America: A Prodigy of Stereotypes

After not seeing him for several days, George immediately noticed the changes in Li Qun.

“A little taller than Peter,” George said.

“I get much more exercise every day than Peter does.”

George then squeezed Li Qun's upper arm muscles, which felt very firm.

“I’ll bring him back tonight, Jack. You don’t need to wait for Leon for dinner.”

"It's fine if you stay overnight. Do you want to take a few movie tapes with you?" the old man asked with a smile.

"Good suggestion, but we'll have to wait until next time."

"See you tonight," Dad said, waving.

Li Qun got into George's Ford Explorer and sat in the back seat with Peter.

"Where is our destination?" Li Qun asked.

“It’s a niche used car dealership, we don’t have a huge selection, but you’ll like it, at least I do,” George said to the three children in the car.

“He said that because the used car he buys will be registered in his name first, and then transferred to me after I come of age,” Gwen said from the passenger seat.

“It won’t take long, just over a year,” George said.

George drove around in circles before finally stopping in a rather secluded spot.

The four people got off the bus. Li Qun subtly observed the area and concluded that everyone there seemed to be Russian, a judgment based on stereotypes.

Li Qun scratched his hair, trying to look less like a bookworm and blend into the gloomy atmosphere of the scene.

A burly Russian man with a bald head, a full beard, a neck tattoo, and wearing a leather jacket walked up to George Stacy, greeted him in a friendly manner with a serious expression, and the two shook hands firmly.

Russians don't laugh much, and even living in America, where fake smiles are everywhere, hasn't changed their tradition of not liking to laugh.

“Come on, let’s go check the car,” George said to the three children.

It wasn't very noticeable from the outside, but once inside, Li Qun discovered that it was an indoor parking lot and repair shop, with many people working shirtless, their arms and backs covered in tattoos.

Li Qun inwardly marveled at George's audacity in bringing the three minors into this gray area.

Seeing that the bald, burly man, who appeared to be the manager of the car dealership, was very polite to George, Li Qun speculated that the dealership was probably not involved in Mafia criminal activities.

But these are all just speculations in Li Qun's mind.

"Follow me, this way."

The five people took the elevator to the dimly lit second floor of the indoor parking lot.

“These cars have only been partially modified, and they are all registered with the vehicle management office, so they are completely legal and compliant.” The Russian man spoke with a Russian accent, but his words were still clear to the group.

George gave the Russian man a thumbs-up, and the Russian man nodded, standing beside them with his arms crossed, watching them choose a car.

"Dad, do I need to pick out a car to go home today?" Gwen asked softly, while secretly observing the bald Russian man watching them.

"You think he's fierce?"

“Makarov, my daughter thinks you’re very fierce,” George shouted at the man named Makarov.

"Ha, that's right, I am indeed a fierce Slav."

Makarov laughed, but his expression became even more ferocious.

Peter's gaze swept over the used cars in the parking lot, all of which showed signs of modification. These cars had common features: the suspensions were raised slightly, the wheels and tires were not original, and their appearance exuded a sense of power.

"awesome."

Peter's eyes were somewhat fascinated; he liked several of the modified sports cars.

“Child, you understand.” Makarov looked at Peter.

Gwen strode toward a black Chrysler minivan.

It's a minivan, also known as a small multi-purpose family van, which is currently a very popular model in Europe. It was first designed and launched into the automotive market by Chrysler.

Gwen still can't forget her mobile base vehicle.

"That's it."

Gwen patted the car's sliding door.

“Are you sure? This car looks rather boring and lacks personality,” Makarov said to Gwen with a stern face.

“But it’s very practical and incredibly convenient,” Gwen said.

"Are you all going to listen to her? If you've decided on this car, I'll give you a 20% discount." Makarov looked at the three men present.

"Why is it 20% off?" George asked.

"Nobody who comes to me is interested in this car. Whose opinion is it that it's unoriginal and boring?"

"I'll go find the car keys."

Makarov went down the stairs and quickly returned with his car keys.

"Do you need to become a member? You can get a discount when you come to get your car repaired," Makarov asked the four people in the car as he got in.

“Let’s look at the car first,” George said.

"OK, I'll take you guys out for a spin."

Makarov started the car, drove it out of the indoor parking lot, and skillfully drove the black minivan with unparalleled smoothness, speeding around the suburbs of New York City.

