Chapter 6

"Mr. Huntelaar's figure, although somewhat slender, is well-proportioned. He should look very good in the clothes I make."

After spending several minutes carefully measuring John's various dimensions, Mr. Smith, the old tailor who had made clothes for Mr. Huntelaar for eight years, nodded in satisfaction and said proudly.

As a tailor from London's Savile Row, Mr. Smith was quite selective about his clients.

On one hand, he had to consider the client's status and financial capability to afford the high annual customization costs. On the other hand, the client's physique and demeanor also determined the quality of the clothes. Sometimes, Mr. Smith would rather reduce his income than make clothes for clients who might tarnish his reputation.

Clearly, John met his requirements.

"Please wait in the lounge for a moment."

After politely addressing John and Hans, Mr. Smith went to work.

A young apprentice led the two to the lounge, served them two cups of coffee, and then left. Looking at the tastefully decorated lounge, John couldn't help but marvel. He leaned over and whispered to the butler beside him, "Mr. Elber, how much does it cost to make a suit here?"

"It depends on the material, style, and the customization method."

Seemingly sensing John's concern, Hans smiled and reassured him, "Although Mr. Smith claims to be from Savile Row, many people know he was just an apprentice there for a few years. His prices are not too high. The ready-to-wear suits you ordered today are not very expensive. In total, they should cost around a hundred dollars."

"A hundred dollars?!"

Hearing this, John was slightly taken aback and then bitterly smiled.

If viewed from a modern perspective, a hundred dollars is not a large sum, just enough for a nice dinner. But remember, it's 1879, an era when a few dollars could rent a house for a week and a few cents could buy a good meal!

A hundred dollars?

This amount could probably cover the monthly salary of four people in his household, including Hans!

This wasn't just John's imagination. Although he had only been in New York for a day and didn't know how much Hans or the cook and maids earned, he could estimate the average American income based on the wage revolution that occurred thirty years later.

In 1914, Henry Ford would introduce an unprecedented and what others considered a crazy wage increase, changing American industrial society. He raised the minimum daily wage for workers to five dollars, turning ordinary laborers into middle-class citizens. At that time, the average daily wage was two dollars, and the monthly wage was about fifty to sixty dollars!

Thirty-five years later, a daily wage of five dollars was considered middle-class. So, what did a hundred dollars mean in this era?

Spending nearly a hundred dollars on a few suits made John feel somewhat uneasy. After all, he had never been so extravagant in his previous life.

Bitterly smiling, John finally confirmed Mr. Slack's earlier speculation.

During the journey to America, Mr. Slack had guessed that Mr. Huntelaar, John's grandfather, had an annual income of at least four to five thousand dollars. Now, John could confirm this, and he even thought Mr. Slack's estimate was too conservative. The luxurious breakfast and the current hundred-dollar expenditure clearly required a substantial income.

"The old man must have a substantial fortune."

John casually picked up the coffee cup, took a sip, and a faint bitterness quickly spread from his tongue to his heart.

His grandfather's comfortable life was not a bad thing for him, but it meant that the opportunities to help him significantly in the short term were very limited, and such opportunities were what John needed.

John had always had an idealistic plan: to use his knowledge, which was a hundred years ahead of his time, to help Mr. Huntelaar, gain his recognition, and indirectly help his mother. If his grandson was outstanding, his daughter's image in Mr. Huntelaar's mind would improve, and he might even forgive Elizabeth.

"One step at a time."

Sighing softly, John shook his head, dispelling the unrealistic thoughts in his mind. He suddenly turned to the butler Hans and smiled, "Mr. Elber, do you know Thomas Edison?"

"Of course!"

Hans nodded without hesitation, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. "The newspapers say he is a great inventor, who improved the telephone and invented the phonograph. Recently, he has made a great discovery that can change the world—electricity! And it's said that he will showcase his new invention in Menlo Park, New Jersey, in the coming days!"

As he spoke, Hans's eyes revealed a clear sense of longing.

In his mind, lacking scientific knowledge, he couldn't imagine the "brilliant world" described in the newspapers. The newspapers' enthusiastic praise of Edison's new invention had fully piqued his curiosity.

Noticing the yearning in Hans's eyes, John was delighted and quickly said, "Mr. Elber, I read yesterday's newspaper and am very interested in Mr. Edison, especially his new invention. I would very much like to see it in person. Could you accompany me?"

As a young boy, John didn't expect to travel alone, so bringing Hans along was a good strategy.

"This..."

Hearing John's words, although a hint of excitement flashed in his eyes, Hans still shook his head hesitantly. "Sir, although I would be happy to accompany you, it's in New Jersey, and it's hard to imagine Mr. Huntelaar allowing us to make such a trip for this."

Although New York and New Jersey were separated by a river, the current transportation conditions made the journey time-consuming. If they followed John's plan, they might even have to stay there for one or two nights, and Hans couldn't guarantee that Mr. Huntelaar would agree to this.

"Don't worry about that."

John smiled. "I will ask my grandfather. I think he should satisfy a young boy's curiosity, don't you think?"

"Oh?"

Hans raised his eyebrows in surprise. This was the first time he had heard John use the word "grandfather," and he felt secretly pleased.

"Perhaps, it's not right to suppress a child's curiosity."

Hans found a reason to justify his desire and, after a brief hesitation, nodded and smiled. "Alright, I will mention this to Mr. Huntelaar when we return. He saw the news yesterday and gave the invention a high evaluation. He might agree."

"Thank you very much, sir."

John was overjoyed and quickly expressed his gratitude.

Edison and his invention of the electric light were well-known in the future, especially during Liu Zecheng's childhood, when this name carried many children's dreams. Although Liu Zecheng had seen many evaluations of Edison online after growing up and learned about the inventor's lesser-known dark history, it did not diminish his important place in human history.

Participating in history and meeting these famous historical figures face-to-face was one of the greatest pleasures for time travelers.

"I must convince the old man!"

John clenched his right fist lightly on his left palm, his eyes shining. "Meeting this great inventor might also be a good opportunity..."

...

I have a question for everyone. When I write, I always feel awkward calling the protagonist "John," but calling him "Liu Zecheng" feels even more uncomfortable. What do you think?