The Supreme Soldier in the City
Chapter 132: How to Address

Chapter 132: Chapter 132: How to Address

"Excuse me, sir, could you teach me how to mix drinks like this?" The bartender had a bit of an untimely interjection.

James Brown had just avoided Emily Lopez’s gaze and smiled, "Sorry, I can’t teach that."

"Sir, if you teach me, I’ll pay for all the drinks today." The bartender was getting impatient.

James Brown couldn’t help but smile. He had spent a lot of money to learn these mixing techniques, and although it wasn’t his own money, he knew that this kind of skill was not easily shared. Furthermore, not everyone could learn it. Mixing drinks might look easy, but the requirements were quite strict, involving one’s intuition and abilities, and not just anyone could seriously learn it.

"Let’s go find a place to sit and slowly enjoy some drinks," James Brown said cheerfully as he took Emily Lopez with him, naturally having a server bring the drinks over.

The bartender was quite disappointed, but he really admired James Brown’s "Nine-Colored Rainbow." At that time, the bar wasn’t very crowded, and the young people weren’t asking him to mix drinks, so he started to try it himself.

Through this trial, he quickly realized how difficult it was to create the "Nine-Colored Rainbow" and soon gave up dejectedly.

Emily Lopez sat in the booth, her hands propping up her chin, her elbows on the table, and her eyes unblinkingly watching James Brown mix drinks. Although the drink he was mixing this time was simple, watching his focused expression and his smooth, flowing movements, she was somewhat mesmerized.

"Brother-in-law, you’re really amazing." After another drink, Emily Lopez’s face was flushed, her eyes watery. She stuck out her tongue daintily and licked the liquor from her lips.

"You’ve said that many times these past few days," James Brown said, his eyes smiling as he continued to mix drinks. He had been mixing drinks for Emily all this time and hadn’t yet had one himself.

"Can’t help it when you’re so amazing," Emily Lopez still propped her chin, watching him.

"Alright, I’m amazing. I’m not giving you this drink, though. I’ve already made you three, and if you drink more, you’ll get too drunk. I need to have one myself."

Emily Lopez pouted, "I’m not drunk yet."

"Come on, no more acting tough. This liquor is indeed tasty when you start drinking, but the flavor masks the effect of the alcohol. You might not feel it at first, but once it’s in your stomach, it really hits you."

At that moment, Emily Lopez indeed felt a bit tipsy, her head slightly swimming. "You’re right, I’m feeling a bit dizzy now."

"Hehe, we’ll head back after a while."

"Can we stay a bit longer?" Emily Lopez pouted persistently.

While they were talking, James Brown’s phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, it was Gina Lopez. He signaled to Emily Lopez, covered the microphone with his hand, and answered the call, "Gina, is everything sorted out over there?"

"It’s taken care of. What are you guys doing? I couldn’t reach the home phone," Gina Lopez asked directly.

"I’m not sure, might be some phone malfunction. Emily and I are just watching TV."

"Be honest, and don’t mess with Emily," Gina said quietly but with a warning tone.

James Brown grinned and replied, "I wouldn’t dare. Don’t worry, I’m going to sleep soon."

"Hand the phone to Emily, I want to talk to her."

Passing the phone to Emily, James Brown said, "Your sister wants to speak with you."

After a brief conversation, Emily Lopez stood up, gave James Brown a rueful smile, and walked to the restroom nearby—it was clear Gina Lopez had some nagging instructions.

James Brown finally finished mixing a drink and was about to enjoy it when a girl suddenly approached and sat down opposite him, blinking playfully at him, "Uncle, could you treat me to a drink?"

James Brown was surprised because the girl sitting across from him was none other than Charlotte Grandy, the little girl who had stubbornly refused to leave his place last time until James Brown had Helen Wilson send her away. It had been over half a month since he last saw her, and unexpectedly, she was here today.

"How did you end up here?" James Brown frowned.

Leaning in, Charlotte whispered in his ear, "Uncle, help me out, will you? I made a bet with my classmates that I could get you. Give me some face, okay?"

"How can I give you face?" James Brown asked.

Charlotte giggled, "Just pretend you don’t know me, then we chat for a while, and you get smitten by me, and pretend to be my boyfriend."

James Brown immediately shook his head, "No way!"

"Uncle, you’re not going to leave me hanging, are you?" Charlotte looked at him with a contrived expression of being upset.

"It’s not about not giving you face. I’m here with my niece today; she went out to make a call and will be back soon. If she sees you with me, my girlfriend will kill me!"

