"Right, Brother Song, no offense!" Charles finally realized and awkwardly smiled while explaining.
"No problem!" Nora waved her hand with a smile and said, "I think Brother Charles is easygoing and natural. Talking with him is very pleasant."
"Ha ha ha... I knew Brother Song is also a person with feelings!" Charles relaxed and laughed. He invited, "Brother Song, since we met by fate, how about visiting Fairy Lake together tomorrow?"
He suddenly leaned closer and whispered, "Brother Song, your looks must attract many girls. It's a good chance to find a good wife!"
He winked at her, showing confidence in her.
Ethan sat quietly nearby, smiling as he watched them. Though silent, his presence felt warm like spring breeze.
Nora hesitated looking at the enthusiastic Charles but shook her head to refuse.
"Thanks for the kind invitation, Brothers Charles and Ethan, but I have some things to handle tomorrow. I'm afraid I cannot join you at the lake. Please don't take it badly!"
She had many things to do tomorrow. First, she needed to buy a bed and two quilts for her space so she wouldn't have to sleep on the floor anymore.
Thinking of this, Nora snorted quietly, feeling System Vee.9 was really stingy not even giving her a bed.
Seeing Nora refuse, Charles felt a little disappointed. He did not know why, but he liked this young brother very much. It made him feel close.
In a few days, he would leave for the academy and didn't know when he could see Brother Song again.
"Since Brother Song is busy, we won't disturb you," Charles hesitated, then took a jade pendant from his waist.
Afraid she would refuse, he quickly put it in her hand and said, "I feel like we are old friends. I give this jade pendant to you. Please don't refuse. We will go to Mingda Academy soon. If you have time, come find me there."
Nora looked at his sincere eyes. Words of refusal could not come out, so she took the pendant with a smile.
"Brother Charles, don't worry. After I finish my work, I will definitely come find you for a good drink."
"Good! I will wait for Brother Song at Mingda Academy!" He saluted her seriously.
Nora bowed back quickly. Just as she felt touched inside, Charles stood up and pulled Ethan, rushing outside.
While running, he shouted, "Hurry! Lily and the others are almost at Fairy Lake! We must hurry or there won't be good spots. Ladies can't notice us! Brother Song, see you another day!"
"Quick! Lily and her group are at Fairy Lake!"
"Miss Lily! Lady Qiao!"
"There are women at Fairy Lake!"
Nora stared blankly at their distant backs. Then she saw a large group of men running wildly on the street. She didn't know how to react.
She was very curious about Lily's beauty that made people so crazy.
But Nora also felt proud that no one suspected her identity all this time. Her disguise was very successful.
System Vee.9 quietly watched everything without sensing danger, so it didn't warn her.
After the crazy crowd passed, Nora finally left the small stall. She planned to take a good walk, but after a while, she noticed that except for a few older stall owners, all the others were rushing toward Fairy Lake.
Nora looked at the empty street and didn't know what to say. She quietly decided to keep her identity secret. This was really too crazy.
Calming down, she went to a silk shop based on the address she heard.
"Please come inside, sir!" Several servants stood bored inside, chatting. When Nora entered, they greeted her with smiles. "Are you here to buy fabric or ready-made clothes? Our Jin Xiu shop has the latest styles. You will like them!"
"I want to see ready-made clothes. Bring me two sets of simple styles," Nora said. She looked around; the shop was decorated like those in TV dramas. The fabrics were colorful and dazzling.
"Okay!" The servant quickly agreed, went behind the counter, and soon brought two sets in front of her. "Sir, look at these two. They are the most popular styles in the capital. Only our shop in Beryllium Kingdom has them!"
Nora liked the clothes. One was sky blue, the other black. She touched the fabric; it was soft and comfortable, just what she wanted.
She nodded and said, "I'll take these two sets. Also, get me two quilts." Then she pointed at a piece of pink cotton fabric on the counter. "Wrap this cotton cloth too, and bring some needles and thread."
"Okay, sir! Please wait a moment." The servant quickly packed everything Nora asked for.
The shop owner counted on his abacus and smiled at Nora. "Sir, two sets of clothes, two quilts, and one piece of fine cotton come to ten taels and three qian. The needles and thread are free."
"Okay!" Nora took silver from her pouch, actually from her space, and put it on the counter. She took the change and refused the servant's offer to help deliver. She carried the things out herself.
Outside, she found a quiet alley and asked System Vee.9 to help watch for danger. She quickly stored everything back in the space.
She bought the cotton cloth because she had no underwear. Just now she wanted to buy some, but the shop had no suitable ready-made underwear. Only very sexy ones.
Luckily, she had learned some sewing from her grandmother. She could make simple clothes herself.
Later, she bought a bed and asked someone to deliver it to a corner. She lied that someone was coming to get it. After the delivery man left, she stored the bed in her space too.
After finishing these tasks, Nora finally relaxed. She strolled the street calmly and talked to System Vee.9 inside her mind. "System, you saw the scene just now. The men here are too crazy. If they find out who I am, a weak girl like me will have a terrible fate."
"We have been through hardships together. You can't just watch me die. Can you give me some protection? Not invincible, but at least the ability to defend myself, right?"
No matter how much she pleaded, System Vee.9 gave no answer. Nora sighed and complained quietly, "So stingy!"
She lost interest in shopping and went to a bookstore. She spent thirteen taels to buy three histories of Quartz Continent and Tanzanite Kingdom, plus a law book of Tanzanite Kingdom. Then she returned to the inn feeling tired.
"Welcome back, sir!" The inn servant greeted her eagerly.
Nora was thinking about other things and just nodded simply. She went into her room quietly.