Chapter 209 Those who leave and those who return.
The next day.
Although William had slept in his dormitory last night, he continued his habit of skipping classes.
It wasn't without reason. He considered Nathaniel a friend from their card-playing sessions. Since he had intended to cure Nathaniel's ailment from the beginning, and Evelyn was planning to move Nathaniel to a new residence, William decided to go and visit.
On his way, he pondered whether he should indeed cure Nathaniel's ailment.
There were few things in the world that William couldn't accomplish. Yet, many times after he did something, someone's destiny would take an unpredictable turn.
Nicholas and Caleb were prime examples.
William granted Nicholas's wish to become wealthy, but after a series of highs and lows, Nicholas's future became uncertain. For now, he remained impoverished.
William helped Caleb pay off his debts and even made him win ten consecutive games at the casino. Yet, in the end, Caleb lost both his hands.
Perhaps, regardless of William's assistance, Caleb's fate was predestined.
Because of such outcomes, William leaned more towards letting Alice treat Nathaniel rather than intervening directly and curing all of Nicholas's ailments.
"In the depths of the unknown, fate has its own design?"
By the time William arrived at East 62nd Street, a luxury car was parked in front of Nathaniel's yard. Inside sat a driver dressed in a suit and shiny shoes and a middle-aged woman in the back seat.
Instead of exercising, Nathaniel was enjoying pasta with Evelyn in the yard, surrounded by numerous beautifully wrapped gifts.
As William passed the entrance, Nathaniel quickly called out to him, "William, have you eaten?"
William lifted the two cups of coffee in his hand, saying, "I've got coffee for you."
"Sounds good," Nathaniel said with a grin, "Skipping classes again today?"
"Why do you care?" William entered the yard and handed one of the coffees to Nathaniel. Nathaniel's plate of pasta was almost finished. While sipping his coffee, he said, "Evelyn, I've decided not to move. I've lived here most of my life, and I'm familiar with all the neighbors. If I relocate, who will I hang out with during the day?"
"Grandpa! The important thing isn't whether or not we move, but your health... You should see a doctor," Evelyn glanced at William and said, "William, can you please persuade my grandpa?"
William remained silent, but Nathaniel stubbornly responded, "Don't I know my own condition? I've been practicing exercises with William recently and I've improved a lot.
Besides, Alice is the granddaughter of Charles Turner, the world's top medical expert. If she can't cure me, who can?"
Evelyn fell silent. She was now an expert among intermediate-level Soulmancers and had even received power from a deity of the Divine Realm.
Naturally, she could tell that the exercises William taught her grandfather were special, seemingly able to balance energy within an ordinary person.
But William was clearly just an ordinary person!
"Evelyn, I know you're doing well now, and I want you to live your life. As long as you're happy, I'm at ease. I'm old, and I don't want to spend my remaining years bedridden and subjected to endless treatments. I'm quite content with how things are now," Nathaniel said with a carefree tone. "If you want to move out, then do so. Just come and visit me now and then."
"If you don't move, I definitely won't move out either." Indeed, Evelyn has changed a lot over the years, but after all these years relying on Nathaniel, she isn't so easily separated from him.
"No! You and your mother have been apart for so many years. Stay with her for a while. I'll be fine," Nathaniel waved dismissively, "I'm in good health now and don't need anyone to look after me."
Listening to their conversation, William couldn't help but feel curious. What's going on?
Hadn't Evelyn's parents passed away?
Had she found her mother?
So, her trip to Maplewood Town the other day was to meet her mother?
Is Evelyn's mother from the Taylor family?
William once asked Timothy Hill if the Taylor family had any other descendants. Timothy's response was that James Taylor had a daughter.
William also knew that James Taylor had a son named Scott. This would mean that Scott might not be James Taylor's biological son.
If everything is as William suspects, then isn't Evelyn the granddaughter of James Taylor?
The connections in this world are truly coincidental!
Of course, Maplewood Town wasn't solely inhabited by the Taylor family, so Evelyn's mother might not necessarily be James Taylor's daughter.
"Grandpa, I'll stay and accompany you," Evelyn said slowly as she stood up, "I'll tell mom that I'm not going with her."
Nathaniel's expression suddenly turned stern, and he said coldly, "Why aren't you going with her? Haven't I, an old man, raised you long enough? Go with your mother now!"
Evelyn shuddered. She knew her grandpa was deliberately saying these things to rile her up, but hearing them made it even harder for her to leave.
"Don't make me angry! Leave, now!" As Nathaniel continued, his tone softened, "Don't keep your mother waiting."
William sat there, silent.
Evelyn, well aware of her grandfather's temperament, took a deep breath and said, "Grandpa, I'll come back often. This is my home too."
Nathaniel waved his hand dismissively, not looking at Evelyn. He buried his head, sipping his coffee. As he did so, his eyes became misty.
Evelyn turned to William, "William, if you have time, could you help look after my grandpa? If anything comes up, please call me."
"Alright," William nodded slightly in response.
In the end, Evelyn got into the luxurious car parked at the entrance.
As the sound of the car engine gradually faded away, Nathaniel put down his coffee cup, looking at the entrance with a slight tremble in his body.
William smiled and asked, "What happened? Has Evelyn found her mother?"
Nathaniel nodded, wiping away tears of emotion, and laughed, saying, "That's right! William, you've lost your chance now!"
William asked, "Is Evelyn's mother very wealthy?"
"The heiress of the Taylor family! Ah, my son," Nathaniel said with a shake of his head and a sigh. "William, when choosing a partner, it's best to find someone of a similar social status. If the backgrounds are too different, there will be too many disparities in daily life."
As Nathaniel spoke, William seemed to have conjured up a love story between a rich young woman and an ordinary young man in his mind.
Is the difference in background really that significant?
Of course, William was well aware of societal prejudices regarding background and status. But if he were to really find a woman of equivalent standing to him, where would he even begin to look?
No, no, no!
He had lived for a billion years. What did status or identity mean to him anyway?
Not long after Evelyn left, Alice entered Nathaniel's yard with a bag of medicine. Upon seeing William, she couldn't help but lift the corners of her mouth slightly.
In the recent days, the mentor she respected had neither comforted her nor shown any sign of concern, as if she were some apprentice he'd picked up from nowhere.
William gave Alice a brief glance, merely commenting, "You're here."
Alice, with a hint of pride, lifted her chin and then turned to Nathaniel, inquiring, "Mr. Richardson, have you been following my advice and taking your medicine on time?"
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