Whitaker Scarlett’s words opened his mind. As long as she was excellent enough, whatever the Whitaker Family said or did wouldn’t affect Whitaker Scarlett’s life. On the contrary, once Whitaker Scarlett got into university, she would have a bright future – only then would the Whitaker Family dare to worry about how Scarlett would deal with them!
Whitaker Scarlett’s pep talk almost knocked Carson off his feet. The young man looked at her with admiration and joy. Whitaker Scarlett quickly exclaimed, “Oh dear, I almost forgot, I have to send Micheal to school. Let’s chat later!”
Carson opened his mouth, wanting to ask Whitaker Scarlett when she would be at school, but she had already walked away with Micheal.
Whitaker Scarlett sent Micheal to the elementary school gate. Little Micheal, precocious for his age, suddenly asked Whitaker Scarlett:
“Sister, does Brother Carson want to date you?”
Whitaker Scarlett pinched his face, “Little kid, mind your own business. I don’t want to date Carson, don’t tell anyone.”
Micheal, with a mischievous look, checked that there was no one around and whispered in Whitaker Scarlett’s ear, “Aunt secretly asked me where you went yesterday, saying she’d give me candy if I told her, but I said I didn’t know!”
The “Aunt” Micheal referred to as Carson’s mother.
Whitaker Scarlett rubbed Micheal’s head, “Go to class now, sister knows Micheal is the smartest!”
Micheal, having received praise, happily rushed into the school.
The smile on Whitaker Scarlett’s face faded.
Carson’s mom was warm and generous, but gossipy. She didn’t have any ill intentions towards Whitaker Scarlett for now, but she didn’t understand the boundaries of interpersonal relationships, nor the meaning of privacy… Being too close, she thought she could control Whitaker Scarlett’s whereabouts?
Whitaker Scarlett’s desire to move to Harborfield became even stronger.
Wellwater Village was too small and offered no better prospects.
She was “Whitaker Scarlett,” an independent individual. Even if she liked Carson, she didn’t want to be labeled as “Harris’s daughter-in-law” too early. Besides, she didn’t have any romantic feelings for Carson, so why hang around the village all day, inviting misunderstandings from the Harris family?
She wondered if Hughes Lawrence had helped her find a suitable house. Hopefully, the sweater she sent would help.
…
Hughes Lawrence’s wife quite liked Whitaker Scarlett.
Usually, Hughes Lawrence’s wife wouldn’t bother with rural girls who inexplicably came to claim kinship; she was afraid of poor relatives taking advantage of them. But Whitaker Scarlett was different; she didn’t come to take advantage, but to give gifts!
Whether they were related or not didn’t matter; frequent visits made them closer than relatives.
Hughes Lawrence’s wife happily accepted the sweater and spent the evening twirling in front of the mirror, increasingly fond of it. The weather was just right, and she wore it to work the next day. At the office, she saw her arch-rival wearing a sweater of the same style, just a different color.
Hughes Lawrence’s wife was unhappy, and her rival was unhappy too.
“Our tastes are so similar, you were too quick to get yours!”
Hughes Lawrence’s wife snorted, “If I’d known you had one, I wouldn’t have worn mine! It was a gift anyway…”
Her rival was quite surprised, doubtful, “A 35 dollars sweater, who gave it to you?”
This sweater cost 35 dollars?!
What she was wearing wasn’t just a sweater, it was a symbol of unity. Hughes Lawrence’s wife regretted speaking too confidently. After getting the truth from her rival – that it was a new style from Sablewick, a genuine export item, a hot commodity that people couldn’t buy even with money yesterday – Hughes Lawrence’s wife was overjoyed.
She went home and praised Whitaker Scarlett to Hughes Lawrence, urging him to quickly find a house for Whitaker Scarlett, and she also used her connections to inquire. The difference between helping wholeheartedly and half-heartedly was significant. Before Kay returned from Zoriville, Whitaker Scarlett had already found the new house she wanted to rent.
The house Hughes Lawrence found wasn’t far from his own.
However, Hughes Lawrence’s house was a unit building, while this one was a single-story house.
“Grandma Johnson is the only one left in her family. Her younger generation fled abroad years ago, and her old man didn’t survive those difficult years. Her house is quite large, but the old lady has a rather strong temper. If you don’t think it’s suitable, I’ll find another one.”
Grandma Johnson’s temper was more than just strong; her husband didn’t survive the criticism sessions, but she did.
Originally, they had quite a lot of ancestral property, but later they were only returned this one house. For Grandma Johnson, this was her lifeline. She still hoped that her scattered children would find their way back home, so she naturally had to hold onto this small courtyard… Nowadays, housing is tight for everyone. Hughes Lawrence’s position was quite lucrative, yet his family only had a small two-bedroom apartment, with a family of several crammed into less than 60 square meters, which was already considered a good living environment in these times.
