"What? Is the Stray Pet Center going out of business?" Looking at Dominica Cecy, Jiang Hai smiled, then squeezed into the crowd and spoke to her jokingly, though he only received a roll of her eyes in return.
"Even if your manor goes out of business, my place won't. This is the only Stray Pet Center in Winthrop, and it has federal support," Dominica Cecy said to Jiang Hai, tilting her head up proudly upon hearing his words.
"Haha, then why are you giving away pets on the street?" Hearing Dominica's words, Jiang Hai crouched down to look at the pets she had prepared. He had to admit there were many of them, and quite a variety too.
Jiang Hai glanced over; besides the usual cats and dogs, there were hamsters, parrots, some other birds, and even some more valuable species like Chinchillas. Of course, many of the dogs were originally quite expensive, which made Jiang Hai marvel at how generous these people were. Hearing Jiang Hai's comment, Dominica also crouched down.
"After all, space at the pet center is limited. For some of the older, disabled, or mentally distressed pets, we provide them with end-of-life care. But for those in good physical condition, in their prime, or young, who were simply abandoned or whose owners passed away or moved, we encourage the public to adopt some every year. This lightens our burden and helps everyone love these little animals more." After Dominica Cecy finished speaking, she picked up a young-looking Labrador, cradling it in her arms and rubbing its little head. The dog was very friendly and kept trying to lick her.
"Are there any requirements for adoption?" Seeing how cute these dogs were, some of the onlookers couldn't help but ask.
One should know that many of these tourists had come to visit with their elderly parents and children.
These two types of people have very low resistance to cute things like puppies and kittens. Most importantly, adoption here was free. In China, a purebred Labrador would sell for at least several thousand yuan. Although the people visiting here weren't short of that money, who would refuse a free lunch?
"Tourists cannot adopt; only locals with a stable income can. Sorry." Unfortunately, Dominica Cecy directly dashed the tourists' hopes. They weren't dog dealers; they didn't just sell a dog and stop caring about what happened to it.
They were from the Stray Pet Center. After these pets were sent out, they would conduct regular home visits to see how their living environment was, if they were loved, if they were being mistreated, and so on.
It wasn't quite right to call them dog fanatics; they were more like pet enthusiasts who couldn't stand seeing such things.
"Oh." Hearing Dominica Cecy's words, many tourists let out a soft sigh, realizing they couldn't take these pets back. Meanwhile, the locals just stood around watching and considering.
To be honest, many locals didn't naturally like raising these things because Winthrop used to be very poor. They didn't have the money to buy dog food or canned meat for cats and dogs; they had enough trouble feeding themselves.
Although dog food and canned food are very cheap in America, they still cost US dollars.
Yes, it's common knowledge in America that you buy canned food to feed your pets—it's quite a luxury.
In a supermarket, a one-kilogram can of ground meat costs one dollar. A large adult dog would eat two cans a day, which is sixty dollars a month just for canned food, not counting the cost of supplementary dog food. For the old Winthrop locals, this might have been a bit of a burden. But now that the people of Winthrop had some money, raising a dog was no problem for them. Still, they had to think it over, because in a way, it was like adding a new member to the family.
Jiang Hai, however, ignored these people. He was still searching there, and after looking for a while, he couldn't help but look at Dominica Cecy: "Why isn't that bear here? I wanted to raise a bear for fun."
"Don't even think about it. That bear has hurt people; it can only spend the rest of its life at the pet center. It can't even go to a zoo. And most importantly, it's a protected animal listed under the Washington Convention." Hearing Jiang Hai's words, Dominica Cecy rolled her eyes at him and said seriously. She wouldn't break the law to help Jiang Hai get a wild animal.
"Tsk, don't give me that nonsense. If protected animals aren't allowed for adoption, what's the deal with that turtle over there?" Hearing her words, Jiang Hai chuckled and pointed to a cage at the bottom of a stack.
That cage was particularly large, about two meters long and two meters wide, sitting at the very bottom. Inside the cage was a Giant Tortoise, looking to be about a meter long. At the moment, it was lying there quite calmly, scratching at the sand.
"Oh, you mean him? If you want to adopt, this one can be raised." Hearing Jiang Hai's words, Dominica Cecy also looked at the Giant Tortoise, a smile spreading across her face.
"Don't talk nonsense. You think I don't know? Giant Tortoises are all protected animals, especially one this big." Hearing her, Jiang Hai raised an eyebrow and spoke seriously, but he only received Dominica's disdain in return.
"You really don't know. It's true that most Giant Tortoises are protected species, but there are also non-protected species among them. Giant Tortoises are divided into small and large types. There are four large types and seven small ones, plus one that is extinct. Among them, the Young Master's Yellow-footed tortoise, Indian star tortoise, and Burmese star tortoise can all be captive-bred and are legal pets. Among the large tortoises, the Angonoka tortoise, Sulcata tortoise, and the largest, the Galapagos tortoise, are all protected and not allowed for private ownership. But this little guy is an Aldabra giant tortoise; it's a Grade II protected animal, not a fully prohibited one, and can be entered into the country through normal taxable commercial trade." Hearing Jiang Hai's words, Dominica Cecy spoke eloquently, introducing them to him. To be honest, after listening to her for a while, Jiang Hai barely understood what she was saying, only gathering that this Giant Tortoise seemed adoptable and it wasn't illegal. This made him feel a bit interested.
