Allen's eyes narrowed, yet his smile remained, shifting into a more playful and teasing expression., It seemed like he was mulling over something., I didn't bother guessing his thoughts and went straight to the point,

"If it's too much trouble for Mr. Clark, then never mind.

",

"Heh,

" he chuckled dryly,

"What trouble? It's not just something you're asking for; even if you wanted me myself, I'd be more than happy to oblige.

", His words were a bit forward., However, before I could respond, Jefferson at our side coughed lightly as a reminder.,

"Haha,

" Allen let out a roguish laugh, then gestured for me to take the lead,

"Ladies first.

", I wasn't interested in bantering with him. Since he let me start, I decided to end it quickly., So, I took the cue in hand and cleared the table without giving him a chance., Allen didn't show any sign of distress over losing in one round. He even led a round of applause,

"You really are Jefferson's friend, quite the player.

",

"I'll take the loss, but you've got to let your brother show his skills, right?

" Allen said, signaling his assistant to set up the balls again., He took his shot and cleared the table swiftly, no wonder he had been a champion; the whole process took him a minute less than it took me., I didn't skimp on my applause,

"Mr. Clark is on another level.

",

"According to our agreement, you still won. So, tell me, what do you want me to do for you?

" Allen squinted at me., I took a deep breath,

"I'd like to meet Mr. Clark's father, Mr. Clark.

", A shadow crossed Allen's eyes, clearly wanting to know the reason. I went straight to the point:

"I have an item that I need Mr. Clark to help me authenticate.

" Allen's furrowed brows relaxed slightly,

"Oh, is it some kind of treasure?

",

"No,

" I denied, but didn't specify what it was., Allen, being the sharp one, didn't press further. After a few seconds of silence, he said,

"Alright, I can take you. But...

", He paused, his gaze shifting from Jefferson to me,

"My father's health isn't so good; he doesn't meet with outsiders.

", That was his way of telling me that even if he took me there, I might not get to meet his father., I quickly grasped his implication; it was a trap. But I couldn't fall for it., So, I showed a regretful expression.

"If that's the case, then let's forget it.

", I wasn't afraid of wasting my time up till now because I had piqued his interest. He really wanted to know what I wanted his father to see., Allen's eyes narrowed once more, clearly taken aback by my refusal to play along., He stared at me for a few seconds then snickered.

"You're not simple, are you?!

", He understood my tactic of feigning disinterest., But I couldn't just admit it and countered,

"I don't like imposing on others.

",

"But I like making people happy,

" Allen acquiesced., I breathed a sigh of relief internally. Allen signaled the assistant to set up the balls again, then said,

"How about we play a few serious rounds?

", My clear shot had obviously sparked his competitive spirit., At this point, I couldn't dampen his mood, and I also had to satisfy his desire to win., So, I agreed and joined the game., Out of five rounds, I only won one, letting him savor the joy of victory.,

"At this rate, you're underestimating me by going easy,

" he pointed out as we wrapped up., Search the website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.