The town was not very big, so news traveled quickly. When Link arrived at Sheldon's house, Coach George asked about it too, but Link did not reveal anything. He only said that the autopsy was still underway and that they could not determine whether it had been drowning or murder.
Just then, Sheldon came over, so Coach George did not ask any further questions.
Link casually asked, "What have you been busy with lately, Sheldon?"
"Actually, Dr. Sturgis and I have been arguing over a mathematical problem recently. It concerns calculating magnetic fields in Quantum Chromodynamics units.
"Dr. Sturgis believes that Maxwell's Equations are the only method, but he overlooked energy density. That requires knowing the magnetic permeability of free space and natural units. I assumed an electric field, but I still need..."
If Link had heard Sheldon talking about this a year or two ago, he would have thought it was nothing more than incomprehensible gibberish. Now, while he could not easily complete the relevant calculations himself, he had no trouble understanding them.
So after patiently listening to Sheldon finish, he considered it carefully for quite a while before saying, "Well, although it is difficult for me to make a completely accurate judgment at my level, I think there is nothing wrong with your method."
"Excellent. It seems I need to have a proper talk with Dr. Sturgis."
After saying that, Sheldon went into the living room to make a call. Link followed him in and happened to see Sheldon's twin sister, Missy, watching TV in a baseball uniform.
Seeing that, Link asked, "Missy, did you join the baseball team?"
"That's right."
"But I remember there isn't a girls' baseball team around here, is there?"
"That's right. The coach said he would not accept girls, but after my grandma talked to him, he agreed to let me join. And now he's my grandma's boyfriend."
"Okay, then how does it feel?"
"Not bad. After the coach warned the other players, they behaved themselves much better. But during one game, a boy still deliberately threw the ball at my head."
"Boys that age really do like picking on girls."
"It was nothing. Ever since I pinned him to the ground and made him eat dirt, those guys have been much better behaved."
"Wow, I have to say, you did a great job, Missy."
"Thanks." Missy nodded, then glanced at Sheldon, who was calling Dr. Sturgis to prepare for an argument. "Did you know? I heard on the baseball team that a lot of people see you as their idol, because you are the best pitcher and hitter in town."
"Thanks. Actually, I still play baseball now."
"I heard. Coach Badra said he watched one of your games. If your teammates had not all been useless, maybe your baseball team would not have finished only third.
"He still regrets that you did not become a professional baseball player. He said that if you had gone pro, you would at least have become a multimillionaire instead of a pitiful scientist still paying off student loans ten years after graduating from college."
"Well, what I want to say is that many scientists, if they find the right way, can earn far more money than a pitiful ballplayer."
"Really? Then why have I heard that star players are all richer than scientists?"
Link was wondering how to answer when Little George came back from outside. Spotting Link, he immediately said, "Hey, Link. Ever since you transferred schools, we hardly ever see you around anymore. How have you been lately?"
"I just finished the ACT and SAT. If nothing unexpected happens, I'll be going to the California Institute of Technology in a few months."
"California Institute of Technology? Is that in California?"
Missy said, "Of course it's in California. Otherwise, why would it be called the California Institute of Technology?"
"I know, Missy." Little George glared at her, then looked back at Link. After hesitating slightly, he finally said, "By the way, Link, I remember you invested in one of Sheldon's projects, right? And you spent more than two thousand US Dollars, didn't you?"
"Yes, and it was a very worthwhile investment." Link said, "I believe he'll make me a multimillionaire in the future."
Little George and Missy clearly did not believe him. Missy said bluntly, "I don't think whatever Sheldon is researching will be useful. Maybe you should try moving Sheldon's computer back home to recover part of your investment."
Sheldon, who had just hung up, immediately said after hearing that, "Missy, my rocket recovery technology is an invention ahead of its time. NASA's..."
"Alright, we all know that. Missy was just talking nonsense." Little George did not want Sheldon to continue, so he hurriedly said, "Link, since you like investing so much, are you interested in investing in my project?"
"Tell me about it first."
"This, Texas Snowball." Little George took something out of the bag he was carrying. "The boutique nearby is going out of business. These things sell for one US Dollar each, but I can sell them for five US Dollars. It's practically a money printer."
Coach George, who had been watching the game beside them the whole time, finally could not help saying, "Aren't you worried about why the store selling these things is going out of business?"
"You have no vision."
"Then please do not keep me from watching TV."
Ignoring Coach George, Little George continued speaking to Link. "So, what do you think? Do you want to invest in me?"
At that moment, Link recalled the plot. Little George was not much of a student, but he seemed to be a genius at sales.
In The Big Bang Theory, after Sheldon was fourteen and Coach George passed away, Little George took on the family's responsibilities and, entirely through his own efforts, came to own a very successful tire shop.
The Sheldon family was very poor, and Americans generally had no habit of saving money. For Little George to achieve all that was already extremely impressive.
If he were given a higher starting point, perhaps he could become even more successful. Link would certainly need talented salespeople under him in the future, so perhaps he could give him an opportunity.
Seeing that Link had been thinking for quite a while, Little George finally could not help asking, "So? Do you want to invest in me?"
"Your business is too small for me. A profit of one or two hundred US Dollars is not worth my attention, but we can make an agreement."
"An agreement?"
"Yes. If you can sell more than fifty Texas Snowballs, then after you graduate from high school, I can introduce you to a job with an annual salary of more than one hundred thousand US Dollars."
"More than one hundred thousand US Dollars a year? You're not lying to me, are you? Can you earn one hundred thousand US Dollars a year yourself?"
"I know it's hard for you to believe right now." Link shrugged. "You only need to remember my promise. When you need that position, you can come find me. And I guarantee that as long as you are capable, one hundred thousand US Dollars will only be the most basic compensation."
"Alright..." Little George shook his head, still not really believing Link's words, but he continued, "Since you don't care about this investment and you don't lack money to invest, then obviously you can give it a try. We're friends, right?"
"Heh, it seems you already possess the first quality needed for successful sales." Link smiled. "For the sake of our friendship, I can invest fifty US Dollars in you, but I get half the profits."
"No problem. Deal."
"Deal."
Before you continue