"Aren't you going out these days?"
Jiang Hai lounged on the sofa, his head resting on Ai Xiaoxi's long legs as he scrolled through his phone. Sitting beside the coffee table, Qi Jie plucked a grape and casually popped it into his mouth.
That day, the villa was relatively quiet, with only seven people at home: Jiang Hai, Qi Jie, Feng Yunchen, Ai Xiaoxi, Qi Ya, Darlene, and Marian.
Aphra and the others had left after breakfast to work at the winery. The grapevines were now bearing fruit, and because they were pesticide-free and infused with Jiang Hai's spiritual energy, they were especially attractive to insects.
To keep them safe, the team had to manually remove pests. Thankfully, Jiang Hai's chickens were excellent pest control—whether in the garden or the vineyard. But while they ate insects, the chickens also had a bad habit of pecking at tender grape and vegetable seedlings. Someone had to supervise them at all times.
Azarina had also left early that morning with Galina and Wallis. They said they needed to get familiar with every inch of the estate. With Azarina around, Jiang Hai didn't worry about his pets. He'd already introduced them to the terrain, and they all recognized her as part of the manor.
"Probably not," Jiang Hai replied, glancing up at Ai Xiaoxi before shrugging. "Unless something comes up, I don't see a reason to go out."
It was true—he had no pressing reason to leave. Jiang Hai wasn't someone who sought excitement or chased trouble. He was content with solitude, uninterested in thrills, and had no lofty dreams. By his own admission, he was lazy by nature.
His initial goal had been to expand the fishery and the manor—both of which had now been achieved. The only lingering concerns were dealing with the three men targeting him and tracking down the Dragon Seal.
But there was no rush. He'd pursue the Dragon Seal when the time came. As for the three men, others were already handling that. He was just the one funding the effort—it wasn't his job to fight.
"You're lazing around all day—is that really okay?"
Qi Jie gave him a sidelong glance. Of course, she liked Jiang Hai. But deep down, her ideal man had always been someone commanding, ambitious, and full of drive.
Before meeting him, she had dreamed of a man who soared above the world on clouds of glory—strong, charismatic, and unshakable. A man who wielded power by day and rested in her arms by night. A warrior who'd fight beside her. If he won, they'd rule the world; if he lost, they'd rise again together.
But reality, she realized, was often more mundane. And in its simplicity, more genuine.
Jiang Hai was greedy, lustful, aimless—no ambition, no grand plans. He lived day by day, and yet… he was strangely appealing.
He was simple, wealthy, and gentle. Most importantly, despite being surrounded by women, he gave her a rare sense of security. It reminded her of Xiaolongnu and Yang Guo—when a man is willing to die for you, everything else fades in importance.
Qi Jie was certain that if she were ever in danger, Jiang Hai would be the first to act. And there was something more: he wasn't ordinary. She knew her sister's condition well, and Jiang Hai had been able to cure it—that was nothing short of miraculous.
These mysteries around him made him even more captivating. Both she and Qi Ya had been drawn in by that.
"I've never thought of myself as the protagonist," Jiang Hai said with a smile, popping another grape into his mouth. "What's there to dream about? I'm not trying to conquer the world or build a business empire. Living like this is enough, isn't it?"
As he scrolled through his phone, he couldn't help but reflect—maybe he really wasn't destined to be the protagonist.
To be a protagonist, there were usually four conditions: destiny, luck, feng shui, and a dramatic name.
He had none of those.
Fate? He wasn't an orphan, nor a rich family's lost son, nor the descendant of some legendary figure. He grew up an ordinary guy.
Luck? Besides obtaining the Dragon Ball, his life had been as uneventful as anyone else's. No mysterious mentor, no life-changing encounter, no instant love story. Even Feng Yunchen only took interest because of his money—and she still cared more about his wealth.
He never had run-ins with thugs or random fights in restaurants that led to epiphanies. If he wanted drama, he had to arrange it himself.
Feng shui? He knew nothing about that—no martial arts, no hidden master, no secret family gravesite. Pure nonsense to him.
And then there were the names. In every novel he'd read, the protagonist had an imposing name like Long Aotian or some two-character surname like Xuanyuan, Dongfang, or names like Lin Feng, Xiao Yan, or Qin Feng—names that practically shouted "main character."
Jiang Hai? That was as ordinary as it got.
