"Hiss…" Just as Galina sat unsure of what to say, Jiang Hai emerged from the room wearing a bathrobe. He was grinning, but it was clear from the way he walked—legs slightly apart—that he wasn't at full ease.
Hearing his voice, Galina quickly placed the laptop back on the desk and sat up straighter, pretending to be indifferent. Azarina glanced at her, chuckled softly, but said nothing.
Then she turned to look at Jiang Hai's awkward posture and couldn't help but laugh louder. This guy really was something else.
"How are you feeling?" she asked, amused, as he limped past her.
"Hiss… Honestly? I'm beat." Jiang Hai shook his head in mild disbelief. With his enhanced physical condition—his strength and stamina nearly four times that of an ordinary person—handling three or four partners normally wouldn't be a problem. But even the strongest bull can get worn out eventually. And last night had truly been something else.
"Don't worry, just rest," Azarina said gently.
Hearing her tone, Jiang Hai could only offer a helpless smile. Then she looked to Galina.
"You all stay here for a bit. I'll go downstairs to grab some breakfast. Galina, take care of the boss."
With that, Azarina picked up her coat and headed out.
Once she was gone, Jiang Hai wandered into the bathroom to freshen up. When he returned, he saw Galina still sitting where she was. He smiled and walked over, casually dropping down beside her.
Feeling his presence so close, Galina instinctively tried to scoot away, but Jiang Hai reached out and pulled her directly into his lap. Sitting stiffly, Galina's expression flickered. Her mind was a tangled mess.
She didn't know how to face Jiang Hai.
Hatred? Yes—some.
Fear? A bit.
Uncertainty? Definitely.
And after reading the information Azarina had compiled for her—perhaps even a flicker of… yearning?
Her emotions were a whirl of contradiction.
"Don't be nervous," Jiang Hai said softly, sensing the tension in her body. "I don't have any bad habits. I'm not some lunatic who walks the razor's edge. I'm just a regular guy… a cattle rancher. Well, now I raise fish too. And I make wine. That's it. I'm just a farmer. You really don't need to be afraid of me."
Galina glanced at him. She couldn't tell if he was being honest or not, but at least, at this moment, she could sense no hostility from him.
"I know it'll take time for you to adjust," he added. "But I'm not in a rush."
As her tension gradually eased, Jiang Hai let his hand gently move up and down along her waist. Galina didn't resist.
When his hand passed over the upper side of her waist, she remained still. But when it moved lower, her body trembled slightly. Jiang Hai instantly realized why.
"Ah, sorry… I didn't think the soreness would still be this bad," he said apologetically.
Truthfully, with his aura, he could've helped heal the aftereffects. But he hadn't shown the full extent of his abilities to these women yet. Since they still didn't trust him completely, he'd refrained from using his powers directly. They'd had to endure it themselves.
"Whatever… you're the master. You get the final say." Galina's voice was quiet, her tone still a little stubborn. But the apology had eased something in her heart.
Jiang Hai smiled, wrapped his arms around her again, and casually turned on the TV.
Maybe it was the noise from the TV, or maybe it was the fact that someone had already gotten up—half an hour later, the other women slowly emerged from the bedroom. From the way they walked, it was clear that the previous night had left an impression on them too.
When they saw Jiang Hai sitting on the sofa with Galina in his lap and Azarina absent, they hesitated. But Poison Spider reacted first, smiling as she sat beside him. Seeing this, the others followed suit. Soon, the entire sofa was crowded.
Jiang Hai, of course, enjoyed their closeness.
Not long after, Azarina returned with bags of breakfast. None of them had eaten anything the previous day—not even Jiang Hai—so once the food was laid out, they all dug in eagerly.
Azarina had clearly anticipated this. She'd bought plenty.
After breakfast, the mood lightened. Without the tension of the night before, the atmosphere became much more relaxed.
Jiang Hai, still holding Galina, clapped his hands and drew everyone's attention.
"I don't know what each of you is thinking," he said, "but from this point on, we're a family. So let's do some introductions. I'll start.
"My name is Jiang Hai. I'm 28 years old, from China. I currently live in Winthrop, Massachusetts. I run a manor—raising cattle, fish, and producing wine. I'm also your employer now. Your responsibilities are to ensure my safety and gather useful information when necessary.
"And this," he added, nodding at Azarina, "is your commander."
Azarina smiled and took over.
"My name is Azarina Vicarborio. My code name in the organization was Double-Headed Eagle 105. I am Mr. Jiang Hai's personal bodyguard—and I'll also be managing all of you from now on."
She then turned to Wolf Spider, standing at the edge.
"Your turn."
"My name is Relis Carter. I'm Samoan, an orphan raised by the organization. I only remember my name and my mission… but if you really are my family now, then I'll fight to protect my family."
Her words, simple yet powerful, showed the natural boldness of the Samoan people.
Next, Azarina gestured to Poison Spider—Agent 108. Jiang Hai had taken a liking to her from the start. Aside from Galina, she had withstood the most the night before, and it was clear her physical resilience was exceptional. Her personality was also the most forward—she clung to Jiang Hai like a playful kitten, brushing against him casually.
She cleared her throat and smiled. "My name is Wallis Shelley. I'm from Ulan, but originally from Moldova—not East Slav. Please take care of me going forward. If I make mistakes, I hope you'll forgive me."
Then came Wolf, who spoke before Azarina could even prompt her.
"My name is Belyakov Trotsky. I'm East Slav. I don't remember my real name—this was given to me by a senior sister in the organization."
Her eyes carried a trace of sorrow. These girls had truly grown up with no place to call home.
"Belyakov Trotsky?" Jiang Hai murmured to Galina. "What does that mean?"
"'Belyak' means White Rabbit," Galina whispered back. "And 'Trotsky' refers to the Church of the Three Saints. These are common names used in the organization. Most of us didn't get real names. They gave us names based on animals, places… things easy to categorize. We were just code names in the end."
Jiang Hai's heart ached slightly at that.
"Well," he said, reaching out and playfully touching Galina's chest, "White Rabbit really suits you. You're soft and fair."
Startled, Galina looked at him like a deer caught in headlights. But the tension dissolved into laughter as the others chuckled, even Belyakov turning red with embarrassment.
"My name is Aleer-Sala," the German girl said plainly. "I'm from Germany."
Her tone was curt, typical of her background. Jiang Hai had met such types before—O'Connor-Murphy at the manor was the same: serious, direct, efficient. He figured Aleer-Sala was similar.
Then came the Chinese girl.
"My name is Du Ning. I'm from Huaxia. I don't remember much about my childhood—just that I've always spoken Chinese."
Her expression showed discomfort. This life—sharing a man with other women—was not something she was used to. She was clearly more traditional at heart.
Jiang Hai gave her an encouraging wave. As a fellow Chinese, he felt responsible for making her feel at home. Du Ning hesitated, then walked over and sat on Jiang Hai's other side. Her cheeks flushed red as Jiang Hai gently caressed her, but she didn't push him away.
"My name is Valentina Alatikaya," said one of the women introduced earlier. "Like Belyakov, I'm an orphan. But I remember my name. I guess I was lucky."
Finally, Galina spoke.
"My name is Galina Vasikaya. I'm also an orphan."
Her voice was low, but firm.
As everyone finished, Jiang Hai looked at them with a smile.
"All right. From now on, we're a family. You're not tools to me—you're people, and this is your home. I just happen to be the head of the household.
"If there's something you want, someplace you want to go, tell me. I'll do what I can to make it happen.
"Once you're ready, we'll head back to Winthrop."
His voice was warm and steady.
The first step had been taken.
(To be continued.)