It was precisely midnight, yet the street was bustling with activity.
The street was lined with bars and night markets, all illuminated by bright lights.
William had suggested that Joshua run naked from the entrance of the bar to the street. If he did so, it would be impossible for Joshua to show his face on this street ever again.
The owners of the various bars on this street might not all be close friends, but they did know each other. Add to that the prevalence of social media, and the news that Joshua, a bar owner, had streaked through the streets would undoubtedly be the headline by tomorrow.
Lila hadn’t really thought about making such a man run naked in front of her. But she worried that if William were in a bad mood, he might get violent, and that would be terrifying. So, if he suggested streaking, then streaking it would be.
“Go ahead and strip!” Lila, always considering others, could only say this nonchalantly.
Joshua clenched his teeth, conflicted deep within.
He wasn’t afraid of William, but of Lila. He assumed that this was Lila’s idea, and if he didn’t strip tonight, and Lila decided to get revenge later, he could meet an unsightly end.
Better to let Lila have her satisfaction.
“I’ll strip!” Joshua finally decided. Better to live a miserable life than to die a good death. After all, he had stirred up trouble today, akin to poking a hornet’s nest. If he wasn’t careful, he might not be able to set foot in New York in the future. It was better to let Lila vent her anger.
As long as Lila did not hold a grudge over today’s events, anything could be discussed.
The bar’s security guards were dumbfounded.
Their boss was actually going to streak in public?
Wasn’t that a bit too shocking?
Joshua didn’t care about shame anymore. He quickly stripped down, leaving only his underwear.
With only that left, he paused, his eyes pleading with Lila, hoping she would allow him to retain a shred of dignity.
He thought that Lila, being a lady of high status, probably wouldn’t want to see anything more.
Lila opened her mouth to speak, but William interrupted, “Don’t stop, keep undressing.”
William acted according to his own whims, unconcerned about what was considered excessive or not.
When he was in a good mood, he could grant great opportunities to strangers. But when he was in a bad mood, he believed there were no innocents in this world.
The gods he had vanquished thousands of years ago were a prime example.
He was never a good person.
Hearing William’s words, Lila could only turn her head and say, “Strip completely and start running. Get to the end of the street, and we’ll call it even for today.”
With that said, she tugged on William’s arm, wanting to leave.
William didn’t care one way or another and followed Lila.
Evelyn had called the police to report a fight at the entrance of the Moonlit Harbor Pub. The officers who had responded earlier hadn’t gone far and quickly turned around.
When they arrived, they saw no fight, just Joshua running naked down the street.
“Take him in!” The police were stunned by the scene. Was this what counted as performance art these days?
William hadn’t gotten into Lila’s car but instead found Evelyn after saying goodbye.
“You… are you okay? Where’s Lila?” Evelyn stood a few hundred meters from the bar on the street. As the police siren sounded, she was walking towards the bar.
“We’re fine! Lila went home,” William replied just as Lila’s car pulled up next to them.
Lila rolled down the car window and said to Evelyn, “Evelyn, you shouldn’t work here anymore. If you’re looking for a job, I can refer you to one tomorrow.”
Lila couldn’t help but be impressed by William. In such a short time, he was already with Evelyn, a student from school. Didn’t he have lunch with Bella earlier today? What an unfaithful man he is when it comes to relationships!
“No need,” William said, “I have a friend who owns a bookstore, and they’re hiring.”
“Alright, I’m leaving,” Lila said, no longer wanting to impose. She could tell that William seemed to like Evelyn, and since he no longer held a grudge against Ryan, she decided to help Evelyn out.
After Lila left, Evelyn asked, “Your friend’s bookstore is hiring?”
William nodded, “Yes, I’m also planning to work there.”
“Okay,” Evelyn said, not averse to William, especially after tonight. If it weren’t for him stepping in, she wouldn’t have known what to do.
“Let’s go home,” William said, enjoying the time alone with Evelyn. It made him feel peaceful and comfortable.
Finally regaining her calm, Evelyn smirked and said, “You want me to walk home with you?”
“Of course not!” William replied, “You can ride your bike and give me a lift.”
“What? Shouldn’t you be the one giving me a lift? Also, my bike is at the bar entrance!” Evelyn was surprised and speechless. This plan seemed too risky.
“It’s alright, I’m here,” William said with a smile. ．ｔ
Evelyn was a bit scared but reluctantly followed William to the bar entrance.
The police were still at the entrance of the bar, and Evelyn had to take this opportunity to get her bike.
Joshua had already been apprehended by the police and was forced to put on his underwear. As William and Evelyn walked by, Joshua’s eyes were filled with resentment.
He didn’t dare mess with Lila, so he would have to blame William for the night’s events. If it weren’t for William, Lila might have let him keep his underwear. He felt humiliated because of William.
William glanced at him indifferently. Such a lowly person’s hatred was not worth William’s attention.
Evelyn was a bit scared. She quickly got on her bike, and with William as her passenger, they hurriedly left the street.
Joshua had been arrested, but he still had henchmen. It wouldn’t be good if they targeted Evelyn and William.
The streets were empty as they made their way back to East 62nd Street. William and Evelyn said goodbye at the entrance, and he invited her and her grandfather to his house for dinner the next day.
As someone who had lived for over a billion years, William had perfected many life skills.
William was confident in his cooking. In the distant past, during the War of the Gods, the Earth had many magical fruits and plants. With just a few ingredients from Earth, he could cook a meal that would grant ordinary people divine power.
But now, the ingredients available were too mundane.
Evelyn’s soul had been reincarnated countless times, and he didn’t know if she would awaken, but it didn’t matter. William just wanted to watch her in peace.
The next morning, just after eight o’clock, Alice arrived at William’s door with two bags of vegetables. William was still in his study writing something that he planned to teach Alice.
“Master, I’ve found a bookstore behind Hudson University in a small alley. When will you come to see it?” Alice knocked on the door, entered after receiving William’s permission, and whispered the question upon seeing him still writing.