Starting from scratch, Batman crushed my dream of getting rich

Chapter 226 Alice, would you like to come to Wonderland with me?
Meanwhile, inside the Mad Hatter's theater.

Wearing platform shoes, the Mad Hatter hummed a nursery rhyme from Alice in Wonderland as he skipped and hopped into the theater, clutching a new hat.

He was somewhat excited today, not because he had successfully controlled an enemy supervillain last night, nor because anything special had happened, but simply because he was looking forward to tonight's performance.

"A perfect day," he thought. "Maybe today is the 'perfect day' I've always imagined. Maybe I can find that feeling again today."

So he changed into a new custom-made suit, had a new hat made for himself, and wore thicker shoes. Except for his face, he replaced almost everything on his body that could be replaced. He felt refreshed and radiant today.

The bloodstains on the stage were thoroughly cleaned up, the set was refurbished, all the actors wearing hats were present, and the lights and props were all ready—today's stage preparations were almost the most solemn Mad Hatter had ever undertaken.

The reason I used "almost" is because he had prepared so thoroughly once before, but the outcome that time was still not quite to his liking.

"Boss, the person has been brought."

The man in the black suit walked up to him, followed by a blonde woman. He often brought young women from outside to the Mad Hatter, who would eventually become "Alice" on stage, but the Mad Hatter had never found the real "Alice".

It is precisely for this reason that the "Alices" on stage are always being consumed.

"Oh my god, she's so beautiful."

The Mad Hatter looked expectantly at the blonde beauty and exclaimed in amazement. The woman had a bright smile on her slightly freckled face, and her long blonde hair shimmered under the spotlight. Although she wasn't particularly stunningly beautiful, she possessed a gentle and warm aura, much like the young girl from years ago.

"Oh, Alice, is that really you?"

The Mad Hatter's eyes gradually became somewhat dazed. The smile of the blonde woman in front of him gradually overlapped with that of the person in his memory. He seemed to have returned to his carefree childhood days, when he was still in school, everyone was still a child, he had a group of good friends, and he had his own life.

At that time, my father ran a clothing store. He was a top-notch hat maker, and he was meticulous and responsible for every hat he made.

That day, I returned to the clothing store from school. A sign that read "Taiqi Father and Son Clothing" hung at the entrance, and bright, warm light shone through the clean shop window.

"So you mean, there's a girl—"

"She's not an ordinary girl!"

"Oh, of course."

"Alice Dee! She's a super cool girl!"

“Okay, let’s put this super cool girl aside for now, so we can turn these materials into a good hat.”

"But, Dad, it's too tall."

“We just need to shrink it down, Jervis. As long as it doesn’t lose its shape, the felt won’t be damaged—nobody buys a damaged hat, at least we won’t sell one.”

Jervis stroked the exquisite green felt hat, enjoying its smooth, silky texture.

"This hat is so smooth."

"Ha, do you know what people used to use to repair felt?"

Jervis shook his head.

"Mercury nitrite, a toxic chemical—but people at the time didn't know that. Many hatters worked in the factory, and they were exposed to these vapors year after year, developing all sorts of illnesses—dementia, tremors, hallucinations, just like the common saying goes."

"Like a hatter?" "Yes, thankfully we don't need to do that anymore, and we can still make the best hats."

The voices of the father and son echoed in the store. Jervis enjoyed talking to his father like this, and once the topic turned to hats, he couldn't stop talking.

Whenever he talked at length, his father would also teach him many things, and he always spoke gently and rationally.

“Making hats is like creating a character, Jervis. You need a steady hand, consistency, patience, and care. There’s no other way. You can’t cheat in the process, or you’ll end up with a defective product.”

"Perfection may be impossible, but striving for it is always very rewarding."

Upon hearing his father's words, Jervis instinctively retorted, "Alice is perfect."

“Oh, she may seem very attractive to you, but son, we shouldn’t put people on a high pedestal too easily, otherwise, they will be smashed to pieces by the slightest breeze.”

"OK."

Seeing that his son seemed a little disappointed, the father comforted him, "However, I might have an idea about Alice."

The next day, Jervis went to school as usual.

Alice Dee, with her blonde hair, is holding a book and standing by the window looking at the scenery. In Jervis's eyes, Alice herself is a part of the scenery.

So he mustered his courage and went over there as his father had suggested.

"Alice, there's a new... a new park. My parents said they'd take me there. My dad said... I mean, uh, maybe, uh, I mean, if you haven't been to that park yet, maybe we could..."

"Okay."

"what?"

Jervis looked up at Alice in astonishment. Her smile was as radiant as an angel's, almost glowing.

“I said, ‘Sure,’” she replied. “I’d love to go with you.”

"So, Alice, would you like to come to Wonderland with me?" The Mad Hatter grabbed the hand of the blonde Alice in front of him; the touch was still as soft as it had been years ago.

Upon hearing this, the blonde girl smiled and said, "Okay, I'd like to go with you."

"But, boss, she hasn't put it on yet—"

The sudden sound of gunfire interrupted the Mad Hatter's reverie. The warm glow and scene vanished from his sight, and the various sets and props in the theater, as well as the crowd of people wearing hats, reappeared in his view. Alice was right beside him—but she was a full half-body taller than him.

He returned to the real world.

"How dare you interrupt me!" The Mad Hatter was instantly enraged when his subordinate broke his dreamlike moment of happiness. He drew his revolver in a rage and shot the man in the stomach: "Get out! And never come back!"

While the Mad Hatter still had some sense, the other gangster gunman immediately helped his companion out the door. They needed to find a doctor right away; there might still be hope for him.

In the theater, the Mad Hatter turned back and pulled Alice aside again.

"Alice, would you like to come to Wonderland with me?"

(End of this chapter)