Overprotected By My Tsundere CEO-Chapter 473 - 279: Tavern Trouble (Part 1) — Shishu, Go Sing a Song

Chapter 473: Chapter 279: Tavern Trouble (Part 1) — Shishu, Go Sing a Song
For half an hour, Marcus Shaw practically emptied the entire claw machine.
A mountain of stuffed toys piled up on the ground.
Many people held up their phones, dumbfounded, capturing this rare scene.
With a amazed glance at the scene, Nora Scott hesitated for a moment, then slightly lowered the brim of her hat and approached the crowd, watching Marcus Shaw’s fluid and natural movements.
Every grab was a success.
Just as Marcus Shaw finished with one and was about to scan the code for another round, he suddenly noticed Nora Scott standing in the crowd and stopped immediately.
Glancing at the ground, Marcus Shaw slightly frowned and asked Nora Scott, "Is it enough?"
"..."
This kid, so genuine.
With a slight upward curl of her lips, Nora Scott strolled over and asked, "Didn’t the owner get mad?"
Marcus Shaw calmly glanced at a corner above, "There are cameras."
During this half-hour, the owner had wandered around several times, each time wanting to grind him to dust out of frustration. Unable to do anything with onlookers and in a law-abiding society, the owner could only stomp around anxiously for a moment and then leave with a bitter face.
"..."
So dull, no sense of humor at all.
Nora Scott curled her lips.
Immediately, she lifted her hand and placed something she was carrying on Marcus Shaw’s head.
A shadow fell over his head, and Marcus Shaw was slightly taken aback. He looked up to find it was a baseball cap.
Nora Scott adjusted it for him, then pinched the brim, pulling it backward, putting it on backwards, and tilted her head to examine him a few times before finally raising an eyebrow in satisfaction.
She chuckled lightly, "Not bad."
A very handsome young man.
Touching the baseball cap, Marcus Shaw glanced at Nora Scott again, with an unusual expression.
—— Since his father’s passing, no one had bought him such things.
After a brief pause, Marcus Shaw awkwardly asked, "Did you buy it?"
"Stole it," Nora Scott deliberately said, then lowered her eyes to the stuffed toys on the ground and urged, "Hurry up and pack, we need to jet."
Marcus Shaw: "...Oh."
Passersby helpfully provided plastic bags; they gave some away and filled another bag. Finally, they left, under the owner’s resentful gaze.
*
By the time they left the mall, the sky had long turned dark.
Nora Scott bought some food for Marcus Shaw to have dinner on the road.
After about an hour on the road, Nora Scott finally drove to the destination of the trip.
Longplains Tavern.
Located in the bustling city center, the streets were vibrant, filled with neon lights, and designed to be stylish and eye-catching. Yet this tavern stood alone, with a low-key and simple signboard that at first glance might be overlooked, but against the backdrop of its surroundings, it looked like a natural sign, extremely conspicuous.
"A tavern?"
From behind the car window, Marcus Shaw’s gaze fixed on the tavern’s sign.
"Same nature as a bar."
"I’m not of age."
Nora Scott chuckled, retorting, "Haven’t had enough to drink?"
Marcus Shaw: "..."
He strangely detected a hint of jealousy in Nora Scott’s tone.
If possible, in front of Nora Scott, Marcus Shaw only wanted to play the role of a proper high school student.
Unfortunately, life doesn’t always go as planned.
Nora Scott could always dig out what he tried to hide with just one look, leaving him nowhere to hide.
After parking the car, Nora Scott handed him a couple of stuffed toys, then led him boldly into the vintage-style tavern.
...
There were no age restrictions, nor was there anyone at the entrance checking IDs.
However, Marcus Shaw keenly noticed the very concealed security measures within the tavern, with uniformed security members and plain-clothed ones mingling among the patrons.
There were two floors.
The second floor seemed to be private rooms, while the first floor had rows of liquor cabinets, not only with bartenders responsible for cocktails, but also directly selling beer, spirits, wines, champagne... an overwhelming variety.
Additionally, there were all sorts of juices, both freshly squeezed and bottled. Sparkling waters like Coke and Sprite were also in abundance.
Clearly a paradise of alcohol and beverages.
A large comprehensive market for selling drinks, with a full range of high and low-end options.
Beside the liquor cabinets on each side, there were counters with attendants, and seating arrangements near the counters allowed guests to sit and chat.
Moreover, there were specially designed wooden tables and chairs, perfectly matched with the tavern’s overall style.
Nora Scott seemed to be a regular, giving the place only a cursory glance before walking straight inside.
Marcus Shaw followed behind.
Singing voices drifted in, with the lead singer crooning a folk song in a deep voice.
"Awake at 3 a.m., in the night, thinking of the you I’ve lost..."
The slow rhythm and hoarse voice gave listeners a sense of being far away from the city’s hustle and bustle.
Farther in, it was another world.
Dim lights, a stage, and around ten tables were filled with guests.
