Disaster Apocalypse: Farming, Family, and My Hidden Secret Space

"You... mischievous," Madam Qi gently pinched her daughter's cheek, shaking her head helplessly.

The children had grown up, but their temperaments remained the same. It seemed there would be plenty to worry about in the future.

With the children's antics, the extra emotions miraculously disappeared.

Old Lady Hua also pointed at Hua Jin but said no more.

After bathing, Hua Jin dressed up a bit and was accompanied by a group of sisters, staying in her room.

Looking at everyone chattering happily, from time to time an aunt or a young wife would come in to see her and say a few words. This scene gave Hua Jin the feeling that she was not coming of age but getting married.

Nevertheless, seeing so many happy and blessed faces and hearing the bustling sounds outside, to be honest, it felt quite nice.

If the space wasn't so limited, probably everyone in the village would have come. Even so, there were people coming and going, and everyone was endlessly joyful.

Most of the women were helping in the makeshift kitchen, and the men were also preparing, joking and laughing in groups of three or five. The entire inner valley was filled with a festive scene.

The Qi family had come early to help, whether it was the old couple or Qi's elder brother; it was as if they suddenly realized their situation, becoming more grounded and no longer relying on exploiting the sisters' families. They no longer seemed as unpleasant as before.

Also present were Madam Sun's family, Hua Chengtian's mentor Zhao Ji's family, Hua's second aunt's in-laws, and the Liu brothers, all of whom came to help early on.

The inner valley's door was open all day for the public feast, allowing anyone from the valley to enter freely.

Madam Qi was initially surprised when her family came to help, but seeing her parents' careful smiles and the work-ready attitude of her sister-in-law and sister, a complex emotion flashed in her eyes, and she said nothing eventually.

As long as there were no disturbances, she had no problem accepting her family.

But if anyone dared to ruin her daughter's most important day, Madam Qi wouldn't tolerate it.

Everything was proceeding in an orderly manner. Soon the preparations were complete, the sacrificial offerings were in place, and the auspicious hour arrived.

Old Mr. Hua, dressed in new clothes, began greeting guests with Old Lady Hua and their son and daughter-in-law, marking the official start of Hua Jin's coming-of-age ceremony.

The entire process was simple yet ceremonial. Guided by her grandmother, Hua Jin proceeded step by step through the rites, with Zhang Zhe, a respected elder from the village, officiating the ceremony.

Greeting guests, taking position, opening the rite, positioning the honoree, handwashing of guests, first donning, first bow, second donning, second bow, third donning, third bow, setting the wine, offering wine, naming the honoree, receiving instructions, the honoree gives thanks, ceremony completed.

With ribbons hanging from her hands and dressed in a new pink outfit, she served tea to her elders, listening to their blessings until her mother carefully used a prepared hairpin to lift a lock of her hair. At that moment, complex emotions surged in Hua Jin's heart—a feeling indescribable, as if she had grown up again.

Then came the gifts from the ceremony, not overly precious but all thoughtfully prepared—hand-carved wooden ornaments, meticulously embroidered handkerchiefs from her girlfriends, pouches, thread knots, specially prepared clothing, accessories, and so on.

The Luo family's shop deserves mention for contributing significantly to Hua Jin's coming-of-age ceremony. Many villagers chose their gifts from there, and with the Luo family's substantial resources, it was no problem at all.

Regardless, Hua Jin followed whatever was recited in the ceremony, and amidst gestures of gratitude, the coming-of-age rite was beautifully completed, signifying her readiness for marriage.

Her girlfriends looked on enviously at the fairy-like beauty of Hua Jin and gathered her back into the room.

She looked so stunning that nearly everyone was dazed upon her entrance.

On regular days, this girl was accustomed to wearing short attire, and people grew used to it. Apart from a few young lads, others were not particularly affected.

But today, she truly amazed everyone; the words of beauty they knew were insufficient. Simply put, she looked divine, like a fairy, with an unreachably mysterious aura.

With her hair adorned with a white jade hairpin and wearing a ruqun dress, she stood gracefully in the breeze, her skin smooth as jade, her beautiful eyes glimmered. Each smile and frown, although youthful, carried an indescribable charm.

It left the young lads standing far outside the courtyard in a trance.

Even after Hua Jin was taken back into the room by her friends, many young fellows were reluctant to take their eyes off her.

"Luo Song..."

Seeing no response from Luo Song, Hua Yunao followed his gaze, a sharp glance crossing his eyes, and in a swift motion, he positioned himself directly in front of Luo Song, blocking the brief glimpse of the faint pink figure, bringing Luo Song back to his senses.

"Yun Ao..." Luo Song raised an eyebrow, a hint of regret passing in his eyes, but he smiled, his expression naturally smooth.

"Let's go, weren't you offering to help?" Hua Yunao said unceremoniously.

"Of course," Luo Song nodded, taking a deep look at his good friend. This sister obsession was really troublesome!

Unconsciously, Hua Jin had become even more captivating, making Luo Song suppress his racing heart and follow closely behind Hua Yunao.

Next up was the most anticipated part for everyone in the valley... the feast, the busiest moment.

The young lads and fellows who were good friends with Yun Ao assumed the role of waiters. As a variety of delicious dishes appeared on the long-awaited dining tables, with five meat dishes, four vegetable dishes, and one soup, totaling exactly ten dishes, symbolizing perfection.

Whether from Hua Village's locals or newcomers like Wei Dapeng, the Sun and Zhao families, or people from Li Village, everyone was astonished by the feast, eager to devour it.

It was truly wonderful—a feast of such caliber even before the disaster was rare, something not many households could afford.

The braised pork was a given; there were also roasted chicken pieces, spicy rabbit, venison wild mushroom soup, and the pure meat four-happiness meatballs, each dish outstanding on its own and remarkably served all at once, with generous portions. People ate to their heart's content, and even the soup and sauces were sopped up cleanly with bread.

In summary, the plates were cleared, the bowls were cleared, the bread was cleared; everything on the table had to be cleared.

In the room, Hua Jin and her cousins and sisters ate together. Having started busying about since early morning, Hua Jin's stomach was growling with hunger.

It was rare to enjoy such delicious meat, prompting the girls to set aside their reservations and indulge heartily in Hua Jin's room.

Enjoying the delicious flavors, they couldn't help but envy the life Hua Jin's family led.

The feast lasted till nightfall. During breaks, the busy crowd snuck in snacks, and at the end, they enjoyed a proper meal. Old Mr. Hua even brought out his cherished wines to reward the hardworking men and young fellows for their effort throughout the day.

Of course, the women who worked hard all day also received benefits. After the banquet, none left empty-handed. Besides a good meal, Old Lady Hua distributed some remaining food ingredients and meat.