The day after visiting the town government, Jiang Hai returned to his state of blissful idleness. The Sea God Festival was still a week away, and the preparations were the business of others, not his. He wasn't drawing a salary from the town government, after all. Since the weather was pleasant today, he moved his lounge chair under the large tree in front of his villa.
The tree in front of Jiang Hai's villa was originally a maple tree, present since he first arrived. Two types of trees are especially popular in the United States: maple and oak. In North America, maple and oak trees are roughly equal in number, but because Canada's national tree is the maple, the US national tree is the oak. However, these two types of trees are generally similar in both countries.
Oaks are most famous for their fruit, acorns, which are a delicious type of nut. They are not very common in China, but here they are similar to pine nuts—cheap and tasty.
As for maple trees, they produce maple syrup, which everyone knows. However, precisely because maple trees produce maple syrup, they tend to attract insects. During his first year resting under the tree, Jiang Hai was constantly bothered by bugs falling on him.
So later, he brought back some camphor tree seeds from China, as this species isn't found in the US.
Jiang Hai then used his spiritual energy to cultivate the camphor tree. In China, this type of camphor is grown for making camphor balls or furniture.
Therefore, it grew very fast. Within two years, it had reached over three meters tall by last year. So, before winter set in last year, Jiang Hai relocated the maple tree elsewhere. Although it was a major undertaking, Jiang Hai would never cut it down, as he still wanted to tap it for maple syrup in the autumn. By this spring, the camphor tree was already nearly five meters tall. Legend has it that this tree can grow up to fifty meters; whether that's true or not, Jiang Hai doesn't know, but he certainly knows this tree is excellent.
This is because the tree doesn't attract insects; the scent it emits is highly disliked by bugs, yet for people, it has a refreshing and invigorating effect. Brewing a cup of Longjing tea, Jiang Hai lay back on the lounge chair, enjoying the breeze, smelling the fragrance of flowers, and scrolling through his phone while waiting for lunch. Regardless of what others might think, Jiang Hai felt pretty great about his life.
Did he have any pressing needs? No, none at all... Lying there every day, based on his annual income of seven billion US dollars, that works out to nearly twenty million US dollars per day over 365 days. He wasn't short on money, so how he chose to spend or waste it didn't matter.
Thanks to the Dragon Pearl and his spiritual energy, his physical health was exceptionally good. He didn't need to exercise; he was as strong as an ox every day. He also had no ambition to conquer new territories or save humanity. His social standing was quite high; he not only cooperated with many nations but was also a shareholder in Google. He had businesses, money, and status. He truly had nothing left to pursue. What would he pursue? Seeking thrills or racing expensive cars? He wasn't interested in those games.
Chasing women? He had about twenty in his manor, and every single one was ready to instantly unlock any position he desired. Did he need to go chase after groupies or young models? There was no need; he genuinely wasn't interested in playing those games.
Money, power, status, women—Jiang Hai had everything. What was there left for him to strive for? Although only three years had passed, Jiang Hai felt as if he had already entered retirement early, simply because he truly had nothing to do.
But truthfully, this kind of life was genuinely great. At least, Jiang Hai sincerely felt it was great.
Living this way every day, he never got bored of it. The only things he needed to consider were what position to use tonight or what he felt like eating. If there was a good movie, he would go watch it with his girlfriends. Going out and buying clothes was also no issue, as he didn't lack money. Sometimes life was just this boring, yet satisfying.
If there was anything dissatisfying, it was probably the matter of children... He had so many women around him, yet after three years, not a single one had gotten pregnant. Regarding this, Jiang Hai could only chuckle wryly.
He glanced at the WeChat Moments displaying people showing off their children, curled his lip, and then closed the app. He started watching *guichu* videos on Bilibili (Site 13); recently, Jiang Hai had quite enjoyed watching this type of content. "Hey, Boss, we have a problem." Just as Jiang Hai was scrolling idly, Connorsen Peters walked over, speaking in a low, buzzing voice, looking somewhat helpless as he addressed Jiang Hai.
"Huh? A problem? What is it?" Hearing this, Jiang Hai frowned. Could it be that someone was jealous of his leisure time and had come to cause trouble again? Looking at Connorsen Peters, Jiang Hai asked seriously.
"It's the rice. The rice plants have bugs." Hearing Jiang Hai's question, Connorsen Peters replied with a look of panic.
"Uh..." Jiang Hai didn't know what to say besides "uh." Rice plants were bound to get bugs, but then he thought about it—if they had pests, it really would be a bit troublesome!
"Let's go take a look!" Hearing what Connorsen Peters said, Jiang Hai carried his teacup and walked toward the rice paddies.
Since Jiang Hai was currently treating this as an experiment, the rice field he opened wasn't very large, only about two *mu* (about 0.33 acres), roughly the same size as the area dedicated to the tea trees. Although it was his first time planting and the rows weren't perfectly straight or standardized, with the spiritual energy involved, Jiang Hai estimated he could harvest about a thousand kilograms of rice by winter. That figure should be the bare minimum.
After hulling, that would leave about eight hundred kilograms. Of course, if everyone ate freely, it certainly wouldn't be enough for all the people in Jiang Hai's manor.
If they ate without restriction, calculating one *jin* (half a kilogram) per person per day, they would need over three thousand kilograms to suffice.
