Chapter 28: Surprise! (Seeking Further Reads)

The first windfall after crossing over had arrived; what should one do next?

Ethan admitted that aside from the saying "Thirty years on the east side of the river, thirty years on the west side, do not underestimate the youth's poverty," he could scarcely recall any details from the web novels he read in his previous life. Thus, drawing on the successful experiences of fellow countrymen had become an unattainable aspiration.

However, this was of little consequence, for after receiving the check, he already had a plan forming in his mind.

By the time Ethan Jones walked home from Atari's factory after spending forty minutes, it was already six in the evening.

Thomas, Linda, and Evelyn were already at the dinner table.

Ethan's arrival brought great delight to Aunt Linda, who called out, "Oh, Ethan, you've come at just the right time! We've only been eating for a short while. Go wash your hands and join us." She continued with a smile, "Thomas was just here lamenting about you. He was concerned whether you would return tonight. If you had arrived a bit earlier, you might have witnessed his preaching."

Before the words had even left her lips, Evelyn nodded eagerly, chiming in, "Yes, yes! Dad was like a fly buzzing around! He kept insisting that you must come back tonight! I need to use that Ford tomorrow!"

"What? What? What?"

Evelyn's words caused Thomas to exclaim abruptly.

His face, previously lit with a smile while his wife was speaking, now turned stern. "Evelyn! You mustn't speak so recklessly! I was merely concerned for Ethan's safety! I feared something might have happened to him outside! It has nothing to do with needing the car, alright?"

"Yes, yes, yes, it's unrelated; it was my fault," Evelyn retorted.

"Oh! What's with that attitude? Evelyn! Is that how you speak to your father?" Thomas was visibly upset.

Ethan found their bickering amusing. He knew that they weren't genuinely quarreling; their so-called intense reactions were merely part of their usual way of communicating.

As for Thomas's pickup truck?

Ethan's Ford F-150 was Thomas's prized possession. As a farmer, Thomas often used it to traverse fields and forests. Generally, it was not lent out unless absolutely necessary.

Because Thomas valued that truck so much, every time Ethan drove it away, he would moan as if he had lost his soul. And now…

Ethan rubbed his face, sitting glumly at the dinner table.

"Thomas, I'm sorry."

Ethan said, "There was a bit of an incident today, and you might not see your Ford for a while."

'!!!'

The unexpected statement made all three in the house turn their heads sharply.

"What?!!!" Aunt Linda's voice rose in pitch as she stood up and hurried to Ethan, "Ethan, what happened? Was there an accident? When did this happen? Are you alright?"

Her hands flailed as if trying to find signs of injury on Ethan.

"Didn't you go to San Francisco for some exhibition today?" Evelyn also widened her eyes, "Did something happen on the way? No, wait! I don't think I heard any car sounds!"

Her bright eyes were fixed on Ethan, seeking answers.

"What do you mean?" Thomas was even more confused, "My car had an accident?"

"Oh! My poor old Ford isn't sturdy! Are you alright?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, he felt something was amiss and continued, "Wait! When did the accident happen? Why didn't you call home? Damn it! How many times have I told you? If something happens that you can't handle, just call us immediately! Don't wait until after the fact!"

"What's the situation now? Have you called the police? What's the outcome? Should I find someone?"

The sudden surge of concern made the atmosphere around them feel almost tangible.

The anxious questioning brought a smile to Ethan's lips.

Noting that the mood had been sufficiently set, he suddenly looked up.

"Ta-da!" He announced to himself.

At the same time, he pulled out two checks from his pocket, waving them in the air. He pushed the $3,000 check towards Evelyn and handed the $2,000 check to Thomas, laughing heartily, "Hahaha, you've all been duped!"

'???'

The abrupt shift left the three of them utterly bewildered.

When Ethan explained today's events, they were even more perplexed.

"Ethan, are you saying you sold the game and even sold it to Atari? To celebrate, you had a drink, and since you remembered not to drive under the influence, you came back, and you intended to celebrate with us, but upon noticing my concern for the car, you decided to scare us for a… surprise?"

Thomas furrowed his brow, summarizing Ethan's explanation.

"Yeah!" Ethan nodded vigorously, clapping his hands and exclaiming, "Surprise!!!"

"You're the one who's surprised!!!" Ethan's loud proclamation earned him a slap from Linda.

"Ouch!" Ethan yelped in pain.

Linda, showing no restraint, delivered a firm slap and declared, "Celebrate if you must, but why scare us?"

"I thought you were in an accident!"

