Chapter 135: Giving tit for tat
Han Shuo received even more of a fright. He never thought that he’d run into Emily here. There was no way he could explain the fact that Phoebe’s hand was wrapped around his arm.
“This beautiful lady is the master of the Boozt Merchant Guild.” Cameron’s expression grew a bit reserved when he saw Emily appear and he spoke up politely.
Emily’s gaze was still focused on Han Shuo at this moment, and she only recollected herself after Cameron started speaking. She flicked a glance at Phoebe who stood to the side, saying faintly, “So you’re Miss Phoebe.”
“This is Madame Emily, she’s of the Empire’s Betteridge family. Her husband is the second son of the head of the Betteridge family, Mister Hahn.” Cameron looked at Phoebe and cast some light on Emily’s identity for her.
The Betteridge family was a large family in the Empire, renowned for producing famous generals for the Empire. The Betteridge family had achieved many distinguished accomplishments for the Empire over the years, with Master Hahn now retired at home due to his advanced age. However, no one dared question his influence in the military.
When she heard that Emily was of the Betteridge family, Phoebe’s eyes lit up and she gave a friendly bow, “Greetings to Madame Emily.”
“Hehe, you’re too polite. Eh, this young fellow is quite handsome, is he your boyfriend?” Emily had lost her composure earlier, but had fully recovered by now. She chuckled and stared at Han Shuo in inquiry.
Phoebe had felt that Emily seemed to keep flicking glances at Han Shuo, but she didn’t think much of it when she heard that Emily was already married. Now that she heard Emily’s question, she immediately tightened her grasp on Han Shuo’s arm and smiled, “That’s right, his name is Bryan.”
“Hello, beautiful Madame Emily, pleased to meet you.” Han Shuo reached out a hand politely and wanted to shake hands with Emily.
“It’s very nice to meet you, you’re very much like one of my friends!” An odd smile clung to the corners of Emily’s mouth. She stretched out her hand and clasped Han Shuo’s, but suddenly exerted pressure when their hands met as her fingers dug fiercely into the back of Han Shuo’s hand that was facing the ground.
A wry smile suddenly appearing on his face, Han Shuo knew that Emily was definitely doing this on purpose. He grimaced and revealed a pained expression. Emily’s expression didn’t change, but was obviously in a better mood after getting her revenge. She relaxed her hand and flicked a glance at Han Shuo and Phoebe, saying diffidently, “I need to go somewhere else for now, can I chat with you later?”
“Of course!” Phoebe agreed happily.
Nodding, Emily sashayed away. She suddenly turned her head back halfway and viciously threw a look at Han Shuo when Phoebe and the others weren’t paying attention. She made a subtle ‘come hither’ motion behind her back.
“Mm. I’m going to the restroom.” Han Shuo understood Emily’s meaning and leaned against Phoebe, whispering in her ear. He then extracted his arm from Phoebe’s and left.
He made a circle first and then walked past a corridor, sneaking towards a pavilion. Han Shuo’s vision could clearly pick up traces of Emily’s path, even without use of the original demons. He avoided some people along the way and made for an artificial mountain that was a bit out of the way.
He’d just entered the artificial mountain when a shadow suddenly walked out from the gloom, giving Han Shuo’s waist a firm pinch. The person spoke angrily next to Han Shuo’s ear in a low voice, “How come you never told me that you actually have a girlfriend?”
Han Shuo didn’t even need to think to know that it was Emily. He turned the hand back on her and held her tightly, pushing her flush against the artificial mountain and running his hand over her pert bottom. His other hand clasped around her waist and kissed down on her brilliantly red lips.
“Eh… ooh…” Emily struggled twice and pounded furiously on Han Shuo’s chest. She couldn’t stop his invasion however, and her own body slowly began to grow hot and go limp.
Emily was wearing a brown evening dress today. The long, tapering dress clung tightly to her mesmerizing body figure. The curvaceous evening dress was tight on the bottom as it enclosed around Emily’s long, slender legs. It looked like the bottom half of a mermaid, further enhancing the body’s slenderness.
Breasts that looked like they were about to burst out of their fabric and a well rounded, pert bottom were firm and toned. They were also completely accessible beneath the dress and left nothing to one’s imagination, sending out a strong allure. When she sashayed, Emily sent alluring beams of beauty all over, appearing to be an incomparably beautiful woman. Han Shuo had noticed that many men present were looking at Emily with a completely distracted look, staring so hard that it seemed their eyes were about to fall out.
“Speak, what’s with that Phoebe?” After they were done, Emily bit off her words while she helped Han Shuo clean up.
Basking in his freedom from inhibitions and lying back comfortably with closed eyes, Han Shuo leaned on the artificial mountain and explained about the matters between him and Phoebe. Emily’s face warmed a little afterwards, but didn’t let Han Shuo entirely off the hook. She suddenly naughtily grabbed Han Shuo lower body and said huffily, “Phoebe that little chit looked so natural with her hand around your arm just now, she didn’t look like she was pretending at all. I think things aren’t that simple between the two of you.”
His little brother having been caught, Han Shuo exclaimed in surprise. He hastily straightened his pants and breathed a sigh of relief, explaining mischievously, “Alright, alright, don’t be jealous. We really don’t have that kind of relationship.”
“Bryan, are you here? I’m looking for you!” The original demons detected Lawrence calling out loudly and approaching this area at this time.
