This restaurant was a very authentic French Western restaurant, but Jiang Hai and his companions did not choose a set meal; they ordered à la carte.
French pan-fried flounder, spicy Mexican seafood platter with French bread, creamy garlic Cod soup with Crab legs, Crab meat seafood salad... The main courses were assorted seafood rice and shrimp, Crab, and shell seafood noodles, along with some side dishes.
Originally, Terry Boggs wanted to order red wine, but Jiang Hai refused. He didn't want to drink that stuff. Beer would have been fine, but having beer with French cuisine... well, it didn't seem like a great match.
Not long after they finished ordering, a waiter brought out their dishes. They had to admit that the seafood prepared by these French chefs tasted quite good. Compared to the Chinese style made by Qi Ya, occasionally eating Western cuisine like this was also nice.
Although Qi Ya had a talent for cooking, she was still somewhat lacking compared to these professionals. But honestly, Jiang Hai thought everything Qi Ya made tasted delicious, at least that's what he believed.
After three rounds of dishes and five courses of rice, foreigners don't usually talk business while eating, so Jiang Hai and his companions ate quickly and quietly.
However, once the main courses were finished and the fruit salad and coffee arrived, it was time to talk.
Terry Boggs took a gentle sip of his coffee and looked at Jiang Hai. Jiang Hai knew this meant he was about to speak.
I don't really know the customs of Huaxia people. I prefer to be more direct, so I'll just ask Mr. Jiang Hai directly: What is your view on American political parties?" Terry Boggs asked seriously, looking at Jiang Hai.
Huh, what?" Hearing his words, Jiang Hai was instantly stunned. He had initially thought that Terry Boggs inviting him to dinner was, at most, about asking him about the hay—whether to buy it or cooperate on it, Jiang Hai was mentally prepared. But now that it had suddenly turned into a political issue, Jiang Hai was confused and looked at him blankly.
Heh, I said it clearly. I want to ask you your opinion on American political parties." Regarding Jiang Hai's reaction, Terry Boggs shrugged, speaking casually, as if he were discussing how good today's potatoes were, even though Jiang Hai and his companions hadn't ordered any potatoes at all.
I am just a cattle rancher, and I am a Huaxia person. I have no intention of changing my nationality, so I have absolutely no right to speak about the political system of this country, America." Jiang Hai said seriously, looking at Terry Boggs.
Haha, America is a country of free speech, so you don't need to be so reserved... But if you really don't want to speak, then listen to me. Do you know anything about the Liberal Party?" Terry Boggs started speaking, looking at Jiang Hai. Jiang Hai didn't respond; everything he heard sounded like: "Do you know Amway?"
If he had known earlier that he was involved with this kind of political party, Jiang Hai would never have come to eat. He needed to remain neutral.
And honestly, there are too many American political parties. Jiang Hai couldn't remember any of them except for the two largest ones.
The Liberal Party is America's third-largest party. As you know, America has countless parties, like the Communist Party, the Progressive Party, the Labor Organization, the Farmers Association, and so on—there are at least a dozen in total. But only four can participate in the election: the currently ruling Democratic Party, the Republican Party, the Independent Party, and our Liberal Party!" Terry Boggs spoke excitedly, looking at Jiang Hai. He seemed to be a fanatic.
Our Liberal Party is currently the third-largest party in America, with 200,000 registered voters and 600 members holding public office, including mayors and county government officials. You could say our Liberal Party is very powerful." Terry Boggs excitedly waved his arms, spitting constantly.
Watching him, Jiang Hai was already considering how to escape. Leaving right after eating didn't seem polite... Just as Jiang Hai was hesitating, an elderly Caucasian man walked over from a distance. Seeing Jiang Hai and Terry Boggs sitting there, he quickly approached. Upon seeing this person, Terry Boggs stood up immediately.
I hope I haven't interrupted you!" The Caucasian man smiled lightly at Jiang Hai after reaching the table.
Oh, no, not at all. We just finished eating." Before Jiang Hai could reply to the Caucasian man, Terry Boggs spoke first. The Caucasian man then sat down directly across from Jiang Hai without ceremony.
Jiang, let me introduce you. This is the leader of our party, Gary Johnson." Terry Boggs said seriously, looking at the man in front of them. Hearing the name, Jiang Hai's mind clicked. He knew a little about this person, not because he was famous, but because back when Jiang Hai first wanted to open a ranch in America...
