Kay and Leo took a trip to the countryside.
They didn’t even need to drive to Larkspur Village. Parking by the roadside, they casually chatted with the women working in the fields. In no time, the women eagerly began sharing all the juicy gossip about Larkspur Village. The Whitaker family had two standout topics of discussion.
The first was the eldest granddaughter, Whitaker Rosalie, who had been accepted into university. She was the pride of her family and the community, a “golden phoenix” who had risen from her rural roots to inspire children across the area:
“Not many students from County High School made it into university this year, but Rosalie Whitaker did. She’s a beauty too—oval face, thick eyebrows, big bright eyes, and two long, shiny black braids. Every man would want her as a wife! But she’s already dating someone, and he’s a university student too, a perfect match.”
“The Whitaker family must have ancestors smiling down on them! Who knows how many incense sticks they’ve burned to produce a university student!”
“They’ve taken all the literary spirit of Larkspur Village for themselves.”
“That’s why the rest of the Whitaker granddaughters aren’t as impressive.”
“Not entirely true—what about Scarlett Whitaker?”
When the topic shifted to Scarlett, the women’s laughter turned malicious. Their eyes roamed over Kay and Leo, wondering why two young men were inquiring about Scarlett. Was that little troublemaker stirring up more drama outside the village?
Kay didn’t even have to ask questions. The women eagerly revealed every detail about Scarlett’s history without hesitation.
The Whitaker family lived together in one large courtyard, with three sons and their combined six children: three girls and three boys. Scarlett was the second oldest. The eldest, Whitaker Rosalie, was the family’s star achiever.
The three brothers were Whitaker Albert, Scarlett’s father, Whitaker Chris, and her youngest uncle.
Albert had one son and one daughter, with Rosalie as his pride and joy.
Chris and his wife, Elizabeth, only had one child, Scarlett—the so-called “troublemaker.”
The last had three children: one daughter and two sons.
