"That William guy, stop sitting there like an old man, do you still want to just eat and wait to die?"
Without the ring, Thomas Xu exchanged a silent glance with Bing Bing, then looked displeased at William Peng, who was sitting in the corner drinking a beverage. Seeing his contented expression, Thomas Xu pointed to the corridor on the first floor and said, "The kitchen is at the end of that hallway. There's rice and oil ready inside. If you can't even cook, you might as well find a place to crash into a wall and save me the trouble of doing it myself!"
"How could that be? I've been cooking for a lifetime, I definitely won't disappoint you!" William Peng stood up, looking fearful and flattering Thomas Xu with a smile, leaning on his self-made cane and limping toward the kitchen.
After Bai Ru left, Jiao Jiao happily sat beside Jack, half-embracing him and saying some sweet words, but Jack remained expressionless, making it impossible for Jiao Jiao to get a response. However, when she saw Hu Laoda easily flirting with Ryan Li beside her, Jiao Jiao felt a bit jealous and said, "Old Hu, now there's another chef, you're completely liberated!"
"Pfft, he's just a cook who makes big pots of rice in the cafeteria. At most, he's just a chef; how can he even call himself a chef? Once he serves the food, you'll see. Even if I only add salt, it will definitely taste better than what he cooks!" Hu Laoda disdainfully lifted his head, leaning his whole body against Ryan Li's impressive chest, while Ryan Li smiled flirtatiously, tightly wrapping her arms around Hu Laoda's waist.
Without the threat of zombies and with plenty of food, everyone's tense nerves finally relaxed for a moment. The girls were like they were at a party, pushing carts filled with opened drinks, while they cheered and tore open a large amount of snacks, stuffing them into their mouths with abandon. The long-lost festive atmosphere spread in everyone's hearts.
The girls took turns toasting Jack, and the newcomer, William Fang, was no exception. She twisted her sturdy waist and pulled the somewhat shy Jiang Yan to raise a large glass of red wine for Jack. As for the pregnant Lu Jia, she definitely couldn't drink; she had changed into a loose, milky white long dress, giving her a more delicate appearance. She held up a bottle of nutritional drink and gestured to Jack, saying a few polite words of thanks for his care.
"Sister-in-law, this necklace is for you. I've treasured it for a long time, and many people have asked for it, but I never gave it away. It will look even better with your dress!" Thomas Xu smiled as he pulled out a square jewelry box from deep in his backpack. When he opened it, inside lay a sapphire necklace that was many times more exquisite than the one he gave to Jiao Jiao, and not only was the sapphire large, but even the surrounding small diamonds were of carat quality.
"Thomas Xu, I appreciate your kindness, but this thing is too precious, and I really have no use for it. You should keep it for your future wife!" Lu Jia smiled and shook her head, politely declining Thomas Xu's goodwill.
"Hey~ Sister-in-law, why are you being so polite with me? Since Brother Hai entrusted you to my care, we are family now. As for my future wife, that's still a long way off. If you don't accept it, I might just throw it away; it's heavy in my bag!" Thomas Xu stubbornly shoved the necklace into Lu Jia's hands. Unable to refuse, Lu Jia had to hold the necklace and said helplessly, "Then I'll temporarily keep it for you, and when you find your other half, I'll return it to you!"
"What are you talking about? This kind of thing is everywhere as long as you have good luck. I just think that with your temperament, Sister-in-law, this necklace will definitely make you look even more beautiful. Come on, let me put it on for you; you'll definitely like it!" Without waiting for a response, Thomas Xu stood up and put the necklace around Lu Jia's neck. Lu Jia's cheeks flushed, and she lowered her head, not saying much.
"Hmm~ I have to say, although Thomas Xu is a bit of a rascal, his taste in choosing things is really commendable. This necklace really suits Lu Jia!" Cao Mei, who was nearby, saw the gorgeous necklace around Lu Jia's neck and leaned over with great interest, constantly sizing Lu Jia up and clicking her tongue. Then she asked, "By the way, Lu Jia, when is your due date? We need to be prepared in case you suddenly go into labor!"
"I saw a doctor named Qin when I was at the gathering place, but she wasn't an obstetrician, and she didn't know how long I had been pregnant. Right now, my days are just muddling along, so I can't really tell. But I guess it should be within a month!" Lu Jia gently stroked her belly and glanced at Cao Mei, shaking her head helplessly.
"Then time is running out! Thomas Xu, you have a big responsibility now!" Cao Mei looked at Thomas Xu and winked at him meaningfully.
"Well, anyway, I will definitely find a doctor for Lu Jia and do my best to ensure the safety of both her and her child!" Thomas Xu nodded heavily, seemingly oblivious to Cao Mei's playful gaze.
"Thomas Xu... I'm really sorry for troubling you!" Lu Jia leaned on the sofa, looking apologetically at Thomas Xu.
"Sister-in-law, don't be so polite. Having another family member in these times is something I could only wish for!" Thomas Xu rarely showed a shy smile, scratching his head in a simple manner.
The celebration continued. Except for Jack, who was in a low mood, everyone else was chatting and laughing. Before long, the new chef, William Peng, limped in with the freshly cooked dishes. Although there were no fresh vegetables to be seen, the girls cheered and eagerly started to eat. Jiao Jiao and the others couldn't wait to pinch the steaming hot dishes with their hands, while Hu Laoda stood with his hands behind his back, commenting on the dishes like a master chef. William Peng, on the other hand, rubbed his hands together, listening humbly for advice, as his skills were indeed not yet on par with the experienced Hu Laoda.
Cao Mei eagerly pulled Jack to a side table and thought for a moment before saying to him, "Lin Ye, let me bring some food to Bai Ru. She only had a few pieces of bread for lunch!"
Jack thought for a moment, then shook his head and said, "She might just have fallen asleep, so let's not disturb her. How about you save some food for her, and I'll take it up later?"
"Sigh~ It's nice to have someone who cares!" Cao Mei nodded but sighed with a hint of grievance, silently helping Jack with his food while he remained indifferent.
Everyone was exceptionally satisfied with the meal. It had been a long time since they had eaten a decent spread, and some were even moved to tears. The women, not caring about their figures, devoured everything on the table. Even the one who ate the least among them managed to finish three bowls of rice, matching the men's appetites.
After a hearty meal, and having consumed quite a bit of alcohol, the women's faces were flushed, and they were unusually excited. Jiao Jiao initially suggested continuing the drinking games, but was coaxed by the mischievous Thomas Xu to go upstairs to watch a movie. Considering that there might not be many more opportunities to watch movies in the future, everyone readily agreed and headed towards the small screening room on the second floor.
"Thomas Xu, you go with them. I'm a bit tired and want to rest upstairs!" Lu Jia said, standing up with her hand on her waist, smiling at the excited Thomas Xu.
"You should rest more. Let me take you upstairs!" Thomas Xu nodded, releasing his hands that were pushing against Bing Bing's shoulders, picking up some snacks and drinks, and helping Lu Jia upstairs.
"Lin Ye, let's go over there. After the movie, you can just give Bai Ru some food!" Cao Mei noticed that Jack seemed hesitant about going, so she immediately took his arm and pulled him along, somewhat forcefully dragging him into the screening room on the second floor.