“Women’s clothing… You’ve saved up enough capital so quickly?”
“Not much, but this first purchase is a trial run. I’ll see how the market reacts.”
During her first visit to the city’s agricultural trade market, Whitaker Scarlett had her eye on this business. Kay knew Whitaker Scarlett’s situation well. After being driven out of the Whitaker family, the mother and daughter couldn’t have received any money, which is why Whitaker Scarlett chose low-capital, labor-intensive businesses… Compared to reselling eggs and eels, going to Sablewick to wholesale women’s clothing clearly required more capital.
Whitaker Scarlett must have saved a sum of money.
Kay had witnessed the profits from the eggs and eels. It hadn’t been long since they last parted, and Whitaker Scarlett must have been working tirelessly to earn money. No wonder she looked a little thinner this time.
“We’re also going to Sablewick, but it’s not suitable for you to travel with us. Have you bought your train ticket? When are you planning to leave?”
Even if they weren’t originally going to Sablewick, Kay would have made this trip.
He certainly wanted Whitaker Scarlett to sit in the passenger seat, traveling together. But his and Leo’s cargo transport was fraught with unknown dangers, making it safer for Whitaker Scarlett to take the train south.
“I want to leave today, if I can still get a ticket.”
Who would plan a long trip and not buy a ticket until after noon? Kay was delighted. This meant she waited until now to see him. Whitaker Scarlett’s words were serious, but Kay’s thoughts were not. He heard honey in her simple words.
His voice also seemed to be coated in honey:
“Come, I’ll accompany you to buy a ticket. If there are no tickets today, it’s not a problem. We can rest at the guesthouse for a night before leaving.”
Traveling long distances in 1983 wasn’t easy.
Harborfield and Sablewick were over a thousand kilometers apart. A direct train between the two cities might not even run daily. But Sablewick was a major southern city, and Harborfield was a central capital railway hub. Besides direct trains, there were also connecting trains that didn’t originate in Harborfield.
Harborfieldhad a well-developed railway system, but Greenfield County didn’t even have a train station.
If there were trains between Greenfield County and Harborfield, Whitaker Scarlett’s reselling business would be much easier. She wouldn’t have to rely on her bicycle; short-distance train tickets weren’t expensive, it was the long-distance ones that were costly!
Kay driving Whitaker Scarlett to Harborfieldwas quick. Compared to later generations’ massive train stations, Harborfield’s station was undeniably humble, but the crowds were even more intense than in the future. Thirty years later, people would have more diverse travel options: well-developed highways, high private car ownership, and affordable airfare would make long-distance travel convenient and easy.
Kay left Leo in the car and went into the station with Whitaker Scarlett.
Carrying large and small bags, squeezing onto the train, families with children and poultry tied up, flapping their wings and squawking, occasionally spraying droppings on the ground… or some unlucky person’s shoes. People arguing, foolishly pushing forward, being scammed, trying to steal—anything could happen at the train station. It was a mixture of strange smells: poultry, sweat, stale cigarettes, and the sour tang of pickled vegetables. Whitaker Scarlett held her breath.
Kay protected her, fearing she might be taken advantage of by thieves or thugs, or slip on a discarded fruit peel. By the time they reached the ticket office, despite it being almost November, he was sweating profusely.
Someone carrying a child squeezed past Whitaker Scarlett, almost knocking her over.
Whitaker Scarlett stumbled, and Kay steadied her arm.
“Stay close to me, don’t get lost!”
What started as holding her arm naturally turned into holding her hand.
Whitaker Scarlett’s hands weren’t exactly delicate and pampered, but Kay hadn’t held any other girl’s hand before, so he had no basis for comparison. He only knew that his hand could completely enclose Whitaker Scarlett’s small hand, the touch felt wonderful, and he felt lightheaded… The surrounding environment was noisy and chaotic, yet Kay could hear his own heartbeat amidst the clamor.
Thump, thump, thump, thump… The sound was like a war drum, the beat growing faster and faster, making Kay dizzy and entranced.
His other senses seemed to fade, the only thing prominent was the feeling of his hand holding Whitaker Scarlett’s.
Kay, who could remain calm even with a shell exploding in front of him, was now completely controlled by the adrenaline surging through his body—What is love? Kay didn’t know, he only felt overwhelmed by an unparalleled joy.
It was just holding hands.
But it was more than just holding hands.
His palms were sweaty, Whitaker Scarlett felt a little awkward. Kay’s action was so natural, was he nervous?
