Manhattan Reborn 1978

new York.

Under the night, the neon lights began to shine.

Manhattan.

40th Street, above Marseille Restaurant.

In front of the apartment where Giovanni and Jin Ji once rented, White Mike and Black Mike stood in the corner of the corridor, holding cigarettes in their hands, relatively speechless.

After a few minutes.

Mike Bai, who was not used to silence, frowned, threw the cigarette butt on the ground, stamped it out, and muttered.

"Susan has been in there for a long time~ Should we... go in and take a look?"

Black Mike also threw away the cigarette butts and asked in a low voice: "Have you taken them to see it?"

"Hmm~"

"Auston has asked someone to help confirm the identities of Susan's mother, Sarah Grubb, and her brother Johnny~"

"Sarah... I found a familiar clinic in the afternoon and asked the doctor to give them a brief look~"

"Except for some malnutrition and some injuries that have not healed, there are no major physical problems with the mother and child."

"Oh~"

Black Mike couldn't help but frown, leaning against the wall, and his whole face looked darker~

Mike Bai grinned and leaned against the wall with his arms folded: "Don't you have any personal opinion?"

"No~"

"Hey~"

"So, is this the case for now?"

Black Mike glanced at him sideways, shook his head and said, "This is Susan's family matter~ Only when David comes back can he make his own decision!"

"Tsk... ok~"

"Then I'll go find Austin and ask him to lock up that bastard for a few more days~"

"Just wait for Susan~ I'm leaving!"

"Ok!"

. . .

Mike Bai shook his head, picked up his somewhat loose belt, and went downstairs step by step.

Black Mike silently listened to the footsteps in the corridor and looked at the closed apartment door.

After more than 20 minutes.

Susan walked out of the apartment with a pale face and red eyes, nodded to Black Mike, and walked down the stairs slowly.

Black Mike followed her out of the stairs and onto the street, then walked quickly to her side and asked.

"Tonight, you should go back and take a rest. I can do it at the bar."

"No need~"

Susan took a deep breath, opened her arms, hugged Black Mike, and thanked him softly.

"Thank you!"

"Um.."

Black Mike, patting Susan on the back, whispered in response.

----

Manhattan.

Blue Crystal Hotel.

Second floor, banquet hall.

Tonight, the protagonist of the celebration banquet is Lynch Colson, who won the governor’s election~

He expressed his emotions, thanks and "heartfelt words" to the campaign team, guests and friends with a cheerful face~

Mag Ludwig and her companion Janet Patrick, holding wine glasses in their hands, stood in the crowd and gave their friend Lynch a warm round of applause.

ten minutes later.

The celebration party has entered free time~

Mag glanced at Harold Stone, the fib director, and Ezra Cremo, the cia director, who were specially invited here tonight, and smiled in a low voice to Janet beside him.

"Have you considered?"

"Um.."

Janet took a sip of her drink, her eyes shone with a strange light, and she smiled: "I'll go home tomorrow~ Just wait for me in Washington!"

"..good!"

"Ding ~"

The two of them clinked their wine glasses and smiled at each other.

. . .

The other side of the banquet hall.

The newly elected Governor of New York, Lynch Colson, thanked an old friend who had helped him, turned to leave, and found Giles, Pine, Bloomer and Leslie standing in the corner of the banquet hall. et al.

"Hehe~"

"Thank you for coming tonight..." Lynch raised his glass and thanked Pine and others with a smile.

Pine took the initiative to move half a step laterally, making way for Lynch, and smiled.

"We all think that New York State can have..."

Giles, Blumer, and Leslie looked at each other and quietly watched the "intimate" conversation between Pine and Lynch.

Pine seemed to take a half step back intentionally, leading Lin Qi to step forward, standing directly opposite the three of them, and said with a smile.

"This is where we were a few months ago..."

Pine took the initiative to talk about the topics that Mayor Lynch and Commissioner Hardman had discussed in front of Giles the night David Boy first appeared here.

Governor Lynch Colson, of course knowing what Pine meant, smiled.

