The Sixth Section: A Chance Encounter

  Wang Yong was so scared that he wasn't clear-headed, and as soon as he sat down in the "chair" inside the monster, a huge force suddenly appeared and pressed him tightly into his seat (luckily, this seat was soft and fluffy). The trees by the roadside outside rushed backward at high speed! Poor Wang Yong had never seen such a crazy sprint at 60 miles per hour before, and he fortunately became the "Flying Man" of 1902 (although no one would acknowledge this title). At this time, Wang Yong grabbed the only seemingly secure armrest with fear, not moving, afraid that he would be suddenly thrown out.

  Long Jianming could fully understand the feeling of this fellow countryman who was sweating profusely and looked terrified, so he took the initiative to open his mouth. "Brother, I'm also Chinese, Long Jianming, from Taizhou Prefecture, Zhejiang Province. Don't be afraid, you won't fall off! This is actually not much different from riding a horse carriage. Rest assured, I guarantee that even if you want to fall off, it's impossible!" (Nonsense, the central control has already locked down)

  Wang Yong slowly came back to his senses, the experience of the past ten or so minutes was really too bizarre! Just now he was still fleeing for his life, but now he was inside a self-proclaimed "fellow creature"'s monster, rushing towards the distant mountain range at an unprecedented speed... However, the feeling of running on the road in the monster was indeed very refreshing!

  After repeatedly confirming that he was still alive and had no life-threatening injuries, Wang Yong finally put his mind at ease and began to talk with the "savior". After a round of "bookish" gratitude and thanks, the two people started a friendship that lasted for over 50 years...

  Long Jianming finally learned from Wang Dang's mouth that this relatively wide dirt road leads to San Francisco and Oakland; he also knew the bitter experience of his fellow countryman behind him and some information about Chinatown in San Francisco. For Long Jianming, this information was very important and would play a decisive role in his future development!

  Wang Yong also gradually became more natural, influenced by Confucian culture and national traditions, he unconsciously developed a submissive and curious attitude towards Long Jianming, the lifesaver, with too many questions swirling in his mind...

  Is this person really one of us? Why doesn't he have a queue?

  Who is pulling this carriage? It's running so fast! Much faster than those legendary cars!

  How can this monster car be so tightly sealed that not a speck of dust gets in? Outside, it's a world of swirling dust and sand! If it's really sealed so tightly, why don't I feel the least bit stifled or anxious?

  The front empty seat had something that was obviously a gun on it. The slate blue steel looked much better than the ones the Blakes had!

  The strange man and his strange car left Wang Yong's mind full of questions, in short, it was just two words - mysterious!

  "Wang brothers, I plan to make a name for myself in San Francisco and return to China with some prestige. I don't know if you're interested in helping me out, we're all compatriots after all, it would be great if you could lend a hand! I'm not familiar with this place (this time and space). Long Jianming didn't reveal his true thoughts, after all, for someone he had just met by chance, the real purpose of staying in San Francisco to develop his career was too shocking and unbelievable."

  Wang Yong was not familiar with San Francisco, he had only caught a glimpse of it when he landed on the shore over a year ago. He had heard that there was a Chinatown here, where many compatriots lived, and also some good men from the Tiandihui. His understanding of American society, including the Chinese community in America, was not as deep as Long Jianming's knowledge of history. In his simple heart, he only had the desire to exchange the small bag of unrefined gold on his waist for a ticket back to China. Now that "Mr. En" wanted him to help with some business in San Francisco, he found himself in a difficult situation! Wang Yong was not an ungrateful person, but he felt that as a useless scholar and a broken-down miner, he would be of little help to Long Jianming.

  "Brother Long (this title is still quite common), I don't know what kind of business you want to do, and I'm not very capable myself, so maybe I won't be able to help you with anything." Wang Duan hoped that Long Jianming would see that he was incapable and drop the matter.

  "Oh, that's right. I've been in the gold mining business for a few years in the US and have saved up some money. I plan to invest in machine manufacturing in San Francisco, making machines used in factories. China is backward because it can't make machines, that's why we're bullied by foreigners! Once I have some real power, I'll return home and start a factory, so China can also produce foreign guns and cannons, and those foreign devils won't dare to bully us anymore." Long Jianming took the opportunity to promote his theory, which would undoubtedly have a significant impact on Wang Yong, who had some education but was struggling in America.

  "Yes, Governor Zuo (Zuo Zongtang) had already set up a shipyard in Minhou to build Western-style machines. Brother Long, your idea is great! I think the things Americans make are indeed better than what we make ourselves. Even the machines at the shipyard were bought from Britain and France. If only we could make those machines!" Wang was getting excited, having been influenced by the traditional saying "Heaven, Earth, Emperor, Parents, Teachers"

  His education made him very sympathetic to Longjian's words, the bigwigs in the imperial court are all doing "foreign affairs"! I heard that a distant relative of mine was sent to study in England long ago, and by now he should have risen to prominence! Isn't what I'm doing with this benefactor also doing foreign affairs?!

  "Then you can rest assured to help me, at most one or two years, we can bring the career back home and return with glory. Isn't that much better than going back like this now?" After the grand righteousness came the temptation of small gains, Long Jianming's tactics couldn't tolerate Wang Yong, a miner and scholar, not being obedient.

  "But, Brother Long, I don't know how to make machines! I'm okay with calculations and things like that, but craftsmanship is not my strong suit. I'm afraid I won't be able to help you and will only cause trouble instead. Alas, a scholar is useless in a hundred ways!" Wang suddenly remembered his own identity after getting excited.

