1836: I Became a Literary Giant in Great Britain

Looking at her sister's genuine smile, Michelle felt a surge of warmth in her heart.

No one will be unconditionally kind to you except your family.

He looked around; it wasn't good to just sit in the restaurant chatting all the time.

This isn't a convenient place to chat either.

"Mom, sister, let's go back to our room and talk."

Michelle led her mother and sister up the creaking, narrow staircase.

When Michelle pushed open the attic door, a musty, damp smell hit her.

Well, thankfully I kept myself clean and didn't leave anything I shouldn't have... nor did I smell anything suspicious...

Bella and Anna stood in the doorway, their smiles freezing as they looked at the place that could hardly be called a room.

It was even worse than they had imagined.

The low ceiling made it hard to breathe, and the cramped space could only fit a bed and a table; there was barely room to turn around.

Because there are no windows, even during the day, the room is as dark as night.

"My God... Michelle, have you been living in a place like this all this time?"

Belle reached out and touched the damp mold on the wall, feeling extremely distressed.

Anna's eyes reddened again.

She couldn't imagine that her brother had written those sensational stories in London from inside this "coffin" where there was no sunlight.

"It's alright, it's all in the past," Michelle comforted them, a relaxed smile on her face.

"I went out today to look at houses; I'll be moving out soon."

As if remembering something, Michelle took out the money order receipt from the post office from her pocket and handed it to her mother.

"By the way, Mom, I wired fifty pounds home a few days ago. Combined with the fifty pounds I wired before, it should be enough to pay off all the debts."

One hundred pounds!

This number made Bella and Anna gasp in shock.

After mortgaging some assets, the family's total debt was only a little over ninety pounds.

This money will not only pay off the debts, but will even leave a considerable surplus.

"This...this is too much, Michelle!" Bella held the thin piece of paper, feeling its immense weight.

"This isn't much, Mom." Michelle pulled her purse out of her pocket and shoved it into her sister Anna's hand.

"Sister, here's twenty pounds. Take it. Buy some nice clothes and jewelry for yourself and Mom. Don't always treat yourself so poorly."

He knew very well that if he gave the money to his mother, she would not be willing to spend a single penny.

Anna clutched the heavy purse, unsure of what to say.

Seemingly sensing her mother's concern, Michelle explained:

"Don't worry, Mom, this is all royalties."

"I'm a big writer now. I write for Bentley's Journal, and I get paid over a hundred pounds for a single story. That amount of money is nothing to me."

Michelle spoke in a show of generosity, without mentioning that the royalties were the result of his winning bet.

One hundred pounds!

Bella and Anna were both stunned by the number.

This is enough money for a family to live on for ten years!

Their understanding of the profession of writer is still limited to the impression of poverty and meager royalties.

Michelle was able to earn such an astonishing fortune through writing.

Overwhelmed with joy and pride, Bella was speechless with emotion, and could only hold her son's hand, wiping away tears.

With the heavy debt crisis resolved, the warm atmosphere of the family returned once again.

The landlady's hot tea dispelled the chill in the attic.

The family squeezed into the small space, chatting about everything that had happened since they last saw each other. After a year apart, they naturally had endless things to talk about.

If nothing unexpected happens, something unexpected is about to happen...

Just when the atmosphere was just right, Bella suddenly changed the subject.

"Michelle, now that you've achieved success in your career, it's time to think about your personal life."

Here it comes, though late.

Michelle couldn't help but think to herself, "How come it was like this more than two hundred years ago?"

There's nothing new under the sun, as expected.

"Do you remember Lydia, the youngest daughter of Mr. Harris, our next-door neighbor? She's very pretty, and about your age..."

"Her father is a respectable watchmaker, and they come from a well-off family. I think that girl is interested in you too..."

"Yes, little brother," Anna chimed in, a mischievous smile on her face.

"Lydia is indeed a good girl, gentle and virtuous. I even saw her secretly asking around about you in London last time. Last week, she even brought us a gift..."

Michelle was suddenly in a complete mess; she had completely forgotten that she had such a little fangirl...

However, because of his talent and excellent modeling skills, quite a few girls have openly or secretly expressed their affection for him...

He never imagined that the scenario of being pressured to get married when he returned home for the Lunar New Year in his previous life would actually play out ahead of schedule in London in 1837.

"Mom, sister, I'm still young, and my career is just starting out. I don't want to think about these things right now."

Michelle could only resort to the most clichéd excuse.

"What do you mean 'not considering it for now'! You're twenty years old, it's time to settle down!" Bella's tone was firm.

"Once you've settled in, find some time to go home and visit, at least you should see Lydia."

Michelle looked to her sister for help.

Anna gave him a helpless look.

Seeing that the topic was about to get out of control, Michelle quickly changed the subject.

"By the way, Mom, how's things at home now? What about town? Has anything changed since I left?"

This topic successfully captured Bella's attention.

Her expression darkened when her hometown was mentioned.