However, since this was America, Jiang Hai and his staff primarily ate meat and flour. They would eat rice, but two or three meals a week would be plenty. Jiang Hai wasn't concerned about this. Besides, if the harvest was truly good and the rice tasted great, he would just plant more next year. But when he arrived at the edge of the rice paddy, he couldn't help but frown.
Because right now, the surface of the water in the rice paddy was covered with insects—it wouldn't be an exaggeration to describe them as a dense, teeming mass.
Mosquitoes, water striders, water scorpions, and more. With a single glance, Jiang Hai saw that the place was a haven for insects. The rain a few days ago seemed to have brought all these bugs out. In China, there is a specific solar term called *Jingzhe* (Awakening of Insects), which means startling these insects awake. The rain the day before yesterday had clearly caused these creatures to begin breeding prolifically.
Meanwhile, Jiang Hai's little pest-control experts—his chickens—couldn't cross the water channels to reach the paddy, so the insects were left to multiply unchecked. Seeing this scene, Jiang Hai couldn't help but scratch his head. This looked troublesome. "Boss, what should we do?" Connorsen Peters scratched his head; he truly didn't know how to proceed.
Actually, Jiang Hai was also a bit stumped. In China, the best solution in this situation would be to apply pesticides. However, Jiang Hai's rice was for personal consumption, so spraying chemicals was out of the question. If he couldn't use pesticides, the only option was biological control.
"Wait, biological control?" After thinking for a moment, Jiang Hai suddenly slapped his forehead, picked up his phone, and started searching.
Soon, a solution appeared on his screen: rice-fish farming!
Rice-fish farming is a very common practice in China. Whether in Jiang Hai's hometown or other regions, it is widespread. First, fish eat the insects in the paddy without harming the rice plants—at most, they consume some fallen grains—thereby controlling pests. Second, because the fish in the paddy live by eating insects and rice, their flesh, while perhaps not matching wild fish, is definitely much better than that of fish raised in dedicated ponds.
While other fish sell for a few yuan per *jin*, rice paddy fish (Daohua fish) can sell for ten or twenty yuan per *jin*. This method allows for growing grain while simultaneously raising fish, and the fish waste also fertilizes the rice, making it a truly multi-benefit approach. Seeing this, Jiang Hai's eyebrows lifted slightly.
When he originally dug this field, because he wasn't very knowledgeable, he followed the principle of "better to dig a little deeper" and made it quite deep. Now, this depth happened to meet the initial requirements for rice-fish farming. All he needed to do was make a few modifications.
The only trouble was the fish fry. In China, while marine fish fry might be hard to buy, freshwater fish fry are quite easy to acquire, even available at some farmers' markets. But here in the US, people mainly eat sea fish, not river fish, so there were no vendors selling freshwater fish fry. However, not having a vendor didn't matter; Jiang Hai could catch them himself.
"Connorsen, let's go. We'll dig this area first, and then we'll go fishing." Jiang Hai was a man of action; if he thought of something, he did it. When things were calm, he was relaxed, but when there was work to be done, he wouldn't procrastinate. He immediately went to the warehouse with Connorsen Peters, grabbed shovels and other tools, and began modifying the rice paddy according to the rice-fish farming standards he had found online.
Since the field was only two *mu*, and both men possessed immense strength, the initial modifications were completed after dinner and an hour of work. Once the water was released, the water level and everything else in the paddy were quite ideal.
However, when they turned on the electric lights that evening, Jiang Hai and Connorsen saw even more insects in the rice paddy water. Jiang Hai knew he would have to solve the fish problem tomorrow. Saltwater fish were definitely out; crops couldn't grow in salt water.
So, he could only use river fish. Fortunately, while Winthrop didn't sell fish fry, wild fish were abundant in the area.
Tomorrow, Jiang Hai planned to go to the river to catch some fish. Of course, using a net directly wouldn't work, but he was quite confident in his fishing skills. After all, he used to be able to catch wild fish by the river, and doing so in Winthrop would be even easier. (To be continued.)
River Fish Surging
Early the next morning, Jiang Hai and Connorsen Peters drove off.
They drove straight to a relatively calm body of water near Winthrop, not far behind Winthrop High School. Jiang Hai used to love fishing there, but back then, he was the only one who would go.
However, when he arrived today, he found about a dozen people fishing on both banks of the river.
Jiang Hai glanced around and saw that they were all Chinese, mostly uncles in their forties and fifties.
Seeing Jiang Hai arrive to fish, these uncles looked at him. When they saw Jiang Hai expertly park his car in an empty spot, they stopped watching. After parking, Jiang Hai began to take things out of his car, starting with a huge fishing gear bag.
Inside were fishing rods, lines, hooks, and floats. Some were pre-rigged, others were spares.
Jiang Hai himself enjoyed fishing, whether in rivers or the sea, he was quite interested.
So he had a lot of fishing gear. Just his fishing rods alone numbered eight, all made of the best carbon fiber, and in various lengths. He didn't need sea rods in this small river, so Jiang Hai didn't bring any.
Besides the fishing gear, there was also a landing net, also called a fish net, and a special insulated container. This was because the fish Jiang Hai caught were not for immediate consumption but for raising, so they needed water for the journey back.
In addition, there were rod holders, a sun umbrella, and two small chairs. After everything was set up, Jiang Hai took out his bait. Generally, fishing bait consists of prepared dough-like balls made from cornmeal.