"So, what does this thing eat?" Looking at this sizable tortoise, Jiang Hai asked with some curiosity.
"It eats everything—vegetables, fruits, grass, meat, fish. It'll eat whatever you have." Shrugging, Dominica Cecy felt that besides taking up space, this thing was quite easy to raise.
"Then can I adopt it?" Hearing her words, Jiang Hai's eyes lit up. To him, raising a tortoise seemed like a good idea.
"Of course you can; you're the richest man around here." Hearing Jiang Hai's words, Dominica Cecy smiled and said to him. The rest was easy. After Jiang Hai filled out a form, under the envious gazes of the crowd, he called over Edward Anderson and the others who had come to watch the fun. They moved the big fellow into an F750 they had driven over. Jiang Hai stopped his stroll, gave his car keys to Azalina, telling her to drive it back in the evening, and then drove the F750 back to the manor himself. Once at the manor, Jiang Hai's immense strength was on display; he moved the fellow down by himself, opened the iron cage, and let him in.
This Aldabra giant tortoise was basically almost an adult, but only 'almost' because this kind of tortoise has an average lifespan of up to two hundred years. According to Dominica Cecy, this tortoise was twenty years old this year, which translates to about ten years old in human terms. Its original owners were an elderly couple from Boston. The tortoise outlived the old man and woman, and their children didn't want to raise it, so it was sent to the Boston Stray Pet Center, and then forwarded here from Boston.
Although it wasn't quite an adult yet, it had lived for twenty years after all and had some intelligence. It knew the grass outside was good, so it slowly crawled out and began eating grass in front of Jiang Hai. It took a few bites, then raised its head to look at Jiang Hai with curiosity. It might not have a concept of an 'owner' in its brain, but it knew it was going to live with Jiang Hai.
"From today on, this is your home. I won't keep you in a cage. Now I'll show you around the place." Jiang Hai looked at the fellow, slowly reached out his hand, and sent a stream of Spiritual Energy into it. Then he carried the Giant Tortoise and began walking around his home. Whether it was because of the Spiritual Energy or because the tortoise was truly smart, it didn't retract into its shell but followed along with Jiang Hai. It kept looking at what was home and where it could play.
After doing a full circuit, including the forest area, he finally set it down.
Looking at its reaction, it was clearly more interested in the areas around the pasture and the freshwater river. This kind of tortoise usually lives in forests, but there were currently three giant beasts in the forest. Since this tortoise was adopted, Dominica and the others would surely come to visit it. If they saw those three by then, it would be hard to handle.
So Jiang Hai could only raise it near the house. Fortunately, it was also very interested in the Camphor trees Jiang Hai had planted.
"From now on, you're a member of the family. But what should I call you?" Looking at the Giant Tortoise that had started eating grass again after being set down, Jiang Hai rubbed his chin and began to ponder. His naming soul was starting to stir again! (To be continued.)
A Letter From School?
Spring was the most comfortable season – not cold, not hot, with a gentle breeze carrying the scent of new grass and fresh earth, constantly swirling through Jiang Hai's manor. Jiang Hai himself was lying on his lounge chair, an iPad on the small table in front of him, playing a popular domestic TV series called "Ghost Blows Out the Light."
To be honest, Jiang Hai had read some of the original novel before, but because it mainly depicted stories from over thirty years ago, he found it difficult to relate to, so he didn't remember the plot very clearly.
However, watching the TV series now was quite enjoyable. The show had already started airing when he was still in China, but Jiang Hai didn't like to follow shows; he preferred to watch them all at once, even American dramas. That's why he was only watching it now. Watching TV, sipping tea, and enjoying the breeze – nothing could be more pleasant than his current life, at least that's what he thought.
Unbeknownst to him, five days had passed since the Sea God Festival. Now, both Winthrop and his manor had long since returned to normal: cattle were grazing, fish were being caught, grapes were being planted, and vegetables were being grown. The only one truly idle was Jiang Hai, but he quite enjoyed his current state.
"I've salvaged quite a few shipwrecks, but I've never actually seen ancient tombs, tsk tsk," Jiang Hai muttered to himself as he watched the TV series. Just as he was muttering, his Google Glasses suddenly vibrated.
"Incoming call... Number..." After the glasses vibrated, a projection appeared in front of Jiang Hai, showing a phone number and a photo. Jiang Hai recognized the photo; it was Taraga.
"Didn't she go to school? Why is she calling me?" Although a little puzzled, Jiang Hai still pressed the answer button.
"Hello, Taraga, what's wrong?" After the call connected, Jiang Hai asked Taraga.
"Hello, Jiang, uh, do you have time right now?" Hearing Jiang Hai's words, Taraga's voice echoed from the other end, speaking hesitantly to Jiang Hai. Jiang Hai also heard some crying sounds from the phone.
"What's going on?" Hearing someone cry, Jiang Hai sat up abruptly. Although nothing had happened between him and Taraga, let's not forget that Taraga was staying with him, and he was extremely protective of his own.
"Uh, well, let our teacher tell you!" Hearing Jiang Hai's words, Taraga handed the phone to someone else.
"Hello, is this Mr. Jiang? Hello, my name is Mary Jane, Taraga's teacher. I was wondering if you had time to come to the school?" Then, a woman with a slightly calm voice spoke to Jiang Hai.
