As for Jiang Hai's character, how should I put it? Everyone should have some understanding of him by now, and he had reflected on his own personality more than once.
This guy was cunning, lazy, and gluttonous; his only redeeming quality might be that he wasn't slippery. He was quite earnest in how he treated people and handled matters, never trying to swindle others. His self-control was poor, and while he wouldn't turn into a total lecher or be unable to walk when facing a beautiful woman—certainly not to the point of being despised—as long as a beauty took the initiative to push him over, the success rate was quite high.
Furthermore, when facing his own women, he often didn't know how to refuse them. Of course, this was limited only to the women around him; as for those outsiders who were just after his money, Jiang Hai wouldn't care about them.
Jiang Hai truly had many flaws: greed, lust, gluttony, laziness, a lack of compassion, no sense of solidarity, and no desire to strive for the rise of his nation or country. One could say that anyone standing on a moral high ground would see problems with Jiang Hai no matter how they looked at him, finding him eyesore in every way. However, Jiang Hai was just like that; he didn't have any intention of changing just because he heard their words.
Moreover, he had another problem: he was always 'three-minute heat' with everything he did. Back when he wanted to raise chickens, it ended up being Daliana and Marian who were basically raising them now, and they were raising the Hazel Grouse along the way too.
He wanted to grow vegetables, but Qi Jie and the others were managing them, including the rice; after the initial setup was done, he stopped caring. The daily inspections were done by Qi Jie and her team. He didn't help with cattle ranching or catching fish. Even when it came to hobbies, he once wanted to play basketball and specifically converted a warehouse into a basketball gym, but now he didn't use it anymore.
It could be said that Jiang Hai had terrible patience and a personality that gave up very easily. Yet, the Heavens were truly blind, letting the Dragon Ball that could change anyone's fate fall into his hands, and there was nothing anyone could do about it.
If it had fallen into the hands of someone who loved their country, party, and people, perhaps... it would have been sliced up for research.
Cough, of course, that was all just Jiang Hai's idle thoughts. Right now, he was lying on a lounge chair by the swimming pool on the hotel's top floor, calmly sunbathing, drinking juice, and scrolling through his phone.
Yes, he had lost interest in the negotiations. After two days of negotiating, Jiang Hai's sense of novelty had worn off.
On the second night, he specifically asked Zheng Jin to send two people over to take over the negotiations for him; he was a bit tired.
After stating his bottom line, on the third day, he completely stopped involving himself.
If it were someone else, they might have gone to explore France once they were free, but Jiang Hai wasn't interested.
He had already visited the landmark buildings here in France and felt no sense of freshness, so he prepared to force himself back into the state he was in at the manor—just like now, sunbathing and playing around.
Although the spiritual energy was far worse than at the manor, sunbathing occasionally was still quite nice.
Just as Jiang Hai was sunbathing happily, two figures walked over from a distance. Seeing these two, Jiang Hai couldn't help but be stunned; it turned out these two hadn't left yet.
Indeed, the newcomers were none other than Han Ga-in and Yeon Jeong-hun. Jiang Hai hadn't seen them yesterday and originally thought they had left, but now it seemed they weren't planning on heading back so soon. It made sense; although they weren't as rich as him, they were famous actors in South Korea after all, so their income wasn't low, and staying in France for a while was no problem.
While Jiang Hai was observing them, they also saw him. Over there, Yeon Jeong-hun couldn't help but excitedly wave his hand at Jiang Hai. Although Han Ga-in hadn't mentioned anything about Jiang Hai, he had roughly inquired about him over the past few days.
He knew that this man, who had solved their housing problem, was a tycoon, an extremely wealthy existence. The status of entertainers in South Korea wasn't actually that high, at least compared to businessmen, it was indeed a bit lower.
Since there was a chance to connect with Jiang Hai, Yeon Jeong-hun walked over with a smile after seeing him.
"Hello, Mr. Jiang, sunbathing here?" Looking at Jiang Hai, Yeon Jeong-hun said with a face full of smiles.
"Oh, hello. You guys came to sunbathe too?" Hearing him, Jiang Hai also looked up and gave a slight smile.
"Yes, walking around these past two days has been a bit tiring, so we're taking a good rest in the hotel today. What are you doing, Mr. Jiang?" Hearing Jiang Hai's words, Yeon Jeong-hun said with a smile.
"Oh, just scrolling through WeChat." As Jiang Hai spoke, he briefly showed the app.
"It's social media. I'm not very good at that; usually, my manager handles it." Although he didn't know what WeChat was, South Korea had similar things like KT, but Yeon Jeong-hun himself didn't really use them.
