Chapter 2

The sound of rhythmic hoofbeats and the creaking of the carriage wheels, combined with the fatigue from the long train ride, made John's head feel heavy and drowsy. However, the road conditions in New York were not very good, causing the carriage to jolt frequently. Moreover, in the narrow carriage, he could only maintain a fixed posture, making it impossible for him to truly rest.

This feeling was truly uncomfortable.

After several attempts, the fatigue and discomfort made John sigh heavily, and he decided to open his eyes completely.

"Can't sleep?"

Seeing John's expression, Mr. Slack smiled and asked. Although he was also exhausted both mentally and physically, the excitement of returning home kept him in a state of high spirits. Everything outside the carriage seemed so familiar and lovely; how could he close his eyes?

"Uh-huh."

After a brief response, John shook his head forcefully, not wanting to say more. He straightened up and looked out of the carriage. It had been about ten minutes since they left the station, but according to the driver's description before they got in, it would take at least half an hour to reach their destination. Therefore, he was not in a hurry and observed everything outside the window with a casual eye.

It had to be said that New York was indeed a very peculiar city.

In the eyes of the young boy John, this city was like a strange mixture, giving him different feelings at every moment.

Compared to the ancient city of Beijing in China, New York was undoubtedly young. The roads were straight and wide, dividing the entire city into square blocks. Construction sites were visible everywhere along the way, and the hurried people on the streets exuded a vibrant energy, making the entire city seem full of vitality. However, this vitality also gave people a sense of chaos. The various pedestrians on the road were no different; although mostly white, their appearances, builds, and clothing were distinctly different, clearly indicating they came from different places...

"How about it? Completely different from ancient China, right?"

Seeing the boy constantly turning his head to look around, Mr. Slack smiled and said, "Although its history is not as long as that of Beijing or London, the development speed of New York is unmatched by any other city! I remember a few months ago when I left, the population of New York had already exceeded one million, and now it is one of the largest cities in the world! And..."

Pointing to the world outside the carriage, Mr. Slack raised his eyebrows and said with a smile, "Compared to the low houses in Beijing, isn't New York more advanced?"

Compared to the young and spirited Miss Eliza on the train, Mr. Slack was twice her age and much more composed. Knowing that John was born and raised in China and had deep feelings for that country, he spoke more tactfully. However, as a New Yorker, he was also deeply proud of the city, and his words inevitably carried a hint of pride.

"Uh-huh, indeed very different."

John's gaze darkened, and he pointed to a building outside, asking lightly, "Mr. Slack, could you please tell me what this building is used for? From the outside, it doesn't seem like an office building, but it doesn't seem suitable for living either..."

He stopped halfway, just quietly looking at Mr. Slack, waiting for his answer.

"Which building?"

Following the boy's finger, Mr. Slack was immediately taken aback.

About thirty to forty meters from the road, there was a flat four-story building, no more than six to seven meters wide and about thirty meters long. Each floor was densely packed with doors, at least a dozen or more, and clotheslines and various items hung outside the doors, making it look dirty and crowded. Right next to it, just a few centimeters away, was another identical four-story building, the two tightly hugging each other like twins!

"This..."

Mr. Slack's expression became awkward.

He certainly knew what these buildings were used for and was quite clear about it, but facing John's half-smiling, half-serious expression, he found it hard to say.

In recent years, a large number of immigrants had flooded into New York, and many Americans had also moved in. However, their economic conditions were relatively poor; they couldn't afford to buy houses, let alone rent better apartments. So, many people seized this business opportunity and built thousands of these "pigeon coop" apartments, renting them to the poor.

Those who had never lived in such apartments would never know what the inside was like!

Faced with John's calm gaze, Mr. Slack looked at the buildings outside, and his sense of pride instantly diminished. He laughed awkwardly and said nothing.

The young boy John was not bothered by this. He observed with great interest, watching the buildings pass by the carriage, his gaze gradually becoming distant, as if these buildings reminded him of some scenes he had seen...

After a long while, John blinked, and a smile that the noble Miss Humphries deeply detested appeared on his lips. He muttered softly, "This is the so-called perfect city? Paradise? Ha ha..."

To put it bluntly, this was New York in 1879, a city filled with immigrants from all over the world!

"Damn this era!"

After a brief moment of psychological pleasure, watching one carriage after another pass by on the road, John Hunter tightly bit his lip and cursed softly. Thinking about his future life in this place, the young boy's mood became gloomy again.

After enduring the swaying, slow train for a whole day, he now had to sit in an even slower, more unbearable carriage. His small body felt as if it was falling apart, and he was sore all over. The unpleasantness on the train and the uncertainty about his future made John almost want to shout out loud to vent his negative emotions.

"Ha ha, John, look!"

Just as John was lost in thought, Mr. Slack suddenly called out excitedly, "Look at that green area; that's Central Park, which I've told you about several times!"

"Central Park?"

John's eyebrows raised, and he quickly turned his head to look.

He had heard Mr. Slack talk about Central Park many times, knowing that it was built only a few years ago and was extremely expensive. According to Mr. Slack, Central Park had become the center of New York and one of its landmarks!

However...

Although they were still far from the large green area, the carriage suddenly turned and headed in another direction.

Seeing the disappointment in John's eyes, Mr. Slack laughed and said, "Don't be disappointed, dear boy. Mr. Hunter's house is only a little over two miles from Central Park. If you're interested, you can always take a carriage there. You'll see, it's a world-class masterpiece!"

It was clear that Mr. Slack was very proud of Central Park and was in high spirits.

"Perhaps..."

Narrowing his eyes slightly, John glanced at the lush greenery and then refocused his gaze on the roadside.

Mr. Slack did not pay too much attention to the boy's attitude. He had known John for over two months and was already used to his quirks. At this moment, he only wanted to deliver the boy to Mr. Hunter as soon as possible, get his due reward, and return home quickly to see his own adorable child.

"We're almost there."

Gradually, Mr. Slack's voice became more excited, and he patted John's shoulder forcefully, saying loudly, "We'll be there in just a few more minutes! Ha ha, dear Mr. Hunter, you're about to meet your grandfather, aren't you excited?"

"Uh..."

John Hunter responded half-heartedly, closed his eyes, and his heart pounded. He found it hard to describe his feelings about his grandfather, who had forcibly brought him from China to America. He only knew that his mother had called out "Dad" countless times in her sleep, and her tears had soaked the pillow many times...

"Screech!"

After what felt like an eternity, the carriage suddenly jolted to a stop.

"Huh? Are we there?"

John suddenly opened his eyes.

"Yes, we're finally here!"

Mr. Slack's nerves became excited again. He patted John's shoulder forcefully and jumped out of the carriage impatiently.

It was a typical three-story red brick house.

However, before John could take a good look at the house, a middle-aged man in an old-fashioned tailcoat was already standing beside the carriage, one hand holding the door and the other slightly bowing, smiling at him, "Welcome home, sir!"