After killing the four eels in the basket by following the usual method, he used the iron pot to scoop water from the pond and washed it clean, then rinsed it again with spring water. He added water to the iron pot and blanched the eels to remove the blood, then rubbed them with salt and ginger juice to get rid of the fishy smell, skewered them with bamboo sticks, and roasted them over a wooden rack.

Emily Brooks watched Ethan Bolton's skillful movements like a wooden doll, until she saw Ethan Bolton wash his hands by the pond and then, somehow, produce a package from somewhere and walk over to her. Only then did she instinctively shrink back a little.

Just now, seeing him calmly slaughter those slippery, snake-like eels had indeed startled her a bit.

But Ethan Bolton didn’t care about the attitude of this noble lady from the Duke’s household. He casually opened the package in his hand, revealing slices of steamed bread inside. He clicked his tongue, skewered them one by one with bamboo sticks, and placed them by the fire to roast. Only then did he smile without even looking up.

“This is a spot where a few farm kids catch eels for fun. I often come here too. They even left a package of bread slices hidden here. That means we don’t have to fill our stomachs with just spring water after all. I’ll just send some rice to their family later as thanks.”

Miss Emily couldn’t help but stare at Ethan Bolton’s focused profile as he roasted the food, so much so that she didn’t even notice the passage of time.

When the eels and bread slices were finally roasted, Ethan Bolton picked up a skewer and casually turned to hand it over. He had thought this young lady would surely hesitate before eating, but to his complete surprise, Emily Brooks took it and, without a word, bit into it right away. The food was so hot she could only suck in cool air, but she stubbornly refused to spit it out.

Immediately after, her lips, now even redder from the heat, uttered two words: “Delicious!”

She had already been hungry, and had thought that, just to please Ethan Bolton, she’d have to praise the food even if it tasted like pig slop. But now that she found it truly tasty, Emily Brooks didn’t hold back at all, finishing it off in just a few bites.

Seeing her eat so happily and with such relish, Ethan Bolton couldn’t help but feel in a good mood himself.

When it comes to eating, having a companion with a big appetite is far better than someone who fusses about dieting! Of course, he didn’t want all his hard work to only serve others, so he too devoured the roasted food in no time.

When Emily Brooks finally tossed aside a few empty bamboo skewers, let out a satisfied sigh, and reached out to Ethan Bolton, what she grabbed was actually his wrist. Seeing him look up in surprise, his face full of confusion, she suddenly realized what she’d done.

He had not only heard her stomach rumbling with hunger, but also seen her greedy look when she still wanted more!

Having just fed the young lady, and now seeing her awkwardly withdraw her hand while coughing loudly, Ethan Bolton pretended nothing had happened. As he packed up, he asked without looking up, “After all these years, if it’s true that your father George Washington has been supporting my mother and me, I can’t just pretend I don’t know. Can you tell me what’s really going on?”

Back in the capital, first Second Brother had forced the marriage, then Grandmother had produced the so-called marriage contract and scolded her harshly, and then Charles Brooks, while following Grandmother’s orders to bring her here, was clearly also egged on by Second Brother, openly and secretly criticizing this inexplicable marriage and hoping she would call it off.

From the very beginning, Emily Brooks’s anger stemmed from feeling like a puppet being manipulated by others.

Now, facing Ethan Bolton’s clear eyes like a spring, and feeling the natural laziness that comes after a full meal, along with the trust his face inspired, she blurted out the truth.

“Second Brother wants me to marry that pig-headed son of Minister Edward Green from the Ministry of War! Grandmother, in a fit of anger, produced the marriage contract and said I was long ago betrothed to you, who grew up in the countryside. Before this, I had never heard anyone mention you or your mother.”

Chapter Five: What About the Promised Breakup?

Ethan Bolton was finally a bit shocked. Judging by his mother Mrs. Smith’s behavior, she clearly knew but had always kept it from him, the groom-to-be. But even the bride-to-be didn’t know? That just showed how ridiculous this engagement was!

It’s true that marriages are arranged by parents and matchmakers, but at least give your children some advance notice!

He let out a deep sigh and lay back on the haystack with his hands behind his head. “All my life, I’ve only known my mother, never knew who my father was. I thought I’d finally learn about my origins, but it turns out to be nothing… sigh!”

At this moment, Emily Brooks was also desperately blaming herself for being so blunt.

Although today was her first time meeting Ethan Bolton, whether it was their encounter in the fields, this meeting at his home, or the unprecedented lunch they’d just shared, she felt that this young man before her didn’t fit her previous image of a crude country fiancé.

But he was also unlike those privileged sons she usually met at social events—neither a showy peacock nor a shallow white goose. If she had to describe him… he was like a clear spring flowing through the mountains! What’s more, among all the noble sons in the capital who thought so highly of themselves, not one was better looking than Ethan Bolton!

So, seeing him looking a bit dejected, she almost instinctively said, “Don’t worry, I remember all the famous people with the surname Zhang in the capital!”