He had once considered going to New Mexico State because the land there was, in a sense, the cheapest. However, the auction house at the time strongly advised against that location. According to them, the people there were chaotic, and cross-border incidents involving drug lords were frequent and dangerous. So, Jiang Hai gave up on that area, especially since it wasn't a great place anyway.
And this Gary Johnson was the governor of New Mexico State back when Jiang Hai was considering going there. Glancing at Terry Boggs, he seemed to be from New Mexico State as well. If that was the case, Jiang Hai wouldn't believe it if there weren't some shady deals involved.
Hello, Mr. Jiang Hai. I know you, I know your beef, and I know your fish and hay." Listening to his subordinate introduce him, Gary Johnson smiled and extended his hand toward Jiang Hai.
Oh, hello!" Although extremely reluctant to get involved with these people, Jiang Hai also extended his hand.
Mr. Jiang Hai, what is your opinion of our Liberal Party?" Gary Johnson smiled and began to speak, looking at Jiang Hai. Then, regardless of whether Jiang Hai understood him or not, he started introducing the details of his party.
To put it plainly, this party was essentially a faction formed by businessmen, advocating for a system of complete freedom.
For example, massive tax cuts, privatization of social welfare systems, elimination of government regulation on business, abolition of minimum wage and other labor regulations, and halting government interference in international trade.
Protecting private property, minimizing government positions, freedom in everything, unrestricted defense, no gun control, opposition to conscription, and stopping the prohibition of so-called 'victimless crimes' (prostitution, unlicensed driving, buying and using drugs, etc.)... Listening to him, Jiang Hai could only scoff. Imagine a world where firearms weren't controlled, where ordinary people could even buy missiles; where workers had no minimum labor protection, meaning bosses could pay whatever they wanted with no one to regulate it—there was an upper limit but no lower limit; where prostitution was legal on the street; where unlicensed driving was fine as long as you didn't cause an accident; and where the buying and using of drugs could happen in broad daylight, and as long as no one died, no one cared. This kind of world... damn, that's not freedom, that's clearly the apocalypse!
But for businessmen, this was a paradise. Unfortunately, Jiang Hai was not a pure businessman.
So after he finished explaining the Liberal Party's platform, Jiang Hai had no good feelings toward the party.
Nothing can be accomplished without rules. Although he hated being restrained, absolute freedom could not exist for people in this world.
Jiang Hai always believed that human nature was inherently evil and selfish. If people truly lived in a world without laws, it could only lead to the apocalypse, and Jiang Hai had not yet tired of the current world.
Therefore, he remained silent throughout their speech. Once they finished talking, Jiang Hai left.
Regarding their suggestion that Jiang Hai join them, Jiang Hai just laughed. He wasn't crazy.
It looks like things didn't go very smoothly." Watching Jiang Hai get into his car and leave, Terry Boggs said somewhat dejectedly to Gary Johnson beside him. To be honest, the main reason they went to such great lengths to involve Terry Boggs was for Jiang Hai, because they knew Jiang Hai possessed that kind of hay.
If they could control Jiang Hai, or rather, control that type of hay, it would be extremely beneficial for the development of their party.
Food is the paramount concern of the people; controlling beef would be equivalent to controlling the mouths of all Americans.
And Jiang Hai's hay was the key to controlling beef. Jiang Hai didn't have the ambition to scale this up, but they did.
But now it seemed they had wasted their efforts, because Jiang Hai genuinely had no interest in their party.
Current setbacks don't mean perpetual setbacks. I believe he will come around." Watching Jiang Hai leave, Gary Johnson smiled. They wouldn't have come looking for Jiang Hai with just this level of preparation, but they had perhaps underestimated Jiang Hai a bit too much. Was Jiang Hai the type of person who was easy to deal with? At least, Johnson didn't think so.
Phew, that was close. I ran into a pair of lunatics." Now in the car, Jiang Hai couldn't help but wipe some sweat away, saying helplessly. Hearing Jiang Hai's words, Moses Adams and the others laughed. America certainly had plenty of lunatics.
Right, Boss, where are we going now? Back to Boston?" After laughing, Halis turned her head and asked Jiang Hai. (To be continued.)