"Oh, hello, Teacher Jane, has something happened?" Jiang Hai still had some impression of this teacher; she was a female teacher in her fifties who had taught in Winthrop for over twenty years. She was highly respected in town and a strong candidate for the next principal of Mary Jane's school. When Jiang Hai sent Taraga to high school, he didn't even have to say anything; the school would arrange the best class and teachers for her, which was why Jiang Hai was so confident in Taraga attending school there.
"Well, Taraga hit someone at school, and she might have hit them quite hard. The other parents want to talk to you," Mary Jane said with a helpless sigh, hearing Jiang Hai's words.
"Hmm? Okay, I'll be right there!" Hearing Mary Jane's words, Jiang Hai raised an eyebrow and stood up from his chair.
After hanging up the phone, he went directly to his room to get his car keys, and incidentally kicked noob, who was circling around Long legs. Long legs was the giant tortoise Jiang Hai had brought back, and Jiang Hai's naming was just that domineering... In fact, he was following Chinese customs; Chinese people believe that whatever you lack, your name should contain it. For example, Jiang Hai, whose five elements lacked water, was named Hai (sea). Those lacking metal were named Rui, those lacking wood were Sen or Lin, those lacking fire were Yan or Yan, and those lacking earth... were named Tu (earth). That's why some people are called Run, and some are called Tu... The biggest characteristic of this giant tortoise was its short legs, so it was named Long legs (Big Long Legs), hoping its legs would grow longer was only natural.
Although it had only been less than five days, it had clearly gotten used to Jiang Hai's home. There really wasn't anything to get used to; since its arrival, its treatment had been excellent. It had eaten Jiang Hai's freshly grown vegetables, which had just sprouted and Jiang Hai hadn't even tried yet. It had spiritual grass, and the water was cold spring water from underground. At least its life here was much better than at a stray animal center or a zoo. The only downside might be that it was alone, without a companion.
As for the existing creatures in Jiang Hai's home, they had different opinions about the arrival of the giant tortoise.
For instance, Little Yellow, the Tibetan Mastiff and the leader of Jiang Hai's land pets, was indifferent. Ever since Jiu Jiu learned to fly, it was rarely seen during the day, unless it was raining outside; otherwise, no one knew where it went. However, it would always return at night, occasionally bringing Jiang Hai and the others some wild game, like rabbits.
Whitey, the Greenland seal Jiang Hai adopted, had grown a bit larger and Jiang Hai's swimming pool was essentially its territory. Of course, besides Whitey, the two guinea pigs Jiang Hai had gotten for Darlene and Marian had also grown somewhat and spent their days with Whitey. When Big Long Legs arrived, the most excited ones were probably Banya and Little White.
Banya was excited because he had another mount. Although Big Long Legs was not yet an adult, its carrying capacity was already quite considerable. Even with Jiang Hai sitting on it, it could still move, let alone Banya... As for Little White, it was extremely enthusiastic towards it. Sometimes Jiang Hai wondered if the Caucasian Shepherd's intelligence was a bit low, otherwise why did it seem so silly? Following the principle of kicking any dog that passes by, Jiang Hai kicked Little White's backside and then drove out of the manor. In Boston, Jiang Hai's safety was always guaranteed, let alone in Winthrop.
Driving, Jiang Hai entered the town of Winthrop and quickly arrived in front of Winthrop Town High School.
After parking his car in the designated spot, Jiang Hai greeted the gatekeeper and walked into the high school.
In Winthrop schools, whether elementary, middle, or high school, non-school personnel are strictly prohibited from entering.
For example, when Jiang Hai went to find Cindy Clive, he was also stopped by the gatekeeper for a while.
The main reason Jiang Hai was able to enter was because Teacher Mary Jane had already made arrangements.
After entering the school, Jiang Hai walked straight towards Teacher Mary Jane's office.
However, as he was about to arrive, he noticed that something seemed off. Upon entering, he found that the small office was filled with many people, both men and women, mostly pairs of parents, or a single parent, standing there comforting a girl or... a boy?
Most of these people had some bruises on their faces, and their school uniforms were torn and messy. Taraga, meanwhile, stood alone, with her two good friends, Pearl Celsi and Bessy Oliver, whom Jiang Hai had met, standing beside her. Their parents stood next to them, and the two girls also looked a bit disheveled; Bessy Oliver's hair was messy, and she had a bruise on her face. As for Pearl Celsi, well, it wasn't obvious... Taraga, on the other hand, looked like a victorious warrior, holding her head high, looking at the people there, until she saw Jiang Hai approach, then she lowered her head. Mary Jane, who had been watching her, knew Jiang Hai had arrived as soon as she saw her movement, so she turned her head and smiled and nodded at Jiang Hai.
"Hello, Teacher Jane, what's the situation?" Seeing that he had been discovered, Jiang Hai walked in generously, looking at Mary Jane and the people there with some confusion. Upon seeing Jiang Hai, many of the townspeople here clearly showed displeasure, but some also smiled and nodded, seemingly still respectful of Jiang Hai.
"Now that everyone is here, let the children speak!" Seeing Jiang Hai also arrive, Mary Jane spoke up.
"It was that bitch, she seduced George, and George is Horace's boyfriend," a white girl with a black eye, who had been beaten, angrily pointed at Bessy Oliver and said, as Mary Jane's words fell.
"Pfft, who would be interested in him? He came to me first, you're slandering me!" Bessy Oliver retorted impolitely, loudly pointing at the crowd, while the boy present looked quite embarrassed.
