Nora ntioned a place for fun, a small town about an hour or two drive from the village.
In the past couple of years, the town has been developing quite well, with the rise of tourism, the surrounding industries like accommodation and dining have also blossod, and the entertainnt industry is gradually expanding.
In this kind of place, the "brothels" Pedro Langley imagined surely exist. Nora is quite knowledgeable about these things, but she certainly wouldn’t take Pedro there.
"What kind of fun are you looking for?"
After parking the car, Pedro looked at the rather bustling street and asked Nora.
"Eating, drinking, playing, and having fun."
As she finished speaking, Nora had already grabbed her bamboo flute and stepped out of the car.
With a light sigh, Pedro followed in Nora’s footsteps.
"It’s been three or four years since I last ca here," Nora said, pressing down on the brim of her peaked cap, introducing the place to Pedro, "The change is trendous. This road used to be full of potholes, it’s been resurfaced, and many new shops have opened nearby... oh, there’s even a place selling trendy internet-famous foods now."
Pedro thought the changes would hit Nora emotionally, but unexpectedly, after strolling around, she was quite happy, "Inco has increased, and the environnt has improved."
Looking at her bright smile, Pedro couldn’t help but curl his lips into a light smile.
She’s taking it really well.
This place looks different from what Nora rembers; a few shops they’ve been to are now closed and replaced with new ones. Nora neither felt sad nor nostalgic, she casually visited the ones she liked, just like her first ti there.
Nora loves traditional crafts, like sugar painting, ceramics, carving, paper-cutting, bamboo weaving, and she’s learned all that she can try her hand at. Such hobbies made her very popular when she was out and about, like now.
She borrowed a stall to do sugar painting, attracted a crowd of tourists with her beauty; she played with ceramics along with Pedro, creating the most beautiful pair of couple’s cups; she chatted a bit with people at a bamboo weaving shop and was treated to two skewers of candied haws and gifted so rare local specialties... things you couldn’t even buy.
In short, she’s a woman who uses her passions as an advantage, benefiting in all sorts of ways when she’s out.
Nora hardly spent any money, relying on freebies and gifts from the store owners, and just like that, she mooched her way through the town.
The things in Pedro’s hands accumulated more and more.
"Are you tired?"
Nora, holding only a bamboo flute, suddenly asked Pedro sympathetically.
Pedro gently furrowed his brows.
As expected, in the next mont, Nora raised the bamboo flute and pointed to a tavern on one side, "A friend of mine owns it, want to check it out?"
"..."
Here it cos, here it cos, Nora’s mysterious social network.
It was a retro wooden two-story building, calling it a tavern, but it was more like a pub. On the second floor sat a young man with a guitar, singing folk songs. Occasionally, tourists paused downstairs, drawn in by the music, naturally entering the tavern for a drink and to make a few friends.
This place, complents Nora’s temperant quite well.
"Nora!"
As soon as Nora entered, the tavern gave her a welco, the receptionist staff recognized her with delight and waved eagerly at her.
It’s no wonder that wherever Nora goes, there are friends, and no matter how long it’s been, soone recognizes her. It’s because her face is too striking to forget once seen, plus her personality is extrely vivid, which leaves people rembering her fondly after just a brief interaction.
Nora asked, "Are there any seats on the second floor?"
"Yes, there are." The staff eagerly replied, "I’ll take you up. What would you like to drink?"
"Your boss’s Peach Blossom Drunk."
"Okay!"
The staff nodded without hesitation.
The newbies who didn’t know Nora scratched their heads in confusion. The boss’s brewed wine was never for sale, priceless within the shop, only drank when the boss brought friends in. How co this beauty can have it without even saying a word?
Handing the things to the staff for safekeeping, Pedro suddenly realized, "I drove here."
"Get a designated driver," Nora said decisively, then approached Pedro and tugged at his sleeve, whispering, "The owner cos from a family renowned for winemaking, inheriting ancient techniques, studied modern thods, and developed his own craft, which he doesn’t share... Anyway, it’d be a waste not to drink the wine he makes. You wouldn’t even get to drink it if you ca alone."
The kind of person, the kind of friends they make.
Nora manages to network with various craft heirs, they could probably form a team and debut. Sothing like BXT48, specifically to showcase various traditional crafts to audiences...
Pedro suddenly thought of sothing, "With your drinking capacity..."
"I’ll only have a few sips, the rest is yours to finish," Nora had already thought up her plan.
Pedro: "..."
Alright then.
After all, they ca out to "have a good ti," they can’t spoil Nora’s fun.
It’s just that Pedro playing along with Nora doesn’t an certain blind ones will take a hint.
