In the American academic world, you need a backer.

Arthur Compton was a powerful academic supporter, and Li Kangping wrote a letter to Arthur Compton, who had returned to St. Louis, in which he expressed his gratitude and thanked Professor Compton for his care of him.

It was impossible to go to St. Louis, and Li Kangping still wanted to stay in New York.

Since he is based in New York, Li Kangping has to take the initiative to lean towards Professor Woodgate.

Professor Compton supported Lee spiritually, and the person who wrote the letter of recommendation and made a practical contribution was Professor Woodgate.

Professor Woodgate has no teaching assignments this semester, and he focuses on his research projects.

After all, Professor Woodgate is an experimental physicist, and his recommendation of the purely theoretical "Black-Body Radiation and Light Quanta" may be a sudden self-indulgence of experimental physicists.

Li Kangping was not a member of Professor Woodgate's research team, and he could not enter Professor Woodgate's laboratory, but he happened to meet Professor Woodgate on the campus of Columbia University, so he said hello to Professor Woodgate and said hello and had a few words.

"Hi, Professor Woodgate!"

This morning, Li Kangping had just walked out of the dormitory building when he ran into Professor Woodgate.

"Hey, Lee, oh, damn it, why did it go out again!"

Professor Woodgate casually said hello, his energy focused on his Ford Model T.

In a frustration, Professor Woodgate shoved his left index finger into a coil that controlled the choke, and he turned the crank vigorously, but the car still wouldn't start.

This classic Model T is a convertible that sold for $500 in previous years and now only $360. Professor Woodgate's Model T was a hand-cranked engine configuration, and he earned so much that he should have at least bought a car with an electric start device installed.

As the minutes ticked by, Professor Woodgate was in a state of embarrassment, and the Model T stood still.

It's a bit embarrassing that Professor Woodgate, who studies microscopic particles, can't even start a Model T --- his students.

Li Kangping took the initiative to ask for battle: "Professor, why don't I try it?" ”

"Lee, can you? Can you really make it run? Come on, I'm tormented by this little goblin! ”

The Model T did not have a front left door, where the front left door was welded to a body panel. Helpless, Professor Woodgate got out of the car through the right door and handed over his car to Li Kangping to tweak.

Li Kangping climbed into the car, his hand reached for the steering wheel, adjusted the spark plug and throttle lever to the right position, he stretched out his right hand and turned the crank with just the right amount of force.

It is also strange to say that this unruly little goblin has become docile and well-behaved under Li Kangping's operation.

Boom, the engine started.

"Professor, get in the car!"

Li Kangping pulled the handbrake, and the car was ready to go. He was a car genius, and after observing the taxi driver's operation a few times, he understood the essentials of hand-cranking the engine.

“Bravo！” Professor Woodgate immediately got into the car and sat in the passenger seat.

Li Kangping released the handbrake, pressed the low-speed pedal with his left foot, and the Model T roared forward towards the Hertley Building.

"Professor, you should buy a better car." Li Kangping made a suggestion.

"That's what I thought too." Professor Woodgate nodded, and he asked, "How's your paper?" Did Physical Review get back to you? ”

"Not yet."

"Physical Review has never been very efficient, no news is good news, just wait."

The car soon arrived at the parking lot of the Hertley Building, and Li Kangping said goodbye to Professor Woodgate and walked to the teaching building of Columbia College.

Columbia University recognized the credits that Li Kangping had earned at Tsinghua University, and Li Kangping took three courses this semester, and the academic pressure was not too big or small, just right. He calculated that if he took three more courses in the next semester, he would have enough credits at Columbia University and he would be able to wear the Columbia bachelor's hat.

Lee Kangping is a car lover, and he didn't like Professor Woodgate's Model T for a few minutes, and he wanted to have a car of his own.

The U.S. Department of Motor Vehicles has not yet been established, and each state has its own laws for the regulation of automobiles, or it does not.

The New York State government requires a U.S. birth certificate or proof of permanent residency to purchase a new car in the state to ensure traceability.

However, there are no legal regulations in New York State for the transaction of second-hand cars, which means that the transaction of second-hand cars is the same as ordinary goods, with one hand paying for the money and the other hand handing over the car.

can drive a new car, who wants to drive a second-hand car. However, Li Kangping is neither a U.S. citizen nor a permanent resident of the United States, so he can only drive a second-hand car.

