50s: Starting with a storage ring

Chapter 529 Celebration
"Really? That's great! How much are you planning to give me, Boss?"

"How about 20%? That way you can earn a million dollars a year. My only requirement is that you don't quit and help me take care of the store."

"No problem, Boss. With such good treatment from you, how could I possibly leave? Don't worry, I manage things very well even when you're not around."

After the two made their decision, Sun Zhiwei watched as Belinda happily returned to the bar next door, while he himself sat in the bar and drank another glass in a daze.

Three days later, Sun Zhiwei returned to his home in New York. It happened to be the United States' National Day, and the streets were particularly lively.

Upon learning of his return, Ms. Daisy from the HOA visited him to invite him to a community celebration.

The event mainly consisted of a community parade, sports competitions, and an evening outdoor barbecue and fireworks display.

Sun Zhiwei naturally wouldn't refuse. After paying the money and seeing Ms. Daisy off, he changed into a floral shirt and shorts, a straw hat and sneakers, and then went out with his camera.

The parade is about to begin, and the neighbors in the community have spontaneously formed different groups. Some are for pets, some are for children, and some have even decorated their floats in advance.

The entire parade was basically just a walk around the neighborhood, everyone just having fun.

However, the HOA still responsibly reported the incident to the police station. Sun Zhiwei also saw a police car parked next to them, and two police officers got out of the car to stand guard.

Sun Zhiwei returned late, unprepared, and simply stood by as a spectator, snapping photos whenever he saw something that interested him.

When the procession was halfway through, he saw Ms. Daisy also appear in the procession.

Upon seeing Sun Zhiwei, Daisy happily ran over, handed him the little flag she was holding, and pulled him into the line.

Sun Zhiwei had no choice but to join them in the march.

Just then, upbeat music started playing from the loudspeakers nearby, and the parade began to move. Daisy also took his hand and started dancing the Latin dance.

Sun Zhiwei reacted quickly; he had also learned Latin dance steps, and with his strong strength and agile reflexes, he soon took the initiative.

He pulled Daisy around and spun her around like a joyful butterfly.

Their smooth and graceful dance steps quickly attracted the attention of the audience on both sides, and everyone spontaneously applauded their dance.

The parade only calmed down after the music ended, but laughter and cheers continued.

While dancing, he and Daisy twirled around and ended up at the back of the procession, where the children's parade was not far behind them.

The children in the parade were of different ages; the oldest child was probably still in elementary school, while the youngest was being held by his mother.

They were either riding newly decorated children's cars or sitting in strollers being led by adults, with children holding decorative toys in their hands, joining in the fun.

When it comes to a sense of humor, these people from Country M, who constantly shout for freedom, are truly second to none.

Especially in affluent areas, the residents are in a much better mental state than those in ordinary residential areas, and their spontaneously organized celebrations are also more diverse.

After all, organizing such an event costs a lot of money, and Sun Zhiwei paid $1000 just to join in the fun.

When applying for a march, as long as the march route does not exceed 12 blocks, the police department will provide police force to maintain order free of charge.

If the number exceeds the limit, more police force will be needed, and the organizers will have to pay extra for police dispatch.

However, a significant portion of the event costs actually goes towards insurance—yes, the kind of insurance you're thinking of. The organizers of the parade need to purchase accident insurance for the event, and the insurance company will provide compensation in the event of an accident.

For example, this time, the HOA paid $10 in insurance premiums, which is mandatory; if you don't buy it, your application will not be approved.

Of the $1000 paid by Sun Zhiwei, a portion was for insurance.

Fortunately, this is an upscale community where wealthy people live, so no one cares about such expenses; everyone is happy as long as they are happy.

Because Sun Zhiwei brought his camera, many children asked him to take pictures for them, and he happily did so. He was happy to fulfill their small requests and make the children happy.

Of course, after taking the photo, he would give the polite and well-behaved children a small reward, such as a piece of chocolate or two gummy candies.

He rarely lives in this community, and not many people know him.

But now a group of children all know him and know that the white house with maple leaves at the next intersection is Uncle James's house.

When the parade ended, the procession arrived at an open space in Central Park, where drinks and food had already been prepared.

In the middle of the open space was a large pile of firewood, surrounded by many barbecue grills, and the chefs and waiters were already ready.

He even saw several security teams patrolling back and forth in the surrounding woods using his spatial observation, and there was even a fire truck and an ambulance parked not far away.

He had to give Daisy and her homeowners association a thumbs up; they really thought things through.

Of course, the money was spent like water.

At 7 p.m., the barbecue party began, and the entire open space turned into a carnival, with even the children having unlimited juice to drink.

By 8 o'clock sharp, it was completely dark.

Just when everyone was caught off guard, a lotus flower suddenly bloomed in the sky, followed by countless fireworks exploding in the sky above Central Park, creating a dazzling display of lights that never extinguished the night sky.

Fireworks lit up the sky incessantly, greeted by gasps and exclamations of wonder from the children and adults below. Sun Zhiwei watched the fireworks show alongside them.

Fireworks shows of this scale were common in China in later years, but are now quite rare, mainly because they are expensive. Now, he wonders if he gave too little money—$1000.

"Daisy, is this enough money? You HOA won't go bankrupt with just one celebration, will you?"

"Hahaha, how could that be? This event was sponsored by several enthusiastic neighbors."

"That's good. I came back late this time. Don't forget to let me know in advance if there are any events next time. I still have a little money now."

“Mr. James, you’re not just a little rich. Not just anyone can get on Forbes’ 400 list of richest Americans. Many wealthy people and politicians in our community would like to meet you.”

"Yes, I'll attend community gatherings when I have the chance. You know I have businesses all over the place, and I can only spend a few months in New York each year."

The two were having a drink while watching the fireworks show when suddenly, he heard a gunshot, but it happened at the same time as the fireworks exploded, so he wasn't sure.

But he still cautiously expanded the space and looked towards the woods to the east, in the direction from which the gunshots came.

(End of this chapter)