Chapter 66 The Fear of Gossip
At eight in the morning, the biggest supermarket in Starlight City was already buzzing with people.
"Mr. Learmond, back for more fish?"
"Yep. Got any bass today?"
"Sure do! Saved some just for you," the middle-aged woman said, expertly weighing the fish. "All set."
Alistair Learmond pulled out his phone. "How much?"
"Oh, don't worry about it, just take it! My kid's given you enough trouble."
"That's not right. You're running a business; you gotta charge." Alistair quickly transferred 30 bucks.
Way more than enough.
The woman protested, "Oh, I can't take this."
Alistair insisted, "I'd feel bad if you didn't. Anyway, I need to grab some scallions."
"Wait a sec."
"Something else?"
"Well," the woman fidgeted with her apron. "I heard Maplewood High School has a spot for the physics competition every year. Winning an international gold medal gets you straight into Harmony College or Cascade College!"
Alistair nodded. "Yeah, there's a spot."
"Think my kid's got a shot?"
Alistair paused. "First, you gotta understand what a competition means. It's like using knowledge beyond what they usually learn. The questions are way harder. The school does have spots for different subjects, but they usually pick students who are super strong in one subject, with good learning skills and competitive thinking."
The woman got anxious. "My kid's grades are great! Never dropped out of the top 20. Isn't that exceptional?"
"Hold on," Alistair explained patiently, "Grade ranking looks at overall performance; single-subject ranking is more relevant. Secondly, the spot for this competition is already decided by the school. So, there's nothing I can do."
"I see, then forget it." The woman forced a smile and waved her hand.
"Alright, you go ahead, I'll keep shopping."
"Take care, come back next time."
But as Alistair walked away, the woman's smile vanished, and she spat on the ground. "Talking about single-subject ranking, my kid's great in every subject. You must to be blind not to see it! And saying the spot is already decided, what a hypocrite."
"Hey, who are you mumbling to? Who upset you? I just saw Mr. Learmond go that way, wanted to ask about my daughter's studies."
"Don't bother, he doesn't even think my son is good enough. How could he think your daughter, who always ranks at the bottom, is any better?"
"What happened?"
The woman sneered, "Mr. Learmond said my son isn't qualified for the physics competition. Who doesn't know his daughter participated in so many competitions back then, not just physics, but also chemistry and computer science. Why didn't he say she wasn't suitable? In short, just because his daughter got into Harmony College, doesn't mean other kids can't get into Cascade College!"
"Don't say that, Mr. Learmond isn't like that!"
"I don't care what kind of person he is. Not letting my son participate just means he can't stand others being better! So what if his daughter got into Harmony College? She hasn't come home in years, probably forgot about Mr. and Mrs. Learmond. I also heard that she didn't go to grad school or find a job after college."
"What? No way! No school, no job, then what does she do?"
"Being a mistress for rich guys! She just has to lie down, spread her legs, and the money rolls in. Why bother with a job?"
"You shouldn't say stuff like that! It's about her reputation!"
"If she had a legit job, why hasn't she come home in years? Probably 'cause she's ashamed, and they don't let her come back. In a small place like ours, news spreads fast. Mr. Learmond must be keeping it hush-hush. Otherwise, how can he still be a teacher?"
"Oh my!"
Alistair, of course, didn't hear these whispers.
Even if he did, he'd probably just keep quiet.
'Cause in his eyes, what Camilla did was no different from being a mistress.
Camilla got off the train and pulled her down jacket tighter around her.
Even though Starlight City was further south than Imperial City, it was still freezing this time of year.
Sitting in the taxi, she watched the scenery outside the window blend with her memories of home.
Starlight City wasn't big. With heavy industry moving out, the government had been pushing tourism hard, and the greenery along the roads was well-kept.
The old low-rise buildings had been spruced up, and new parks had popped up.
Only the old town kept its original look, with the river splitting the new and old areas.
In the summer, people boated on the river. In the winter, thin ice formed on the water, shattering and rippling like sparkling diamonds when touched.
There was an old arched bridge over the river, and Camilla's home was at one end of it.
Walking through the alley, she could see the big sign "Oakbrook Terrace" from a distance.
Alistair, a top student in the physics department at Cascade College, was specially hired to teach physics at Maplewood High School, and within a year, he became the head of the physics department.
Alistair also personally formed the Maplewood High School physics competition team, sending a bunch of outstanding students to international competitions.
These students all got into prestigious universities and are now super successful.
Thinking of Alistair, Camilla's eyes welled up.
"I taught you to study, and this is how you repay me? Giving up your education for a man?"
"I am ashamed to be a teacher for raising my daughter like this!"
"If you go with him, don't ever come back or meet us again!"
"Camilla, have you really thought this through? Are you really gonna give up us for him?"
"Fine, from now on, I'm not your father, and you're not my daughter!"
"We're here," the driver said, snapping her back to reality.
Camilla paid and said, "Thanks."
Camilla's home was on the first floor, with a small yard. Because her mom, Bella Learmond, loved the color purple, her dad Alistair had built a wisteria trellis for her.
Every blooming season, the hanging vines would be full of flowers, and Camilla loved to sit in the yard and enjoy the shade.
Seeing how much she liked it, Alistair made her a swing, which was later left unused as she grew older.
After she left home for school, she had even fewer chances to see it. It had been six years, and she wondered if the wisteria and the swing were still the same.
Camilla blinked away her tears, stood in front of the door, took a deep breath, and knocked.
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