I am a local in North America

Chapter 47 Time to Go Home After Work (4100 words, please read on! Please add to your favorites!)
Su Jierui didn't even look up, just gave his dad an OK sign.

His parents transferred the $6 reward to his account this afternoon.

What frustrated Su Jierui was that even though he had made a fortune, life was not as easy as it was when he was a poor student.

Every time he thought about how the huge prize money he won from participating in "Wilderness Solitary" was barely enough to pay the down payment for the beaver ranch after taxes, and that the funds for developing the underground gold mine and the ranch were still nowhere to be found, he felt a huge headache coming on.

More than once, Su Jierui even considered keeping it a secret for the time being and trying to mine gold himself using small machines or gold pans.

They would wait until they had earned enough start-up capital before announcing that there was a gold mine buried beneath the beaver ranch, and then begin large-scale mining.

It's theoretically feasible, but unfortunately, it also carries significant risks.

If discovered by relevant departments, or caught by the dreaded tax authorities, the outcome could not only be a huge fine, but also prosecution, and most likely, imprisonment.

He enjoys watching "Women's Prison" and "Prison Break," but has no interest in experiencing it firsthand.

After much thought, it seems that for now, I can only take it one step at a time and try to make some money through YouTube, fishing at sea, and other channels.

Su Jerry secretly planned that once the beaver ranch was initially developed, the income from the 1200-acre ranch itself could be used to make up for the loan repayment gap.

Thinking about his meager funds, he felt uneasy, mainly because even if he bought the beaver ranch, the initial investment in mining gold would be too large, possibly reaching several million dollars.

A while later.

Suddenly seeing a notification in the notification bar, Su Jierui realized that Qian Shuyao, his junior schoolmate, had just sent him a message.

She asked—

"Senior, you live in Seattle, which is so close to school! Could you tell me the best places to visit nearby? Is Glacier National Park in Montana worth visiting? ヾ(=ω=)o"

Su Jerry was still thinking about something when he casually replied—

"The United States is quite large. I've never been to that park. My school organized a trip to North Cascade National Park in Washington State before. It must be very beautiful in winter."

After sending the message, I felt it was a bit cold and lacked enthusiasm.

Then, Su Jerry replied.

"I've finished my work on the crab fishing boat. These past few days have been very exciting. You can check out the video I posted on YouTube in a couple of hours."

“I’ve booked a flight for tomorrow. If you’re not worried, I can show you around Seattle.”

"America is quite chaotic. You can easily wander into gang territory or a slum if you're not careful. It's best to go out with a few friends, and it's best not to come alone..."

Qian Shuyao quickly replied
"—Senior, you seem to have a really limited collection of emojis. I can give you some, do you want some? Or how about trying to download WeChat, the Chinese version of Facebook Messenger? I'll show you how to fly..."

"..."

Far away in Vancouver, Canada.

It's 10 p.m. local time.

Tall, fair-skinned, and beautiful, Qian Shuyao had already taken a shower after chatting with Su Jierui. Wearing a pink pajama with a strawberry pattern, she crawled into her dorm room and prepared to sleep.

She and her other roommate each have their own small room, so they don't disturb each other. The dormitory is decorated in a very cozy way, with plush toys everywhere.

Just as she was drifting off to sleep, she suddenly remembered the YouTube video Su Jierui had mentioned. Her sleepiness was instantly dispelled by curiosity, and Qian Shuyao abruptly sat up again.

The loose neckline of her pajamas slipped down, revealing her delicate collarbone and a patch of fair skin. Her large breasts, now unrestrained, swayed gently with Qian Shuyao's movements.

The pajamas she was wearing were clearly cute, but on her, they exuded a pure yet alluring charm, making her incredibly seductive.

Qian Shuyao turned the light back on, got out of bed, went to the small desk, and opened her laptop.

A new video, released just half an hour ago, is titled: "Crab fishing in the Bering Sea turns into treasure hunting? Opening the missing container reveals... (Episode 1)"

Qian Shuyao was so surprised that her mouth was slightly open. She quickly clicked to view the video content, which was 28 minutes long. She watched it slowly from beginning to end, and her mood fluctuated with the plot of the video.

While marveling at how colorful her senior's life was, Qian Shuyao scrolled down to check the comments section, likes, and number of views.

Since its release, it has garnered over 3 views and more than 260 comments, showing a very rapid growth momentum.

One Black man even made a crazy comment:
"Oh no!!!! Why did it suddenly disappear? Quick, open that damn container! I want to know what's inside!!!!"

