"To be honest, I'm not particularly interested in those things. If you have something to say, Mr. Edis, please be direct. My English isn't that great," Jiang Hai said bluntly, frowning slightly as he listened to Christian's roundabout suggestion about visiting his casino.
Jiang Hai wasn't naive. He was confident in his position in Boston. If this man had any ulterior motives—whether it was to entrap him in some shady business or even attempt kidnapping to force gambling—he wouldn't succeed. If Jiang Hai ever visited a place like that, he'd bring one of his top three men: Azarina, Bell, or Connorson Peters. With any one of them by his side—plus his own strength—it would be nearly impossible for anyone to detain him.
Still, Christian Edis's vague invitation didn't sit well with him. Jiang Hai disliked being left in the dark, so he cut to the chase.
"Haha, you really don't beat around the bush," Christian laughed. "Alright, I'll get straight to the point. Mr. Jiang, I wanted to discuss a business opportunity with you."
"A business opportunity?" Jiang Hai raised an eyebrow. "What kind of opportunity?"
Christian leaned in slightly, his tone turning conspiratorial. "Tourism. You have connections to bring in Chinese tourists, right? I've heard that Chinese tourists are among the wealthiest in the world. And let's be honest, sightseeing only holds their interest for so long. We could offer them... additional entertainment options. In exchange, I'll give you 30% of the net profit."
As Christian laid out his offer, Jiang Hai couldn't help but sneer inwardly.
Exactly as he suspected—no good intentions.
Needless to say, Jiang Hai had zero interest in such a proposal. While most of his assets were based in the United States, his roots were firmly planted in China. He brought tourists here to enjoy themselves—not to exploit them. His tour group wasn't some scam operation, and he certainly didn't run a shopping trap.
Gambling? That was out of the question. If someone really wanted to gamble, Jiang Hai would rather take them to Atlantic City where the casinos were licensed and regulated.
But Edis's casino? A place he himself had just admitted offered not only gambling but also drugs and prostitution?
No. Absolutely not.
"Sorry. That won't work," Jiang Hai said flatly, looking him straight in the eye.
Christian Edis was stunned by the firm rejection. Weren't Chinese people supposed to be more... diplomatic?
Why was Jiang Hai so blunt? He didn't even try to fake politeness.
"O-oh... that's really unfortunate," Christian replied awkwardly, forcing a smile. With Jiang Hai's attitude so clear, there was no point pushing. It was obvious Jiang Hai wasn't negotiating for a better share—he simply wasn't interested.
For Jiang Hai, this was a matter of principle. His goal in bringing tourists to Winthrop was twofold: to stimulate the local economy and to provide Chinese travelers with an enjoyable, memorable experience.
He wanted them to enjoy the best food, buy good-quality products, and have fun in a clean, safe environment. Even if they bought American goods, his prices were more competitive than what they'd find in New York—while still ensuring quality.
It was a win-win: the locals profited, and the tourists were satisfied. Why ruin that?
As for Edis's so-called "30% net profit"? Jiang Hai scoffed at the idea. What could it amount to? $300,000? $3 million? Even $30 million wouldn't move him.
His beef operations alone brought in over $1 billion annually. His seafood business earned just as much. Altogether, he grossed close to $3 billion a year.
What did he need with Christian Edis's dirty money?
Just then, a commotion broke out nearby.
"Show some respect!" Dilia George's voice rang out across the track.
Jiang Hai turned toward the sound and saw Bavita Jean-Dro in a confrontation with Izzo Edis. Dilia stood nearby, shielded by Kelly Soren.
"Hey kid, what's the deal?" Izzo's gaze was locked on Bavita.
There was hesitation in Bavita's eyes, but he held his ground.
"Don't be ungrateful!"
"There's a price for everything!"
"Girl, it's an honor to be noticed by Izzo!"
Some of the surrounding drivers gathered around, jeering, trying to pressure Bavita. Jiang Hai frowned. He glanced at Christian Edis, who looked just as confused, then began walking toward the group.