Hearing this, Jiang Hai could only give a dry laugh and then ignored him, continuing to scroll through his phone.
Seeing that he had killed the conversation, Yeon Jeong-hun felt a bit awkward. Fortunately, he recovered quickly. After lying there for a while, some passing Western girls nearly hooked his soul away. After saying a word to Han Ga-in beside him, he dove into the water to find the Western girl who had just flirted with him.
"It seems your husband is still not very well-behaved!" Watching Yeon Jeong-hun quickly swim into the distance and start flirting animatedly with some Western girls, Jiang Hai set his phone aside and spoke calmly.
Even though Jiang Hai wasn't looking at her, Han Ga-in knew this bastard was talking to her.
"This is our family matter; it has nothing to do with you." Hearing what Jiang Hai said, she bit her lip. Although she had always wanted to avoid Jiang Hai, fate was sometimes just that ridiculous; she kept trying to avoid him, yet they always met unexpectedly.
"Tsk tsk, alright, let's not talk about him. Haven't seen you in so long, did you miss me?" Turning his head to look at Han Ga-in, Jiang Hai said jokingly. Hearing his words, Han Ga-in was on the verge of exploding; this guy was too shameless.
"What do you mean by that?" Not daring to look at Jiang Hai, Han Ga-in stared straight ahead as she spoke to him across the lounge chair.
"I mean exactly what I said." Hearing her, Jiang Hai continued to tease her. If there was any progress Jiang Hai had made over the years, it had to be that his flirting skills had risen in a straight line. After all, practice makes perfect, and his practical experience was quite extensive now; he was no longer the person who didn't even know what to do when Afra pushed him over.
"Bastard." She huffed at Jiang Hai. Han Ga-in really couldn't stay there anymore; she picked up her towel and prepared to leave. Watching her retreating figure, Jiang Hai thought for a moment and then followed her. As for Yeon Jeong-hun, he was still having fun in the water. Following Han Ga-in, Jiang Hai entered the hotel. When she got on the elevator, Jiang Hai followed her in. Seeing him enter, she was powerless to resist. Just as she wanted to press her floor, Jiang Hai grabbed her hand and then pressed the button for his own floor.
"You, you, what are you trying to do!" Seeing Jiang Hai make contact with her and stop her from pressing the elevator button, Han Ga-in panicked slightly, struggling weakly to shake off Jiang Hai's hand.
"Don't waste your energy. There's surveillance here. If you keep making a scene and attract the security guards, the matter between you and me won't be kept under wraps anymore." Hearing Jiang Hai's nonchalant words, Han Ga-in's blood felt like it had turned cold.
"You, you beast, didn't you say you would keep it a secret!" Hearing what Jiang Hai said, she finally stopped struggling but still spoke through gritted teeth. Jiang Hai smiled at her words.
"Yeah, haven't I kept it from your husband and others? Don't worry, my lips are sealed!" Hearing her, Jiang Hai laughed and spoke to her. For some reason, this woman always gave Jiang Hai the urge to bully her. As for whether her face was fake, that had nothing to do with him; it wasn't like he was going to take her back with him, right?
"You, shameless!" Hearing Jiang Hai's words, Han Ga-in said with a face full of anger. But just after she finished, Jiang Hai turned his head and kissed her on the mouth. As their lips met, Jiang Hai launched an offensive. A long time later, when she snapped out of that sensation, they had already reached Jiang Hai's floor. Jiang Hai didn't say another word, immediately picking her up in a princess carry and walking into his suite. Once inside, the two didn't say much; since it had come to this, they might as well begin...
Normal, from behind, standing, the air train... I don't even know what you're talking about. An hour later, Han Ga-in lay limply in front of a certain indescribable existence of Jiang Hai's, gently taking it in.
"How come there's no progress? Haven't you been practicing?" Stroking one of the two indescribable places on Han Ga-in, Jiang Hai asked her with a smile, only to receive a glare from her.
"Where would I go to practice? Do you want me to practice with others?" Glaring at Jiang Hai, Han Ga-in said very unhappily.
"That's not it, but doesn't your husband do this with you?" Hearing Han Ga-in's words, Jiang Hai actually felt a bit awkward.
"With that man... how could that be possible..." Hearing Jiang Hai bring up this topic, Han Ga-in's face instantly turned red, and she spoke with some embarrassment. Hearing her, Jiang Hai couldn't help but shake his head.
"With such beautiful lips, I wouldn't get enough even if I did it ten times a day. How does he manage to hold back!" Looking at Han Ga-in, Jiang Hai spoke with a smile, but then felt a slight sting of pain.
