"This one will probably cost around 32 million dollars," Belyak said after a moment's thought in response to Qi Jie's question.
Beverly Hills was arguably the most expensive area in the United States. Even a villa on Long Island, New York—the most renowned wealthy enclave in the country—couldn't compare.
"Hmm, buying a house here wouldn't be bad. We could come and visit in the winter," Qi Jie said with a nod and a smile. Belyak paused, then remembered that Qi Jie was a bona fide heiress.
She owned a significant portion of the Qi Group and saved a considerable chunk of her annual dividends. Including her stocks, her net worth was likely around a billion dollars. Spending 30 or 40 million on a villa was no problem at all. Besides, everyone knew just how much money Jiang Hai had.
"Hmm, buying a villa here wouldn't be a bad idea," Jiang Hai murmured, unconcerned about the tens of millions involved. These days, anything under a hundred million dollars barely registered with him. Owning a house here would simply make winter visits convenient. After all, Winthrop in winter was essentially a frozen wasteland. A secondary residence in California made perfect sense.
Of course, this was only an initial thought; buying a house wasn't something to decide lightly.
After settling into Beverly Hills, Jiang Hai and his group spent the first few days exploring Los Angeles.
In Jiang Hai's opinion, California, along with Oregon to the north and Nevada and Arizona to the east, was not the most hospitable region. Desertification was severe. Las Vegas, the world-famous gambling city, sat in the middle of Nevada… surrounded by desert. Arizona, the Grand Canyon State, is a vast wasteland, with Phoenix as its capital. Even California's surroundings were arid, with poor grasslands and sparse vegetation. Of the four states, Oregon was arguably the most livable.
California's climate wasn't as extreme as the Colorado desert, where summer temperatures often exceeded 50°C, but 40°C was common and still unbearable. Winters were pleasant, but summers… felt like being roasted alive. Even with the ocean nearby, there was little relief from the heat.
Despite this, California excelled in one thing: grapes. Vineyards thrived in its sunny, dry climate, producing world-renowned wines. Compared to Jiang Hai's own vineyard wines, local wines were slightly inferior—but the region remained enjoyable even for leisure visits.
On the first day, the group visited the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In front of the Huaxia Theater, where celebrities leave handprints, they searched for familiar names but found only Jackie Chan's. A tourist informed them that handprints of Chinese celebrities were on a separate street nearby. Jiang Hai couldn't help but chuckle at the distinction—version A and version B, really?
Afterward, they had a California-style steak lunch nearby, which was decent but unremarkable. In the afternoon, they visited Hollywood proper. Jiang Hai noted that many modern productions relied on green screens and 3D effects, making the locations look different in person than on screen.
That evening, they rested. The next day, they visited Chinatown in downtown Los Angeles—a large Chinese community, mostly early immigrants from Guangdong province. Later immigrants from mainland China settled mainly in Monterey Park. After a mixed lunch at a local Chinese restaurant, they spent the afternoon at Universal Studios before returning to rest.
On the third day, they went to Santa Monica, home to some of Los Angeles' best beaches. Jiang Hai and his friends were mostly sightseeing; they were already indifferent to beaches. Afterward, he made a special trip to the Staples Center, home to the Lakers and Clippers.
Jiang Hai bought tickets for two games: the Lakers vs. Nuggets and, a few days later, the Clippers vs. Rockets. Kobe Bryant, the Lakers' star, was retiring that season, and Jiang Hai wanted to see him play live for the first time.
Though he acknowledged Kobe's talent, Jiang Hai personally preferred players like Steve Nash, whose style he found more elegant: "So floaty! Feels like the wind blows the ball in…"
Despite his lack of fandom, Jiang Hai still attended the games with Qi Jie and Azalina—Qi Jie because she knew Kobe, and Azalina to ensure Jiang Hai's safety. Basketball wasn't as dominant in the U.S. as football in Europe, but China remained a massive market.
The Lakers started strong, but when the substitutes entered in the second quarter, the team collapsed—a familiar pattern. Los Angeles, while a major commercial hub, struggled to retain talent in its teams. The current Lakers were developing rookies and young players, so losses were inevitable. The Nuggets weren't particularly strong, yet the Lakers lost, marking their fourth consecutive defeat. Jiang Hai, uninterested in the outcome, drove home.
After three days of sightseeing, the group had had their fill. Now, they prepared for practical matters: buying a car—specifically, off-road military vehicles for their mining expedition—along with guns, bulletproof vests, and first-aid supplies. Qi Jie, being a doctor, would stock medical provisions.
Jiang Hai also needed to make time to visit Bruce David. Though he was curious about the gold mine, the badge remained the top priority. His intuition warned him that uncovering the badge would not be easy—it was the true reason for their California trip.