Time Travel? Rebirth? I Win This Time!

"Sorry, Anna," Mike Bai said, his expression apologetic as he raised a small knife.

The thoughtful Anna nodded and turned her head, exposing her delicate neck and long, flowing hair.

As the blade fell, her beautiful hair scattered across the floor.

Mike Bai looked at his clumsy handiwork with a frown, then wiped some soot from the pot onto Anna's face.

"Was it really necessary?" Anna asked, her voice tinged with regret.

But now, she had gone from a beautiful young girl to a short-haired tomboy, her transformation causing Mike Bai to suppress a chuckle.

"I had no choice," Mike Bai said, trying to keep a straight face. "You were too pretty. If we didn't do this, who knows how much trouble we'd attract on the road."

He gently patted Anna's head before packing a few clothes into a bundle. Golding, from the corner of the room, dug out a wallet, and the three of them hurried towards the town, making their way in the fading light of the setting sun.

They managed to reach the town just as the sun dipped below the horizon. The gate guard, about to close the wooden door, saw them running toward it, breathless.

The guard paid little attention, continuing his slow motions. A wallet was tossed in front of him, and a shiny copper coin rolled across the ground.

The guard paused, quickly pocketed the wallet, and ignored the hurried trio as they passed, before finally shutting the gate behind them.

They reached the inn, where a jovial innkeeper informed them there was only one double room available. However, one of the beds was already occupied.

"You three will have to share the room with another guest," the innkeeper said, his nose red from drink, clearly unfazed by the situation.

With no other option, the three of them paid for the room and followed a scantily clad maid to a modest room of about 30 square meters.

The simple room had two wooden beds, each with thick straw bedding. In the middle of the room, a folding screen divided the space, while a wooden tub filled with fresh water sat in one corner. On the other side was a chamber pot, and the single wooden window allowed little ventilation, making the air inside stale.

Mike Bai and the others wrinkled their noses as they entered, finding that a man was already lying on one of the beds, fast asleep.

The maid handed Mike Bai the room key and, as she bent over, deliberately exposing her fair skin, she flashed a flirtatious smile. "If the guest needs, I can help you relax," she purred.

Before Mike Bai could respond, the maid looked at the three of them and added, "If you'd like all together, it's possible... but the price..."

At Mike Bai's stunned look, Golding's shy demeanor, and Anna's firm refusal, the maid reluctantly left. But now, with only one bed and the middle-aged man still snoring away, the trio was left in a dilemma.

"Let's just sleep together," Mike Bai finally decided.

"Huh?" Golding looked flustered, clearly uncomfortable.

"Hmm?" Mike Bai raised an eyebrow, positioning himself protectively in front of Anna. "Don't even think about making a move on my sister."

"I—I wasn't…!" Golding stammered, his face turning bright red.

Seeing Golding so embarrassed, Mike Bai sighed inwardly. With that cowardly temperament, becoming a knight would be a long road for him.

As night fell and the room darkened, all three of them, exhausted from the day's travels, struggled to stay awake. Under Mike Bai's reassurance, Anna lay on the side against the wall, while Mike Bai took the middle. Golding, however, stood by the bed, hesitant to climb in.

"Maybe I'll just sleep on the floor..." Golding murmured after a long pause.

"I'm not complaining about you," Mike Bai said with a shrug. "And don't worry, I only like beautiful girls. I won't do anything to you."

Mike Bai grabbed Golding's hand and, despite the latter's blushing face, pulled him onto the bed. "We'll be on the road again tomorrow, so get some sleep."

Ignoring Golding's stiff body, Mike Bai rolled over and pulled the soft, warm Anna closer to himself.

Just as he was about to drift off, the thin walls didn't block the muffled sounds of a passionate exchange next door, accompanied by occasional shaking.

"Mike Bai," Anna whispered, blushing as she snuggled closer.

Seeing her flushed face and hearing the amorous noises from the neighboring room, Mike Bai couldn't help but have a fleeting, inappropriate thought. But then he remembered—Anna was only 12, and even if she were older, his own body—barely 13—wasn't yet capable of anything.

He sighed and comforted her. "It's okay. It'll be over soon."

"Mm!" Anna nodded obediently, her large eyes looking up at him.

Mike Bai's heart felt heavy. Over these last few days, Anna, once accustomed to a life of luxury, had quietly followed him, enduring tasteless food and wearing rough cloth clothes without a word of complaint. Even when her skin broke out in a rash, she hadn't told him.

He lightly patted her back and smiled. "It's okay, Anna. We'll be back to good days soon. I promise."

"You don't need to work so hard, Mike Bai. I'll take care of myself," Anna said, her eyes sparkling as she looked up at him. She leaned in and kissed his cheek lightly before shyly turning over.

The room fell silent except for the sounds of snoring and the rhythmic, slightly irregular noises from the next bed.

Mike Bai, unable to sleep, stared at the ceiling and sighed in frustration. He could hear everything, and it was driving him mad. How he wished his guards were here; if they were, this wouldn't be happening. But with no power or influence, he could only endure.

Frustrated, he rolled over to face Golding, only to find him also flushed, his body stiff with discomfort.

Mike Bai frowned. In this kind of situation, it was understandable for Golding, a young, hot-blooded youth, to feel embarrassed, but was he uncomfortable because of him?

"I think that maid had a decent figure," Mike Bai casually said. "Maybe you should go talk to her."

"No, no, no! It's not necessary," Golding quickly rejected, his face as red as an apple.

Mike Bai smiled. "Don't worry about the money. I've got plenty."

He reached for his coin pouch, intending to help Golding make the transition from boy to man. But before he could offer it, Golding, flustered, jumped out of bed.

"It's fine, I'll just wash my face and be good to go."

Golding rushed to the washbasin, splashed water on his face, and then quickly returned to bed.

Mike Bai reached out to pat Golding's shoulder, but as soon as his hand touched him, he felt the latter's body tense up even more.

"Come on, we're both men. No need to be shy," Mike Bai said, trying to ease the tension.

But Golding remained stiff, shaking slightly with discomfort.

Mike Bai sighed, shaking his head. This kid's girly demeanor was going to take a lot of work.