Chapter 930: Reunion with Walton
"Mhm, let's go back. Honestly, staying here makes me feel uneasy all over..." Hearing Wallis-Shelley's suggestion, Jiang Hai nodded. He truly felt out of place here; to be honest, he wasn't very comfortable staying in Washington.
"Alright, I'll inform the crew right away." Hearing Jiang Hai say he wanted to go back, Wallis-Shelley smiled, picked up her phone, and prepared to make a call. However, before she could dial, Jiang Hai's phone rang first.
Jiang Hai picked up his phone and saw that the caller was none other than Paula Walton.
Although Jiang Hai and Paula Walton still kept in regular contact, they hadn't spoken recently. Paula Walton, being part of the Walton family, naturally had a lot of things to do at year-end: summaries, accounting, annual meetings... A large corporation certainly wouldn't be like Jiang Hai's operation, where everyone just gathered, had a meal, handed out money, and called it a day.
They had many things to do, holding numerous meetings just to discuss layoffs or next year's new hires.
Fortunately, because of her relationship with Jiang Hai, Paula Walton now single-handedly managed Sam's Club, and her word was law. No one dared to interfere, which was a great aspect of the Walton family structure.
Although Paula Walton's uncle and father were constantly vying for control of Walmart's operations, they were, thankfully, legitimate businessmen.
They weren't the type of merchants who would undermine each other purely for power. Their core goal was to make money. Whoever could help everyone earn more money was the hero—it was that simple! Therefore, Paula Walton's position was very stable.
This was because Jiang Hai enabled her to earn a substantial amount of money, even though it was still far less compared to the overall corporation.
After all, Jiang Hai was only pursuing the high-end market, but the profits were solid cash.
"Hey, Paula, what made you call me at this hour? Are you finished with all your work?" With a shift in expression, Jiang Hai answered the call and spoke to Paula Walton on the other end with a smile.
"Hehe, are you in Washington?" Hearing Jiang Hai's voice, Paula Walton chuckled on the phone. Jiang Hai was stunned by her words. He hadn't told anyone he was going to Washington. He glanced at Wallis-Shelley and Azalea in front of him; neither looked like someone who would leak his location. He looked out the window; the car was speeding along, so it wasn't likely he had been spotted. What the heck was going on?
"How did you know?" Although confused, Jiang Hai's strength was asking when he didn't know. So he asked Paula Walton; he genuinely had no idea how she knew he was there.
"I saw your name on the White House's guest list for today." Hearing Jiang Hai's question, Paula Walton replied with a laugh. Hearing that, Jiang Hai became even more confused. She could access the White House's guest list?
"I'm in Washington too, but for a different meeting than yours. I've been here for three days already. Since it's the start of the year and the first year of the new president's term, everything needs a fresh start, so we just have to wait around here." Ignoring Jiang Hai's confusion, Paula Walton sighed and told Jiang Hai that she didn't like meetings either.
"Haha, then you're miserable. Do you have to stay here for a while longer?" Hearing what she said, Jiang Hai asked her.
"Yeah, four more days. Are you in a hurry to go back for something? If not, come stay with me for a bit. I'll arrange a few parties so we can have some fun," Paula Walton said with a giggle.
Hearing her suggestion, Jiang Hai raised an eyebrow, then shook his head. Things were being monitored strictly lately, and he didn't want his story to end just yet. However, while skipping the parties was advisable, spending some time with Paula Walton sounded good.
"Forget the parties. Staying here with you for a while is fine. Where are you? I'll come find you." Listening to Paula Walton's voice, Jiang Hai smiled and told her. Hearing that Jiang Hai could come keep her company, Paula Walton gave him her location. Perhaps to accommodate the summit attendees, everyone was staying at the same hotel.
It was the same hotel where Jiang Hai was staying, just on a different floor. Jiang Hai had only arrived last night; if he had come earlier, he might have run into Paula Walton. After returning to the hotel, Jiang Hai checked with Moses Adams, who still had matters to handle, so he left first. Jiang Hai then extended his room reservation for four more days.
Chinese New Year this year was at the end of January, so Jiang Hai still had plenty of time. He was considering whether he should take everyone back home this year. Five people definitely needed to return to China this year: Jiang Hai, Qi Jie, Qi Ya, Ai Xiaoxi, and Feng Yunchen.
