Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

Chapter 137 "You guys eat the meat, I'll just drink the soup."

Ethan rocked up at the door, lugging a bunch of big bags. We just stared at each other for a sec.

After the initial shock, I weirdly felt super chill. I figured it had to be either Martin or Jason who ratted me out.

Funny thing is, when I bailed, I was fuming, like a balloon ready to pop. But after a few days, the anger fizzled out, and now I felt kinda grounded. And seeing his face now, I realized I sorta missed him.

I dropped my gaze and grabbed the bags from his hands.

"Groceries are here. You can bounce now."

I set the bags down and went to shut the door, but Ethan stuck his arms out to stop me.

I shot him a glare, but he just looked back with this soft smile.

"In this freezing weather, you really gonna kick me out?"

Ethan's voice had this pitiful, almost begging tone.

"In this heavy snow, it's not easy for him to deliver groceries. Let him come in and warm up." Martin chimed in from behind.

I turned to see Martin still clutching the radio, lounging in the wicker chair, giving Ethan a look that screamed, "You had it coming, dude."

Since Martin had spoken, I couldn't really keep Ethan out.

So I let go of the door and bent down to grab the groceries, but Ethan beat me to it.

"They're heavy, let me handle it."

If he wanted to carry them, fine by me. I headed back to the kitchen.

After saying hey to Martin, Ethan brought the groceries into the kitchen.

I stood at the sink, washing veggies, trying to ignore him.

After setting down the groceries, Ethan patted Jason, who was working on the soup, on the shoulder and grinned. "I could smell that from outside. My mouth's watering." I paused, veggies in hand, and couldn't help but snap back, "Then keep drooling; there's none for you."

Jason chuckled, but Ethan stayed quiet.

I kept washing the veggies, but suddenly felt warm breath near my ear.

"Then you guys eat the meat, and I'll just have the soup."

Ethan whispered, his chin almost on my shoulder, his hair brushing my ear, tickling me.

I stiffened, trying to stay cool, and replied, "Fine, we'll let you have the Sopa de Lima we've already eaten."

Instead of getting mad, Ethan laughed and said, "Sopa de Lima is the heart of Mexican cuisine. If you leave the heart for me, they'll have something to say about it."

When the Sopa de Lima was ready, Jason brought it to the dining room.

steaming, smelled amazing, and

square table, four people, each

all here. Come on, let's grab a

out, "No

gave

maybe

So, I mumbled, "Whatever."

while fishing veggies out of the Sopa de Lima, laughed and spilled the

was in the hospital for a few days with

at Ethan with a bit of concern but still pointed at him and scolded with a smile. "I told you before, you never listen and don't know how to take care of yourself. You get what you deserve." Ethan

attitude of admitting fault

look of reproach

for a moment and said, "Eating Sopa de Lima without a drink feels like something's missing. I have a bottle of low-alcohol apple cider that won't mess with your stomach. I'll go get it." In no time, Martin brought the cider, saying it was homemade by a fellow villager. Since Martin was retired

Martin was well-liked in the village,

the cider, Jason fetched a few glasses

outside, snow was falling heavily.

came, Mom also loved to make Sopa de Lima. It

today, at this table,

here because I was mad at Ethan, and they knew it. If

meal, I was very silent, just focusing on

a few into the Sopa

jokes from the village and reminiscing about unforgettable memories from his youth, his stories interspersed with laughter. I stared at the pot, silently listening to Martin. Thinking about Martin's illness made me sad, but

Martin, I forgot to eat until Ethan and Jason each

in sync that even

ignored Ethan and smiled at

room was filled with the delicious aroma of Sopa de Lima and apple

went to grab his stash of

joining in, Martin kept showing me

at it for a long time, then pointed to it and asked, "Jason, this is you when you were little. Who's this little girl next to you?" Ethan and Jason both looked over, but sitting across

looks familiar,"

the little girl in the photo is

at me, then at the

"Is it Emily?"

and handed the

"Emily, is this you?"

a look, and yep, it

big rock, and Jason was standing below it. I remembered that the photo was taken by a friend we used to play with, but we lost touch after moving and going to different schools. Recalling those days, Jason smiled warmly and said, "You insisted

our childish antics, I couldn't help but

wasn't!" I refused to

about the past, I

had known each other since childhood; he just fell silent as the topic

want to move back then because

Jason just smiled and didn't deny

of Martin's comment,

in front of him and forcibly changed the subject. "This apple cider

I suddenly felt a bit flustered and quickly drank the apple cider in front

a photo, looked at it