Auto repair shops modifying vehicles can generate a lot of noise, so both auto shops and repair shops are located on the outskirts of the city.

The engine was never replaced, and Makarov and his mechanics adjusted every part of the car to what they considered its best condition.

After returning the car to the dealership and parking it, the four of them experienced it firsthand and all thought it was excellent, so they decided to buy the car.

Gwen swiped her card to pay the deposit, and Makarov smiled once again.

"It will be done within five days."

"So fast?" Li Qun exclaimed in surprise.

“We are professionals,” Makarov said.

"Don't ask," George whispered to Li Qun.

Back in George's Ford Explorer, Peter, Gwen, and Li Qun remained silent, while George kept talking, trying to liven things up.

As George drove onto the Brooklyn Bridge and headed toward Manhattan, Gwen asked her father, George, a question that seemed to puzzle her.

"Is it safe for us to buy their used cars? Why are they so much more expensive than at regular dealerships?" Gwen asked.

"The car is absolutely fine, with no accident history or conflicts of interest. The price issue is out of respect for their skills. Among the repair shops I know, Makarov and his team are among the top five in New York."

George didn't go into too much detail.

The car that was shot too badly at the police station was secretly repaired by Makarov's repair shop. With this little trick, the police station still paid for the repairs. They had an unofficial technical cooperation relationship.

There are too many weirdos in New York, and the New York police force needs to evolve in tandem.

Parking was scarce in Manhattan, so George found a spot but didn't drive any further, and the four of them walked around Manhattan instead.

“Today, we can go to any restaurant except those that require reservations.” George was walking backwards and almost bumped into a passerby.

Be careful!

"Feel sorry."

Walking through a dark alley between tall buildings, they found a homeless man with long hair and a beard fighting with a tall, burly Mexican man.

George ignored the two men and gestured to Li Qun, Peter, and Gwen to mind their own business, then quickly walked away.

After the four people walked more than ten meters away, Gwen couldn't understand why George had ignored the two people fighting, so she asked George a question again.

"Dad, aren't you a policeman?"

"I'm on vacation."

“You can call the police,” Gwen said.

“We can only catch the poor homeless, we can’t catch the other person, and it will be a waste of police resources.” George shook his head.

“What if you go and pull them apart?” Gwen asked again.

“One of them might have a gun, and I could be dead.” George shook his head again.

“Gwen, my father also warned me not to act as a hero without a plan, and not to even consider it if I don’t have the ability to protect myself.”

“Leon is right, and if you help, you’re more likely to become a defendant in court and be sent to jail for intentional assault.”

“Gwen, ordinary people don’t have law enforcement power. Even police officers can become defendants during law enforcement,” George said earnestly to Gwen.

“Let’s go back and take a look,” Gwen said.

"Ok."

Li Qun and George walked ahead, protecting the weak Peter and Gwen. Peter was pondering what George Stacy had just said.

Only a minute or two after I left, the street fight between the homeless man and the Mexican man was over.

The Mexican man, bruised and swollen, was knocked unconscious on the ground, while the homeless man was nowhere to be seen, only a trail of footprints left on the ground leading into the dark depths of the alley.

"He was unlucky; he picked the wrong opponent," Li Qun remarked.

George had a more professional eye for observation. He keenly noticed disassembled handgun parts in the corner and a switchblade next to the pile of garbage. Based on the friction marks left at the scene, he deduced the entire process of the fight between the two men, with the homeless man having the upper hand throughout.

George guessed that the homeless man was probably a veteran who disarmed the Mexican immediately upon the attack, quickly disassembling his pistol, while the homeless man knocked away the switchblade he had just pulled out.

"Should we call an ambulance for this person?" Gwen asked very kindly.

"Don't meddle in other people's business," George cautioned.

Later, Li Qun also discovered the weapons and equipment that the unfortunate Mexican had dropped on the ground.

Li Qun looked at George, and George and Li Qun exchanged a glance, understanding each other without saying a word.

Don't underestimate the homeless on the streets of New York.

Chapter 4: Is the process or the result more important?

Pan-fried steak is a classic and iconic Western dish, and George chose to have dinner with his three children at a steakhouse.

In bustling Manhattan, most restaurants close at 10:30 p.m. After the restaurants close, homeless people lurking in various corners will appear next to the garbage cans in the back alleys of the restaurants, rummaging through the garbage cans for fresh food.