"If you keep talking nonsense, I'm leaving!" Glaring at Jiang Hai, Han Ga-in said with both shame and anger.
"Alright, alright, you're the best. If anything happens in the future, remember to call me. A day as husband and wife means a hundred days of grace; no matter what it is, I can help you once." Looking at her, Jiang Hai spoke with rare seriousness. (To be continued.)
Sudden News
"Really?" Hearing what Jiang Hai said, Han Jiaren couldn't help but raise her head in surprise.
She knew for a fact that Jiang Hai would never fall for her, and naturally, she would never fall for him either.
Their relationship was, in fact, more of a mutually beneficial arrangement. Originally, she hadn't planned on asking Jiang Hai for anything, but she was surprised when he offered to help her once in the future. She was well aware of Jiang Hai's capabilities; if a man like him offered to help, he could probably settle any problem back home.
Thinking this, she suddenly felt that she hadn't lost out. She had both enjoyed Jiang Hai's formidable presence and secured a promise. With this thought in mind, she began to put more effort into her ministrations.
"Whew, not bad. Want to go again?" Looking at her, Jiang Hai asked with a chuckle.
"I can, but we have to be quick. He might notice soon!" Hearing Jiang Hai's suggestion, Han Jiaren hesitated for a moment before nodding. Sometimes, it was truly hard to say who was taking advantage of whom, wasn't it?
Hearing her words, Jiang Hai immediately mounted his horse, and the battle began again.
After about forty more minutes, Yan Zhenghun, who had been having a great time, finally realized that both his wife and Jiang Hai were missing. He called but got no answer. Maintaining a suspicious attitude, he returned to his room. When he got back, he found his wife sitting cross-legged on the sofa watching TV. Seeing the half-eaten bag of chips beside her, it was clear she had been back for a while. Seeing this sight, Yan Zhenghun breathed a sigh of relief.
"When did you get back? You didn't tell me, and you didn't answer your phone." Yan Zhenghun said to her while heading toward the bathroom, but his eyes remained fixed on her, awaiting Han Jiaren's reply.
"Tell you what? I was afraid I'd interrupt your mood while you were flirting with that girl! My phone died in my bag." Han Jiaren rolled her eyes at Yan Zhenghun and replied indifferently. Hearing her words, Yan Zhenghun gave an awkward laugh, realizing he truly had no good retort.
He then walked into the bathroom to take a shower. After he went in, Han Jiaren let out a breath of relief. Looking at her phone, which was charging and showed 71% battery, she pursed her lips and continued sitting there, eating chips.
This small incident really was just a minor interlude. In the evening, Jiang Hai received news that the negotiations were almost complete. Basileon-Madan was holding firm; the price could be raised to 20%, or even 21%, but he demanded exclusive sales rights not only for Europe but also for the Middle East. The negotiating team couldn't make a decision on this, so they consulted Jiang Hai that night. Jiang Hai was already getting bored staying there, so he waved his hand dismissively and said, "Let's go with that!"
If he wants the Middle East, let him have it. Dufamen doesn't even know Jiang Hai produces wine here anyway.
Once that decision was made, they could sign the contract tomorrow. Of course, before that, they still needed to fight for the profit they deserved; even a one percent price increase was a substantial amount of money.
Based on Jiang Hai selling each bottle for $800, one percent is $8 per bottle. If he orders ten thousand bottles, that's $80,000; fifty thousand bottles would be $400,000. Why should they let him earn that money easily?
Moreover, if the brand becomes famous and Jiang Hai starts selling bottles for $2,000, then one percent is $20 per bottle. Fifty thousand bottles would be $1 million, one hundred thousand bottles would be $2 million, and one million bottles would be $20 million.
Although he didn't care about this small amount of money—fine, look how arrogant he sounds—he couldn't just give it away to the other party for free, could he?
After confirming the strategy, the people responsible for the negotiations returned to their suites to sleep. Dulles-Gerald also breathed a sigh of relief; he had once again generated revenue for the ranch, and he could slightly look forward to this year's income. Meanwhile, Jiang Hai continued to hold Azalea and Wallis-Shelley as he drifted off to sleep.
Wallis-Shelley's two indescribable assets were truly magnificent and surprisingly large. Jiang Hai's hands were not small—the kind that could easily grip a basketball one-handed—yet one hand couldn't fully grasp them, nor could both hands completely cover them. Combined with her fair skin, deep features, and golden hair, she was incredibly enticing, making Jiang Hai reluctant to let go. Most importantly, she was very uninhibited; whatever Jiang Hai suggested was fine, as long as he wanted it.