Most importantly, he had no ambitions. He just wanted to be a "salted fish"—lying around, doing nothing. That was his life philosophy, and so far, it had served him well. He stayed out of trouble and avoided the spotlight.
If anything marked him as special, it was the Dragon Ball.
At that moment, Jiang Hai felt something stir within him. His scales were growing again. When he showered last night, he'd noticed they were nearly at his tail—less than a hundred scales remained.
Based on past experiences, he'd likely evolve again in about a week.
Every time he evolved, his body changed significantly. But the side effects were getting harder to ignore—especially the uncontrollable surge in libido.
Before, he'd hesitate when he met a woman he liked. Now, whenever he saw one, his instincts took over. It was becoming a serious issue...
He had only wanted two or three women by his side. But somehow, the number kept growing—almost beyond his control.
He knew it was the Dragon Ball's doing. And worse, there was no way to stop it. Every time the scales grew, evolution was inevitable. He couldn't prevent it, nor could he resist it.
"I said earlier that I probably wouldn't go out... but I might have to take that back. I'll probably need to leave in a week," Jiang Hai said, looking calmly at Qi Jie.
"Oh? What for?" she asked, puzzled. Just a minute ago, he'd said he wasn't going anywhere.
"Something important. I can't say what exactly. I'll be going alone. You probably won't hear from me for a few days, but don't worry—I'll be back soon."
Jiang Hai picked up another grape and popped it into his mouth.
Darlene and Marian, sitting in the distance, exchanged knowing glances. They remembered Jiang Hai's first evolution and understood what this trip meant. They didn't say anything, though.
"You're being all mysterious again. But let me warn you—if you bring back another girl, I'm cutting off your big brother's hair. Hmph!"
Qi Jie snorted and rolled her eyes. She didn't press the matter—she could see that Jiang Hai had his own burdens.
"So what's the plan when you get back?" she asked, glancing at him.
"Probably time to expand the fences and stock the fishery," Jiang Hai said after thinking for a moment. It would be summer by then, hot—but still the right time to stock the fish.
Unlike freshwater fish, sea fish could be stocked in the summer, and Jiang Hai's spiritual energy ensured a high survival rate. Other than that, he didn't have much else lined up.
If timing allowed, they'd harvest grapes by late September. Also, he needed to buy more cattle in early September.
Once the estate was expanded, he'd need to spread spiritual energy across the new pastures. But that wasn't urgent—he could do a little each day. They weren't in a hurry. Selling grass alone was enough for now.
Hearing that Jiang Hai was finally thinking about work, Qi Jie stopped asking.
"Come try the cookies I made!"
Qi Ya's voice rang out from the kitchen. She and Feng Yunchen walked out with a plate of freshly baked cookies. Lately, Qi Ya had been obsessed with cooking—her way of showing love to Jiang Hai.
She was naturally skilled at it, and she knew this was the one thing she could truly give him.
Jiang Hai sat up, grabbed a cookie, and popped it into his mouth. His eyes closed in satisfaction.
He had the taste of a child—sweet and milky flavors were his favorites. Qi Ya knew this well, and the cookies she made had a rich, creamy aroma. The moment Jiang Hai took a bite, he was hooked.
"As long as you like it," Qi Ya smiled, sitting down beside him with one of her own.
In contrast to the warm, joyful atmosphere at the villa, Colorite's headquarters was in turmoil. The board of directors had gathered again—but this time, the discussion wasn't about Jiang Hai. It was about the company's shares.
Recently, an unknown force had been suppressing Colorite's stock price, causing instability. On top of that, news had surfaced that the U.S. might soon open a beef import port, which would spike prices.
The official announcement was expected within two months. As a result, their suppliers—the ranchers—began holding onto their cattle.
Two months wasn't long to wait. Aside from cattle that were already 28 or 29 months old and had to be sold, Colorite couldn't acquire much else.
Even though the company claimed the news was fake, ranchers chose to wait it out.
With no cattle in stock and rising market pressure, Colorite's shares plummeted. From an initial $21.13, the stock dropped to $19.29 by that afternoon—and then to $17.97 today.
It was a drop of less than $4, but that represented nearly 20% of the company's market value.
Imagine your own net worth dropping $20—you'd be upset. For people with tens of millions, a $50 million or $100 million loss was enough to make anyone want to smash their head against a wall.
And so, the directors had gathered today—demanding answers.
(To be continued)