Chapter 103 Buddhist Beads
"Lisa, chase him away!" Daniel cast a sideways glance at the middle-aged man. "You might have become the head manager, but you can't be corrupt and accept gifts from just anyone!"
"That's right!" Zoe chimed in. "Hurry up and chase him away. Max is a big developer, so it's fine for him to give gifts. But this guy seems like a small-time character, and he’s not on the same level as Max. If you accept gifts from him, you'll be bothered in the future!"
"Huh?" Lisa was taken aback. She recognized the middle-aged man.
She had been able to get rid of Garrett that day at Ryo Country Cuisine thanks to him.
At that moment, Max, who was about to eat, saw the middle-aged man and his pupils contracted with fear.
He trembled with fear, his fat body shaking, and his teeth chattering.
"Mason?!"
Max trembled continuously, as if he had seen a demon. The chair he was sitting couldn't bear his weight and broke.
Max fell to the ground.
"Oh, boos Max!"
Larry quickly went up, helped Max up, and smiled flatteringly. "You didn't hurt yourself, did you?"
Larry was also in the construction business, so it would benefit him to please someone like Max, who was a big developer.
However, Max didn't even look at Larry, his gaze still locked on the middle-aged man, his voice trembling.
"Why is Mason here?"
"Mason?"
Everyone's gaze shifted to the middle-aged man. They were extremely shocked.
They had never heard that name before.
But Max was the real estate tycoon of Oceanbridge City, a highly influential figure.
A prominent figure like him was so frightened by that middle-aged man that he couldn’t even sit still.
This middle-aged man must be a terrifying man.
"Mason?"
James, who was eating, also felt shocked when he saw Mason. His breathing became rapid and fear flashed in his eyes, but he hid it well and didn't show it.
"This Mason is not an ordinary man!"
As everyone looked at Mason, a heavy atmosphere filled the air.
Larry observed Mason up and down and felt more and more that this was not a simple man.
Although he was wearing a plain suit, it was custom-made from real silk, which was not cheap.
And the iron stones he held in his hand, upon closer inspection, were carved with patterns. What was even more shocking was that the patterns on the two iron stones were deeply engraved and clear, with almost identical lines!
"Just these two iron stones are worth tens of thousands of dollars!"
Larry was horrified and thought that this middle-aged man named Mason had a higher status than Max.
"Oh? Do you know me?"
Mason looked at Max.
"Uh... I do know you!"
Max took a few steps back in fear, wanting to keep his distance from Mason. "Your name has been well-known to me for years, but I didn't expect to meet you in person today."
Mason nodded and didn't say much. Instead, he looked at Noah.
"I don't have a good gift to give you for your housewarming, but since I have an interest in Buddhism, I'll give Lisa a string of Buddhist beads."
Mason took out a string of Buddhist beads from his pocket and placed it on Noah's table.
The beads were dark gold in color and looked smooth and ordinary.
'This is right. Mason is here for Lisa. He brought her gifts without even mentioning Noah!' Daniel thought to himself.
"It seems that Max was giving the golden bull to Lisa. He just said it was for Noah as a formality!"
'Noah has really benefited from being with Lisa!' Zoe also thought to herself.
"Hmph, he’s giving her those worthless Buddha beads! Isn’t he afraid of being ridiculed?" Jake rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, they probably cost just a few dollars for a strand in the antique market," Sarah said disdainfully.
Mason wasn't angry, instead he smiled and said, "These beads are made of gold-threaded nanmu wood, and have a history of thousands of years. Their value cannot be measured in terms of money."
"Gold-threaded nanmu wood beads?" The crowd gasped when they heard that.
"Gold-threaded nanmu wood was used by kings in medieval Europe. Ordinary people were beheaded for using it!" Lisa's uncle exclaimed in shock. He was a carpenter by trade and was very knowledgeable in this area.
"And this type of wood is indestructible, extremely rare, and more precious than gold!"
"It's too extravagant. I can’t believe he gave Lisa gold-threaded nanmu wood beads!"
"And it has a history of thousands of years!"
The crowd discussed the gift fervently, their eyes fixed on the beads, filled with astonishment.
"Hmph, who knows if those beads are real or fake?" Sarah rolled her eyes. "You can buy a random bead on the street and claim it's made of gold-threaded nanmu wood. No one here can confirm its authenticity!"
Mason shook his head. He often read Buddhist scriptures and focused on self-cultivation. He rarely argued with others. Holding the beads, he said, "Lisa, please accept these beads."
Jealousy flashed in Sarah's eyes.
Lisa stood up in fear and quickly waved her hands. "No, Mason, your gift is too precious. I can't accept it! And if it wasn't for your help at Rihe Cuisine last time, my husband and I would have been in trouble. I haven't properly thanked you yet!"
"Lisa, Mason's gesture is well-intentioned. Just accept it," Noah said, smiling.
"Alright!"
Lisa obediently accepted the beads when she heard that. As she held them in her hands, she felt a sense of tranquility. She thought to herself that they must be valuable.
"Go ahead and find a place to sit and eat," Noah said calmly.
"Okay."
Mason nodded.
"You see, Noah is pretending again!" Sarah rolled her eyes. "Mason came over to give Lisa a gift, but Noah is the one suggesting they sit down and eat. Shouldn't it be Lisa's decision? Noah’s such a useless person!"
At this moment, James looked at Noah deeply, internally amazed and admiring.
He thought the highest-ranking official who would be here to give Noah a housewarming gift would be himself, the director of the Health Bureau, but he hadn't expected Max to show up.
Max, in the future, was bound to replace Garrett and become a respected real estate tycoon.
But then Mason came along.
James, who had been in power in Oceanbridge City for many years, had naturally heard of Mason's reputation.
He was a big boss of the Oceanbridge City mafia, and although he had retired from the underworld, he had extensive connections to bars, clubs, and casinos in Oceanbridge City.
This person was on par with another mafia boss in Oceanbridge City named Luke.
Noah's high status was clear from the fact that Mason had come to give him a gift.
Even Max had been surprised when he saw Mason.
Noah had told him to hang out with him.
Now that Mason had come to give a gift, it showed a glimpse of Noah's power and background.
Just this glimpse was enough for Max to realize that Noah was worth following!
"Noah, someone else is here!"
At that moment, Ethan shouted from outside.
"Someone else is here?"
"Who could it be this time?"
Everyone was taken aback.
James and Max, high-profile individuals, were already here, along with the mysterious and intimidating Mason that had scared even Max.
Who could be here this time?
"Noah, the person who just arrived is driving a Rolls-Royce! The license plate number is A.1!" Ethan yelled.
"A.1?"
Evelyn's eyes lit up, her heart racing with excitement as she stood up.
Evelyn naturally remembered that string of numbers.
It was the license plate number of her prince charming's Rolls-Royce.
"The owner of the Rolls-Royce has arrived!"
Evelyn's heart raced like a deer, her cheeks turning red as she got up and walked quickly toward the door.
"I want to meet my prince charming! My idol!"