Therefore, she was one of the people Jiang Hai most enjoyed cuddling with to sleep at the ranch, besides Qi Ya and Ai Xiaoxi.
Although he had fought two "battles" with Han Jiaren during the day, Jiang Hai always had energy when facing Azalea and Wallis-Shelley at night. Naturally, there was another great battle that evening, and afterward, Jiang Hai held them as he drifted off to sleep.
He had just fallen asleep when a frantic phone ring suddenly sounded. Picking it up and looking, Jiang Hai saw that the caller was none other than Qi Li. He was puzzled; they had just spoken earlier when finalizing the negotiation contract. Why was she calling again now?
"Hello, Qi Li, what's wrong?" Jiang Hai asked Qi Li on the other end after answering the call.
"Jiang, my mother is in the hospital!" Jiang Hai's voice had barely faded when Qi Li spoke, her voice laced with a hint of a sob.
"Wait, slow down. What happened? Why is she hospitalized?" Hearing Qi Li's near-sobbing tone, Jiang Hai immediately asked.
Just then, Du Ning, who had been staying by Qi Li's side, grabbed the phone.
"Sister Qi's emotional state is a bit unstable right now. This is what happened: Zheng Xiue called Sister Qi just now and told her that the old lady suddenly fainted. She couldn't explain it clearly, so Sister Qi told her to call 120. The paramedics have already arrived and said the old lady might have acute heart disease. She's been rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment, and we don't know the specifics yet. We've already booked flights and are leaving immediately." Hearing Jiang Hai's question, Du Ning quickly recounted the sequence of events.
"Alright, I feel safer knowing you're with Qi Li. I'll immediately call Qi Jie and Qi Ya and arrange for them to return to China right away. I'm in France, so I'll call the flight crew now to return to Ice City." Hearing Du Ning's words, Jiang Hai had never felt so relieved to have Du Ning stay by Qi Li's side. At times like this, they were truly reliable.
After comforting Du Ning for a few moments, Jiang Hai got up. Azalea and Wallis-Shelley had already woken up when they heard the sounds coming from Jiang Hai's phone. They quickly dressed while calling the flight crew. Although it was the middle of the night, it was Jiang Hai's plane, and he offered triple bonuses, so the crew members all got up. They lived near the airport and immediately went there to begin inspection and maintenance.
After getting dressed, Jiang Hai found Dulles-Gerald and authorized him to handle the negotiations the next day. He instructed him to immediately present the contract: they could offer the Middle East and Europe, raising the price from twenty percent. If Basileon-Madan accepted, sign the contract; if not, drop the deal immediately. Dulles-Gerald nodded after learning Jiang Hai had an emergency.
He knew Jiang Hai's temperament and character. Jiang Hai valued his family immensely. Forget about just the wine; he would give up even the beef or the fishery if needed. This was his nature, and it was why so many people were utterly devoted to him.
While rushing to the airport, Jiang Hai also woke up Qi Jie and Qi Ya and booked them on the earliest flight to the Imperial Capital. Since Jiang Hai wasn't there, he specifically transferred Belyak back from Tenglong Company to ensure the girls' safety alongside Galina. One of them would drive the two sisters to New York.
After making all these arrangements, Jiang Hai immediately called Qi Li. Although he and Qi Li had been having troubles, Jiang Hai still respected Qi Li's mother greatly. After all, she was essentially his mother-in-law and had helped him when he needed it most. Since his own parents had passed away, she could be considered family now, so he was very anxious.
Qi Li's emotional state had stabilized somewhat. Du Ning was driving, and the two of them were currently speeding toward the airport.
Qi Li was now a little calmer. While Jiang Hai was making arrangements, she had also called over there. Her mother had already been wheeled into the operating room, and the initial diagnosis was acute heart disease.
Probably because the Qi family was wealthy and well-connected, no messy or chaotic situations occurred. The doctors were highly ethical; the moment the ambulance arrived, surgery began immediately. Everything else would wait until the family returned.
At a little past 3 AM French time, Jiang Hai, Azalea, and Wallis-Shelley boarded the plane bound for Ice City. Since it was Jiang Hai's private jet, they didn't need to transfer in the Imperial Capital. As for Qi Jie and Qi Ya, they would have to transit through the Imperial Capital. He truly hadn't expected such a sudden, inexplicable event. What misfortune for the family.
Early the next morning, while Yan Zhenghun was still asleep, Han Jiaren hesitated for a moment before deciding to look for Jiang Hai. Of course, she wasn't traveling a thousand miles just for sex; she merely wanted to check on him. However, when she arrived at Jiang Hai's room, she found he was gone, and only some cleaning staff were tidying up the suite.