Linda shot a disapproving glare at Ethan, then clenched her fists and tapped his arm a few times, raising her voice, "If you ever pull a stunt like this again, I'll use the broom from the kitchen on you! I swear! I swear to God!"

"Alright, alright. Linda, stop hitting him."

Thomas, witnessing his wife's volcanic anger, hurriedly intervened.

Though he also thought Ethan's prank was in poor taste, seeing his nephew so thoroughly chastised by his wife, he put aside his worries, embraced curiosity, and shook the checks in his hand, a gleam of joy showing on his reddened face.

"Ethan, is this $2,000 for us?"

Thomas's question made Ethan lean forward.

Seeing Linda back in her seat and feeling he wouldn't face any further wrath, Ethan perked up, "Of course!"

Ethan wriggled a bit, "Just a small token of appreciation. Thank you for taking care of me."

"Hahaha!"

Thomas leaned back, patting his belly and laughing heartily.

"Yeah~ Yeah~ Yeah~ I appreciate your gratitude. As for the gift…"

Thomas hesitated for a moment but eventually accepted, "Let's keep it for now; I'll have Linda save it for you."

He added, "Setting aside the scare, this is indeed a pleasant surprise!"

"I admit, I'm truly happy for you now!"

Thomas's acceptance delighted Ethan, and when his gaze shifted to Evelyn, who was examining the check, the girl first kicked him and muttered, "Surprise, huh?" Then, she shook the check and asked, "Why do I get a thousand more than you? Didn't we agree to split it evenly?"

Evelyn's outburst caused Ethan's mouth to twitch, but upon catching the barely concealed smile on her face, Ethan sat down and continued, "Oh, Evelyn, it's a long story…"

Indeed, after receiving the check from Nolan Bushnell, Ethan's greatest desire was to spend it all!

He didn't want to buy anything in particular; he simply wanted to hand over the checks to Thomas and Linda!

As he had said, it was a gesture of thanks for their care these past days!

Or perhaps, it was the warm atmosphere of the Johnson family that brought him joy.

He cherished this relaxed environment and the feeling of being loved.

And he was willing to dedicate himself to preserving it.

As for the somewhat Eastern inclination of earning money for the family?

Oh!

Ethan had never been worried about that.

For upon first setting foot on American soil in his previous life, he had discovered that family life here differed greatly from media portrayals.

The notion that children are cast aside once they reach adulthood and must fend for themselves is utter nonsense!

Family is the core value here!

Sending kids off to college in a pickup truck and helping with tuition and living expenses is commonplace!

Even Hollywood productions must follow this script!

Take "Fast & Furious," for example; even when the plot reaches outer space, Vin Diesel still embraces family upon his return.

American TV shows are even more so; the positive protagonists always have a bunch of hindering family members, yet they still proclaim, "We are a family~"

Wow, such tolerance is practically saintly!

It makes viewers' eyelids droop!

Thus, after discovering his new reality, Ethan's greatest wish was to avoid being cast into the abyss.

He could hardly imagine being bogged down by a bunch of troublesome relatives while striving for success.

Now, a harmonious environment felt like paradise!

As Ethan recounted his day, Thomas and the others learned about his experiences.

Upon discovering that the $6,000 was just an initial payment, with more to follow.

Thomas even opened two bottles of wine, eager to have a good drink with Ethan.

Ethan, equally pleased with the proposal, naturally accepted.

After drinking several bottles, he awoke the next day, well into the afternoon.

The bright, sunny weather invigorated him.

After a shower, he grabbed a bite and then settled in the backyard, basking in the sun and reading a book.

It wasn't that he didn't want to entertain himself; it was just that there wasn't much to do in this era.

Once accustomed to the internet age where one could enjoy endless short videos, old-fashioned activities like billiards, bowling, and disco seemed rather dull.

As for making money?

It's not like playing "Epoch"; the market's purchasing power is limited.

Infinite creative supply would only cause a sector to collapse instantly.

And as Ethan pondered whether he might explore the family orchard in the days before the game's release, he hadn't even settled in before Evelyn, who was resting at home for the weekend, provided him with some entertainment.

"Get up."

Evelyn, dressed in a floral shirt and black trousers, kicked Ethan's foot.

"What's up?"

Ethan moved aside his book, somewhat puzzled.

"I'm taking you somewhere."

"Where to?"

"A fun place. Remember to bring your driver's license."

Evelyn's vague remarks left Ethan a bit confused.

But he followed along.

About half an hour later, Evelyn, driving, stopped in front of a store in San Jose.

At that moment, a huge logo appeared before Ethan:

Big 5 Sporting Goods.