"Ha…"
Rubbing his tired eyes, Jiang Hai staggered down the stairs.
If someone had to use a slogan to describe him, it would be: completely hollowed out. He slumped onto the sofa on the first floor, unwilling to move a muscle. Sitting nearby, Bernice, who was having milk and oatmeal, couldn't help but glance at him with curiosity and concern.
"What exactly did you do in New York these past few days? You look completely drained."
When she came back the previous night, Bernice had already noticed Jiang Hai's strange state. At the time, she assumed he was just exhausted from the long drive. But looking at him now, something wasn't right. Even though she hadn't personally experienced Jiang Hai's physical capabilities, she had a decent understanding of them. Normally, if he were just tired, a good night's sleep would do the trick. But now he still looked totally spent.
"Well, I was negotiating deals with the Walton family. I didn't sleep much, so I'm just a little worn out," Jiang Hai replied, his eyes momentarily darting away before settling on Bernice with an air of seriousness.
Bernice frowned. Her instincts told her he was full of it.
Who was Jiang Hai, after all? She had observed him for several months now. This guy was incredibly lazy—so lazy, in fact, that it was almost impressive. His IQ wasn't anything extraordinary, and he avoided anything remotely complicated like marketing strategies or negotiations. His preferred method was to bulldoze through problems with brute force.
This man, negotiating with the Walton family? She wasn't buying it.
Her look clearly said: I don't believe you.
Jiang Hai pretended not to notice her skepticism. It wasn't like he could admit he'd spent the last three days rolling in hotel sheets.
In truth, with Jiang Hai's spiritual energy, the saying proved true: there's no barren land, only overworked cows.
"Well, just be mindful of your health while working. You've got a whole family here waiting for you to eat," Bernice finally said after a long pause. She crossed her legs on the coffee table and leaned back into her breakfast.
Looking at her long legs, Jiang Hai couldn't help but think of Pra Walton. Fortunately, he quickly snapped out of it and took a deep breath to center himself.
If the heart is as clear as ice, the sky will not collapse.
The wicked thoughts were momentarily suppressed, but he didn't dare stay. He headed into the kitchen, whipped up something simple to eat, and felt much better afterward.
After finishing his meal, he headed to the stables—he hadn't seen Xiaoxia in days and missed the big horse. He fed her some carrots and took a short walk, the chilly wind slapping him awake.
The cold breeze worked wonders. His waist still ached from, well, activities, but at least his energy had somewhat returned.
Overhead, the sky above the manor wasn't looking too good. No dark clouds, but a layer of haze dulled everything, casting a somber grey across the landscape. It was November in Winthrop—cold and windy. Snow could fall at any time. Jiang Hai figured it wouldn't be long now…
After his walk, he returned to the manor for lunch. His presence at home clearly cheered Xiaoya, who cooked up a storm. Among the dishes were the soup dumplings Jiang Hai had been craving before he left.
Lunch was delicious.
Afterward, Jiang Hai retreated to his room for a nap. He was genuinely sleep-deprived.
He slept straight through until a little after two in the afternoon, only waking up because his phone buzzed. The caller ID surprised him: Selena Gomez.
"Selena? Why's she calling?"
Since taking her on that brief trip, he hadn't had much direct contact with her. Sure, they messaged and video-called every couple of nights, but she always seemed pretty casual about it.
In fact, she often video-called him fresh out of the shower—barely clothed. It was clear she trusted him a great deal. If he ever leaked those recordings online, it would spark a media storm. Of course, Jiang Hai would never do something like that.
So he knew she'd returned to Los Angeles a few days ago when New York started getting colder.
But why call him now?
"Hey, Selena. What's up?" he asked after answering.
"Jiang! Where are you?" Selena's voice was loud and frantic, chaos buzzing in the background.
"Uh… I was napping. I'm at home," Jiang Hai said, still rubbing his eyes.
"Napping? Seriously? Get up, come to New York—I'll show you a good time!"
Jiang Hai blinked in disbelief. "What for? Big Sis, I just came back from New York yesterday."
Three black lines practically formed on his forehead.
