Q! Why do women always have a sweet smell on their bodies?
A! Because they wear too much makeup, and the scent becomes absorbed over time...
Jiang Hai wasn't sure if this woman had been "marinated" thoroughly, but she certainly had a strong scent on her body.
Jiang Hai's physical fitness was not only double that of an average person, but his sense of smell was also twice as sharp. When the scent hit his nose, he honestly couldn't tolerate it.
He instinctively took a step back. However, once he did, he realized that might not be the best move, so he quickly shifted the topic. "Alright, I think everyone should stretch out a bit. Let's head back to where we're staying!"
With that, Jiang Hai raised his hand, signaling for everyone to follow, and began walking toward the villa.
As those in the distance heard his words, they began following him, and their phones started flashing with photos along the way.
"Hehe, feeling frustrated now, aren't you? Don't think every guy is like Zhao Laosan, that hottie? He just appeared when you looked at him. He's a billionaire—yes, in U.S. dollars. What kind of women hasn't he seen? You should look at me instead!" The women who had surrounded Jiang Hai earlier couldn't resist teasing the newcomer.
To be fair, the woman who had just approached wasn't unattractive. On a scale of 100, she'd score an 80—slightly below Feng Yunchen's level. She wasn't old, but Jiang Hai wasn't interested in her.
"Hmph, I don't believe there are any men who can resist me. Watch me use my charm to win him over." The woman clearly wasn't about to give up easily, glancing at Jiang Hai's retreating figure.
Her words caused the others to laugh, and soon, they gathered their luggage and walked to the other side of the road. As they strolled through the town, many of the residents paused in their activities to smile at the group. To these people, the tourists were like gods of wealth, bringing a fortune to their town!
Perhaps because they were conscious of being watched, the group felt a bit embarrassed. They picked up their pace, limiting the photos they took. Soon, they arrived at the row of villas owned by Jiang Hai. Upon seeing the villas, their exclamations of awe were immediately followed by a flurry of camera flashes.
"We're staying here tonight?" Wu Shan exclaimed, pointing excitedly at the villas.
"Yes, you'll be staying here tonight. These are four villas, each with a dedicated cleaner. Of course, if anything gets damaged, you'll be charged accordingly. Each villa has eight rooms, with two beds in each room. I think that should be enough for all of you." Jiang Hai explained.
Hearing that they would stay in such luxurious villas, the group couldn't hide their excitement. As they entered, they were impressed by the design. The villas were certainly well-built, with decor that surpassed even the workers' villas in Jiang Hai's manor.
Each villa had eight rooms, and the four villas collectively offered thirty-two rooms—plenty for all forty-seven people.
Some women, not accustomed to sharing, were given private rooms, while some of the less important employees from state-owned enterprises shared rooms. It all worked out smoothly.
Once they sorted out who would room with whom, everyone rushed to claim the rooms they liked. Jiang Hai's villas were themed, and the tourists were eager to experience them.
Even Wu Shan and his two assistant tour guides—Zheng Fang and Yang Song—who were primarily translators, joined in the rush to grab a room. Jiang Hai overheard them discussing the villas earlier, and while they were seasoned professionals, they were clearly impressed by the place.
"Hey, handsome Jiang, want to come upstairs and play a game of Landlord?" Some people had already run off to grab a room, but a woman, about 26 or 27 years old, approached Jiang Hai. She had wavy, permed hair and a sharp jawline, though Jiang Hai couldn't be sure if it was natural. She looked like the kind of woman who could effortlessly break hearts. She had already agreed to room with another woman, but now she was talking to Jiang Hai.
"Forget it. You've been on a plane for over ten hours, and then a three-hour bus ride. You must be exhausted. Just get some rest. There's a welcoming party in the square tonight, and I need to check it out first." Jiang Hai replied with a smile.
Although it had been over a month since he'd returned from China, Jiang Hai had recently refrained from getting involved with women. He knew better than to be swayed by temporary attraction. If he gave in, he'd probably regret it later. These women weren't after him—they were after his wealth.
While Jiang Hai wasn't a saint, he had no interest in taking advantage of anyone.
After hearing his polite refusal, the two women didn't press the matter further. Instead, they slipped a note into Jiang Hai's hand, smiled, and headed to their rooms. Clearly, they were tired, as was everyone else.
"Jiang Hai, why are they so forward? Aren't Chinese women supposed to be conservative?" Diliya rushed over, linking her arm with Jiang Hai's and flashing a grin.
"Heh, you're in no position to criticize. You practically rushed in here yourself." Jiang Hai rolled his eyes and pulled his arm away.
"We're different. We're friends, so it's natural to help each other out. For example, you've helped me a lot today. How about we go back to the car and rest for a bit?" Diliya didn't seem bothered by Jiang Hai's reaction. She moved even closer to him, her big eyes fluttering as she smiled.
Jiang Hai took a deep breath, trying to suppress his thoughts. The last thing he needed was for things to get complicated. After all, if anything happened, Old George might show up with a shotgun to block his way.
"Ha, forget it! I'll go see how the party is set up," Jiang Hai said with an awkward smile, pulling his arm free. He headed to the square, not far from the town.
When he arrived, he saw Mayor Wallis personally overseeing the preparations. The party, naturally, was centered around a bonfire, which had already been set up.
Outside the bonfire, numerous food stalls lined the area, with food served for free.
The offerings included grilled fish, steaks, lobsters, shellfish, prawns, and crabs, as well as Western and Mexican cuisine. Jiang Hai was most surprised to see the cooks were local restaurant owners. He had initially assumed they were hiring people from the town to cook, but it seemed the restaurant owners were in on it, hoping to advertise their businesses.
"Hi, Jiang Hai!" As he approached, several people greeted him. The owner of the Italian restaurant he frequented waved at him.
"Hi! What are you doing here? Isn't the food free tonight?" Jiang Hai asked, puzzled.
"Hehe, we all requested to be here. It's the best advertisement. These ingredients aren't that expensive, and they won't just eat here once. If the food is good, they'll come back to our restaurants in the future. That's when we make our money." The restaurant owner explained quietly.
Jiang Hai chuckled. This was indeed a brilliant way to advertise, and it seemed the town government had aligned with the restaurant owners on this. The preparations had clearly been well thought out.
As he looked at the spread of food, drinks, and beer, Jiang Hai, though not a fan of crowds, found himself looking forward to the evening. And, of course, he was especially eager for the food!
For the first batch of Chinese tourists, these restaurants had prepared some specially improved dishes, which made Jiang Hai's mouth water in anticipation. (To be continued...)