At dusk, the Spring Breeze Pavilion in the border town was adorned with suggestive red lanterns. Lu Xiao, dressed in plain clothes, looked as tense as if he were going to the execution ground. Under Wang Meng's worried yet gossipy gaze, he forced himself to go inside.

The building was filled with an overwhelming, almost pungent, scent of cosmetics. Several scantily clad, heavily made-up women immediately surrounded them, giggling.

"Oh, what a handsome young man! Is this your first time here?"

"Young master, shall I have a drink with you?"

"Young master, judging from your physique, you must be a military officer, right? I admire you the most!"

The pungent aroma, the affected voices, the faces covered in thick makeup... all of this made Lu Xiao's stomach churn! He suppressed his discomfort, pushed away the woman who was almost pressed against him, found a table in the corner, and ordered a pot of the strongest liquor.

He wanted to prove he was a normal man. But when the women tried to get closer, some even boldly placing their hands on his shoulders, a wave of nausea surged up his throat! He shoved the hand away violently, his face ashen, and growled, "Get away!"

The woman was startled and awkwardly backed away. Her expression quickly turned aggrieved and dissatisfied: "Oh, sir, you've got quite a temper! If you don't want to play, fine, but why push me like that!"

Seeing this, the other women also awkwardly stepped back, giving the handsome young officer, who exuded a chilling aura that kept strangers at bay, strange looks.

Lu Xiao tilted his head back and gulped down a large mouthful of strong liquor. The pungent liquid burned his throat, but it couldn't extinguish the panic and chaos in his heart. Looking at the men around him, some with arms around others, laughing and joking, he felt even more nauseous! Men?! The thought of their vulgar behavior, their sweaty smell… sent another wave of nausea through him!

"Ugh..." He couldn't hold it in any longer, covering his mouth and dry heaving, cold sweat instantly soaking his back. It's over...it's all over...looking at women makes him sick, looking at men makes him even more sick...What...what's wrong with him?!

Overwhelmed by immense fear and self-loathing, Lu Xiao stumbled out of Chunfeng Tower as if fleeing hell. The night wind carried the lingering scent of perfume, mixed with the acrid smell of strong liquor and vomit, making him appear even more wretched. Leaning against a withered tree by the roadside, he bent over, gasping for breath and retching violently, his face pale, his eyes unfocused, as if his soul had been ripped from his body.

Just then—

Anping had just returned from the town's pharmacy after purchasing some rare medicinal herbs. Carrying her medicine basket, head bowed, she pondered the prescription as she turned the corner and witnessed a scene she would never forget.

She saw Lu Shizi, the young master who always harassed her with complicated looks, now disheveled, pale-faced, and leaning against a tree, retching in a pathetic state. And not far behind him was the "Spring Breeze Pavilion," with its suggestive red lanterns and decadent music!

In an instant, all the clues connected in An'an's mind: he'd been making excuses to see her lately, his eyes were strange... he was faking illness... so... so he was just bored in the military camp and ran away to have fun! He probably went too far, or drank too much and felt unwell, which is why he's acting like this!

A wave of intense contempt and icy disgust instantly swept over An'an! She had even felt a little guilty for scolding him earlier! It turned out he was nothing but a hypocritical, womanizing playboy! Those feigned "illnesses" in the military camp were probably just his body being hollowed out by alcohol and women, weren't they? Save him? What a waste of her medical skills and medicine!

An'an's eyes instantly turned as cold as the hardest ice in the northern frontier. She was expressionless, as if she hadn't seen the disheveled figure. Carrying her medicine basket, she walked quickly past Lu Xiao without looking to the side, her steps not pausing at all, even bringing with them a gust of cold wind carrying the fragrance of herbs.

That familiar, crisp herbal scent... like an ice pick, instantly pierced Lu Xiao, who was caught in confusion and pain!

He looked up abruptly and caught sight of Anping's utterly indifferent profile and her resolute, upright yet aloof back as she walked away! She...she saw it all?! She saw him come out of Chunfeng Tower, saw him in this disheveled and disgusting state?!

A wave of panic and shame, even greater than before, instantly gripped Lu Xiao! He wanted to explain, to call out to her, but his throat felt like it was blocked by something, and he couldn't make a sound! He could only watch helplessly as that slender figure, like something to avoid, quickly disappeared into the dimly lit end of the street.

“An…” Lu Xiao’s outstretched hand fell limply to his side, staring despairingly at the empty street. A cold wind blew by, bringing a biting chill, along with the nauseating smell of alcohol and perfume emanating from his own body.

He slumped to the ground, leaning against the cold tree trunk, burying his face in his arms, his shoulders trembling silently.

It's over...it's all over...

In Anping's mind... he was probably already a thoroughly disgusting... brothel customer and alcoholic.

But his own heart... remained a tangled mess. He felt disgusted by women, disgusted by men, but... disgusted only by that "Anping" who was as cold as ice to him.

What on earth is going on?!

Lu Xiao closed his eyes in anguish; even the cold wind of the northern frontier could not dispel the despair and confusion in his heart.