Though the Whitaker family didn’t care for Scarlett, she had someone who did.
At least William felt deeply for her. “How can anyone live in a place like this? Scarlett, you should have come to me last night with your mom.”
The Whitaker family had gone too far. Scarlett had always been delicate and never endured hardship. To move to that decrepit old house by the riverbank, she must have been left with no choice. William clenched his teeth in rage, his dislike for the Whitaker family reaching its peak.
“Pack your things quickly and come home with me!”
Elizabeth hesitated. “What about when Chris comes back?”
William was exasperated.
“If you want to defend Chris in everything, I won’t stop you—he is your husband, after all. But besides being your husband, isn’t he also Scarlett’s father? Has he fulfilled his duties as a father? Even I heard about Scarlett’s troubles. Is Chris deaf or what?”
William stomped his foot in frustration.
Scarlett shook her head at her uncle, signaling him to drop it.
Elizabeth had spent years in this mindset, and just moving out with Scarlett was already a significant act of defiance.
“Uncle, I’m thinking about starting a small business. What do you think?”
As Scarlett packed, she shared her plan to trade eggs. She genuinely felt that her uncle was a rare voice of reason—straightforward and practical, not stuck in outdated thinking.
William didn’t respond immediately. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes, lit one, and smoked in silence.
After finishing half the cigarette, William finally spoke. “Let me be honest with you. It’s good that you want to earn money—it shows you’ve matured. But this business isn’t right for you.”
Scarlett didn’t interrupt. In her previous life, she had climbed to a senior executive position through not only sheer effort but also by listening to others and not overestimating her intelligence.
The 1980s might have been primitive in some ways, but there were always smart people.
If Scarlett underestimated everyone, she would inevitably stumble.
“Go ahead, Uncle. I’m listening,” she said.
Seeing her patience, William grinned. “Now, don’t get mad if I’m wrong—I’m just offering advice. This kind of business has small profits and is exhausting. It might even stir up trouble. Why not try something easier?”
Farmers carrying a few eggs to town could manage it with a basket.
But delivering over 100 eggs at once was a logistical nightmare, not to mention collecting the eggs in the first place.
Eggs were fragile and perishable. What if they didn’t sell immediately?
Moreover, Scarlett’s striking looks made William uneasy about her traveling around to collect eggs in various villages. This kind of early-to-rise, hard labor job was more suited for men—not for a young, beautiful woman like Scarlett.
Scarlett had considered all of this.
After her initial excitement, she, too, realized the potential problems with her appearance.
Beautiful women from poor households often attracted trouble. In the old days, such women might have been “offered” to the wealthy. Only the rich could protect and shield beauty with pomp and security.
For now, Scarlett lacked such means. Her only defense was a pair of scissors.
William’s words were honest. Scarlett smiled bitterly.
“I don’t have much capital to work with, Uncle. This egg business is the only way I can support my mom and myself for now. I didn’t bring her out of the Whitaker family just so she could starve or live in fear. Other people’s daughters are treasures; my mom’s daughter is treated like a curse. One day, I’ll give her a good life… Uncle, I’ve been so foolish in the past. I’m sorry for making you worry about me.”
Even a man like William felt his nose sting. Elizabeth, meanwhile, couldn’t hold back her tears.
“No one said you’re a curse! As long as you live well, that’s all that matters to me,” she sobbed.
The three of them were just shy of hugging and crying together. Scarlett used the moment to bare her heart, assuring her loved ones that she was determined to change her ways and start anew.
Seeing Scarlett’s determination, William didn’t press the matter further.
“If you want to do this business, you’ll need at least a few dozen dollars. How much are you short? Your uncle will make up the difference!”
How much was Scarlett short?
She had only six dollars in her pocket… Scarlett rarely felt embarrassed, but this was one of those moments.
