"What are you doing here selling alcohol?" the mother asked, looking at them strangely.

Ji Meiqing smiled and said, "Your business is booming, so we're just tagging along. Don't worry, it won't bother your business."

"So what benefits do I get from selling alcohol here? After all, this is my territory, so there should be some compensation."

"This establishment relies not only on women, but also on alcohol. If you don't mind, Granny, why not change the alcohol we're currently using and cooperate with us? What do you say?"

"You must be joking."

"Everyone knows what you put in this wine. This stuff affects the taste of the wine, and true wine connoisseurs wouldn't come here," Ji Meiqing said confidently. "If you switch to our wine, we can customize it to achieve or even exceed the effects of the medicine itself without affecting the taste, and without any side effects."

"This……"

"You just need to raise the price a little when you sell it to the public. If you have good wine, I will naturally be willing to open my wallet. Besides, who would refuse fine wine and beautiful women?"

"This……"

“If you hesitate any longer, you’ll miss your chance,” she said again.

The old woman looked at Ji Meiqing and nodded with difficulty, "What if we can't achieve the effect you described?"

"Good wine needs promotion, and we can provide you with a one-stop service."

"In that case, I need to see results first." She was prudent and didn't agree immediately.

Ji Meiqing and Lu Yu smiled, and the matter of the brothel was roughly settled. The two were about to return when they were stopped at the city gate.

"who!"

"Brother, we just want to go back."

"Curfew has begun. No one may leave the city without a special permit!"

Ji Meiqing frowned; she knew military orders were not to be disobeyed. Now, she could only drag Lu Yu into the city to find an inn to stay in.

"Let's go to an inn to stay for a while," she suggested. Lu Yu didn't object; it was indeed unsafe for a young woman to be out alone, so he agreed to her suggestion.

"Hurry up, or they'll be closing soon."

The two hurried back into the city. Fortunately, the first shop they encountered on the way was still open, so they went in and asked about the price. Ji Meiqing checked her wallet; a room cost twenty copper coins, and she had exactly twenty-one copper coins left.

After paying, the waiter led them upstairs. The room was somewhat secluded, and it felt rather cold and eerie when they entered.

The bed was just the right size for two people. Ji Meiqing made the bed and ordered a bucket of hot water.

“Well, if you don’t mind, we can squeeze in tonight. This bed is just big enough for two people,” Ji Meiqing said, her face slightly flushed as she spoke.

Lu Yu smiled and said, "No need, I'll just sleep on the floor."

"It's alright..." She was about to offer further persuasion when she suddenly remembered that this wasn't her original era, where great restrictions were placed on men and women. They lived together only because they claimed to be siblings, and now, stripped of that facade, they were just complete strangers. In the end, she could only awkwardly say, "Alright then..."

Lu Yu knew she had thought it through, so he didn't say anything more.

The two calmly divided the space. After taking a shower, Ji Mei lay down on the bed. The curtains were drawn, letting in only a dim light. Huddled in the damp blankets, she felt somewhat lost.

My past life felt like a grand dream, the people in the dream gradually blurring, yet the memories remaining vivid. If it was all just a dream, it felt far too real.

The candles outside suddenly went out, and Ji Meiqing slowly fell asleep. Lu Yu quietly lay down on the makeshift bed next to her.

She was probably exhausted, because when she woke up the next day it was already noon. She got out of bed, and Lu Yu was no longer on the floor. Everything in the room was neatly arranged.

She left the room and went downstairs, where the innkeeper called her back, "The young master who came in with you asked me to leave a message for you."

Hearing Lu Yu speak, Ji Meiqing turned and walked towards the counter. "What is it?"

"That young master asked you to wait here for him. He said he would go home and get his things."

"Oh..." Ji Meiqing found a seat in the hall, her stomach growling with hunger, but the steamed buns outside cost at least two coins. Touching her pocket, which only contained one copper coin, she decided to give up the idea.

When Ji Meiqing was almost starving, Lu Yu finally came in from outside. Upon seeing her, he immediately walked over and said apologetically, "Sorry, I brought too few bowls. Eat this to fill your stomach first."

He took out a lotus leaf package from behind him. Her eyes lit up as she took it from his hand, drawn by the aroma. When she opened it, she found a glistening roasted lotus leaf chicken.

"It smells so good." She took a deep breath, then used the lotus leaf to cut the chicken in half, and openly lied, "Help me eat it, I can't finish it."

Lu Yu paused for a moment, then wrapped up the remaining chicken and put it in his pocket.

"What are you doing?" She stared blankly at his actions, completely bewildered.

"I'm not hungry." After saying that, his stomach growled twice, making the two of them very embarrassed. Ji Meiqing was somewhat incredulous.

"You haven't eaten yet, have you?"

He nodded somewhat awkwardly.

"Then hurry up and eat!" She took out the half-eaten lotus leaf chicken that he had put away. "Don't just stand there like an idiot."

Lu Yu stared blankly at her as the two of them finished off the chicken one after the other. Finally, Ji Meiqing didn't forget to lick the taste left on her lips.

He slowly finished the half chicken, leaving only a pile of bones in front of them. Ji Meiqing tidied up, and the two of them left together.

"What's next?" She stretched and looked at the person next to her. "Brother Lu?"

She patted Lu Yu, who was lost in thought, and asked, "What's wrong?"

"I've been thinking about when you're going to get married," he said truthfully. "You're already sixteen this year."

"Let it be." She uttered these two words softly. Ji Meiqing had never thought about marrying anyone or spending her life with anyone, because anyone could leave your life halfway through.

All she could do was face it all with a smile and bid farewell to the people around her with a smile.

"And you? What kind of girl does Brother Lu like? If you meet someone like that, I'll definitely help you two get together."

Lu Yu thought for a moment, "Not for now, but we'll see how things go."

The two exchanged a knowing smile at the ambiguous answer.

If she closes this deal today, her life will be much easier from now on. Ji Meiqing just wants to earn her small goal of 100 million yuan and then quietly live the life of a wealthy woman.

It was still early, so the two strolled around the shore of Minghu Lake before returning to the main street. It wasn't dark yet, but preparations were already underway.