CHAPTER 160: CHAPTER 159 A SOOTHING BALM

I turned to Frank Michaelson and silently gave him a thumbs up. "Frank, did you pay for this?"

Frank Michaelson chuckled. "How could that be?"

"Then it must be the two of them."

I couldn’t pretend not to know about this, so I walked up to them.

"Charles, George, didn’t we agree that I would treat you this time? How is it that you settled the bill?"

Charles patted my shoulder and whispered, "William, you helped me a lot today. How can I let you pay?"

"But..."

"William."

George hooked my shoulder. "Didn’t we agree to take turns treating? It was your suggestion. Let Charles treat this time, and you can treat next time. Isn’t that fine?"

I sighed intentionally, "Alright, we agreed on that. But remember, next time it’s my turn."

Charles laughed, looking at me more warmly than before. "Don’t worry, I won’t stop you from checking out next time."

After seeing off Frank Michaelson, Charles got into his own Rolls-Royce.

I got into George’s Cadillac Fleetwood. "Have some water to rinse your mouth."

George pulled out a bottle of water with wings and embedded diamonds from the car’s icebox. I knew this water cost over a hundred dollars per bottle.

Rinsing one’s mouth with water that cost over a hundred dollars per bottle was beyond extravagant.

After taking a sip, the taste wasn’t any better than a one-dollar bottle of water.

George took out a box of handmade cigars and handed me one. He opened the sunroof, lazily lay back in the massage chair, and said, "William, you helped Charles a lot today, and you helped me too."

I didn’t quite understand, so I asked, "George, what do you mean by that?"

"I won’t hide it from you. In fact, Charles is a major shareholder in the Marquesa Vines company. We signed a contract privately, and Jessica Lawrence is aware of it."

I nodded. It seemed Jessica Lawrence’s information was indeed correct. They had signed an agreement in private.

"Marquesa Vines company has been able to develop to its current state thanks to Charles’s great help. By hitching a ride with Frank Michaelson this time, my Marquesa Vines company can naturally continue to expand through his channels."

George was excited. "This is a great opportunity. This opportunity allows us to invest tens of millions without making any noise, save a significant amount of money, and eliminate the need for lengthy negotiations. You played a crucial role in this."

I quickly waved my hand. "No, I didn’t say a word. It was all Charles’s doing."

George smiled. "Do you know why Frank Michaelson mentioned the Sevan Liquor incident?"

"To raise prices?" I pretended not to know.

"That’s just one of the reasons."

George said, "He didn’t take a fifty percent profit. In fact, he only took forty percent of Sevan Old Cellar. This implies that he, out of respect for you, gave up such a large profit."

I acted as if I suddenly understood, but inside, I was ecstatic.

Frank Michaelson was right. This incident came together by chance. He took advantage of it. Charles and George also believed they had struck gold, and crucially, they owed me a favor.

Frank Michaelson has helped me a lot.

"So, you understand now, right? If it weren’t for you taking the lead, this wouldn’t have been so simple."

George praised me: "Honestly, William, your luck is enviable even to me. The Michaelson family really thinks highly of you."

I scratched my head, feeling a bit embarrassed. "I guess it’s just dumb luck."

"You are truly wise in foolishness."

George looked at me meaningfully.

After dropping me off at Kristina’s community gate, George said, "William, I’ll come to your company in a few days."

I quickly replied, "Welcome. I’ll be there to welcome you."

I watched as George’s car drove away before entering the community.

Luckily, I had a good tolerance for alcohol. If not, I might have passed out tonight, but my steps felt a little unsteady.

I opened the door to Kristina’s house. The living room light was still on. A gentle woman was sitting on the sofa, watching a variety show.

I quietly closed the door, took off my shoes, and tiptoed over. She was so engrossed in the show that she didn’t notice me coming in.

I hugged her directly from behind. "Kristina, I missed you so much!"

Kristina exclaimed in surprise, and then, upon recognizing me, she gave me a gentle glare. "Are you a cat? How come you make no sound when you walk?"

I greedily sniffed the fragrance on her, nuzzling against her fair neck. It was this scent that brought peace to my heart.

"You reek of alcohol. How much did you drink?"

She knelt on the sofa, furrowing her brows. "Did you remove your stitches? You drank so much!"

Even when she was angry, she looked so beautiful.

I rolled over from behind onto the sofa, pulling Kristina into my arms and letting her press against me. I held her tightly. "Kristina, please don’t scold me."

When she heard me act like a child, Kristina sighed with a mix of helplessness and affection in her eyes. "What can I say about you? I really can’t do anything with you."

As she spoke, she rolled up my sleeve. "Don’t move. Let me check your wound!"

I obediently nodded, letting Kristina take care of me, feeling truly comfortable.

Beside Kristina, it felt like finding a safe harbor. No matter what happened, Kristina would always accommodate me.

Unwrapping the gauze and seeing it soaked with exudate, she got angry. "Look at you. Did you not change the dressing for the past two days? It’s almost time to remove the stitches, but now there are signs of inflammation."

She twisted my waist hard in anger, making me grimace in pain. Seeing me wince, she softened her touch. "You’re an adult yet you don’t know how to take care of yourself."

"Wait here. I’ll apply the medicine for you!"

She hurried to get the first-aid kit. When she came back, I quickly took out a box from my shirt pocket. "This is for you!"