“Now that you’ve finished the exam, you can tell your family your plans. Your uncle and your mother both agree that you should go to school. Let’s start from the first year of high school and strive to get into university in three years… We don’t expect you to get into a bachelor’s program; even a junior college is a great thing! Your uncle has been working on Uncle Daniel; the old man’s connections are unbeatable. When they went to Larkspur Village to transfer your household registration, a county leader went along, and the village head of Larkspur Village didn’t dare to fart.”
Only your grandmother, relying on her blood relationship, shamelessly lay on the ground and made a scene.
She kept saying that Whitaker Scarlett was her granddaughter, that Elizabeth couldn’t take the Whitaker family away even after the divorce, and that William was a scoundrel who sold his sister. She cursed so viciously that Amanda could imagine the scene just from the retelling.
Fortunately, Whitaker Scarlett was away taking the exam, and Elizabeth was busy collecting goods in other villages.
The mother and daughter didn’t have to go to Larkspur Village; otherwise, they would definitely have been angered. Whitaker old lady didn’t really care about Whitaker Scarlett; she had hated this granddaughter for a long time. She was just resentful that Elizabeth had filed for divorce, feeling that the Whitaker family had lost face, and she wanted to make others miserable.
How to deal with Elizabeth? Whitaker Scarlett was Elizabeth’s lifeline. Whitaker Old Lady rolled on the ground, insisting that William agree to one condition; otherwise, even with county leaders present, she wouldn’t agree to the transfer of the mother and daughter’s household registration—even if Elizabeth remarried later, Whitaker Scarlett couldn’t change her surname!
She just wanted to annoy the mother and daughter, and William was disgusted by her.
But everyone at the time advised William to compromise, so he arbitrarily agreed to this condition.
He felt sorry for his niece. Amanda was also uneasy when she mentioned it, but Whitaker Scarlett herself didn’t care much:
“It doesn’t matter what surname I have; I’m used to this name.”
She had the surname Whitaker, but it wasn’t from Whitaker Chris. The surname “Whitaker,” and even the name “Whitaker Scarlett,” were imprints from her past life, having nothing to do with the Whitaker family.
Whitaker Scarlett didn’t care about Whitaker Old Lady’s petty schemes. She didn’t argue with Amanda. The family wanted her to start from the first year of high school, but Whitaker Scarlett thought it was a waste of time. She felt she had definitely scored more than 350 points; when the notice from County East High School arrived, her family would naturally know.
“Aunt, the cloth is all here. You can decide what clothes to make. I have new clothes; this is for all four of you.”
At this mention, Amanda again clutched her chest, saying she was wasteful, and Whitaker Scarlett chuckled.
Whitaker Scarlett was quite confident.
But before the news from County East High School arrived, she continued her business as usual, reading whenever she had some free time.
When she went to HarborfieldCity to deliver eels again, Parker Jace found it strange:
“Scarlett, your uncle said you’re going back to school. Will you be stopping this business?”
Whitaker Scarlett quickly explained, “I do plan to, but I definitely want to get through November first. There won’t be any eels then anyway.”
Parker Jace was quite conflicted.
For anyone, it was a serious matter. It was already unusual for a young woman like Whitaker Scarlett to be the family’s breadwinner, and she was only in her teens. Her options were limited: find a job, continue her studies, or get married. Whitaker Scarlett clearly didn’t want to get married. Parker Jace admired her ambition, but he was conflicted because he wouldn’t see Whitaker Scarlett after November… Just thinking about it kept Parker Jace awake at night. Finally, when Whitaker Scarlett came to deliver the goods, he quickly asked about her plans.
Whitaker Scarlett confirmed her intention to continue her education, and Parker Jace felt a little disappointed.
But he also knew Whitaker Scarlett was right. Their relationship stemmed from Whitaker Scarlett supplying eels to the Yellow River Restaurant. In November, eels would be unavailable in the rural fields, and Whitaker Scarlett’s supply would end.
After that, who knew if Whitaker Scarlett would continue supplying the Yellow River Restaurant, or what else she would sell.
Parker Jace was glum.
His mother noticed it as soon as he got home.
After some questioning, Parker Jace, a mama’s boy, couldn’t hide his feelings and spilled his guts:
“Why don’t we arrange a job for Scarlett? She wants to go to university, isn’t it just to settle down in the city?”
Parker Jace’s mother was almost exasperated.
