Well, Ethan had to admit—there were many things he simply couldn't do alone.
Sure, if he really had to go it solo, he believed he could make Snake happen. If he were willing to pour in the time and effort to study—or just find someone else to build it—the game would eventually come together.
But what about the legal mess that came afterward? Copyrights, patents, potential lawsuits?
In that case, he'd have no choice but to hire a lawyer from some firm and let them handle it.
And although he believed that most video game copyright issues could be solved with enough money, he also believed one thing just as firmly:
No lawyer for hire would ever play with the law the way Ms. Barbara Babcock did.
Why? Ethan could only sum it up with something he once heard:
"You never truly realize how amazing your college professor is."
Universities—especially top ones—were crawling with geniuses. Talents gathered there, resources were abundant, and the smartest people in the world clawed their way through the gates just for a chance to join.
And although Stanford wasn't yet the world-famous giant it would eventually become, Ethan knew something most people didn't.
In the eyes of the public at this moment in time, Stanford was just a respectable century-old university in California trying hard to reach world-class status.
But this era? This was the best moment—the turning point in Stanford's history.
Because Stanford was fully committed to its school-enterprise co-construction plan.
The so-called school-enterprise co-construction had two major phases:
Stanford worked to attract outstanding tech firms to set up nearby offices and labs. These companies would, in turn, offer students internship and employment opportunities.
The school couldn't sell land to outsiders—but it could lease it at low rates. And in return, the companies had to give priority to hiring Stanford students.
The result? A swarm of high-tech companies began showing up—including Lockheed.
Now, let's be honest. Discounted rent alone wasn't enough to convince companies to set up shop on a college campus.
So why did it work? Because the person leading the effort was none other than Fred Terman, Stanford's Vice President at the time.
Terman wasn't just anybody. He was a protégé of Vannevar Bush—the same Bush who laid the foundation for post-war American research.
And Terman? He was also the mentor of Hewlett and Packard—yes, that HP.
So when he came knocking on a company's door, who would dare turn him away?
Thanks to his personal connections, Stanford quickly became a hub where cutting-edge research institutions and top production companies clustered together.
Once student job placement and faculty research needs were met, it was time for:
Stanford gave technical guidance to every student who had an entrepreneurial dream.
They opened the campus labs for free.
And if students hit obstacles, faculty stepped in to help—not in a week, but right away.
And when these student-led startups succeeded? They often gave back to the university that had helped launch them.
The most famous example? Google.
When the founders were just starting out, they hit a wall—funding.
So what did they do? They asked Stanford for help.
And Stanford made a phone call—to SUN Microsystems.
The founder of SUN spent just five minutes listening to Google's pitch… and handed them a $100,000 check.
That was it. No meetings. No pitches. Just belief in the students.
Later, when SUN lost its battle against Microsoft, many of SUN's engineers—on Stanford's recommendation—moved next door and joined Google.
One of them? Eric Schmidt, who became Google's CEO.
In truth, Stanford's meteoric rise wasn't luck. It was strategy—a university that dared to play like a startup.
People inside the system loved it. People outside? They gritted their teeth in frustration.
But that wasn't Ethan's concern, was it? He hadn't gotten into Stanford.
But then again… he had a Stanford connection in the family.
Evelyn was his sister. Wouldn't it practically be a crime not to make use of such a valuable connection?
After seeing Ethan admit defeat with that dramatic, kneel, Evelyn felt thoroughly victorious—and very pleased with herself.
She gave a satisfied huff and ordered her foolish brother to drop her off at the School of Engineering.
At the same time, she reminded him to pick her up at 5 PM sharp.
Since they had come together in the same car that morning, Ethan readily agreed. But as they said their goodbyes, another puzzling thought popped into Ethan's mind.
He furrowed his brow, rolled down the car window, and called out, "Evelyn—"
She had only taken a couple of steps but turned back immediately. "Something wrong?"
"Uh-huh," Ethan nodded, still frowning. "If I remember right… you're graduating this year, yeah?"
"Yep. I'll get my diploma next month. Why?"
Her answer only made him more confused. He gestured vaguely with his hands. "You're getting your diploma next month, but you still have classes now? You didn't finish your credits or something?"
Yes, that was what bothered him. Evelyn had been born in 1954, exactly one year before him. She entered college a year earlier, and now Ethan had already been working for three years—which meant Evelyn had been studying for four. By all normal timelines, she should be done.
So why was she still going to class? His confusion was written all over his face, and it made Evelyn laugh. She bent down, leaning into the open car window.
"Oh, Ethan~ You're so dumb when you look like that~"
Tilting her head playfully, she smiled and said, "Why am I still going to class? It's simple—I'm going to grad school!"
