After setting up the meeting with Dulles Gerard, Jiang Hai returned to his villa for a brief rest. After lunch, he set out alone for town. He didn't go with Edward Anderson or Robbins Garcia—not only because he had several stops to make, but also because their destinations were different. He could always find them later if needed.
Driving his self-navigating Polaris, Jiang Hai made his way into Winthrop.
These days, Winthrop had become quite well-known in China, especially among those in Beijing's elite circles.
While the town wasn't particularly trendy, it had a classic American charm. It was a small country town with history, delicious food, access to the sea, and a blend of culture and commerce. Winthrop's appeal had drawn many tourists, especially as the weather warmed.
Although winter saw fewer visitors, spring brought an influx of tourists.
Some wealthy Chinese families had even begun treating it as a second home. Renting a place here wasn't expensive—just around 2,400 RMB (about 400 USD) per month. For that price, one could rent a two-story seaside villa with a springtime garden and a small lawn. Though the homes were modest—less than 200 square meters—they offered a peaceful and fulfilling lifestyle that many appreciated.
Quite a few affluent Chinese, both retirees and young professionals, had taken a liking to the town.
Winthrop offered great food at lower prices than back in China, comfortable accommodations, seaside living, and virtually no pollution.
The only real barrier was language, which kept many from staying long-term.
To stay longer, one would need a proper visa. Among the various tourist visa categories, the B-2 visa allowed extended visits. These visas could be valid for three months, one year, three years, five years, or even ten years—though permanent visas were extremely rare. Reasons like medical treatment, or visiting children who recently married or had babies, could justify longer stays.
Typically, the three-month and one-year visas were the easiest to obtain; anything longer involved stricter scrutiny.
As Jiang Hai drove through the town, he noticed clusters of Chinese tourists strolling around—some chatting, others snapping photos, heading toward restaurants, horse farms, or the beach. The atmosphere was lively.
With the town buzzing, Jiang Hai drove slowly. His car wasn't as flashy as his War Shield, and he rarely drove it into town, so few people recognized it.
Eventually, he arrived at the town hall and parked his car before walking in.
Just as he stepped inside, he saw Cindy Clive coming out. Her expression shifted from surprise to curiosity and then settled into something colder—irritation, perhaps?
"What are you doing here?" she asked bluntly.
Jiang Hai blinked, confused. Did I do something wrong?
"Uh… I came to talk to Mayor Wallis about expanding the ranches and fisheries nearby." If he were a seasoned romantic, he might've said he came to see her—but Jiang Hai was not that kind of guy. Though confused, he answered honestly. Cindy Clive paused upon hearing his reply.
"The mayor's in his office. Go ahead and find him," she said curtly before turning to leave.
But Jiang Hai wasn't that dense. He reached out and gently held her wrist, frowning slightly.
"Even if we… don't have that kind of relationship anymore, we're still friends, right? If I did something wrong, just tell me. I don't like this weird tension."
Cindy Clive rolled her eyes but didn't pull away immediately.
"You didn't offend me. Now let go."
"Not until you tell me what I did wrong," Jiang Hai replied stubbornly, like a child.
"You... If you don't let go, I'll call security!" she snapped.
Her voice drew the attention of nearby staff and security guards. But when they saw it was Jiang Hai and Cindy Clive, they all looked away or quietly stepped back.
First, because Jiang Hai was essentially their town's patron saint—when he was angry with them before, they'd called him a "God of Wealth" and a savior. No one dared cross him now.
Second, because everyone knew about the history between Jiang Hai and Cindy Clive. Their business was their own.
Seeing no one coming to her aid, Cindy shot Jiang Hai a fierce glare.
"Haha, have you eaten?" Jiang Hai chuckled, unfazed.
"I have." She still glared at him.
"Then let me buy you a coffee." Without giving her a chance to refuse, Jiang Hai gently pulled her across the street to a nearby café and ushered her into a private booth.
Though still visibly irritated, Cindy Clive didn't resist further once they sat down.
