"Uh, what's going on?"
Looking at the row of pretty girls in front of them, everyone was momentarily stunned.
The only one who wasn't caught off guard was Fu Yuan. During his previous visit, he had already met Afra and Jiang Hai's daughters, Darlene and Marianne. But this was his first time seeing Bernice and Xiaoya.
It had to be said—Bernice and Xiaoya, both with their East Asian features, better matched their aesthetic preferences.
Bernice had a strong and striking look, reminiscent of an action heroine. Xiaoya, with her porcelain complexion and delicate demeanor, looked like a fragile snow elf.
"Let me do some introductions," Jiang Hai said. "Over here—this is Fu Yuan. Darlene and the others already know him. This is Xu Wei, and this is Huang Yunfei, along with his wife, Lu Jiao.
Now on this side: this is Darlene, this is Marianne—my daughters. This is Bernice, this is Xiaoya, also guests here. Then we have Afra Arnold, Dinah Taylor, Hilda Leonard, Becky Hall, Sheila Rodney, Oshilia Clive, Bridget Nelson, and Janice Joy..."
As Jiang Hai went through the names, his voice faltered slightly. When it came to introducing Afra and the other women, he hesitated.
What was he supposed to say? That they were his women? That felt too blunt. His workers? That sounded cold. Friends? That... might be the safest answer.
"We are Jiang Hai's servants. Please come in. Guest rooms and dinner are ready," Afra interjected warmly before Jiang Hai could respond.
Startled, Jiang Hai looked over at her. She just winked playfully, clearly having thought this through.
"Don't listen to her. These are all my friends. Alright, come on in," Jiang Hai said, waving the group inside. Though Afra's answer was tactful, he still felt a bit uncomfortable letting that label stick.
As they stepped into the villa, only Fu Yuan appeared calm. Xu Wei and Huang Yunfei, meanwhile, looked utterly overwhelmed.
As they moved further in, Jiang Hai leaned toward Afra and whispered, "Where's Azarina?"
"She's not feeling well and is resting," Afra replied softly.
"Not feeling well?" Jiang Hai frowned in concern, but Afra didn't elaborate. She simply smiled.
This was the first time Xu Wei and Huang Yunfei had ever dined surrounded by so many stunning women, and in such a luxurious villa. It felt surreal—like a dream.
Unconsciously, they straightened their backs, glancing around as if worried about making the wrong impression. Jiang Hai chuckled at their reactions. This was exactly the kind of subtle show of status he'd hoped for.
"All right, let's serve the dishes!" Bernice called toward the kitchen after everyone had been seated.
Soon, Afra and the others began bringing out plates that had been prepared in advance. While not all of the dishes had been made by Xiaoya herself, she had directed the cooking. The result was practically the same.
The first dish that arrived made everyone at the table gasp: a massive Boston lobster.
Though Fu Yuan had previously shared photos of this kind of lobster in their group chat, seeing it in person was something else entirely. It was jaw-dropping.
"How heavy is that? It's got to be over 20 kilograms!" Huang Yunfei exclaimed, pointing at the lobster with a trembling finger.
He was a well-to-do man who had tasted plenty of gourmet food in his time, thanks to the constant wining and dining from sales reps and suppliers. But even he had never seen a lobster this size.
"This one weighs 18.5 kilograms," Bernice replied after understanding his question, her Mandarin good enough to bridge the gap.
At her words, Huang Yunfei sucked in a sharp breath. Eighteen and a half kilograms—that was thirty-seven jin! Not 3.7—37!
He immediately whipped out his phone to take pictures. And he wasn't the only one. Everyone was snapping photos like crazy. They'd never forgive themselves if they didn't document this.
"Jiang Hai, this is too much. That's insane," Xu Wei said awkwardly after the pictures were taken. They were here to hang out, not freeload. A lobster like this must've cost a fortune.
"It's nothing. I've got plenty of them—more than I can eat, honestly," Jiang Hai replied casually. He wasn't exaggerating.
Everyone at the table was in awe. They hadn't expected this level of extravagance.
Then came the second course—and their jaws dropped even further.
It was abalone. Not just any abalone—huge, top-grade ones, shelled and scored beautifully. The rich aroma wafting off the plate had them all reaching for their phones again.
Then came the sea cucumbers—plump and glistening. More flashes filled the room.
After that came the beef—served two ways: a tender beef-and-persimmon stew and a perfectly seared steak. They all knew how rare Jiang Hai's beef was—sold for thousands per jin in China. And here, they were allowed to eat to their hearts' content.
More dishes followed: lamb, pork, prawns, crab, cod...
Although not all of Jiang Hai's fish were mature yet, once the yellow croaker, Yangtze River knife fish, and others were ready, his dining table would become even more outrageous. And that was without mentioning salmon or bluefin tuna.
The sixteen dishes already on the table were more than enough to dazzle the group. When the final plate was served, Jiang Hai gave the signal, and everyone dug in—abalone, lobster, sea cucumber, steak, and more.
They didn't hold back. These delicacies were nearly impossible to enjoy back in China.
Afra and the others watched their enthusiastic eating with amusement. It reminded them of their own reactions when they'd first arrived here.
Feeling their gazes, Fu Yuan and Xu Wei paused and exchanged sheepish looks. Fu Yuan nudged Huang Yunfei gently, and he also realized that perhaps scarfing food like this wasn't the most elegant move—especially in front of so many beautiful women.
Jiang Hai truly was surrounded by stunners. The foreign women—Afra and the rest—had an exotic charm and charisma. Each had her own appeal, and the subtle enhancements from Jiang Hai's spiritual energy had only amplified their natural beauty, grace, and aura.
Darlene and Marianne, born beauties, were already developing into head-turners. Bernice and Xiaoya were stunning in their own right. Sitting there, Bernice looked like an icy doctor, and Xiaoya like a snow elf—both striking in different ways.
Being in their presence was intimidating, to say the least.
Especially for Lu Jiao. She was decent-looking—average, really. Not beautiful, but not unattractive. Back in China, she'd score around 75 on a scale of 100. But here? She didn't even make the passing grade. Like an ugly duckling in a room full of swans, she felt the pressure keenly.
Fortunately, the food helped distract her from that insecurity—at least for the time being.
Dinner ended with the three men trying their best to restrain themselves, but despite their efforts, they still ate a lot.
Afterward, Afra and the others cleaned up. Before leaving the dining room, Afra leaned close to Jiang Hai and whispered, "Do you want me to arrange company for tonight?"
Considering he'd spent the day flying in business class and was feeling a bit tired, Jiang Hai shook his head. "Let's talk about it tomorrow."
Nodding, Afra led Huang Yunfei and his wife, Xu Wei, and Fu Yuan to their rooms. Each room was one of Jiang Hai's standard guest suites—air-conditioned, with a large bed, TV, wardrobe, private bathroom, and all the amenities. Comparable to a high-end hotel, yet with the comfort of home.
Once inside, Xu Wei and Fu Yuan proudly showed off the photos they'd taken before showering and heading to bed.
As for Huang Yunfei and Lu Jiao, they also got ready to sleep. But as she snuggled into his arms, Lu Jiao couldn't help asking the question that had been on her mind all night.
"Tell me honestly," she said, peering at him curiously. "Is your friend really just a cattle farmer?"
"Yes," Huang Yunfei replied, nodding slowly. "But I never imagined his life would be this... extravagant and licentious."
He still hadn't fully processed everything he'd seen.
(To be continued...)