"You? George would be interested in you! You must be joking. If you hadn't used such cheap tricks, he wouldn't have gone to you!" Hearing Bessy Oliver's words, a tall girl shrieked, though she was also in the worst state, with a dusty face, messy hair, bloodstains under her nose, and a clear slap mark on her face.
"Exactly, just look at my daughter, what kind of people are you? As long as this boy isn't blind, would he abandon my daughter for you? My poor daughter, beaten like this by these low-class people, this matter is far from over!" After the tall girl finished screaming, a flamboyantly dressed middle-aged woman beside her said with a triumphant wag of her chin. Beside her, a pot-bellied middle-aged man also looked at these people with an unfriendly expression. (To be continued.)
Favorite Kind of Face-Slapping
"Wait, didn't Teacher Mary Jane just say the children should speak? Are you a child? Are you from their generation? Are you their classmate? Did you stay back for forty years, classmate?" Hearing this woman's words, Jiang Hai waved his hand and looked at her with a half-smile, speaking with clear displeasure. Hearing Jiang Hai's words, Talaga and the others couldn't help but want to laugh, while the woman's face turned blue from what Jiang Hai said; she probably rarely heard such things.
"What lack of manners!" Perhaps knowing that her interruption just now was indeed problematic, the woman tilted her head up and spoke with a haughty expression.
"Really, what lack of manners, no upbringing. You guys continue." Hearing her words, Jiang Hai also spoke a sentence of disdain and then addressed the group. Hearing Jiang Hai's words, the woman's expression became even uglier.
Having been interrupted by Jiang Hai, these people looked at each other, not knowing where best to start.
"I'll say it then. This guy called George Edis is the captain of our school's basketball team. That girl is called Horace Clark, the captain of the school's cheerleading squad. They were originally a couple, but a few days ago, George Edis found Betsy and said he fell in love with her at first sight and wanted to pursue her. However, at that time I happened to call her over to help pick tea leaves. Betsy knew that helping you pick tea leaves is only for girls who haven't had boyfriends, so after she came back, she rejected him. But he wouldn't give up. Today while we were eating lunch, he came over again to confess. Later, Horace Clark and these girls came to the restroom to corner us. We were halfway through the fight when this guy came over and took sides. I couldn't stand it, so I beat him up too." Seeing the scene suddenly go quiet, Talaga stood forward and explained the situation to Jiang Hai.
"It was clearly her who seduced George, how did it become George liking her? George and I are doing great!" Hearing Talaga's words, Horace Clark also spoke loudly, but just as she finished, Jiang Hai waved his hand.
"I don't care who this pretty boy likes. He can like whoever he wants; it has nothing to do with me. Did you go and corner them, and who moved first?" Looking at these people, Jiang Hai spoke with a serious face. Sure enough, after hearing Jiang Hai's words, these people stopped talking.
Horace Clark's group over there had seven people in total, plus George Edis who joined in later to take sides, making it eight. Meanwhile, Talaga's side only had three people. Three people daring to fight eight? No one was an idiot.
"How can this be unrelated? George, you say it, did she seduce you!" Hearing Jiang Hai trying to define the matter so quickly, several girls on this side couldn't take it anymore. That Horace Clark pulled the sleeve of George Edis beside her and spoke loudly. George Edis dodged a bit, thought for a moment, then looked at Betsy and nodded forcefully.
"You see that? George said she seduced him. Now what else do you have to say?" Seeing George Edis nod, Horace Clark spoke up loudly as if she had won a victory.
"Are you brain-damaged, kid? Did you not understand what I just said? Even if Betsy seduced this guy of yours named George, does that mean you can hit people? You've got your priorities mixed up!" Looking at Horace Clark with a smile, Jiang Hai spoke mockingly. Hearing Jiang Hai's words, Horace Clark was momentarily speechless.
"Now my daughter has been beaten. Look at this delicate little face, what has it become? My daughter is going to participate in beauty pageants; she has a bright future! Because you've beaten her now, America might lose a big star, an excellent singer, a supermodel in the future!" Seeing his daughter speechless, her father couldn't help but stand forward. He had no choice; he knew his wife was okay at being unreasonable, but she might not be a match for the man in front of them when it came to discussing the facts directly. So he had to stand up and explain. However, his superior-sounding words couldn't help but make Jiang Hai laugh.
"Heh, you really are shameless! Fine, she hit your daughter, right? Okay, you tell me, are we going through the legal system, or what?" Looking at this guy, Jiang Hai spoke very calmly, then signaled with his eyes for Talaga and the others not to worry.
"Hmph, letting them go to jail like that would be letting them off too easy. Pay up!" Seeing Jiang Hai say this, he thought Jiang Hai had softened, so he spoke with a smug face. Hearing his words, Jiang Hai also nodded.
"Fine, okay, how much do you want?" Looking at this person, Jiang Hai spoke with a serious face.
"One hundred thousand!" After thinking for a moment, this person opened his mouth wide and called out a figure.
"Fine!" Originally, he thought he would ask for a sky-high price and then negotiate down, but he didn't expect Jiang Hai to answer so decisively.
Seeing this, the man's wife couldn't help but gently tug his sleeve.
"Cough, I meant for medical expenses, and also mental distress compensation, that also needs to be a hundred thousand!" Seeing his wife tug his sleeve, the man immediately changed his tune and spoke with a serious face. One hundred thousand thus became two hundred thousand.
