Chapter 464 - 398: Repaying a Drop of Kindness by Pledging Oneself
Chapter 464: Chapter 398: Repaying a Drop of Kindness by Pledging Oneself
Although Marina Goldsmith had been the one to plead with Winston Goldsmith about this matter, Winston himself was also exceptionally fond of Oscar Owen. Oscar’s looks spoke for themselves—anyone with eyes could see how handsome he was. Even in the apocalypse, forced to wear the rough coats of the mountain folk, he couldn’t conceal his noble air.
Furthermore, he was incredibly powerful—aside from Winston himself, Oscar had the highest Superpower Level in the entire village, and he was still very young. He had traveled a thousand miles to get here, bringing his mother and a female friend with him, which showed he was a responsible man.
If he could entrust his daughter to him, he would be completely at ease.
But he also knew that a man like Oscar Owen must have been a wealthy young master before the apocalypse, someone with a very distinguished background, status, and identity. It was highly likely that such a man would look down on a family like his.
So when he finally brought it up, he did so indirectly, beating around the bush.
"Please, don’t joke, Mr. Goldsmith. In this day and age, just surviving is a struggle. How could I possibly think about such things? Besides, my mother and I are outsiders. We’re already incredibly fortunate that you all took us in."
Winston Goldsmith smiled and nodded. It seemed Oscar Owen had no intention of finding a partner in their village.
But in the kitchen, Marina Goldsmith didn’t catch the underlying meaning in Oscar Owen’s words. Anxious that her father had stopped pressing the issue, she rushed to the dinner table, the fish-gutting knife still clutched in her bloody hands.
"Big Mr. Owens, you’re our village’s savior! We should be the ones thanking you! If it weren’t for you, my dad would be dead!"
Oscar Owen was taken aback. He looked at Fisher and said, "In times like these, it’s only natural for people to help each other!"
Marina Goldsmith shot Winston Goldsmith an anxious look, then suddenly strode over to Oscar Owen’s side. "Big Mr. Owens, my mother, bless her soul, used to say that a great kindness must be repaid in full! You saved my dad’s life. As his daughter, I... I... I should pledge myself to you!"
As Marina Goldsmith finished speaking, she was so nervous that she squeezed the fish-gutting knife in her hand, bending it out of shape.
The smile never left Lianne Kendall’s face. Compared to the scheming socialites from the city, she much preferred this guileless and refreshingly direct Marina Goldsmith.
Oscar Owen, however, hadn’t expected Marina Goldsmith to be so blunt.
He had actually sensed Winston Goldsmith’s intentions when the man had broached the topic earlier.
It wasn’t that Marina Goldsmith wasn’t a good person.
Marina Goldsmith was very cute, with an oval face, thick eyebrows, and big eyes. Her skin was a healthy, sun-kissed tan, and she had a graceful, innocent loveliness.
He was very fond of her, but in the way one is fond of a younger sister.
Seeing Oscar Owen looking at her with a gentle smile, Marina Goldsmith’s heart began to thump like a fawn frolicking in the mountains, threatening to leap right out of her chest.
Oscar Owen looked at Marina Goldsmith’s adorable, flushing face and reached out to gently pat her neatly combed hair.
"Fisher, I’ve always thought of you as a little sister. I’m fond of you, I want to protect you, and I care for you—all because you’re like a sister to me. Do you understand?"
When Oscar Owen patted her on the head, Marina Goldsmith’s face first flushed a deep crimson, and she could hardly breathe. But as she heard the rest of his words, the color slowly drained from her face.
Finally, she frowned and looked at Oscar Owen. "Big Mr. Owens, I don’t want to be your sister! My dad said that if I could marry a man like you, you would definitely treat me well! I want to marry you. Will you have me or not!?"
"Fisher!" Winston Goldsmith looked at Oscar Owen, mortified. "A young lady shouldn’t be so brazen and shameless! Get back to the kitchen and finish cooking!"
Marina Goldsmith didn’t seem the least bit embarrassed by her father’s scolding. Instead, she looked right at him. "Dad! Big Mr. Owens doesn’t have a girlfriend right now! I’m just calling dibs to save my spot for later. It’s first come, first served, you know! Why are you being so mean to me?!"
Winston Goldsmith’s weathered face flushed red. "Go on, get back to the kitchen! You shameless girl!" He glanced at Oscar Owen. "Oscar, please don’t mind her. I don’t know what’s gotten into Fisher today. Hahaha, come on, let’s drink!"
Oscar Owen smiled and downed the rest of the wine in his cup. A familiar figure in his mind suddenly grew clearer. ’She went to find her parents back then, didn’t she? Is she even still alive?’
’If I had gone with her back then, would things be different...?’
But there were no "what ifs." He had considered how difficult it would be, even with his current power, to cross the mountains of corpses and seas of dead to get back to Janton and find her. But he could never forget her.