Chapter 24 Thomas Pleads for Matches

When Demi returned, Maria was anxiously waiting at the gate. Seeing Demi carrying two full buckets of water, she hurried over, her brows furrowed in concern. "Why didn't you listen to me? What if you hurt your back from the heavy load?" "Did you forget I'm trained in martial arts?" Demi chuckled as she stepped into the courtyard. "Even so, you still need to be careful!" … Maria took charge of washing the vegetables while Demi began chopping them. Since it was already getting late, Maria didn't insist on chopping herself. Once everything was prepared, Maria realized they had nothing to light the fire with. "I put the matches in my luggage earlier. I'll go get them," Demi replied as she left the kitchen. When the firewood was finally lit, Maria sat on a small stool and added logs to the fire. She coughed a little from the smoke while watching Demi cook skillfully. The stove had two burners. Demi set the pork to simmer on one side while using the other to cook the rest of the d