But this kind of dough easily dissolves in water, especially in a constantly flowing river. So, in such rivers, artificial bait or live bait is used. Artificial bait isn't very effective for hooking fish, so Jiang Hai used live bait. As for what kind?
Worms, of course! Jiang Hai's estate had plenty of worms.
His bait consisted of cabbage worms, earthworms, and sandworms. After everything was set up, Jiang Hai picked up an earthworm, threaded it onto the hook, and cast it directly into the water. He didn't set up too many rods because he knew this one would be enough.
Jiang Hai's estate was filled with spiritual energy, so naturally, these worms also possessed some. Once in the water, they quickly attracted the attention of fish. Under the gaze of the elderly men in the distance, Jiang Hai's rod had been in the water for less than a minute when he lifted it. On the two small hooks, two palm-sized crucian carp were dangling.
"Wow, a double hit!" Looking at the two fish in front of him, Jiang Hai couldn't help but smile. He happily removed the two fish. Since Jiang Hai intended to raise these fish, he hadn't used barbed hooks, so removing them was easy. After taking them off, he tossed them into the nearby net and continued fishing.
The fish in Winthrop were quite naive because few people had fished them before, and Jiang Hai's worms were incredibly tempting. So even if some fish felt something was off, they still swarmed in.
Jiang Hai would basically bait his hook, cast it into the water, and sometimes catch a fish within ten seconds, at most around two minutes.
Sometimes it was one fish, sometimes two. Since he was using a short rod and targeting crucian carp, the speed was indeed very fast.
After sitting there for about an hour, Jiang Hai had already caught nearly a hundred crucian carp. Two elderly men not far from him, while others couldn't see how many he had caught, had some idea. One of the elderly men couldn't sit still anymore. After packing up his things, he proactively came over to Jiang Hai to watch him fish.
"Young man, you're amazing! What kind of bait are you using? Do you have a secret recipe?" Looking at Jiang Hai, the old man watched for a while and saw Jiang Hai catch many more. He couldn't hold back his curiosity. When Jiang Hai caught two more crucian carp, he smiled and leaned over, asking Jiang Hai.
"No secret recipe, just earthworms from my own home," Jiang Hai said with a smile in response to the old man. Hearing what Jiang Hai said, the old man couldn't help but scratch his head and glanced at the worms in Jiang Hai's box.
"Earthworms from your home? You live in the town?" The worms were all alive and fresh, which meant they weren't brought from China. That could only mean Jiang Hai lived here.
"Yes," Jiang Hai replied with a smile, without revealing his identity.
"Ah, I really envy you, being able to live here. To be honest, this is my first time here, and I've already fallen in love with it. The air is fresh, life is leisurely, expenses aren't high, and there's a lot to do. I've already applied to extend my visa from one week to three months. If it's approved, I want to stay here for at least two months to feel at ease. It's just that my family is still in China, and I still need to collect my pension. Otherwise, I would have already bought a house here!" Hearing Jiang Hai's words, the old man couldn't help but say with some emotion. Jiang Hai smiled but didn't respond, because there was no good way to answer that.
If he agreed, someone might accuse him of being unpatriotic, but if he were to speak ill of the place, he genuinely couldn't. At least for tourism, it was indeed a good place for leisure and travel.
After chatting on and off with the old man for another hour or so, Jiang Hai had fished all morning. He glanced at the fish in the net, estimating there were nearly three hundred. He wasn't in a hurry to fish anymore. After telling the old man, he packed his things into the car and returned to his estate with Connorsen Peters. Next, it was time to release the fish.
But releasing fish also had its intricacies. Why do many fish caught often not survive after being brought home?
There are basically three reasons: first, temperature differences and oxygen levels. Fortunately, the rice paddies Jiang Hai was releasing them into were already fed by river water, so there was no need to worry about that issue.
Second, external injuries to the mouth make it difficult for them to heal, and naturally, if fish can't eat, they will die.
Third, differences in the original water quality. Jiang Hai minimized these three points as much as possible, so the problems were naturally not significant.
But before releasing them into the pond, Jiang Hai still made sure to clean them one by one, because fish, when startled, produce a kind of mucus on their bodies. This mucus can affect their breathing, and many fish suffocate this way.
So, before Jiang Hai released the fish into the rice paddies, he cleaned them all. The cleaning was quick; in less than half an hour, he was done releasing them. Then Jiang Hai and his companions went back to eat. However, three hundred crucian carp released into two acres of rice paddies wouldn't make much of a splash, so Jiang Hai and his companions had to go back in the afternoon. After enjoying a delicious lunch at home, Jiang Hai and his companions went back to the river in the afternoon. When they arrived, Jiang Hai noticed that the old man he had chatted with that morning still hadn't left.
It seemed he had grabbed a quick bite nearby at noon. It's worth noting that this was Winthrop High School, and just like outside high schools and middle schools in China, there were many small food stalls outside this high school.
Seeing Jiang Hai return, he felt bored after fishing for a while and came over to chat with Jiang Hai again.
Fortunately, Jiang Hai didn't mind. His bait was extremely potent, and no fish could resist it. Not to mention that Jiang Hai was just talking; as long as he wasn't making a racket, it was fine.
Throughout the afternoon, Jiang Hai caught another three hundred or so crucian carp, and over fifty small carp. There was no helping it; there were just so many fish in this river. The large net was almost full.
