"You lie around like this every day? Are you really okay?" Bernice said, her face showing dissatisfaction as she looked at Jiang Hai, who was lounging on the recliner and fiddling with his phone. This morning, she had found him in the same position after opening the ingredients. He seemed so relaxed.
"What do you need me for?" Jiang Hai responded, surprised by her comment.
Everything in his manor was running smoothly. There were still more than 15,000 cattle left to be sold, and they had two more days to finish the task. Robbins-Garcia was handling all the work, while Jiang Hai's role was just to handle the finances. He trusted Robbins to take care of everything else. As the saying goes, "If you hire someone, trust them, or don't hire them at all." If Robbins tried anything underhanded, he would ruin his chances of finding another good job in the future.
The fish farm hadn't started making a profit yet. Though the fish population had grown significantly, it would take at least another year before they were ready for market, meaning production wouldn't begin until March next year. For now, it was mostly a waiting game to monitor the health of the fish, crabs, shrimp, lobsters, and other creatures. If food supplies ran low, they would have to supplement their stock.
Edward Anderson was in charge of this, just as he was responsible for overseeing the cowboys, who couldn't possibly find a better job elsewhere.
As for the winery, the grapevines had been planted in March. While grapevines generally take longer to mature, Jiang Hai's were special, as he had infused them with spiritual energy. Even so, it would take at least six months for the grapes to ripen. If he wanted to produce ice wine, he would need to wait until the frost came, though Boston wasn't the best place for that. The frost season there came later than in places like Canada, where the conditions were perfect for ice wine production.
Jiang Hai was focusing on red wine for now, with ice wine being a project for the future.
Fortunately, Jiang Hai didn't have to involve himself much in daily operations. The ranch, fishery, and winery were all being run by others.
He didn't have to worry about cleaning either, as Darlene and Marianne handled that when they cleaned their own rooms. Even the pets knew to avoid soiling the villa, including the two new capybaras.
Jiang Hai was completely hands-off now. He used to cook all three meals himself, but now he just had a small bite in the morning, a little at noon, and then waited for Xiaoya's elaborate dinner in the evening.
If he wasn't living leisurely, who would be? With nothing else to do, he just lay there and played games.
"You really have nothing to do in your manor?" Bernice asked, her expression still irritated. "Won't you at least go check on the town you invested in?" A few days ago, she drove Jiang Hai's F650 to Winthrop to visit her good friend, Cindy Clive, and learned a lot about Jiang Hai—his past, his workers, and how he amassed his fortune. She was shocked by how much money he had made in such a short time. She had no idea he was that successful. The money he earned in a year almost equaled the wealth of her family, but then she grew uneasy. If he made that much in one year, what would he make in ten, or twenty? She almost felt like Jiang Hai was a force to be reckoned with.
"I don't need to supervise," Jiang Hai replied with a smile, waving his hand dismissively. "Moses Adams is keeping an eye on it. Nothing will go wrong."
He wasn't an expert in those matters, and there was no reason for an outsider to oversee the town's internal workings. He just needed to review the accounts now and then.
As for the construction, Wallis Kirk was watching over that. This was Winthrop's project, and if something went wrong, the town's tourism industry would be finished. It wasn't a national project; it was their own venture. The townspeople were just as invested in making sure everything went smoothly, so Jiang Hai didn't need to worry. He could use his time more productively, like playing games on his phone.
"Really..." Bernice said, shaking her head. She was speechless but couldn't argue because Jiang Hai truly had nothing to do. He wasn't asking for help; he was just living freely.
"Boss, there are some people who want to see you. They say they're here to discuss business." Robbins-Garcia's voice came through the intercom on Jiang Hai's waist.
Jiang Hai looked toward the door. His residential area wasn't far from the gate, and while it would be hard for regular people to see beyond the villa's entrance, Jiang Hai could make out the scene. Two cars were parked outside, and a group of ruffians were loitering by the cars. The leader, a middle-aged man in a suit and tie, stood in front.
"What's going on?" Jiang Hai observed the situation. He didn't recognize these people, but it was clear they weren't the type to make friendly visits. Curious about why they were here, he stood up and walked toward the door.
Bernice, too, was curious and followed him. Jiang Hai didn't mind her following and slowly made his way to the front door.
As soon as they stepped outside, the group of people glanced over at them. They seemed to recognize Jiang Hai as the owner but were confused about who Bernice was. The ruffians gave Bernice lewd looks, their eyes roaming over her figure, while a few of them even whistled.
Jiang Hai and Bernice exchanged a glance, both frowning. These people definitely didn't seem like good company.
"I'm the owner here. Is there a problem?" Jiang Hai asked reluctantly, his voice carrying through the iron gate.
"We're here to discuss a business partnership," the middle-aged man said, grinning. "Can we come in?"
"Partnership? We have nothing to offer. You can leave," Jiang Hai said firmly, already turning to leave.
One of the ruffians, with his hair dyed green, kicked the iron door and shouted, "You dare reject us without even listening to what we have to offer? Do you want to die?"
"Is that a threat?" Jiang Hai's eyes narrowed, his tone darkening.
"Hey, don't rush. Listen to our proposal first," the middle-aged man said, waving his hand to calm the situation. "On behalf of Mr. Billy Valen, I'm offering to invest 3 million dollars into your manor for 50% ownership. What do you think?"
Jiang Hai couldn't help but sneer. "I have a feeling you're here to get yourselves killed. Since I'm in a good mood today, get out."
The value of his manor was far more than 3 million dollars. Just the land alone had cost him 280 million dollars, and with the cattle, fish, and grapes, his estate was worth 5 billion dollars. Selling even 50% of it for 3 million was absurd. These people had clearly lost their minds.
"Boy, you dare talk to me like that again, and I'll kill you right here!" one of the thugs yelled, pointing at Jiang Hai and stepping closer to the gate.
Without a word, Jiang Hai grabbed the thug's arm, pulling him with such force that the man crashed into the iron door, his face slamming against it. Jiang Hai didn't let go; instead, he tightened his grip, twisting the man's arm. The sound of the joint dislocating was followed by the thug's scream of pain.
"Let go!" another thug yelled. "F**k!"
The rest of the gang rushed forward, some heading to their car trunks to retrieve weapons like baseball bats. But before they could get close, several cowboys riding horses appeared in the distance.
Robbins had been watching from afar, anticipating trouble. As soon as he saw the situation escalating, he gathered a group of cowboys and rode over. By the time they arrived, the cowboys drew their pistols, aiming them at the thugs, their faces grim.