The next moment, he only heard her suddenly shout, and then, like a butterfly weaving through flowers, she flashed behind him. Immediately after, his throat was gripped by a hand. This sudden change left him utterly stunned, but then he heard a low whisper.

　　"Do me a favor, act with me for a bit to fool that annoying guy!"

　　Ethan Bolton only felt her breath, fragrant as orchids, by his ear, followed by another sharp command: "All of you, get out of my way!"

　　He found it both exasperating and amusing. He could feel the warm, smooth touch of that hand on his neck—no calluses, no prominent knuckles—but his eyesight was sharp enough; just from her swift movements, he could tell this young lady had solid training. Yet, even without her whispered reminder, he could sense that her hand was only lightly touching his neck, not applying any real force.

　　Thinking that today was the most interesting day in his otherwise uneventful three years, he ultimately did not resist.

　　Isn't it just acting? Then I'll play along with you!

　　Seeing this, Madam Wu was terrified. Instinctively, she wanted to rush forward and rescue Ethan Bolton, but unexpectedly, Charles Brooks suddenly darted in front of her, blocking her way. In her panic, she looked pleadingly at the guards, only to find that each of them wore a deep, unmoving expression. Ethan Bolton was being dragged back step by step, and she couldn't help but grow increasingly anxious.

　　Ethan Bolton cooperated perfectly with the young lady's gentle chokehold, as if she was afraid of hurting him. As they backed out the door, he caught sight of the high threshold out of the corner of his eye and quickly whispered, "Watch the threshold!"

　　Emily Brooks had been focused solely on guarding against Charles Brooks and the guards trying to stop her, and hadn't noticed the threshold behind her. When she heard this, she quickly glanced back, and her impression of Ethan Bolton improved even more.

　　What a handsome and kind-hearted young man! Who else would think of their captor's safety while being suddenly taken hostage?

　　No, she definitely had to teach him in the future—he must learn to be wary of others, or he'd be easily deceived!

　　Seeing that no one chased after them once they left the main hall, Ethan Bolton quickly glanced around the front yard and saw Old Liu sensibly shrinking into a corner. At the kitchen door, Aunt Liu the cook and the servant Ah Liu were peeking out, all with faces full of curiosity and excitement. He felt as if he was dutifully helping someone perform a one-man show.

　　After leaving the main gate, he glanced at the carriages and horses, thinking she might seize a horse. Unexpectedly, she didn't pause at all, still gripping his throat as she dragged him forward. It wasn't until they reached a ridge between fields that he couldn't hold back anymore and pretended to stumble.

　　He intended to lean back and bump into her lightly, then duck down to break free. But to his surprise, when she saw him stumble, the young lady immediately let go of her hold and quickly reached out to steady him.

　　"Are... are you okay? Did you twist your ankle? Are you alright?"

　　Hearing her anxious questions, Ethan Bolton was once again certain that this young lady truly meant no harm.

　　Standing firm, he smiled and shook his head. "I'm fine. But, young lady, what exactly do you want me to do by acting out this scene?"

　　Only then did Emily Brooks let go, straightening up and smiling as she asked, "I'm Emily Brooks, daughter of the Duke of Zhao. And you are?"

　　Seeing her introduce herself, Ethan Bolton readily replied, "I'm Ethan Bolton."

　　"Ethan Bolton... Ethan Bolton..." Emily Brooks repeated his name twice, then looked him over a few more times.

　　She had impulsively taken him hostage just now, mainly to have a private conversation and ask about the so-called marriage her father had arranged.

　　She immediately apologized, "I only took you hostage to get away just now—I had no choice, I'm truly sorry! You saw it yourself, that Charles Brooks is insufferable, and there are things I didn't want to ask in front of him. If I tried to talk to you privately, he'd definitely interfere. He wants me to break off the engagement, so he's happy to see us at odds!"

　　"Ethan Bolton, I just want to ask you one thing—have you really never heard of our engagement before?"

　　Ethan Bolton didn't answer right away. Instead, he glanced at his own conspicuous house in the countryside not far away. Seeing that no one had come after them, he recalled how Charles Brooks had compared him to Emily Brooks in the fields earlier, and a thought occurred to him.

　　So, my transmigration has landed me in a "broken engagement" plot?

　　When it happens in someone else's story, it's easy to feel indignant on the protagonist's behalf. But when it happens to you...

　　He actually felt a bit curious about what would happen next!

　　After all, although the red-clad girl before him was pleasing to the eye and seemed reasonable, to immediately consider her a lifelong partner—Ethan Bolton really couldn't accept that, even if this young lady was more beautiful than any woman he'd seen in his previous life, and her beauty was completely natural.

　　No matter how good free love is... arranged marriage is a lifelong trap!

　　He hadn't even left the countryside to explore this unfamiliar world yet, so why rush into marriage talks so soon!