Chapter 151: Preparing to Leave

"Are you really not going? Really, really, really not going?" Jiang Hai asked the two sisters in front of him with a serious expression. The sisters blinked, exchanged a glance, and then shook their heads firmly. Sometimes, people tend to get sentimental, and Jiang Hai was clearly one of those people.

He had imagined that if he left, Xiao Huang, Xiao Bai, Ban Ya, Jiu Jiu, Elena, and Marian would be heartbroken, reluctant, and perhaps even upset. Yet reality proved him wrong. The night he decided to return to China, he shared the news with the two girls over dinner. To his surprise, the crying, awkwardness, anger, or tantrums he'd anticipated never came. Instead, the girls looked at him seriously, nodded, and said they understood.

Still in disbelief, Jiang Hai tried again, mentioning that he planned to watch an NBA game and asked if they wanted to join him. Their lack of interest didn't surprise him much; after all, girls—especially those who once struggled to afford food—rarely had the luxury to care about basketball or the NBA. They declined, and their disinterest was understandable.

On paper, this should have been a relief for Jiang Hai. He could now leave for New York and return home with peace of mind. But why did their indifference leave him feeling so unhappy?

Over the following days, Jiang Hai repeatedly asked the two girls if they really didn't want to go. Each time, the answer was the same: a simple "no."

It slowly dawned on Jiang Hai that he might have overestimated his importance. The two girls stayed with him not out of affection or dependence, but because they genuinely needed a safe place to live. Darlene's earlier decision to offer herself to him wasn't born out of love but desperation—to secure a better life for her sister. In her mind, even becoming Jiang Hai's lover was preferable to the hardships they'd faced. They hadn't expected Jiang Hai to be so kind and accommodating.

This sentiment wasn't unique to them. The eight other women working at the manor had similar thoughts. To them, Jiang Hai's willingness to let them stay and work likely came with an unspoken expectation—one they had already resigned themselves to fulfilling if needed. It was a grim yet pragmatic choice: enduring some personal sacrifice was better than hunger, cold, and living in a wooden shack.

They didn't view Jiang Hai as a father figure—how could they? He was only thirteen years older than them. But to their surprise, Jiang Hai turned out to be entirely different from what they had assumed. He didn't make any advances or express ulterior motives, which left them both touched and guilty. They had nothing to offer but their labor, and even that felt insufficient.

To show their gratitude, the girls took the initiative to help with housework, clean up, and care for Xiao Bai during the day. At night, they lingered at Jiang Hai's villa, hoping he might eventually ask them to stay. But Jiang Hai remained oblivious, chalking up their behavior to boredom or a sense of dependence.

Since the sowing of grass seeds on the seabed, life at the manor had followed a steady rhythm. Three days after planting, the grass seed company inspected the seabed for any missed areas. After two additional rounds of sowing, the entire area was covered. Edward Anderson, someone Jiang Hai trusted deeply, oversaw the process to ensure everything went smoothly. Once the company confirmed the seeds were growing as expected, Jiang Hai promptly paid the remaining balance.

The company's manager was delighted to work with such a cooperative client. This project was a significant one—equivalent to their earnings for an entire quarter. The manager even offered Jiang Hai a discount, hoping for future collaboration, as maintaining the seaweed would require regular updates.

With the seaweed starting to grow, Jiang Hai prepared for the next phase: introducing live bait. This phase included four main types of bait: mullet fry, squid fry, shrimp, and shellfish. The first two—mullet and squid—were inexpensive, costing only $300 per ton. Jiang Hai ordered twenty ships of each, spending $120,000 in total. These squids, known as "sycamore flowers" in China, were small and abundant, perfect for feeding fish.

Shrimp, on the other hand, were pricier at $2,000 per ton. Jiang Hai, who loved Arctic shrimp, ordered ten ships, spending $200,000. Shellfish, primarily for the lobsters and crabs he was raising, cost $500 per ton. He purchased thirty ships of shellfish, spending $150,000. In total, Jiang Hai invested half a million dollars in bait.

To avoid overwhelming the ecosystem, the bait was released gradually across different sea areas. This careful process, overseen by Edward Anderson, would last through February. By March, Jiang Hai would be ready to release fish fry.

Meanwhile, Jiang Hai found himself with more free time, thanks to the girls who helped with housework. Even his socks were washed for him. This allowed him to focus on overseeing the construction of the manor's runway and hangar. As mid-February arrived, the snow began to melt, and temperatures slowly rose above freezing.

By February 12th, only two days remained until the NBA All-Star Weekend. With plans to buy a plane and attend the event in New York, it was time for Jiang Hai to leave.

(To be continued.)