"No problem. By the way, what do you do for a living?" Hearing two hundred thousand, Jiang Hai also nodded, no problem. Hearing Jiang Hai's words, several people here were somewhat moved, and the parents of the other girls who were beaten were also starting to consider it.
"I am a supervisor actuary!" Hearing Jiang Hai inquire about his job, the man spoke very proudly.
"Fine, you want two hundred thousand, okay, I'll give it to you. An actuary's annual income is about ninety thousand dollars. You're a supervisor, so I'll double it for you—one hundred and eighty thousand, let's call it two hundred thousand. I'm giving you two hundred thousand now, which is equivalent to your annual income..." Jiang Hai looked at the man and nodded, directly taking out a checkbook and scribbling a check for two hundred thousand dollars and handing it over. The man wasn't polite either, taking it directly and then looking at his wife and daughter triumphantly. The parents of the other girls were now hesitating whether to stand forward, but before they could, Jiang Hai continued speaking.
"I don't believe that when Talaga was hitting your child, your child didn't fight back. Now our child's head is dizzy and she can't lift her hands; this is a concussion. There's nothing more to say. Your family's matter is settled, now pay up!" Looking at the person in front of him, Jiang Hai spoke very calmly. While speaking, he signaled Talaga to follow suit. Hearing Jiang Hai's words, Talaga also sat directly on the chair over there, holding her head and crying out that she was dizzy.
Seeing Talaga do this, those parents who wanted money instantly stopped in their tracks and watched the current situation.
"You, you rogue, you're asking for money too?" Hearing Jiang Hai checkmate him back, the man who was originally very smug couldn't help but tremble, then looked at Jiang Hai with a face full of surprise. Jiang Hai, however, gave a small smile. Was his money that easy to take?
"Of course I want money. The children fought and injured each other, and your child was the one who moved first. I compensated you for medical expenses, so you have to compensate me! We have to be reasonable, don't we? Otherwise, I'll go through the legal system and let your girl stay inside for a few years!" Looking at the man, Jiang Hai spoke very calmly. Hearing what Jiang Hai said, the man was momentarily speechless. He couldn't really let his girl go in, right?
"Fine, you're tough!" Taking out the two hundred thousand dollar check he had just pocketed, he was truly reluctant to part with it, but he knew now was not the time to hesitate. He threw it directly onto the ground in front of Jiang Hai.
"Wait, this isn't enough! I'm a person who likes to be reasonable the most. I compensated you for a year's income, and you've received that money. Now, you have to compensate me for one year's income so we're even." Jiang Hai didn't have the leisure to pick up the two hundred thousand dollars; he smiled and spoke slowly. Was this matter really going to be resolved that easily? He was overthinking it!
"You, what do you do? How much do you want!" Hearing Jiang Hai say the two hundred thousand wasn't enough, the man's heart skipped a beat, and then he raised his neck and spoke with a face full of anger.
"I'm a cattle and fish farmer. I have a manor in Winthrop, Tenglong Manor. I think quite a few people here know I have this manor. You can go to the tax bureau and check; last year I didn't earn much, only seven billion. I'm talking about US dollars. Today, you take out seven billion and slap it on the table, and this matter is over. If you can't take it out, even if it's one cent short, I'll sue your girl until she's in prison. Believe me, I can take out a hundred million just to do this; it's not like I haven't done it before!" Seeing the man's anger, Jiang Hai also stood up with a light smile. The more he spoke, the more radiant the expression on his face became. When Jiang Hai finished speaking, the expressions of the family in front of him were quite a sight; to say their faces were ashen would be an understatement, as it was hard to find ash that white.
The man's daughter burst into tears instantly. She was in high school; she wasn't stupid. She knew what the concept of seven billion was. If what Jiang Hai said was true, then she really was going to prison. If she went to prison and came out, her life would be ruined.
The woman over there also looked at Jiang Hai with a face full of surprise, her whole body trembling. As for the man, he no longer knew what to say; his mind was a complete blank, and he had no idea what to do.
"Do any of you want compensation?" Seeing that this family was already scared out of their wits, Jiang Hai also turned his head and looked at the other people in the distance, speaking very calmly. Hearing Jiang Hai's words, those people all gave awkward smiles. Especially the families who had greed in their hearts just now; they were laughing exceptionally happily now. This was truly avoiding the destruction of their families!
"Since no one is talking about compensation anymore, then we'll be going... Oh right, remember, prepare seven billion, or wait for a court summons." Seeing these people being so sensible, Jiang Hai didn't say anything more. He stood up and gave a light smile. (To be continued.)
Taraga's Problem
"Mr. Jiang, please wait a moment!" Just as Jiang Hai was about to leave the school with Taraga, Ms. Mary Jane came out from behind. Seeing Jiang Hai stop, she couldn't help but smile.
"Mr. Jiang, I wonder if you are dissatisfied with our school?" Looking at Jiang Hai, who had stopped, Mary Jane said very seriously. Hearing her words, Jiang Hai scratched his head. Where did that come from?
"Uh, not at all. I'm quite satisfied with your school." Although something like this happened today, to be honest, Jiang Hai still appreciated what this high school had done. After all, school violence is unavoidable everywhere. It exists everywhere. Jiang Hai was also bullied and robbed when he was in school. At first, he would fight with the people who robbed him, but later, when he realized he couldn't win, he chickened out. Not only the upperclassmen, but also some bad guys in his own class. They would euphemistically call it borrowing money, but it was actually robbery. It was useless to tell the teacher or parents about it.
