American TV series: Starting with exploiting young Sheldon

“No, you’re too young. You’ve never been away from home alone before, so you have no idea how difficult it is to take care of yourself. Besides, Columbia is too far away…” Mary’s attitude was firm.

The thought of her youngest son going to school so far away made Mary feel very uneasy.

"Maybe Shirley could go to the University of Texas where John is, and get used to college life." Seeing that the Cooper family was about to start arguing, Grandma Connie suggested a compromise.

Chapter 259 Buying a Car

Since the university hasn't officially started its summer break yet, Sheldon could go to the University of Texas first and try to experience what it's like to live independently.

Moreover, Professor John teaches at the University of Texas, so he can also help look after Sheldon.

Therefore, Grandma Connie's suggestion can be considered a good idea.

After another round of discussion, Mary reluctantly agreed to her youngest son's suggestion to go to the University of Texas to experience college life.

Of course, this is on the premise that Sheldon can take good care of himself over there; otherwise, Mary might personally go and bring him back at any time.

After all, the University of Texas is not far from the town of Deford, only a little over an hour's drive away.

"Great! I can finally go to college!" After receiving his mother's permission, young Sheldon pulled out his University of Texas acceptance letter and cheered.

Professor John's research project, which is expected to win the Nobel Prize, is about to be finalized. Young Sheldon's trip there will serve two purposes: he can learn university knowledge, and he can also help Professor John.

Driven by these dual temptations, young Sheldon longed to attend the University of Texas, a college that wasn't ranked very high.

He's even considering how to collaborate with Professor John to win next year's Nobel Prize.

Once Sheldon's schooling was settled, the atmosphere at the Cooper family's dinner table eased.

"George, how's the car thing going?" Mike asked, seizing the opportunity to inquire about the used car.

“Dell has a Dodge pickup truck that’s about 70-80% new and he’s asking for 10,000 US dollars…” After introducing the used car, George continued, “Mike, you can actually take my car back; I don’t need it for a while anyway.”

Although I knew Mike had made some money, considering that he was still a student, it would be a bit wasteful to spend 10,000 US dollars on a car.

What's more, he already owned a red Ferrari sports car.

Since it was summer vacation and George didn't have to work or go out, he didn't mind lending Mike his old Ford.

"Come on, George. Your old car is practically falling apart." Connie's grandmother, who had been listening to Mike and George's discussion, rolled her eyes and said, "Mike, you can drive my Chevrolet. Quality guaranteed, and the horsepower is absolutely powerful."

"Of course, in exchange, you need to lend your Ferrari to Grandma for a few days..."

Mike's red Ferrari is definitely a high-end car in the small town of Deford; it's very eye-catching, and Grandma Connie has wanted to try it out for a long time.

"Forget it, I'd better go check on that pickup truck first." Mike, whose face had been hit by the abacus beads, refused Grandma Connie's suggestion.

Connie's grandma's Chevrolet is also quite old, and not much better than George's old car.

Mike, who isn't short of money these days, decided to buy a suitable used car for transportation just to be on the safe side.

The next morning, while Mary and Connie's grandmother were driving Sheldon to the University of Texas, Mike was also driving his Ferrari with George and others to the sporting goods store in town.

Yes, the person selling this used car is none other than the owner of Dell, the sporting goods company.

"Look who's here!" In front of the sporting goods store, Dell, the owner and also a football enthusiast, warmly welcomed Mike.

Thanks to the newspaper's recent publicity, Mike is now very popular in Deford.

Dell's owner even put up posters of Michael in his own sporting goods stores as a selling point.

After all, the latter had previously bought protective gear from this store.

After exchanging pleasantries, Dale led Mike and his group to his pickup truck, indicating that Mike could take it for a test drive.

That's the good thing about doing business with acquaintances; everything is negotiable.

Mike then tried driving the Dodge pickup truck, experiencing its performance and checking the mileage.

Just as George said, the car is about 70-80% new, and the driving experience is quite good.

Next, we'll discuss the price.

Sensing that Mike intended to buy a car, George spoke first: "Dell, how about a discounted price of five thousand US dollars?"

