Reborn in America, I am a legendary short seller on Wall Street.

Chapter 185 To Alice (Revised Version)
At 12:45 p.m., three horse-drawn carriages stopped in front of the red brick apartment building on 17th Street.

Theodore Roosevelt, carrying his daughter, stepped down from the carriage, turned to beckon his wife, children, and maids to disembark, and then walked over to the coachman and asked,
"Excuse me, how much is the fare?"

The coachman shrugged, turned to the last carriage, Larry's, and said, "That gentleman has already paid; you don't need to pay again."

Roosevelt was a little surprised. He turned to look at Larry, who had just stepped down from the carriage, and gave him an apologetic smile.

"This is too much trouble for you. You've already paid for my carriage."

Larry smiled and said, "These are all minor matters, you don't need to worry about them."

Roosevelt switched his daughter to his left hand, took out his wallet from his pocket, pulled out $20, and hurriedly handed it to Larry. "No, this is what I should pay for. Please keep it. I'm already very embarrassed by your kindness along the way!"

Larry paused slightly when he saw the $20, but still accepted it with a smile. However, his gaze then turned to the girl in Roosevelt's arms, and he asked with a smile.

"Hello, my name is Larry Livingston, what's your name?"

The girl tilted her head and looked at Larry with a puzzled expression, but answered frankly, "My name is Alice! Alice Lee Roosevelt. Hello, Mr. Livingston!"

Alice Roosevelt
“You’re so cute! Like an angel.” Larry smiled at her.

Roosevelt took out his keys and gestured for his maid to take his wife upstairs first. He then said to Larry, "If it weren't for your timely help, I would have been late in picking up my wife and daughter, Mr. Livingston… um, why don't you come in and sit for a while? Have a cigar and relax…"

Larry's eyes lit up, and he said with a smile, "I couldn't be happier!"

Roosevelt wasn't just being polite; he genuinely invited Larry. Of course, he felt it was a bit inappropriate to invite Larry to his apartment at this moment, but since Larry had done him such a big favor, it would be extremely impolite of him not to reciprocate.

"Please!" Roosevelt said sincerely to Larry, once again transferring his daughter to his other arm.
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Roosevelt's apartment was very simple, but spacious inside, with four rooms. Next to the door was a living room with two rows of sofas and a piano.

Larry followed Roosevelt into the apartment and sat down at the far end of the living room, smiling as he watched the Roosevelt family busily putting away their luggage and tidying up the rooms.

Roosevelt asked Larry to wait a moment, and then helped his wife tidy up the room. Just then, the baby in the swaddling clothes started crying again.

Everyone was in a flurry of activity.

Larry didn't care; he was just visiting and wanted to get to know Roosevelt better, so he planned to stay for a bit and then leave.

Meanwhile, the girl named Alice was fine, sitting on the opposite sofa, staring at Larry with her big eyes.

Larry raised an eyebrow, smiled at Alice, and thought to himself that this girl was really pretty, with big eyes, a high nose, red lips and white teeth, somewhat resembling Emma Watson, the actress who played Hermione in the Harry Potter movies he watched in his past life.

No, are all the princesses of those who are great leaders this beautiful?

"Are you my father's colleague?" Alice suddenly asked.

Larry paused for a moment, then laughed and said, "No... Besides, do I look that old? I look like your father's age."

The little girl tilted her head and looked at him, then said earnestly, "You have beautiful eyes, sir."

Larry raised an eyebrow and said with a smile, "Thank you, little Alice!"

The little girl glanced at Larry, then turned her head and stared curiously at everything in the room. She first walked a few steps to the fireplace and looked at the remaining firewood and ashes in the fireplace, then walked to the piano, knelt on the piano bench, and lifted the piano lid with force.

Larry, worried that she might not be strong enough to get her hand caught, quickly stepped forward and helped her lift it up.

“Thank you, sir.” Little Alice looked at Larry, then at the piano, and asked, “Can you play the piano?”

Larry doesn't know how to play the piano, but he played the electronic keyboard for a few days in his previous life, so he can still remember a few simple melodies.

