After buying a car, Ethan still had $120,000 in cash on hand. This sum of money made him consider purchasing a house for himself.
Unfortunately, he felt that his current family no longer provided him with a sense of belonging. He had even been robbed in his own orchard, and nobody responded when he called for help. This indifference chilled him to the core.
Well, enough of complaining.
The real reason he wanted to move out was the discomfort in his life, especially now that Evelyn had moved out. Without her presence, Ethan felt awkward occupying a space in the house.
So, after returning home that evening, he shared his thoughts with Thomas and Linda. Both of them expressed understanding and support. However, when it came to selecting the new location, they had some subtle ulterior motives.
Thomas rubbed his hands together and sincerely said, "Ethan, if you really want to buy a house, I personally hope you settle down in Palo Alto."
"Isn't the villa next to Evelyn's place on the market? You should consider buying that."
"This way, we can take care of each other."
"You know, I've never really approved of her living alone. It's dangerous for a girl, especially since our location is so close to San Francisco and Oakland."
"And those places are really chaotic."
"I don't know if you've seen the news, but on the 5th of this month, there was another shooting incident in California, and it was orchestrated by the Manson family."
"If it were something else, I might not worry, but the Manson family..."
Thomas bit his lip, showing concern.
Ethan had heard a bit about what he mentioned. The Manson family was an active XJ organization near San Francisco, infamous for their crimes starting from the late 1960s. They had committed heinous acts, including the brutal murder of Hollywood actress Sharon Tate and others.
These were just the most famous cases, and there were several more unknown ones, including a crime against a female music teacher at the University of California. Due to their preference for targeting young women, living alone during those years was genuinely frightening.
Due to their brutal methods, the family was dismantled by the California police and FBI in the 1970s. However, on the 5th of this month, members of the Manson family resurfaced, targeting an assassination attempt on U.S. President Gerald Ford
Though Ethan didn't know if they would continue their criminal activities, he knew the Mason Family was in trouble. Considering the recent climate in the United States, especially when assassination attempts were not uncommon, Ethan agreed to Thomas's request.
"Alright, I'll go check it out tomorrow."
Honestly, Ethan had wanted to live closer to Evelyn from the beginning, making it convenient to find her if needed. His words were met with gratitude from Thomas and Linda.
After confirming the choice, the next day, Ethan explored the area where Evelyn currently lived. He noted down the numbers on the "For Sale" signs and called them when he returned home.
With both parties interested in the transaction, the details were settled within two days. Ethan acquired a 6,600-square-foot villa for $182,000.
Initially, Ethan considered taking out a loan, given his excellent credit and income status. However, when he found out that the inflation issue had raised the loan interest rates to 8.5%, he immediately decided to borrow money from Thomas.
He may be wealthy, but he wasn't foolish to accept an 8.5% interest rate. Besides, with the upcoming dividends from "Snake Game," he could repay Thomas within two weeks.
With no financial pressure, Ethan saw no reason to let the banks profit from him.
After resolving these matters, Ethan felt a sense of relief. Within half a year of transmigrating, he already had a car and a house. Life was indeed comfortable!
In the following days, Ethan shopped for furniture for his new home. By the time he finished decorating the villa, it was September 16.
The Western Electronics Exhibition officially opened in San Francisco. As a shareholder of Chuck Peddle's company, Ethan naturally wanted to join the event.
However, upon arriving at the exhibition, he realized he was out of place compared to the formal attire of others. He wore a casual black T-shirt and jeans for comfort, while the others around him were dressed in suits and ties, even in the heat, only removing suit jackets to reveal pristine white shirts.
This fact puzzled Ethan.
Upon inquiring with Chuck Peddle about the reason for their formal attire, Chuck explained, "Ethan, don't you know? This exhibition is organized by the IEEE, a large academic exchange platform. Most attendees are either IEEE members or researchers in the field of electrical and electronic engineering. Since we are here to discuss technology and academic matters, it's only natural to dress formally."
"Oh..."
"I see."
After wandering around for a while, Ethan found it uninteresting. While he understood each word they said, the combination of technical terms left him bewildered.
For example, someone was introducing their chip, and all Ethan understood was something about encapsulated semiconductor technology. Another was showcasing their equipment, and all Ethan grasped was that their product was called a charge-coupled device.
As for the rest? He had no clue!
"Why do I feel like I came here to torture myself?"
After asking Chuck Peddle, he learned that the MOS 6502 introduction would take place on the 18th in the afternoon. At that time, the organizers would provide them with a small podium and fifteen minutes for a presentation. Ethan greeted Chuck and said he would return on the 18th, then he slipped away.
Because he didn't want to torture himself.
Just as Ethan pondered where to find some entertainment before the MOS 6502 presentation, upon returning home, he found two well-dressed young men standing at the entrance of his villa.
"Hello, sir. Can we help you with something?" Ethan asked, rolling down his car window.
The two men exchanged glances and then approached.
"Excuse me, are you Mr. Ethan Jones?" one of the men asked.
"Yeah," Ethan nodded. "Who are you?"
The affirmative response made them smile. Then, the man who had asked about Ethan's identity opened his briefcase and pulled out a business card, presenting it to Ethan. "Mr. Jones, we are lawyers from the California branch of Sidley Austin."
"On behalf of our client Milowa, we are here to deliver a subpoena and a copy of the lawsuit to you."
With that, he pulled out a document pouch from the briefcase and displayed it in front of Ethan. The transparent pouch allowed Ethan to clearly see the heading of the California Superior Court in San Francisco.
"I'm being sued?"
"And by Magnavox?"
"What the hell is this?"
Ethan looked puzzled.
TL Note:
Sharon Tate was famous, nominated for a Golden Globe, and was Roman Polanski's wife, the director of "The Pianist."
IEEE is the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and the Western Electronics Exhibition is organized by them, known for its academic nature rather than commercial.
In the United States, the serving of subpoenas differs from other places. It is considered a private act, usually handled by the plaintiff's lawyer. The methods of serving can vary, and direct visits like the one described in the text are common in the U.S.