Looking at the sky, it was almost dark, so Jiang Hai didn't say much and prepared to leave. After all, he still had to clean these fish when he got back. However, before leaving, Jiang Hai gave his remaining bait to the old man.
The old man had chatted with him all day, and this bait wouldn't last overnight, so he might as well let the old man have some fun with it.
After receiving Jiang Hai's bait, the old man was also very happy. After watching Jiang Hai leave, he immediately sat in Jiang Hai's fishing spot. He wasn't like Jiang Hai, who fished for stocking; he fished for fun and for food.
Naturally, the bigger the fish, the better for eating. So, he immediately switched to his longest 7.2-meter rod, baited it with half a sandworm, and cast it directly into the water. Less than half a minute after the sandworm entered the water, there was a reaction. The hand rod shot directly into the water. Fortunately, the old man was quick-witted and grabbed the fishing rod immediately, but unfortunately, even holding the rod was useless. The strength of whatever was in the river was clearly much stronger than his. It gave him no chance to get a foothold, and with a pull, it actually dragged him directly into the river. Seeing someone fall into the water, the other people who were fishing nearby all ran over to help. For a moment, the scene was chaotic. When the old man got back to shore, he saw a large carp, about 1.2 meters long, in the distance, leaping high out of the water with his fishing rod in the sunset, and then disappearing into the river with the rod. Seeing this scene, everyone present, including the old man, laughed, but they had to admit that Jiang Hai's bait was really effective... Jiang Hai, at this moment, had no idea there was such a small interlude after he left.
He had already returned to the estate and was busy with his fish... (To be continued.)
The Sea God Festival Begins!
The news of Jiang Hai's bait having a miraculous effect quickly spread among the fishing enthusiasts in Winthrop. Unfortunately, Jiang Hai didn't give them many opportunities; after all, his rice paddy was quite small.
Based on domestic standards, a single hectare of rice paddy holds only ten to fifteen thousand fish, and those are just fry. You also have to factor in the mortality rate of the young fish.
Jiang Hai only had two mu of land, and he was stocking adult fish, so he couldn't possibly stock them in the same density as fry. Consequently, he returned after only a day and a half of fishing. On the first day, he caught over seven hundred fish—more than six hundred crucian carp and a hundred small common carp. The largest was only slightly over two pounds, so they wouldn't look particularly large once released into the paddy.
Nevertheless, the results were quite impressive. The fish released in the evening might not have started eating immediately, but those released around noon were already hunting by nightfall. The insects floating on the water provided the perfect food source for the crucian carp.
When Jiang Hai checked the next day, roughly a tenth of the insects that had been floating on the surface were gone. Naturally, insects would continue to breed, but this supply would serve as the best possible feed for the fish.
On the morning of the second day, Jiang Hai went fishing again. This time, he wasn't just targeting crucian carp and common carp; he began catching grass carp. Grass carp are notoriously difficult to keep. To help them adjust, Jiang Hai deliberately infused the bucket holding the fish with a trace of spiritual energy to ensure their survival.
Of course, Jiang Hai couldn't dictate exactly which fish would bite; they certainly didn't listen to him. It was easy enough to hook a common carp while fishing for crucian carp, so targeting grass carp resulted in a mixed bag. Still, he managed to catch a decent number of grass carp.
After catching roughly two hundred more miscellaneous fish, Jiang Hai departed. As expected, the old man who had been buddying up to him the day before happily took the remaining insects from Jiang Hai's hand. As soon as Jiang Hai was gone, the old man eagerly pulled out the surf rod he had specially prepared. This time, the old man was playing for keeps.
And wouldn't you know it, the old man was truly blessed with luck. Although he got completely soaked on his way home that evening, he had a bumper harvest, catching six large fish in total. A one-meter-long mirror carp was particularly striking. He cooked it that night and enjoyed a delicious meal with a few close friends. Naturally, Jiang Hai remained unaware of this success.
He simply took his catch—which included grass carp, silver carp, snakehead, and two small catfish—and returned to the manor. After quickly preparing them, Jiang Hai released all the fish into the rice paddy.
The results were quite positive; after settling down for an afternoon, the fish all began to forage.
When Jiang Hai and Connorssen Peters checked again on the third day, the insects floating on the water, though still present, were significantly fewer—only about half, or even a third, of the number they had seen two days prior. Of course, Jiang Hai didn't need to worry about the fish eating all the insects. Everyone knows how quickly insects hatch; since it was spring, the fish couldn't possibly consume them all.
With the success of Jiang Hai's rice-fish farming system, he no longer had to worry about pests or the lack of nutrients for the rice.
More importantly, when the paddy is drained in the autumn, he anticipates harvesting a large batch of fish. He'll finally be able to taste the flavor of the freshwater fish he raised himself. Thinking about it, Jiang Hai couldn't help but smack his lips; after consuming so much seafood, having river fish once in a while was a welcome change.
Imagining sweet and sour fish, braised fish, and deep-fried crucian carp... yes, he would certainly be able to enjoy a feast then.
Having resolved the issue with the rice paddy, Jiang Hai reverted to his leisurely state. Mayor Wallis had given him advance notice: the Sea God Festival was in three days. Jiang Hai was required to walk the route a day early to inspect it so that any necessary adjustments could be made. As for the intervening two days, the Mayor didn't care how much Jiang Hai indulged himself.
