"It's so late; it's really troublesome!" Jiang Hai said with a smile, signing his name on the form in front of him. He handed over a Franklin bill, which was considered a tip, and spoke to the staff in front of him.
"Hey, it's no trouble at all. You came early, and some other people will be coming tonight," the staff member replied. Upon seeing the green Franklin bill, the initially reluctant staff member immediately smiled, looking at Jiang Hai with renewed interest.
After a long journey—though not too far, it was mainly due to their slow driving—Jiang Hai and his team finally arrived in New York City around 8:00 PM. By the time they reached the cattle sheds and hotel arranged by the organizer, it was nearly 9:00 PM. Fortunately, the organizer had anticipated that this beef cattle exhibition would be large. Since these cattle couldn't be flown and there was no train system capable of transporting them efficiently in the U.S., most of them would likely be transported by car. Staff had been arranged to manage the cattle sheds 24/7 and accommodate the accompanying team members.
After arriving, Jiang Hai found a staff member who was still eating supper and called him over to arrange a place for his cattle.
With a $100 tip to smooth things over, the staff member, who had been rather indifferent at first, was now grinning widely.
He arranged a cattle shed for Jiang Hai, claiming it was the best available.
Of course, Jiang Hai wasn't naive enough to take his word for it, so he had Robbins inspect the shed. After Robbins confirmed it was indeed good, Jiang Hai nodded in approval.
After registering the cattle, Jiang Hai and the others drove to a nearby hotel, leaving Robbins behind to keep watch over the cattle. A public facility like this always had its risks.
They weren't concerned about wild animals, but rather people—what if someone with malicious intent came along? Even feeding the cattle something harmful would be enough to ruin everything. Therefore, Jiang Hai's team would take turns watching the cattle through the night, four people for two-hour shifts.
Since the hotel was only a five-minute drive away, it made things more convenient.
After scheduling their shifts with Robbins, Jiang Hai followed his group to the hotel arranged by the organizer.
At the hotel, Jiang Hai presented his SMS message confirming the booth reservation, along with the corresponding number. The staff quickly verified it and handed him and his team five room keys.
Despite there only being four people in Jiang Hai's group, they received an extra room. It didn't matter; more space was better than less.
Just as Jiang Hai and his team were about to head upstairs to rest, the elevator descended from the upper floors. When the doors opened, Jiang Hai, walking ahead, and the people exiting the elevator both froze in place.
"Ah, what a coincidence," Jiang Hai mused, realizing the situation. "Your company is so large, and you're staying here?"
The group of people in front of him included none other than Carlett Company's staff.
Paul Kaye, the man who had bet against Jiang Hai previously, emerged from the elevator as well. This time, though, he was no longer the central figure. He stood beside a younger man, speaking to him in a fawning manner.
As soon as the elevator doors opened, Jiang Hai and Paul Kaye made eye contact. Paul Kaye's expression changed instantly.
"Isn't this a coincidence? Your company is so large, and you're staying here?" Jiang Hai asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. He hadn't forgotten the bet with Paul Kaye. While a million dollars was nothing for Jiang Hai, especially considering the value of the cattle in his manor, it didn't mean he was going to let Paul Kaye off easily. Jiang Hai had never been one to be magnanimous.
Paul Kaye's face grew darker. He would normally taunt Jiang Hai, but today he had more important matters to attend to.
Though he knew about the bet, he was confident that his company would win, especially after developing a new product. He was sure of victory.
"Do you know him?" the young man in the middle asked, intrigued by Jiang Hai's remark. He could detect the mockery in Jiang Hai's tone but didn't recognize him.
"Just some farmer who doesn't know his place..." Paul Kaye sneered in response.
"This is the guy who made the bet with Paul Kaye," another voice piped up beside him. Someone in the group, eager to share the details, spoke up.
"Oh? It's you?" the young man said with a chuckle, after hearing about the bet. "One million dollars isn't a small amount." While the company's board of directors hadn't been thrilled about the bet due to its potential impact on the company's image, they now needed to rally together against the external world, and this young man was quick to side with Paul Kaye.
"For me, a million is small change. I don't bother gambling with such low stakes," Jiang Hai replied coolly, scratching his ear as he sensed the hostility in the young man's words. If you treat Jiang Hai poorly, he won't hesitate to return the favor.
"So you're that confident? Want to raise the stakes?" The young man, noticing Jiang Hai's relaxed demeanor, smirked.
"Fine. I don't mind. How much are we talking?" Jiang Hai shrugged, agreeing to the challenge.
"Add another four million, make it five million," the young man said with a glint in his eye.
Hearing this, not only those nearby but also the hotel staff gasped. They had thought the two groups were simply reconnecting, but now it was clear—this was no friendly encounter. A five-million-dollar bet was being casually tossed around. Most Americans would never earn that much in a lifetime, yet these two men were discussing it as if it were nothing. The hotel staff was taken aback.
However, for Jiang Hai, five million wasn't the ceiling. He simply smiled, raised his index finger, and said, "Let's make it ten million, just to round things off."
A sharp intake of breath filled the room. The young man froze, stunned by the boldness of Jiang Hai's offer.
The girls at the front desk, who had previously thought little of Jiang Hai's ordinary appearance, now looked at him in disbelief. A bet of tens of millions of dollars? This guy must be a billionaire.
As they admired him, the young man's eyes narrowed. Ten million was a massive sum, even for a wealthy person. This young man, heir to the Carlett Ranching Company, wasn't just any regular businessman; his family's company was worth over two billion dollars, and he held the majority share. But ten million was more than he could easily come up with without putting the company's assets at risk.
"How do I know you have ten million? What if you're bluffing?" The young man tried to backpedal, his confidence faltering.
Jiang Hai wasn't one to let things slide. "This card should have more than fifteen million on it. You can check the balance on the computer." He coolly tossed his Centurion Black Gold Card onto the counter, a signal that the stakes had just gotten much higher.