"You really didn't know?" she teased. "Didn't I tell you? Our family doesn't need us to make money right away. So if I have the time, of course I'm going to use it to level up."
"Normally, I'd graduate next month and re-enroll in September. But I know this place inside and out. I already picked my professors, and they're happy to have me. I've joined a research group early."
She gave a relaxed shrug, clearly content with her situation.
So that's it? Ethan was genuinely surprised. This was the first time he'd heard anything about Evelyn planning to pursue grad school.
Then again… given the cold war between them up until recently, maybe the old Ethan just hadn't been paying attention.
"You got any more questions?" Evelyn raised a brow, then jerked her thumb behind her. "If not, I'm heading in. I've got an appointment with Mr. Wenton today.
I wanted to choose him as my grad advisor, but he told me he might not be at Stanford much longer. So I'm trying to pick his brain while I still can."
"Oh—and he's the one who told me that 'knowledge is neutral' thing, remember? He also helped me set up the meeting with Barbara today."
Ethan nodded, impressed. "Sounds like a great guy. Alright then, don't keep him waiting."
"See you in the afternoon?"
"See you."
Ethan watched as Evelyn headed into the Engineering Building. She waved and greeted a few classmates, then made her way up to the third floor.
There, she stopped in front of one of the offices. She knocked. A moment later, the door opened—and a man in his thirties stepped into view.
The man who opened the door was wearing a suit and tie. Perhaps because most of his hair follicles had migrated south, his head was thinning in a distinctly Mediterranean pattern—but he still sported a full beard.
When he saw Evelyn, his face lit up. He stepped aside warmly to let her in.
Just as Evelyn walked past him, Ethan—still sitting in the car—was momentarily blinded.
A flash of light reflected off the hallway window, striking his eyes. He winced and instinctively shut them.
By the time he opened them again, the door had already closed.
"That's Professor Wenton?" Ethan muttered, staring at the building. "Isn't he… a little too young?"
He leaned back in the driver's seat, mulling it over.
After finding out that Evelyn's mysterious professor—the one who helped him arrange a meeting with Barbara—was also the same "knowledge is neutral" guy she admired, Ethan had been genuinely curious.
He imagined someone extraordinary. Maybe a wild-haired genius. A man who exuded wisdom and charisma. Someone who matched Barbara's legendary presence.
But this guy? Totally ordinary.
Lean frame. Average height. Standard face. Honestly, if he passed him on the street, Ethan probably wouldn't look twice.
And that made Ethan feel just a little disappointed.
"Tch... That's it?" He sighed. "I thought anyone close to Barbara would be some kind of genius…"
Because in his mind, if a big shot recognized someone, it usually meant that person was a big shot too—and if you wanted to rise fast, you had to either be born to the right parents… or learn to hold onto the right coattails.
But This was not the mentor-shaped jackpot Ethan had been hoping for.
"What a shame," he muttered, resting one elbow on the car door.
Still, something about the way Evelyn had spoken of Wenton gave him pause. Maybe he was the quiet type—the kind of person whose brilliance you only saw once they opened their mouth.
"Whatever," Ethan said aloud, reaching for the car keys. "I'll reserve judgment… for now."
Note:
① Vannevar Bush was a national treasure-level scientist in the United States and one of the most influential scientific figures of the 20th century. During World War II, he founded the National Bureau of Science and served as one of the three key approvers of the Manhattan Project.
He was also the founder of Raytheon Company, oversaw the United States' hydrogen bomb testing programs, and played a critical role in establishing the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), which later evolved into DARPA. His legacy even touched NASA, with his advocacy paving the way for the U.S. Moon mission. Among his most accomplished protégés were:
Fred Terman – Vice President of Stanford University, widely regarded as the Father of Silicon ValleyClaude Shannon – The Father of Information TheoryPerry Crawford Jr. – A digital computing pioneer who helped drive early U.S. computer development
② The often-repeated media narrative—that Stanford helped launch Google purely out of academic idealism—is more of a polished myth. The truth is more grounded in personal connections.
One of Google's co-founders, Sergey Brin, was dating (and later married) Anne Wojcicki, whose father Dr. Stanley Wojcicki was the Chairman of Stanford's Physics Department at the time. Stanley Wojcicki also served as a senior advisor to the U.S. High Energy Physics Laboratory.
In 1983, he led the advisory group behind one of the most ambitious projects in U.S. scientific history: the Superconducting Super Collider (SSC).
Although the SSC was ultimately canceled, its development placed Stanford in the scientific spotlight. When the university was looking to cement its academic reputation, Dr. Wojcicki's involvement and endorsement gave Google a serious institutional push, leveraging both family ties and scientific prestige.
In short: Google didn't just benefit from Stanford's support—Stanford had reasons for offering that support, and those reasons went well beyond mere entrepreneurial spirit.