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.

Lima was steaming, smelled amazing,

four people, each taking a

Come on, let's

out, "No

gave

maybe

So, I mumbled, "Whatever."

of the Sopa de Lima,

was in the hospital for a few days with a

and scolded with a smile. "I told you before, you never listen and don't know how

of admitting fault was

sideways glance, a look of

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 from a big hospital, people often came to him for medical advice. Martin never charged them. So over time, people felt indebted and would bring him things as thanks, like freshly brewed apple cider and home-laid

in the

cider, Jason fetched a few glasses and poured

outside, snow was falling heavily. Inside, the

came, Mom also loved to make Sopa de Lima. It didn't matter if the food got cold; the key

at this table, I felt a bit

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

during the meal, I was very silent,

threw a few into the Sopa de

the village and reminiscing about unforgettable memories from his youth, his stories interspersed with laughter. I stared at the pot, silently listening to

Martin, I forgot to eat until Ethan and Jason each picked

were so in sync that even Martin was caught

and smiled at

while sipping his drink, and the room was filled with the

went to grab his stash of

because he noticed I wasn't really joining in, Martin kept showing me the

a photo and stared at it for a long time, then pointed to it and asked, "Jason, this is you when you were little. Who's this little

looks familiar," Martin

the little girl in the photo is sitting

looked at me, then

"Is it Emily?"

incredulous and handed

"Emily, is this you?"

look,

photo, I was standing on a 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

and our childish

I refused to admit

about the

that Jason and I had known each other since childhood; he just fell silent as

you didn't want to move

in surprise. Jason just

comment, the

of him and forcibly changed the subject. "This apple

felt a bit flustered and quickly drank the

a photo, looked at it again and again,