My Manor

"It's really unfortunate, but fortunately, the contract will be signed tomorrow," Jiang Hai thought, unaware of what was going on at the time.

After leaving Pra Walton's house, he drove to his own manor. He still felt a little awkward about what had happened with Afra the night before, though that feeling was slowly fading. On top of that, he had to return home to sign the contract the following day before leaving Atlantic City.

Jiang Hai didn't have time to enjoy the East Coast gambling city, so he drove straight to his manor. It took him over an hour from Atlantic City to New York, more than three hours from New York to Boston, and another half-hour from Boston to his manor. Along the way, he stopped several times to rest, grab a bite, and use the restroom.

By the time he arrived, it was already getting dark.

As his car entered the familiar grounds of his manor, Jiang Hai felt a sense of relief, even though he'd only been away for a few days. For him, returning to his own home was the most comforting thing. Unlike those who preferred to be out and about all day, Jiang Hai was someone who cherished the peace of home.

After parking the car, Jiang Hai headed inside the villa. Darlene and Marian were sitting together, watching TV. They both looked surprised and pleased to see him, as they hadn't expected his return today.

Nonetheless, it was a happy surprise. To them, the difference between having Jiang Hai around and not was becoming more and more apparent. It wasn't like the Chinese New Year, when his presence or absence hardly made a difference.

After a pleasant dinner at home, Jiang Hai, Darlene, and Marian spent some time watching TV together before the two girls went upstairs to sleep. Jiang Hai, too, retreated to his room for the night. There was no conversation, and the evening passed quietly.

The next morning, Jiang Hai went for his usual morning run before returning for breakfast. By then, everyone had already started their daily routines. The fishermen were preparing feed, the cowboys were herding cattle, and Afra and the others had headed to the vineyard to begin their work.

Jiang Hai's winery didn't use pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Everything grew naturally, thanks in large part to his spiritual energy. Despite this, the absence of pesticides meant that nature was flourishing, including the insects. Occasionally, the insects in the vegetable garden were controlled by flying dragons or chickens, but the grapevines were a different matter. Chickens couldn't reach them, and if insects flew up, they risked damaging the grapes. So, every morning, the workers had to manually remove the pests—either killing them or destroying their eggs. It was a labor-intensive process.

Jiang Hai never took part in this work himself, as he had a deep fear of insects. While he wasn't afraid of snakes, lizards, or beasts, he had a particular weakness when it came to bugs. The only time he'd ever been truly frightened in the sea was by giant deep-sea lice.

The workers at Jiang Hai's manor were clearly surprised to see him back. They hadn't expected his return, and they were genuinely happy to see him. Afra, in particular, looked at him with a different kind of expression, which made Jiang Hai feel a bit burdened.

After greeting everyone, Jiang Hai returned to the house. Following breakfast, he headed straight to his warehouse.

When he opened the door, he saw a woman sitting alone in an iron cage in the corner, bored and staring up at the ceiling. This woman was none other than Azarina Vicarbo, the one who had attacked him.

It had been almost a week since she was brought here. Jiang Hai had concluded that she hadn't targeted him intentionally—it had been an accident. But whether it was intentional or not, she knew things about him, and Jiang Hai was unsure what to do with her. Logically, the best option would be to kill her and feed her to Dasha, but Jiang Hai wasn't a cruel person. He couldn't bring himself to do that.

However, he couldn't just let her go either, so he kept her locked up. Jiang Hai hadn't mistreated her; she had food and water, and the lights in the warehouse stayed on 24/7. It wasn't dark, but it was a lonely and boring place to be.

In military or prison settings, being locked in a small, dark room was considered severe punishment. Jiang Hai's warehouse, on the other hand, was more like a spacious, gloomy room.

Despite the confinement, Azarina remained calm, showing no signs of extreme distress. When she saw Jiang Hai enter the warehouse, she lifted her head and said flatly, "You're back."

"You're pretty calm. Getting used to life here?" Jiang Hai chuckled, placing a hand on the iron cage. He picked up a chair and sat outside, giving her a playful look.

"I came to the U.S. to escape from my former organization. You provide food and drink, and while the lack of freedom is an issue, it's safe here, so I have no complaints. But if you could send me a few books, I'd appreciate it." Azarina responded calmly.

She was escaping, and Jiang Hai was providing a safe space for her. Food and shelter were enough for her, though loneliness was a problem. Still, she was trained to handle such conditions.

"Alright, I'll bring you some next time. What would you like to read?" Jiang Hai asked, intrigued. He hadn't expected her to be so direct, but he didn't mind.

"Thank you. I'd like Twilight if you have it. And maybe some copies of Secret Garden and some colored pencils." Azarina's request caught Jiang Hai off guard. He had expected a cold-blooded killer, not someone with such a youthful heart.

"Don't look at me like that. I'm only 21." Azarina shrugged, noticing Jiang Hai's surprised expression. He realized then that she was quite young—much younger than he had first thought. Her training and previous missions had made her seem more mature than her age.

Jiang Hai just nodded, amused, and left.

After returning home, Jiang Hai packed up and drove to the town for the contract signing.

At 10 a.m., he had an important meeting with the town government. The three projects he had invested in—beach villas, a gun shop, and a souvenir street—were set to cost around $250 million. However, once completed, the returns would be substantial. Jiang Hai was confident it would be a profitable investment.

If Winthrop continued to attract 100,000 tourists annually, Jiang Hai estimated a return of over $30 million, which would cover his costs in about 20 years. With 1 million tourists, it would take only two years.

Though Winthrop was on the East Coast, a location that wasn't ideal for wealthy Chinese tourists, Jiang Hai believed his home country would play a key role in supporting the project. So, he transferred $250 million to the town's finances after signing the contract.

In the eyes of Moses Adams and the town's representatives, Jiang Hai's actions were swift and decisive. Afterward, Jiang Hai gave Moses Adams a $10 million commission, which greatly excited him. Moses knew that sticking with Jiang Hai would ensure greater rewards than any small case in Boston.

After a lunch together, Moses returned to Boston, but his focus had shifted entirely to Jiang Hai. He was certain that by taking care of Jiang Hai's interests, he would make far more money in the long run.