Jiang Hai spent two more days living a life of utter relaxation. On the third day, he finally left the house, as he had promised to walk the parade route. Jiang Hai's standing in Winthrop was something that went without saying.
Last year, Jiang Hai had carried the fish tank. This year, Mayor Wallis directly assigned him the task of carrying it from beginning to end, with assistance only offered when the tank was being transferred. Jiang Hai had no complaints; while it was somewhat tiring, he could manage the task. The tank, though more elaborate than in previous years, weighed only about five kilograms, which was no problem for him.
Since the celebration was scheduled for the next day, Jiang Hai also got a look at this year's sacrificial offering: an Atlantic Blue Dragon.
Jiang Hai had already described this creature, so there was no need to elaborate, but this year's specimen looked quite sizable.
One had to admit that the fishermen in Winthrop were quite capable. This type of sea slug is rarely seen and is currently a very popular international pet. These creatures generally inhabit only tropical waters, but they are occasionally sighted near Winthrop, especially in early spring when they are swept in by the ocean currents.
When the water temperature is between 13 and 24 degrees Celsius, these creatures have a vigorous appetite, but they stop feeding if the temperature drops below 13 or rises above 24 degrees. In the ocean, they mostly cling to reefs or drift curled up in a ball with the current. Although they resemble insects, they are an essential and beneficial organism in the marine ecosystem because their primary diet consists of poisonous jellyfish and violet sea snails, much like what sea turtles consume.
Consequently, in Europe and North America, where animal protection organizations are highly active, these creatures are relatively common during the summer.
Conversely, they are now rarely seen in the Indian Ocean, where they should be more abundant, as most specimens have been captured and kept as pets.
In fact, extinction is highly unlikely for this creature because it is hermaphroditic and can reproduce entirely on its own. With such a powerful innate advantage, driving them to extinction would be a difficult feat indeed.
Holding the glass tank, Jiang Hai, Mayor Wallis, and Sandy Clive walked the entire route planned for the following day. Azraelina and the other women weren't idle either. After all, if Jiang Hai was participating in a public parade, what if there was danger?
Knowing the large crowds expected tomorrow, the women, who had been relaxing at home for some time, began to get busy.
Monitoring various locations and selecting police officers for Jiang Hai's close personal protection—everything was being prepared methodically.
After everyone had discussed and anticipated all possible scenarios for the next day, another night passed. Jiang Hai woke up early the following morning. To be honest, he rarely rose this early.
But today was different. They all left home shortly after six in the morning, while Winthrop was still barely lit by the dawn. As Jiang Hai and the others arrived at the central town square, a significant crowd had already gathered.
There were both tourists and locals, and upon seeing Jiang Hai, everyone began to cheer. Naturally, the loudest cheers were for Jiang Hai, because without him, Winthrop would still be a poor little fishing village.
The tourists were somewhat bewildered since most of them didn't recognize Jiang Hai. Although they had heard that an extremely wealthy Chinese man lived here, very few people had actually seen him. They were essentially just listening to the locals cheer and joining in to be part of the excitement. Amidst these cheers, Jiang Hai ascended the high platform.
Exactly at seven o'clock, following thirty-two cannon shots, this year's Sea God Festival officially began. There were no performances, no speeches by dignitaries, and no unnecessary formalities. The moment the time arrived, Mayor Wallis announced the start of the festival and immediately handed the glass tank to Jiang Hai. Jiang Hai raised the tank containing the Blue Dragon high overhead, then descended the stairs and set off along the predetermined route toward the sea.
Along the way, more and more townspeople and tourists joined the parade procession. Leading the way were the band organized by the Winthrop school and children performing various routines.
Jiang Hai and the procession moved very slowly. The journey, which should have taken only about an hour, took them four hours to complete. They finally reached the seaside release platform at eleven in the morning. As Jiang Hai released the Blue Dragon back into the ocean, all the locals erupted in cheers. This act symbolized that the Sea God had accepted their offering and guaranteed a good harvest for the year. After the Blue Dragon was released, the ceremony and the parade officially concluded. The crowds gradually dispersed, heading toward the three pre-designated areas. Locals primarily gravitated toward the stall area, where they would buy, sell, and trade second-hand goods and purchase small novelty items.
Tourists mostly headed to the food court and the distant recreation zone. Of course, some visitors also checked out the second-hand stalls to see if they could find anything worthwhile. As previously mentioned, disposing of used goods is often complicated for Americans.
They cannot simply toss items out; dropping them off at a recycling center often requires filling out forms. Therefore, they usually prefer giving unwanted items directly to the homeless, but since Winthrop currently has no homeless population, mutual trading serves as an excellent alternative.
After releasing the Blue Dragon, Jiang Hai was in no hurry to return home. Instead, he headed straight for the food stalls. Even though he had every kind of delicious food imaginable at the manor, he was highly interested in street snacks. (To be continued.)
The Clive Family
Americans, or more accurately, Westerners, have a terrifying level of obsession with food stalls.
Of course, more than a quarter of those who run food stalls in the US actually have full-time jobs. They don't run these stalls to make a living, but simply for fun and to pass the time.
In America, there are many delicious food trucks whose owners are lawyers, civil servants, and the like. While they have stable jobs, they don't lack money—one could say they aren't short of cash at all. The reason they run food stalls is, firstly, to pass the time because they enjoy cooking, and secondly, to satisfy their own vanity.