“I can give it a try, you wait and see…” Larry smiled at Alice, his fingers touched the keys, and he slowly pressed out a melody.

"Ta-da, ta-da, ta-da ta-da ta-da..."

This is Beethoven's most famous piano minor key, "Für Elise." The rhythm is simple and the melody is beautiful, but Larry only knows the first short part. After playing it, he smiles and looks at Elise.

Little Alice looked up at Larry and said politely, "Sir, this piece is very beautiful, why did you stop playing?"

Larry chuckled awkwardly, not wanting to admit he didn't know the next piece, and then said, "This piece is called 'Für Elise,' the same name as yours. Is it nice?"

“It sounds wonderful,” Alice replied.

“I can teach you, it’s very simple, we just need to learn the beginning…” Larry smiled, his fingers touching the piano keys again.

Alice looked at Larry with her big eyes and then said, "Is that right...? I just saw you play it."

Immediately, her little hands rested on the piano keys, and she slowly but accurately played the first part of "Für Elise," the melody Larry had just played...

Larry was a little surprised, thinking to himself that this girl was quite quick to learn! She had only watched him play it once, and she could play it herself!
"Fantastic! Little Alice, you played very well..."

Alice blinked at Larry, stepped aside, and said, "Sir, if you play the rest of the piece, I can learn the whole piece from you."

Larry was a little embarrassed. He swallowed and said with a smile, "Actually, I'm a magician. How about I show you a magic trick?"

Alice's eyes lit up, and a smile finally appeared on her face. "Great! I love magic tricks!"
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After greeting his wife and two sons, Theodore Roosevelt strode into the drawing room.

He saw his daughter Alice talking to Larry, and the two seemed much more familiar with each other than before.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, Mr. Livingston!" Roosevelt said hastily.

Larry stood up and sat down on the sofa with Roosevelt, waving his hand and saying, "I was being presumptuous. Your wife has just returned and has a lot to do."

Roosevelt adjusted his round metal-framed glasses, casually picked up a cigar from the coffee table, and handed one to Larry.

Larry waved his hand and refused, saying, "No, your child is still young. I've heard that smoking near children can affect their health."

Roosevelt's eyes widened, and he instinctively asked, "Really? I didn't know..."

Just then, little Alice ran to the sofa armrest, grabbed his hand, and said, "Daddy, please don't smoke. I heard smoking is bad for your health!"

Roosevelt smiled at his daughter, then tossed the cigar aside. "Then Daddy won't smoke it!"

Larry smiled faintly, then said, "Mr. Roosevelt, you mentioned last time that you worked for the Civil Service Commission. What kind of organization is that?"

"We're responsible for the promotion and reform of civil servants, of course, we're only responsible for federal officials," Roosevelt casually remarked.

“Oh, what a great position! No wonder the President has taken notice of you.” Larry nodded and smiled.

Roosevelt gave a wry smile and sighed, "The work is very tedious, especially when it comes to reforming the civil service system. I find it very difficult! In fact, it's not just me; even the President finds it extremely challenging."

Roosevelt couldn't help but think of what he had described to President Harrison that morning—that the current civil service system was like a "spoofing system"—and his brow furrowed slightly.

Larry gave Roosevelt a meaningful look, carefully choosing his words before saying, "Actually, this matter... isn't without precedent. If you change your perspective, you might find the wisdom of those who came before you." Hearing this, Roosevelt quickly sat up straight and asked earnestly, "Mr. Livingston, do you have any experience you can share with me?"

Larry nodded and slowly said, "The French scholar Voltaire once said that China's imperial examination system was a very advanced system for selecting officials. He said that the Chinese used examinations to select officials, which allowed even the sons of peasants to become prime ministers. This was a very advanced system, far more advanced than the traditional European hereditary system!"

Roosevelt looked surprised and asked involuntarily, "Did Voltaire say such a thing? You just said that the Chinese have already started using examinations to select officials?"

Larry smiled faintly. In his memory, Theodore Roosevelt did not have a good attitude towards the Chinese. He hated the Chinese and believed that Chinese immigrants were the Yellow Peril, and he despised them.

Moreover, it was Roosevelt himself who turned the Chinese Exclusion Act from a temporary law into a permanent one.

