Chapter 159: The Iron Tree Blossoms

Seeing that Evelyn Ford wouldn’t budge, Aunt Dawson grumbled a few things and left. Evelyn kept her head down and continued with her work.

Bleats from a sheep echoed from up ahead. Evelyn Ford looked up to see Wendy herding a little lamb out. When Wendy saw her, she came hopping and skipping over.

"Miss Ford, the little lamb is so cute!"

"It is."

Wendy tilted her head and looked at her. "Can they have white, woolly lambs? Daddy says you can make clothes from woolly sheep, so we won’t be cold in winter."

"Black mountain sheep can’t have woolly lambs, but you can also make clothes from duck down."

Wendy nodded. "I get it now. No wonder Daddy was always saving chicken and duck feathers. He said he was going to make me a padded coat."

The wind was a bit strong, blowing the hair away from Wendy’s forehead. Her cheeks were flushed red. Evelyn Ford took out a hair tie and helped her gather her messy hair.

"Miss Ford, are you and Mr. Ronan going to get married?"

Evelyn Ford gave an awkward smile. "Probably not."

’She and Ronan Kendrick were the perfect partners, but they weren’t a couple.’

’Their relationship was just a lie for the sake of appearances.’

"I just heard Aunt Dawson say her son is getting married. If even her son is getting married, why aren’t you and Mr. Ronan married yet?"

A five-year-old’s curiosity knows no bounds, and they have a million questions a day. Evelyn Ford was quickly overwhelmed.

"Maybe Aunt Dawson’s son is in a bigger hurry. We’re not in a rush, so we don’t need to get married."

Wendy sighed. "But *I* want to get married already."

Evelyn Ford was speechless.

"Who do you want to marry?"

Wendy propped her chin in her hands, a conflicted look on her face. "There are too many people I want to marry. I don’t know which one to pick."

"PFFT." A burst of laughter erupted from behind them. Evelyn Ford and Wendy turned to find Quincy hiding there, eavesdropping.

"Mr. Quincy, why are you eavesdropping on us?" Wendy demanded, hands on her hips, glaring at Quincy.

"I wasn’t eavesdropping, I was listening loud and clear. Come on, tell me who you want to marry. I’m dying of curiosity." Quincy sidled closer, and Evelyn Ford could still smell the chicken droppings on him.

"You stepped in chicken shit. You stink," Evelyn Ford said, moving a little farther away from him.

"I just came out of the chicken coop. Isn’t it normal to step in some chicken shit? You two, on the other hand, are slacking off over here."

"We are not slacking off! I’m watching the lamb, and Miss Ford is braiding my hair. We’re very busy," Wendy corrected him with great seriousness.

"Alright, alright, I can’t win against you two. Wendy, come on and tell me who you want to marry. I’ll help you size them up."

Wendy wrinkled her nose. "No way. You’re a blabbermouth. You’ll tell everyone."

"Since when am I a blabbermouth? There’s no one in the world more tight-lipped than me. Come on, tell me, and I’ll take you snake-catching later."

A lot of snakes had been showing up near the mountain pools recently. As the weather warmed up, they were becoming more active.

"Okay, fine. I like Xiaoyu, and I like Phoebe, and I also like Cherie. I’m so conflicted!"

Evelyn Ford and Quincy exchanged a look, and both couldn’t help but laugh.

"Mr. Quincy, Miss Ford, who do you think is the best?"

"What do you like about them, Wendy?"

Wendy giggled. "They’re all good-looking. But the most handsome person I’ve ever seen is Mr. Ronan, and he belongs to Miss Ford."

"Before you met Ronan Kendrick, didn’t you used to say I was the most handsome?"

Quincy was actually quite handsome, but he went for ages without washing his hair or face, was always scruffy and unshaven, and wore ragged clothes. The single women in the safe zone would give him a wide berth whenever they saw him.