If you told the teacher, at most, the teacher would come over and scold them, which would be painless. Even finding parents was useless. If parents could control such people, they wouldn't act like that. If they had any upbringing, such things wouldn't happen.
At most, the school would issue a notice of criticism, or suspend them for observation, which was useless. Basically, the biggest possibility was expulsion, but these students would be happy not to study. It's even better if you expel them. They'll still come to school every day to block people. You can control what happens inside the school, but can you control what happens outside the school? These people are minors, what can anyone do?
And if you call the police, then be prepared to transfer schools, because you will be isolated by teachers and classmates in school, because you are making a big deal out of it, which is to blacken the school's name and slap its face. In her eyes, it doesn't matter if you are bullied; this is called an internal contradiction among the people. If you call the police, then it's a big deal, and it's serious.
It is precisely because of domestic education problems that school violence is much more prevalent in China. At most, big problems are minimized, small problems are resolved, and disputes are settled. This is the reality. Of course, Jiang Hai is not saying that there is no school violence in the United States. There is naturally school violence here, but because it is strictly regulated, incidents are relatively easy to control, especially for some college students and adult high school students, who actually go to jail. Just like the highly publicized abuse case in California a few years ago.
Even those who just stood by and handed a pair of scissors were sentenced to six years, and the main culprit was directly sentenced to thirteen years. The saying 'he's just a child' which works in China, doesn't work well in the United States, especially in high school and college. If two male students have a one-on-one fight, there might not be any problems, because they won't talk about it themselves, and losing is also a shameful thing.
But as long as it's a group fight, or a mob beating, the American police will absolutely not be soft when arresting people.
So, Jiang Hai was quite relieved about Taraga attending school here, especially since this school's situation was even better.
Originally, this school had some reputation in the Boston area, no, it could be said in the Massachusetts area.
The teaching quality was quite good. Although it couldn't compare to some private schools, most of the students in this school were residents of Winthrop. The school used to be a bit run down, but there weren't many troublemakers.
The annual college admission rate is quite good. Perhaps because it was originally in the greater Boston area, there is no shortage of people from Winthrop High School who get into top universities like Harvard, Boston University, and MIT every year. The learning atmosphere and everything else are quite good. In the United States, it's basically like primary and junior high schools in China now, where schools are assigned by district. However, it's very open in the United States; if you rent a house nearby, you can also attend school here.
Originally, Winthrop High School only had good teaching quality, but the hardware was too poor, so no parents were willing to send their children here to suffer. However, since Jiang Hai started donating money and paying taxes, the school also received a large amount of funding.
Last year alone, the town government allocated two million US dollars to them to support education.
Jiang Hai also donated a new library and a new stadium. The entire school was re-planned. Last summer, Winthrop High School became the best public high school in Massachusetts. It might still be a bit inferior compared to some aristocratic private high schools.
But among public high schools, it is definitely the best, so people who come to study are not only from Winthrop, but also some people living in the Boston area send their children to study here.
That family just now must have been from Boston, otherwise they wouldn't have recognized Jiang Hai.
"It's class time now, Miss Taraga isn't going back to class, where are you taking her?" Mary Jane said with a smile, looking at Jiang Hai. She knew that Jiang Hai was a big patron of the school and could not be offended.
"Oh, oh, then you go to class first!" Jiang Hai was originally thinking that after this incident, Taraga probably wouldn't be allowed to attend class today. After all, when he was a child and got into fights with his classmates, his father would take him home directly after the fight. It was a tradition in the old Jiang family that fighting wouldn't lead to scolding. If you won, there were rewards; if you lost, you went back to practice hard. Uh, that's how Jiang Hai grew up.
"Mmm." Hearing Jiang Hai's words, Taraga also nodded and then walked towards the classroom.
"Mr. Jiang, I know you value Miss Taraga very much, but she might have some minor issues." As Taraga's figure disappeared, Ms. Mary Jane couldn't help but turn her head and say to Jiang Hai.
"Uh, just because she got into a fight?" Hearing her words, Jiang Hai frowned. If she kept him here just to talk about this, then he would have to re-evaluate this school. Both sides fought, but only he was scolded, which wasn't right.
"Of course not. Didn't you already handle the fight? I'm talking about Miss Taraga's inner problems." Hearing Jiang Hai's words, Mary Jane said cheerfully, then looked at Jiang Hai calmly.
"Inner problems?" Hearing her words, Jiang Hai's brows furrowed. It was good that it wasn't about the fight, but what inner problems could there be?
"Miss Taraga is a bit too reclusive. She never participates in any class activities, parties, or school clubs. She just lives in her own small circle every day. I noticed this problem when she first came to school, but I saw that she made two friends, but now she's still like this..." Thinking about Taraga's problem, Mary Jane said with a helpless expression. Hearing her words, Jiang Hai was also stunned.
"Is that wrong?" Hearing what she said, Jiang Hai asked very seriously. God knows how much effort his parents put in to make him such a person when he was in high school. You don't have to make friends; you must go home after school. Playing basketball and playing computer games affect studies and make you bad. Class activities cost money if you participate, so it's best not to participate. How much money you save by staying at home! Although Jiang Hai didn't educate Taraga in this way, to be honest, he didn't think there was anything wrong with it!