When Larry cited examples he was familiar with, he didn't want to directly mention China, but instead started with Voltaire and Diego. Now that Roosevelt was clearly interested, he continued...
"In fact, it wasn't just Voltaire, but also the British scholar Leibniz, who highly praised the examination system for selecting officials."

Roosevelt became even more interested and hurriedly asked Larry for details.

Larry gave a brief overview of the civil service examination system, answered a few of Roosevelt's questions, and then concluded.

"Actually, you don't need to be confused about civil service reform, because this system of official examinations has been practiced for over a thousand years and is worth considering. You don't think it's too backward just because it's a Chinese system, do you?"

Roosevelt, still reeling from the sudden intellectual awakening, shook his head upon hearing Larry's question, saying, "No, no, this is the first time in my life I've heard that the Chinese once had such an advanced system for appointing and dismissing officials. How should I put it... it was incredibly advanced, truly remarkable! To be honest, I can't believe the Chinese could do this, especially in medieval Europe..."

"The imperial examination system existed in Europe before the Dark Ages," Larry corrected with a smile.

Judging from Roosevelt's reaction, he wasn't actually a racist. He disliked Chinese people, probably because he didn't understand them well enough, and given the inherent arrogance of white people at that time, they didn't bother to understand them.

“Yes, you’re quite right.” Roosevelt was still deep in thought when he looked up and asked, “Mr. Livingston, you’re simply a… prodigy. You’re so young yet have such a remarkable memory and know so much obscure historical knowledge. Which university did you attend?”

Larry was taken aback, then quickly waved his hand and said, "...I didn't go to college, I'm just casually looking into it!"

Roosevelt frowned and shook his head.

"No, no! Mr. Livingston, forgive my bluntness, but I initially thought you were just a teenager. However, your grasp of history and your insightful explanation of the imperial examination system have been very enlightening. You are definitely a genius, or rather, you should use your talent to introduce us to more knowledge from other civilizations, which would benefit the whole of America!"

As he spoke, Roosevelt's face showed admiration and sincerity.

Larry was also a little surprised, thinking to himself that he had gone a bit too far in showing off today. How did Roosevelt elevate it to the level of "benefiting America"?

However, judging from Roosevelt's expression, he didn't seem to be being polite; he was a rather straightforward person.

These questions had probably been troubling him for a long time, but his introduction of the Chinese imperial examination system helped him see the light and clarify his thoughts.

After saying this, Theodore Roosevelt frowned and remained deep in thought. After a while, he spoke seriously.
“Mr. Livingston, we’ve actually been working on reforms by referencing the British civil service recruitment system, but you know what? There’s a lot of resistance. The Pendleton Act of 1883 stipulated civil service neutrality, and even the Civil Service Commission I belong to is a product of that act. But the results haven’t been satisfactory. Just because an act is enacted doesn’t mean it will automatically be implemented. The reason the President relies on me and I sit in this position of reformer is because the Pendleton Act is practically non-existent…”

Larry raised an eyebrow, looking at Roosevelt's earnest and sincere expression, and thought to himself that he was genuinely seeking advice...

After thinking for a few seconds, Larry said calmly, "I don't know much about politics, but I do know that every reformer will face many obstacles in reality. Just like the Chinese imperial examination system that I just mentioned to you, countless imperial officials have sacrificed themselves to eliminate its malpractices, some becoming heroes who are remembered for generations, and others becoming enemies of their colleagues and eventually falling into obscurity."

As he spoke, Larry said with a hint of helplessness on his face, "But in fact, among Chinese reformers, far more have failed than succeeded. Because reform is inherently a very difficult thing. The Chinese also say that touching vested interests is more unbearable for other officials than touching their souls."

Roosevelt leaned forward, a faint sadness in his eyes. "It was unavoidable. Oh, now that you mention it, I'm even more curious to know what those Chinese officials did back then."

Larry smiled. "I heard it from someone else, so I don't know the specifics. Anyway, I've heard that studying history can enlighten us and help us learn from the experiences and lessons of our predecessors."