"Huh? Did the person staying here already leave?" Han Jiaren asked doubtfully, looking at the spotless room.
"Oh, it's you. Mr. Jiang had a sudden family emergency, so he left early. Is there something you need?" Just then, Dulles-Gerald and Connorsen-Peters walked out of the adjacent suite. Dulles-Gerald smiled as he spoke to Han Jiaren; he had some impression of the South Korean woman.
"Oh, no, nothing at all. I'll take my leave then." Hearing that Jiang Hai had already departed, Han Jiaren suddenly felt a strange emptiness in her heart. Fortunately, she was an actress and quickly masked her feelings before hurrying downstairs. (To be continued.)
Discussion
Of course, at this time, Jiang Hai didn't know what had happened in France.
For him, if he really knew that the Han people had come to look for him, he might not feel lucky, but rather worried! Just kidding, he hadn't planned on having too close a relationship with this South Korean.
Whatever it was, it was, but bringing her home was unlikely, and he couldn't risk such a universally condemned act.
But sometimes, not knowing anything is also a kind of happiness.
"Phew, we're here!" Jiang Hai wrapped his coat around himself, glanced at the jet bridge in front of him, and then, with Azalea and Wallis-Shelley, walked into Harbin Taiping International Airport with a hint of morning sun.
Don't look at the six-hour time difference between Paris and the United States; the actual flight time only differs by two hours.
Flying from the capital to the United States takes about thirteen hours, while flying from the capital to Paris takes about eleven hours.
Jiang Hai's private jet, which he could control the speed of, also flew for ten hours.
Jiang Hai took off from France at around 3 AM. The capital is seven hours ahead of Paris, meaning they took off at around 10 AM China time. After flying for over ten hours, they landed at over 9 PM, or 21:00.
Although Harbin is known as "Little Paris of the East" on its city card, the weather here is indeed quite different from Paris.
Of course, the daily high temperatures are similar; it's already late April, so daytime temperatures are nearly 20 degrees Celsius, but at night, compared to Paris which is above 10 degrees, Harbin is much colder.
When Jiang Hai got off the plane and walked out of the airport, he saw Du Ning, who had come to pick them up, in the airport parking lot.
Earlier on the plane, Jiang Hai had already received news that Qi Li's mother had been rescued, but the doctor also said that her condition was not too good and she needed a stent, otherwise it was unclear what would happen the next time she fell ill.
However, as long as there was a chance to save her and she wasn't in immediate danger, it was good news, so Jiang Hai and the others didn't have to be so anxious.
"How is the situation?" Jiang Hai asked her as he got into the Rolls-Royce driven by Du Ning.
"The situation is fine. The old lady has woken up and recognizes people. Her mental state is average, weak and listless." Hearing her words, Jiang Hai breathed a sigh of relief. "Fine" was probably the best answer at this moment.
If her mental state was exceptionally good, then it might be troublesome. As the old saying goes, it's a "last burst of lucidity." You see, those who have been sick in bed for a long time, if one day they suddenly become energetic, can get out of bed, eat and drink, that means the situation is going to get worse.
At this point, going to the hospital is useless because no symptoms can be found, but it will likely be over within a few days. This is difficult to explain scientifically, but Jiang Hai has witnessed it firsthand.
Now, knowing that the old lady was weakly alive, Jiang Hai felt relieved, but after feeling relieved, his brows also furrowed.
Everything in Jiang Hai's manor has spiritual energy. While it doesn't cure all diseases after consumption, it can strengthen the body and improve health.
Since Jiang Hai started raising cattle and fish, let alone Jiang Hai, who possesses the Dragon Pearl, even his employees and those girls haven't even caught a cold; everyone is quite healthy. Qi Jie often jokes that her role as a doctor is completely useless. Qi Li is a very filial daughter.
In the beginning, before Jiang Hai and she got back together, she would take the beef she got from Jiang Hai back for her mother to eat.
Later, after Jiang Hai wanted to deepen their relationship, he couldn't be stingy with the food, especially since how much could his mother-in-law and Zheng Xiu'e eat? So, he would send them some every ten to fifteen days. To get heart disease after eating Jiang Hai's beef and fish, honestly, he found it somewhat incomprehensible.
"Could it be that the beef and fish lose their effect in China? Impossible, I've eaten at Qi Li's restaurant, and while the spiritual energy has dissipated somewhat, it's still there. What's going on?" Sitting in the back seat, Jiang Hai stroked his chin and pondered, truly unable to figure it out. Unbeknownst to him, the car had already arrived at the hospital parking lot.
