Chapter 3: We Are a Family

After the death of his biological parents, orphaned Ethan Jones was taken in by his father's sister, his aunt. It was under the careful guardianship of his aunt and uncle that Ethan managed to navigate the complexities of the United States without losing his way.

The couple had never been concerned about their nephew's troubles with Magnavox. To them, the pressures from Magnavox were merely workplace intimidation—inept leaders, trying to cover their failures by shifting blame onto their subordinates to save their own positions. When supervisors disregard their employees, such a company is hardly worth mourning.

Thus, when they learned of Ethan's dismissal, they were overjoyed!

Uncle Thomas retrieved a bottle of white wine, uncorked it with his teeth, and filled the glasses for Ethan, himself, and his wife at noon.

Aunt Linda, not to be outdone, presented a table laden with steak, pasta, mashed potatoes, and creamy mushroom soup.

She then quickly prepared some fried chicken, French fries, and onion rings.

A large bowl of fresh vegetable salad, made with lettuce, tomatoes, avocados, and other ingredients, was also served.

"This is truly sumptuous, thank you, Aunt Linda."

Though the spread seemed modest compared to Chinese cuisine, it was considered quite fine in Western terms.

"Oh, sweetheart, there's no need to be so formal," Aunt Linda said with a smile, waving away his gratitude.

"Indeed, we are family, and there's no need for formality. We are genuinely happy for you," Uncle Thomas raised his glass and looked at his wife. "Shall we toast to Ethan's newfound freedom?"

"To freedom!" Aunt Linda cheerfully responded.

Ethan raised his glass with a smile. "Thank you."

Gallo Vineyard is the largest family-owned winery in America and one of the largest wine producers in the world.

The Riesling Uncle Thomas brought out was a semi-dry wine, so refreshing with notes of lilies, peaches, apricots, and lemons that it felt more like a beverage than an alcoholic drink.

Paired with spicy and greasy foods…

Wow!

The pleasure of sipping wine while eating fried chicken was indescribable!

Ethan grinned contentedly.

The joy was palpable for Aunt Linda and Uncle Thomas as well. They drank bottle after bottle, their cheeks growing rosy, before turning their attention to Ethan's future.

"Ethan, we were mentally prepared for your layoff, so you must have some thoughts about your future now, right?"

Aunt Linda leaned on the table, smiling. "Aren't you considering further studies? Honestly, I think it's a waste of your talent not to. If I remember correctly, you scored over 1200 on the academic aptitude test, didn't you? That score could get you into a good university."

The academic aptitude test Aunt Linda mentioned was the SAT in the United States.

The original owner of Ethan's body had taken the test, scoring 1213 out of 1600.

While it may seem modest, during his test year, the highest SAT score admitted to the University of California was 1280.

To be fair, university admissions are not solely based on SAT scores; letters of recommendation, extracurricular honors, and other proofs of excellence are also considered. However, a score of 1213 would comfortably secure a place at a university.

Regrettably, he was unwilling.

And now, Ethan…

Attending school as a time traveler?

What a joke!

He wasn't devoid of memories!

"I'm sorry, Aunt Linda, but I may not change my decision for the time being," Ethan said with a hint of regret.

"Not interested in school? Then don't go!"

Before Aunt Linda could express her disappointment, Uncle Thomas interrupted.

"What's so great about studying? It's merely a pretext for capitalists to plunder our wealth! After paying exorbitant tuition, you still have to learn everything on your own. Your social status won't magically improve. Learning is inherently painful, and paying for education is doubly tormenting! So, Ethan, I support you. If you don't want to study, join me in managing the orchard. Our orchard makes forty to fifty thousand dollars a year! That's far more than a white-collar job!"

Indeed, Aunt Linda and Uncle Thomas were farmers.

They owned nearly a hundred acres of land, growing navel oranges.

