"We came here to do some shopping. But you—what made you come out today?" Karma Clive smiled as she sat across from Jiang Hai, looking at him with a hint of curiosity.
Jiang Hai smiled and gestured toward the pier in the distance. "The Boston Fisheries Exhibition. I'm here to participate."
"Oh? You're selling your fish here?" Karma raised her brows in mild surprise.
"Yes," Jiang Hai nodded. It had been almost a year and a half since he first arrived in Boston, and without realizing it, his business had grown strong enough to hold its own at such an event.
"That's really impressive. I actually kind of miss your fish," Karma said with a grin. "By the way, what's going on between you and my sister? Did you two break up?"
Jiang Hai coughed awkwardly. "We never really got together in the first place…" he muttered, glancing at Kelly Soren, who sat beside Karma.
"Really? Then my sister must be an idiot," Karma scoffed. "Letting a catch like you go? What's her plan—stay single for life? So what if you have a few other women around? Competition brings motivation!"
Her words came rapid-fire like a machine gun, and Jiang Hai grew increasingly embarrassed.
Trying to steer the conversation elsewhere, he quickly asked, "Hey, I heard you got into college. Where did you end up?"
"Ha! You're looking at my senior," Karma said proudly, pointing at Kelly Soren with a cheeky smile.
"Boston University? Not bad," Jiang Hai replied. To be honest, he hadn't really kept up. He only remembered Karma as a high schooler working at a fisherman's bar. Later, she'd had a few dinners with Cindy Clive, and after that… not much.
"Yeah, well, Harvard and MIT didn't want me," Karma laughed. "Guess I'm not born to be a genius. But it's fine—my sister's doing well in the town government. Once I graduate, I'll take the civil service exam and join her."
"And what about you?" Jiang Hai turned to Kelly. "You off today?"
"We haven't had a day off in over two weeks," Kelly replied with a shrug. "My professor got too exhausted and caught a cold, so we finally got some rest. I ran into Karma and decided to go for a walk."
Jiang Hai hadn't seen Kelly since the last Poseidon Festival. Though he'd arranged a job for her at the marine institute, she'd been pretty quiet.
Still, Kelly took her role seriously. Staying on as a graduate researcher was a big deal—especially in the U.S., where graduate students with funded projects had far better conditions than those in China. Back home, project funds mainly went to the professors, and students earned little more than experience and a chance at prestige.
But here? Graduate students could expect a decent stipend—around $3,000 a month if the project was well-funded. Jiang Hai had invested a lot into the lab, so this wasn't out of reach. It wasn't just a job for Kelly—it was a career opportunity.
"Work-life balance is important," Jiang Hai said with a smile. "If you push yourself too hard and get sick, I'll be down a researcher."
Kelly laughed. "Wow, I only see rich guys like you when I'm working. You owe us a treat!" Karma cut in, slapping the table dramatically.
"No problem—what do you feel like eating?"
"Ice cream!" Karma said with a grin. She shot a quick look at Kelly, who nodded in agreement. It was mid-April, still a little cool, but not too cold for dessert.
"Alright then. Waiter!" Jiang Hai raised a hand, about to call someone over.
"No, not here," Karma said quickly, grabbing Jiang Hai's arm and whispering. He shrugged—if not here, then where?
"Let's go to J.P. Licks," Karma suggested with a smirk.
"J.P. what?" Jiang Hai asked, confused.
"J.P. Licks. It's a well-known dessert shop in Boston. Opened in 1981, been around over 30 years," Kelly explained. "It's not here, though. It's over at Harvard Square."
"Harvard Square?" Jiang Hai blinked. The name rang a bell—Cindy Clive had taken him there before. Despite being called a square, it wasn't very large. It was more of a cultural hub, filled with street performers and small shops. The last time he'd been there was in winter—cold, desolate, just a few homeless people curled up in blankets.
But now it was spring. Buds had started appearing on trees. If Kelly and Karma were right, Harvard Square would be lively again.
That piqued Jiang Hai's interest. After paying for his juice and leaving a tip, he led the two of them back to the exhibition hall. He asked Edward Anderson if anything urgent was left.
"Nope, all done for the afternoon," Edward said. "Most of the fish have already been processed. It's just cleanup now."
The bluefin tuna had been the main attraction, and with those sold, they only needed to prepare for the next morning's deliveries—$30,000 worth of orders. Jiang Hai would need to show up early for that.
With the team not needing him for the rest of the day, Jiang Hai left Connorson Peters at the exhibition hall and drove off in his F650. The truck wasn't flashy, and its interior had been modified with refrigeration. The slight fishy smell inside wasn't a problem—this was Boston, after all.
He picked up Karma and Kelly and drove toward Harvard Square.
After parking a few blocks away, the three of them walked into the square together. Just as expected, the area was buzzing with life. Street performers were everywhere.
A pan flute musician drew the biggest crowd. According to Karma, he was from Peru and was something of a local legend. Unlike most performers who accepted tips, he refused all money—he claimed he wasn't performing for cash, but for art.
Foreigners really did love their "principles," Jiang Hai thought with a grin. At least this guy seemed sincere. In China, he would've given money out of pity. Here, it felt more like appreciation.
There were singers too—guitarists, folk vocalists—many with open cases full of coins and bills. Their voices were strong, their performances heartfelt. Jiang Hai thought some of them could probably win talent show auditions if they tried.
He also saw magic acts, pantomimes, and acrobats—it was a real street performance festival. The atmosphere was light and full of energy.
Jiang Hai wandered through the crowd, occasionally dropping some change into the hats and boxes of performers he liked. They'd smile in thanks, and he felt good about it.
Eventually, they arrived at their destination: J.P. Licks.
It was packed. The outdoor dining space was full, the takeout line snaked around the side, and people were even waiting for a seat.
Jiang Hai hesitated. "Do we really want to eat here?" he asked, eyeing the crowd.
But Karma and Kelly didn't seem bothered. Smiling, they pulled him along to join the queue at the takeout window. While they waited, the three of them chatted and looked over the menu.
Despite the crowd, the line moved quickly enough.
Just then, a voice called out.
"Hey? Kelly, what are you doing here?"
They turned to see a group walking past the shop. One of them had spotted Kelly and shouted in surprise—but his face twisted unpleasantly when he noticed Jiang Hai beside her, like he'd just swallowed a fly.
"Oh? It's Jin," Kelly said casually, looking over. Her voice was calm, neutral. She didn't even use his first name, just his surname.
The man's smile faltered.
Jiang Hai studied the group. A bunch of young adults, mid-20s at most. He recognized a few—though most of their names escaped him. But two stood out clearly.
One was the man Kelly just addressed: Jack Jin. His surname sounded like "King," but it wasn't spelled like gold (金); it was "Jin" in the English "King" sense.
The other was Bavita Jean-Dro—he had once been Dilia George's boyfriend, back when Jiang Hai attended that charity auction at her place.
Jack Jin, meanwhile, was the guy who used to chase Kelly. Jiang Hai had swooped in and snatched that opportunity away.
Apparently, Jin hadn't gotten over it.
"Hey, Kelly, why so formal? Just call me Jack—we're close, aren't we?" he said, walking over with an obviously forced smile.
Kelly gave him a long look. "If I'm not mistaken, this is only the fourth time we've met. Are we really that close?"
Jiang Hai watched as Jack's face flushed red with embarrassment.