Chapter 24: Astonishment

It was Mann's birthday party that day, so Monet arrived early. However, as he was about to get out of the car, he suddenly froze. He saw a lady in a black tight-fitting dress, wearing a rounded top hat and carrying an exquisite handbag, gracefully stepping out of a Ford car.

Once the woman alighted from the car, Monet could see her more clearly. Her face was somewhat slender, with noticeable hollows on her cheeks, which made her striking aqua-blue eyes appear even larger. Her straight nose perfectly complemented her facial structure, avoiding any abruptness and instead exuding a delicate charm. Her finely drawn, elongated eyebrows were alluring, suggesting that they might have been meticulously groomed. Of course, what truly captivated him were her slightly thick, yet incredibly alluring, rosy lips.

Combined with her tall stature, slender legs, and fair complexion, Monet felt his heartbeat quicken. This woman was undoubtedly the most attractive he had encountered since arriving here.

Clearly, the lady in the black dress was also here for Mann's birthday party. As she entered, Monet hastily got out of his car and walked briskly towards the entrance. He greeted Mann first, then pulled him aside and whispered, "Mann, who is that woman in the black dress who just went in?"

Upon hearing Monet's inquiry, Mann smirked and teased, "Have you taken a liking to her?"

Monet didn't shy away and nodded directly, affirming, "Absolutely, she's the most beautiful woman I've seen since coming to New York!"

Mann looked at Monet with an odd expression, then called over Mike and said, "Let Mike introduce you to Mrs. Dodge; he knows her better than I do." With that, Mann went to greet other guests at the entrance. (Because they both share Monet as a common friend, they've become friends as well.)

"Dan, Mrs. Dodge? Has she already gotten married?" Monet asked somewhat frustrated.

Mike nodded and replied, "That's right, she got married two months ago. Her husband, Mr. Dodge, is a somewhat famous lawyer. You see, he's the gentleman standing beside Mrs. Dodge now."

Monet turned his head and indeed saw a man standing intimately by Mrs. Dodge's side. However, Mr. Dodge wasn't particularly tall, and his appearance was somewhat ordinary. Monet couldn't help but mutter, "They don't seem to match each other in appearance!"

"Jealous, are we?" Mike quipped, but then continued, "True, they might not match in looks and physique, but think about it this way: if they're mismatched in one aspect, they must compensate in others, right?"

Monet pondered for a moment, then asked, "Are you implying that Mr. Dodge is wealthy? That makes sense. You did mention he's a somewhat famous lawyer!"

"That's right, but that's just one aspect. On the other hand, did you know what Mrs. Dodge did before marrying Mr. Dodge?" Mike replied in response.

"Where would I know that?" Monet said, even though he felt a slight unease in his heart.

"Um, have you been to the Dali Theater?" Mike asked seemingly casually.

Although the Dali Theater, like Mike's Wiscov Theater, was located on Broadway, the nature of the two theaters wasn't entirely the same. Wiscov belonged to the very formal and traditional category, while the Dali Theater was a place that men secretly enjoyed going to but would never openly admit.

However, from Monet's perspective as a time traveler, the Dali Theater wasn't overly extravagant. At best, it was on par with performances by South Korean girl groups, but in this era, such performances were considered quite daring.

But when Mike mentioned the "Dali Theater" at this moment, Monet immediately caught on, "Could Mrs. Dodge have been associated with the Dali Theater before?" He thought to himself, no wonder Mann had Mike introduce her.

Sure enough, Mike nodded and said, "You're right. She used to be a well-known exotic dancer at the Dali Theater before marrying Mr. Dodge! So, all in all, their union seems appropriate."

While the two were conversing, suddenly screams erupted from the hall, "Oh my God! Nicole, what's wrong with you? Somebody help, Nicole, she's choking on a date pit!"

Monet hurried over and saw Nicole, the breathtakingly beautiful woman from earlier, with a flushed face and white eyes, appearing in excruciating pain. Another girl who had screamed earlier was explaining, "Nicole was eating when she accidentally got bumped, and the date pit got stuck. What do we do now?"

Someone nearby immediately suggested, "Quick, give her back blows to dislodge whatever's stuck!"

Another person chimed in, "If the obstruction is shallow, try reaching in with your hand and pressing it out!"

Monet's heart sank upon hearing this. If these people went about it recklessly, Nicole's situation could worsen. He rushed over and shouted, "Everyone, don't move! I can handle this."

Then, he addressed Nicole, "Mrs. Dodge, I apologize." After that, he gently pushed aside the girl supporting Nicole and embraced Nicole from behind. Unfortunately, his action was misunderstood, and Mr. Dodge angrily questioned, "Sir, what are you doing?"

Even Mann had a somewhat displeased expression as he said to Monet, "Tony, what are you doing?"

Monet shouted, "Sorry, Mr. Dodge. I'm trying to save her. Everyone, stay calm; she'll be alright in a moment!" With that, he held Nicole's waist in both hands, formed a fist with his left hand, placing the thumb side against Nicole's abdomen, and used his right hand to support the fist. He then began delivering quick upward thrusts to dislodge the obstruction in Nicole's abdomen.

Everyone was baffled by Monet's peculiar movements, but surprisingly, after only a few thrusts, Nicole suddenly let out a gasp and managed to spit out the date pit. She then let out a sigh of relief and collapsed softly into Monet's arms. Seeing this, Monet also breathed a sigh of relief and motioned for Mr. Dodge to take over Nicole's care, advising, "The date pit is out; Mrs. Dodge should be fine. Take her to rest for a while, and she'll recover."

Relieved that Nicole was okay, someone curiously asked Monet, "Mr. Monet, may I ask what method you used to help Miss Nicole expel the date pit?"