When the subject of Ethan White was brought up, there was not only an air of unfairness on his behalf but also an unmistakable hint of admiration.
After Sophia Taylor finished speaking, she noticed Grandmother Wood still responding with an awkward smile, though her gaze seed sowhat different from before. Sophia couldn’t help but feel uneasy, as if Grandmother Wood’s expression held so kind of hidden ridicule towards her.
Finally, her face darkened, and she said:
"In any case, I genuinely want what’s best for Abigail. I don’t want her to interact too much with Elly Campbell. If she ends up being led astray, her entire life will be ruined. Unlike Elly, who has connections and a husband spoiling her endlessly, surrounded by n constantly supporting her. You all better be careful."
After delivering yet another manipulative warning, Sophia found herself in an awkward position and left abruptly.
As she erged outside, Elly Campbell avoided running into her by stepping into the small alley by the house. Only when Sophia’s figure disappeared into the distance did Elly step out of the alley, casting a contemplative glance at Abigail Wood’s door, unsure whether to go in and continue tutoring her.
If they believed Sophia’s words and thought of her as soone disloyal and opportunistic, would going in now only result in them driving her out? Wouldn’t that be too embarrassing?
"Grandma, we can’t take everything Miss Taylor says as truth without careful thought."
Just as Elly hesitated about whether to enter, she heard Abigail’s stern tone coming from inside.
"You think Miss Taylor was wrong in what she said?"
"No."
Abigail shook her head and continued:
"Miss Taylor was right. We shouldn’t associate with people of questionable character. But at the sa ti, we shouldn’t believe others so easily without seeing things with our own eyes. That kind of thinking is also wrong."
At this point, Abigail paused briefly, and Elly, still standing outside the door, raised her eyebrows slightly upon hearing those words, a trace of admiration flickering in her eyes.
Abigail’s voice carried on: "Though I haven’t spent much ti with Elly Campbell, she is undeniably a very patient teacher. No matter how many questions we ask or how difficult they are, she always takes the ti to explain them thoroughly."
In contrast to Miss Taylor, although she also answered their questions, when they asked too many, she would secretly insult them and warn them not to disclose her behavior. Otherwise, she’d threaten to quit teaching in such a poor and remote area, leaving them to fend for themselves.
Miss Taylor often said that in such an impoverished village, no one else would ever agree to co here besides her.
She suggested that if she left, they would never have another chance to learn anything.
The children in the mountains had barely attended school before, and now, they were finally lucky enough to have a teacher willing to teach them. Being criticized or ridiculed in private by her—what was that compared to the hardships of life?
They weren’t that sensitive. They had endured much greater suffering in life and couldn’t be defeated by a few scolding words or sarcastic remarks from their teacher.
As long as they could learn knowledge, they wouldn’t mind being scolded by the teacher, or even being physically punished.
Gradually, they grew accustod to Miss Taylor’s private teaching thods. So now, when they cautiously asked Elly Campbell questions and received her patient and tireless explanations, they felt as if she were a gentle angel, almost like a fairy.
Abigail deeply hoped that Miss Taylor’s malicious words wouldn’t tarnish Elly Campbell’s image.
Abigail frowned but deliberately refrained from sharing with Grandmother Wood how Sophia Taylor privately treated and threatened them.
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