My Manor

"Hey, you can't do this. We only managed one set today. If we keep going like this, we won't finish in 20 days, let alone 10." After dinner, Feng Yunchen sat in front of her computer, scrolling through the photos she had taken that day.

There was no issue with her shooting plan today. Three sets of clothes—well, two were without clothes, but at least they were all taken. However, Ai Xiaoxi only did one set. Two sets were still missing, so they'd have to find another day to shoot, effectively wasting the afternoon.

Now, Feng Yunchen needed to pick three sets of photos from the 72 in each batch and send them back to the company. The company would then compile these photos and figure out how to create a photo album for release.

Although the payout wasn't much, the purpose was to gain some exposure. In fact, the consumer base for this album would mainly be from the island nation, not China. There were too many free things in China, and it wasn't easy to make money from just a few photos.

But for people like Feng Yunchen, working in this industry, this was one of the most important forms of publicity.

"But..." Hearing Feng Yunchen's words, Ai Xiaoxi hesitated. She understood that such an opportunity was rare, and Jiang Hai's place was the perfect natural location for the shoot. If they missed this chance, it would be hard to find another like it.

But showing her body in front of a stranger—it was too much for Ai Xiaoxi to handle.

Her body had never been seen by anyone since she was ten, not even by her father, let alone her boyfriend. With Jiang Hai looking at her like that, it was hard for her to feel at ease. She felt wronged and secretly anxious, her eyes welling up with tears.

Feng Yunchen couldn't help but feel a headache as she watched Ai Xiaoxi's tears. "Okay, why are you crying? You still think you're right? Fine, let me figure this out for you!" Feng Yunchen said with an unhappy expression, rubbing her forehead in exasperation.

"I understand. Whatever Sister Chen decides, I'll go along with it." Ai Xiaoxi immediately spoke up. She knew that without this set of photos, she wouldn't be able to gain any popularity. Without popularity, there would be no opportunities. Without opportunities, there was no money. So, she had to rely on Feng Yunchen.

"Are you really willing to do anything?" Feng Yunchen asked seriously, locking eyes with Ai Xiaoxi.

"Anything is fine," Ai Xiaoxi replied immediately, eager to prove her commitment.

"Then it's settled. Go to bed now, and I'll figure something out." Seeing Ai Xiaoxi's serious expression, Feng Yunchen smiled and stood up, walking towards Jiang Hai's room at the end of the hallway.

Meanwhile, Jiang Hai was in his room, speaking on the phone with Moses Adams. Since Jiang Hai and Mayor Kirk had discussed matters the previous night, he had already called Moses Adams the next day, asking him to come handle the situation. After a day of discussions, more than 90% of the town supported the tourism development plan. Not only would it help people make more money, but it would also solve a significant labor shortage. In the U.S. and other Western countries, sanitation workers are civil servants who receive government subsidies. In Canada, they even earn more than other government employees. Even in the U.S., sanitation workers can earn up to $50,000 a year, with little age restriction.

This proposal was easily accepted by the town, and today was the main discussion day.

"Boss, the town meeting has pretty much wrapped up. Everyone here supports your proposal, but they're not happy with the share distribution you suggested," Moses Adams said on the other end of the line. Jiang Hai chuckled, knowing exactly how these things went. People are inherently selfish, and while a few might be upright, the majority will always push for their own gain.

"The bottom line is 50%. At least that much. I'll give them a little more if necessary. The more I get, the more they get. Simple as that. If they're not willing to offer 50%, then tell them I won't invest a penny," Jiang Hai responded firmly. He wanted to maintain good relations with the townspeople, but that didn't mean he was going to be their financial backer. Helping the town develop was fine, but he needed to profit from it too.

"Got it, Boss. I think most people will understand. The town has already confirmed eight tourism projects, including private estate tours and horseback riding. Longteng Estate isn't on the list, but I won't get into that. There's no problem with opening the beach, fishing boats, shopping streets, beach villas, shooting ranges, etc. People here are already eager to start making money," Moses Adams said, his tone confident.

Jiang Hai trusted Moses Adams completely. He was the expert, and Jiang Hai knew this was in good hands.

"Good, I'll leave it to you. I'm confident you'll manage this," Jiang Hai said with a smile.

"Boss, just wait for the good news!" Moses Adams chuckled.

At that moment, a knock came at Jiang Hai's door. He already knew who it was. If it were Darlene or Marian, they would have barged in without knocking. He didn't usually lock his door, since Xiao Huang and Xiao Bai needed access, but this knock was polite—meaning it was a guest. Ai Xiaoxi would never come at this time, and it could only be Feng Yunchen. Thinking of her, Jiang Hai felt a fire rising in him.

"Keep me updated. I've got to go. I'll hang up now." After saying that to Moses Adams, Jiang Hai quickly hung up, jumped out of bed, and hurried to the door.

Sure enough, standing outside was Feng Yunchen.

Feng Yunchen wore lace pajamas, and Jiang Hai's mind began to wander. Before he knew it, he stepped forward and pulled her into an embrace, kissing her eagerly. Feng Yunchen didn't pull away; instead, she kissed him back. Just as Jiang Hai felt the intensity building and was about to pull her inside, Feng Yunchen pushed him away.

"Don't go to your room; it smells like dog," she said, pushing gently on his chest with a playful scowl.

Jiang Hai felt a bit embarrassed. Though Xiao Bai and Xiao Huang were very clean—bathing in the reservoir regularly—there was still a slight dog smell in the house.

"Then, should we go to the guest room?" Jiang Hai asked, confused.

"Come with me," Feng Yunchen said with a smile, satisfied by his reaction.

Jiang Hai followed her, unsure of where she was taking him. They made their way through the second floor and eventually reached a room.

"You want to go to the guest room?" Jiang Hai asked hesitantly.

"No, we're staying right here. If we make other rooms dirty, we'll have to clean them tomorrow." Feng Yunchen shook her head, pulling him into the room she shared with Ai Xiaoxi.

Jiang Hai froze when he saw Ai Xiaoxi asleep on the bed. He whispered, "Here? Are you crazy? She's still here."

"Don't worry, she's asleep, and she can't be woken up, not even by thunder," Feng Yunchen said with a sly grin.