My Manor

The biggest difference between China and the United States is that in China, everything relies on relationships and connections, while in the United States, honestly, that's not the case. Americans tend to focus more on interests, and relationships aren't as emphasized here.

People come and go, and the tea gets cold — that's becoming the mainstream in China now, and it's even more so in the United States.

As a result, there's almost no room for backdoor dealings in areas like healthcare or taxation, especially in the medical field.

National oversight in the United States is particularly strict. Even the content of some drugs must be spot on.

It's also extremely important in disease treatment. All hospitals in the U.S. are connected to the internet.

If you've seen a doctor in Miami and then visit one in Washington, your previous medical records can be accessed.

Everything, from the medicine you took to the symptoms you had, is available.

Therefore, the diagnosis that Bernice helped Jiang Hai with was highly risky. If it wasn't done right, not only would she lose her medical credentials, but the institute could be shut down. That's why Jiang Hai said he owed her a favor.

And the condition for returning the favor, according to her, was for him to help treat a person.

This person, according to her, is her sister, who has suffered from albinism since childhood. She doesn't care how the protagonist treats her sister, as long as she's cured — that's enough. Bernice had come here primarily to decorate the room her sister would stay in when she visits, and Jiang Hai naturally agreed to help.

After bringing her luggage upstairs, Jiang Hai had a brief chat with her and then went downstairs to prepare dinner.

Since it was Bernice's first time here, Jiang Hai prepared a lavish meal.

Lobster and beef were a must, along with several other delicacies. These are dishes Jiang Hai usually makes for guests who come to visit, as it's his way of showing hospitality. He always selects the food carefully.

After leaving the villa, Jiang Hai drove a four-wheeled motorcycle to the beach. After exchanging greetings with Edward Anderson, he went into the sea and caught two large lobsters before heading back to prepare dinner.

By the time Bernice came downstairs, Jiang Hai's meal was almost ready.

"I can't eat much. You don't have to go all out," Bernice said, stepping into the kitchen and glancing at the spread. She was a little surprised because the meal was quite lavish.

There were two lobsters — one steamed and one baked with cheese — two beef dishes, one steak, and one beef stewed with Burgundy red wine, along with several vegetable dishes. It looked full and the flavors promised to be exceptional.

"It's fine. We eat like this when we're lonely too. If we can't finish it, we'll give the leftovers to them." Jiang Hai smiled as he nodded toward Xiaobai and Xiaohuang, who were sitting nearby.

Bernice was startled when she saw the two dogs, as she hadn't noticed them when she came in earlier. She brightened up, because she really liked dogs, especially large ones. In her eyes, Xiaobai and Xiaohuang were beautiful dogs, and she couldn't resist walking closer to them. However, as soon as she stretched her hand out to touch them, both dogs stood up and ran away.

They recognized that Bernice was a guest of Jiang Hai, so they didn't approach. If it had been anyone else, they would have pounced, but now, they simply ran off.

"Your dogs are really smart, but it's best not to feed them human food, because it's too salty and greasy, which isn't good for their health. Dogs generally need special dog food." Bernice, noticing the dogs' reluctance, squatted down and observed them carefully.

"Oh, it's fine," Jiang Hai replied. He'd heard this advice before but hadn't paid much attention since the food he fed his dogs had spiritual energy, so it was naturally different from regular dog food.

"Okay," Bernice said with a shrug. If the owner didn't mind, she didn't think it was her place to say anything further. She continued observing the dogs, impressed by how healthy and strong they looked. Their fur was smooth and free of any odor, which made her think they were very well cared for.

If they entered a competition, she thought they would likely place.

As she was watching, Jiang Hai finished bringing out the dishes.

"Darlena, Marian, time to eat. Dr. Bernice, it's time to eat," Jiang Hai called up the stairs. He then turned to Bernice, who was still observing the dogs.

Bernice smiled and stood up, walking toward the dining area.

A few moments later, Darlena and Marian came downstairs, exchanged pleasantries with Bernice, and sat down. Once Jiang Hai brought up the final dish of bread, everyone was ready to eat.

"Come, try the beef. It's a specialty of mine," Jiang Hai said, serving Bernice first, in keeping with his hospitality.

Bernice nodded, took a small piece of steak, and put it in her mouth. The moment she tasted it, her eyes lit up. Compared to Feng Yunchen and Ai Xiaoxi from China, Bernice clearly had a refined palate. She had opened a research institute in the U.S., which meant she was upper-class and used to eating fine food. While premium A-grade beef was a luxury, it wasn't out of reach for her. Yet, when she tasted Jiang Hai's beef, she was surprised.

"This beef tastes amazing. Is this the five-A Wagyu from Japan?" she asked, surprised.

"Haha, this isn't Wagyu from Japan, but beef from my own manor. If you want more, feel free to eat as much as you like. I've got plenty," Jiang Hai replied, delighted that his beef was being praised. There was nothing that made him happier.

"Plenty? This kind of beef only comes from the middle part of the top brain and eye meat. Do you raise a lot of cows?" Bernice asked curiously, popping another piece of beef into her mouth.

"Not too many, but I have a way of increasing production," Jiang Hai said, revealing a bit about his methods, though he didn't elaborate further.

Bernice thought for a moment before setting her knife down.

"What? Not to your taste?" Jiang Hai asked, noticing she had stopped eating.

"No, it's delicious," Bernice said, "but I consider you a friend, so I won't judge what you do. However, have you thought about what might happen if someone wants to buy your beef, and authorities take notice of your wealth? How will you explain the source of it?" She spoke seriously.

Jiang Hai was stunned by her words. He had never considered that possibility. In his view, the United States is a country that protects individual rights. In his own manor, he could do whatever he wanted, and no one could interfere. But he'd forgotten that even in a country that protects rights, authorities still have power. What if his operations attracted attention?

At this point, Jiang Hai was already making over ten billion a year from cattle. What if it could grow to tens of billions?

Now, he could already produce large quantities of premium beef. What if that number grew?

These were things he'd never considered before. Now that Bernice brought them up, he couldn't help but think about the potential consequences.

Bernice continued, "It's literal. I'm sure you've figured out what I mean. If your cattle-raising method gets the attention of high-level American officials and they want to promote it, how would you handle it if they want to control you?"

Jiang Hai didn't know how to respond. It wasn't just about his own business anymore. It was about the potential for his methods to be seen as a national interest, which could turn into a problem.

"There are two ways to handle this: one treats the symptoms, and the other treats the root cause," Bernice said slowly.

"Symptoms? How do you treat the symptoms?" Jiang Hai asked, surprised that she had a solution.

"To treat the symptoms, you just need to find someone to rely on," Bernice said. "But I doubt you'll want to do that. Besides, when that person loses power or changes positions, the protection will no longer be valid, and it will cost a lot of money."

"And the root cause?" Jiang Hai asked, now fully attentive.

"To cure the root cause, you need to come up with a scientific explanation that convinces people, preferably one that others can't replicate," Bernice continued calmly, her words lifting Jiang Hai's spirits. He hadn't realized that finding a solution could be so simple, but now he could see a path forward.