My Manor

"My wife said that you can eat whatever you want at home during the day, but she'd feel embarrassed to charge you for eating with us at night." Seeing Jiang Hai eating the stewed beef from the lunchbox, Philemon laughed and said.

Hearing this, Jiang Hai smiled. No matter the reason, it felt heartwarming to have someone care about him on such a cold day. Over the past year, he had grown used to being alone. He spent New Year's and holidays by himself, and he tackled everything in life on his own.

His friends had their own responsibilities—work, families, and parents to look after—so Jiang Hai couldn't impose on them too often. Since losing his parents, Jiang Hai initially thought his future life partner might be Qi Li. But reality gave him a harsh wake-up call. In the end, the only pillar he could rely on was himself.

Humans are remarkably adaptable. After a year of solitude, Jiang Hai had grown accustomed to it.

He hadn't come to the U.S. to open a manor for money. Of course, everyone likes money, but that wasn't his main purpose. If it had been, the $330 million he inherited would have been more than enough to last several lifetimes.

He bought the manor for a different reason—to explore the mystery of the tattoo on his body.

Because of that, when he purchased the manor, he didn't haggle over the price. He didn't even care much about the details. After all, at an auction house, there's no room for bargaining. It's not like dealing with a private seller. Whatever the price is set at, that's what you pay. There are no discounts or bonuses.

Jiang Hai understood that from the beginning, so he simply paid the price and secured the property.

At first, he was worried. Though he was now the boss, he was still an outsider. He feared that Robbins and the others might take advantage of him. In a foreign land, unfamiliar with the area, it would be hard to handle such a situation if it arose.

But as time passed, he realized that Robbins and the others were genuinely good people. While they didn't go out of their way to cater to him, they treated him fairly and professionally. In both his personal life and business matters, they showed no signs of selfishness or dishonesty. Jiang Hai was satisfied.

Robbins, Burke-Dale, Philemon, Harriman, and Bell all paid attention to Jiang Hai. They taught him how to grade beef, raise cattle, care for horses, brush their coats, and train dogs. They also showed him how to dress warmly in the cold, offering helpful reminders that made Jiang Hai feel like part of a family.

As for Edward, he taught Jiang Hai how to identify fish in the sea, how to cast nets, how to distinguish poisonous species, and what to do when encountering other boats at sea.

When Jiang Hai first arrived, he knew nothing. His decision to buy the manor had been a spontaneous one, inspired by reading a farming novel.

But after actually owning the property, he realized that even with a "golden finger," running a manor wasn't as simple as it seemed.

As an outsider, it would take at least a year or two to fully integrate into this way of life.

Still, Jiang Hai felt happy with the relationship he had built with his employees. There was a human touch that made all the difference.

"Boss, you must be feeling bored lately," Philemon said as he helped clean up after Jiang Hai quickly finished the meal. Hearing this, Jiang Hai thought for a moment and realized it was true.

Before the snow arrived, he had something to do every day. He'd go out for a morning run, practice boxing, and stay busy. But ever since the snowfall, he found himself with nothing to do.

"Yeah, it's been pretty boring," Jiang Hai admitted with a nod.

"This snow is supposed to stop by tomorrow. If it does, we'll clear the snow then. The day after, I'll take a day off, and we can go out for some fun," Philemon said, glancing at the sky outside.

"Fun? What kind of fun?" Jiang Hai asked with curiosity. Then, with a playful grin, he added, "I heard there's a strip club nearby. I haven't been to one since I got here. Want to take me there?"

For someone who had been single for so long, it was an enticing thought.

Philemon burst out laughing. "If I dared to go there, Vic would kill me. And if Vic didn't, Edward definitely would! No, I mean fishing—let's go fishing!"

Hearing this, Jiang Hai couldn't help feeling a little disappointed. But his interest soon perked up again.

"Fishing? You mean at sea?" he asked curiously.

"No, not at sea. At the river," Philemon replied with a shake of his head.

"The river? I thought you guys didn't eat river fish," Jiang Hai said, recalling the big carp he had caught previously. Unfortunately, no one had appreciated it much. He did try bringing back a few fish after that, but Americans weren't fans of the way he cooked them. The only fish dishes they seemed to enjoy were sweet and sour fish and West Lake vinegar fish.

Sweet and sour fish, commonly made with carp in China, was instead prepared with sea bass or mandarin fish abroad, as Westerners disliked dealing with bones. The preparation method was similar to squirrelfish—deep-fried and coated in a tangy sauce. It was a popular dish in Chinese restaurants in the U.S.

As for West Lake vinegar fish, Jiang Hai, a northerner, couldn't stand it. Steamed or boiled and topped with sweet-and-sour sauce, the dish was a signature of Zhejiang cuisine. But to Jiang Hai, it was unbearably bland.

So, his preferred methods of cooking fish were either stewed or braised.

Iron-pot stewed fish, a well-known dish in northeastern China, had a bold, salty flavor that Jiang Hai loved. However, Westerners found it too salty to handle.

Braised fish also wasn't suitable for them. It required soy sauce and salt, which they found overpowering.

"We don't avoid river fish entirely. We just don't eat Asian carp. But we do eat other types," Philemon explained with a sheepish smile.

Jiang Hai nodded in understanding. The rivers in the U.S. were home to various local fish species that Europeans and Americans enjoyed eating.

"Alright, take me along when the time comes," Jiang Hai said happily.

The next morning, the snow finally stopped after two days of continuous fall. The snow had piled up to nearly 20 centimeters deep. When Jiang Hai stepped outside, the snow reached his ankles. Robbins and the others were already waiting, ready to begin clearing the snow. Today's task would take longer than before. Though the snow was only twice as thick, it would keep them busy until evening.

The cleared snow piled up along the sides of the manor like small mountains, and much of it was pushed into the sea.

Unlike lakes, the sea doesn't freeze in winter—except in the Arctic and Antarctic. And Boston certainly wasn't that cold.

After a long day of work, everyone returned to rest. But Jiang Hai hadn't forgotten Philemon's promise to go fishing.

When Harriman heard about the plan, he was excited too.

Unlike other children, Harriman had a tough upbringing. He often went hungry, and though neighbors helped him from time to time, he learned to fend for himself. His survival skills were unmatched, especially when it came to finding wild food.

The following morning, when Jiang Hai crawled out of bed, Philemon and Harriman were already waiting at the manor's border, each holding a bucket.

"You guys are early. What's in the buckets? Where are your fishing rods?" Jiang Hai asked excitedly.

Philemon chuckled. "We're going ice fishing, boss. No need for rods. The ice creates a barrier between you and the fish, so they won't see you. As for the bait… you'll see when we get there."

"Really?" Jiang Hai sighed and reluctantly put his fishing rods away. Instead, he grabbed the thickest fishing lines and a bunch of hooks before joining the two.

They drove out in an F-750 truck and headed toward a small river near Winthrop. It was a narrow tributary, about 100 meters wide at most, with the deepest part reaching a little over ten meters.

The local middle school and basketball hall sat near the river, just a few dozen meters away from the bank. Though it wasn't an ideal fishing spot, it was a safe location, which mattered most to Philemon and Harriman.