Chapter 469 Slaughtering the Cow
Brad couldn't take watching them go nuts over the food anymore. He grabbed each one, telling them to go wash up, saying there were still some good dishes coming and they should get ready to sit down and eat properly.
Finally, everyone scattered, their happy shouts echoing in the yard.
No matter how old people get, they always look for a leader in a group. As their teacher, Brad naturally took on that role.
Watching them chow down without a care, Brad swallowed his words of thanks. He handed me a piece of beef, peeled the last big shrimp, and fed it to me, then set down his fork and smiled contentedly.
No matter how much these folks craved good food, they wouldn't have eaten to the point where they could barely lift their heads or open their eyes, fixating only on their plates.
Who could deny that this was their way of showing gratitude to Brad?
Some feelings don't need to be spoken; those who get it, get it.
On the flip side, no matter how much you explain, those who don't get it, just won't.
Whether to speak or not depends entirely on the listener's attitude.
Everyone ate until their mouths were greasy and their hearts were full.
After the meal, everyone had the energy to argue about who would clean the table and wash the dishes. The younger girls cheerfully swept the floor with brooms, filling the kitchen with a lively atmosphere.
When everything was settled, Brad and I looked at the small amount of meat and veggies left in the corner and felt troubled.
We still had to stay here for several more days. What would we eat?
When we arrived, we brought a minibus loaded with food, including enough beef. However, these folks, like hungry wolves, almost polished it off in one sitting. It would be impossible to get more beef anytime soon.
It wasn't that we lacked the money or were unwilling to spend it; it was just that the nearest city where we could buy meat was over a hundred miles away, and the unpaved mountain roads were incredibly bumpy, making the journey quite a hassle.
Therefore, we needed to build roads. The first step to fundamentally improving the villagers' quality of life was to construct better roads.
At this, I said, "What should we do, Brad? We're running out of good food."
Brad took my hand and led me to the yard, thoughtfully looking at the bumpy mountain road for a while before saying, "Building roads is urgent."
Of course, we needed to build roads. That had been my thought too.
However, road construction couldn't be accomplished overnight, and tomorrow's meals were an urgent concern.
"Tomorrow I'll walk around the village and see if anyone is selling cows. If not, we'll buy one and find someone to help slaughter it." No wonder it was Brad who came up with such a brilliant idea.
Early the next morning, before dawn, Brad went out alone and came back very excited.
I was also delighted. Did he succeed?
Brad nodded, beaming. "Cooper helped ask around. Yosef's grandfather has three cows and will give us a small one, over four hundred pounds, enough to eat. I've paid, and we'll have it by tonight."
For a dozen people, a whole cow was more than enough.
Brad had a wide range of interests and loved anything new and exciting. He was quite intrigued by the geological exploration that Bronte was undertaking. After breakfast and cleanup, he joined us in the mountains.
Life suddenly felt like it had returned to its previous beauty and tranquility.
Every day, we worked from sunrise to sunset, resting when we were tired, and cooking delicious dinners together when we were hungry, with plenty of beef. Whenever we encountered problems, everyone came together to find solutions. When we discovered answers, we all cheered in unison.During our four days and five nights in the mountains, we found out that the Taylor family publicly apologized for Jenny's actions and officially replaced her with Uriah Taylor, a standout from the younger generation. They made it clear that even though Jenny wasn't a Taylor by blood, the family would take responsibility for their poor choice in personnel.
Word was that Uriah graduated from a top school and was super efficient and capable. He jumped into the project, did a quick personnel review, and kicked out all of Jenny's people. Jenny went from being the general manager to just another employee, making a few thousand bucks a month. If she didn't like it, she was told to leave.
We also heard that the Northern Institute of the Arts revamped its alumni network and school website, making everyone learn from Brad's experiences teaching in underprivileged areas. They highlighted Brad's past efforts and achievements, as well as his calm demeanor during crises, turning them into motivational examples for everyone. Plus, Brad got invited as a special guest for the school's centennial celebration to give a speech and inspire the current students.
Jenny, on the other hand, was super pissed about how the Taylor family handled her situation. She argued with Uriah for days, cursing and insulting him like crazy. After two failed attempts to reason with her, Uriah had security remove her and banned her from the management center, threatening to call the cops if she caused more trouble.
The Taylor family took a big hit this time. Jenny's grandmother was so mad she publicly declared that Jenny was permanently banned from the Taylor family home. She made it clear that any consequences of Jenny's actions or words were entirely her responsibility.
Mindy shared the last piece of news with me. After hearing it, I stayed silent for a long time, unsure of how to feel. Jenny seemed both tragic and unfortunate.
Deep down, I felt Jenny deserved her comeuppance for all the crap she put us through. I should've been happy, maybe even popped a bottle of good wine to celebrate.
But for some reason, I didn't feel very happy. I felt a bit sorry for Jenny, but as the saying goes, "Those who are pitiful often have something detestable about them." After this whole mess, I just wanted to distance myself from Jenny and have no further contact with her.
I asked Brad how he felt. Brad calmly said that Jenny brought it all upon herself and deserved it.
Indeed, Jenny deserved it.
Back then, Mia sighed, saying that Jenny was too eager and greedy. Jenny craved the Taylor family's approval but didn't put in the hard work or honesty needed. Instead, she resorted to scheming and manipulation at every turn. In a way, it was quite sad to see how pitiful Jenny had become.
But it was just Jenny's greed at work. Jenny, who walked around the Northern Institute of the Arts campus in a white dress, holding a book, ultimately couldn't overcome her inner desires and was consumed by them.
On March 12th, Brad and I packed our suitcases and boarded a plane back to school.
After almost six months apart, we could finally return to our world, hand in hand, and once again be the couple that everyone envied at school.
During the four-hour journey, I just leaned against Brad's shoulder, sharing the same earphones to listen to soft music. It felt like a serene moment, a peaceful reprieve after all the chaos.
After resting at home for two days, Brad went back to school, and I went to report the lab's progress to Professor Evans.
Uriah had returned to National Capital University ahead of us to meet with the school administration. He aimed to renegotiate the cooperation process and its details, specifically requesting that Brad continue as the lead person in charge of print design.
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