“Impossible! You’ve all seen how new and old this car is. Five thousand dollars is too little…” As if his major artery had been slashed, Boss Dell shook his head, indicating that he could not accept the price offered by George.

Cutting the price in half right off the bat is indeed a bit ruthless.

“How about we add a little more, six thousand?” George continued, playing the emotional card: “This car is for Mike, he’s still a student, he can’t afford it if it’s too expensive.”

"No, no, no, six thousand is still too little." Dell's boss paused for a moment and said, "Because we're acquaintances, I can give you a discount. How about nine thousand? This car is worth that price."

"Mike, what do you think?" George, having failed to win over Mike with his emotional appeal, handed the initiative back to Mike.

“This car is really nice…” Mike first confirmed his intention to buy the car, then looked at Mr. Dell and said, “Eight thousand is the price. If that’s okay, I’ll pay now.”

The buying and selling of used cars is all about mutual consent, and prices often fluctuate greatly.

Dell's boss's used Dodge, priced at 8,000 US dollars, is a reasonable price and won't cause him much of a loss.

"Okay, eight thousand it is~"

Upon hearing Mike's decisive offer, Dell's boss didn't hesitate for long, considering it a favor to Mike, and readily agreed to the deal.

After paying by card, Mike successfully got his second car – a Dodge pickup truck that was about 70-80% new.

"Mike, can I drive this pickup truck?" George asked expectantly after the transaction was completed.

His eyes were practically gleaming as he stared at Dodge in front of him.

A few days ago, George Jr. also celebrated his sixteenth birthday and gained the legal right to drive a vehicle.

Here, anyone over sixteen years old can drive on the road with the supervision of an experienced driver, even without a driver's license.

“Of course, you can drive it around if you want.” Seeing the expectant look in the other person’s eyes, Mike agreed to his request.

It's just a car for getting around, nothing special.

"That's great! Thank you, Mike." Little George excitedly tried to hug Mike, but was stopped by the latter without feeling embarrassed.

Afterwards, he invited his father to accompany him, and they excitedly drove the Dodge around town for a spin.

“Let’s go, let’s take a look around the town’s main shopping street.” After planning the rest of the trip, Mike looked at Peggy and asked, “Are your parents sure they won’t be picking you up until noon?”

“Yes, we spoke on the phone before,” Peggy replied.

"That's good. We still have time, so let's go for a stroll." Mike gestured for Peggy and Missy to get in the car, and the three of them drove slowly to the shopping street.

The car purchase went very smoothly, giving Mike plenty of time to take the two girls shopping.

More than an hour later, the two little girls, carrying a snack gift bag in one hand and a fruit-flavored ice cream in the other, boarded a car and started their journey home.

To be honest, Mike miscalculated a bit; the weather was too hot today and not suitable for spending much time outdoors.

Later, when the three returned to Connie's grandmother's house, Peggy's parents hadn't arrived yet. George and his son, who had gone for a drive across the street, also hadn't returned.

So Mike told the two little girls to go to their room to rest, while he prepared to start making lunch.

Just then, Peggy's parents and her sister arrived.

Then, with Mrs. Linda's help, everyone enjoyed a hearty lunch. Afterwards, Mike and Missy watched Peggy's family leave.

According to Mr. Barry, his family was indeed going on a summer trip after dinner.

Chapter 260 Vacation Invitation

"Mike, when are you planning to leave?"

At the Cooper family's dinner table, little George asked.

"Tomorrow morning." Having gotten his new car, Mike naturally wanted to get back as soon as possible so he could get his hands on the inheritance without feeling at ease.

"Awesome!"

However, little George seemed to have misunderstood something; he thought that Mike's trip back was just a simple road trip.

Still excited from the test drive, little George continued with interest, "I wonder what kind of car I can buy with the money I have. I also want to take advantage of this summer vacation to broaden my horizons..."

George earned some money from selling snow globes last Christmas. Combined with his usual allowance, he probably has around three thousand US dollars.

Seeing that Mike was going to do something so cool like a road trip, he couldn't sit still any longer.

Therefore, little George also plans to buy a car and take a road trip that sounds really cool.

Next, he excitedly discussed the type of used car he wanted to buy.

