Chapter 173 Joe and Arnold Arrived
However, as if he hadn't noticed their mockery, James nodded and curiously asked, "Yes, they will come soon."
Upon hearing James' words, Tony and others who had been mocking Jennifer suddenly stopped, looked at each other, and burst into even louder laughter. It was as if they had heard the funniest joke ever, laughing uncontrollably. Tony, in particular, laughed until tears welled up in his eyes.
Their laughter attracted other relatives, who came over and asked what had happened.
The chubby man from earlier said, "Let me tell you all something funny. James just said he invited Mr. Evans and Mr. Sanders from Lindwood City to celebrate their opening. Isn't that hilarious?"
"What? They are the highest-ranking officials in Lindwood City, aren't they?"
"You bet. This is the funniest joke I've heard all year! How could James, who can't even find a job, possibly invite them to come? "
"I've never seen someone so shameless. What was he thinking?"
"This isn't about showing off. It's about being stupid."
The relatives couldn't hold back and spared no effort in mocking him. James already had a poor image in their eyes, useless man who couldn't find a job and had to rely on his wife. Claiming he could invite Joe and Arnold was nothing short of a fantasy.
It was more absurd than saying the sun rises in the west.
Jennifer lowered her voice and asked, "Did you really invite them?"
She was somewhat hopeful.
James nodded and said, "Yes, I called them yesterday. They should come."
Jennifer's hope diminished. As a resident of Lindwood City, she knew that even the wealthiest people might not be able to invite Joe and Arnold to celebrate an opening, let alone James.
Although James knew Joe and Arnold, it was only a superficial acquaintance, and that was with Herman's presence. Now that Herman and Brandon had returned to Emerald Isle City, Joe and Arnold might not come.
"Should?" Jennifer frowned and said, "You're not really close to them. What if they decide not to come? Then we'll become the laughingstock of the family again."
Dennis chimed in and said, "Yes, considering their status, why would they attend the opening of a clinic? James, you were reckless this time. You shouldn't have said anything!"
His tone carried a hint of dissatisfaction.
Tony mocked. "Didn't you say you invited Mr. Evans and Mr. Sanders to celebrate? Where are they? It's almost noon, and they still haven't arrived!"
"Hey, cousin, did you really believe that? Everyone knows James is a famous loser. How could he possibly know Mr. Evans and Mr. Sanders?"
Don't underestimate the poor youth. Just because James was useless before doesn't mean he's useless for life. Maybe he really knows Joe and Arnold."
Compared to Jennifer, he disliked James even more. James had exposed Leonard's syphilis, causing Leonard and Kayla's relationship to break down! He hated James from the bottom of his heart and felt immense satisfaction seeing James embarrassed.
He thought James was a fool for saying something so impossible. No wonder James couldn't even find a job.
However, just a few seconds after he spoke, the sound of car engines roared from outside. Two cars stopped at the entrance, and several men stepped out from each vehicle. Leading the group were the imposing figures of Joe and Arnold.
Jennifer, Dennis, and Kaitlyn were stunned at the sight. They clearly did not expect Joe and Arnold to actually show up, and so promptly!
"Dr. Smith, sorry we're late. We didn't miss your grand opening, did we?"
Joe and Arnold each held a gift box in their hands. They handed the gifts to James, expressing their apologies.
Behind them followed seven or eight middle-aged men, all of whom were high-ranking officials from Lindwood City. They also presented James with gifts and offered their congratulations.
This scene left all the relatives dumbfounded, their mouths agape in disbelief.
Tony was left speechless, his mouth hanging open for a long time. He didn't know Joe and Arnold personally, but he wasn't blind; he could tell from their commanding presence that these were men of high status. In their presence, he even found it hard to breathe.
James, on the other hand, remained unsurprised. He graciously accepted the gifts with a smile, neither humble nor arrogant.
"Oh, Mr. Evans, Mr. Sanders, it's enough that you came. There's no need for gifts," James said with a smile.
Joe laughed. "Haha, these are just small tokens. I hope you don't mind."
Arnold added,"Yes, these are just small gifts. I need to thank you again, Dr. Smith. Having a physician like Dr. Smith in Lindwood City is a blessing for our citizens!"
"Mr. Sanders, you're too kind. I'm just an ordinary doctor," James replied. Then he took Jennifer's hand and said, "Besides, this clinic is my wife's. I'm just helping her."
Joe and Arnold looked surprised for a moment but quickly regained composure. To them, the owner of the clinic didn't matter much. They were here to show respect to James.
Joe congratulated Jennifer, and then he began introducing the other officials to James.
"Dr. Smith, this is Larry Scott from the Department of Commerce..."
"This is George Clark from the Department of Health and Human Services..."
"And this is..."
James hadn't expected so many officials of high rank to come. Any one of them was beyond the reach of ordinary citizens.
Of course, to him, officials were just people, nothing to be overly excited about. He maintained his calm and composed demeanor.
This composure made the officials value him even more. They had met countless people, and most young men would have been flustered in such a situation. But James, who remained so calm. This indirectly showed that James was no ordinary person!
In stark contrast to James's composure, the relatives were all dumbfounded. Listening to Joe introduce the officials, they felt a tingling sensation on their scalps, finding the whole situation surreal.
Tony and the chubby relative who had mocked the most earlier. They now felt as if they were slapped by the cruel reality.
Marvin's face turned pale, and he couldn't stop trembling.
One relative, who hadn't met these officials before, found it all too unbelievable. She quietly asked the chubby relative, Peter Green, "Are these really Mr. Evans and Mr. Sanders?"
Peter's chubby face twitched, and he whispered, "Yes, yes, they are. No doubt about it."
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