“Damn it, what’s he doing here?” Han Shuo felt a shiver of horror as he and Emily hastily adjusted their clothing, anxiety written over their faces.
Lawrence seemed to know that Han Shuo was here as he yelled and walked in this direction. When Lawrence was almost where they were, Han Shuo pointed in another direction and said to Emily, “Leave in that direction, now!”
Emily was also in complete disarray right now as she hiked up her dress and stumbled into a run out of there. When Lawrence finally showed himself, he laughed merrily, “I was asking people where you were and the butler said he saw you walk in this direction. You were indeed here. Eh, who’s that?”
Lawrence spoke with a smile when he saw Han Shuo and then suddenly caught a glimpse of Emily’s back disappearing in another direction. He immediately exclaimed softly in surprise and looked at Han Shuo with a look of confusion.
“No, nothing. Eh, no, I don’t know.” Han Shuo had finally gotten everything in order and was privately cursing Lawrence as a bastard. He stammered a bit incoherently when he opened his mouth.
Lawrence’s facial expression was a bit odd as he took a few glances at Han Shuo, suddenly saying, “I just heard Phoebe say that you’re her boyfriend and was about to come find you for a good chatting. I happened to see a women leave, are you going behind my junior sister’s back and coming here to rendezvous with another woman?”
“Haha, how is that possible, you must’ve seen incorrectly, or someone happened to walk by.” Han Shuo glossed things over and then changed the topic with a solemn face, saying to Lawrence, “How do you plan on proceeding with regards to Clark?”
Seeming to see through Han Shuo’s purposeful attempt to change the subject, Lawrence looked oddly at Han Shuo and didn’t continue asking him. He said with a smile, “My father is holding the banquet today and you’re attending as a guest. You should thoroughly enjoy yourself. Let’s not talk about such dirty tasks.”
Lawrence’s words happened to fall in line with Han Shuo’s thoughts. He walked out with a faint smile, “Alright, then let’s go back to the banquet hall.”
Nodding, Lawrence didn’t say much else as he left the area with Han Shuo, walking back to the banquet hall.
A melodious song had started sounding at some point as many of the guests outside had entered a large lobby. Some of these people started dancing gracefully in the rises and falls of the music. Those without partners or without interest stood around the outskirts by themselves.
Off in the distance, Phoebe’s expression appeared quite irritated as she impatiently dealt with Cameron’s conversation. There was another madame standing next to Cameron wearing a disdainful cold smile on her face. She seemed to be saying something to Phoebe that made her facial expression become uglier and uglier.
“What’s going on?” Han Shuo asked Phoebe with a frown when he and Lawrence walked over.
“Oh, this little thing is your boyfriend? Heh heh, he’s just an ordinary student at the Babylon Academy of Magic and Force. How would he measure up to Mister Cameron’s wealth? Oh, are you paying for this little thing’s tuition? It’d be very interesting that way!” This older lady was wearing luxurious clothing and adorned in brilliant jewels, seemingly deathly afraid that people wouldn’t know that she had money. Her features were middling, but her body was curvy to the point of being over the top. She rather appeared a bit bloated.
“Eh? Who’s this old granny?” Han Shuo flicked a surprise glance at this older lady when he walked over and exclaimed to Phoebe.
“Pfft.” Phoebe covered her mouth and couldn’t help but laugh. Her face then regained its composure as she said, “She’s Madame Valerie of Lielan Garments.”
“Impudent thing, with which eye did you see an old granny?” Valerie was beyond incensed as she placed her hands on her hips and glared at Han Shuo.
Pointing at his left eye, Han Shuo said, “This left eye.” He then pointed at his other eye and continued, “This right eye.”
A trace of a delighted smile curved Phoebe’s eyes as she came over to tenderly hug Han Shuo’s arm, saying to Valerie, “He’s just this blunt, I’m truly sorry!”
As a swordmaster, Phoebe’s own strength was unquestionable. However, she wasn’t adept at verbally sparring with others and couldn’t bear to let go of her face to do so. With Han Shuo at her side kicking things off however, she didn’t mind going with the flow and adding fuel to the fire.
“Old granny, you’re already at an advanced age. You should be staying at home and enjoying the little bit of time you have left. What are you doing in the outside world putting your face out there? In addition, the difference in our ages is simply too great to the point of being unable to communicate. If you’re truly that lonely, you should find someone similar to your age to communicate with!” Han Shuo ignored Valerie’s anger and mocked viciously. He then pointed at someone in front and said, “There, you should communicate with that old gentlemen over thing. You can flirt with him and maybe experience some old love!”
There was an elder man with white hair, holding a cane, in the direction that Han Shuo was pointing in. He was sitting on a chair not too far away and slowly drinking wine.
Valerie took a look at the old man and was so angry that her cheeks were red. The two meatballs in front of her chest swayed back and forth as she turned to stare at Han Shuo angrily, unsure of what to say.
Following Han Shuo’s gaze, Cameron, Phoebe, and Lawrence looked at the old man at the same time. Phoebe laughed lightly and pinched Han Shuo covertly, seeming to admonish him for making fun of the elderly. Cameron looked at the old man and turned his head, telling Valerie in a low voice to not be angry.
However, when Lawrence looked at the old man, his facial expression suddenly changed as he was a bit shocked and take aback. He finally revealed an odd, wry smile.
“Little fellow, I heard you were talking crap about me from afar.” The old man suddenly turned at this moment and looked at Han Shuo with bright, piercing eyes, speaking with a resonant, carrying voice.