"Your girlfriend? Aren’t you alone?" Charlotte looked at James Brown in confusion.

"Of course not, didn’t you see?"

"No, I just got here and saw you sitting here alone."

"I’m really not alone, she’ll be back soon. I think you should drop the idea, I can’t help you and risk trouble in my own backyard."

James Brown didn’t want to help Charlotte, mainly because he didn’t want too much interaction with this girl. Although Charlotte was nice, she was still too young. Young girls like her, if they really cling to someone, can be quite a headache.

Charlotte pouted so much that she could hang an oil bottle from it, and said, "Is it Emily Lopez’s sister?"

"No, she’s not my girlfriend either."

"I’m dizzy, uncle, you’re too fierce. So, you were just playing with Emma Campbell."

James Brown glared at Charlotte and said, "Don’t talk nonsense here. Go do whatever you need to do. I don’t have time to play with kids."

Charlotte immediately retorted, "What do you mean ’kids’? I’m eighteen years old, okay? I’m an adult, I can make my own decisions."

"Is that so?" Charlotte winked proudly at James Brown.

James Brown was amused by Charlotte and said, "Whether you are grown up or not doesn’t concern me. You’re quite a gal, not even embarrassed."

"I only talk to you like this, uncle. I wouldn’t talk to other men like this. I like you, uncle."

"Alright, I beg you, Miss, please just go."

Charlotte giggled, "I don’t care, if you don’t help me, I’m not leaving."

Charlotte started to act stubborn, leaving James Brown somewhat helpless. He couldn’t just throw this girl out, and seeing Emily Lopez walking back, it was too late to get rid of Charlotte.

"Oh, brother-in-law, who is this?" As soon as Emily Lopez returned, she saw the young girl sitting next to James Brown, a vibrant and beautiful young woman, and she asked in confusion.

Before James Brown could reply, Charlotte puffed out her chest and said, "I am uncle’s mistress."

James Brown almost banged his head on the table. Charlotte was too outrageous. How could she say such a thing? It was truly setting him up. He really felt like grabbing her by the collar and throwing her out.

"Mistress? Haha..." Emily Lopez saw that the girl was not yet twenty and couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

Charlotte wanted to stir up trouble for James Brown, but Emily Lopez’s laughter made her feel extremely insulted. She immediately wrapped her arms around James Brown’s neck and pressed her face against his, saying triumphantly, "I am uncle’s mistress, what about it?"

James Brown quickly turned his body aside, not letting Charlotte’s face touch him, and then pulled her arm away, angrily saying, "Don’t cause trouble here."

"Uncle, I’m not causing trouble. Didn’t you agree to have me as your mistress?" Tears instantly filled Charlotte’s eyes. Biting her lip, it was pure aggrievance as she choked out, "Uncle, I didn’t even want to be your girlfriend. I just wanted to be your mistress. I gave myself to you for the first time, and now you’re dumping me."

James Brown was dumbfounded watching Charlotte; her acting was too convincing. The tears came the moment she said they would—it was Oscar-worthy.

"Uncle, I...I’ll have you know, I’m carrying your child. Don’t worry, I won’t ask you to take care of it. I’ll raise him myself and tell him he has an outstanding father, who, due to some special circumstances, couldn’t be with us. I won’t make him hate you."

After saying that, Charlotte covered her face and quickly ran away.

"Hey! Hey!" James Brown shouted twice, but Charlotte kept running, quickly weaving through a couple of booths and into her group of classmates. Due to the booth’s positioning, it appeared to James Brown and Emily Lopez that the girl had run out of the bar.

James Brown looked awkwardly at Emily Lopez and said, "Emily, that... she was talking complete nonsense."

"Really?" Emily Lopez sat down, crossed her arms, and rested her left leg over her right, giving James Brown an unfriendly gaze. At that moment, she again overlapped with Gina Lopez.

James Brown hastened to declare, "Absolutely, she’s just a high school student. I once saw someone harassing her on the bus and casually helped her out. We rode the bus a few times together after that, and there was nothing beyond that."

Emily Lopez saw that James Brown was getting flustered, but she suddenly burst into laughter and said, "I know."

"You believe me?" James Brown looked at Emily Lopez in surprise.

"Of course, I believe you. You can tell that kid was just talking nonsense. If she had just said she was your mistress, maybe she would have been believable. But then to claim she’s having your child was over the top." Emily Lopez’s laughter grew even brighter.