My Years of Learning to Brew

Beautiful Winemaker vs. Gentle Young Master

In her previous life, Chi Wanyi was born into a family of winemakers but could barely handle three cups of wine. She chose to obediently marry for the sake of an alliance, only for her family’s winery to be destroyed.

In this life, Chi Wanyi still can’t handle three cups, but she has her late mother’s winemaking notes and has thrown herself into becoming a winemaker.

Lu Jinglan, the refined young master of Zuixianju, has crossed paths with her several times and come to her aid each time.

“Miss Chi, I’ll keep the people pursuing you for marriage at bay.”

“Miss Chi, I’ll buy your wine.”

At last, he offers her a contract: “If Miss Chi can help Zuixianju win first place in the Golden Cup selection, Zuixianju will provide the funds to reopen the Chi family’s bankrupt winery.”

Having accomplished her goal, Chi Wanyi prepares to leave.

Lu Jinglan smiles with gentle grace, but his tall figure blocks the doorway without budging. “Miss Chi, you haven’t paid off your debt yet. How can you simply leave?”

“Once the contract ends, do I still owe you anything?”

“What I’m asking of Wanyi has nothing to do with money.”

The help she had always taken for generous kindness

was simply his unceasing, belatedly understood, secret love for her.

**

A Few Things to Know

1. A slow-burn mutual crush that gradually becomes an open romance.

2. The heroine was married before she was reborn. Please read with care if that bothers you.

3. The winemaking process and ingredient formulas are based on reference books. See the author’s notes at the end of the relevant chapters for details.

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You’re welcome to check out my completed sweet, post-marriage romance, “The Ancient Make-up Artist’s Substitute Marriage,” in my author’s column!

[Sweet-Tongued, Cool-Hearted Charmer vs. Reckless, Flirtatious Fake Playboy]

The Empress Dowager made a disastrous match, pairing Xie Mingrui, a capital playboy who failed the autumn imperial examination year after year, with the most upright and proper young lady in the Hanlin Academy’s household.

On their wedding night, Xie Mingrui entered the bridal chamber with a long face.

The red candles flickered. His new wife, dressed in her phoenix coronet and bridal robes, smiled at him with bright eyes and called him “Husband” in a sweet voice that made his ears melt.

After they married, he wasn’t constrained at all. Instead, their relationship was bizarrely harmonious.

He drank and caroused: “Husband, I made you hangover soup. Take it with you.”

He stayed out all night: “Husband, there’s no need to tell me about such a little thing.”

Am I taking this too far?

Xie Mingrui had a guilty change of heart and turned back halfway to Miaoyin Pavilion.

He suddenly saw that after he left the mansion to carouse, his wife had nimbly climbed over the wall.

Xie Mingrui: ?

Why was his wife going to Miaoyin Pavilion too?

Why was she doing people’s makeup and hair there?

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Makeup artist Ruan Ruan transmigrates and, unlucky as she is, ends up a spy from an enemy kingdom.

She opens her eyes to find the Fan Kingdom’s Military Affairs Bureau and its Windwatch Office carrying out a massive manhunt. To avoid prison, she assumes another identity and marries into the Xie family.

Xie Mingrui is stubborn but softhearted, easy to fool, and pleasing to look at. Most importantly, he often stays out all night, giving her the chance to return to her old line of work.

Just as her makeup business is thriving and even the drunken revelers who bother her have dwindled, Ruan Ruan saves up enough money to run away. But by chance, she finds a copy of “Windwatch Office Daily Records” in Xie Mingrui’s study:

[Sixth Month, Twelfth Day]

Used drinking as a pretext to capture two enemy spies at Zuixiang Pavilion.

[Seventh Month, Fifth Day]

Used a horse-racing outing as a pretext to deliver a coded letter to colleagues at the Lincheng Windwatch Office for deciphering.

[Seventh Month, Eighteenth Day]

Day off. Kept watch at Miaoyin Pavilion and secretly chased off the eighth lecher this month to harass my wife while she was working.

Theme: Take the initiative and make things happen.