Ever since entering the System Space, Lu Zhanyuan had not eaten a single grain of rice. At this moment, the aroma of the food and wine on the table made him feel instantly ravenous, his stomach rumbling.
Impatiently, he pointed at the food and wine on the table and said to Li Mochou, "Mochou, my stomach is starting to protest! Let's hurry up and eat!"
"All right, Brother Lu!" Li Mochou replied obediently.
Her gaze fell upon the wine and dishes on the table. Like a curious child, she pointed at the two porcelain bottles and asked Lu Zhanyuan, "Brother Lu, are these bottles filled with that thing called 'wine'?"
Seeing her innocent expression, Lu Zhanyuan could not help but curl the corners of his mouth. Stifling a smile, he nodded at her and said, "Yes, Mochou, these two bottles are 'wine'. First, open one bottle, and then gently sniff its aroma."
As if receiving a precious treasure, Li Mochou carefully followed Lu Zhanyuan's instructions and picked up a bottle of wine.
She gently opened the lid, a gleam of curiosity sparkling in her eyes, and peered inside carefully. Then, like a little kitten sniffing a flower, she brought it right up to her nose and took a sniff.
"Brother Lu, this wine looks just about like water, but it smells a little strange. Is it meant for drinking?"
"Yes, this wine is meant for drinking. Let me get a cu—"
"Cough! Cough-cough!"
Before Lu Zhanyuan could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Li Mochou's violent coughing fit.
"Brother Lu, why is this wine so spicy, and so choking!" she complained discontentedly, frowning as she coughed.
"Cough-cough!"
Stunned, Lu Zhanyuan looked at her, feeling a mix of helplessness and amusement. He had only told her to take a sniff; he hadn't expected this impulsive girl to be so impatient.
"Brother Lu, why is this wine so awful to drink?"
Once she caught her breath, Li Mochou continued to complain. "Could this wine be bad? I'm going to go kill whoever made it!"
With that, like an enraged little tiger, she abruptly stood up, making as if to go settle accounts with the inn servant.
Lu Zhanyuan hurriedly reached out and grabbed Li Mochou's hand, holding her back like an untamed little wild horse, and gently comforted her:
"Mochou, don't be impulsive. Sit down first. We just said a moment ago that we can't kill people casually, so you mustn't let my words go in one ear and out the other!"
Hearing Lu Zhanyuan's words, the huffing and puffing Li Mochou paused to reflect for a moment. Like a pacified kitten, she obediently sat back down beside him.
"Mochou, come, stop being angry. Let's sit down, and you can listen to me explain slowly."
Seeing her sit down, Lu Zhanyuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief while also finding himself rather amused by her series of antics.
He picked up the other bottle of wine, opened it, and pulled over a wine cup from the table, slowly pouring a cup of wine. As he poured, he said to Li Mochou:
"Mochou, this wine isn't meant to be drunk the way you just did. Since this is your first time drinking, you have to take it slow, just like savoring a delicious delicacy."
As he spoke, he brought the cup to his lips and took a small, gentle sip to demonstrate for her. "See? You have to drink it like this."
Watching his demonstration, Li Mochou imitated him by pouring a cup of wine and taking a tiny sip.
"Brother Lu, although it's not as spicy as before, it still doesn't taste good!"
After swallowing, she furrowed her brow slightly like an aggrieved child and looked up at Lu Zhanyuan in confusion.
"Mochou, if it doesn't taste good, then forget it, we won't drink it. Wine isn't something that everyone likes anyway. Come, come, Mochou, let's eat the food. I'm starving—let's fill our stomachs first and talk later."
Watching Lu Zhanyuan drink and eat, Li Mochou felt a sense of reluctance. Like an indomitable child, she picked up her wine cup once more and took another tiny sip.
This time, she seemed to discern a slightly different sensation, a flash of surprise crossing her eyes, and so she took another drink.
This time, she felt even more distinct sensations, and her dormant curiosity was thoroughly ignited. From then on, she began drinking it sip by sip.
As if she had discovered a new continent, Li Mochou quickly finished this small cup of wine and asked Lu Zhanyuan excitedly:
"Brother Lu, why does this wine taste different every time I drink it?"
Busy with his meal, Lu Zhanyuan turned his head and looked rather in surprise at her empty wine cup. "Mochou, didn't you say this wine didn't taste good? I never expected you to finish the whole cup."
"It was only after taking a few more sips that I began to feel the unique qualities of this wine!" Li Mochou replied somewhat sheepishly.
"Then would you like another cup?"
"Yes!"
Happily, Li Mochou blinked her autumn-water eyes at Lu Zhanyuan.
After pouring her another cup of wine, Lu Zhanyuan began to answer her previous question.
"Mochou, this wine is much like the journey of life, filled with all sorts of marvelous transformations. Different wines resemble different stages of life, each carrying its own distinct flavor. But even with the exact same cup of wine, if you drink it with different moods, every single time will bring a different experience. When your heart is filled with joy, the wine becomes an envoy of happiness, immersing your body and soul in a warm current of bliss. Yet when your heart is full of sorrow, the wine becomes a companion for confiding; cup after cup, its bitter and fiery blend seems capable of temporarily numbing all your troubles."
Lu Zhanyuan raised his wine cup from the table, lightly clinked it against Li Mochou's cup, and drained it in a single gulp.
"Not only that, drinking it with different people also gives you a different feeling. When gathering with close friends, wine serves as the bond of camaraderie; clinking cups together, they need no extra words to feel that genuine affection."
As Lu Zhanyuan looked at Li Mochou listening quietly, a sudden surge of intense affection welled up in his heart, and he swept her up into his arms by the waist.
"When you are with the person you love, the wine becomes an ambiance creator, capable of conveying mutual affection. In short, this wine is like a kaleidoscope of life, reflecting the fluctuations of one's mood while also mirroring the myriad states of human relationships."
"Brother Lu, you know so much!"
Li Mochou gazed with adoring eyes at Lu Zhanyuan's handsome face, her eyes seemingly sparkling with tiny stars as endless love surged within them.
Seeing the intoxicatingly rosy flush on Li Mochou's face after drinking, Lu Zhanyuan picked up his wine cup, took a small sip into his mouth, and before she could react, leaned in like a gentle butterfly and lightly kissed her.
The fine wine circulated between their lips, warm and mellow. A droplet of wine slipped from the corners of their mouths, carrying a mysterious power that made their hearts beat even more furiously, like the rolling thunder of battle drums.
They lost themselves in the kiss, feeling each other's warmth and breath. At that moment, the wine on their lips was just like their romance—entwined, intense, and intoxicating.
Having defined their relationship, the two lovers were now exceptionally intimate.
Watching Li Mochou's exquisitely rosy cheeks, Lu Zhanyuan would feed her a bite of food from time to time, and then bring the wine to her lips.
For over half an hour, the two of them fed each other affectionately during the meal. Once they were full and satisfied, Lu Zhanyuan called the inn servant to lead them to the doorway of a guest room.
"Waiter, have someone fetch us some hot water for bathing!"
"Right away, honored guests! Please wait a moment, this little one will have the hot water brought right up to you!"
"Mhm!" Lu Zhanyuan nodded at the servant, then took Li Mochou by the hand and walked into one of the guest rooms.