After the four of them got out of the car, they walked into an intensive care unit. When they entered, they found that Qi Li's mother had just fallen asleep. Qi Li was sitting by her side, stroking her hand and looking at her face.
Feeling someone enter, Qi Li also looked up, and upon seeing Jiang Hai, her eyes welled up with tears.
"It's okay, I'm here. How is our mom?" Looking at Qi Li, Jiang Hai walked over, placed his large hand on her head, and then, looking at his mother-in-law lying there, asked Qi Li.
"She's okay. The doctor said it was a myocardial infarction. Ten minutes later, it might have been critical. Now she's been given medication to clear her blood vessels. She woke up briefly earlier, feeling a bit disoriented, and then fell back asleep," Qi Li whispered into Jiang Hai's ear.
Hearing what Qi Li said, Jiang Hai looked at his mother-in-law, but no matter how he looked, he couldn't feel any spiritual energy in her body, yet when he went back for Chinese New Year, the old lady's complexion was quite good.
How could she have become like this after only a few months? Qi Li's mother was only in her fifties, and she had never suffered much hardship or toil in her life. She started enjoying a comfortable life in her thirties and usually paid great attention to health preservation.
Under such circumstances, to suffer a heart attack, this made Jiang Hai a little confused, so he wanted to find out more.
"Du Ning, please look after my mother-in-law for a bit. Qi Li, come out for a moment." Jiang Hai glanced at Qi Li, then said to Du Ning and walked out first. The most important thing was that the old lady was fine now, but the cause still needed to be investigated.
After hearing Jiang Hai's words, Qi Li also let go of her mother's hand and followed Jiang Hai into the corridor, turning into an empty area where Jiang Hai looked at her.
"I suspect our mom might have been set up by someone." After thinking for a moment, Jiang Hai said directly. Hearing what Jiang Hai said, Qi Li's eyes instantly narrowed. Are you kidding me? Someone dared to set up her mom? They're looking for death!
"Are you sure?" Qi Li asked with a murderous look in her eyes, and Jiang Hai nodded gently.
"The beef and fish from my manor all have a special substance. Not only does it make the fish and beef delicious, but most importantly, it can also make people's bodies healthier. I send those ingredients to our mom every ten to fifteen days. Logically, if she eats those things every day, let alone heart disease, even colds and fevers would be impossible. But when I came today and looked, our mom's face was a bit dark, which means she probably hasn't eaten my beef and fish since after Chinese New Year." Looking at Qi Li, Jiang Hai said seriously. He and Qi Li had that kind of relationship, and they were also business partners. She naturally noticed that Jiang Hai's beef and fish were different, and she ate them every day. Indeed, she was free of all illnesses, and even if she was exhausted the day before, after eating a meal and sleeping, she would be full of energy the next day. She originally thought this might be the power of love.
But now it seems this should be the power of beef and fish. She had only speculated that Jiang Hai's things had such special effects, not daring to be certain, but now she could be sure. However, she wouldn't ask Jiang Hai how he did it.
"You suspect an inside job? Xiu'e usually handles my mother's things. Xiu'e was raised by our family, and she wouldn't do anything to harm us," Qi Li said, hesitating, after hearing Jiang Hai's resolute words.
"I'm not saying it's definitely her. Let's wait and see. I'm just telling you the situation here; the specifics still need to be investigated." Hearing what Qi Li said, Jiang Hai sighed. If Zheng Xiu'e really did this, Qi Li and the others would probably be quite heartbroken. After all, raising an ungrateful person is quite a headache.
"Oh, by the way, how are your wine contract negotiations going?" After discussing her mother's situation, Qi Li wanted to change the subject, so she asked Jiang Hai about his wine business.
"Who knows? I've let Dulles-Gerard handle it. It's only about two or three in the afternoon in Paris, so there shouldn't be a definite answer yet. I should hear something in two or three hours." Hearing Qi Li's words, Jiang Hai shook his head and said. He really wasn't sure how the negotiations in Paris were going, but he figured with Dulles-Gerard there, he wouldn't suffer a loss. Besides, he had already stated his bottom line.
"Sigh, I really can't believe it. In two or three years, you've left me further and further behind. I truly regret it a little. If I had been determined and let you help me in the company when I first married you, would Qi's be bigger now, and would you and I be even closer?" Looking at Jiang Hai, Qi Li took a deep breath. She was too young and impetuous back then. If she had accepted her fate earlier, who knows if there would have been a better outcome.
