"Oh, haha, there's no need—we can take care of it. You've been driving all day, you should get some rest first," Qi Jie—also known as Bernice—said seriously, glancing at Pra Walton, the slightly flustered Cheryl, and Jiang Hai.
"Well, we've got this." Qi Ya, already by the door, smiled as she chimed in and headed straight to the kitchen to get busy. Pra Walton and Cheryl, however, didn't sit idle. After exchanging a quick look, they stepped in to help with the dishes.
Standing off to the side, Jiang Hai could sense that the atmosphere among the four women had subtly shifted. And it wasn't necessarily for the better. There was tension in the air—something unsaid, but palpable.
Truth be told, Pra Walton and Jiang Hai had only gotten involved due to a misunderstanding. In her mind, Jiang Hai had always been more of a partner than anything else. After all, if she were ever in trouble, he was the one she thought of first.
But after that night at the Walmart Group's cocktail party, something inside her had changed. Even though she liked women, she couldn't deny it—Jiang Hai had entered her heart without her realizing it.
She could now admit that she liked him.
Before, she hadn't cared who Jiang Hai ended up with. But now that she did care, she couldn't help but notice—and mind—who was around him. Take Cheryl, for example. She was someone Pra had once loved too. Living under the same roof with those she'd loved, seeing them love each other? It was something she could accept.
But that didn't mean everyone else would feel the same. And she knew—her perspective no longer aligned with Jiang Hai's.
"Jiang Hai, what's going on?" Darlene whispered as she walked up beside him, clearly confused.
"How should I know..." Jiang Hai muttered in reply, at a loss himself.
"This is your fault. Why don't you go over and fix it?" Marian grinned as she sat down beside him.
"What do you two know? Little brats. Go play." Jiang Hai gave the twins a look of mock disdain, then turned his attention to the kitchen. He hoped tonight wouldn't turn into a disaster... maybe, just maybe...
"Tsk, calling us brats? You stare at those big boobs all day and ignore our development." Darlene huffed and gave Jiang Hai a light slap on the shoulder. "Hmph! I'm not talking to you anymore, stupid Jiang Hai." With that, she grabbed Marian and headed off to help in the kitchen.
But Jiang Hai's thoughts were still on the four women.
Luckily, dinner passed without incident. While the atmosphere was slightly awkward, everyone managed. After dinner, they all helped clean up. Then Qi Ya and Qi Jie took the initiative to arrange two guest rooms for Pra Walton and Cheryl Lee.
But when the two women requested to share a room, Qi Ya and Qi Jie didn't argue. After the arrangements were made, Qi Jie marched directly into Jiang Hai's bedroom—a subtle but clear declaration of territory. She wanted Pra Walton and Cheryl to know that her relationship with Jiang Hai was closer.
Jiang Hai could only smile wryly. When it came to feelings, he was truly out of his depth.
Back in the room, he and Qi Jie followed their usual routine: shower, exercise, another shower. By the time they curled up in bed together, it was past eleven.
"Wasn't Pra Walton a lesbian? What, you 'turned' her?" Qi Jie curled up in his arms like a cat, giving him a look of disdain. "You really have no standards—as long as it's pretty, you go for it."
Jiang Hai had no idea how to respond. Was he that irresistible? Yeah, right…
"Ha... let's just say it was unexpected. And now there's some trouble. But we're not getting together. She represents the Walton family, and I have no intention of being swallowed up by them. Still, something she said today might be worth considering..." he added, deftly changing the subject.
"Oh? What did she say?" Qi Jie raised an eyebrow. She was wary. Whatever Pra suggested couldn't be that innocent.
"She suggested I set up a brand or company for Tainlong Manor. Use that to participate in trade shows, exhibitions, get some recognition. Maybe even increase profits. Fish prices haven't been great this year."
Qi Jie's first instinct was to reject it—after all, it came from a love rival. But her rational side kicked in. The idea did make financial sense. She knew Jiang Hai didn't care much about money, but it wouldn't hurt to bring in more income. More importantly, she always hoped Jiang Hai would pursue something meaningful. Not just laze around and mess with Afra and the others.
Still, she hesitated.
"I don't know much about this kind of thing. Maybe ask my sister," she said at last. If it were something medical, she'd weigh in. But business? Not her field.
Jiang Hai nodded thoughtfully. She had a point.
He picked up his phone and dialed Qi Li. It was already night in the U.S., but across the ocean, it was noon. Qi Li had just wrapped up her work and was enjoying a rare quiet moment in her office, sipping tea Jiang Hai had brought back from the Chinese New Year.
The sky outside was gray and misty, but Qi Li was in high spirits. Her company was finally stable, her past grudges had been settled, and her relationship with Jiang Hai had taken a turn for the better.
She smiled wistfully as she looked at her phone. The lock screen was a photo of Jiang Hai—disheveled, crouched in the snow, munching on a sweet potato. His coat looked worn, the pose undignified. No one would guess this man was worth hundreds of billions of yuan.
She had snapped the picture earlier that year, just as her car pulled up to his home. He didn't see her, just sat there enjoying his snack. It was an ugly photo by all objective standards—but to her, it was perfect. He looked real. Unpretentious. Hers.
She traced the screen with her finger, smiling. Just then, her phone rang. When she saw the caller ID, her initial irritation faded and was replaced with joy.
"Hello, Jiang Hai." Her cheerful voice came through the line.
"Hey, Qi Li. Are you busy? Had lunch yet?" Jiang Hai asked.
Qi Jie, lying in his arms, immediately grew jealous. She turned and grabbed at him with both hands, making her point known. Jiang Hai retaliated by pinching her back, but she only giggled and doubled down.
"I'm doing fine. The company's on track now, no need to work overtime anymore. And yes, I've eaten—rice is fuel, right? I'm drinking coffee in the office right now," Qi Li said brightly, clearly at ease.
"That's good. Hey, I actually called to ask your opinion on something." Jiang Hai went on to explain Pra Walton's suggestion.
Qi Li grew thoughtful.
Jiang Hai waited quietly, while Qi Jie took the opportunity to... misbehave. She slid beneath the covers and began teasing him in ways that left him struggling to focus. He froze, torn between pleasure and panic.
Unaware of the chaos on the other end of the line, Qi Li finally spoke. "Actually, Pra Walton's idea isn't bad. The seafood and beef from your manor don't fetch great prices if sold normally. But if you package and brand them properly, you might get a lot more value."
"Huh—yeah, that makes sense. But how do we go about doing it?" Jiang Hai managed to ask through gritted teeth.
"Setting up a company is easy. But you'll need to decide whether to do it in the U.S. or China. Each has its pros and cons. There'll be paperwork, licenses, stuff like that... a bit tedious," Qi Li said.
Of course, for someone like Jiang Hai—worth billions in any currency—setting up a company was the least of his problems. In fact, whichever country he picked would welcome the investment.
But Qi Li had her own thoughts. If Jiang Hai wanted to set up shop in China, he'd come back. She'd see him more. If he stayed in the U.S., she could go there to help him. Either way, it meant time together.
Not a bad trade-off at all.
"Hm, I'll think about it. But setting it up in the U.S. makes more sense for now," Jiang Hai replied.
"All right. If you do, I'll come over and help... By the way, Jiang Hai—I miss you."