However, because Americans believe there is no such thing as a free lunch, regardless of the reason for running the stall, they will charge for it. Almost over eighty percent of food stalls pay taxes and are protected by the government.
Not only are the Western stall owners impressive, but so are the Western media. For instance, in Boston and New York, highly credible magazines rank the city's food stalls every year, and even Michelin awards stars to food stalls.
Those high-end food stalls are even harder to get a spot at than some Western restaurants; of course, the prices are very affordable.
The people here in Winthrop are the same. Although there aren't such high-end food stalls, to be honest, the flavors are all quite good.
Due to the increasing number of tourists, there are many food stalls in Winthrop. Some are opened by restaurant apprentices, some by housewives, and some by Fishermen. But no matter who opens them, they must register with the town government and pay taxes. Winthrop is very small, so naturally, there's no one who can open a stall without paying taxes.
There are even some Chinese people who have come to Winthrop to open food stalls selling dumplings and such, which receive quite a bit of attention.
Of course, there were even more today. When Jiang Hai and the others walked into that area of food stalls, they saw at least thirty or so stalls at a glance. Some were handcarts, others were converted from old cars, and there were even old boats. There were all kinds, and almost no two shops were exactly alike. Looking across, the food available was also varied and miscellaneous.
After all, Winthrop has been hosting tourists for a while now, so they already have a general idea of the tourists' tastes and choices. Jiang Hai also knew a bit about this. Scanning the area, the food sold by these thirty-odd stalls mainly fell into eight categories.
First were tortillas, basically the Mexican variety. Of course, the sellers included Black and Caucasian men, not just people of Mexican descent. Second was barbecue. America has many Middle Eastern immigrants, partly because people there are wealthy and partly because of the constant wars, making it a less-than-ideal place to live. Thus, there is plenty of Arabic barbecue here, including beef, mutton, and chicken; you certainly won't find pork here.
Third were some Indian dishes, like roti rolls with meat, which also tasted good. In such stalls, the owner will usually ask if you want it spicy when you order. You must be careful; if you can only handle a normal amount of spice, never say 'YES'—only say 'a little bit,' because Indian chili peppers are truly powerful.
Fourth were South American flavors, like Jamaican jerk meat. Fried or grilled, it tastes quite good and is a delicacy that meat lovers absolutely shouldn't miss.
Fifth was American fast food, like sandwiches or hot dogs. One has to admit these taste quite good and come in huge portions. In China, an authentic hot dog from a place like Subway would cost over forty yuan because they are basically sold cut in half. Here in America, it's a whole one, with large slices of turkey, cheese, hot dog sausage, cream, lettuce, cabbage, carrots, and so on. There are vegetables and meat, all sorts of things. Adding ketchup, salad dressing, and the like, a single sandwich might be larger than a whole one in China, yet the price is usually around three dollars—and that's for one with extra toppings; a basic one might only be around two dollars.
Sixth were egg tarts, cakes, and the like. These items not only have a large market in China but also in America and the Western world. Small cakes are both delicious and filling, and selling some cream puffs on the side is quite nice.
Seventh were seafood stalls. As they say, those near the mountains eat from the mountains, and those near the sea eat from the sea. Winthrop is located by the seaside, so naturally, there is plenty of seafood. The Fishermen have a knack for preparing seafood, like grilled oysters, scallops, and various fish and shrimp. Given that everything is absolutely fresh, the flavors are excellent.
Eighth were dumplings. Yes, the same dumplings Chinese people eat. However, in China, dumplings are usually eaten in restaurants or at home, but in America, they are a bona fide snack. Many Americans love this food, and not many Chinese people dislike dumplings either. So, although this snack hasn't been in Winthrop for long, it is very popular. Jiang Hai saw many people at several of these stalls at a glance.
Because the people here produce high-quality food, even if the flavors vary slightly, at least they don't cheat their customers.
Therefore, there were many customers waiting at every stall, some locals but mostly tourists.
Setting aside the locals and just looking at the tourists, Jiang Hai could roughly tell where they were from based on which stalls they gathered at. For example, those at the barbecue stalls might be from the North, because there's a saying in Jiang Hai's hometown: there's nothing a barbecue meal can't solve, and if there is, then make it two meals.
Those at the cake stalls were likely tourists from the South, though it wasn't absolute.
If they were at the Indian or Mexican stalls, there would probably be more tourists from Hunan and Sichuan Provinces because that food is also very spicy.
Of course, all of the above was just Jiang Hai's own speculation; if you take it too seriously, you've already lost.
Just as Jiang Hai was watching the excitement and preparing to pick something to eat, he noticed two familiar figures at a stall.
It was a four-person stall: one man and three women. One of the men was middle-aged, looking to be over fifty, a typical Caucasian man with a full beard and a large belly, but his hands were quite fast. He ran a seafood stall; he skillfully shucked large oysters one by one and placed them on the electric grill in front of him to roast. On the other side was a griddle where a middle-aged woman was roasting garlic, and two young women were assisting.
Jiang Hai didn't know the middle-aged couple, but he was very familiar with the two young women: Cindy Clive and Karma Clive. Needless to say, he knew who the other two were—their parents.