Seeing that the comment had garnered hundreds of likes, Qian Shuyao couldn't help but laugh. After lying back down in bed, she finally couldn't contain her curiosity and messaged Su Jierui, asking—

"I watched that latest video. What exactly is inside the shipping container?"

"Please tell me in advance, I want to get a good night's sleep tonight."

"Also, Happy New Year in advance! 2020 is almost here..."

Su Jierui didn't reply. He was exhausted after a long day and lacked sleep. He went to sleep right after posting the video.

However, he didn't know.

Due to its immense popularity that evening, the latest video was prominently featured on the YouTube homepage.

His number of followers continued to soar, increasing by tens of thousands overnight.

Some self-media outlets, sensing the opportunity, rushed over, immediately starting to take screenshots and write articles, trying to grab traffic as quickly as possible.
Early the next morning.

Su Jierui had just woken up after sleeping for nearly 10 hours, his mind still a mess, when he discovered that his phone screen was filled with messages wishing him a Happy New Year.

My younger sister Su Yarou, older sister Su Yaxin, grandmother, and maternal grandmother all sent their greetings.

Tang Jie and others, who grew up with Su Jierui since childhood, also took some photos of him celebrating the New Year together at a bar.

So busy that he forgot the time, Su Jierui suddenly remembered that yesterday was the last day of 2019.

Lying down, he replied to everyone's messages, telling his family and friends that he would be going back tonight. Compared to the loneliness he felt while filming "Living Alone in the Wilderness," he felt incredibly happy now. This feeling of being cared for warmed his heart.

During the time I brush my teeth after getting up.

When Su Jierui opened the message sent by his junior schoolmate Qian Shuyao, he saw a long string of question marks asking where he had gone. He almost choked on the toothpaste foam and had to hold onto the sink and cough twice.

You can roughly guess a person's family situation by looking at their personality.

Judging from this junior's demeanor, she must be the kind of girl who has been pampered by her family since childhood. She is innocent, lively, and carefree, and chatting with her always makes him feel very comfortable. Her smile is harder to suppress than an AK.

He replied to Qian Shuyao's message, saying, "Happy New Year! I'm going home today. Sorry, I was exhausted yesterday and fell asleep very early, so I didn't see your message."

"There probably won't be time to continue editing the remaining videos today, but let me give you a heads-up: there are two vehicles in the container."

"A very expensive car, worth a total of $200 million, unfortunately it was soaked in seawater..."

After sending the message.

Seeing that there was no reply, Su Jierui tidied up the room, and as soon as he dragged his suitcase out of the door and came to the hotel corridor, he saw his parents chatting quietly.

Grandma Zhuang smiled broadly, gestured with her chin towards him, and said:
Happy New Year, Ari.

“Your dad and I discussed it and decided to send you to Unalasca Airport. It’s not safe for you to travel alone. Last year, a crab boat owner was robbed right after selling his catch. His whole family was tied to chairs in a restaurant. Luckily, no one was killed.”

"The news that we received the $10 bounty has spread like wildfire in the Aleutian Islands. Your father and I are worried that some people who didn't make money last year might target you..."

"...It can't be that bad. It's not like I won the Powerball lottery and got tens or hundreds of millions of dollars."

As soon as Su Jierui finished speaking, his mother immediately interrupted him, saying:
"Who told you to post so many videos online? I see a lot of people guessing you won the $100 million prize, and now with the bounty on top of that, plus our family has a crab fishing boat, what if people think kidnapping you is a really lucrative business?"

Su's father also chimed in from the side:
“Every time I go out at night, I always carry at least $20 in my pocket, otherwise I’m always walking around feeling anxious. Some people have been robbed and sent to meet their maker just because they didn’t have any money on them. The thought process of many people is simply incomprehensible.”

"...Alright, when are you going to set sail home? Everything's been taken care of?"

Grandma Zhuang replied:
"The crab season is over, we've already received the money, and the fishing grounds in the Bering Sea won't let us continue fishing. What else could happen?"

"Oh, right, only your container hasn't been processed yet."

“A container shipper who can afford that kind of truck must be very powerful, especially since he’s Russian. Remember to know when to stop and don’t offend him…”

It's just that the social atmosphere is full of danger, and the security and order around them are not very good. Su Jerry can understand why his parents developed such a cautious personality. This caution has almost become a survival instinct for Asian Americans.

In contrast, some international students during their undergraduate and graduate studies are really like little rabbits that have wandered into a wolf's den.

Seeing drug dealers making transactions on the street, even daring to take out their phones to take pictures, and even arguing and fighting with police officers patrolling the street, Su Jierui thought that this was simply a case of being tired of living and having too much time on one's hands.

