"Congratulations, Mr. Jiang. From now on, you are a real billionaire, and you are probably the youngest billionaire ever— the first to achieve such wealth without family connections!" Manager Zhang said with envy, as Jiang Hai activated the Black Gold Card in his hand. Though he had helped facilitate the deal, the reward was a mere fraction compared to the $330 million Jiang Hai had just secured.
The commission for the auction house was estimated at around 10 million RMB, which, in comparison to Jiang Hai's $330 million, was hardly impressive. It was impossible for Manager Zhang to hide his envy.
Now, he was considering whether he could introduce Jiang Hai to a suitable niece or relative.
"Haha..." Jiang Hai smiled awkwardly in response to the compliments. He was still a little dazed by everything that had just happened.
"The Black Gold Card comes with many exclusive services. Mr. Jiang can explore them at your leisure. For example, you can access special lounges at major airports for free, and enjoy automatic upgrades at any hotel that partners with American Express. In fact, more than 99% of five-star chain hotels worldwide have a partnership with American Express. You can also rent cars without prior appointments; just call for a vehicle whenever you need one. The card also gives you access to charter services and personal guides without needing to book in advance. There's no credit limit on the card, and the points you accrue can be redeemed for luxurious items. Of course, some of these things may not seem important to you, Mr. Jiang, but they are excellent services in my view. There's also an exclusive service where American Express helps manage your investments and finances." Seeing Jiang Hai's curious glance at the card, Manager Zhang continued explaining its features.
Indeed, the benefits of the card were impressive. As long as Jiang Hai avoided remote mountainous areas, it was almost like having an emperor-level service. With all the free services it offered, the card was valuable on its own.
Of course, such a card had tiers. Jiang Hai, with his $330 million in assets, qualified for the third-level Black Gold Card, which provided top-tier services. However, the annual fee wasn't small— $50,000. Fortunately, if Jiang Hai spent over $50 million annually on the card, the fee would be waived. But if the balance on the card dropped below $100 million, it would be downgraded. For now, Jiang Hai was indifferent about this. He had only heard of services like car rentals and private jets on TV but never actually used them. So, he could only smile awkwardly at the thought of those luxuries.
"By the way, Mr. Jiang, now that you have this wealth, are you interested in investing in modern art?" Seeing Jiang Hai's slightly confused expression, Manager Zhang suggested, trying to promote the idea. In simple terms, modern art refers to artworks from the past century, such as famous artists like Qi Baishi, Xu Beihong, Zhang Daqian, and others. Even though they were modern artists, their works were among the fastest-growing collectibles. These pieces often appeared on treasure appraisal programs, and their values ranged from hundreds of thousands to millions, even tens of millions. However, Jiang Hai didn't have much interest in these.
His main goal was to use this newfound wealth to enhance his own strength.
"I'm not interested in art. I'm more interested in land—specifically in foreign fisheries, ranches, and similar ventures." Jiang Hai thought for a moment before responding to Manager Zhang. Hearing this, Manager Zhang's eyes lit up.
"Our auction house handles the sale and mortgage of large-scale ranches and fisheries. These aren't just ordinary properties. I wonder how much land you're looking for, Mr. Jiang?" Manager Zhang asked quickly, his voice rising with excitement.
"Size doesn't matter; the most important factor is that the scenery must be beautiful, and it must be free from pollution—no pollution at all! Let me emphasize, no pollution!" Jiang Hai whispered after hearing Manager Zhang's enthusiasm.
"No pollution? That's easy to find," Manager Zhang replied eagerly. "Aside from a few high-seas regions and third-world countries, most land in developed countries is pollution-free. Let me show you some options!" Seeing Jiang Hai's growing interest, Manager Zhang wasted no time and began to talk about potential options.
In recent years, there has been a growing trend of people buying houses and land abroad. This surge in demand has caused property prices to rise, especially in three regions popular among international buyers.
The first of these regions is Oceania. Both Australia and New Zealand are favored by immigrants due to their beautiful scenery, clean environments, abundant water resources, vast, sparsely populated land, and cheap real estate. The agricultural products and fisheries in these areas are also plentiful. For example, a ranch for raising sheep has a ready market for its wool, consumed by mainland China, while fisheries exporting lobsters or other seafood are lucrative, especially with high-quality products sold to Europe and the U.S.
Although Manager Zhang had initially suggested Oceania, Jiang Hai wasn't keen on relocating to Australia. He had heard of anti-Chinese sentiment in the country, which made him hesitant.
Noticing Jiang Hai's lack of interest in Oceania, Manager Zhang quickly shifted the topic and recommended Canada, another popular destination for immigrants.
Canada also offered beautiful scenery and vast, unpolluted land. Water resources were plentiful, shared with the U.S., and land prices were affordable. Canada, like Oceania, was sparsely populated, and there was a variety of available real estate—fertile fields, grasslands, fisheries, and more.
However, Jiang Hai's resistance to Canada stemmed from the same reason. The country had anti-Chinese sentiments as well, which made it unappealing to him.
Manager Zhang, sensing Jiang Hai's reluctance, awkwardly touched his nose before suggesting the final option: the United States.
"What do you think of the U.S.?" Manager Zhang asked, pulling out a new atlas.
Jiang Hai was well aware of the U.S.'s global power. He had his reservations about the country, especially given the anti-Chinese sentiment, but Manager Zhang, anticipating this, continued with his pitch.
"I understand your concerns, Mr. Jiang. Being a foreigner in any country, you'll always encounter prejudice. But when it comes to buying large-scale ranches and fisheries, only a few countries can provide what you're looking for. As for Europe, it's too crowded, and land that meets your requirements is hard to find. South America, the Middle East, and Africa might have land, but selling it to someone like you could be problematic. So, realistically, the U.S., Canada, and Australia are your best options. I understand your feelings about these places, but the U.S. is different. It's a country with 300 million people and a more diverse population. Some states are more open to Chinese immigrants, and the laws in certain areas can protect your status."
Manager Zhang, noticing that Jiang Hai was starting to relax, quickly provided details about six U.S. states that were suitable for Chinese immigrants:
California – Beautiful, but land prices are high, and desertification is a concern.
Washington State – Home to Seattle and other scenic areas.
Oregon – Suitable for grazing, with Portland as a nearby city.
New York – No land available within the city, but northern New Jersey offers affordable options.
Florida – A bit chaotic, but still a viable choice.
Boston, Massachusetts – A promising option.
Jiang Hai listened carefully, contemplating his choices. Though he had some reservations, he was beginning to see the practicality of each suggestion.