After resolving the issue of Jiujiu not being able to fly, Jiang Hai and John headed to their research institute.
There, they spoke with the person in charge about purchasing dragon fish.
If Jiang Hai had approached the scholars directly, the matter would most likely have failed. He knew that many researchers had eccentric temperaments and some even looked down on wealthy individuals. If Jiang Hai had tried to negotiate with them, it would have probably been over before it even began.
However, speaking to the person in charge was a different matter. The person in charge was essentially a manager or businessman, and they were more willing to sell off some surplus items without interfering with the research. To them, these things were practically useless and it made more sense to sell them, especially when they saw the 100,000 US dollars Jiang Hai was willing to offer.
With money paving the way, everything became much easier. The person in charge quickly took Jiang Hai to the dragon fish breeding pond and gestured for him to choose his fish. Jiang Hai's donation of 100,000 US dollars—more than 600,000 RMB—meant that he couldn't choose the less expensive fish like silver dragons. Even the largest silver dragon wouldn't cost more than 10,000 RMB.
In addition to silver dragons, Jiang Hai wasn't interested in gold dragons or blue dragons, as their prices were similarly low. A young gold dragon with gemstones would cost about 600 to 700 RMB, and even from large fish farms, it would be sold for a little more than 1,000 RMB in China. Even an adult gold dragon wouldn't fetch anywhere near 600,000 RMB, not even a high-backed one.
So, Jiang Hai decided to go for over-backed gold dragons and red dragons. Taking advantage of the fact that the person in charge wasn't familiar with these fish, Jiang Hai managed to negotiate a good deal. He chose four pairs—eight over-backed gold dragons—each raised for about two years.
Although they weren't yet able to breed, they were nearly fully grown, each more than half a meter long, with golden heads and blue bodies. While they weren't the most prized purple-bottomed dragons, these gold dragons could still fetch at least 30,000 RMB in China, and there was hardly any market for them there, as they were considered Feng Shui fish. Few people sold them.
Jiang Hai estimated that these eight fish alone were worth more than 200,000 RMB, not to mention the red dragons he also picked.
He didn't want ordinary red dragons or even orange-red ones. He specifically sought pepper-red and blood-red dragons.
These fish were produced in Southeast Asia. Though Jiang Hai wasn't fond of the Southeast Asian "monkeys" who caused trouble, these suppliers were more than happy to send dragon fish to the United States. While dragon fish were rare and highly valued in China, they were far less sought after in the U.S.
Jiang Hai selected four pairs of blood-red dragons and two pairs of pepper-red dragons. Blood-red dragons were particularly expensive, with a 25 cm fish selling for about 8,000 RMB. For the same size, a golden dragon would cost far less. Jiang Hai focused on half-meter-long specimens, estimating that these eight blood-red dragons alone would be worth around 80,000 or 90,000 RMB in China, bringing back nearly 100,000 US dollars.
The pepper-red dragons were even more valuable. A single fish more than a meter long could easily be sold for over a million RMB.
While these fish were still only half a meter long, Jiang Hai had no doubt they would grow to that size without issue.
After selecting the fish, the staff arranged a private pond for Jiang Hai to house them.
Jiang Hai then took Jiujiu and Dominica back to the car. They had to order a large fish tank, and once that was done, they would return to pick up the fish. Despite the high prices, these were ornamental fish, and Jiang Hai couldn't just release them into the river—he needed a suitable tank.
His tank, of course, couldn't be an ordinary one. It had to accommodate twenty dragon fish, so Jiang Hai decided to install a fish tank wall. With money, these small details were easy to manage.
He drove back to Winthrop, as he didn't know anyone in Boston and felt it was easier to return home.
To thank Dominica, Jiang Hai treated her to a meal at a French restaurant in Winthrop.
After dropping her off at the stray pet center, Jiang Hai went to a specialized fish tank store in town.
In Winthrop, Jiang Hai was well-known, so when he arrived, the store owner gave him a discount after hearing his request. Jiang Hai ordered a fish tank wall with an internal circulation and filtration system for $2,000. Without hesitation, he paid the full amount, and the store owner and an assistant came to measure the space at Jiang Hai's villa where the tank would be installed.
Jiang Hai wanted the tank wall next to the restaurant on the first floor so he could enjoy the view while dining. He requested a size of 3.5 meters high (matching the first floor's height), 2 meters wide, and 8 meters long—big enough to comfortably house twenty dragon fish.
The store owner assured Jiang Hai that it would take about three days to construct the tank.
Jiang Hai didn't mind the wait. He had time, and the installation would be handled for him.
"Did you really buy a lot of dragon fish?" Bernice asked with a playful nudge. She couldn't believe Jiang Hai had bought so many, especially given that raising them alive was no easy task.
"They weren't bought—they were given to me," Jiang Hai rolled his eyes and responded seriously.
"Tsk, they were bought. If it weren't for your 100,000-dollar donation, they wouldn't have given them to you. But Americans are really clueless. If what you say is true, those twenty fish are worth over 200,000 dollars, and they're still willing to part with them?" Bernice commented, intrigued by how Jiang Hai could pull off such a deal.
"Americans don't really get it," Jiang Hai shrugged with a smile.
Indeed, he'd scored some benefits this time. The key was that he wasn't worried about keeping the fish alive. With the help of spiritual energy, even if he raised them poorly, these fish would grow at an extraordinary rate, far beyond what ordinary people could comprehend, and they wouldn't get sick or face any disasters.
"Jiang, can Jiujiu really fly?" Darlene and Marian suddenly approached, clearly more interested in Jiujiu's flying ability than the dragon fish.
"Of course." When Jiujiu was mentioned, Jiang Hai remembered that the real highlight today was Jiujiu, not the fish.
Thinking of this, he decided to let Jiujiu show off its new skill. He waved his hand, and Jiujiu, who had been roaming freely around the manor since returning, hopped over eagerly. In fact, Jiujiu had been wanting to try flying, but Jiang Hai hadn't allowed it before. Now, with Jiang Hai calling, it excitedly jumped into action.
The others, including Xiaoya and Bernice, were curious to see whether Jiujiu could really fly.
Even Azarina, who rarely left her room, followed them outside. Once on the lawn, Jiang Hai waved again, and Jiujiu took a few powerful steps before using its legs to push off the ground. In an instant, its wings spread wide, and it soared into the sky.
Like a majestic roc rising with the wind, Jiujiu flew powerfully, ascending quickly.
The animals around Jiang Hai's manor, who were used to being the prey of this mighty bird, were stunned by its flight. The chickens clucked in fear, the pigs jumped, and the sheep bleated in alarm.
As Jiujiu patrolled the sky, the animals reacted as if the bird were a king in their domain, creating a mix of awe and fear.
The girls, however, were thrilled by the sight. They were so excited to see Jiujiu take flight that it felt like a magical moment to them.
Even Xiao Huang and Xiao Bai paused, confused at seeing the little bird they once bullied now soaring above them. Ban Ya, who had always been close to Jiujiu, was especially torn. A deep instinct urged it to flee, while its brain told it that this was its companion, not a predator.
Jiujiu, however, wasn't just soaring in the sky for long. After about ten minutes, it landed back on the lawn with an excited quack. The girls immediately rushed to greet it, showering it with affection.
Whether it was a blessing or a curse that Jiujiu could fly, they didn't know—but it was certainly a remarkable sight.