A party isn't a party with just drinks.
Snacks and exciting games were needed to heat things up. Though an orgy was inevitable, the process should be as fun as possible.
Julia and Jiang Qi's dumpling contest was set for the later, ambiguous phase. The younger girls planned the initial activities, while Chuck and the mature women prepared food and drinks in the afternoon.
Of the mulberry wine fermenting in the cave, a quarter jar was used for lunch. That left three and three-quarters jars—nearly three cases of beer.
Finishing it tonight was impossible unless Chuck went into binge mode.
Chuck could let it ferment longer for higher alcohol content, but that might make it too strong for the women to enjoy.
Since it was the first batch and quantity was ample, Chuck moved two and three-quarters jars out, leaving one to ferment further.
Filtering out pulp and impurities with cloth, he poured the wine into two iron pots, filling them more than halfway.
Looking at the wine, Chuck scratched his chin.
Fermentation was perfect, taste flawless, but the color...
The iron pots, stained purple after just a couple of uses, looked poisoned.
Using cooking pots for wine wasn't ideal. Coincidentally, he had leftover glass materials...
Time to make proper cups.
Until now, everyone used personalized clay bowls for everything. A compromise for convenience.
But cups for drinking were more comfortable and civilized. With time and opportunity, Chuck acted.
After the afternoon nap, the women returned to work cheerfully, chatting excitedly about the party.
Motivated by their anticipation, Chuck worked efficiently.
Using DIY blueprints, he crafted a cup mold, fired up the furnace, and smelted crude glass.
For cups, basic transparency sufficed; no purification needed.
With the workbench bonus, he produced ten pale green glass cups with integrated handles in an hour. Capacity: 400-500ml. Perfect.
Good for wine, and good for milk.
Looking at the cups, an idea struck Chuck.
Drinking wine tonight... maybe drinking milk tomorrow morning?
The cane syrup and accumulated milk in his inventory were a perfect match.
But previously, only Momo accepted the sweetened milk drink; the others refused due to psychological barriers.
Chuck wasn't pushy, but he hadn't given up. Yitong and Janet produced too much rich milk for him alone.
He knew their resistance was psychological.
Tonight's mulberry wine party might be the breakthrough... after all, milk is a known hangover cure.
The women cheered at the new cups. Though simple and unevenly colored compared to store-bought ones, they cherished them more.
Labeling them with cloth strips and resin, the women gathered at the table, chatting.
Chuck and the two mature women entered the kitchen for final prep.
Appetizers.
Crucial for a drinking party, and doubling as dinner, so quantity mattered.
Each prepared a dish.
Considering the fruity wine, Chuck chose seafood. He commissioned Valentina and Kaoru to gather fresh shellfish and conchs from the southern reef.
Grilled simply to retain their natural salinity—a humble seafood platter suited Chuck's novice cooking.
Janet brought out a precious stored lamb foreleg. As a former rancher and North American native, BBQ was her forte.
She planned a simple roast lamb.
The foreleg, tender and fatty, was enough for the family. Roasted whole and shredded by hand, it would pair perfectly with the wine.
Yitong had her own idea.
Usually boiling, roasting, or stewing sweet potatoes, this time she peeled them, sliced them thick, and cut them into strips.
She heated a large chunk of palm oil in the pot.
Sizzle—
The sound of deep-frying echoed on the island for the first time.
Extravagant for survival, but fine for now.
The familiar yet strange sound and the aroma of frying sweet potatoes silenced the women at the table. They gulped in unison.
"Did you hear that? Fries!"
Julia clapped, looking at everyone excitedly.
"Surprisingly fragrant... is that roast lamb leg?"
"Honestly, never looked forward to an evening this much~"
"Hehe, me too."
In this expectant atmosphere, the sun crossed the sky.
Another day passed. Golden red sunset bathed the island.
But on this island, while some lives became happier, others became more struggling and torturous.
...
...
"Unnie, Wendy... she's not gonna make it."
Northern Island. Inside a bright, spacious cave, firelight illuminated a tall figure entering. Her short pink hair was frizzy, gem earrings gone.
She looked at a black-haired woman across the fire—similar features, but more mature and cold.
Hearing this, the black-haired woman's hands, holding a coconut shell with fish, froze. Trembling, she set the food down and stood up, ignoring the ash, following the girl out.
Two pairs of long, snowy legs moved across the sand, proportions unreal like CG models.
Despite straw sandals and ragged clothes, they walked like supermodels.
In fact, the black-haired woman used to attend many fashion shows—as a front-row guest.
But that was the past. She had forgotten much of her old life.
Her mind held only survival and caring for those around her. Yet, companions left one by one.
If not for her sister, she would have collapsed. Her sister was her only reason to persist.
Crossing the sand into the jungle, they reached a clearing with scattered huts and hammocks.
Drying fish and fruit, turbid water in bamboo tubes—a human settlement.
Pushing aside leaves, the black-haired woman rushed to a hammock where a dark-skinned woman with regular features looked at her weakly.
"...Lee, you're here."
"Wendy, don't speak..."
Seeing her bloodless skin and dying state, Lee's face filled with helplessness and despair.
She had experienced this many times, but never got used to it.
Tears blurred her vision.
"Don't cry... Lee, I just want to say goodbye."
Using her last strength, the woman wiped Lee's tears.
"You're a strong woman... keep taking care of everyone. Regret... I can't be with you anymore..."
Her voice faded and stopped. The light in Wendy's eyes extinguished like a snuffed candle.
Sobbing rose around them. Lee wept over the body, then turned slowly after a long time.
"Build a fire by the sea. We'll send Wendy off together."
"Mmh."
The pink-haired girl wiped her tears and nodded heavily.
...
Unlike the other side, on the northern beach, the sun always shone from behind.
Near evening, they saw not the sunset on the sea, but their long shadows cast by it.
Wood and leaves surrounded Wendy's body. Lee closed Wendy's eyes and lit the pyre.
Flames rose, swallowing the motionless figure.
Watching the black smoke, Lee asked numbly.
"That Chinese woman surnamed Tang, where is she?"
Her sorrowful sister paused, then answered.
"Gathering firewood, I think. Honestly, she's capable, just quiet and unsociable. Should I call her?"
"No. She's kind-hearted; this would only sadden her."
Lee paused. "Tell her to find me later when you see her."
"Understood. But Unnie, what for?"
The girl nodded, a bad feeling rising.
"What she said before... about survivors on the other side. I want details."
"Unnie?!"
The girl exclaimed anxiously.
"Didn't we agree not to mention it? There are men there! If they find us, all the sisters will..."
"Na-eun, we'll discuss later. I just want to talk to her, okay?"
"...Fine."
Not the time to argue. Na-eun nodded, looking back at the shrinking, charring corpse in the fire.
Her expression turned strange.
"Unnie..."
"Hmm?"
"I don't mean anything else, but I didn't expect Wendy..."
Na-eun clenched her fists, turning her head irritably, tears falling again.
"To smell surprisingly fragrant."
"..."
Lee froze, but didn't get angry. Instead, greater sorrow and helplessness filled her eyes.
Not long ago, she was confident they could survive together.
Who knew... this island was so cruel?