Roosevelt's face turned serious as he nodded and said, "I should continue to read more. Perhaps I haven't paid attention to the wisdom of institutional development in countries outside of Europe. When I worked at the Civil Service Commission, I tried to reform it, but the resistance was enormous. This is because the party leaders were unwilling to give up the power to appoint officials, which would be tantamount to depriving them of their political capital."

Larry suddenly smiled meaningfully. "Actually, you've misunderstood. The bigwigs might not necessarily be unwilling... From the federal government to the local level, who wouldn't want their officials to be at their beck and call?"

Roosevelt's face showed shock and realization again. He suddenly thought of President Harrison's lament that morning and realized that what Larry said actually made a lot of sense.

Yes! The president, governors, and mayors might not necessarily be unwilling!

After they are elected, they will naturally want to reward those who helped them in the election. But once they are actually elected, their primary concern will be for their own team to achieve results, because at that point, their own political achievements will be the most important thing.

Larry laughed, then lowered his voice and said, "Imagine if you were president someday, and you had a loyal and professional bureaucratic system to carry out your policies, instead of a bunch of hapless people who got there through connections, that would be..."

A glint flashed in Roosevelt's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. "This is a dangerous assumption, but please continue..."

Larry chuckled and leaned back in his chair, saying casually, "It's nothing... Mr. Roosevelt, as I just said, I don't understand politics. All I can tell you is what I've read in books. As you can see, I'm just a kid myself!"

Roosevelt's face turned serious as he carefully examined Larry, then nodded heavily and said, "Mr. Livingston, you are definitely not a simple man... Give me your contact information; I'll need to consult you if anything comes up."

After saying that, Roosevelt looked at the ceiling and continued, "Oh, by the way. I still maintain that if you wish to pursue further studies at any university, I am willing to provide you with a letter of recommendation. If my recommendation is insufficient, I will request the President's... Mr. Livingston, this is not only for your future, but also so that the United States can have one more knowledgeable scholar!"

“Okay, sir!” Larry smiled as well.
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After Larry left, Roosevelt leaned back on the sofa, deep in thought. A moment later, he pondered how to read biographies of Chinese reformers; then he thought about how to write a report for the president…

The eldest daughter, Alice, stayed by his side the whole time. Seeing her father deep in thought, she didn't disturb him but instead took out a gold coin and played with it in her hand.

Roosevelt thought for a long time, feeling that he had grasped the general outline, before taking a deep breath and turning to look at his daughter.

Then he saw the double eagle coin in Alice's hand and asked in surprise, "Alice, where did this coin come from?"

Little Alice blinked, placed the gold coin in her father's hand, and slowly said, "It was that gentleman from earlier. He said gentlemen don't pay each other. If you consider him a friend, you can exchange things next time. Here's your $20..."

Roosevelt held the gold coin in his palm, and the image of Larry Livingston, the warm-hearted blond boy, immediately came to mind. After a long while, he slowly nodded.

"Daddy, is that gentleman right?" Little Alice asked softly, her little hands wrapped around her father's arm.

Roosevelt turned to his daughter and smiled. "He's right. Next time I see him, I'll find something he needs in return. Oh, by the way..."

As he spoke, Roosevelt placed the double eagle coin in Alice's palm, and smiled as he stroked his daughter's cheek.

"Keep this gold coin; it was a gift from him."

　I listened to the advice, and an older brother earnestly analyzed for me the many flaws in the previous version, arguing that the protagonist shouldn't have so openly displayed political thinking.

　　I found this very reasonable, and subsequently revised this chapter.

　　Of course, deleting the inappropriate parts might also delete this guy's comment, but this isn't me deleting comments; it's that I'm genuinely making the changes as you suggested.

　　Thank you for your support, and thank you for every correction and help you give. Sometimes I'm busy with work and may not see your messages right away.

　　But as long as I see it, I will try to correct it.

　　Because I know that we all want to work together to finish this novel!
　　Thank you, thank you so much for pointing out the shortcomings.

　　I have already corrected it. If anyone has any complaints about the decision, please feel free to point them out. I'm thick-skinned and not afraid of criticism.

　　Finally, thank you again, and I wish you all good fortune.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)