Among them, Ai Xiaoxi would return to her hometown in Lu Province for the New Year, and after the holiday, she would meet up with Jiang Hai in the Imperial Capital.
The other four naturally had to return to Ice City. However, Jiang Hai was wondering whether he should take Darlene, Marian, Azalea, and Afra back with him once. After all, they had never been to his hometown. Since they were now following him, they should definitely go and see it. Although there was plenty of snow in Winthrop, it was still different from Ice City.
But where they would stay after returning was a problem. It looked like he needed to buy a large house in Ice City.
Of course, this was just an idea for now. Once he got back, he would naturally have to discuss it with the women.
However, given their obedient attitude towards Jiang Hai, there probably wouldn't be any issues.
As for Paula Walton, staying an extra four days was fine. After extending his room for four more days, Jiang Hai headed to the room Paula Walton had mentioned. Azalea and Wallis-Shelley, being perceptive, did not follow him.
He knocked lightly on the door. Soon, footsteps sounded inside, and with a click, Paula Walton appeared before Jiang Hai. She was wearing only a tank top, clearly showing certain protruding areas, and just a pair of hot pants on the bottom—a truly tempting sight. However, Jiang Hai's expression wasn't great.
This is just me, so seeing it is fine, but what if it were someone else? This woman is too careless... "Whoa, you came back so fast! Give me a kiss!" Seeing Jiang Hai standing outside the door, Paula Walton cried out in surprise, immediately leaped into his arms, and kissed him directly on the lips. Feeling her playful tongue, Jiang Hai reciprocated. He carried her inside, closed the door, and his hands began to become disobedient.
As the saying goes, a short separation is like a new marriage. Paula Walton had asked Jiang Hai to come, first to keep her company, and second, well, *cough*... "Excuse me, could you two stop acting like you're alone?" Just as the temperature between Jiang Hai and Paula Walton was rising, a voice suddenly rang out in the room. Startled, Jiang Hai immediately jumped away and looked toward the source of the voice, only to discover two other women sitting in the room.
Jiang Hai recognized one of them; she was the woman who had been responsible for greeting guests at the entrance of the White House earlier.
However, Moses Adams had mentioned that she was the current President's daughter, and Jiang Hai had always kept a respectful distance from women like her.
As for the other woman, frankly, her features were rather plain. She seemed to be the oldest of the group, with blonde hair and a less-than-ample bust. Her eyes always carried a hint of faint disdain. By Jiang Hai's standards, this woman wasn't particularly attractive. As for American standards of beauty, who knew?
"Let me introduce you. This is Paris Hilton, one of the heirs to the Hilton Hotels. And this is Ivanka Trump, the daughter of our current President." Hearing the women's comments, Paula Walton walked over to Jiang Hai, seemingly unconcerned about letting others know about her relationship with him, and said with a smile while linking her arm through his.
"We just met today, didn't we, Mr. Jiang?" Hearing Paula Walton's introduction, Ivanka Trump, still wearing the outfit from this morning, stood up and smiled as she addressed Jiang Hai.
"Uh, oh, hello!" Jiang Hai replied. As for the other woman, Jiang Hai hadn't recognized her initially, but upon hearing the name, he immediately knew who she was.
The famous American heiress and socialite, Paris Hilton. The reason she and her good friend, Kim Kardashian, were so famous was twofold: first, their family wealth, and second, certain videotapes they had filmed.
But the scandal was indeed huge. Jiang Hai had once taken a peek, but honestly, he wasn't interested in these women. He thought it was better to seek out professional women instead of these types—at least they wouldn't try to entrap him, right?
"So you're Jiang Hai. I hear Paula mention you all the time, but this is the first time we've met, isn't it?" Seeing Jiang Hai look over, Paris Hilton also stood up and spoke to him with a tone carrying a hint of faint disdain.
Hearing her, Jiang Hai just chuckled internally. When talking to someone like her, getting hung up on her tone meant you'd already lost.
"Alright, we won't interrupt your reunion. Paula, remember you still have an event to attend tomorrow morning." As soon as Paris Hilton spoke, the atmosphere in the room dipped slightly. Ivanka Trump smiled and stepped in to mediate. (To be continued.)