"Thump, thump, thump..." The sound of engines echoed over the sea near Jiang Hai's fishing grounds. A small boat, like an arrow shot from a bow, sped across the waves, heading into the open sea.
At the helm of the boat, Jiang Hai sat comfortably, wearing sunglasses, facing the sea breeze as he gazed into the distance.
At this moment, there were no other people following him—only some animals.
"Boom, boom!" Even though it wasn't Xiao Bai's first time at sea, the little dog was still visibly frightened. In fact, dogs often fear heights and water. While most dogs can swim, it doesn't mean they enjoy it. There are a few dogs that like water, but Xiao Bai, like most dogs, clearly did not.
"Okay, your noise is louder than the engine's." Jiang Hai chuckled, patting Xiao Bai's head.
But fear, sometimes, can't be explained away by words.
Hearing Jiang Hai's comment, Xiao Bai looked at him with wide, pitiful eyes, struggling to hold back tears, but still staying far from the boat. Whenever water splashed over, the dog would immediately retreat. Meanwhile, Xiao Huang lazily rested in the distance, its ears raised and eyes open, indicating it wasn't fond of the water either.
In contrast, Banya and Jiujiu seemed to enjoy the sea breeze. Jiujiu, standing at the bow, was shedding feathers. Although not as majestic as an adult bald eagle, it displayed some resemblance. Occasionally, it attempted to open its wings, but its claws remained firmly closed. Jiang Hai wasn't worried about this; the bald eagle's growth process was long. It usually took four months for a chick to mature into a young bird after hatching, and another three months of training before it could fly and live independently. Despite its age, Jiujiu had been born with some physical shortcomings and needed more time to develop. Even though it was still unable to fly, it showed a clear yearning for the skies, which reassured Jiang Hai.
As for Banya, the dog wasn't afraid of the water at all. It calmly sat in front of the dashboard of Jiang Hai's boat, munching on strawberries that Darlene had given him before they set out to sea. The dog seemed unfazed by anything around it.
Jiang Hai smiled as he watched his pets. It had been a busy few days for him.
Since Qi Li and her team arrived, ten days had passed. The first day marked their arrival, followed by the Sea God Festival on the second day. On the third day, Jiang Hai signed a contract with Qi Li, and on the fourth day, Pra Walton also signed one. The terms of the contract were quite favorable. The price was based on premium A-grade beef, similar to the 5A grade beef from Japan, with the price set at $395 per pound if the beef accounted for more than half of the total, or $380 per pound if it was less. After the contracts were signed, most of the cattle raised in Jiang Hai's manor were sold, leaving behind only cows and calves. There was no rush to buy new bulls; the manor had enough manpower for the current bulls. New cattle would be bought in about six months, around October, just like last year.
After the contracts were finalized, Pra Walton and Selena Gomez stayed for two more days before leaving, and Qi Li and her assistant stayed for three more before heading back.
The two strong women wasted no time. Pra Walton rented a warehouse in Boston and arranged for three planes to deliver Jiang Hai's beef across the country. Meanwhile, Qi Li, upon returning to China, immediately convened a board meeting and announced her entry into the catering industry.
However, many were skeptical about the high price of Jiang Hai's beef. At $120,000 per cow, or 780,000 yuan, it was hard for the board to accept. In China, beef cows typically sold for just a few thousand yuan, and dairy cows cost about 20,000 to 30,000 yuan. The price difference left them unsure about the venture, even though they had enjoyed the steaks Qi Li had brought back. Despite this, Qi Li didn't let their doubts affect her. With her family's wealth, she simply moved forward with her plan and established a new catering subsidiary, 100% owned by the Qi family. Three restaurants were opened in the capital, aiming to create the best chain of Western restaurants in the country. While they may not rival French fine dining, the quality of ingredients was unmatched.
Meanwhile, Jiang Hai focused on his own tasks, including filing taxes. After several days of calculations by his accountant, his taxes were filed, and the money had been deducted. Tax season always brought anxiety in the U.S., where tax evasion is one of the most serious crimes. The IRS is often feared more than the FBI or CIA, and mistakes in tax filings could lead to serious consequences. While Jiang Hai had not yet immigrated to the U.S., filing his taxes brought him relief.
With the beef sales counted for the year, Jiang Hai planned to take his family out for a trip, but Darlene and Marianne were not keen. So, in the end, he took his four pets out to enjoy the sea breeze, which lifted his spirits a little.
After sailing for some time, Jiang Hai stopped the boat amidst the coral reefs and desert, turning off the engine and letting the current gently rock the boat. Instead of fishing or diving, he relaxed on the boat, removing everything except his shorts. He basked in the sun, drinking a cold beer, and gently rubbed Xiao Bai and Xiao Huang's heads. It was a simple, peaceful life.
But just as Jiang Hai was soaking in the sunshine, Xiao Huang, who had been lying beside him, suddenly stood up, eyes locked on something in the sea behind him. Sensing the shift in Xiao Huang's demeanor, Jiang Hai sat up and followed the dog's gaze. He spotted a cylindrical, fluffy shape floating toward them.
"What is that? Trash?" Jiang Hai muttered, watching the object bobbing in the water.
He removed his sunglasses to get a better look. As it drew closer, he saw clearly that it was a fluffy, cylindrical creature with a white head and a black body. The little guy appeared to be asleep, drifting in the water, and it was undeniably cute. Jiang Hai had heard of sea otters before but had never seen one in person.
"It's a sea otter," Jiang Hai said, standing up to get a closer look.
Although he had heard of them, this was the first time Jiang Hai had encountered a sea otter. Like walruses and sea lions, otters are marine mammals, equipped with claws for land living, though they are far more adept underwater.
This particular sea otter appeared to be a male, about a meter long. Despite being curled up and sleeping, it was quite large, with a small nose and large teeth, which startled Banya. As Jiang Hai stood up, Banya crawled over to his side to get a closer look.
"It's my first time seeing you. You look so funny. I'll catch you and take you home as a souvenir!" Jiang Hai joked. Although he wasn't one to collect exotic animals, the sight of the sea otter immediately sparked his interest.
But just as Jiang Hai reached out to touch the otter, it suddenly woke up, sensing his presence. With wide eyes, it quickly dove into the water, vanishing from sight in an instant.
"I'll let you escape this time, little guy!" Jiang Hai grinned, diving into the water after it.
He knew these waters well—Dasha had already scouted them for any dangers. With no immediate threats, Jiang Hai felt confident. As he dived in, he was ready to track down the slippery sea otter in its element.