Another reason she didn’t mind this high-profile telegram was that the more gossip in Wellwater village, the better. They didn’t know Kay anyway. The speculation would inevitably reach the Harris Family. Whitaker Scarlett had no romantic feelings for Carson, and the Harris Family had helped her and her mother a lot; she didn’t want their relationship to be strained.
Her aunt was right; she needed this “semi-fictional” suitor to fend off unwanted attention.
Whitaker Scarlett put the letter away and took the letter of introduction home.
The telegram wasn’t the most important thing. Without the letter of introduction, buying a train ticket would be difficult, let alone eating, drinking, and lodging elsewhere. People didn’t have ID cards back then; the letter of introduction was the only way to prove one’s identity, containing the bearer’s basic information and intended destination.
Whitaker Scarlett’s registered address was Wellwater village, Greenfield County, Windford City, Duskhaven Province, and her purpose of travel was “visiting relatives”… Wellwater village didn’t even have a township enterprise; she couldn’t say she was going to wholesale clothes, nor that she was purchasing supplies for the village.
“Auntie, I got the letter of introduction.”
Amanda could read and carefully examined the letter of introduction before tucking it back into Whitaker Scarlett’s arms:
“You stubborn girl!”
Amanda asked Whitaker Scarlett when she would buy a train ticket. Whitaker Scarlett hesitated: “In two days.”
Only Whitaker Scarlett and her uncle William knew the details of how Kay and Leo had saved her Amanda and Elizabeth didn’t know the specifics. The favor of bringing her back after she sprained her ankle could be repaid with dumplings filled with pickled radish and pork; but the favor of saving her from those thugs couldn’t be settled with a meal of dumplings.
Whitaker Scarlett had no intention of letting Kay into their home and didn’t elaborate to Amanda for now.
Around the time Kay was expected to arrive, Whitaker Scarlett, carrying the provisions prepared by her family, set off for the county town, planning to meet Kay before going to Harborfield Train Station to buy a ticket. People usually carried their own food when traveling – a military green water bottle and boiled eggs, baked bread with pickles, and meat.
Train food was expensive and unappetizing; the food sold on the platform was cheap but questionable in terms of hygiene and safety. Whitaker Scarlett felt safer with her own food. Unsure how long she’d be gone, she went to the school in the county town first.
Amanda and Elizabeth both offered to see her off at the train station, but Whitaker Scarlett refused.
After passing the County East High School’s transfer exam and being allowed to study at home, this was her second time at the school. Previously, Whitaker Albert, his wife, and Helen were still in Larkspur Village. “Maria’s Snack Shop” was run by Jude and Rogers Lucia, who were so busy they barely touched the ground, focusing all their energy on making money from the shop, with no time to pay attention to Whitaker Scarlett’s whereabouts.
Whitaker Scarlett had visited County East High School several times without the Whitaker family knowing.
This time, however, she was seen by Helen!
Helen helped out at the snack shop, her eyes glued to the entrance of County East High School. The boys with a chance of getting into university were all potential targets for Helen. Whitaker Scarlett appeared at the entrance, and Helen was the first to see her.
“What’s she doing here?”
Helen watched the person walking past the snack shop, her eyes filled with suspicion and jealousy.
The Whitaker family thought that after Elizabeth and Whitaker Chris divorced, the mother and daughter must be living in poverty. In Helen’s imagination, the annoying Whitaker Scarlett was, if not eating gruel, at least living a hard life as a dependent. There was endless farm work, and her reputation was terrible; she should be living worse than when she was at the Whitaker family’s… Why was the Whitaker Scarlett before her now wearing clean clothes, looking healthy and energetic, and confidently appearing at County East High School?!
Was this a place a notorious little slut could come to?!
Helen projected her own thoughts onto Whitaker Scarlett, thinking she had hooked up with a prospective university student from County East High School. Shameless! After failing to seduce Sister ’s boyfriend, she found a new target?
County East High School had strict security.
Helen had tried several times to sneak in but was always spotted by the gatekeeper, who knew she worked at the snack shop and didn’t let her enter the school grounds.
But Whitaker Scarlett… the school gatekeeper, didn’t stop her at all!