At this moment, a few people had gathered in front of the stall without him noticing, but not many, because grilling oysters took time. Usually, they were sold once cooked; few people would stand there just to let their mouths water.
Thinking of this, Jiang Hai proactively walked over. Seeing Jiang Hai approach, Karma Clive couldn't help but wave happily and signaled for him to come sit. Jiang Hai went over and sat down, while Cindy Clive looked away.
"Hi, I saw you just now. You really have the aura of a leader!" Karma Clive said with a smile as she looked at Jiang Hai. Hearing her words made Jiang Hai feel a bit embarrassed, and he rubbed his nose slightly awkwardly.
"Heh, is this your family's stall?" To ease the awkwardness, Jiang Hai glanced at the seafood displayed there and asked curiously. Hearing Jiang Hai's question, Karma Clive also began to speak with a smile.
"Of course! Our family has the best stall in all of Winthrop—no, in all of Boston!" Karma Clive said with a face full of pride. Hearing what she said, the other three couldn't help but laugh.
"Alright, stop boasting. I'm confident about being the best in Winthrop, but I wouldn't dare say that about Boston. Hello, Jiang, I know you. Come, what would you like to eat?" At that moment, the large man walked over and spoke to Jiang Hai with a smile. Whether it was because of Jiang Hai's status in Winthrop or because Jiang Hai almost ended up with Cindy Clive, he knew a lot about Jiang Hai.
Jiang Hai also knew a bit about him. Although the two had never met, they had been aware of each other for a long time.
"I'm not quite sure..." Hearing his words, Jiang Hai also looked at the menu board and spoke with some confusion.
"What we sell here is basically grilled shellfish, mainly oysters and barnacles." Hearing Jiang Hai's words, Cindy Clive's father pointed to the seafood soaking in water in the distance and spoke to Jiang Hai.
Jiang Hai took a look and felt a bit lost because he really didn't know what those things were.
"You're a fishery owner, and you don't know what these are?" Seeing Jiang Hai's dazed expression, Cindy Clive's father couldn't help but speak with a chuckle. Hearing his words, Jiang Hai shrugged; he really didn't know.
"Come, come, let me introduce them to you." Seeing Jiang Hai indicate his ignorance, Cindy Clive's father also stood up with a smile. At this point, the electric grill in front of him was almost full of oysters, so he had some time.
Jiang Hai had always been interested in identifying seafood, so he proactively leaned in.
Just as Cindy Clive's father said, if someone who sells seafood can't even identify all of it, that would be embarrassing. (To be continued.)
The Art of Oysters
"You should recognize this, right?" Watching Jiang Hai approach, Cindy Clive's father picked up a rather ugly shellfish and placed it in front of Jiang Hai, smiling as he looked at him.
"I know this, Gooseneck Barnacles." Hearing his words, Jiang Hai nodded. He knew this thing because there were many of them in his fishery. To be honest, barnacles are a very disgusting creature.
They attach to large reefs, uh, and other things too, like the backs of whales, some plastic bottles, and so on.
As long as it's an object, they will attach to it, densely packed, making one's skin crawl at first glance. It's very uncomfortable. Jiang Hai has a bit of trypophobia, so he's not fond of these things.
Gooseneck Barnacles are also barnacles, and they also cluster together in a disgusting way. This thing is also called Percebes, and it's found in China too.
But in Europe, it's considered a very good delicacy. Whether grilled, boiled, or even eaten raw, it has many supporters.
However, Jiang Hai felt indifferent to this thing. As soon as he recalled its appearance, he lost his appetite.
Hearing that Jiang Hai knew this thing, Cindy Clive's father smiled, then pointed to something next to it.
"Is this an oyster? Uh, I really don't understand these things." Seeing his smile, Jiang Hai gave a slightly embarrassed laugh. He really didn't understand, and Cindy Clive's father also laughed after hearing Jiang Hai's words.
"Oysters take up a lot of reef space, so it doesn't matter if you don't understand. Come, let me introduce them to you." Hearing Jiang Hai's words, Cindy Clive's father fished out an oyster with a very large shell, shaped like a scallop, from the water.
"This is called a Galway Oyster, produced in Ireland. It's considered an entry-level oyster. In French cuisine, the oysters served as side dishes are usually this kind. The taste is good, and it's a perfect match with wine. These are sold individually, priced at $1.20 each." Cindy Clive's father said earnestly, holding the oyster in his hand.
Jiang Hai also made a note of this type of oyster. Although he wasn't planning to farm them now, he at least needed to recognize them.
"This is a Fines de Claire Oyster, produced in France. Because these oysters must survive in extremely saline waters for at least two months, they are free of parasites and are the best companion for raw consumption. Moreover, these oysters have a characteristic: during cultivation, they can be infused with a sweet, watery flavor, making them very popular in Western restaurants around the world. They are also the best-selling premium oysters, priced at $1.90 each." Seeing that Jiang Hai was listening intently, Cindy Clive's father became more enthusiastic and continued to introduce his oysters. This type of oyster looked better than the previous one.
"This is a Jersey Coast Oyster, a type of oyster that lives in Normandy, exclusively supplied to the British Royal Family. Of course, now the Royal Family also sells them for profit. These oysters are very soft to eat, yet very crisp and refreshing. They are soft whether you lick them or bite them gently, but with a bit of force, they break apart directly, splashing juice everywhere. The taste is quite good, and they are easily as addictive as potato chips, though unlike potato chips, they are not harmful." The third type of oyster Cindy Clive's father introduced was a small oyster, not very big. To be honest, it was similar to the oysters from Jiang Hai's hometown. Although Ice City is not by the sea, seafood is not expensive there.