Each year, they produce about three to five hundred tons, all sold to companies exporting to Asia, with prices fluctuating between $290 and $310 per ton. After deducting all costs, earning forty to fifty thousand dollars a year is relatively straightforward.

However…

Although farming is a family talent, Ethan wasn't planning to pursue it.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Thomas. When I feel lost about my future, I will certainly embrace the land."

His gentle refusal made Uncle Thomas purse his lips.

He wanted to say more but thought better of it.

"Alright, I respect your choice."

"You have the same stubbornness as your mother in heaven. I believe if she and your father were here, they would support your decision too," he said sincerely.

"I understand," Ethan replied with a smile.

"Can you share your future plans with us?" Since her husband had acquiesced, Aunt Linda was curious. "Of course, if it's personal, you don't have to disclose it."

"Oh…" Ethan pondered for a moment before answering. "I'd like to share, but I only have a faint idea, not a complete plan yet, so…"

"Then we'll discuss it when you're ready," Uncle Thomas said decisively. "Anytime, anywhere, if you need us, whether to talk or for financial help, just let us know, okay?"

"Yeah," Ethan thanked him sincerely, "I know, we are a family."

"Snap!"

Uncle Thomas snapped his fingers happily.

With the topic concluded, the three enjoyed their meal with great satisfaction.

After eating and drinking to his heart's content, Ethan took the initiative to clear the table, allowing the busy Aunt Linda and Uncle Thomas to rest.

After cleaning the dining room and kitchen, Ethan made his way back upstairs to his room.

He filled the bathtub with water and sank into it to wash away his fatigue.

In fact, Ethan had been contemplating Uncle Thomas's question recently.

Over the past two months, as he adapted to his new surroundings, he had been seeking opportunities to make money in this era.

In his previous life, he was a laborer in the financial sector.

Therefore, handling his old trade and selecting stocks was second nature to him.

In his search, he discovered two promising stocks to invest in.

One was McDonald's, listed in 1970, and the other was Walmart, listed in 1972.

The current prices of these stocks were remarkably low. According to Ethan's calculations, investing $100,000 in each and holding them until 2023 would yield at least a thousandfold return.

This discovery thrilled Ethan immensely.

After all, who could resist the allure of sudden wealth?

But when he actually set out to act, he encountered two hidden issues.

The first was an objective factor—the trading model of stocks in this era was highly unsafe.

Like in Hollywood movies, stock trading was conducted offline.

The buyer needed to inform their stockbroker of their desired stocks, psychological price, and quantity. The broker would then relay the order to a trader at the exchange, who would negotiate with other traders willing to sell, to execute the trade.

Due to the lack of communication, this trading model was prone to securities fraud and price manipulation.

The junk bond king, Michael Milken's former employer, faced such issues when it went bankrupt in the nineties.

The second issue was subjective—if he did become a billionaire this way, he would also be aging.

If wealth accumulation through time travel required becoming old, that was a cost he could not accept.

After all, this was America in the 1970s!

In an era before computers became common, the internet was nonexistent, and mobile internet was still a dream…

Everywhere was gold!

As Lei Boos would say, it was the perfect moment of the times!

A pig standing on it—

Could fly!

In such an era, as a time traveler, to accumulate wealth through time?

That would be a disgrace to countless compatriots!

As for saying he, a financial guy, didn't understand technology?

Well…

Under the warm water, the weary Ethan soon fell into a deep sleep.

When he awoke, the cold air made him shiver.

He quickly got up, wiped off, and his pruned fingers looked like uneven terrain, quite unattractive.

But his face…

Well, it was great! Just as handsome as Tom Cruise!

Dressed and returning to his bedroom, the clock on the wall was bathed in the red glow of the setting sun.

"It's five o'clock? Have I been in the tub for three hours?"

Ethan reflected while drying his hair.

Just as he was thinking about where he had drifted off to sleep, a roar of an approaching car reached his ears.

When it faded, a sweet voice suddenly emerged.

"Dad~? Linda~? I'm back~"