Chapter 1: A Young Lady Has Taken a Fancy to You

Emily Thompson was dressed flamboyantly, her chubby face smeared with rouge, looking just like a monkey's bottom. She swayed her bucket-shaped waist, wobbling as she walked. When she reached the entrance of Ruchun Restaurant, she wrinkled her nose, but then smiled.

Emily Thompson pinched her handkerchief and went inside. This restaurant was quite strange; it was noon, yet there were hardly any diners, unusually quiet. As she entered and looked around, sure enough, it was deserted inside, with only a young man propping his head up at the counter, lost in thought.

At the sight of this young man, Emily Thompson's eyes lit up.

So, with a twist of her bucket waist, she went right up behind the young man. Her unique voice rang out: "Oh, Young Master Carter, copying texts again, are you? Everyone in the neighborhood knows you love to read. Truly, you have a good temperament, and you’re so handsome too. With such good looks, there are so many girls who couldn’t find someone like you even with a lantern."

Young Master Carter's name was Brian Carter. His parents had passed away not long ago, and he was still in mourning. He had inherited the family business, which was this very Ruchun Restaurant. When his father was alive, he had placed great hopes on this boy, hiring tutors to teach him. The Four Books and Five Classics were all mastered by Brian Carter, but secretly, some people called him a bookworm, mocking him for being a toad lusting after a swan.

It was unclear whether Emily Thompson's honeyed words were praise or sarcasm.

Brian Carter snapped back to reality, first looking at Emily Thompson in confusion, then a flood of memories surged into his mind.

In fact, Brian Carter had just been daydreaming—not memorizing texts, but wandering in his mind. In his previous life, Brian Carter was a gourmet, traveling everywhere and enjoying great fame in the culinary world. For some unknown reason, he suddenly found himself in the body of a bookworm. It had only been a day or two, and he still hadn’t adjusted, when Emily Thompson came knocking.

Emily Thompson was a well-known matchmaker in the neighborhood, glib and persuasive. Now she was standing right across from him, smiling sweetly as she sized him up, making Brian Carter feel a chill run down his spine.

Brian Carter had no choice but to imitate the customs of this era, bowing to Emily Thompson and saying, "Emily Thompson, greetings. May I ask what advice you have for me?"

"A scholar is indeed a scholar," Emily Thompson said cheerfully, twisting her body as she leaned on the counter, gazing at Brian Carter. She continued, "No wonder Miss Zhou has taken a fancy to you. You know Miss Zhou, right? As beautiful as a flower, stunningly gorgeous—tsk tsk... Let me be honest with you: she hasn’t liked anyone else, but she thinks Young Master Carter is just right. Her father asked me to come and arrange a match, to bring about a good marriage."

So she was here to propose a marriage.

Brian Carter was so happy he almost fainted. He’d only ever heard of men pursuing women, never women pursuing men. Was his charm really that great?

Wait... something’s not right.

When Brian Carter thought carefully, he immediately frowned. "Could it be Miss Zhou from Wuma Street?"

Emily Thompson beamed, "Yes, yes, that’s her."

Brian Carter's face fell. Based on the original owner's memories, he already knew who it was. He said seriously, "But I heard she’s lame, a cripple, and her looks are quite ordinary."

That was close, really close... Brian Carter felt relieved. Time-traveling was already hard enough to accept; if he were tricked by this matchmaker into marrying an unattractive woman he had no feelings for, how could he go on living? That would be too much.

Even after being exposed, Emily Thompson wasn’t angry. Her eyes showed feigned admiration as she said with a grin, "Everyone says Young Master Carter is clever, and it seems it’s true. But, well, this Miss Zhou, her looks, ahem... are passable, and she’s rare in being virtuous and gentle, with the best temperament."

Brian Carter shook his head and said, "But she’s still a cripple in the end."

Emily Thompson's face darkened a little. "Her family’s business is big, they have money, and the dowry is generous."

Brian Carter immediately felt insulted. "So what if she’s rich? I have money too, look..." He rummaged in his sleeve and shook out a pile of copper coins onto the counter. One, two... three... seven... eight...

Huh... only eight...

Brian Carter's face turned red. He’d been muddle-headed these past two days and hadn’t realized this problem. Now that he checked, he discovered he was actually penniless.