Three thousand US dollars isn't a lot, but it's enough to buy a used car.

If you're lucky, you might be able to buy a used pickup truck that's about 50-60% new, or a no-name SUV or something.

"That's enough, little George. You don't even have a driver's license yet, we can talk about buying a car later." Mary, who was already in a bad mood because of her youngest son's departure, felt inexplicably irritated when she heard her eldest son's topic of conversation.

“I’ve already asked Robin to help me with the driver’s license, and I should be able to get it in the next couple of days. Now all I need is a car…” Little George, lost in his daydreams about a road trip, didn’t notice his mother’s unusual mood.

They were still talking about the car and the road trip.

Robin is Pastor Jeff's second wife and works in the transportation department. Getting her to help with getting a driver's license would be very convenient and quick.

Mike's current driver's license was obtained with the help of someone using inside connections.

“Don’t mention the car again. You’re not allowed to go anywhere this summer.” Mary didn’t care about the driver’s license or the car. As a mother, she stubbornly refused to accept that her child would have to leave her side.

This feeling is something that almost every mother has experienced.

"This is about the car..." Little George still didn't understand what his mother was going crazy about, but given her long-standing authority, although he was dissatisfied, he only dared to mutter a few words in a low voice.

……

"Mike, have you finished all the preparations for the trip?" Connie's grandmother asked with concern on the way back after dinner.

"Everything's ready. We just need to buy some supplies for the road tomorrow," Mike replied.

There's not much to prepare when traveling alone. Just bring two sets of clothes to change into and some food and drinks along the way, and you're all set.

"Get some rest, be careful on the road, and remember to call me anytime if anything happens..."

Back home, Connie's grandmother was still giving Mike instructions about his trip.

Perhaps it was because of seeing Mike and Peggy leave one after another that Grandma Connie, who had come to regard them as family, seemed a little downcast.

"Okay, I got it. You should get some rest too..." Mike accepted the other person's concern, and at the same time took out the Ferrari car keys and said, "Also, while I'm gone, could you please look after my Ferrari for a few days?"

“OK, I’ll drive the Ferrari… I’ll take care of it, and I guarantee there won’t be any problems…” Grandma Connie’s mood suddenly improved as she touched the Ferrari’s keys.

Seeing this, Mike smiled and shook his head, then went to the bathroom to wash up briefly before returning to his room to rest.

Just as he was drifting off to sleep, he received a call from Collins.

“Collins, what brings you here so late?” Mike asked.

Since Mike and Collins spoke on the phone with Sean's help, they've been in contact more and more frequently in the days that followed.

Both online chat and phone chat are available.

This was the first time I'd ever received a call from a girl this late.

"Mike, you know my brother received an acceptance letter from the University of Mississippi, right?" Collins asked tentatively.

The girl had mentioned in their previous conversations that Michael, a big guy, had managed to get a college acceptance letter with a barely passing grade.

Moreover, Mike also knew that Collins had also received an acceptance letter from the University of Mississippi this year with excellent grades.

Unlike those admitted through special sports programs, the girl easily gained admission to the highly popular major of financial management at the university.

"You told me about this before, so what?" Mike couldn't figure out the girl's intentions from the stammering tone on the phone.

“Because both Michael and I got into the University of Mississippi, my father is planning a family vacation to Hawaii to celebrate…” He paused here, then, as if gathering his courage, invited, “I’d like to invite you to join us on vacation. Do you have time?”

Sunshine, beach, girl...

This is indeed a good opportunity to bring us closer together.

Moreover, Collins is a very nice girl; she's well-mannered, intelligent, and, most importantly, very beautiful.

Plus, her family is very wealthy, she's a real gem.

Mike wasn't stupid; during their previous conversations, he had clearly sensed the girl's special feelings.

Unfortunately, Mike has more important things to do than a vacation this summer.

“Sorry, Collins. I'm planning to go back to Minnesota soon, so I'm afraid we won't be able to go on vacation together.” After explaining the reason, Mike said softly, “Have a great vacation with your family!”

"Well, okay. You go ahead and do your thing, we'll meet up again sometime..." Collins' voice revealed a deep sense of disappointment.