My Manor

"You look so happy, the matter must be resolved?" Minister Qin, noticing Jiang Hai had separated from Du Famen, walked over with a smile. He stood beside Jiang Hai, leaned in, and asked softly.

"Of course, the rest is up to the court and you." Though this was merely a favor, considering Du Famen's desire to sell Huaxia Oil, Jiang Hai was not yet ready to let go of the favor.

Especially since Huaxia remained unaware of the situation, Jiang Hai smiled and replied gently.

"You're really impressive. The court owes you a favor. What we agreed upon still stands. Just let me know if you need anything in the future." Minister Qin, hearing that Jiang Hai had completed the task, couldn't help but wave his fist. This was a significant issue resolved for the court.

"Don't wait until later; I have something to discuss now." As Minister Qin turned to leave, Jiang Hai stopped him.

"What? Has the situation changed?" Minister Qin paused, confused by Jiang Hai's words.

"Nothing has changed, but didn't our agreement include the import of some animals? I'd like to import three species now." Jiang Hai looked at Minister Qin seriously.

"Okay, no problem." Minister Qin laughed upon hearing Jiang Hai. What was the issue?

"I've heard that we can now breed Yangtze River knife fish in our country. The first thing I want is the fry of the Yangtze River knife fish." Jiang Hai's tone was firm.

Hearing this, Minister Qin didn't hesitate. However, he knew the difficulty of raising Yangtze River knife fish. While it was possible to breed fry artificially in China now—about 400,000 per year—two-thirds wouldn't survive the first month, and the remaining third would require significant attention. Furthermore, the fish was migratory and couldn't be easily kept in captivity, requiring specialized seawater aquaculture. It was a difficult task to manage.

Still, the real issue was whether the upper levels had enough influence. In China, there was almost nothing the court couldn't arrange.

"Okay, that's no problem. I'll check which fish farm has them. I've heard they're very expensive. You might have to go to Shanghai, but as long as they're available in China, I'll make sure you can take them." Minister Qin smiled, reassured. If Jiang Hai was just interested in the money, this would be straightforward.

"In addition to the Yangtze River knife fish, I also want the fry of yellow croaker." Jiang Hai continued, relieved now that the first request was agreed upon. Raising the knife fish wouldn't be difficult for him with his spiritual energy and water plants, which would help the fish thrive.

"That's no problem either." Minister Qin was more relaxed about the yellow croaker. These fish were more commonly available, and as long as Jiang Hai was purchasing them, there would be no issues.

"The last one is yellow croaker." Jiang Hai smiled, pleased with how things were progressing, but when he mentioned the third fish, Minister Qin frowned slightly.

This fish, though highly expensive, was a protected species.

"This, I can arrange, but you won't be able to buy them in quantity. The most I can offer is by number," Minister Qin hesitated before responding.

Jiang Hai nodded understandingly. He had expected as much and was fine with acquiring the fish by number.

"How many can you get?" Jiang Hai asked quietly.

"At most ten. Let me see if I can gather a population for you." Minister Qin replied carefully. For breeding to happen, a population would need at least eight fish—four pairs—spread across three generations.

Eight was better than nothing, so Jiang Hai agreed.

Minister Qin smiled, satisfied, and left to report the good news to the court. The Arabs were willing to sell oil—a huge win.

As Minister Qin walked away, Jiang Hai smiled. Just as he was about to grab a bite to eat, he noticed someone had slipped into the venue unnoticed. Seeing the figure, Jiang Hai smiled and greeted them.

"Is it solved?" Jiang Hai whispered to the man in waiter attire.

Hearing Jiang Hai's voice, the man was momentarily stunned before lifting his head, laughing at himself.

"As expected of you, you're the boss. You recognize me even in this disguise?" Azarina's voice, cold and detached, came from the figure's new appearance. Now, Azarina's face bore little resemblance to a woman, or even to an Eastern person. If one looked closely, they'd think she was a handsome young man at most.

Black eyes, a less pronounced nose, a sharp jaw, slightly yellow skin, a height of 1.75 meters, thin build, a flat chest, and a visible Adam's apple—no one would guess she was a woman.

But Jiang Hai saw through her disguise instantly. Anyone who frequently ate the meat from his manor carried a familiar aura, one Jiang Hai recognized immediately. If someone had only eaten there a few times, they wouldn't have this aura, but for those who ate daily, it was hard to miss.

"Of course." Jiang Hai wouldn't tell Azarina why he recognized her. It was more fun to keep a little mystery in front of his subordinates, so he just nodded and said casually.

"It's been solved. On the way back, I'll treat the boss to a free fireworks show." Azarina chuckled softly, adding a playful tone.

Jiang Hai laughed as well.

Nearby, three people were standing in an attempt to integrate into other circles. Jiang Hai's gaze turned cold.

At this point, Qi Li spotted Jiang Hai and walked over. In the span of just half an hour, Qi Li had collected a thick stack of business cards. Originally, Qi Li's family was in a position similar to the An family's; for such a cocktail party, it would have been impossible for them to attend, let alone be the center of attention. The reason Qi Li had become the focus of these people was due to one individual—Jiang Hai.

Outside of Qi Li, the An family, and Azarina, no one knew who Jiang Hai was. However, everyone knew he was connected to Minister Qin of the Ministry of National Security and was friends with the host, Du Famen-Weiha-Mohammed-bin-Rashid-Al-Maktoum, a wealthy man from the Middle East. Having connections to these two figures was more valuable than any ordinary rich person or official. It would have been too bold to approach Jiang Hai directly, since no one knew his name.

But Qi Li was easy to find. Even though Qi Group wasn't significant, they were known. Using the guise of friendship, people had approached her and passed their business cards.

"Huh, I regret coming with you. I'm your secretary." As Qi Li approached, Azarina deliberately left, avoiding any complications. Qi Li, not noticing Azarina, handed the stack of business cards to Jiang Hai.

Jiang Hai glanced at them casually. It was an interesting mix: directors of various companies and departments. Department-level people, particularly from state-owned departments, wouldn't typically be invited to such a party.

But these business cards could prove useful in the future, even if the main theme of Jiang Hai's life was more about leisure and farming than business or politics.

Without making much of it, Jiang Hai pocketed the cards. His acceptance of them signaled a positive gesture, which reassured the people who had passed them.

"You don't have to accept them if you don't want to," Qi Li teased.

"Do you think I'm like you? I still have to make a living in China. Or should I just hire a professional manager and move to the United States with you?" Qi Li teased back, her eyes sparkling.

"Uh, hehe..." Jiang Hai chuckled nervously. If they were truly a couple, he'd have no choice but to let her come, but right now, there were some unresolved issues between them.

"Look how scared you are. I won't go for the time being," Qi Li sighed, noticing Jiang Hai's reaction. She knew she hadn't made things right yet, but she was determined to work hard to mend their relationship.