East 62nd Street, which was long ago called Wutong Street, took its name from a 500-year-old Wutong tree inside a yard deep in the street. This Wutong tree has lived for 500 years and is still vibrant, weathering countless natural and man-made disasters over this half-millennium.
William put on a clean white shirt, cut his hair short, and wore a faint smile on his face. He looked refreshed and different, in stark contrast to his appearance on Mount San Juan Teotihuacan.
In this new era, he figured he needed to adapt to the modern lifestyle.
“Hey, kiddo, who are you looking for?” asked a forty-something drunkard lying on a reclining chair in the courtyard. Surrounded by more than a dozen bottles and mountains of rubbish, the courtyard had long lost its tranquility and elegance of 50 years ago.
“Is Christopher Wright still around?” Christopher Wright, the one William asked about, was the man who had guarded the courtyard for him fifty years ago.
“He’s dead!” the drunkard glanced at William and waved him away, “If you have no business, go elsewhere.”
Looking at the Wutong tree, William asked, “Are you his son?”
“What’s it to you? Scram!” The drunkard grabbed a bottle and threw it at William’s feet.
The bottle shattered, but William didn’t even flinch.
Over the years, William had roamed through countless famed rivers and mountains around the world. This Wutong tree was one he had planted with his wife 500 years ago.
From ancient times till now, no matter who was in power, no one dared to touch this Wutong tree.
“I want to buy this place.” William had no intention of using force. In this time of peace and prosperity, he preferred not to resort to violence.
The drunkard slowly sat up, sizing William up before laughing dismissively. “Kid, do you know how much this place is worth? Even if I sell, can you afford it?” .
“Name your price.” William replied with a smile. No matter the era, while he did engage in various industries to experience new lifestyles, he never fretted about money when he truly needed to make a purchase.
“50 million dollars! Pay all at once.” The drunkard broke out into a loud laugh, smashing another bottle at William’s feet, “Go away, kid!”
William ignored him, sitting down on a stone bench under the Wutong tree.
He didn’t have any money on him.
But he believed that money would be coming soon.
“Respect not given when offered!” The drunkard tried to get up, but due to his hangover, he stumbled and fell into the pile of bottles in a heap of embarrassment.
William didn’t even glance at him as the sound of a car’s engine echoed from outside the courtyard.
Only one car pulled up to the courtyard. Five old men got out, their bodyguards stationed at every intersection of the street, preventing anyone from approaching the courtyard.
If the upper-class tycoons saw these five people appearing together in front of this old yard, they’d probably be too scared to speak.
The first elder to exit was Anthony Carter. Now, he held significant shares in worldwide energy projects and owned several oil fields abroad. Even some foreign heads of state had to treat him with courtesy.
Yet, when he got out of the car and looked at the Wutong tree in the courtyard, he subconsciously shivered.
Yesterday, David Taylor caused havoc at the old house on Mount San Juan Teotihuacan. They didn’t do anything then, and now they’re meeting William; how could they not be nervous?
What if William thinks they have ulterior motives? How should they handle such a situation?
The other four men got out of the car and looked at each other uneasily.
In theory, given their status, they should not fear anyone. But William was different.
They had been under William’s wing and only learnt a smattering of things from him. However, they have achieved what they have today.
During the years that William was missing, they also investigated him and finally made an astonishing discovery from some unofficial records.
The discovery that left them dumbfounded and terrified: William seemed to have lived for thousands of years!
Many countries and historical dynasties around the world bear traces of William.
The famous ancient physician Hua Tuo once wrote a letter to honor his teacher, and Leonardo da Vinci wrote in his notes that when he was young, he was guided by a teenager. When he was old, the teenager remained youthful, without any change.
Even more distant, they even found a description of the ageless teenager in oracle bones inscriptions from the Chinese Shang Dynasty.
Everything pointed them to William.
If William was just a talented and powerful man, he would age and die just like them, and there would be nothing to fear.
“Let’s go!” A shadow flashed in Anthony Carter’s eyes, and he took the lead to walk into the yard.
The other four old men didn’t linger either and followed Anthony Carter inside.
In the yard, apart from the drunk man cursing on the ground, they saw a young man.
When William slowly turned around to look at them, their hearts almost leapt out of their throats.
Though William had changed his clothes and hairstyle, his unique demeanor and gaze were unchanged even after fifty years.
“What are you old guys doing in my house?” The drunk man got up, picked up a bottle and pointed at Anthony and the others.
Anthony’s face changed dramatically. For many years, no one dared to talk to him like this.
At this moment, he had the intent to kill.
But just then, William casually said, “He’s the current owner of this house. I’m planning to buy his house for 50 million. Who will pay?”
“Kid, who are you fooling? This bunch of old men? Can they afford 50 million?” The drunk man was not buying it. Frankly speaking, 50 million was just a price he randomly shouted. He had no intention of selling, nor did he believe William could afford it.
“Master, I’ll pay,” Anthony stepped forward, pulled out a checkbook, and quickly wrote a check for 50 million. “This is a Citibank check. You can cash it anytime…”
The drunk man took the check, glanced at it, laughed coldly, crumpled it up, and threw it in Anthony’s face. “You’re fooling me, I want cash!”
Anthony was about to explode. In all his life, this was the first time someone had thrown something in his face.
William, however, calmly said, “Give him the cash.”
Anthony dared not disobey William’s order and bowed to William, saying, “Yes, Master!”
“Damn idiot, are you shooting a movie here? Calling him master? Let me tell you, if you want to shoot a movie here, without paying, no one is leaving today!” The drunk man found it laughable. An old man in his seventies calling a young man master was too ridiculous. Apart from filming a movie, he couldn’t think of any other explanation.