My Manor

Just as Feng Yunchen began to feel overwhelmed, Ai Xiaoxi, standing behind her, had already calculated a number on her phone.

"Nine... nine... ninety-seven billion? Well, it looks like we really have hooked up with a rich man." Staring at the multiplication results on the screen, Feng Yunchen felt his tongue almost twist in disbelief.

For an ordinary person, billions—or even tens of billions—were unimaginable amounts of money.

"It's not that much," Darlene interjected with a chuckle. "Jiang still has to pay taxes. In the end, he'll be lucky to have about 800 million left."

"Oh, this damn American tax system." When Ai Xiaoxi and Feng Yunchen heard that nearly half of the money would go to taxes, they were momentarily stunned before sighing as if those 700 million dollars had come directly out of their own pockets.

Regardless, they now had a clearer understanding of Jiang Hai's wealth. He wasn't just rich—he was beyond their wildest imagination. The two women, who had entertained certain thoughts about Jiang Hai, suddenly found themselves unsure of how to proceed. What they had originally considered as a minor benefit turned out to be an astronomical sum.

Realizing that Jiang Hai was handling such a major business deal, they decided not to disturb him. Instead, they headed straight to the winery, where they were scheduled to shoot that day.

To ensure privacy, Jiang Hai had given Dulles Gerald the day off, allowing everyone else to rest as well. Since the grapes were still in their growth phase, they didn't require constant supervision.

That morning, after making their routine inspections, Dulles Gerald and O'Connor Murphy, his apprentice, had gone into town. Reportedly, they were visiting Cindy Clive's house. Of course, they knew what topics were off-limits. After all, it was no secret that the eldest daughter of the Clive family had an interest in Jiang Hai.

When Feng Yunchen and Ai Xiaoxi arrived at the winery, a girl was already waiting for them. That girl was none other than Aphra Arnold.

The previous night, after learning they would need to assist with the shoot, Darlene and Marianne had worried they might not handle things well. So, they had called Aphra for help.

Since the day Jiang Hai had taken Feng Yunchen and Ai Xiaoxi on a tour of the winery, Aphra's intuition had told her these two women had some connection to him. Sure enough, when she asked Darlene and Marianne about it, they confirmed her suspicions. However, instead of feeling jealous, Aphra simply felt envious—envious that they had something with Jiang Hai, something she could only dream about.

Thus, when Darlene and Marianne asked for her help, she had immediately agreed. As she observed Feng Yunchen and Ai Xiaoxi up close, she couldn't help but compare herself to them. Oriental skin did seem smoother than Western skin—smaller pores, slender limbs, and an overall delicate appearance that invoked a sense of protectiveness. Though this didn't align with American beauty standards—which favored curves and fuller figures—it was still undeniable. Just look at Kim Kardashian, famously known as "Sister-in-law," and it was clear that Western aesthetics differed greatly from those in China.

As for herself, Aphra knew she wasn't unattractive. However, compared to the two girls, she was undoubtedly thicker in some areas—but also more voluptuous in others.

Feng Yunchen and Ai Xiaoxi noticed Aphra's gaze but chose not to comment. Soon, the five of them got to work, diving into the photography session.

Meanwhile, over at the cowshed, Jiang Hai was watching as Zhang Dehai inspected the selected cattle.

"I have to admit," Zhang Dehai said with a smile as he removed his mask, "your cows are the least smelly ones I've ever encountered."

Jiang Hai simply shrugged. Some things were better left unexplained.

"I've selected 200 head. This will be the first batch. If the market responds well, I'll be back for another selection within the month. But looking at how robust your cattle are, I'm starting to think my initial order of 2,000 might have been too conservative." Zhang Lao sighed, realizing he had been too cautious. If he had known, he would have bought more from the start.

"Wait until next year. This year's batch isn't selling at full capacity yet, so I plan to raise more next year," Jiang Hai responded with a grin.

Although Jiang Hai's main advantage was his unique abilities, ever since his promotion to Level 2, he had become more confident. While deep-sea treasure hunting was technically more profitable than cattle ranching, it also carried greater risks. Compared to treasure hunting, raising cattle was much more stable—it provided consistent income, no matter the conditions.

"Oh? How many more do you plan to raise?" Zhang Lao's eyes lit up with curiosity.

"About 5,000 more. The ranch currently has over 10,000 bulls and 8,000 cows. In the past few months, those cows have birthed nearly 2,000 calves. I'll raise an additional 5,000 bulls, bringing the total to 25,000. By next year, I should have 17,000 bulls ready for market—more than enough."

Zhang Lao considered Jiang Hai's words. Increasing cattle numbers by 70% was a bold move. Originally, Robbins had suggested maintaining the status quo, as the land wasn't infinitely expandable. The 20,000+ acres of pasture could comfortably support around 20,000 cattle. If it weren't for Jiang Hai's special grass, which grew rapidly and didn't require rotation, managing a herd this size would have been far more challenging.

Due to the unique nature of Jiang Hai's ranch, he could technically sustain up to 40,000 cattle. But going beyond that would require additional manpower and infrastructure, something Jiang Hai wasn't eager to deal with. After all, he had come here for comfort, not to be surrounded by the stench of cow dung.

"Just a little more," Jiang Hai joked. "With 5,000 extra cattle, maybe I can eat them all myself next year."

Zhang Lao laughed, his confidence in Jiang Hai's beef growing even stronger.

As they spoke, workers loaded the selected 200 bulls onto trailers. With everything set, Jiang Hai, Robbins, and Burke Daller got into a car and followed the transport trucks out of the estate. Their destination was the slaughterhouse.

Although Jiang Hai sold live cattle, he didn't sell them at whole-cattle prices. Selling the meat directly ensured better profits, as whole cattle carried risks—if a butcher cut into a carcass and found no marbling, it would be a major loss. By selling pre-processed beef, Jiang Hai took on more risk himself, but he was confident in the quality of his livestock.

This particular slaughterhouse, located in the Boston suburbs, was the largest in the region. It employed over 800 workers and had 120 slaughtering stations, handling not only cattle but also pigs, sheep, and other livestock. More than 100 workers were dedicated to processing beef alone.

When they arrived, several trucks were already waiting. Among them were companies that Jiang Hai was familiar with—including Carlett, a competitor that had suffered a major blow after the New York Beef Show. Their failure to place in the top three had significantly impacted their business, leading many high-end restaurants and private estate owners to drop their contracts.

Originally, the competition hadn't been expected to hurt them so much. However, once word spread about Jiang Hai's beef being available to the public, demand had shifted dramatically. With major chains like Haishang City and Wal-Mart securing contracts, Carlett had lost even more ground.

Now, as they watched Jiang Hai's superior cattle roll into the slaughterhouse, Carlett and other competitors could only sigh in frustration.

Zhang Lao had already called ahead, so as soon as they arrived, staff guided the cattle into the slaughtering area. The process was swift—teams of five could slaughter 20 cows at once, with subsequent workers quickly butchering them for evaluation.

As the hides were peeled back, gasps filled the room. The quality of Jiang Hai's beef was simply unparalleled.

(To be continued.)