Chapter 54

Time flew by, and it was already the end of May.

With just a week left before departure, John did not arrange any other activities for himself, staying at home honestly. Old Hunter did not continue to manage his business either, dedicating himself to spending time with his grandson. After two years of living together, the once emotionally distant grandfather and grandson had developed a deep bond, and both cherished the remaining days.

But soon, the day of departure arrived.

After breakfast, while Old Hunter went upstairs to change clothes, John handed an envelope to Hans and whispered, "Mr. Alber, I have one last favor to ask. Could you please deliver this letter to Miss Philip?"

Although puzzled, Hans nodded and said, "Certainly, sir. I will entrust this to Henry, and he will deliver it as soon as possible."

Hans was also about to board the cruise ship to Europe with John, so he naturally could not deliver it himself. As usual, he entrusted the task to Henry.

"Thank you."

After a brief pause, John nodded slightly to Hans and then turned to go upstairs.

Since the last visit to Miss Philip, John had not seen her again, but their correspondence continued, maintaining a frequency of once every six months. What gave John some comfort was that although Miss Philip's letters mentioned that Selena's condition was still deteriorating, she was still holding on, like a silent persistence in the darkness, waiting for the dawn.

Therefore, before leaving New York, John included five hundred dollars in the letter.

Miss Philip had always refused John's further assistance. At the end of last year, the proud and stubborn lady even returned a hundred dollars to him and emphasized in her letters that she had found a well-paid job and would gradually pay back the money. Although John did not fully understand the situation, he was happy for his friend but also a bit worried, so he could not resist taking out another sum of money before leaving.

For him now, five hundred dollars was not a big deal.

Bicycle sales were still booming, and the decision to build a factory in Europe had been made. It wouldn't be long before Funk and Joshua headed to London to handle the matter. As for the tricycle, although its market launch would take some time, everyone was very optimistic about its market prospects and had invested a large amount of money.

Just this one project alone could potentially bring John a six-figure return annually!

Regarding the toy factory, Steve finally decided to give it a try. With John contributing his patent and five thousand dollars, the young man managed to convince his father to invest twenty thousand dollars, taking up sixty percent of the shares!

The future of the toy factory was uncertain, but it was expected to launch products by the beginning of next year.

So, John was now considered a wealthy man, and with the two wheels of bicycles turning around the world, his wealth would continue to grow rapidly, far surpassing Old Hunter's earning speed...

...

"Clippity-clop, clippity-clop."

While John was changing clothes in his room, the butler's voice came, "Sir, Mr. Stone and Mr. Mendes have arrived. Please come down as soon as possible."

"Sure, thank you."

After responding, John quickly tidied up and went downstairs.

Joshua and Funk had come to see him off today, which had been notified in advance, so John was not surprised. He greeted them with a smile, "Good morning, Joshua, good morning, Funk."

"Good morning, John."

The two friends' eyes lit up at the sight of their friend and waved in greeting.

Today, John indeed looked different. A brand new suit fit him perfectly, showcasing his tall and robust figure. His shoes were polished to a shine, making him look much more spirited.

"Hey, isn't Emma coming today?"

Looking behind them and not seeing the familiar figure, John asked with a slight hint of curiosity.

"Uh..."

Joshua chuckled awkwardly and shook his head, "I did want to bring her this morning, but Emma refused. She seemed a bit upset, so... she asked me to say goodbye to you and to give you a farewell gift!"

As he spoke, Joshua handed over a pink gift box.

"Ha, you should thank her for me when you get back."

Although puzzled by Emma's absence, John quickly put the question aside after receiving the gift. Teenage girls were the most troublesome creatures, and who knew what they were thinking. John had no interest in playing guessing games.

"Are you not going to open it and take a look?"

Seeing the gift box, Funk's face suddenly showed a strange smile, and he winked, asking.

"Ha, I'll open it on the ship. I'll keep some suspense for now."

Not noticing Funk's expression, John casually placed the gift box on the table.

Seeing that John did not react as he had hoped, Funk shook his head in disappointment and then took out another gift from behind him, handing it over, "John, this is a gift from Joshua and me. We hope it will make your long journey on the ship more comfortable."

"Ha, you two must have given me books, right?"

John's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly took the heavy-looking box. Steam-powered cruise ships of this era were slow, and the journey from New York to Europe would be a long and tedious one. John had already prepared enough books to pass the time, so he assumed his friends had given him books.

"Books?"

Hearing the word, Funk and Joshua looked at each other, blinking in confusion, "Why books? We got you the finest coffee beans! Imagine, when you're bored on the ship, you can ask Mr. Alber to grind some, and you can easily pass an afternoon..."

"Alright, thanks a lot!"

Suppressing the urge to roll his eyes, John nodded gratefully.

"Of course, more importantly, you must write to us as soon as you decide which university to attend!"

Laughing, Joshua put an arm around John's shoulder and said seriously, "Joshua and I have decided to go to London in the second half of the year to prepare for the bicycle factory. We will definitely come to see you..."

...

At two o'clock in the afternoon, four carriages set off from the Hunter residence.

Joshua and Funk shared one carriage, Old Hunter and John shared another, Hans had his own, and the last one was filled with John's luggage. Although most of the items would be purchased upon arrival in Europe, Old Hunter had prepared many things for his grandson's journey, fearing he might suffer on the sea. His affection for his grandson was evident.

Throughout the journey, Old Hunter sat upright and silent.

Although he felt a sense of sadness at the farewell, John's overall mood was quite good, even a bit excited. Of course, he had made a special effort to check Old Hunter's health before leaving, and the results were very optimistic. Although the old man was sixty-four, his health was excellent, and with careful care, he could easily live another twenty years. This reassured John.

The journey was uneventful.

Upon arriving at the dock, the carriage drivers carried the luggage, and everyone quickly reached the side of the cruise ship, the Bria. This was a new cruise ship that had been in service for only two and a half years, specifically running the New York to Liverpool route. Although it seemed small to John and lacked the grandeur of the Titanic, it was indeed one of the most advanced cruise ships of the time, a testament to the British shipbuilding industry.

It was the perfect time, and first-class passengers were already boarding.

Finally, the moment of farewell arrived. Joshua and Funk each hugged John, patted his back, and then stepped back, knowing that it was time for the grandfather and grandson to have a private moment.

Unfortunately, they were wrong.

As John looked at his grandfather, expecting his final words, Old Hunter just stood there, leaning on his cane, looking at him silently. After a long while, he said faintly, "John, remember to write to me when you get to Europe."

"...Sure, Grandpa."

Slightly disappointed, John sighed inwardly and nodded, "The wind at the dock is strong. You should go back soon."

John felt quite helpless. His grandfather was a good man, but he was too rigid, insisting on maintaining his gentlemanly demeanor even when he clearly felt reluctant to part. After a moment's hesitation, John took a deep breath and stepped forward, hugging Old Hunter tightly!

Holding on for a while, John finally released his arms and turned to board the ship. However, he did not notice that the moment he turned, Old Hunter's calm eyes instantly dimmed, and his lips trembled several times before he regained his composure.

Even as the cruise ship sounded its whistle and sailed away, Old Hunter did not leave the dock. He stood there, his thin coat flapping in the growing sea breeze, his gaze fixed on the direction the ship had taken...