After giving his mother a few perfunctory replies, Su Jierui grabbed his suitcase, closed the door, and went downstairs to the front desk to check out.

His mother stuffed the $100 deposit he had collected into his hand, telling him to buy some good food on the way home and to nourish himself when he got back.
After taking off from Unalaska Airport, we made a brief 50-minute stopover in snow-covered Alaska before continuing directly to Seattle. During the flight, I chatted intermittently with my junior from elementary school, Qian Shuyao.

As the plane broke through the clouds and landed smoothly on the runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, it was already getting dark.

More than three months later, Su Jerry returned to Seattle and was in a wonderful mood.

He carried his backpack and waited anxiously for a long time. After finally getting the suitcase he had borrowed from his mother, he couldn't wait to walk quickly towards the exit.

Before boarding the plane in Alaska, he called his sister, Su Yarou, who agreed to pick him up.

In the bustling crowd at the arrival hall, Su Jierui spotted his sister immediately.

He is handsome, and his sister is not bad-looking either.

Su Yarou has fair skin, wearing a white turtleneck sweater with a black coat, thin-rimmed glasses on her nose, and her hair only touches her shoulders, making her look very capable.

Since his sister went to MIT to study architecture, the brother and sister often only see each other once every few months.

At this moment, Su Jierui looked him up and down, then jokingly said:
"Why did you cut your hair so short? You look more mature than before. Are there any suitors for you in college?"

"Of course there are. They're annoying. You've seen The Big Bang Theory, right? There are nerds like that all over our school. Someone even sent me flowers with a robotic dog. I can't understand why he thinks that's romantic. As for my hair, I cut it because it's easier to manage."

Su Yarou pursed her lips, her tone a mix of exasperation and amusement.

Despite calling others bookworms, she herself is a top student, having won numerous scholarships throughout her life. In high school, she even gave a speech as a student representative at the graduation ceremony.

When they were little, Su Jierui was busy playing with his friends, while his sister preferred to quietly read books. She scored 1600 on the SAT, the American college entrance exam, because the maximum score on the SAT is 1600.

In contrast, Su Jierui only scored 1482 points, which was enough to apply to many good universities.

Taking the car keys from his sister, Su Jierui, carrying the suitcase, accompanied her outside and continued to ask:
When are you going back to school this time?

"Also, brother, I've recently struck it rich. Is there any gift you want? I can buy it for you."

"Help me come up with some ideas later, and buy a few more for my sister, grandparents, and maternal grandparents as well..."

Su Yarou nodded:
"I just bought a new computer last month because of the Thanksgiving sale. It's more powerful and easier for graphic design, but I don't need anything else."

As she spoke, she turned her head to look at Su Jierui carefully, and said softly:

"Brother, you seem to have lost a little weight, but not as much as I imagined. Is it fun living alone in the wild?"

"...The first ten days or so were quite fun, like playing a real-life version of an outdoor management game. But after a while it became torture. Every day was a blur, and I was just counting down the minutes. I felt like I was turning into a wild man."

Su Jerry recalled those days in the wilderness, his voice tinged with obvious weariness.

No sooner had he finished speaking than his sister pressed him for more information:
"You mentioned buying a ranch on the phone before? Our family has been fishermen for generations. Why are you changing careers? Have you already chosen one? Where is it?"

"There's a 1200-acre ranch on the Olympic Peninsula that I really like. I saw a promotional video posted by a real estate agent online."

Su Jierui put his index finger to his lips, making a secret gesture, and instructed:

"You better not let it slip that once I get the prize money, I'll try to buy it. I want to do it first and ask for permission later."

“My mom suggested I buy a house in downtown Seattle. I’ve lived here for so many years and I’m still not tired of it. I feel like a different lifestyle might suit me better.”

"Don't let the good stuff go to outsiders. I've arranged to meet a real estate agent in a few days to inspect the site. If my dream comes true and I successfully buy that seaside ranch, I'll give you the job of designing it to practice on. I hope you can become a master like the Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei..."

　Thanks to the Huya editors, I got featured on their social media platform!
　　That is, the line of text scrolling below the big promotion, which is said to be even rarer than the Three Rivers.

　　I've been writing for so many years, and I think I've only won twice. This is the third time, haha! I'll stay up all night and write more to celebrate.

　　The crab-catching season is over, time to go buy a ranch!

　　Keep up the good work! Thank you all for your support!
　　As for updates, I'll try to update as much as possible, around 5,000 to 6,000 words. I wrote over 9,000 today, otherwise the new book period will be over soon and I won't be able to arrange the next recommendations. I'll write more to make up for it after it's officially released.

　　(￣□￣)
　　

(End of this chapter)