And Jiang Hai, hearing her words, let out a light laugh and said nothing, because he knew his own situation. The reason he had achieved what he had was inseparable from his possession of the Dragon Pearl. If Qi Li had truly accepted him back then, would he still have the Dragon Pearl? No one knew, because every timeline is different. (To be continued.)
Locking Onto Zheng Xiu'e
The night passed uneventfully. There wasn't much to say, after all, this was a hospital, and quiet had to be maintained.
Qi Li and Du Ning stayed there all night. Jiang Hai specifically rented two more cots from the rental place. Fortunately, the ward was large enough. Originally, such wards were meant for four people, but now it had been converted into an intensive care unit with only two beds.
However, it wasn't a problem to place two more beds elsewhere. After Azaliyah and Wallis-Shelley also stayed there for the night, Jiang Hai went to his car and made do with sleeping there.
The next morning, Jiang Hai walked out of the car, yawning. He had to admit, sleeping in a car for a night was truly exhausting.
Jiang Hai was quite tall. Although the Rolls-Royce had a lot of space, when he lay in the front, his legs felt empty, and when he tried to lie in the back, he couldn't stretch out properly. It was very uncomfortable, either his neck was cramped or his legs were dangling. Fortunately, with his strong physique, he recovered almost completely after a few hours of sleep. As soon as dawn broke, he got out of the car.
The city of Bingcheng brightened quite early. In the summer, it would even be light by three in the morning, and in the shortest winter days, it was already bright by around six in the morning. Jiang Hai used to get up early to catch the bus when he was in school.
Every day, he would wake up at 5:30 AM, then eat breakfast, wash up, and get ready, before leaving around 6:00 AM. He would walk one stop to catch the bus. The bus ride would take about an hour to his high school, and school started at 7:10 AM, so he had to leave at that time.
Therefore, Jiang Hai was quite used to the early mornings in Bingcheng. Although it wasn't winter now, and spring might be half over in other places, for Bingcheng, winter had only recently passed. While the temperature wouldn't drop below freezing at night, it would still be around three or four degrees Celsius, with a huge temperature difference between day and night.
This was especially true when the sun first came out in the morning, it was quite cold. But even so, because it got light early, people in Bingcheng also started work early. Jiang Hai got out of his car, stretched his stiff neck, and looked into the distance where many figures were already moving around. Some were students going to school, some were workers going to their jobs, and some were sanitation workers, taking advantage of the sparse morning crowd to quickly clean up debris from the roads.
"Let's get something to eat!" After moving around outside for a while and checking the time, it was already past five in the morning. Jiang Hai rubbed his stomach, which had only had one meal on the plane yesterday, and mumbled softly.
He pulled out his phone and checked, finding a morning market nearby. Jiang Hai didn't drive, instead, he walked there following the navigation.
The morning market could be considered a distinctive feature of China. Besides many breakfast stalls, there were also many vendors selling vegetables, seafood, meat, fruits, and various goods from street stalls. You could practically find anything there.
Jiang Hai's home used to be near a morning market, and when he was in school, he loved going there to buy 'huoshao' to eat. This 'huoshao' was not the same as the 'huoshao' from central China, although Jiang Hai suspected that people here might have learned about it from crosstalk and not quite gotten it right.
Because the 'huoshao' from the Central Plains was actually similar to a 'roujiamo', completely different from the 'huoshao' in Bingcheng.
This item was made by wrapping meat filling in dough, then frying it in a pan, or rather, deep-frying it until cooked.
Although the method wasn't difficult, the taste was good, and Jiang Hai had loved eating it since he was young.
In recent years in America, he would occasionally fry them himself, and they were still quite good.
Besides huoshao, the breakfast options in Bingcheng were quite rich: 'daguozi' (youtiao), which were freshly fried and steaming hot, as well as wontons, ramen, tofu pudding, and so on. To be honest, after not eating them for a long time, he really missed them.
Following the navigation, Jiang Hai found the morning market. At a glance, both sides of a not-so-short street were filled with vendors. Some urban management officers were maintaining order here, which might be one of the few places where they could be so harmonious. The reason it's called a morning market is because it doesn't exist during the day. The morning market must close before 7:30 AM, and by around 8:00 AM, when the morning rush hour begins, it's gone. It's just like a night market, which also has to wait until the evening rush hour is over before it can open.
Jiang Hai was very familiar with browsing morning markets. After walking in, he glanced at the two hundred yuan he had asked Qi Li for yesterday. At the very least, it was enough for breakfast. Once inside the market, Jiang Hai headed straight for the 'huoshao' stall and ordered forty. These were quite small; a man could typically eat one in a bite, and a woman two, so they weren't very filling.
