"Bang!" With the sound of the door closing, Dinah Taylor stumbled slightly and made her way upstairs.
Jiang Hai had initially suggested that she stay at his place for the night or let him take her home, but she had refused. Instead, she stubbornly decided to walk back on her own. Fortunately, Jiang Hai understood her stubbornness, so after their battle, he used spiritual energy to heal her. She would likely feel better by tomorrow, but walking was still a bit painful for her now.
"Hey, Dinah, where did you go? I couldn't find you anywhere, and your phone wasn't answering. I thought you came back already." As soon as the door shut, Aphra stepped out from the second floor room. Seeing Dinah slowly heading upstairs, she couldn't help but ask with a hint of annoyance. Dinah, hearing her words, gave an awkward smile.
"I didn't do anything, hehe..." Dinah said softly, noticing the concerned look in Aphra's eyes.
"Really?" Aphra crossed her arms, eyeing her with a raised brow.
The intense scrutiny made Dinah feel uncomfortable.
"Okay, okay, my friend, I'll tell you the truth." Dinah raised her hands in mock surrender and looked at Aphra seriously. They lived together and were like sisters, so some things were better shared.
If they were caught in a lie one day, it would be incredibly embarrassing.
"Just now, I had a fight with Jiang... you know!" Dinah raised her eyebrows toward Aphra, her eyes twinkling mischievously.
"I know? What do you mean? You and Jiang... fought?" Aphra asked, her expression one of shock, mixed with a sense of recognition.
"Hey, what's with that face? Didn't we agree to dedicate ourselves to Jiang? Yesterday, you and Jiang... I saw it all, you little slut!" Dinah wrinkled her nose in playful teasing at Aphra's surprised expression.
"Oh my God. You and Jiang Hai actually fought?" Aphra was clearly taken aback. "Well, it's not that I'm trying to stop you and Jiang Hai, but... well, you know, this is all a bit sudden. Apart from you, are there any other people..." She looked at Dinah expectantly, full of curiosity.
"Probably not. If I hadn't seen you and Jiang Hai like that yesterday, I wouldn't have gone to him today. But you're really not nice at all. Jiang Hai... well, he's so comfortable, and you got to enjoy it all by yourself. You bad woman." Dinah's face wore an indulgent, almost dreamy expression as she climbed the stairs.
"Alright, alright, I knew this wouldn't stay a secret for long. Do what you want," Aphra said, raising her hand in mock resignation. Despite being the oldest among the girls, her personality was soft and accommodating.
"By the way, do you have anything that can prevent... you know?" Dinah suddenly stopped in her tracks and turned to Aphra just as she was about to enter her room.
"No, I haven't bought that kind of thing," Aphra replied, shrugging in a helpless manner. Dinah rolled her eyes, slightly disappointed.
"When Jiang Hai was with you, didn't he also wear a raincoat? What if... what should we do then?" She couldn't help but ask, remembering the details of Aphra and Jiang Hai's intimacy from the previous day.
"If it happens... then just have the baby. Jiang Hai loves kids," Aphra said nonchalantly, seemingly unfazed by the idea.
"But with our... positions, if we actually have a baby, it would be embarrassing." Dinah whispered the concern to Aphra as she stepped closer. She clearly didn't have an easy solution in mind.
"Just listen to Jiang. We don't need to overthink it, understand?" Aphra said, her tone serious as she locked eyes with Dinah.
Dinah bit her lip in thought. It seemed like that was the best approach...
"Don't worry. Jiang Hai knows what he's doing. If you're going to have one, it's better to do it soon, before the role of the main mistress is decided. If your position is confirmed, it could be a good thing for you," Aphra added, giving Dinah's shoulder a reassuring pat. Sometimes Dinah overthought things.
"Well, okay." Dinah smiled as she walked into her room, feeling more at ease. The thought of having a child with Jiang Hai now seemed like an exciting possibility, and she was no longer worried. Aphra, watching her walk in, sighed softly.
"Jiang's self-control is still too poor... but maybe I should also get something out of this for the sisters?" Aphra muttered quietly. In truth, the most uncomfortable position in the manor was occupied by her and the other ten girls. While they admired and respected Jiang Hai immensely, they were well aware of their standing. They were content with the life they had—good food, comfort, ease, and respect. Things they had never experienced before.
But despite their deep respect for him, they were all fully aware of their status. They couldn't be the mistress or even the fourth wife, given their beginnings. They were lucky to stay in the manor at all. If a new mistress were to appear in the future and insist that they leave, Jiang Hai could protect those who had been involved with him, but what about the others?
Jiang Hai wasn't getting any younger, and it seemed like some things should be planned soon. Aphra had always been patient, but now it seemed that some of the girls might need to start stepping forward slowly...
With this thought in mind, Aphra drifted off to sleep, while Jiang Hai rested soundly through the night.
The next morning, they resumed their grape picking, which was the main task at hand. After a couple of days, everyone had become experienced, and the process went quickly and smoothly. Baskets of grapes were filled, ready to be used for wine pressing later. Despite having decided not to drink red wine anymore, Jiang Hai was still eager to make money from it.
The process of making wine, much like many other things in life, involved some strange details. In some parts of the world, people made noodles by stepping on the dough, and in other places, crayfish were raised in sewage pools. Despite the questionable origins, they were still delicious—once hidden from view, of course.
Before he knew it, Jiang Hai had already filled a basket with grapes. Just as he was about to move it to the winery, Dina Taylor approached to help. Though Jiang Hai could have done it himself, he didn't mind her assistance, especially considering what had happened between them the day before.
After they moved the grapes into the winery, Jiang Hai was about to leave when Dina suddenly stopped him. She motioned for him to follow her to a secluded part of the winery.
"What's up?" Jiang Hai asked, slightly puzzled.
Without answering, Dina stepped forward, cupped his face, and kissed him.
Jiang Hai froze for a moment, then immediately pulled away and glanced around nervously.
"Are you crazy? If you want to do that, let's wait until the evening," Jiang Hai said, clearly flustered. The open field around them and the potential for someone to arrive at any moment made him uneasy.
"You can't wait until the evening. If you want to get away with this quickly, then we need to act now," Dina said with a seductive smile, squatting down and unbuttoning her shirt.
Jiang Hai's composure faltered instantly at the sight, and with no one around, he quickly lost his self-control.
After a few tense moments, he helped Dina up... and the battle began.