1836: I Became a Literary Giant in Great Britain

"Michelle?"

Upon hearing that familiar name, Bella and Anna froze, their eyes turning to the young man.

The bookstore owner clearly recognized the young man; he adjusted his glasses and answered slowly.

"Oh, it's John. You mean Mr. Michel's new novel? But this time, it won't be serialized in the London Express."

"Not in the London Express?"

The young man called John paused for a moment, then asked.

"Where is it? I heard from a classmate that Mr. Michel has written another wonderful story, even more wonderful than the previous one!"

"Mr. Michel is quite the big shot now; his latest work, *A Study in Scarlet*, is being serialized in *Bentley's Notebooks*, edited by Mr. Dickens! It's just that you probably won't be able to see it today..."

(Actually, in 1837, Dickens was still using "Botz" as a pen name, not his real name. This book uses his real name for ease of reading. This is just a clarification.)

When the topic turned to the bestseller status of "A Study in Scarlet," a smug look appeared on the shopkeeper's face, as if he were discussing his masterpiece. However, he then shrugged and continued with a regretful expression.

"My copy of 'Bentley's Notebook' is sold out. Even the sample copy I was reading has been bought. If you want to buy one, you'll have to wait until tomorrow, no, maybe the day after tomorrow."

"You can try asking at other stores, but there probably won't be much difference. It seems like they're out of stock all over London."

Michelle? The Bentley Notebooks? Edited by Dickens?

This information struck Bella and Anna like a thunderbolt.

They were both pleasantly surprised and somewhat incredulous.

Surprisingly, the "Mr. Michel" mentioned by the boss and John seemed to be their Michel?

After all, the information matches up, and a name like Michel, which is predominantly French, is not common.

Unbelievable is that my son/brother, a poor student who lost support due to family misfortune, not only became a great writer, but also got involved with the famous Mr. Dickens.

Even in stories, they wouldn't dare write it like this...

No, I still need to ask more carefully.

Anna mustered her courage, exchanged a glance with her mother Bella, and stepped forward.

"Excuse me, sir... what is the full name of this Mr. Michel you mentioned?" Anna's voice was a little hoarse from nervousness.

John turned his head and immediately saw Anna, who was beautiful and gentle.

He felt like he had suddenly fallen in love, and his face flushed red. He then stammered his reply.

"His...his...full name is Michel Leblanc. Madam, you know him? Oh, yes, nowadays, I doubt anyone in all of London doesn't know that name!"

Michelle LeBron!

That's their Michelle!

Upon hearing the name, Bella quickly went up to him.

The overwhelming surprise struck her heart instantly, leaving her mind blank.

Bella's vision went black and she almost fainted, but luckily Anna caught her in time.

Anna, equally trembling with excitement, supported her mother and pressed, "Sir, could you... could you tell us about this Mr. Michel?"

"Of course! I'd be more than happy to!"

When his idol was mentioned, especially such a beautiful lady, John immediately perked up, his eyes sparkling with admiration, and he began to speak eloquently.

"Although Mr. Michel is only a new writer, in my opinion he is not much different from Mr. Dickens."

"You must have read his story 'The Last Leaf,' right? My God, it's practically... a story written by God through his pen! Our school's literary society even held a special discussion about it!"

The Last Leaf!

Anna's heart pounded. This was the very novel Michel had mentioned in his letter—his first published novel!

"Later, he wrote 'Sleepy,' exposing the dark secrets of those heartless factories abusing child laborers! Do you know how much of a sensation that article caused? Even the Ministry of the Interior was alarmed! Those factory owners who used to be so domineering were all trembling with fear."

"Then he wrote another piece called 'Sorrow,' which expressed those irreparable regrets and remorse. Oh, after reading it, my heart felt like it was being sleet down."

The professors at the school also said that these two works captured the complexity of human nature.

John became more and more excited as he talked.

"And another thing! A while ago, some professor from Cambridge University publicly questioned Mr. Michel's article. And what happened? Mr. Michel, with just a few words, utterly ripped him apart in the newspaper! It's said that the old man was so angry he vomited blood on the spot!"

"Now, he's written *A Study in Scarlet*, supposedly a novel, and a detective novel at that. Good heavens, although I haven't read it yet, my classmates all say it's absolutely captivating! The way they solve cases with logic and reasoning is unlike anything they've ever seen before!"

"When the serialization came to an abrupt end, they practically wanted to kidnap Michelle and lock her in a dark room to write more."

Bella and Anna were completely stunned as John recounted his story with great enthusiasm.

They felt as if they were listening to a legendary story, and the protagonist of this story was none other than their closest loved ones.

Michelle, who was always quiet, sensible, and even somewhat introverted in their minds, actually caused such a stir in London.

Is this... is this still the Michelle they know?

Bella finally couldn't hold back her tears and they streamed down her face.

But this time, it wasn't because of doubt and pain, but because of pride and honor.

Her son, her Michelle, did not lie.

Instead of going astray in London, he carved out a niche for himself with his talent and courage.

"My son... my Michel... he's made something of himself..."

Bella covered her mouth, sobbing uncontrollably, repeating the same phrase over and over.

Anna's eyes also welled up with tears. She hugged her mother tightly, her heart filled with admiration for her brother's talent.

She recalled her brother's words in his letter: "Anna doesn't need to sacrifice her happiness for anyone."

It turns out that he had such strong confidence when he said those words.

"Madam, you...you are Mr. Michel's?" John belatedly realized what was going on when he saw their excited expressions.

"He is my son."

Bella lifted her head, wiped away her tears, and her face shone with an unprecedented radiance, her voice filled with pride.

"I'm his sister," Anna added with a smile.

John's mouth gaped open in an "O" shape. He looked at the two unassuming women in front of him and could hardly believe his ears.

He actually went on and on praising his idol for a long time in front of his idol's mother and sister!

After a brief moment of shock, John's face lit up with even more fervent adoration.

"My goodness! It's you two, Aunt and Sister! My apologies! You've raised someone like Mr. Michel; you're truly remarkable!"

He almost bowed to Bella.

After leaving the bookstore, Bella and Anna's mood was completely different from when they arrived.

The streets of London were no longer so gloomy, and the smell of coal smoke in the air had faded considerably.

Their hearts were filled with immense joy and pride.

"Come on, Anna!" Bella's steps became lighter.

"Let's go find him now! To the address on the letter!"

She couldn't wait to see her son, the great writer she was so proud of.

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