Ordinary oysters are sold for one rmb each at their night market, and larger ones are ten rmb for a set of six. They are genuinely not very expensive. But here, these oysters are all very pricey.
"And this one, this is a Gillardeau Oyster, the king of oysters, produced in France, and recognized as the best oyster in the world, bar none. This one oyster alone sells for five US dollars." After introducing this type of oyster, Cindy Clive's father picked up a larger oyster and said proudly to Jiang Hai.
Jiang Hai had heard of this oyster, because general Western restaurants, especially French ones, have this type of oyster. These are oysters that can be eaten as a main course. A regular one costs three US dollars wholesale, and in Western restaurants, it sells for ten US dollars each. Now, Cindy Clive's father selling it for five US dollars is still very cheap.
So, the people gathered around him were basically connoisseurs and foodies.
Otherwise, like the former Jiang Hai, or his friends, where oysters in their hometown sold for less than two rmb each, you're selling them for thirty-five each here? Why? Can eating them make you an immortal? This is the difference in sales philosophy for luxury ingredients.
Then, Cindy Clive's father introduced Jiang Hai to the current oyster producing regions and grades around the world.
There are four recognized top-grade oysters in total: the best-selling among the top grades, Fines de Claire (Fentiklai); the top of the top for raw consumption, Japan's Kumamoto Oyster; the largest among the top grades, the Belon Oyster; and the absolute top among the top grades, the Gillardeau Oyster.
Three of these four oysters are produced in France, and one in Japan. In recent years, Australian oysters have shown some potential as rising stars, but for true chefs, top-grade seafood must live in cold waters. Fish from tropical waters, because they grow too fast, have flesh that is inferior to cold-water seafood, both in firmness and sweetness. It can be said that fish from the cold waters of the north represent quality, while those from the warm waters near the equator represent quantity.
Of course, this statement is not absolute, as many precious fish species prefer warm waters and are not found in cold waters, so Jiang Hai and his fellow Fishermen can only chuckle about it.
After the introduction to oysters, Jiang Hai also ordered a few to taste. After a long wait, the oysters were finally grilled, and Jiang Hai eagerly began to eat. Many other tourists, who were well-off and discerning, also joined him.
Gillardeau Oysters are said to sell for ten US dollars each in French restaurants, but that refers to prices in America and Europe. In China, for the same oyster, if you go to a French restaurant and aren't fooled, and it's truly live and imported from France, you'd be looking at hundreds of rmb. Here, at thirty-five each, why not eat until you're full?
Even if thirty-five is a bit much, what's there to hesitate about for others around ten rmb each?
It must be admitted that Cindy Clive's father's seafood dishes were indeed excellent, worthy of his past as a French cuisine chef.
Even Jiang Hai secretly gave a thumbs-up; he was truly impressive.
After eating the oysters, Jiang Hai paid the bill and said goodbye. He went to other stalls, ate some wraps, skewers, and other things, and after filling his stomach, he contentedly left the stall area. Then, he sauntered to the trading area. Passing through the amusement area, he noticed that tourists and locals were having a really good time.
Since it was still early spring and the sea was very cold, no one was swimming, but there were many people playing water sports like jet skis. Jiang Hai doesn't like jet skis or riding motorcycles, so he just watched and moved on.
Then he went straight to the trading area, which Jiang Hai was very familiar with, having visited it frequently over the years.
In the trading area, there were countless vendors selling all sorts of things, from large items like cars and fishing boats, to medium-sized items like home appliances and wardrobes, to small items like mobile phones, computers, bed sheets, and duvet covers. It was truly a diverse array of goods.
If you want something, just look for it here. Aside from a wife, you should be able to find everything else.
Although Jiang Hai lacked nothing, he still enjoyed wandering around here. The transaction volume here was quite good. As soon as Jiang Hai walked in, he saw many people haggling. Here, you could either buy with money or barter. Nothing had a clear price tag; everything depended on your own judgment.
To be honest, there were indeed many good things. For example, after Jiang Hai arrived, he saw many young tourists buying their desired items here: some game consoles, or skateboards, basketballs, and so on—everything. There were also some middle-aged tourists who would buy medals, coins, and even unusable bullets and gun barrels here. It was a motley collection, with all sorts of things, and Jiang Hai found it quite lively.
However, after a quick look around, Jiang Hai didn't find anything that interested him. Just as he was considering whether to go back to sleep, he saw many people gathered around a stall in the distance. Most of them were children, along with some adults. Everyone was standing there with surprised expressions. To be honest, Jiang Hai was also a little curious, so he walked over.
However, upon arriving, he noticed a sign for a Stray Pet Center. Using his decent height, Jiang Hai peered inside and then saw a person: Dominica Cecy.
Perhaps no one remembers who she is by that name anymore, but when her identity is mentioned, people might have some impression. She is the young woman from the Stray Pet Center, but now she's in charge. Around her were many cages, with cats and dogs inside. Today, she was here to find owners for these animals. Of course, she wasn't selling pets; she was recommending adoption. In America, there are no dog dealers selling dogs on the street. (To be continued.)