Joanna stayed with An Feng through the HSC (Handgun Safety Certificate) exam, focusing mainly on the legal aspects.
California’s gun laws were among the strictest in the country.
Buyers had to be U.S.
citizens or legal permanent residents (green card holders).
The minimum age was 18 for long guns and 21 for handguns.
There was a mandatory 10-day waiting period before taking possession of any firearm.
Magazine capacity for most semi-automatic firearms was limited to 10 rounds.
Guns had to be transported unloaded and in a locked container, and there were restrictions on ammunition purchases and “assault weapons.” For someone coming from a country with extremely tight gun control, An Feng didn’t find the rules overwhelmingly strict.
But Joanna told him that in more permissive states like Texas or Arizona, buying a gun was nearly as simple as buying groceries.
In Texas, for example, constitutional carry laws allowed many people to carry without a permit, and some schools had programs allowing trained staff to carry firearms for protection.
An Feng tried to imagine students and teachers carrying guns in class.
‘The Wild West really is still alive in some places.’ He asked, “So in Texas there are basically no magazine restrictions?
Even on automatics?” Joanna shook her head.
“Not quite.
Full-auto is heavily regulated everywhere under federal law.
But semi-autos with standard-capacity magazines are much easier to buy in those states.” The HSC exam itself was straightforward.
It was administered right there in the gun store by a certified instructor.
Thirty questions — true/false and multiple choice.
A score of 75% (23 correct) was required to pass.
Joanna had told him it was mostly common-sense safety questions.
An Feng scored 29 out of 30.
The only mistake came from misunderstanding one piece of legal terminology.
He then filled out the DROS (Dealer Record of Sale) form and provided a thumbprint for the background check.
The clerk nodded.
“If everything clears, you can pick up your firearms after the ten-day waiting period.” “Congratulations!” Joanna said with a bright smile.
“There’s still ten days.
I might not pass the background check,” An Feng replied modestly.
Joanna waved it off.
“As long as you don’t have a criminal record or serious mental health issues, you should be fine.
The waiting period is mostly bureaucratic.” “You’re wrong about that, ma’am!” A deep, authoritative voice came from behind them.
An Feng turned to see a heavyset police officer in full uniform approaching.
He wore the classic wide-brimmed sheriff’s hat and carried a large service pistol on his hip.
“Hi, Mr.
Johnson,” Joanna greeted him warmly.
The officer’s stern expression softened when he saw her.
“Joanna.” He then looked at An Feng.
“Your boyfriend?” “No!” Joanna laughed.
“This is my friend, Alex An.
I brought him here to learn about gun laws.” The officer extended a large hand.
“Nice to meet you.
I’m Sheriff James Johnson of Paso Robles.” An Feng shook it firmly.
“Good to meet you, Sheriff.” James studied him for a moment, then broke into a friendly smile.
“I know who you are.
My cousin’s son works at your vineyard.
He told me the new Chinese boss paid the workers for the three weeks they stayed on after the previous owner went bankrupt.
That was decent of you.
Glad to finally meet you in person.” An Feng felt a quiet sense of satisfaction.
“I just did what seemed right.” They chatted briefly.
Sheriff Johnson even invited him to join a local shooting club sometime, but An Feng politely declined, saying he had already done enough shooting for one day.
As they left the store, Joanna nudged him.
“See?
Mr.
Johnson called you a ‘good guy.’ Reputation matters a lot when buying guns around here — especially in smaller counties.” “I guess paying those workers was a good investment,” An Feng said with a small smile.
Just as they climbed into the F-150, An Feng remembered something.
“Joanna, earlier you mentioned that carrying a concealed handgun requires a permit.
But you…” Joanna put on a stylish cowboy hat and gave him a mischievous grin.
“How high do you think the crime rate has to be before police bother checking a friendly, harmless-looking woman like me?” An Feng shook his head, chuckling.
‘Rules are rules, but enforcement has nuance everywhere — even in America.’ The drive back was relaxed.
They passed through small-town streets where life moved at a noticeably slower pace.
People sat on park benches reading newspapers or chatting outside coffee shops.
Pickup trucks loaded with vineyard equipment rolled by.
Joanna explained that there were dozens of grape growers in the region, most of them doing quite well financially.
An Feng’s purchase of over 360 acres for eleven million dollars placed him among the larger operations.
Joanna herself came from a family that owned a vineyard and a small winery.
An Feng asked why she was working as a tutor instead of helping full-time at home.
“My family covers my college tuition,” she explained, “but all my other expenses are on me.
They believe in independence.” An Feng nodded, impressed.
“You’re studying business administration, right?
That’s impressive for someone your age.” Joanna laughed.
“Thanks.
But honestly, the Chinese international students are on another level.
They study nonstop.
I don’t know how they do it without burning out.” The conversation flowed easily.
Joanna was knowledgeable, witty, and an excellent teacher.
As they drove, An Feng noticed a Volkswagen Touareg ahead moving unusually slowly.
He started to change lanes to pass, but Joanna placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Don’t,” she said with a sly smile.
“Just follow him.
There’s going to be a show.” An Feng stayed behind the slow car.
In the rearview mirror, he saw several other vehicles lining up behind them, all matching the slow pace without honking.
After a few minutes, a police car pulled out from the side of the road and stopped the Touareg.
The driver — an Asian man — looked confused as the officer approached.
Joanna turned back, grinning.
“See?
Driving abnormally slow can create a hazard.
He’ll probably get a ticket for impeding traffic.” An Feng chuckled.
“You guys have some creative ways of enforcing the rules.” “Only in small towns like this,” Joanna replied.
“In big cities like LA, people would be laying on the horn and cursing.
Here, everyone silently cooperates to watch the show.” An Feng accelerated gently once they were clear of the scene.
‘America really is full of interesting surprises.’