"I heard from the weather forecast that there will be heavy snowfall in New York in the next few days. I am planning to go to Los Angeles with my wife tomorrow."

"I can't come back to attend the inauguration ceremony until this heavy snow passes~"

Pine nodded with a smile, glanced at the three Giles, and said with a smile: "Our plane also happens to be going to Los Angeles tomorrow to pick up a friend from New York~"

"Oh~" Lynch said with a brighter smile.

"Then I will go back tonight and tell my wife to pack her bags quickly!"

"Hahaha~"

. . .

While Giles, Blumer, and Leslie were watching Pine and Lynch "chatting," a hotel attendant walked over to the door of the banquet hall.

He came behind Blumer and whispered a few words in his ear.

Bloomer's eyes widened, he quickly exchanged glances with Giles next to him, and nodded to the waiter, indicating that he understood.

Giles, who was feeling bored, showed a wicked smile, pulled him to say hello to Pine and Lynch, walked to the side and whispered.

"who is she?"

"Forehead.."

Bloomer also felt that his head was full of questions: "It seems...at Club No. 39 in North Bay, San Francisco, entertaining our Sandra~"

"Ah~ it's her!?"

"Hehe~"

"When will you two...?"

"It's nothing! Don't talk nonsense!"

"Oh~"

"Then why are you still standing here? Why don't you go see her and speak clearly to her?"

Bloomer frowned and thought for a while, then said helplessly: "Okay~ I'll go first... Come to my room to find me later!"

"Why should I look for you?"

"Save me!"

"fxxx! You have to deal with your own mess!"

"fxxxyou, Giles!"

"Hahaha~"

----

a new day.

Oxford city.

Old Bank Hotel.

David sat up from the bed in a daze, got up and walked to the bathroom.

. . .

First floor, inside the restaurant.

David, neatly dressed, walked to the dining table where Jellal, Livlin, Elena and the other girls were sitting, sat down and smiled.

"Why did you all leave quietly last night?"

Livlin rolled her eyes: "You bastard, sit there like a fool~"

"No matter how we shout, you don't respond..."

"Oh? Do I have it??"

David looked at Elena and Maggie very "innocently"~

Maggie lowered her head and began to study the breakfast in this hotel. How could it be? .So delicious! ?

Elena smiled brightly and handed her untouched milk glass to David.

"Let's have something to drink first~"

"Um.."

David drank most of the glass of milk, stared at Elena for a while, and asked with a smile: "What about you?"

"Why did you run away with them?"

Elena smiled calmly and said: "You need more sleep and a good rest~"

"Hehe~"

Under Livlin's "squinting gaze", David grabbed Elena's little hand and said.

"Come and stay with me tonight~"

"This time, you can't run away again!"

"it is good!"

"...Shameless bastard!"

"Hahaha~"

Jellal silently wiped the corners of his mouth with a napkin. The sunlight behind him shone on the dining table. The chatter and laughter of several people echoed in the slightly empty restaurant.

. . .

after breakfast.

David asked his secretary Maggie to find time to contact New York to see if anything new had happened in the company in recent days.

Jellal arranged three cars for several people.

After the waiter helped load the luggage of several people into the car, David "forcibly dragged" Livlin and Elena and got into the same car with Jellal.

"Where are we going?"

"Deborah's Oxford home, Asthall Manor."

"Oh~"

David glanced at the two women on the left and right, naturally took their little hands respectively, and smiled at Jellal.

"Before I came to London, my fiancée Lilith asked me to send a greeting to Deborah if I saw her."

Jellal, who was sitting in the back row with David, blinked and asked curiously.

"Your fiancée Lilith?"

"Yes~"

David smiled and said, "We will hold an engagement ceremony next month. Can you come to New York to attend?"

"next month??"

"Yes, do you have time?"

Jellal nodded and said with a smile, "Okay!"

"If a world war doesn't happen at your engagement ceremony... I will definitely go!"

"Hahaha~"

"Man, you also understand American humor~"

"No, this is British humor!"

"Hahaha~"

Livlin rolled her eyes crazily as the two laughed, while Elena smiled implicitly and lowered her head slightly.