"Of course that's not right. Children should have a childlike side. They should be lively, sunny, and know how to communicate with people. When they go to college or enter society, they will naturally need to talk to others, instead of being a yes-man. They need to have their own independent thoughts. You can't let her practice these things after she enters society; she needs to have some exposure during school." Hearing Jiang Hai's matter-of-fact words, Mary Jane was stunned and said with a serious expression.
Hearing her words, Jiang Hai clicked his tongue. The educational methods in the United States and China are completely different, which made Jiang Hai a little embarrassed, but his sixth sense told him that he was in the United States now, and he should indeed listen to the other party.
"So what should I do?" However, Jiang Hai quickly suppressed his superficial embarrassment and asked Ms. Mary Jane seriously.
"You should try to talk to her, or cultivate her self-confidence. The reason she is like this now is probably because she has only recently come into contact with society. You need to let her see more things and encourage her to step out of her inner circle." Seeing that Jiang Hai, although he didn't understand, was still willing to ask for her advice, Mary Jane also sighed. She had told Jiang Hai the method, as for how Jiang Hai would implement it, she didn't know.
"Cultivate self-confidence, huh! Okay, I got it." Hearing what she said, Jiang Hai thought for a moment. Cultivating self-confidence, hmm, a group of people came to his mind. To cultivate self-confidence, this method might be the best.
After talking with Ms. Mary Jane for a while longer, Jiang Hai walked to his car, picked up his phone, and dialed a number. Soon, a cheerful voice came from the other end of the line.
"Hi, what makes you think of calling me? How strange, you actually took the initiative to contact me!" Listening to the voice on the other end of the phone, Jiang Hai also smiled. Come to think of it, the owner of this voice had an extraordinary relationship with him.
"You're talking nonsense. Didn't I call you the night before yesterday?" Listening to the voice on the phone, Jiang Hai said calmly. Hearing what Jiang Hai said, the person on the other end chuckled.
"It's still been thirty-seven hours since you called me. Alright, tell me, what's up? I'm still practicing dancing. You wouldn't call me at this time just to say hello." Hearing what Jiang Hai said, the person on the other end also said with a laugh. (To be continued.)
A Tutor for Tarraga
"Jiang, where are we going?" Tarraga asked, looking confused from the passenger seat of Jiang Hai's War Shield.
Hearing her question, Jiang Hai smiled, glancing at her. "We're going to New York. I'm taking you out for some fun!"
"What's so fun about New York? Haven't we been there countless times already?" Although Jiang Hai was usually a homebody, he did go out occasionally. He was already bored of Boston, so naturally, he had visited New York many times —at least twenty-five, if not thirty.
"This time is different. I'm taking you specifically for a reason. Alright, stop asking. You'll find out when we get there!" Jiang Hai ruffled Tarraga's hair, chuckled, and then accelerated, driving rapidly toward New York.
Ever since Ms. Mary Jane had told Jiang Hai that Tarraga was a bit self-conscious, lacking in confidence, and too reserved, Jiang Hai had taken it to heart. It was indeed an issue. While such a child might be popular with parents in China, in America, being too unassertive, self-conscious, and lacking aggression was not beneficial. But when it came to cultivating confidence, frankly, Jiang Hai wasn't qualified himself. They say true aristocracy requires wealth spanning three generations or more, as that noble bearing is something ordinary people cannot simulate. Jiang Hai was no aristocrat; strictly speaking, he was merely a homebody, a nobody, and a nouveau riche.
His concerns were still rooted in his old small-farmer mentality and self-interest. He lacked any grand vision. The only thing he ever thought about was how to live comfortably and satisfy his own desires. He completely disregarded concepts like nation, political power, ethnicity, or humanity. Despite earning seven billion USD a year, his mindset was identical to that of an ordinary worker making seventy thousand RMB annually.
Nationality, great principles, or any of that other nonsense —he simply wasn't interested. He just wanted to buy what he liked and eat what he craved. Naturally, this perfectly matched the definition of a homebody; talk of national duty was completely lost on him.
This was precisely why he hadn't taken his company public, why he kept his money in the bank instead of investing in new ventures, why he didn't acquire land elsewhere, why he avoided real estate speculation, and why he didn't socialize with the powerful elite. He simply had no desire to pursue that kind of life. Being concerned about the nation and its people was irrelevant to him; he lacked such noble sentiments and, consequently, such grand ambitions.
Since Jiang Hai himself was a nobody, it was impossible to expect him to instill Tarraga with confident, aristocratic qualities.
That's why he had specifically found a tutor for Tarraga. The car sped quickly down the highway. A few hours later, after they left Massachusetts, the distant silhouette of New York, the world's largest metropolis, began to emerge.
Compared to the cramped feel of Boston, New York looked considerably grander, at least outwardly.
As the highway merged into the New York urban area, their speed gradually decreased. New York, the world's largest city, naturally possessed a dazzling side, and its extremely heavy traffic was one of its defining characteristics.
The car kept crawling forward, unable to pick up speed. Even though it was past ten on a Saturday morning, meaning most people weren't commuting or working, the roads were still packed with people out enjoying themselves. After entering the city, it took Jiang Hai nearly an hour to reach the agreed meeting place. Just as the car came to a stop, he saw a girl in a baseball cap jogging toward them from a distance. Jiang Hai subtly gestured for Tarraga to exit the car, while he opened his own door and stepped out.