  Long Jianming took another good look at the long braid from the rearview mirror, and he was still satisfied with this "ignorant" guy in his heart. He wasn't afraid that others wouldn't understand, because the technology, craftsmanship, and ideas in his hands were hard to find many kindred spirits in this era. As long as Wang Yong knew he didn't understand and was willing to learn, it would be fine! It seemed that this person was relatively honest and trustworthy. "It's okay, not understanding can be learned, there's no such thing as innate knowledge, everything is learned, I'll teach you!"

  "Brother Long doesn't despise me, I must study hard!" Wang forgot that just a few hours ago he was still a miserable laborer with a bleak future without any bright colors.

  A Hummer was speeding down a deserted dirt road with two people inside, chatting enthusiastically. Wang Yong admired Long Jianming's vast knowledge and extensive experience, and it wasn't an exaggeration to describe his admiration as boundless. Long Jianming also deliberately added some revolutionary topics to the conversation, subtly influencing a young man who had received traditional Confucian education.

  At less than ten kilometers away from the old San Francisco, the Hummer with 8 cylinders and a capacity of 6400CC finally became a hungry horse. After drinking all the diesel in the fuel tank, spare oil tank and additional oil bucket, the hungry horse stopped weakly at the side of the road under the master's driving. The desolate roadside had no choice but to bring Wang Duan down with a 20L oil can, hoping to find someone or a factory nearby, anyway, they had to ask where there was diesel supply.

  The United States began drilling for oil in the 1860s, and petroleum products such as gasoline (light oil) and diesel fuel (heavy oil) were beginning to be used in the fledgling automotive industry and improving mechanized machinery. As long as a factory was found (as long as it wasn't too unlucky, finding one powered by coal-fired steam engines), diesel fuel could generally be found.

  The two cannot act separately, because poor Wang Yong only understands a few sentences of English. Long Jianming fully demonstrated the idol effect of young people in the new era, and fluent New York-accented American English will have a broad use. After walking about half a mile, we saw a large farm at the branch of the highway (dirt road), which looked particularly beautiful under the sunset (of course, there is the psychological expectation of finding diesel).

  Unfortunately, there was no one in the farmhouse...

  Disappointment - turn back - continue searching! The poor and lovely hungry horse is waiting for diesel in its belly! Can't bear to leave such a beautiful "horse" on the roadside overnight, right?

  Two people had just turned off the side road and onto the main road when a horse-drawn carriage came from afar, its horseshoes making a crisp "clip-clop" sound that was more melodious than heavenly music (due to psychological factors). The driver of the carriage was also handsome and charming. This white man in his 30s wore a straw hat and a somewhat wrinkled suit, and his body emitted a faint smell of alcohol. When the carriage was stopped by the two people in the dim light, the American gentleman was clearly very displeased. If Long Jianming and the other person hadn't changed their clothes beforehand, this American might have pulled out a gun from who-knows-which pocket and started shooting!

  "Sorry to disturb you, sir, but we need to bother you for two minutes. Excuse me, where is the nearest diesel supply around here?"

  It may have been Lung's New York accent that won over the gentleman, or perhaps it was because he was indeed a gentleman, despite having had a bit to drink and being somewhat displeased. His demeanor remained well-maintained nonetheless. "Diesel? You're sure it's diesel? We don't often hear people use that term around here. This stuff isn't usually used by anyone, but gentlemen, you're in luck - I just so happen to have a few barrels on hand. That one of yours can hold 5 gallons, right? I'll let you have it for $5." (At the time, a barrel of crude oil was worth only 25 cents.)

  Long Jianming didn't have the mood to haggle over prices at this time, getting the oil into H2's belly was the key point. As for how much money, that wasn't something to think about now! "Oh, great, sir! I also have a request, can you help me transport it with your horse carriage? I want to buy a big barrel, best if it's 20 gallons, and the price is completely up to your request."

  The gentleman driving the wagon was none other than the owner of the farm, and with the help of Long and Wang, a large barrel of kerosene was loaded onto the wagon. The kindly American gentleman gave the two men a ride to the Half Mile House, where he happily hummed a tune under the influence of liquor. Twenty gallons of kerosene would make these two New Yorkers a pretty penny, at least $10 in profit!

  "Are these two gentlemen Chinese or Japanese?" The gentleman finally noticed the "otherness" of the two people beside him. "I'm guessing you're Chinese. Sorry, forgot to introduce myself, Robert Whitney, ancestry from Wales."

  Long Jianming was astonished that in today's America there is actually someone who would show such friendliness towards Chinese people! This is unimaginable!

  "We are Chinese, I am Long Jianming, this is my friend Wang Yong, he doesn't speak English very well. Nice to meet you, Robert."

  "Ah, Mr. Long, I have many Chinese people in my factory, they are hardworking and simple, can bear hardships, I like them, and I like all Chinese people (because the wages of Chinese workers are the lowest)." Robert was still a thorough businessman, calculating how to sell more diesel to these two fools when he was stunned by what was in front of him! "Ah! God!! My God!!!"

  The horse carriage has arrived beside H2, Long Jianming jumped down from the carriage by himself and together with Wang Yong poured the oil in the barrel into the Hummer's fuel tank, letting that gentleman over there be shocked, stunned and ask for God's help.

  The gentleman had never seen anything like it, and from the glow of the gas lamps on the carriage he was certain that the bright yellow contraption was an "automobile". After Long Xiangming added oil to it and jumped in to start the engine, Gentleman Robert was even more convinced of his judgment. The earliest automobile in America was invented by Charles Duryea in 1893, known as the "Number One American Gasoline-Powered Automobile", after which many automobile companies emerged in the eastern United States, beginning to research and manufacture automobiles, but they were all extremely primitive until Henry Ford invented the Model T car in 1908, when cars officially entered the lives of Americans. Robert was a mechanical engineer with a great interest in automobiles, and today's encounter provided him with an opportunity to feast his eyes.