As he approached, Dilia and the others—visibly shaken—moved quickly to stand behind him, as if finding their anchor.
"What's going on here?" Jiang Hai asked, his voice calm but firm.
"That guy over there—Izzo—took a liking to Dilia," Kelly whispered to him. "He offered her money to spend the night with him. Bavita stood up for her, but Izzo just threw money at him... I think that got under his skin."
Jiang Hai blinked. What kind of dog-blooded plot was this?
Shouldn't this kind of thing be happening to him? He was the main character, wasn't he? How did someone else get the "slap-his-face, act-like-a-hero" moment?
He turned to Izzo, who was now watching him warily. Clearly, the guy wasn't as dumb as he looked—he had immediately checked with his father. He could sense that his father was afraid of Jiang Hai.
Growing up in that world, Izzo had learned who was untouchable—and Jiang Hai was clearly one of those people. This entire confrontation had been both a flex and a test.
Seeing Jiang Hai take a stand, he looked again to his father for instruction.
"Hey Jiang," Christian chuckled awkwardly, stepping in. "Kids will be kids. No need for us to get involved, right?"
Izzo jumped in too. "Yeah, it's just a friendly bet. If you think $5,000 is too low, we can double it. Ten grand. How about it?"
At that number, even Jack King and the others started to waver.
Ten thousand dollars wasn't a small sum in the U.S. That was two months' salary for a mid-level white-collar worker. For people like Jack King, it was a serious temptation.
Especially when the girl in question wasn't even their girlfriend.
"Tsk, see? That's why you should thank me," Jiang Hai whispered to Kelly Soren. "If you'd stuck with him, he would've sold you off for a quick buck."
Jack King's face flushed red. Jiang Hai had hit the mark—he had been tempted.
From Izzo's perspective, it was simple: if Bavita won the race, he'd earn ten thousand dollars. If he lost, Dilia would spend the night with Izzo—and Jack would still get paid. It was all about money.
Jiang Hai's contempt was clear.
"Jiang Hai, this is between them. Why are you interfering?" Jack snapped, trying to deflect his embarrassment.
"Oh? And what's it got to do with you then? Why are you butting in?" Jiang Hai shot back coldly.
Jack's face darkened.
"I'm just trying to help Bavita. We're friends," he muttered stiffly.
"Helping?" Jiang Hai sneered. "Sounds more like pimping. Dilia is my friend. If anything happens to her, I'll be the one answering to her father. You want to bet someone's body? Go bet your own. Better yet, offer up your mother or your sisters—Izzo might like them."
Jack's face went pale. Those words were brutal—but Jiang Hai didn't care. He never claimed to be a saint.
"Jiang, Jack's my friend. This doesn't concern you," Bavita said quietly, face grim.
"Oh, go ahead then. Do whatever you want. If you want to be gay or sell your soul, that's your business. But I'm taking Delia with me."
He turned and motioned for Dilia, Kelly, and Kamacliff to follow. Together, they headed for Jiang Hai's Ford F-650.
"Delia! You're leaving?" Bavita called after her. "Don't you trust me?"
Delia turned back. "Trust you? Trust what—your morals or your driving skills?"
Bavita was silent. He had no answer.
If it were about character, he had just proved he was willing to sell her out. If it were about driving skills—well, that still meant gambling her away.
"I don't feel safe with you anymore," Delia said. "We need to reconsider our relationship."
With that, she got into Jiang Hai's truck. Jiang Hai shrugged and climbed in behind her.
As the engine rumbled to life, Izzo stepped forward, trying to stop the car, but Christian held him back with a wave.
He knew better.
Christian Edis had been polite to Jiang Hai not just because of the tourism resources, but because he understood that Jiang Hai's influence in the region had skyrocketed. Last year, he was a nobody. But now?
His businesses were heavily taxed—and heavily protected—by Boston and even the state of Massachusetts.
Messing with someone like Jiang Hai wasn't worth it.
To be continued…