Yes, Jiang Hai and his companions weren't in Massachusetts at the moment—they were in New Hampshire.
Speaking of this state, ninety-nine out of a hundred Chinese people wouldn't know much about it. Truthfully, there isn't much to introduce. It's a small state with an underdeveloped economy, a small population, and no major historical events.
Its main significance lies in being part of New England, the northeastern region of the United States. Originally a British colony and often referred to as the birthplace of America, the region's true center is Boston.
New Hampshire itself, however, is relatively obscure. In 2011, its GDP was only $63.5 billion, ranking 42nd among the fifty states. A poor state by American standards, its largest export isn't technology or cars but printers and copiers.
Even so, animal husbandry is an important part of the local economy. More specifically, dairy farming—New Hampshire is one of the largest dairy bases in the country.
When it comes to cattle, they can be divided into five categories, each genetically distinct: domestic cattle, yaks, bison, water buffalo, and oxen. Domesticated cattle are further divided into four types: dairy, beef, dual-purpose, and draft. Among draft breeds, the Chinese water buffalo and oxen are the most well-known.
Why did China rise as the most powerful nation before the age of machinery? Part of the answer lies in cattle. Compared to European cattle, Chinese cattle were hardier, more tolerant of rough feed, and far more durable. They worked longer hours while consuming less food, ensuring stable grain production. In those times, cattle were seen more as tools than as food. Europe, in contrast, developed cattle that were better suited for meat rather than labor. This difference gave China a critical advantage.
But in modern times, with machines handling the work, draft cattle have become nearly useless. Cows are now primarily bred for food, making working breeds increasingly obsolete.
The cattle market in New Hampshire was the largest in all of New England. Jiang Hai had heard about it before but had never visited. Walking in for the first time was truly eye-opening.
Previously, when he didn't know much, Jiang Hai thought cattle were simply divided into calves, cows, steers, and bulls. Now, standing in the heart of the market, he realized how naïve he had been.
This wasn't even Texas or Montana, the true cattle heartlands of America. And yet, here he could already see just how vast and varied the breeds were.
The New Hampshire cattle market was divided into three sections: dairy, beef, and dual-purpose. Jiang Hai and his group started in the dairy section.
Currently, dairy cattle are more popular than beef cattle. Milk is a staple worldwide—unlike beef, which isn't consumed everywhere, milk and its products are in universal demand.
Take China, for example. Despite having a large number of dairy cows, domestic milk production still falls far short of demand. Many manufacturers there can only stretch their supply so far, yet milk remains under strict price regulation as a nutritional staple.
China's dairy farming system is dominated by smallholders, making it difficult to compare with the massive operations in Europe and America.
Jiang Hai recalled the controversy when French farmers allegedly dumped excess milk rather than sell it to China during a shortage, sparking resentment. But truth be told, few European nations are particularly fond of China anyway. Politics aside, back to the market…
The dairy section featured four main breeds. Jiang Hai only recognized the Holstein, also called the Dutch cow. The others—Ayrshire, Jersey, and Guernsey—were all British breeds.
Standing among them, the air was thick not only with the smell of cattle but also with a strong milky aroma. The blend of milk and manure was enough to make anyone queasy.
Since Jiang Hai raised cattle primarily for beef, he had no use for dairy breeds. The milk produced at his ranch was more than enough for his estate, so he quickly moved on.
The beef cattle section, however, was where things got exciting.
Here, dozens of breeds filled the pens. Some Jiang Hai recognized, others he had never seen before. Robbins-Garcia patiently introduced each one: Hereford, Shorthorn, Angus, Charolais, Limousin, Piedmontese, Chianina, Lincoln Red, Hornless Red, Devon, Murray Grey, and more.
In addition to these long-established breeds, there were also newer hybrid breeds created by crossing zebu cattle with common cattle—such as Brahman, Braford, Brangus, Santa Gertrudis, Bonsmara, and Beefmaster.
Zebu, native to tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and South America, were easy to identify by the large hump on their necks. They weren't much to look at, but their hybrid offspring had advantages in resilience and growth.
Jiang Hai was particularly curious about a breed nicknamed "Beef King." Hardy, fast-growing, and resistant to disease, these cattle had become a favorite of large supermarket farms in Texas and Montana. From birth to fifteen months, excluding a three-month calving period, they could gain nearly a ton annually, with an impressive slaughter rate. In fact, more than half of supermarket beef in the U.S. came from this breed.
But despite its popularity, Beef King had one fatal flaw—it lacked quality marbling. For Jiang Hai, that was reason enough to walk away.
The dual-purpose section offered breeds like Simmental, Swiss Brown, Danish Red, Angler, Sindhi Red, and Sahelian. But Jiang Hai had no intention of raising cattle for both milk and beef, so he skipped it entirely.
He focused solely on beef cattle. After a careful look, Jiang Hai finalized his decision: 20,000 Angus cattle. Contracts signed, the suppliers promised timely delivery. With Robbins-Garcia overseeing things, there was no chance of anyone daring to cheat him.
Beyond Angus, Jiang Hai was intrigued by Chianina, the largest cattle breed in the world, which could reach 1,780 kilograms. But after learning they were primarily draft animals with poor marbling—much like Belgian Blues—he lost interest.
Instead, he settled on more reliable options. He purchased 5,000 Shorthorns, prized for their high slaughter rate of 65–72%, despite slightly lower milk fat content. He added 5,000 Charolais and 5,000 Limousins. Altogether, Jiang Hai bought 35,000 cattle. Combined with the 10,000 already on his ranch, his herd now totaled 45,000. Of course, 3,000 bulls would be slaughtered in the coming winter, with calves steadily growing to replace them.
It might sound cruel, but such was reality.
"You're buying cattle this quickly? Just a glance and you're done?" Pra Walton was surprised as Jiang Hai casually wrote the check. She knew from her professional background that selecting cattle usually required meticulous inspection.
But Jiang Hai wasn't like other buyers. Confident in both his ranch and his spiritual energy, he only needed to confirm that the cattle showed no major flaws before making his decision. Detailed inspections would happen upon delivery; any defective stock would be swiftly rejected by his cowboys.
"Really? I thought you'd take ages to decide. I even took a week off work." Pra Walton pursed her lips. It had only been two days, and Jiang Hai had already wrapped up everything. Going back to work so soon was impossible—besides, she wasn't done having fun yet. Her teasing expression made her intentions clear.
Jiang Hai smiled, slipped an arm around her waist, and kissed her lightly.
"Then that just means you can stay with me for another five days."
Pra Walton couldn't help but laugh softly. This man was getting better at sweet talk.
But before their moment could linger, both of their phones rang almost simultaneously. They stepped apart to answer. Though the callers were different, the message was the same:
"Du Famen's beef cattle are ready for slaughter!"
(To be continued.)