"Oh, come on. Just say whether you're coming or not. I'm introducing you to some hot girls and you're still hesitating?" Selena sounded slightly annoyed now.
Jiang Hai sighed. He was this close to refusing. But he knew that if he turned her down now, it might create some distance between them.
"Alright, alright… I'll head over," he said eventually.
Selena laughed on the other end of the line, clearly pleased.
Dragging his still-recovering body out of bed, Jiang Hai got dressed and headed downstairs. When the girls downstairs saw him fully dressed, their expressions changed instantly.
"Going out again?" Bernice asked with a frown.
"Yeah, back to New York. There were a few things left unresolved last time," Jiang Hai replied vaguely, avoiding her gaze.
He knew he wasn't a good liar, so avoiding eye contact was the best he could do.
"Oh? When will you be back?" Bernice asked seriously.
"I'm not sure. Maybe tomorrow, maybe the day after. Shouldn't be too long." He gave a noncommittal answer.
Bernice and the others exchanged glances.
"Alright then. Just don't let it be Christmas before we see you again," she said. Jiang Hai offered a sheepish smile, walked out, glanced back at the cozy little home, and sighed.
He hated being busy. So why had things gotten so hectic lately?
By the time he left, it was already after 3 PM. When he arrived in New York, it was nearly 7 PM. After calling Selena, he was surprised to find that instead of meeting one-on-one, she had reserved a KTV spot for him.
Jiang Hai was speechless.
She had said something about introducing him to girls, but he thought she was joking.
Clearly not.
Anticipating the inevitable drinks, Jiang Hai grabbed a couple of sandwiches and a set of Mexican burritos on the way. By the time he arrived at the venue, it was around 8 PM.
This "KTV" was more like a nightclub. The first floor was a dance hall, while the second floor featured private rooms—designed to cater to celebrities and the wealthy. These places had airtight security. If you weren't a VIP or didn't have someone to bring you in, you weren't getting through.
Just like the last time he came with Moses Adams.
After parking, Jiang Hai walked in and headed straight for the elevator. But the moment he stepped out on the second floor, two large men blocked his path.
"Sir, please present your membership card."
Jiang Hai froze. Membership card? He didn't have one. Thankfully, he remembered to call Selena.
Within a minute, she came rushing over.
When Jiang Hai saw her, his eyes lit up—then immediately dimmed.
She was wearing a black leather skirt with a plunging neckline that went all the way down to her navel.
Jiang Hai was still a traditional guy with a strong sense of exclusivity. He knew he couldn't expect Selena or any of the others to belong to him completely—he wasn't some protagonist named Long Aotian. But still, this was a bit much.
Without a word, he took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders.
Selena, who had just been explaining to the security guards that Jiang Hai was her guest, paused in surprise. Then a sweet smile appeared on her face. She tightened the coat around herself and—without any concern about whether it matched her outfit—grabbed Jiang Hai's hand and led him into one of the rooms.
"Miss me lately?" she teased, smiling at him.
"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" Jiang Hai replied, rubbing his nose awkwardly.
"Pfft, like I'd miss a big bad guy like you!" Selena scrunched her nose and playfully pouted.
Jiang Hai chuckled and followed her inside.
The private room was packed—about twenty people, mostly tall, attractive women. A few men too, some of whom seemed familiar. Jiang Hai stood there awkwardly. He wasn't a fan of such gatherings.
"Let me introduce you—this is my boyfriend, Jiang Hai. He's rich. But let me tell you, none of you are allowed to hit on him!" Selena declared proudly.
Everyone turned to look. Upon hearing she called him a rich man, there was a collective hush. Clearly, most didn't take the announcement seriously.
Selena didn't care. She pulled Jiang Hai to the bar and sat across from him.
"What's going on? I thought you just wanted to hang out," Jiang Hai said, still confused.
"These folks are all in the biz—singers, actors, and mostly models. Look at those legs! I've got a show tomorrow. Consider it a treat—I'm broadening your horizons." She giggled and handed Jiang Hai an invitation.
(To be continued…)