. . .

on the way.

David asked Gerald if there was anything special he needed to pay attention to during this visit.

Jellal thought for a while, asked the driver to slow down a little, turned his head and said to David.

"The Astor Hall Manor we are going to is where Deborah grew up."

"Later, her father didn't manage it well, so he sold it."

"The year before last, Deborah saved enough money and bought it back. After renovating it, she and Andrew lived in it."

"Oh~"

"This is our first visit, do we need to bring some gifts?"

"Haha~ No need."

"As long as I have time, I will come over and chat with Deborah~"

"Going to her home is like going home to me."

"Um...this is different, man!"

David turned to look at Elena, thought for a moment, and said, "Please help me see what gift is more suitable~"

"it is good!"

"I bought some while we were shopping in London..."

. . .

After more than 20 minutes.

The motorcade carrying David and his friends turned into a country road at a T-junction.

At the end of the path was their destination, Astor Hall Manor.

Sunlight spreads down from between a large group of clouds in the sky~

David got out of the car and looked around~

Several small and strong growing trees surround a classic British-style two-story sloping roof house, located in the center of a large lawn~

On the roof, a few chimneys and blue-gray tiles, as well as some traces of time left on the gray-white walls outside the big house, seem to be telling people their stories in the sunlight~

. . .

Jellal walked in front of a few people and smiled at the middle-aged housekeeper who greeted them.

"Hi~"

"Good morning, sir!"

"Where's Deborah?"

"Madam is in the backyard with..."

"ok~"

"David, let's go in first!"

"Ok!"

. . .

David walked side by side with Jellal and followed Mr. Butler into the big house.

After passing through a not-so-large foyer, turn left and enter the living room of the big house.

The living room fully demonstrates the personal taste and taste of a duchess. .Breath of life~

After the butler greeted the ladies to sit down in a very gentlemanly manner, Gerard walked to the various accessories, photos, and paintings placed in the living room and introduced them.

"This family photo is a group photo of Deborah and her family at the entrance of the backyard garden when she was a child~"

"The year after I took this photo, this house was sold..."

"50 years~"

"Deborah waited 50 years with all her heart before buying this place again."

. . .

When Gerald introduced an oil painting with a history of more than 300 years to a few people ~

A middle-aged woman wearing a dark blue sweater, a long dark skirt, short white hair, and a kind face walked in, covering her mouth and sighing ~

"Gerald!"

"You... brought your friends to see me?"

"Yeah ~ Deborah!"

"Oh~ welcome, welcome!"

"Come, let me introduce to you, this is..."

Jellal introduced David and Livlin, Elena, Maggie, Toby and Cui Yingying to Deborah.

Deborah smiled very happily, covered her chest with her hands, looked at several people and laughed.

"This is the first time we have had so many guests come here since we moved here!"

"Jeral, I'm so...so happy!"

David looked at Deborah with a smile, her face marked by time, and said politely.

"I am honored to meet you, Duchess!"

Deborah, who smiled like the grandmother next door, pulled David back without any airs of a duchess, and whispered reproachfully.

"I only have Deborah here, not the Duchess you mentioned!"

"Ok~"

"Come on, take a seat~ Everyone, please take a seat!"

Deborah took Jellal's hand, made him sit on the edge of her sofa, and asked him with a smile.

"Why didn't you tell me in advance?"

"I'll prepare it for you, your favorite food..."

Jellal shrugged, pointed at David and explained: "David just came to London from New York a few days ago to visit. Yesterday I took them to Oxford University."

. . .

The butler brought hot tea for everyone and some snacks for everyone.

The hostess Deborah raised her hand and stroked Jellal's shoulder, looked at David, and smiled.

"Can I call you David?"

"Of course, ma'am!"

"Oh~ you should call me Deborah. This will make me look younger when I'm with you."

"Hahaha~"

David nodded to the smiling Deborah, glanced at Jellal's gaze and the natural smile on his face, and seemed to understand something. .

So, without waiting for the hostess to ask questions, he began to take the initiative to introduce himself.

"I'm.."

"They are..."

