By this time, the custom of using wine to select a spouse had be nothing more than folklore. No families actually practiced it anymore; it was just a performance by locals for tourists, showcasing the wine-courtship tradition. No one expected that just after the introduction, someone would actually strike the gong.


    It was none other than Earl, a well-respected figure in River Town.


    The locals onstage all respectfully nodded towards Earl. “Mr. Earl, what are you doing?”


    “Bring me the microphone.”


    Earl, dressed in River Town’s traditional dark ethnic attire, wore simple cloth shoes beneath his wide-legged pants. Despite his age, with silver hair, he exuded a charming and energetic presence.


    He took the microphone in one hand and pulled Paige to the center of the tform with the other. “Everyone knows I’ve taken a young apprentice. Here she is, Paige! Now tell me, isn’t my little apprentice beautiful?”


    Tourists and locals packed the area below the tform, excitedly shouting at the unexpected live demonstration of a wine-courtship. Their cheers grew louder, attracting even more onlookers. “Beautiful! Beautiful!”


    Carrie’s makeup skills were excellent, and she was adept at giving people apletely different look.


    Paige had a naturally innocent face, but now with heavy makeup, her eyes shone seductively. Even though her appearance had changed, her beauty was undeniable, and the crowd’s excitement reached a fever pitch.


    Paige, however, seemed oblivious to the noise. She silently watched the elderly man beside her, trying to guess what her teacher had nned for tonight.


    “Bring out the wine! Tonight, I’m going to host a wine-courtship for my little apprentice!”


    Earl’s booming announcement ignited the crowd’s enthusiasm even further.


    On therge tform stood rows of bamboo racks, each holding barrels of River Town’s homemade wine.


    Every barrel was engraved with the name of the wine, and there were over a hundred varieties, each with a different vor and intensity. The wind rattled the barrels, causing them to knock against each other, with some spilling wine onto the carpet.


    Locals wheeled the bamboo racks forward and shouted, “You’re in luck today, guests from afar! You get to witness a wine-courtship! The rule is simple: whoever drinks the most and stays standing wins! That person will be Earl’s apprentice’s husband!”


    “I’ll do it!”


    “Me too!”


    The shouting from below grew louder as a man dressed in ethnic attire and another burly, beer-bellied man jumped onto the tform. After respectfully nodding to Earl and Paige, they headed straight for the wine barrels.


    Those familiar with the tradition began keeping count of the wine barrels with paper and pen.


    “Teacher, what are you doing?” Paige smiled and asked Earl, “You know I already have a boyfriend.”


    “You only see appearances, but you don’t understand men. I’ll find someone good for you.”


    Earl smiled at her, affectionate as ever, showing no change in his usual demeanor.


    Paige gazed at him quietly, her heart filled withplex emotions.


    From the slums to the Capital, and now to the southern border, she had encountered many people. She believed her eyes were sharp, never betraying anyone, nor suspecting anyone would betray her… so where had things gone wrong?


    “Look, it’s starting!”


    Earl seemed genuinely eager to find her a husband, enthusiastically pulling her attention to the two menpeting onstage. The two nced at each other before grabbing a bamboo barrel and gulping the wine down as quickly as they could, afraid to fall behind.


    “Drink! Drink! Drink!” The crowd below shouted at the top of their lungs.


    Paige watched coldly. As she turned her gaze, she noticed one person standing still amid the shouting crowd-Enrico. Although he stood among the people, it was as if he were in a world of his own.


    His eyes, even hidden beneath his brows, revealed his displeasure as he watched the two men onstage. Though wearing a mask, Paige could tell his expression was grim. He held the pen-tubentern she had chosen, turning it in his hand slowly…


    “Earl, I’m marrying your beautiful apprentice for sure!” The man in ethnic attire was a local and more familiar with the wine. He drank fast and steady, even managing to shout out to Earl in the midst of his drinking.


    *Snap.*


    In the crowd, the pen-tubentern in Enrico’s hand deformed and twisted, its light snuffed out.


    The tiny sound was insignificant in the raucous crowd, but Paige saw it and felt a chill run down her spine. Ever since he’d been cured, Enrico hadn’t shown this level of violent emotion.


    Enrico seemed to finally sense her gaze. He looked up, his eyes meeting hers.


    Paige subtly shook her head, signaling him not to act rashly. Earl was merely trying to buy time, and she had a way to handle it. He couldn’t be too impulsive.


    “…”


    Enrico looked at her, then at the misshapenntern in his hand, and tossed it to the ground.


    “…” Paige’s heart skipped a beat.


    In the next moment, she saw Enrico step onto the tform, prompting even more excited cheers from the crowd below. “Whoa! Another one! Now I want to give it a shot too!”This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    “That one’s handsome! Even his back is gorgeous, and he’s got the body of a model!” The female tourists were giddy with excitement.


    Earl looked up at him, his eyes deepening, though his smile remained. “Oh, your boyfriend’s not too bad.”


    “…” Paige looked at Enrico walking toward her, intending to speak with him.


    What is he nning? Could he really want to participate in this wine-courtship at such a crucial time?


    Suddenly, her phone buzzed.


    She nced at him before picking up her phone. There were two new messages from Enrico.


    **[Enrico: He’s not just buying time, he’s trying to provoke me. Since that’s the case, I’ll show him.]**


    **[Enrico: You need to listen, or I won’t speak to you again.]**


    Every word was sharp and decisive, and even carried a threat.


    “…” Paige gripped her phone tightly. Of course, she understood.


    She hadn’t told Earl that she’d cured Enrico’s memory loss. Earl’s move was to both buy time and provoke Enrico into joining the wine-courtship.


    Clearly, Earl still feared Enrico, hoping to get him drunk before taking action.


    If Enrico had already guessed that, why would he daree up?


    Paige raised her head, rushing forward to pull Enrico away.


    Enrico suddenly stopped, removed one side of his mask, and looked down at her. His eyes were deep, concealing countless emotions. With a slender finger pressed to his lips, he made a shushing gesture, the light catching his raised eyes, making him dangerously mesmerizing.


    He wasn’t a child anymore.


    He knew exactly what he was doing.


    “…” Paige froze.


    He can’t, he just can’t!


    But Enrico had already turned toward the bamboo racks, grabbing a bottle of bamboo wine and drinking it in one gulp. The spicy vor hit his throat, nearly making him cough it back up, his face turning pale.


    Standing on the tform, he kept his face hidden, so no one recognized him as the president of the Gustin Group.


    The local keeping count beside him noticed but didn’t recognize him in this isted ce.