novelraw Chapter 161: A Happy Occasion, Urging Marriage
Chapter 161: A Happy Occasion, Urging Marriage
After Wyatt Vaughn caught a wild boar, many people went into the mountains to try their luck, but they all came back empty-handed. Luck truly is a mysterious thing.
Those who couldn’t catch a boar thought about trading for some meat instead. After all, a wild boar provides a lot of meat that can be cured for long-term storage. If preserved properly, it could last for five or six years.
More importantly, a wild boar was a source of lard, which was the most valuable part.
Evelyn Ford was already raising goats, so she wasn’t interested in a wild boar. After all, they were nowhere near as docile as goats.
The temperature rose to twenty-eight degrees, and with it came the sandstorms.
Fortunately, the safe zone was now surrounded by lush trees, which blocked the wind-blown sand and kept it outside.
All the mineral salt had been brought back. After it was filtered, each family had a stockpile of dozens of pounds. Used sparingly, it would last them for years.
The mountain pool showed no signs of drying up. The trees and bamboo planted around it provided a dense canopy, and despite the rising temperatures, its water remained cool and sweet.
The safe zone was gradually becoming a secluded paradise. If not for the ongoing disasters, life here would be tranquil and idyllic.
Evelyn Ford was at home cooking when Ronan Kendrick came back and dropped some bombshell news on her.
"Quincy said that he and Wyatt Vaughn have decided to get together. Miles Vaughn agreed, so Quincy wants us to come over to his place for a meal tomorrow to make it official."
Evelyn Ford was stunned for a moment, then she gave a thumbs-up. "That Quincy... he’s always full of surprises."
"I’m not surprised that Miles Vaughn agreed, though. Quincy might seem a bit unreliable at times, but he’s a genuinely good person—responsible and loyal. Their age difference is a little big, but that’s not an issue."
Ronan Kendrick watched her quietly. "Quincy’s that great, huh?"
"He is a good guy. Besides, it wasn’t really appropriate for Wyatt Vaughn to keep living with her brother. Miles has his buddies living with him, so it was inconvenient for a young woman like her. On top of that, she likes Quincy, so Miles had no reason to stop them."
"So Quincy won’t be a lonely bachelor anymore. We have to go congratulate him."
The next day, the two of them went to Quincy’s place early, bringing a rabbit, a chicken, and a fish as gifts.
The fish was a three-pound carp they had caught in the pond.
In the current situation, they couldn’t afford a grand affair. The guest list included Officer Graham and Wendy; Roy Henderson, Owen Chapman, and Taylor Vance; Cherie; Serena Lynch’s family of three; Evelyn Ford and Ronan Kendrick; and Miles Vaughn’s three underlings.
That was still enough to fill two tables. Luckily, they now had plenty of food and drink, so the celebration wouldn’t be too shabby.
As the head chef, Evelyn Ford was swamped. Officer Graham and Ronan Kendrick acted as her assistants. Serena Lynch was on childcare duty, with Cherie, Annie, and Wendy all entrusted to her care.
The others helped the newlyweds set up their furniture. Taylor Vance specially fired up his kiln and made them some earthenware pots and bowls.
Secretary Hawthorne cut down a bamboo stalk, preparing to carve it into chopsticks.
Even people who weren’t close acquaintances stopped by to offer congratulations. They didn’t have any red paper, so Quincy found a red piece of clothing, and Evelyn Ford cut it into two "喜" characters, the traditional symbol for happiness in a marriage.
"Quincy, you sure work fast."
Chase Underwood couldn’t resist teasing him. For once, Quincy had shed his usual playful grin. He just sat there, his hands and feet trembling with nerves.
"Because Wyatt Vaughn is amazing."
Chase Underwood patted his shoulder. "You’re a good catch, too. Relax. No need to be this nervous."
Quincy shot him a glare. "Easy for you to say, it’s not *your* wedding."
His retort made everyone else laugh.
Quincy had gotten a haircut and was wearing his best clothes—neat and tidy. It looked like he’d dug out the finest outfit he owned. Though a bit old, the clothes were free of any tears or patches.
Around two in the afternoon, Quincy went to Miles Vaughn’s place to escort Wyatt Vaughn over. With the bride’s arrival, Evelyn Ford kicked her cooking into high gear, her spatula moving so fast it was practically a blur.
The feast began at four in the afternoon. Evelyn Ford had single-handedly cooked eight dishes for the two tables of guests.
This was the first wedding anyone had attended since the apocalypse began. Though simple, it was a deeply meaningful event for everyone present.
"To Wyatt Vaughn and Quincy. I wish you peace, happiness, and health."
Evelyn Ford had brought some tea leaves and poured a cup for everyone. Once the blessings were said and the tea was drunk, the meal could begin.
"If only we had some firecrackers."
"This is nice too. So lively."
Miles Vaughn stood up and toasted Quincy. Even though they were only drinking tea, they downed it with the swagger of men taking shots of hard liquor.
"Quincy, you have to treat my sister well."
Quincy replied with great solemnity, "No matter what happens, I’ll protect her with my life."
Everyone was touched by his words, and Serena Lynch even started to cry.
After dinner, no one was in a hurry to leave. They all stayed, swapping stories and shooting the breeze.
"Back in Corinth," Miles Vaughn began, pointing at his sister, "I might not have been worth billions, but I definitely had a few hundred million. Who would’ve thought one natural disaster would send us straight back to a primitive society."
"My sister here used to be a pampered young lady, waited on hand and foot. Now look at her—catching snakes and hunting wild boars."
"Haha..." Everyone burst out laughing.
"What about you, Evelyn? What did you do before all this?"
"I was a medical student at Corinth University. Hadn’t graduated yet."
"Well now, Dr. Ford. Does that make you a barefoot doctor, then?" The moment the words left Miles Vaughn’s mouth, Ronan Kendrick shot him a look, and he immediately clammed up.
"And Quincy?"
"I worked for Seascape Corp. I was in pharmaceutical research."
Everyone looked surprised. "So you’re a doctor, too?"
"Half a doctor, you could say."
The questions went around the table, and finally, it was Ronan Kendrick’s turn. As usual, Evelyn Ford answered for him.
"Ronan was a soldier."
"No wonder he’s so skilled. I thought Ronan was some kind of street thug."
"Where did Ronan serve?" Zion Lowell asked, curious since he also came from a military background.
"He was in the Rovan Wastes."
"Evelyn, you’re so protective, always answering for him," Serena Lynch said, giving them a suggestive look. "Your Ronan never talks to anyone unless they talk to him first, except for you. How on earth did you train him so well?" Evelyn felt herself flush with embarrassment.
"That’s just his personality; he’s not much of a talker. If you start a conversation, he’ll definitely respond. Right, Ronan?"
Ronan nodded. "Mhm."
"I can’t take you two anymore! You’re just too sweet together," Serena teased. "You should get married already. Who needs a marriage certificate? We can all be witnesses, and that’ll make it official. Things are stable now, you could even have a baby."
’A baby?’
Evelyn didn’t dare tell them that ever since the acid rain, not a single child had been born in the safe zone. Annie had been conceived before it, so he didn’t count.
’It might be extremely difficult for people to get pregnant from now on.’
"Haha... we’re in no rush. Ahem, let’s just drink our tea. Drink up."
Evelyn quickly changed the subject. ’The pressure to get married is terrifying,’ she thought. ’It even follows you into the apocalypse.’
When the wedding feast ended, everyone helped clean up. Before they left, they offered their congratulations to the newlyweds one last time.
On the way home, Ronan Kendrick suddenly stopped walking and looked at Evelyn Ford with a serious expression.
"Can’t we... be like them?"