"In fact, if you want to truly integrate into this town, the most important thing is to have no distance between you and the locals. Don't let them think you're the one controlling the town's economy, separate from them. Once they stop caring about your skin color or your wealth, that's when you're officially part of the community."
Kelly-Soren smiled as she spoke, seemingly ignoring Jiang Hai's puzzled expression. Jiang Hai nodded quietly—he knew she was right.
But integrating here meant more than just words. With billions in assets, most of them hidden, Jiang Hai had a lot to consider carefully.
"I can't play football or baseball," Jiang Hai said helplessly, shrugging. "My knowledge of those sports only comes from watching cartoons."
Kelly laughed softly. "Actually, football and baseball are pretty simple. Our town has teams, and I know the players well. If you're interested, I can recommend you to join."
Jiang Hai smiled wryly and shook his head. Better not to get involved in sports. Even if it was just football or baseball, he didn't want anyone saying he wasn't handling his responsibilities properly—which, honestly, he probably wasn't.
"Hey, Kelly, there you are!" A young man in his early twenties approached them, eyes flickering warily as he looked at Jiang Hai.
"Jack, what do you want?" Kelly replied coolly, clearly not the type to back down easily. It was obvious she was not interested in leaving Jiang Hai's side so soon.
Jack looked a little speechless at her response. It was clear he was interested in Kelly, but she didn't feel the same.
"I was going to ask if you wanted a drink, but I guess not," Jack said with a shrug, casting a quick glance at Jiang Hai before heading back to the campfire.
Nearby, Bavetta Jean-Dro—the man Kelly mentioned earlier—kept stealing glances at Jiang Hai and the group.
"Bavetta's actually a good guy. Funny, witty, well-off, and from a decent family. No wonder Delia got together with him so quickly and brought him home," Kelly said casually, eyes following Jack and Bavetta. Jiang Hai couldn't help but chuckle at her words.
He understood exactly what she meant. If he hadn't shown up today, Kelly would probably be Jack's companion by now. But honestly, Jiang Hai wasn't interested in any of these girls.
If it was just for fun, that was one thing, but if it involved real responsibility, he wasn't interested. His business was growing, and naturally, he needed someone reliable who could handle the bigger picture.
"The party's about to start. Let's head over. By the way, do you have any items for the auction?" Jiang Hai asked, curious.
Kelly chuckled. "I brought some flower seeds."
Jiang Hai raised an eyebrow but didn't press further. He wasn't sure what Kelly was thinking, but her expression remained calm as she smiled and said, "Don't worry about donating the money from the sale. Come on, let's go."
They walked over just as the party officially began. The parents who had been inside emerged to join the bonfire feast before the auction started.
Diliya was the auctioneer tonight, and the first item up was hers: a delicate silver snuff bottle, a gift from a Chinese tourist. Diliya was quite popular, and although some visitors teased her, she handled it with grace.
The silver snuff bottle attracted immediate bids, starting at twenty or thirty dollars.
"Fifty." Jiang Hai glanced at the bottle, interested—it was a piece from his own country. But before he could bid higher, Diliya's boyfriend Bavetta Jean-Dro raised it to one hundred. Jiang Hai let it go.
When Bavetta won the bottle, he gave Jiang Hai a disdainful look, which annoyed Jiang Hai. Did this guy think he was easy to bully?
"Bavetta's a good guy, but he's still young. Just graduated college, and his family helped him get a job as a stock market trader. A good friend, but far from being a good person," Old George said with a laugh beside Jiang Hai, sensing his displeasure.
Jiang Hai smiled in understanding. Old George was telling him not to take it personally.
Jiang Hai wasn't angry, just a bit annoyed, and he wasn't planning to confront Bavetta.
The next items—a blanket, a handmade saddle, some oil paintings—didn't catch Jiang Hai's interest, so he sat back and watched.
Then the auctioneer announced, "Next, items from Kelly Soren: 100 kinds of flower seeds. As you all know, Kelly's family runs the largest flower estate in town. They grow all the flowers here. These 100 seed varieties are guaranteed to sprout. Honestly, I want some myself. No reserve price—let the bidding begin."
The small package of seeds sparked interest. Many women there glanced longingly at it—flowers were easier to appreciate than glittering jewelry. Some even looked at their male companions with clear hints of encouragement.
"Fifty dollars." Jack was the first to bid, clearly smitten with Kelly, his eyes shining with hope.
The others stayed quiet. Fifty dollars for a hundred seeds meant each seed cost just fifty cents—too cheap to be taken seriously. No one was sure if the seeds were viable anyway.
"One hundred dollars." Jiang Hai didn't care about money; he raised the bid to support Kelly, even though he doubted anything would come of it between them.
Jack blinked, stunned, then glared fiercely at Jiang Hai and called out, "Two hundred."
"Five hundred dollars." Jiang Hai raised his bid easily. With his wealth, a few hundred dollars was nothing; if he lost that much at sea, he wouldn't bother fishing for it. But the crowd gasped—five hundred dollars was a significant amount. In the U.S., that could cover a month's expenses.
Jack's face darkened. Many eyes turned to Kelly, filled with envy. They assumed Jiang Hai was trying to woo her, but only Kelly knew it was just generosity.
Jack pulled Bavetta aside to whisper, then called out, "Six hundred fifty dollars. I really want these seeds—please give me this one."
That was all the cash Jack and Bavetta had on hand, but they knew Jiang Hai had deeper pockets. If Jiang Hai didn't back down, they would be left with nothing to bid on.
The townspeople smiled. Everyone in Winthrop knew Jiang Hai's soft heart—he might stop quietly if asked, but he would never back down when challenged openly.
Just as Jack finished speaking, Jiang Hai raised his hand with a chuckle: "One thousand dollars."
"Wow!" The crowd erupted. One thousand dollars for a small packet of seeds in a local auction was unheard of. Jiang Hai's easy willingness to pay such a price was something ordinary folks couldn't fathom.
Jack was furious, ready to confront Jiang Hai, but Bavetta held him back.
(To be continued.)