Gold Rush Starts in the Bering Sea

"Albert, Dad, let's talk about it. I'm sure you'll agree. I..."

Jason followed Albert around, showering him with compliments and a big smile, acting like he was relentlessly pursuing him.

"Forget about it, kid."

Albert, with a cigar in his mouth, ignored Jason's words and walked towards the house ahead on his own.

"Listen to me, I can guarantee it, you can rest assured. After all the equipment is installed, this will be another source of income for the family. I'm thinking about our family."

Jason spoke with an air of self-righteous indignation, claiming he was acting in the best interests of his family.

Albert stopped and stood under the eaves of the porch. He brushed the snowflakes off his shoulders, glanced at Jason, took a deep drag on his cigar, exhaled, and turned to leave.

"You have to believe me, I'm telling the truth, I..."

Jason kept talking, but Albert ignored him and didn't stop walking.

Once inside, Jason changed into slippers and followed closely behind, never stopping.

"Lillian, wife, you need to control Jason!" Albert finally couldn't take it anymore and shouted.

"What's wrong? What's Jason up to this time?"

A blonde woman, dressed in casual clothes and with light makeup, poked her head out of the kitchen and asked with a smile.

The speaker was Jason's mother, Lillian, from whom the money-making ship, the Lillian, got its name.

"Jason actually wants to go gold mining!"

Albert looked helpless and pointed at Jason.

"What?! You actually want to go gold panning?!"

A girl with messy hair popped her head out from behind the sofa, looking shocked.

Lillian also took off her apron and came out of the kitchen, looking her son up and down with surprise on her face.

She knew her second son very well. Although he had never caused any major trouble since he was a child, he was always getting into trouble with small things. If there was one thing he was particularly opposed to, it was gold panning!

But what did she hear? Her son was actually going to pan for gold?!

"Jason, did Albert say something wrong just now?"

To be sure, Lillian asked again.

"No, Mom, you heard me right. I'm planning to go gold panning," Jason replied earnestly.

"Mom, Jason's gone mad?!"

A surprised and shocked voice came from the girl behind the sofa.

The speaker is Jason's younger sister, a thirteen-year-old girl named Allie Wilson.

"Ellie, don't speak!" Lillian said sternly.

She could tell from her son's eyes that this was no joke, but she couldn't understand what had happened to cause such a big change in him.

Could it be that he/she has broken up with his/her boyfriend/girlfriend?

Lillian pulled Jason to sit on the sofa and said gently, "Jason, sit down and tell me why you want to go prospecting for gold."

Jason was speechless. What else was there to say? It was all about the money.

"Making money"

As Ellie looked on with envy, Lillian pulled out a wad of cash and handed it to Jason: "Jason, Mom is giving you some money, but you need to tell me the real reason why you want to go gold panning."

Jason looked at the stack of cash and secretly estimated it to be no less than three thousand US dollars, but he still pushed it back.

"I'm an adult now, and you all know I'm not cut out for college. But here in the Bering Sea, is there anything more lucrative than panning for gold?"

"I must plan for my own life!"

Jason looked serious and earnest.

Lillian nodded, a look of satisfaction on her face, as if to say, "My son has grown up." "Okay, you can go to the ship with your father and brother to learn first. Your father will pay you a salary. When you are old enough to make your own decisions, you and Ada will take over the family business."

Jason shook his head repeatedly, saying, "No, I'm not talking about the family business; I want my own business."

Lillian frowned and said seriously, "Jason, gold mining isn't as simple as you think!"

"Many prospectors come to the Bering Sea every year, but very few actually manage to find gold and make money. Moreover, many people die on the Bering Sea every year."

"Besides, gold panning isn't something you can just find anywhere and dig for gold. There's ship maintenance, equipment maintenance, diving, all sorts of precautions needed when using equipment underwater, and so on."

"Jason, are you aware of all this?"

"I'm really happy that you want to strike it rich and plan your own life, but only if you don't act recklessly like a brute. You need to study hard."

Lily spoke quietly, analyzing the situation for Jason from the basics to the deeper levels. Although she didn't understand what had happened to her son, it was all for the best.

Jason looked helpless. Indeed, what he said made a lot of sense, but it didn't apply to his own situation.

The "golden finger" technique is something that absolutely cannot be revealed; no one can say it.

But the current situation is stark: he has no money, not a single penny on hand. He wants to strike it rich, but this back-and-forth analysis has almost shut him up.

"Mom, I know all that. I was born into this family, after all. I do know a thing or two about gold mining."

"I really want to try it myself now. I'm still young, and I can handle it even if I fail!"

"Besides, we still have a money-making boat at home. It's just sitting there doing nothing. Why not let me try it out? Even if I fail, we can still rent it out and it can bring in some income for the family in the future."

Jason argued his case logically and continued to analyze the situation.

Having my own special abilities, I absolutely cannot follow my mother's instructions step by step.

He also figured it out: the Bering Sea was the shortest route for him, but not the only one. If all else failed, he would go to Australia!

"Okay," Lillian nodded, seeing the determination in Jason's eyes.

"But let's make this clear first: you absolutely cannot go into the deep waters; you can only pan for gold in the nearshore area!"

Compared to gold mining, Lillian cared more about her son's safety.

Jason nodded repeatedly. He did want to make money, but only if his own safety was guaranteed.

"In that case, let's eat first, and then we'll find someone to reassemble the Lillian!" Lillian made the decision decisively.

Albert nodded without saying anything more, only frowning slightly.

Ellie sat on the sofa, looking surprised, but due to her mother's authority, she just pursed her lips and said nothing.

Ada also rushed back during dinner and, upon hearing her brother's decision, kept trying to persuade him.

Jason nodded while disagreeing.

This is the fastest way I can earn my first pot of gold after thinking it through, and I absolutely cannot miss this opportunity!

Moreover, it was all done with good intentions, without any malicious intent.

After dinner, Albert was on the phone, contacting people.

The mother, Lillian, sat on the sofa in the living room, wearing glasses, writing and drawing in a notebook, with a calculator next to her.

Ada and Ellie, meanwhile, were snuggled up on the sofa, laughing heartily at the TV program.

Jason went back to his room, lay on the bed, and clenched his fists tightly against the ceiling.

Live this life to the fullest!