"We're coming to London..."

"Me and Jellal, at the cocktail party..."

"Later, we went to watch the Arsenal game together..."

"Then yesterday, we took a tour..."

. . .

Deborah seemed surprised after listening to David's story, and turned to look at Jellal, her light blue eyes full of relief and happiness~

She turned to David and smiled: "You...maybe don't know~"

"This is the first time in so many years that Jellal has taken the initiative to bring his friends to see me~"

She held Jellal's left hand with both hands and used a slight force to stop Jellal from saying anything, and continued to laugh.

"Since he was nine years old, he has entered the preparatory academy of Harrow Public School and lived in school to study~"

"Every year he spends more than eight months in school."

"It just so happened that where I lived at the time was only a dozen minutes' drive from Jellal's school."

"So, every weekend, I take the children to see Jellal, and sometimes I even bring him home to spend a happy weekend~"

"Wait until he is 13..."

Deborah's voice, filled with nostalgia for that old time, slowly told the story of Jellal~

"Jeral has been very smart since he was a child~"

"He gets the highest scholarship every year in school~"

"Whether it's in studies, sports, or life, Jellal wants to do his best!"

"Every weekend after the morning quiz, he would call me and tell me..."

. . .

From David's ears, it felt like Jellal was a very standard free-range child of the aristocracy. .

Perhaps, Gerald's parents had the same idea as most nobles, believing that boarding school could cultivate children's independent spirit, self-control, and increase children's social interaction ability with peers.

But this kind of collective life requires adolescent children to stay away from their parents for a long time, stay together all day and night with a group of peers who are also in adolescence, and must abide by various rules and regulations in the school. .Is it really good?

Deborah gave her answer to this question.

Awful!

Even though Jellal is very precocious and very smart, he is considered a "student master" and a "future star" in people's eyes ~

But after many years in a row, I no longer have the company of family members and affection~

When he wants to continue to prove himself to people and gain more recognition, he will also be burdened with more expectations and self-promotion pressure~

Their appearance will definitely make the young Jellal breed more negative emotions in his heart and fall into a vicious circle of self-doubt. .

However, Jellal is undoubtedly a very lucky boy~

In his boarding life, in addition to teachers, classmates, and friends, he also had the warm care of his cousin's wife, Deborah.

This also made David understand why Gerald did not take the initiative to bring him to see his father, the Duke of Westminster, but came to see him first. .In terms of seniority, she is his sister-in-law Deborah.

However, David feels that the relationship between the two of them is more like a family relationship between mother and son, or sister and brother, where they can talk about anything~

Emm. .

When Gerald needed the love and care of his family the most, Deborah appeared in his life, filling the emotional void he had for his family and family. .

. . .

Deborah raised her hand and gently stroked Jellal's hair, and asked with a smile.

"By the way~ Where are your good friends in school?"

"How are they now?"

Jellal glanced at David and smiled: "Two years ago, Tim went to Xiangjiang and found a job in a shipping company."

"Tim? That's that... very shy guy who always likes to hide in the dormitory and read?"

"Hahaha~ Yes, that's him!"

"Oh~"

"Where's Donnie? Where is he?"

"He... went to Egypt and opened a theater in Cairo. I heard that he was married and had just had a second child."

"Hmm~ I didn't expect that Donnie, who was the most popular among girls at the time, got married earlier than you..."

Jellal shrugged helplessly: "I'm already working hard~"

"Haha~ I didn't see it..."

"Hahaha~"

David looked at Jellal's embarrassment and said with a smile: "Man, I can help you~"

"Okay~" Deborah nodded happily.

"No!" Jellal shook his head resistingly.

"Hahaha~"

"It seems... you are right! Jellal~"

"Deborah, don't worry, I will definitely help him!"

"Ok!"

Deborah's eyes wandered around the women next to David and she smiled.

"You can all stay here today, okay~?"

"Well...if you don't want to disturb me..."

"Haha ~ of course!"

Deborah patted Jellal on the shoulder, and the two stood up and walked out of the living room side by side.

