Chapter 22 Help Me Swipe the Card
Although she changed her tone, the sales clerk still looked at Noah with a hint of disdain. She couldn't understand how someone dressed as plainly as Noah could possibly be a friend of Joshua's. It was obvious that they were not on the same level.
"That's good," Joshua said.
Smirking proudly, Joshua turned to Noah and lectured him. "Noah, many people judge others by appearance. Now, I don't mean to criticize you. But even though you're poor, you should at least make yourself presentable. Don't look like a total bumpkin!"
Noah remained indifferent as if he didn't hear Joshua at all.
"People should dress elegantly. If you took my advice, none of that wouldn't have happened." Joshua continued. "Of course, I'm not asking you to buy expensive clothes like me. My outfit today is worth more than 30 thousand. You clearly can't afford them. What I mean is, you should at least get yourself a suit and some leather shoes. It'll just cost a few hundred dollars.
"Look what you're wearing. A T-shirt, jeans, and canvas shoes. You can't come into a shop like this with that getup. Can't blame the clerk for looking down on you and not letting you buy anything!"
"This shirt is clean and tidy. I feel comfortable and cool. So, I like wearing it. Is there a problem?" Noah replied blandly.
"What..."
Joshua was speechless.
"Noah, if I didn't step in, you'd have been chased out by the sales clerk!" Joshua glared at Noah.
"Joshua, stop wasting your time with him. Someone at his level couldn't understand these principles," Evelyn said, her face void of emotions.
Joshua shook his head in defeat and thought, 'Noah is simply irredeemable.'
Noah turned to Lisa. "Honey, why don't you try that dress on and see if it looks good on you?"
"Okay!" Just as Lisa was about to pick up the dress, a voice stopped her.
"Look, that dress is beautiful!"
Then, a woman quickly walked over and grabbed the white dress to examine it.
"Lady, we saw this dress first," Lisa said to the woman.
"So what? You haven't paid for it! I'm buying this dress!" the woman said arrogantly.
She was wearing a short skirt that showed off her long and slender legs, and her blouse had a plunging neckline. She looked like a standard influencer with heavy makeup.
"Christopher, I like this dress. Come here to buy it for me!" she shouted.
A chubby man walked in from outside. He was in his forties, a thick gold chain around his thick neck. With his big belly, he looked like a nouveau riche.
"What?"
Joshua felt the man look familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had seen him before.
"Alright!" The man walked over. Without looking at the price tag, he said to the clerk, "We'll take this!"
"Yes, sir!"
The same sales clerk returned to get the dress.
"We saw the dress first. How could you just sell it to him?" Lisa said indignantly.
"That's right. How could you be so rude to us?" Evelyn was also upset.
"Were you going to buy it?" the sales clerk asked.
"We can't decide unless we try it on. Why would we buy it if it doesn't fit?" Lisa replied.
"Try it on?" Chasity Perry, the woman, was standing next to them and laughed when she heard the conversation. "I never try on clothes when I shop. If I like it, I buy it. If it doesn't fit, I'll just throw it away!"
"Do you get it now? Please step aside and let me package the dress for this lady," the sales clerk said, staring at Evelyn and Lisa with her aloof gaze.
"Noah! Are you even a man?"
Evelyn suddenly berated Noah loudly, "Someone is taking away the dress Lisa likes! Say something. Don't be a coward. Even if you can't afford it, you can at least help with the argument."
Evelyn looked at Noah with undisguised disdain on her face.
"Evelyn, cut Noah some slacks. He's just a salesperson, a low-rung character in society. Even if he did speak up, they wouldn't give the dress back," Joshua chuckled. "My dad has connections in Oceanbridge City. Let me handle it."
Joshua approached the man with the gold chain:
"Bro, do me a favor. Let us have the dress.
"My dad is Charles Berger. Considering how well-dressed you are, you must know him. If you don't wanna help me, you can do it for my dad's sake, right?"
Evelyn looked at Joshua in surprise. She hadn't expected him to bring his own father into this, but it looked like the problem was solved.
Charles was a real estate tycoon in Oceanbridge City. He had excellent connections and resources, so the city's top figures generally showed him respect.
"Noah, you're no match for Joshua." Evelyn glanced sideways at Noah. "What a loser."
"You're just a twenty-something-year-old kid. Don't call me bro. Show some respect to your elders!" The man with the gold chain sneered, "And I can care less about Charles. If Charles was here, he would bow to greet me. I'm Christopher Williams."
"Christopher Williams?!"
Joshua's expression changed drastically when he heard the name.
He didn't expect that this man with the gold chain would be a Williams!
No wonder he felt the man looked familiar at first glance.
The Williams family was an old, prestigious family. It had been quite influential in Oceanbridge City since the last century. The family founder, Andrew Williams, had even taken part in the Civil War and held the rank of Major General.
Since the establishment of the federation, the Williams family had set foot in the stock market and held a leading position in the financial world.
Christopher was powerful in both the political world and the business world. A mere businessman like Charles couldn't afford to offend him.
"Sorry, Mr. Williams! I didn't recognize you at first."
Joshua immediately changed his tune. "Since Mr. Williams is interested in this dress, I shall let you have it. Evelyn, let's go."
Joshua swiftly grabbed Evelyn's hand to pull her away.
Seeing Joshua's fearful demeanor, Evelyn realized Christopher was not a man to be trifled with.
"That's right. Nobody can take away what I've set my eyes on. Only a fool will fight against me." Chasity wrapped her arm around Christopher's meaty arm and laughed triumphantly. "Hurry. Give me the dress!"
"Yes!" The sales clerk reached out to package the dress.
"Wait," Noah finally spoke up. "I'm buying the dress without trying it too. I saw it first. Package it for me."
Both Joshua and Evelyn were stunned.
Christopher also looked at Noah in surprise. He hadn't expected that Noah still dared to take the dress from him at this point.
"Noah? Do you have a death wish?"
Joshua looked at Noah like he was an idiot. "How dare you to buy Mr. William's dress? You're asking for trouble."
"Noah, Joshua knows a lot more than you. Joshua knows how extraordinary Christopher is and decides to back off. Even Joshua can't afford to offend Christopher. Who do you think you are?" Evelyn said. "Let's leave. Don't stir up trouble, OK?"
Christopher looked at Noah with amusement, as if he was looking down on an ant.
In Oceanbridge City, no one had dared to offend him.
"Hey, I dare you to repeat yourself." Christopher provoked Noah.
"I've changed my mind."
Noah glanced sideways at Christopher. "I'll buy down the store's entire inventory. If you guys want to buy clothes, get out of here and shop somewhere else. Don't get in my way."