"Jiang, you finally made it!" The petite girl immediately leaped into Jiang Hai's arms and, without a word, initiated a passionate French kiss. Even in the highly open environment of America, this display still drew considerable attention.
"Alright, alright, get down now!" Jiang Hai said, chuckling as he patted the short girl's backside.
Following Jiang Hai's instruction, the girl hopped down. Barely over 1.6 meters tall, she looked quite petite standing next to him. She was also curiously examining Tarraga, who had accompanied Jiang Hai.
"You must be Tarraga. Hello, I'm Selena Gomez, and it's wonderful to meet you." The girl smiled, stepping forward to shake Tarraga's hand. Once Tarraga realized who this person was, she couldn't help but feel surprised. Selena Gomez genuinely didn't have much fame in China; those who recognized her only knew about her messy relationship with Justin Bieber, who constantly brought it up.
However, in the American entertainment industry, she was absolutely a young starlet, operating at the level of a first-tier celebrity.
She had debuted acting in TV series and later transitioned to the big screen while simultaneously maintaining a singing career. Although she hadn't won major accolades like a Grammy or an Oscar, she had countless minor awards, particularly the Teen Choice Awards, which she practically swept annually.
Her primary audience consisted of middle school, high school, and college students; once people entered the workforce, they tended to lose interest. Tarraga was a high school student, so even if she wasn't a star chaser, she certainly knew who Selena Gomez was.
What she had never known, however, was that this celebrity was also involved with Jiang Hai —*ahem* —or rather, it might be more complicated than just a simple fling.
"H-Hello, it's nice to meet you too," Tarraga replied, feeling a little awkward after hearing Selena Gomez.
"Come on, let's go eat first. I know a really great Italian restaurant." Seeing Tarraga's timid demeanor, Selena Gomez couldn't help but smile, then led Jiang Hai and Tarraga away.
"Let's go!" Jiang Hai chuckled at the still-dazed Tarraga and guided her forward.
After several turns, Jiang Hai and the others soon arrived at an Italian restaurant.
The restaurant was neither large nor small. The most notable feature was that every table had a small partition, which prevented patrons from disturbing others and offered privacy. Clearly, many people who wished to remain unrecognized chose to dine here.
Selena Gomez was clearly a regular. Upon entering, a waiter immediately led her, Jiang Hai, and Tarraga to a window seat that was strategically obscured from outside view. Once they were settled, Jiang Hai picked up the menu.
When Italian cuisine is mentioned, most people probably first think of pizza, followed by pasta. It's true that Italian food doesn't always leave a strong overall impression, but in reality, Italian cuisine is the mother of all Western cooking, not the overrated French food. Many French dishes were originally transplanted directly from Italy.
After all, one shouldn't forget that Italy's predecessor was the Roman Empire, an entity that ruled over Europe for a very, very long time.
Consequently, Italian dishes like roasted beef slices, seafood, and meat platters are considered no less sophisticated than French cuisine in the Western world.
Since Jiang Hai and the others were having Italian food, they naturally avoided dishes like pizza; cheese was a huge liability for female celebrities. So their main course was pasta —specifically, spaghetti with meat sauce —along with steak, a roasted meat platter, and salad. It was a rich meal, and Jiang Hai, at least, thoroughly enjoyed it.
Americans typically dislike discussing serious matters while eating, so they focused solely on their meal. It was only after they had finished and were enjoying dessert —the famous Italian Tiramisu —that they began to chat.
"Jiang told me a bit about your situation. We'll go shopping this afternoon," Selena Gomez said cheerfully, looking at Tarraga. Tarraga glanced at Jiang Hai, unsure if this plan was reliable, but Jiang Hai simply shrugged at her. When it came to cultivating confidence, he had a lot of faith in Selena Gomez.
Who was Selena Gomez? She was an entertainer, and for an entertainer, whether they are acting or performing, cultivating confidence is a crucial step. For instance, when playing the role of a wealthy person or a rich man's daughter, you must genuinely embody that'swagger.' This is unlike the entertainment scene in China, where you can attract a large fanbase merely by having good looks, even if you lack expression.
That approach simply wouldn't work in America; very few people here can rely entirely on their appearance to succeed.
"Could you tell us what exactly you plan to do?" Under Tarraga's watchful eye, Jiang Hai decided to sound her out first.
"Do you know what boosts a man's confidence?" Selena Gomez asked him with a playful smile.
"I don't know." After a moment's thought, Jiang Hai, who wasn't particularly confident himself, shook his head.
"Power, status, fame, money, and women —these things boost a man's confidence and make him the absolute center of attention. You're a successful man; how can you not know this?" Seeing Jiang Hai shake his head, Selena Gomez couldn't help but laugh. She genuinely loved this slightly clueless side of Jiang Hai; she found it adorable.
"Uh, well..." Upon reflection, Selena Gomez was actually right. How does a man gain confidence? By being envied and resented by others, by holding a high position, wielding great power, having immense wealth, and being surrounded by beautiful women. If all these things were concentrated in one man's hands, he would undoubtedly be quite confident. Although Jiang Hai was naturally not an overly confident person, his words were certainly much firmer than they had been years ago. A few years prior, forget a national representative, even a minor department head could crush him and force him into a subservient smile. But now, representatives from entire countries came to buy meat and hay and still had to watch his expression. Looked at that way, this truly was a sign of growing confidence.
Seeing Jiang Hai nod in agreement, Selena Gomez turned her attention back to Tarraga.