聿!

With a sudden shout, Arthur, the Warren Family Coachman, who was driving the carriage, reined in the galloping horses and brought the carriage to a halt:

"Young master, there's a woman collapsed on the road..."

"Oh? What's going on?"

The two scholars lifted the carriage curtain and stepped out. Franklin Warren was dressed in a luxurious fox-fur coat, elegant and expensive, while Jason Brooks wore a simple, bulky cotton-padded jacket, though it was brand new.

Outside, the snow was falling heavily, the ground covered in a thick layer. By the roadside, a young woman in a red jacket, her hair disheveled, lay slumped over. Judging by her appearance, she might have run into some mishap while out and had fainted from the cold.

Franklin Warren frowned slightly, but when he took two steps forward and saw the woman's face clearly, he was instantly struck as if by lightning—his mind went blank, his whole body numb—

Beautiful, so beautiful!

How could there be such beauty in this world, truly peerless!

Edward Warren's eyes widened like ox eyes, and in an instant his mouth went dry, a surge of lust rising uncontrollably from his lower abdomen, his groin reacting reflexively.

At this moment, Jason Brooks also saw the woman's face clearly, and was equally stunned by her beauty. But soon, his strange feelings were replaced by a vague sense of suspicion and vigilance.

Chapter 7: Peach Blossom

Phrases like "as beautiful as a drowning fish or a falling goose," "a national beauty, a heavenly fragrance," all seemed to pale in comparison to the unconscious woman before them. She was plainly dressed, without makeup, but her delicate features combined to radiate a breathtaking beauty, almost magical, making it impossible for anyone to resist being captivated at first sight.

Jason Brooks had seen many people, but never such a stunning beauty—she was almost like a computer-generated image, simply too flawless.

Precisely because of this, he instinctively felt a sense of alarm.

Beauty, bordering on the demonic.

That was the strongest impression the woman gave him; and now, Jason Brooks's understanding of this alternate world was no longer as muddled as before. After the white fox and that fruit, he vaguely sensed that this world was not simple.

So, could it be that a devastatingly beautiful woman "just happened" to faint on the road, and that this too was not simple?

Compared to his clarity, Franklin Warren was already impatiently instructing Arthur to carry the woman into the carriage. Of course, he wanted to carry her himself, but was constrained by his status.

Jason Brooks hesitated to speak, but in the end said nothing. He had no grounds or reason to stop them—he couldn't very well prevent someone from saving a life.

"Liuxian, what do you think we should do about this?"

Franklin Warren asked.

Jason Brooks chuckled, "I'll leave it all to you, Brother Futai."

Franklin Warren said, "As the saying goes, saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-story pagoda. Why don't we skip our trip to Mount Bijia to enjoy the snow today and focus on saving her instead? What do you think?"

Jason Brooks thought to himself: Save a life? If it were an old lady who'd fainted, would you be this concerned and anxious? Looks like you're hoping for a romantic encounter. So he casually replied, "Sounds good."

Thus, the carriage went from carrying two people to three; and its direction turned back.

The woman remained unconscious for a long time, wrapped in a thick quilt, only her bewitching face exposed. After being warmed, a faint blush appeared on her cheeks, making her even more beautiful, like a peach blossom about to bloom.

Watching Franklin Warren pretend to be proper while sneaking glances at her, Jason Brooks found it amusing; but after looking at the village girl a few more times, his unease grew stronger.

It was purely an instinctive feeling—something seemed off, but he couldn't pinpoint what.

Since Franklin Warren said he would take her into Jiangzhou City to find a doctor, Jason Brooks got off the carriage halfway. Watching the carriage disappear into the distance, he pondered for a long time, still unable to figure it out: "Maybe I'm overthinking it... Ah, let him be. Fortune and misfortune have no doors; they come as people invite them."

—Franklin Warren is lustful.

This, Jason Brooks had long known. Franklin Warren already had a wife and a concubine at home, yet he still often frequented the pleasure quarters of Jiangzhou, seeking out women and lingering there.

Since ancient times, famous scholars have often been amorous. In the Tiantong Dynasty, it was common for scholars to visit brothels, even claiming it was to seek inspiration for poetry and prose; and the romantic affairs between famous scholars and courtesans were even more widely talked about, sung through the ages.

Of course, none of this concerned Jason Brooks.

It wasn't that he didn't want to, but in the past he was penniless and couldn't afford such entertainment; and now, though Jason Brooks's views were more open, he still didn't think there was much glory in such things.

Five days later, Franklin Warren visited Jason Brooks again. He looked energetic, his face unable to hide his joy. Only, his once rather plump cheeks had slimmed down a bit.

"Liuxian, come, let me buy you a drink!"

Without waiting for a reply, he dragged Jason Brooks straight to a tavern a mile away, ordered some good dishes, and warmed a pot of fine wine.

Jason Brooks asked, "Brother Futai, you look radiant—could it be you have some good news?"

Franklin Warren chuckled, "You know me well, Ethan."

"I'm all ears."

"You still remember the girl we rescued on the road last time, right?"

"I remember."

Jason Brooks raised his eyebrows, immediately having a pretty good idea.