” Wesley was arrested, and we got rid of the Whitaker family today. I’ll go out in a few days. Don’t be stingy with the money, don’t scrimp where it’s needed. Clothes don’t have to be fancy, but the food can’t be cheap. Scarlett’s right, give Michael more bone broth, to help him grow taller.”
“I’ll listen to you. There will be at least three tables tonight, right? What standard should we use for the feast?”
“Each table should have four or five meat dishes, and you can handle the rest. I’ll go to the county to buy some wine. How much meat should we buy?”
Amanda quickly calculated. With enough oil, crucian carp and loach were also meat. They had plenty in the water tank. Good meat was hard to find in town. Whitaker Scarlett’s sweet and sour pork ribs were delicious. No, braised pork ribs with potatoes would be good:
“3kg of pork, 2kg of ribs, and some pig liver if there is any, otherwise, it’s fine.”
William would buy wine and cigarettes in town. The feast needed to be proper, with sweets and melon seeds Amanda gave William 50 Dollars; it should be enough for three tables.
William borrowed a bicycle in the village and rode to Greenfield County without delay.
…
Meanwhile, the hungry Whitaker family of three walked back to Larkspur Village.
They had left with confidence, but returned dejected. Their route passed Techspire Village, and Whitaker Chris wanted to shrink himself as he walked. Wesley, rumored to have rolled in the grass with Whitaker Scarlett, was from Techspire Village.
Whitaker Chris felt ashamed.
Who wouldn’t feel awkward?
As they walked through Techspire Village with their heads down, Whitaker Chris suddenly remembered Whitaker Scarlett’s serious face as she denied any relationship with Wesley, and asked him, as her father, if he had confronted Wesley. Whitaker Chris hesitated and stopped:
“Sister-in-law, who started the rumor about Scarlett and Wesley?”
Maria’s eyes flickered. “How do you trace the source of such things? Someone in the village saw it and spread it. People asked Wesley, and he admitted it. If there was nothing, would he admit it?”
Veronica sided with her sister-in-law this time. “Brother-in-law, I think Scarlett is just stubborn, she did something wrong and won’t admit it.”
They’d already gotten rid of the “little slut,” don’t bring her back.
Veronica and Maria spoke in turn, dragging Whitaker Scarlett through the mud, making up things and speaking with conviction. Maria finally brought up Whitaker Rosalie:
“Scarlett and Wesley were seen pulling and tugging on the road. Rosalie saw it too, but she didn’t say anything.”
The rumors started after Whitaker Rosalie and Walter Janson left for school. Whitaker Chris didn’t suspect his niece.
Whitaker Scarlett didn’t want to acknowledge him as her father, and Whitaker Chris was disappointed in his daughter. She’d disgraced the Whitaker family with her promiscuity, and was full of lies.
The three of them wanted to leave Techspire Village quickly, but someone stopped them.
Everyone in the neighboring villages knew each other.
The person looked curious. “Chris, did you hear that Wesley was arrested? He was paraded through the streets. I think he’s done for this time!”
Wesley was arrested?
A bold thought suddenly struck Maria. They only arrested the men for promiscuity, not the women? If Whitaker Scarlett was also imprisoned for a few years, she would never recover. Maria didn’t bother pretending anymore, grabbing the person’s hand:
“Did Wesley mention my niece? Will the police come for her?”
“Big Sister-in-law!”
Whitaker Chris was taken aback. Although he was disappointed in Whitaker Scarlett, he never thought of sending her to prison. Maria, who was usually the most reliable person, was now saying this—wasn’t she dragging Scarlett into it?
Maria was getting carried away.
She felt a bit embarrassed, “I was too anxious, afraid that Wesley would spread lies. Scarlett has nothing to do with that good-for-nothing.”
But the people of Techspire Village didn’t believe it. Who didn’t know that the Whitaker family was the most cowardly? Even if their daughter was bullied, they should go find Wesley to settle the score.
The Whitaker family had three strong brothers, yet they let Wesley act arrogantly, forcing their daughter to hit the wall at home… what a joke.
Some people wanted to see the Whitaker Chris brothers make fools of themselves, deliberately grinning:
” Wesley was caught for burglary. Yesterday, the county cracked down on street crime, and he was paraded around with a big sign stating his crime. This scoundrel is bound to be heavily sentenced; everyone in the village hates him. This time, it’s like getting rid of a pest.”
