"Jiang Hai, do me a favor—help me put on some sunscreen."
Lying on a lounge chair under the beach umbrella, Qi Jie called out lazily. Hearing her voice, Jiang Hai gave a wry smile, put down the phone in his hand, and walked over.
After arriving at the beach, everyone got busy. As the only man, Jiang Hai naturally had more labor-intensive tasks—setting up the lounge chairs, placing them under the umbrellas, and preparing the site. Meanwhile, the girls lit the charcoal stove for grilling.
It's important to note: you can't start grilling right after lighting the charcoal. When newly lit, charcoal releases a lot of toxic gases like carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide. Jiang Hai couldn't recall the exact chemical details—his chemistry education had been a bit shaky—but he knew enough to avoid it.
Grilling should begin only after the charcoal burns evenly—when it's no longer black, but glowing red inside and ashen on the surface. That's when it's safe and effective, without the risk of toxic residues.
This technique, often seen at street stalls starting their grills hours before opening, is known as carbon conservation.
This wasn't Jiang Hai and his friends' first time barbecuing, so they handled everything efficiently. After setting up the stove, they dug two large holes in the sand, filled them with beer, ice, and the meat they brought. The incoming waves helped keep everything cool.
Soon, the girls began to enjoy themselves. Azarina was the first to dive into the water—Jiang Hai wasn't worried about her underwater safety. Feng Yunchen and Ai Xiaoxi played along the shoreline, while Afra and the others waded in the shallows.
Though Darlene and Marianne were sixteen, their youthful appearances made them seem younger. They sat near the beach building sandcastles.
Meanwhile, Jiang Hai, Qi Jie, and Qi Ya relaxed on the lounge chairs. Qi Ya, always the quiet one, was watching Korean dramas on her phone. Despite cultural bans back in China, Korean entertainment was still widely consumed in the U.S.—America, after all, had much higher tolerance and support for Korean and Japanese cultural exports, given geopolitical ties.
Of course, Jiang Hai didn't bother with politics now. He glanced at Qi Ya's screen briefly but returned his attention to his own phone, just about to start a mobile game when Qi Jie called for his help.
Jiang Hai, naturally, didn't refuse. He walked over, scooped out a dollop of sunscreen, and began to apply it to her back. Though they'd shared an intimate night not long ago, the moment his hands touched her skin, Qi Jie trembled slightly, clenching her legs instinctively.
"If you're going to do it, do it properly," she murmured. Then, without turning, she untied the strap of her bikini top. The fabric dropped away slightly, exposing more of her smooth back to the sun—and to Jiang Hai's view.
"Well, then I won't hold back," Jiang Hai chuckled, resuming the application of sunscreen, though his hands wandered a little more freely.
His palms glided gently across her back, occasionally brushing the sides. Each time they did, Qi Jie shivered, but she didn't stop him. She seemed to enjoy it too.
His hands slowly slid down—ankles, calves, thighs—before trailing upward again. Qi Jie's physique was impressive. Whether it was due to spiritual energy or natural build, her body was toned and athletic, soft to the touch yet firm with strength from her boxing and workouts. Every curve was tempting.
Before long, Jiang Hai's hands reached her waist and began exploring more sensitive areas. Qi Jie bit her lip, a slight moan escaping from her throat, but still didn't stop him.
Just when Jiang Hai was about to fully lose control, Qi Jie gave a sudden squeal and arched her back. Her entire body trembled—clearly, she'd reached her limit. Though most people nearby were aware of what was happening, they politely pretended otherwise.
"Sister, are you alright?"
Qi Ya, being the closest, looked over curiously.
"Oh! Nothing, nothing," Qi Jie blurted out, face flushed bright red. She quickly fastened her bikini top and sat up, pretending nothing had happened. Meanwhile, Jiang Hai, stuck in a very awkward state, didn't quite know what to do with himself.
"Figure out your own solution," Qi Jie said, giving him a mischievous glance.
Jiang Hai knew she was done for now, and he wasn't the type to push someone against their will. So he got up, planning to return to the villa and cool down.
Just then, he spotted Galina slipping into the forest nearby—clearly going to change into her swimsuit. A playful glint flashed in Jiang Hai's eyes, and he followed her silently.
Galina didn't realize she was being watched. She hid behind a tree and began undressing. As she slipped out of her coat, Jiang Hai spotted a black swimsuit, similar to Wallis's.
It wasn't surprising. Azarina had her own swimsuit—she'd been here long enough. Galina and Wallis likely shopped together, and given Galina's usual cold demeanor, she probably hadn't picked it herself. Wallis must have chosen it.
To Jiang Hai, the whole scene unfolding in front of him was too tempting.
As he stepped forward, Galina noticed him. Her eyes widened, and she quickly tried to pull her pants back on.
"What are you doing here?" she demanded, clearly flustered.
"I'm here… to enjoy the view," Jiang Hai grinned, stepping in closer.
Before she could react, he grabbed her wrists and gently pinned her against the tree.
"I'm changing clothes—what do you think you're doing?" she protested, voice trembling as he leaned closer.
Her stern resistance only made her more irresistible to him. As their eyes met, Jiang Hai lowered his head and kissed her.
Galina trembled beneath his touch but didn't resist. Gradually, she began to respond.
About ten minutes later, she gently pushed him away, her face flushed with heat.
"I… I understand. I know what to do."
With that, she slowly knelt and began to remove the top of her swimsuit.
Half an hour later, Jiang Hai's face was finally flushed from more than just the sun, and Galina was wiping her mouth, still coughing slightly.
"Is that enough now?" she asked softly.
Jiang Hai chuckled. "Not even close."
Before she could escape, he scooped her up again, and they disappeared deeper into the woods. What happened next… well, you can imagine the rest.
While Jiang Hai and his companions were enjoying their beach day, far away in New York City, a pale-faced man stood near one of the city's suicide hotspots—Wall Street.
Although it's just a short street in lower Manhattan, Wall Street represents far more. It's the nerve center of global finance. From the Morgan family to the Rockefellers, from DuPont to major insurance and railway firms—everyone once had a foothold here.
The famous New York Stock Exchange is its busiest corner.
Why call it a suicide hotspot? Because every financial crisis begins here.
When fortunes collapse and debts mount into the tens or hundreds of millions, what's left for some people?
Only the choice to jump.
You never know when someone might fall from a tower above—onto your head… or your car. If you're unlucky, and you don't have suicide insurance, it's your loss.
During a financial crash, bodies can fall like raindrops—100 or more per day is not unheard of.
Meanwhile, inside the Nasdaq trading hall, Ma Yang Smith—one of the three men Jiang Hai had asked Moses Adams to deal with—was ashen and lifeless.
His greatest backers had vanished. As Moses Adams signed a key document in front of him, Smith felt his world crumble.
"I'm sorry. You messed with someone you shouldn't have. This is just business," Moses said casually, patting him on the shoulder. Then he pulled out a list of investments made by Smith's venture capital firm.
More than three-quarters of the companies on the list were already crossed out. And now, the most important one was gone too—0.12% of Alphabet stock.
For those unfamiliar, Alphabet is the parent company of Google.
After the failure of the Google Glass project last year, the company restructured. On August 11, Google's co-founders announced the creation of Alphabet Inc., transferring Google's shares automatically.
By February this year, Alphabet had overtaken Apple as the world's most valuable tech firm, with a market cap of $565 billion.
Jiang Hai never touched internet investments. He neither trusted nor understood them—he knew how many had fallen during the Nasdaq bubble.
Besides, he didn't need it. His estate already made him more money than he could spend.
Still, this time, Moses Adams had helped him acquire something truly valuable…
(To be continued.)