Car retailers selling new cars in New York are regulated by the New York State Automobile Association, which is authorized by the New York State government, and the used car market in New York is consciously and voluntarily regulated by the New York gangsters.

This used car shop in East Harlem, Manhattan, is a comprehensive organization that combines a garage, a gas station, and a used car deal.

The area of Morning Heights is white-populated, and most of the residents are white Protestants. East Harlem has a large number of Catholics and Jews living and working, and there are more black residents in East Harlem than in Morning Heights, and black residents have no choice in their work, and blacks can only work for whites.

The owner of the second-hand car shop, a fat white man with his denim overalls covered in oil, sat in front of the shop, pulled out a flat cigarette case wrapped in blue cellophane from his pocket, took out a crumpled cigarette, struck a match, lit the cigarette, and took a few puffs.

Gasoline is just a few yards away, and you actually light a fire and smoke? Li Kangping straightened his hat nervously, and he said to the boss: "Sir, I want to see second-hand cars." ”

The boss stared at Li Kangping directly, he saw that this Oriental was dressed cleanly and exquisitely, and he should not be a poor boy.

"My cars are here, look." The boss said.

Li Kangping counted that there were a total of five cars here, all of which were classic cars.

The dilapidated classic cars are one thing, but the most important thing is that Li Kangping does not know who the previous owners of these cars are, and will they be black cars used by gangsters?

"Raised by a son of a bitch, it's so fucking hard to repair!" A black mechanic crawled out from under the classic car, whining impatiently and mouthing F-Word.

Li Kangping asked the black mechanic: "Dude, who did this car belong to before?" ”

"Squint-eyed Vincent, fuck squint-eyed Vincent!"

"What does Squint Vincent do?"

"Bang bang! Slanted Vincent is in charge of shooting! ”

"Oh, squint-eyed Vincent is a shooter. Thank you and goodbye. ”

Li Kangping said goodbye and left, who the would dare to take over the car used by the shooting athlete?

Objectively speaking, as long as you can afford it, you can buy anything in New York.

Li Kangping hopes that under the condition that safety is guaranteed to a certain extent, he can buy reasonable goods at a reasonable price.

After careful consideration, Li Kangping visited Mr. Zhou.

"Mr. Zhou, can you help me buy a Ford van?" Li Kangping knew that Mr. Zhou and Mr. Strauss were close to close comrades-in-arms, and Mr. Strauss was an American citizen, and Mr. Strauss could handle many business in the United States.

What can be done with money, Li Kangping didn't want to trouble Mr. Zhou and Mr. Strauss, but he couldn't do it now, so he turned to Mr. Zhou for help.

"Kangping has only been in the United States for a few months, and he wants to buy a car?" Mr. Zhou asked, and he said, "It's not difficult, my Ford, you can use it." ”

"Thank you, Mr. Zhou!"

Li Kangping bought Mr. Zhou's second-hand Ford Sedan for $650.

The car, which was said to be a used car, is actually very new, it was launched at the beginning of this year, and Mr. Strauss bought it for $700 in April and handed it over to Mr. Zhou that month.

The automobile industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the United States, and in 1920, the United States was becoming a country on wheels with an average of one car per third family in a typical American urban center town.

Other brands of cars often cost thousands of dollars or even tens of thousands of dollars, but Ford cars sell for hundreds of dollars.

Ford adopts an assembly line mass production model, the company has high production capacity and low cost, and their corporate culture is small profits but quick turnover.

With the advancement of painting technology, the colors of cars are colorful, white, silver, red, yellow, blue, all kinds of body colors.

Ford cars are the only ones that come in black, which echoes Henry Ford's famous words: I don't care what color you like, we at Ford only make black cars.

The black Ford Sedan that Li Kangping bought from Mr. Zhou is a van that has full side panels and a hard roof.

The Ford Sedan is equipped with an electric starter, which makes it easier to handle than the Model T. The driving comfort of the cars in the 20s of the 20th century is not very good, and the vibrations in the car are very obvious, even strong.

"It's not just the feeling of pushing the back, it's just pushing the whole body! Hahaha! ”

Li Kangping drove around Manhattan, controlling the speed of the car through low-speed pedals, high-speed pedals, and shift levers, and there was no body stability system and steering assistance, and all kinds of difficult operations were completed by the driver's driving skills and car feel.

"Oops, crossed the bridge!"

Li Kangping accidentally drove to Queens, where he filled up with gas and returned to Columbia's campus.