There weren’t many guests on the second floor, but once the Peach Blossom Drunk was opened, a clean floral aroma quickly spread, perating the entire floor; most of the guests present caught a whiff, and eagerly sought out its source.
Soon enough, they found out about Nora and Pedro’s table.
However, every table was separated, not quite private rooms, semi-open; with poor angles, one couldn’t see. Those too timid would feel embarrassed to specifically co forward for a look.
But—
There are always oddballs.
Nora Scott and Pedro Langley had just taken two sips when a man grabbed a waiter and ca over, angrily pointing at them and shouting, "What do you an? I spent six figures and still can’t buy even an ounce of your boss’s Peach Blossom Drunk, saying it could only be unsealed with the boss here! Now what do you an, huh? I don’t see your boss here now! Why isn’t the rule being followed?!"
"I, I don’t know..."
The waiter, completely unaware, was dragged over, face pale, stamring in speech.
Pedro Langley paused slightly with his glass raised, glanced sidelong at the troublemaking man, didn’t pay him any mind, and brought the glass to his lips, downing the Peach Blossom Drunk in one go.
Great wine.
Nora never exaggerates when she brags.
"How is it?" Nora asked Pedro with interest, resting her chin on her hand while playing with the bamboo flute.
"Mmm." Pedro nodded in approval, not forgetting to angle for a bonus, "Can I take so back?"
Nora responded cheerfully, "Sure, I’ll have them wrap up the leftovers later."
She was so straightforward, one would think she was the boss.
Their calm conversation drew the attention of both the man and the waiter, their eyes widening with disbelief.
!!!
Are you living in a parallel universe, or is there a barrier that makes you oblivious to this scene?!
"What a big mouth," the man, unable to stand Nora’s words, shoved the waiter aside and started picking a fight with Nora, "Who are you to just take the wine from this place?"
"I want to take it, and he’s willing to give it." Nora lazily glanced at him, "What’s it to you, cue ball?"
Initially, there was no intention to cause trouble, but the words "cue ball" from Nora were like stepping on a landmine. The man’s temper flared up instantly.
Not for any other reason, but because it hit a sore spot.
Actually, he was just in his early twenties, but a bald head made him look a decade older, greasy and outdated, and with a careless dress style, his outward appearance was simply unspeakable.
"Damn, you looking for trouble?!"
Hands clenched into fists, the man took a breath, ready to strike.
Pedro Langley hesitated for a second on the question of "should I be the hero to save the beauty," then decisively chose to let it go, allowing Nora to handle it herself.
After all, he was the bride-in-residence, and getting into action would ruin the persona.
Before the man’s punch could land, Nora swiftly picked up her wine glass and splashed it into his face, soaking his greasy, fat face. The wine, though fragrant and sweet, had a high and intense alcohol content, and as soon as it got in his eyes, the man imdiately covered his face and scread in agony.
The attack power instantly turned to zero.
This caught the attention of everyone on the second floor.
There were onlookers who enjoy chaos, and others who left to avoid trouble, while the waiters and the man’s friends sward in.
Soone hastily picked up two bottles of mineral water to wash the man’s eyes. After pouring them out, it probably didn’t hurt anymore, but his eyes were red and swollen, making him look like a small wife who cried for a day and night, truly laughable.
Looking back at Nora and Pedro, not only did they not take advantage of the chaos to escape, they each poured another glass of wine, calmly chatting, astonishingly discussing which pickled plum was good to take back... it was truly infuriating.
"Damn!"
The man was completely enraged and charged at Nora, ignoring all attempts to stop him.
Nora raised an eyebrow, her wrist moving slightly, without even standing up, she aid the bamboo flute at him. A chanism triggered, and a long needle pierced into his abdon.
Feeling a stabbing pain in his abdon, the man was montarily dazed, blinking, and looking down.
A needle.
It didn’t seem to hurt too much.
"Master Ford, let it go!"
"Be the bigger person, let’s not bother with them."
"We can’t create a scene here, Master Ford, let’s leave."
...
The friends, wary of the restaurant owner, didn’t dare to make trouble, and hurried up to persuade the man.
But, soon enough, they realized —
The man was frozen in place, completely still.
"I..."
When the man opened his mouth, he found even his lips were numb.
He said word by word: "Poi-soned."
Everyone: ???
Do you think this is a martial arts movie?!
At this mont, Nora leaned back, crossing her legs, spinning the bamboo flute, exuding an air of relaxation and reinforcing the martial world atmosphere, casually saying, "It’s the Ten Fragrance Soft Tendon Powder, carry him out."
"..."
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