CH: 11 Returninh Home

CH: 11 Returninh Home

With his thirst for knowledge unquenched, Henry resolved to continue his pursuit of enlightenment while awaiting the commencement of his grand plan. In the span of just one month, he devoured every morsel of wisdom book that Harvard had to offer, leaving him standing at the precipice of infinite possibility. Yet, despite his newfound wealth of knowledge, he found himself grappling with the uncertainty of what path to tread next.

Driven by his insatiable thirst for literary exploration and his ambition to broaden his audience, Henry embarked on a daring venture to craft a new literary masterpiece. Seizing upon the timeless allure of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series, he recognized its universal appeal to readers of all ages, promising an adventure that would captivate both children and adults alike.

Unlike his previous forays into literature, which had targeted a more mature audience, Henry saw in this series an opportunity to cast a wider net, drawing in readers from across the spectrum. While the allure of tackling "Harry Potter" beckoned, Henry exercised prudent patience, sensing that the time was not yet ripe for such an undertaking.

With unyielding determination, Henry set pen to paper, immersing himself in the creation of the inaugural installment: "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Coming Storm." In just a single week, he brought the tale to life, infusing it with his own unique flair and deftly navigating the treacherous waters of pirate lore.

Eager to share his creation with the world, Henry promptly dispatched the manuscript to HarperCollins.

HarperCollins then quickly began the preparations to launch the book to every corner of the USA.

And just within a week, after a lot of advertisement, they published the book with great hope, as they felt this book was quite good too. Unlike John & Son's meager publicity and channel, HarperCollins had the best publicity and channel that could not be compared by any publishing house in the United States now. So in less than 3 days, the public knew the recent hot author 'Henry William' was releasing a new book.

The public anticipation was high because Henry's previous books were quite good, especially 'Fellowship of the Ring'. So under this mindset, they felt the new book should be good too. Thus, the 1 million copies that were printed sold out in just 2 days, making HarperCollins ecstatic as they felt their decision to rope Henry was one of the best decisions they made.

Of course, not all of Henry's readers bought the book, as Henry's previous novel was about Mystery and Thriller, and they felt fantasy books didn't suit their taste. Instead, it was the parents who bought the most for their 9-12-year-old children. They felt the 'Pirate of the Caribbean' was good and suitable for their children, as it could expand not only their vocabulary but also their imagination.

This expanded Henry's reputation as a genius author who could span 3 genres. Henry proposed lowering the price compared to his previous book, which was about $5 and $7, as Henry wanted this series to spread as much as possible. So HarperCollins agreed with Henry's idea and set the price for $2 per book so they could sell as much as possible.

This decision was true as in just 2 weeks, 10 Million copies were sold at a price of $2 each, generating revenue over $20 Million. Henry got about $9.2 Million from his 46% royalties, further increasing his wealth.

Henry then started to write the second book so he could stock it, as next year, he would truly be busy and not have time for writing books.

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On November 1st, 1973, the Autumn Examination had passed at Harvard, and the students were given a holiday that lasted a whole week. But that was not for Henry as he was 'special'. Henry had already completed all the courses without needing teachers. As they were focusing on semesters, Henry was busy in the library trying to take in everything that Harvard had to offer in terms of knowledge of various different subjects, even the subjects he wasn't interested in.

After consulting with the interim president of Harvard and proving he really knew everything they were teaching, he could basically graduate. The interim president gave him the freedom to do what he liked. But Henry kept holding the graduation plans as it was not the time yet. So Harvard gave him special privileges to do what he wanted as they knew it was useless for Henry to learn anymore.

Henry planned to return back home as he already missed his parents. It had already been 7 months since he came to Harvard, and he had never gone back home once in this period as he was busy with various things.

This time, to save time, Henry planned to take the plane as it saved a lot of time. Henry planned to take Susan, his girlfriend, to go back to meet his parents. Henry had been dating Susan for the last 2 months, as he was basically meeting with her every day. Even a person with a stone heart would go soft after a period of time, not to mention Henry as he always wanted to have a legally blond hottie as a girlfriend.

"And she was beyond perfect. I vividly recall the words she uttered when I inquired why she chose to approach me.

'Men like you are rare, high-quality resources in society. When you encounter a good man, you have to seize the opportunity.'

Henry couldn't help but smile at the memory of her eloquent statement. Her reasoning was undeniable, and after hearing her perspective, he found himself unable to resist her advances. After all, every aspect seemed to align perfectly. And her being so hot, smart and understanding helped a lot.

Henry carefully packed his belongings into a suitcase, casting a final glance around his dorm room. This room had been his sanctuary, but now it was time to venture into new horizons. As he stepped out, he found Bill and a group of familiar faces waiting for him.

"Leaving already? Wish I could join you," Steve Ballmer remarked wistfully, pulling Henry into a tight hug before letting go with a grin.

"Can't believe how quickly time has passed?" Henry chuckled, his gaze reflecting a mix of excitement and determination. "But hey, this isn't goodbye forever. I might need your expertise sooner than you think."

Steve's expression softened, his eyes conveying unwavering support. "You know where to find me, Henry. Count on me whenever you need."

With heartfelt farewells exchanged, Henry made his way to the waiting car, knowing that these connections would prove invaluable in the journey ahead. With Bill at the wheel, they set off towards the airport, ready to embrace the next chapter together.

The car pulled up to the girls' dormitory, where a cluster of excited students awaited. Among them, Susan stood out, surrounded by her friends as they shared laughs and stories. As the car approached, the group parted, making way for Susan to approach.

Henry stepped out of the car, offering a hand to help Susan with her luggage. As they made their way to the car, Henry couldn't help but notice the envious glances from some of the other students, their admiration tinged with a hint of longing.

With Susan's belongings safely stowed, they set off for the airport, leaving behind the buzz of campus life.

The car then drove away to the Airport.

After a 30 minutes' drive, they arrived at Boston Airport.

With a heartfelt embrace, Henry passed the car key to Bill, signifying the end of their shared journey.

"Time flies, doesn't it?" Henry remarked, his tone tinged with a hint of nostalgia as he glanced at his watch. "The plane will start boarding in 15 minutes."

Bill nodded, a solemn expression crossing his face. "Remember our agreement, Henry. I'll be waiting for your call."

A warm smile graced Henry's lips as he clasped Bill's shoulder. "You have my word, Bill. Everything will be in place soon."

With a final wave, Henry turned to leave, his hand intertwined with Susan's as they embarked on the next chapter of their adventure together.