After ordering forty, Jiang Hai went to buy 'daguozi', also known as fried dough sticks, and also bought some soy milk and tofu pudding.
After spending most of the two hundred yuan, Jiang Hai was ready to head back. However, before leaving, he noticed a small stall in the distance surrounded by many people. Jiang Hai went over and took a look, feeling a bit surprised.
Because the vendor was selling salamanders, but not the small, juvenile ones for children to play with. These were large ones, weighing about three or four catties each. Many people were gathered around, looking at these creatures, but no one was buying.
"Brother, you should run! These are protected animals, how dare you sell them!" After Jiang Hai approached, someone in the crowd said to the salamander vendor, but looking at the person's gleaming eyes, it seemed they really wanted to buy them.
"There's nothing wrong with mine. They're farmed, all numbered, and can be sold." However, the vendor smiled and shook his head, looking unconcerned. Jiang Hai had heard about farmed salamanders a long time ago.
Even the state television had broadcast reports on their farming, but this was his first time seeing the real thing.
"Farmed, huh? That's not as interesting. How much per catty for your salamanders?" Hearing that they were farmed, many people lost their curiosity. People in China are like that; they clearly prefer wild products over farmed ones.
In America, however, people tend to prefer farmed products over wild ones, because the farming environment is better. For example, cattle have their own tags, indicating what they eat, if they have diseases, and so on, all of which can be controlled.
But with wild animals, you don't know if there are any parasites. This is also why, in America, people who go hunting often don't eat the prey they catch, but instead leave it there to nourish the earth.
Of course, there are exceptions, like Jiang Hai, who enjoys eating the deer or wild boar he hunts.
"300 per catty." Hearing someone ask the price, the man raised three fingers and said to the onlookers.
Upon hearing the man's words, two-thirds of the onlookers immediately dispersed, muttering as they walked away, "Three hundred yuan to eat that?" Indeed, at three hundred yuan per catty, and with one fish weighing around three catties, that's nearly a thousand yuan. While not everyone who comes to the morning market is poor, they are certainly people who are careful with their spending, and they were somewhat reluctant to spend a thousand yuan on this item.
However, Jiang Hai's eyes suddenly lit up. This seemed like a way to get rich, but he quickly dismissed the idea. While raising these creatures could indeed bring in a fortune, they were difficult to raise, and Jiang Hai was so lazy. If he simply raised them in the river, what if they ate his Yangtze River knife fish? Who would Jiang Hai complain to then?
So he just took a look, then turned and left, carrying many things to the hospital. When he entered the ward, he happened to see Zheng Xiu'e had just arrived. Having changed out of her maid outfit, she looked youthful and radiant. Her previous dullness seemed to have diminished somewhat, appearing to others perhaps as an air of aloofness.
However, when she saw Jiang Hai, she clearly paused, then nodded seriously at him and smiled.
Jiang Hai also nodded at her, and immediately noticed the insulated food container she was carrying.
"This is..." Jiang Hai pointed to the insulated food container and asked her, somewhat puzzled.
"This is the breakfast I prepared for Madam. Madam really scared me yesterday; thankfully, heaven protected her." Hearing Jiang Hai's words, Zheng Xiu'e nodded and said to him, a hint of fear still on her face as she spoke.
"Breakfast? What is it? Did the old lady eat this yesterday morning too?" Jiang Hai, who was already somewhat suspicious of Zheng Xiu'e, was stunned by her words. He then asked her, but his guard was already up.
"Yes, Madam has porridge every morning. She did yesterday morning too, but while she was having porridge, she received a call from Third Master. It seemed Young Master Tao was detained somewhere, and Madam just collapsed..." Hearing Jiang Hai's question, Zheng Xiu'e didn't seem to feel anything was amiss and told him everything in detail. As she spoke, a voice inside Jiang Hai told him that this matter was definitely related to Zheng Xiu'e, but whether she was aware of it was unclear.
"Jiang Hai, you're back! Xiu'e is back too!" Soon, the elevator reached the floor where the ward was located. As they stepped out of the elevator, Qi Li and the others had just come out of the ward. Seeing Jiang Hai and Zheng Xiu'e together, her expression became a little strange.
"Can I see the porridge in your hand?" Seeing Qi Li and the others approaching, Jiang Hai handed the food he was carrying to them, then looked at Zheng Xiu'e and said seriously. Zheng Xiu'e, looking a little bewildered, glanced at Qi Li. Seeing Qi Li nod, she handed over the insulated food container without question. (To be continued.)