Some were drinking, some nibbling fruit, some applauding, some chatting... a microcosm of life.
"Uncle!"
While Marcus Shaw was silently observing, a sudden voice drew his attention.
In a corner, two men were seated, the dim light scattering over them, alternately revealing and hiding their forms, their looks vaguely discernible.
An older man sat in the shadows, exuding a cold and hard aura. His gaze was strong and oppressive, carrying a sense of danger.
The younger one, probably around twenty-five or six, had a bit of a free-spirited air, his eyebrows raised in a smile, raising a hand to wave at the two.
"Shishu?" (Uncle?)
Marcus Shaw recalled carefully and the term seemed right.
Just as he cast an inquisitive look at Nora Scott, she was already taking a step towards them.
Marcus Shaw followed behind.
"Who is it?"
Leaning back, Benjamin Durant rested his elbows on the chair back, looking at Marcus Shaw with an ambiguous smile.
Marcus Shaw responded with a nonchalant look.
"My brother, Marcus Shaw."
Nora Scott introduced blandly, nudging Benjamin Durant’s legs sprawled out and telling him to retract them.
Quickly pulling his legs back, Benjamin Durant chuckled, "Picked up from the roadside?"
Sitting beside him, Nora Scott shot him a chilly look, "Why hasn’t anyone picked you up yet?"
"..."
Always protective!
What’s so good about protecting a brother of different surname?
He’s still a real uncle and nephew.
"Benjamin Durant, Humphrey Jennings." After simply stating the names, Nora Scott gave the two a meaningful glance, "Exchange contact information."
"Oh."
With the elder’s word, Benjamin Durant dared not disobey, promptly pulling out his phone.
However, Marcus Shaw, who listened to Nora, placed two toys on the table before getting his phone.
"Are those your toys?"
Benjamin Durant couldn’t resist a quip seeing the two dolls.
"..."
Marcus Shaw furrowed his brows.
However, before he could speak, Nora Scott leveled a glance at Benjamin Durant, "Bought especially for you two."
"Huh?"
Benjamin Durant was so startled that he almost dropped his phone.
Those little dolls, how do they fit him?
Yet, the usually silent Humphrey Jennings, upon hearing Nora’s words, suddenly reached out, expressionless, and took one of the dolls.
It was the cutest little rabbit one.
Benjamin Durant hissed, covering his cheek, leaning forward, "Humphrey —"
"Looks pretty nice."
Humphrey Jennings replied flatly, leaving Benjamin Durant’s retort unspoken.
"Well then," Benjamin Durant reached over and picked up the other doll from the table, "thanks, shishu, I really like it."
Nora Scott gave him a cool look, "It’s okay not to like it."
Benjamin Durant laughed awkwardly, "I wouldn’t dare."
The three of them seemed quite at ease with each other, clearly showing a good relationship. But in Marcus Shaw’s eyes, it was "clear hierarchy." Nora Scott was evidently the most influential among them, followed by Humphrey Jennings, referred to as "Humphrey." As for the talkative Benjamin Durant, he was firmly at the bottom of the food chain.
Marcus Shaw took a seat.
The three exchanged contact information and added each other on WeChat.
Benjamin Durant’s nickname: Northwest Master.
Humphrey Jennings’s nickname: Zheng.
Marcus Shaw’s nickname: XN.
The nicknames displayed, each unique.
"We came from Anchel, just arrived today." Putting his phone down, Benjamin Durant smoothed his sleeve, acting pretentious, "New in town—"
"Isn’t this tavern yours?"
Before Benjamin Durant could finish speaking, Marcus Shaw gave him a glance that cut him off.
Benjamin Durant was stunned, intending to play dumb, but was seen through at once, looking at Nora Scott in shock, "Did you tell him?"
"No."
Nora Scott answered blandly, glancing curiously at Marcus Shaw.
"Long, Plains." Marcus Shaw lightly furrowed his brows, "The tavern is named after you guys."
Benjamin Durant was surprised, "Just from that?"
"..."
Marcus Shaw pulled back his gaze without saying more.
Too many clues.
The waitress brought juice to Nora Scott, displaying respect, and specially glancing at Humphrey Jennings and Benjamin Durant;
He overheard a waitress gossiping as they walked, something like ’finally seeing the boss’, which exactly corroborates with Benjamin Durant’s ’just arrived today’;
There were also hidden guards among the crowd, secretly watching him and Nora as soon as they appeared, but as they approached Benjamin Durant and Humphrey Jennings, the guards shifted their gaze, never looking at them again;
...
He’s not here to put on a show, so he can’t be bothered to explain everything to Benjamin Durant.
Beside him, Humphrey Jennings gave Marcus Shaw a glance, eyes slightly deepened, showing a thoughtful expression.
Clap clap. Clap clap.
The sparse applause drew the four’s attention, only to see that a singer had just finished a song.
Benjamin Durant clapped twice, then cheerfully asked Nora Scott, "Shishu, want to sing one?"