She gave some instructions to the waiting housekeeper, then turned to David and the others and said, "Come on, kids! Go up to the second floor and choose your room first."

"I'm going to prepare lunch right now!"

"ok~"

"Haha~ Relax David! Treat this place as your own home, okay?"

"OK, thanks!"

David and the others stood up, nodded to the housekeeper and thanked them, then followed him up to the second floor of the big house.

. . .

First floor, in the kitchen.

Deborah closed the door smoothly, looked at Jellal seriously, and asked with a smile: "Do you like anyone among these girls?"

Jellal waved his hands and said, "No!"

"I just want to introduce my new friends to you, nothing more than you think..."

"Oh~ I see!"

"You want me to help you look at...that David?"

"Yes~"

"Hmm... So, you didn't stop me when I told those stories about you just now?"

Jellal shrugged, looked around the kitchen, smiled and changed the subject: "What should we eat for lunch?"

"Strawberry cake?"

"Oops! I forgot..."

Deborah slapped her forehead with her hand, looked at the empty kitchen with some annoyance, and smiled bitterly.

"I forgot that Tenisha and the others went to London today..."

"At home...there are only some things she prepared for us at noon..."

"Otherwise, I'll ask the butler to go nearby..."

Jellal opened his mouth wide and was stunned for a few seconds, then shook his head and laughed: "Okay~ forget it!"

"Fortunately, among David's female companions, there is also Cui Yingying~"

"She is a very good cook. With her here, we don't have to go hungry~"

Deborah shook her head slightly in embarrassment and said: "She is our guest, how can we let her..."

"Hahaha~ It doesn't matter!"

"Oh?"

"...Okay~"

"It's all your fault! Why didn't you tell me earlier that you were coming today?"

Jellal spread his hands innocently and said: "Let's go, David... He will definitely not let us down~"

Deborah hesitated briefly for a few seconds, and finally agreed to Jellal's idea. .

There weren’t many people living in Astor Hall Manor permanently. Except for the two cooks who went to London temporarily for work, including Deborah, they basically had no cooking skills to speak of~

. . .

After half an hour.

in the kitchen.

Deborah held a few eggs in her hand and handed them to Toby Olga. She then took a bag of flour from Gerald and poured them into a large basin. .

Cui Yingying wore a chef's floral apron and held a knife in her hand. She shaved off a large piece of lamb from a lamb leg with great skill and put it aside for later use.

David stood opposite her, wiping tears with the back of his hand and cutting the onions in his hand. .He kept giving instructions to the three secretaries Maggie, Elena, and Livlin, who formed a "clumsy, increasingly chaotic" group. .

Bringing a lot of surprises and joy to busy people~

Jellal, holding a handful of fresh celery in his hand, came close to Deborah and asked with a smile: "What should be done with it?"

"Hahaha~"

Deborah patted Jellal's forehead with her right hand covered in flour, and said with a smile: "Put it down~"

"You go... help David chop the onions!"

"Look at him crying...how sad~"

"Hahahaha~"

David smiled and drove away Gerald who came over to "make trouble", and became more curious and fond of the "down-to-earth" Duchess Deborah.

He glanced at Jellal and asked Deborah.

"Can you tell us your story?"

"Okay~"

"What do you want to hear~"

"Um..." David asked her in return, really not thinking of any good questions. .

Deborah smiled and shook her head: "You must be very curious about how I became a duchess, right?"

"Yes!"

"Hehe~"

"Actually, I am also a child who grew up on a farm~"

"I have never been to school. All the knowledge I have learned was taught to me by my sisters at home."

"This was originally our home..."

"When I was 20 years old, I met my husband Andrew by chance in London..."

"A year later, we got married~"

"The tenth Duke of Devonshire at that time was Andrew's brother, William."

"After William married Katherine Kennedy, he went to the battlefield of World War II... and stayed there forever~"

"This gives Andrew the opportunity to inherit the title..."

Deborah looked down at the wedding ring on her hand, with a trace of reminiscence and sadness in her expression, and then continued.

David stopped holding the knife in his hand and asked curiously: "Kennedy?"

