In the evening, Roger Nicholas hosted a banquet for Henry, inviting friends and neighbors to join in the celebration.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen! You are all welcome to this banquet! Now, I would like to solemnly introduce someone to you!" Roger Nicholas paused for effect, pointing to Henry, who was standing beside him. "This is my grandson, Henry Williams!"
Happiness erupted in the room!
Everyone clapped their hands joyfully, celebrating the reunion of Roger Nicholas and his grandson.
Roger raised his hand, signaling for silence. Attorney Will handed him a document, which Roger held aloft as he declared, "Today, I have made a will. After my death, all my property will be inherited by Henry Williams!!!"
"Grandpa!" Henry was taken aback by this announcement. His mouth fell open in surprise, leaving him momentarily speechless.
Roger gently touched Henry's head, offering a warm smile. "Good boy. It was all grandpa's fault back then. If I hadn't driven your mother away, you wouldn't have had to endure so much hardship." The old man sighed deeply. "Now, grandpa wants to make it up to you..."
"It's not your fault, Grandpa. This is a test from God. After the storm comes the rainbow!" Henry replied optimistically.
Roger chuckled. "Yes, indeed, this is God's test for us!"
Seeing how eloquently Henry spoke, the guests nodded in approval, praising his intelligence.
With the introductions complete, Roger announced the official start of the banquet.
However, Roger had another motive for hosting this gathering. Aware of his grandson's struggles in getting his novel published, he invited several prominent figures from the American publishing industry. As the owner of a notable bookstore in California, he hoped to lobby on Henry's behalf.
At the banquet, Henry met many new faces, but he was particularly surprised to discover that his next-door neighbors were Leonard Posack and his wife, Sandra Lerner—a couple of teachers from Stanford. Given that Leonard was a senior network engineer and co-founder of Cisco, Henry felt a natural kinship and eagerly struck up a conversation with them.
Meanwhile, Roger was discussing the manuscript of Henry's novel with ten publishers.
"Roger, we're old friends, but this book is poorly written; we can't publish it at our house," one publisher stated.
"Yes, Roger, this manuscript is really not ready for publication," another agreed.
"The content is too simplistic and lacking in artistic value," someone chimed in.
Roger's expression darkened slightly. "Please remember, the author of this book is only ten years old! If published, it would be a great gimmick, wouldn't it?!!!"
The publishers hesitated but didn't outright refuse.
After the banquet, the Possacks bid Roger farewell, praising Henry along the way. "Mr. Nicholas, your grandson has a natural talent for computers; he's the smartest child I've ever encountered!"
"Thank you for your kind words!" Roger beamed, delighted to hear such compliments about Henry.
Henry chimed in, "Grandpa, I want to learn computer science from Uncle Posack. Do you think that would be possible?"
Roger responded with a smile, "Of course, I have no objection! But I'm not sure Mr. Posack would agree."
Leonard Posack replied with enthusiasm, "Of course! I'd be thrilled to teach a genius like you!!!"
Henry felt ecstatic. He realized that Cisco was founded at the end of this year, bringing a rush of excitement to his heart.
That evening, Roger informed Henry that he had shared the manuscript with ten publishers and that there was a good chance one would decide to publish it.
Henry hugged the old man in gratitude. "Thank you, Grandpa!"
Roger's face radiated kindness in response.
The next day, Henry visited the Possack household with a few small gifts to show his appreciation. The Posack family welcomed him warmly.
As teachers at Stanford, Leonard and Sandra didn't have much time to teach Henry. So Leonard gave him a general overview of computer science and handed him a few books for self-study. After a few days, Sandra was astounded by Henry's progress. When she tested his knowledge, he answered questions correctly, even tackling some advanced material. Impressed, Leonard began to teach him more in-depth, allowing him to even sleep over at their home.
During this time, more good news awaited Henry.
Finally, one publisher agreed to publish Henry's novel—the West German Publishing House. While not a large publisher and primarily focused in the western states, for Henry, this was a significant first step toward success. After negotiations, Henry insisted on retaining the paper publishing rights for the U.S. solely for the first book in the Harry Potter series, eventually agreeing on a 6% royalty.
A week or two later, around mid-October, the West German Publishing House released 10,000 copies of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone," priced at $10 each. Initially, the market response was lukewarm. However, a month later, the book became a sudden hit, largely due to its popularity among children.
In response to rising demand, the publishing house quickly printed an additional 20,000 copies, which sold out almost immediately, compelling West German Publishing to begin ongoing reprints!
Major newspapers such as the "Los Angeles Times," "New York Times," and "Washington Post" reported on the phenomenon. Ten-year-old best-selling author Henry Williams soared to fame! Journalists flocked to interview him, seeking to uncover his story.