"What else can we do... Many people in town have lost their land and have to find work in factories in the city. Not long ago, Tom and his family, your childhood playmates, moved to Manchester."

As the enclosure movement in Britain intensified, most farmers lost their land and were forced to become laborers.

Go back to farming? Sorry, that's impossible.

In this era, the most tragic thing for the British lower classes was that they had almost no way out.

They lost their land and were unable to support themselves, and the wages for factory work were so low that they couldn't even feed themselves...

"And our sock workshop..."

Bella's tone was filled with regret and resentment when this was mentioned.

That was once the source of their family's pride and the guarantee of their decent life.

The atmosphere in the attic became oppressive again as this heavy topic came up.

"Our workshop has the best craftsmanship in town, and we use the finest materials."

Bella sighed, lost in memories of the past.

"But now, the socks coming out of the factory are cheap and quick to make. A pair of machine-knitted socks only costs a few pennies, and we can't even cover the cost of making them after a whole day of hard work."

Anna added, "Yes, and now many large stores order directly from factories, so small workshops like ours have no sales channels at all."

This is the cruelty of the Industrial Revolution.

Handicraft workshops are extremely vulnerable in the face of mass production.

Michelle listened quietly, but her mind was racing.

His insight, far beyond that of his time, prevented him from being infected by the pessimism of his mother and sister.

Instead, they thought of another way out.

"Mom, sister, have you ever thought about why we lost to the factory?"

"Of course, because they're cheap," Bella replied without hesitation.

"That's right, price is their advantage. But what is our advantage?" Michelle coaxed.

Bella and Anna exchanged a glance, both looking somewhat bewildered.

"Our advantage... is our craftsmanship?" Anna asked tentatively.

"Yes, it's all about craftsmanship!" Michelle snapped her fingers.

"What factories can make are inexpensive, standard products that meet the basic needs of the vast majority of people. But they can't make those high-end products that require exquisite craftsmanship and high customization."

"High-end products?" This term was somewhat unfamiliar to Bella and Anna.

"For example," Michelle explained.

"Ordinary citizens would buy factory-made cotton socks. But what about the ladies and gentlemen? Would they wear cotton socks that cost a few pennies a pair to a ball? They need silk, lace, or even custom-made socks."

"These are precisely the things that factory machines cannot produce."

Michel's words enlightened Bella and Anna.

They had never thought about the problem from this perspective.

"You mean...we make socks specifically for rich people?" Bella's eyes lit up.

"It's not just for rich people." Michelle shook her head.

"There are also those with special needs. For example, thick riding boots and socks for cavalrymen, waterproof oilcloth socks for sailors, and even special dance shoes and socks for ballet dancers."

"These niche markets are not important to factories, but they are huge opportunities for small workshops like ours."

"As long as we can produce unique, high-quality products, we won't have to worry about sales. As for the price, we can even charge ten or twenty times more than factory-direct goods!"

Bella and Anna's eyes lit up when they heard about the price, which was ten or twenty times higher...

Although they didn't understand some of what Michelle said.

But this did not prevent Michelle's words from opening up a whole new world for them.

Or rather, they were given a big, round pie in the sky...

Hope rekindled on Bella and Anna's faces.

"I understand... I understand!" Bella excitedly grabbed Michel's hand.

"If we're going to do something, we'll do it the best, something that machines can't make!"

"Mom, there's no rush. You two go home and settle the debts first. I'll keep an eye out for the market and distribution channels in London. Opportunities abound there."

Having resolved two major concerns, the LeBron family felt much more relaxed.

The next day, Michelle took her mother and sister on a nice tour of London.

They went to Regent Street and looked at the glamorous shops with their windows displaying the latest fashions and jewelry.

Bella and Anna looked at the well-dressed gentlemen and ladies, and smelled the perfumes wafting in the air, feeling as if they had entered another world.

Michelle insisted on buying her mother and sister each a new outfit and a beautiful hat, despite their repeated refusals that it was too expensive.

But looking at their refreshed selves in the mirror, they showed long-lost, genuine smiles.

Happy times are always fleeting.

On the morning of the third day, Michel saw his mother and sister off in the carriage to their hometown.

After all, they still prefer life in their hometown to London.

What's more, my father is home alone.

"Michelle, take care of yourself and remember to eat on time."

Before parting, Bella gave him some reluctant words of advice.

"And don't forget about Lydia!"

"Okay, Mom," Michelle said, waving her hand with a wry smile.

Anna winked at him and mouthed "Go for it!"

The carriage slowly started moving, carrying his family, and disappeared into the mist.

Michel stood there waving until the carriage was no longer in sight.

Having said goodbye to his family, he should now get busy with his own affairs.

P.S.: There are quite a few side quests in these chapters, but they all revolve around resolving the foreshadowing from earlier parts. This chapter is 3.5k words long; let's finish these side quests as soon as possible.

We'll get back into the main storyline soon~ Please continue reading!