"Yes~"

Deborah raised her eyebrows and said: "She is...the sister of the later American President Kennedy, Katherine~"

"However, she also died in a plane crash 30 years ago~"

"Uh... Okay~" David squeezed his eyes that were about to cry again and continued to lower his head and work.

Deborah wiped her hands, found him a towel, and smiled: "Later... Andrew officially became the 11th Duke of Devonshire, and I also became the Duchess."

"The previous Duke of Devonshire, William, left us Chatsworth Manor and many ducal fiefs~"

"However, William still owes the government a large sum of inheritance taxes, which he has not paid in full... Coupled with the taxes we need to pay, we almost don't see any hope~"

"At that time, we had to sell Chatsworth Manor or large tracts of land to barely pay the government enough taxes."

"So, I went to one of my sisters and asked her to help contact Prime Minister Churchill, and then I got some breathing time, so that we can slowly repay this...double tax~"

"Wow~" David exclaimed in time and asked with curiosity on his face.

"Have you met any other historical figures?"

Deborah smiled and shook her head: "Too many~"

"For example, when I was a child, I followed my sister and met Elizabeth's grandfather, George V."

"At that time, no one could have thought that Elizabeth's uncle, Edward VIII, would choose to give up the throne and give up the title of king to his younger brother... George VI~"

David was a little confused when he heard her "rap" and didn't react for a while~

Deborah smiled and explained: "The current queen, ****, is two years younger than me~"

"Her father is King George VI!"

"Ah~"

David nodded suddenly: "That's the one...the Stuttering King?"

Deborah suppressed her laughter and nodded: "The brother of George VI is Edward VIII~"

"When George V died, he, as the eldest son, inherited the title of king."

"However, I later heard that he voluntarily gave up the throne for an American woman and gave up the position of king to his brother George VI."

David blinked, muttered for a while, nodded and said: "Almost...I understand~"

"Hahaha~"

In the kitchen, everyone laughed.

Deborah gently rubbed the flour on her hands and said with a smile: "I also met with my family... the German president before World War II, Adolf Hitler!"

"Um...did he already have a mustache at that time?"

"Hahahaha~Yes!"

"When I first met him, my fourth sister Unity had a great conversation with him in German, but I didn't speak German, so I had no idea what they were talking about."

"If I had the choice... I would definitely like to have tea and chat with Elvis Presley!"

"Hahahaha~"

Everyone in the kitchen burst out laughing at Deborah's humorous comment.

Livlin approached Deborah with a curious face and asked.

"So... what will your life be like after you become a duchess?"

There was a hint of bitterness in Deborah's smile and she said: "It's the same as what I knew before I got married~"

"You might think... the lives of noble ladies must be colorful, right?"

"Hehe~"

"Actually, the life of all aristocratic ladies after marriage is basically to attend various drinking parties + give birth to children + take care of housework all day long."

“It’s not at all as cozy and comfortable as people imagine~”

Deborah met Livlin's gaze and said: "Since I got married, I have given birth to 7 children, 4 of which died just after birth~"

"Later, in order to make my family's life better, I turned all my attention to running the family business."

"I renovated Chatsworth Manor in Derbyshire and opened the centuries-old ducal residence to all tourists who are willing to buy tickets."

"I didn't expect that my approach would be criticized by many people..."

"They think I have lost...the so-called aristocratic face. I should not open the ancestral manor of my husband's family to the group of people who are curious about the life of the aristocracy..."

"However, this kind of rumors and criticism only spread for a short period of time~"

"A few years later, Chatsworth Manor brought us very substantial income~"

"Those who once criticized me...the nobles also followed my example and opened to the public castles and manors that have been passed down by their families for hundreds of years..."

"We hope this can alleviate some of the daily maintenance costs of manors and castles."

"That's...a huge amount of money that needs to be fixed every year!"

"Wow~ You... are so amazing!" Livlin exclaimed and couldn't help but praise.

"Hahaha~"

Deborah laughed and tapped Livlin's nose with her flour-covered fingers.

"Hahahaha~"

In the kitchen, everyone's laughter echoed again.