Henry was acutely aware of the saying that people feared being famous like pigs and strong like a bull; he understood the challenges of being recognized early in life. He didn't want to be overwhelmed by media attention, but the increasing sales of his novel made the fame worthwhile. As a result, the West German Publishing House raised Henry's royalties from 6% to 10%.
Eager to maintain a long-term partnership with Henry—especially given the planned future installments of the "Harry Potter" series—the publisher recognized that Henry's success would bolster their development and distribution capabilities.
By the end of November, the Posacks announced their resignation. When Henry heard the news, his heart raced. He knew that a major player in the future tech industry was about to emerge.
Just three days later, Leonard told Henry, "Henry, your Aunt Lerner and I are going to start a high-tech company."
Years later, Henry would vividly recall that night, with the sky full of stars and the moon glowing softly above. It was a moment that rippled through his heart. As they parted, he shared a memorable remark with Leonard: "Teacher Posack, let us create something monumental together!"
Leonard nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly.
Returning home with a jump in his step, Henry excitedly approached Roger. "Grandpa, Mr. Posack is starting a company, and I want to be his partner!"
Initially, Roger considered this proposition carefully, weighing the pros and cons. He asked about the nature of the business, and Henry, knowing more about Cisco's potential than the Posacks, elaborated on the opportunities for growth while discussing routers and the internet. However, as Roger listened, he noticed that he was becoming more confused despite the smile growing on his face. The passion that Henry displayed intrigued him; he recognized that his grandson had put a lot of thought into this venture. Ultimately, Roger felt it prudent to support Henry's aspirations, even if it meant accepting some financial risk.
"Henry, grandpa supports you!" Roger declared, a proud smile lighting up his face.
"Yay!!!" Henry exclaimed, thrilled with his grandfather's support. Funding would not be an issue, as Henry needed only to wait until his manuscript payments came in March of the following year.
"Grandpa, could you lend me a million dollars until then? I promise to repay you when I get the manuscript fee!" Henry looked hopefully at Roger.
"What to pay? Grandfather's money is your money!" Roger chuckled, lightly tapping Henry's head with a smile.
Blushing slightly, Henry touched his head, appreciating the jest. Yet he pressed on, "Grandpa, it's not about money; it's about principle. I want to rely on my own abilities to start this business and feel the pride of achieving success! You don't want me to become a mediocre rich kid, living off the family wealth, do you?"
"Alright!" Roger chuckled, pleased with Henry's determination.
Henry quickly wrote an IOU and presented it to his grandfather: "This is my IOU. I will repay you when my manuscript fee arrives next year!"
"Okay!" Roger accepted the IOU with a smile, noting the date and amount. It read, "On the evening of December 3, 1984, Henry Williams borrowed one million dollars from his beloved grandfather, Mr. Roger Nicholas."
Roger set the IOU aside, having no intent to press Henry for repayment. That simple piece of paper would hold immense value in the years to come, fetching a staggering $10 million at auction, astonishing the world!
After receiving the IOU, Roger promptly wrote a check to Henry. Despite being just ten years old, Henry exhibited remarkable maturity. Roger felt reassured as he handed the check to him.
The next day, excited, Henry visited Mr. Posack.
"Mr. Posack, how much initial capital do you need to start the company?" Henry inquired.
"Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars," Leonard replied. Americans typically spend ahead of their earnings; thus, most people do not keep much in savings. Despite the apparent wealth of the Posack family, which included three cars worth several hundred thousand dollars and a villa exceeding a million, $250,000 was still a paltry sum for launching a tech enterprise. Historically, Leonard had mortgaged the villa but later secured financing from Sequoia Capital, facilitating growth.
"Teacher Posack, I've borrowed one million dollars from Grandpa for next year's manuscript fee!" Henry declared, presenting the check.
Both Leonard and Sandra were momentarily stunned; they hadn't expected such a significant investment.
"Teacher Posack, I'm investing one million dollars. How about we split the remaining shares 50/50?" Henry proposed, feeling slightly nervous at the possibility of them disagreeing with his offer.
To his surprise, Leonard shook his head. "No, you will be the largest shareholder with such a significant investment. We only want 40%, leaving you with 60%."
Henry was instantly astounded.
"It's so generous and sincere! No wonder you both will sell Cisco at a bargain in the future! While I may be benefiting now, I won't allow past mistakes to repeat. I can confidently envision myself as a global billionaire one day."
Henry accepted this share distribution arrangement.
In the following days, Leonard, Sandra, and Henry set out to register their new company. Leonard suggested naming the company "San Francisco," but the law prohibited utilizing city names. Ultimately, they settled on "Cisco," adopting the last five letters of "SanFrancisco."
As they proceeded with their venture, excitement filled the air.