"Cappuccino, right? I remember you like it. Now, tell me what I did wrong. You know I'm slow with this kind of thing—if you don't explain it, I'll never figure it out," Jiang Hai said, sliding the coffee toward her.
Cindy looked at him, then picked up the cup.
In truth, she wasn't sure how to deal with Jiang Hai anymore.
Back then, she had been the one most likely to become the lady of Jiang Hai's manor. She believed it—and even after Darlene and Marian entered the picture, she didn't give up on dating him.
But then came the revelation: Jiang Hai had a wife in China.
Though he claimed it was a contract marriage, with no love involved and divorce pending, something inside Cindy—perhaps the "little princess" in her heart—had made her pull away until the divorce was final.
That decision had slowly widened the gap between them.
Jiang Hai was, in her eyes, a wonderful man—wealthy, kind-hearted, responsible, easygoing. Yes, he could be a bit immature, a little socially inexperienced, but none of that disqualified him as a good partner.
Cindy couldn't claim she wasn't attracted to him. Otherwise, she wouldn't have visited his house so often, or stayed so late.
But by choosing to leave, she had unintentionally pushed him away.
Jiang Hai wasn't the kind to chase after someone once they walked away. He would quietly wait. If you came back, he would welcome you. If not, he wouldn't reach out.
Cindy had considered returning to him. But when she did, she found others had already taken her place—Qi Li was there, and others too. It was no longer just her story to finish.
So she convinced herself that being just friends with Jiang Hai wasn't so bad.
Yet deep down, she couldn't help comparing every man she met to him. But there was only one Jiang Hai.
And that made everything complicated.
"You really don't know why I'm mad?" she asked finally, staring into his eyes.
Jiang Hai shook his head. "No idea."
"Let me give you a hint: Karma," she said pointedly.
"Karma? Your sister? Oh—yeah, I met her a few days ago. She wanted to see an underground street race, so I took her. She didn't even stay long, and I saw her safely into the dorm after. Did something happen?"
"You took her to an underground racing event?! Do you think that's a safe place for a girl like her?!"
Jiang Hai opened his mouth to retort but paused. After thinking it over, he realized… she was right.
"Yeah, that's not exactly the best place," he admitted with a wry smile.
Cindy blinked. She'd expected an argument, not such a quick concession.
"You really are a rascal… admitting your mistake this easily."
"There's no point arguing. You're right. I won't take her again—and if I see her trying to go, I'll stop her. We're friends, after all," Jiang Hai said with a grin, sipping his drink.
Looking at his relaxed smile, Cindy felt both exasperated and amused.
"You jerk. You bastard..." she muttered, eyes narrowed.
Then she stood up abruptly, grabbed her bag, and stormed off.
"Wait, what now?" Jiang Hai called after her, puzzled.
"You just made me late for work!" she called back, pausing at the door. She bit her lip, glanced over her shoulder, then walked out.
Jiang Hai watched her get into a blue Ford and drive off. Despite being clueless in matters of love, even he could tell—Cindy Clive still had feelings for him.
But as she had realized, Jiang Hai wasn't the kind of man who could be shared.
He had unknowingly allowed multiple women to become close to him, and he couldn't abandon them just to chase Cindy.
So all he could do… was wait. If she ever chose to return, he would be there. But until then, a subtle distance would remain between them.
Finishing his drink, Jiang Hai paid the bill and headed to the mayor's office.
When he arrived, Mayor Wallis was on the phone. Spotting Jiang Hai, he gave a small wave and pointed to the couch.
Jiang Hai sat down and casually picked up a book from the desk. But as he opened it, something inside caught his eye—and completely captivated him.
"You have time to visit me now? What, decided to stir up more trouble in Winthrop?" Mayor Wallis joked, smiling as he ended the call. "So, what brings you here?"
Jiang Hai didn't look up. Instead, he raised the book slightly and asked, almost urgently, "Where did you buy this?"
Wallis blinked. "What, that book?"