"Mr. Quincy, I may not have a mirror, but we have water. I can go fetch a basin for you to take a look at yourself."

Quincy was too angry to speak. "You really hurt my feelings."

"Mr. Quincy, I think Miss Vaughn is pretty interested in you. What do you think of her?"

Quincy tapped Wendy on the forehead. "You little rascal, what goes on in that head of yours? That woman almost became your stepmom, and you’re trying to set me up with her? And don’t even get me started on her bully of an older brother. I want nothing to do with them."

Wendy gave him a look of disgust. "Miss Vaughn is great. Besides, she doesn’t like my dad. He’s too old. And Mr. Miles is actually a good person. You shouldn’t call him a bully."

"Miss Vaughn, Mr. Miles... you’re getting all the titles mixed up. And for the record, it was your dad who started calling him a bully, not me."

Quincy glanced at the little lamb in the distance and brushed the dust off his clothes. "I’m off to cut grass for the rabbits. You’d better go chase your lamb. It’s run off."

Wendy jumped up and looked. Sure enough, the lamb was gone.

"I’m doomed. My dad is going to kill me."

Wendy grabbed a thin bamboo stick and ran off after the lamb, with Quincy roaring with laughter behind her.

Evelyn Ford cut a bundle of grass as well. The rabbits at home had just had a litter and needed to be well-fed.

Just as Evelyn Ford was about to head back, she saw Quincy and Wyatt Vaughn run into each other. Her gossip radar instantly went on high alert.

"Quincy, want to go snake-catching?"

Quincy quickly waved his hands in dismissal. "No, thanks. I’m afraid of snakes."

"I saw you catching a snake yesterday. You didn’t look scared to me. But even if you are, that’s fine. I’m not afraid."

The moment Quincy remembered what Wendy had said, his neck and ears turned red. He didn’t dare look at Wyatt Vaughn.

"I don’t feel like going today. You can go."

"Then I’ll ask you again tomorrow."

"I’m busy tomorrow."

"The day after tomorrow, then?"

"The day after... I..."

"Wyatt, what are you doing? Quincy, we’re going to gather firewood tomorrow. Want to come?" Miles Vaughn walked over from a short distance away. Seeing him, Quincy felt like he was looking at his own savior.

"Yes, I’ll go with you to gather firewood."

Wyatt Vaughn shot Miles Vaughn a resentful look. "I asked Quincy to go snake-catching. Why did you have to come and steal him away?"

Miles Vaughn immediately blew up. "You’re a young woman! All you think about is catching snakes! I got you all those chickens and ducks to raise, and you’re still obsessed with catching snakes!"

Seeing the siblings’ argument was about to turn into a fight, Quincy quietly slipped away. Evelyn Ford followed and patted his shoulder, which scared him half to death.

"You scared the life out of me! I thought you were Wyatt."

Evelyn Ford gave him a teasing look. "Why are you so scared of Wyatt? You two are hilarious, though. A snake-catching date? HAHA."

"Do you think... Wyatt’s really into me?"

Quincy looked a bit wistful. Evelyn Ford was puzzled. ’Didn’t he always want to find a partner? Why does he seem so nervous and scared?’

"Wyatt is great. She’s optimistic and cheerful, she’s a strong fighter, and she can even catch snakes with her bare hands."

Quincy looked down at his own messy state and sighed again. "But I’m already thirty-one years old."

Evelyn Ford didn’t know how to comfort him either.

"Thirty-one is still young."

Quincy shot Evelyn Ford a look. "Wyatt is only twenty. Even in the apocalypse, I can’t be a cradle robber."

Evelyn Ford cleared her throat. "I think if you cleaned yourself up a bit, you’d be fine. Don’t get discouraged. You need to pull yourself together."

"I can’t. I’m suddenly feeling a little insecure. I’m going to go back and cool my head."

Evelyn Ford clicked her tongue. ’Getting an old tree like him to bloom is really a tough job.’