Chapter 14: Front Page News

England, February 11th. Today, the entire country is abuzz with discussions about a young man named William Devonshire, a 19-year-old student at the University of London.

In the early morning, when people picked up The Sun, the first thing they saw was the headline on the front page: "Can You Believe It? He Will Be England's Youngest Billionaire." William's half-body photo occupied the entire front page.

In the photo, William was dressed in a suit, a confident smile on his young face, his right hand raised as if greeting the public. The young man in the picture was enviably handsome.

Most readers initially thought, "The Sun is at it again with its clickbait headlines, probably just another rich kid flaunting wealth in the newspaper. How could a 19-year-old be a billionaire? If he's not a trust fund kid, anyone who believes this is a fool. The Sun is losing its journalistic integrity."

However, after reading the article, the entire nation couldn't help but feel a mix of envy and admiration towards William. Many thought, "Why isn't he my child, or why can't I be this guy?"

Even though the article left some doubt about whether he was truly a billionaire, it mentioned that this guy had made over £2 million in a month. People were stunned, thinking, "Is today April Fool's Day? How could a 19-year-old university sophomore make £2 million in a month? Why can't such good fortune happen to me?"

Calming down, readers had to believe it because the newspaper published sales data for Carrefour's T-shirts, hats, mugs, and other daily goods over the past half month. If it were fake, Carrefour would surely sue The Sun.

After reading the detailed introduction to William Devonshire, most people first felt discontent and then fell silent. Many reread the second-page editorial by the chief editor: "In my 20-plus years in journalism, I've seen many unbelievable things. But when I received the data from our reporter, I was stunned and then overjoyed. We've heard so much about American IT geniuses and their overnight fortunes, but never about such a genius in England. This used to frustrate me. Why couldn't our great England produce such a genius?

"But at midnight, when I saw the data in my hands, I was so excited that I wrote this report overnight. Dear readers, let me introduce you to our very own homegrown genius, William Devonshire, the most talented 20-year-old in the world today. Yes, I said the most talented because I can't find anyone among the world's 20-year-olds who surpasses him.

"William Devonshire, born on December 7, 1980, at St. Mary's Hospital in London. His mother is Lena Devonshire, and his father is unknown (we couldn't find any information on him). His grandfather was Earl Henry Winston Devonshire.

"Seeing the name Devonshire, do you think of something? Yes, you're right. Henry Winston Devonshire's ancestor was the famous Duke of Devonshire. However, Henry's branch of the family fell into decline over 60 years ago during World War II.

"Henry was born in 1928, but his youth was difficult. At 14, his father, the old earl, and three uncles died in the war for England. In 1946, due to the Nobility Inheritance Act, the 18-year-old Henry couldn't keep his family's estates and castle. He inherited only the title of Earl of Oxford and a small amount of property, marrying at 31 and having a daughter, Lena Devonshire, at 33. This was his only child. For the past 50 years, Earl Henry remained obscure. We only knew him as a mid-level manager at the London Electric Company.

"Without today's report, no one would pay attention to this family that lost all its adult males in the war. I salute the Devonshire family and the heroes who sacrificed their lives for the country.

"Lena Devonshire, born in September 1961, is an ordinary noble descendant. For the past 39 years, she remained equally obscure. We only know that she went on a skiing trip to Switzerland 20 years ago and returned pregnant with William. After giving birth, Lena had a few short-lived relationships but never remarried, dedicating herself to raising William alone. When William was 10, the Earl and his wife passed away, their medical expenses draining the family's savings. Lena worked many jobs to support William's education, sometimes holding two jobs. She is a great mother.

"Yesterday, our reporters followed up and found that Lena recently bought a 110-square-meter coffee shop on Oxford Street. Her hardships have finally paid off. I wish this great mother all the best."

Readers cursed, "Damn it, 'follow-up reporting'? We know it's paparazzi stalking! And you have the nerve to call it 'follow-up reporting.' Who doesn't know The Sun is a tabloid?"

The Devonshire family hadn't had any notable events or people in the past 60 years, and their title had passed to a distant branch. But reality is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're going to get. The Devonshire family changed with the new millennium.

William Devonshire, a 19-year-old boy from a single-parent family, was often ostracized because of his mixed heritage and had few friends, spending most of his time studying. To his peers, he was a bookworm with no friends or hobbies—well, unless archery and swimming count.

But if you think he's just a bookworm, you're wrong. From what our reporters gathered during this business negotiation, William performed exceptionally well. He had a thorough understanding of the business needs and bottom lines of large companies. Negotiators often had to follow his lead because he always knew what these companies wanted.

Most importantly, William Devonshire developed a hit game and ingeniously boosted sales of its merchandise, increasing the game's value several times over. Carrefour and marketing students at the University of London must be the happiest. In less than a month, William made £2 million for Carrefour and over £300,000 in part-time wages for university students.

Before the new millennium, William was a promising young man with academic talent. Perhaps after graduation, he would have found a £3,000-a-month IT job and lived an ordinary life. There weren't high expectations for him.

But after the new millennium, everything changed. It seemed like he had been kissed by God, who bestowed wisdom upon him. Otherwise, it's hard to imagine how he completed in half a month what would typically take dozens of people months or even years to accomplish, and he did it brilliantly.

Professional game designers and programmers who tested the game "Plants vs. Zombies" couldn't believe it was developed by one person in half a month. After confirmation from our reporters, everyone exclaimed, 'William Devonshire, you are truly a genius.'"

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