"I can't afford it? I can't afford it? You actually said I can't afford it? Who do you take me for?"

The old man clearly hadn't suffered such humiliation before.

He kept mumbling under his breath.

He asked, "Tell me, how much?"

"Fifteen thousand!"

Dirk Carter sneered as he spoke.

Hearing this price,

the old man was indeed a little surprised.

However, he gritted his teeth and said disdainfully, "It's just fifteen thousand. I didn't bring that much cash with me, come back with me to get it."

"Tch, if you can't afford it, just say so, why pretend? Apologize to me, and I'll give you a discount."

Dirk Carter said disdainfully.

The old man was angered once again.

Pointing at himself, he retorted, "I can't afford it? What a joke, it's just fifteen thousand, I'll pay it, come with me!"

After saying that,

he didn't even bother about his fishing gear.

He grabbed Dirk Carter's hand and headed towards the apartment building.

Five minutes later,

the old man pushed open the door of a single apartment.

Hurriedly, he went into the bedroom, opened a safe, and started counting a wad of cash.

Dirk Carter was initially waiting outside.

Upon hearing the sound of the safe being opened,

he quickly followed in.

As soon as the old man heard his footsteps coming in, he quickly stood up to block him.

But it was already too late.

Dirk Carter took a magazine from the safe, flipped through a couple of pages, and started reading with great interest.

"Why are you touching my things? Don't you have any basic manners?"

The old man scolded, trying to snatch the magazine back from Dirk Carter's hands.

Unfortunately, Dirk Carter was taller and easily dodged.

"Old man, didn't expect you to have this kind of hobby, I saw quite a few magazines just now."

Dirk Carter flashed the magazine in his hand.

The opened pages revealed a few women in scantily clad poses, flipping another page, even more direct, with a line of bikini beauties where the cloth barely covered more than a mask.

The old man was thoroughly flustered.

His face flushed as he said, "You young people are so disrespectful, can you just walk into someone else's bedroom, open their safe and take what's inside? I'm going to call the police right now and have you arrested."

"Go ahead and call the police, when the police arrive, let everyone see what the esteemed old professor and former principal of Ardmore University hides in his safe. After all, it's not me who'll be embarrassed."

Dirk Carter sat down directly on the bed, crossing his legs, speaking leisurely.

"You…"

The old man was suddenly at a loss for words.

He had been in a momentary rage, his mind unclear, but now as he slowly regained his faculties, he seemed to sense something unusual.

He paused, asking, "What do you actually want?"

"Nothing much, just prepared some gifts for Professor Bates."

Dirk Carter said.

The old man frowned.

He asked, "You know me?"

"Of course, who doesn't know the prestigious literary figure, Chester Bates?"

At this point, Dirk Carter was nearly laughing out loud.

But he tried his best to hold back, keeping a serious face.

On the contrary, Chester Bates's face looked very unpleasant.

He asked, "What kind of gift are you talking about?"

Dirk Carter held up a hand, signaling to wait, then took out his phone, dialed a number, said, "Come in," and then hung up.

About a minute later,

Zach Griffin came in holding a large cardboard box.

After putting it down, he turned and left.

Dirk Carter pointed to the box,

and said, "Mr. Bates, you'll surely like what's inside."

Chester Bates opened the cardboard box hesitantly, and in front of him was a whole stack of magazines, each with a cover featuring scantily clad young women.

With a clang,

Chester Bates quickly closed the box in fright.

His old face was shining bright red.

"Mr. Bates, those magazines you read are quite inferior compared to these, and considering your status, obtaining these kinds of magazines can't be easy, right? No worries, from now on, every month I'll arrange for a box to be delivered to you, you can look at them freely, guaranteed never out of stock."

"Take it away, I don't care for it!"

Chester Bates said sternly.

Seeing his resolve,

Dirk Carter stretched and said, "Alright, since Mr. Bates doesn't like it, I'll take it away and not bother you."

After saying this,

he crouched down, just about to lift the box.

Chester Bates got anxious.

With a sigh, he said, "If I take it without reason, it's not like it matters, but I firmly can't help you with anything against my principles."

This remark brought joy to Dirk Carter's heart.

He sat up straight, saying, "Don't worry, Mr. Bates, it's simple. Mr. Bates, just one phone call will resolve it."

After saying that,

he leaned toward Mr. Bates's ear and whispered something.

Chester Bates let out a long breath, saying, "I thought it was something big, this is straightforward, I'll help you handle it. You're sent by Donal Lewis?"

"No! I'm doing this for myself!"

Dirk Carter said.

To this direct response, Chester Bates hesitated for a moment, asking, "Oh? Then how did you know about my fondness for this? Even the nurse who attends to me every day didn't notice, how did you discover it?"

Dirk Carter chuckled, saying, "Mr. Bates, between people, there must always be some secrets, but rest assured, I understand the saying 'a man remains a rascal till death, unless he's in a coffin, he won't stop thinking about women', it's a secret between us, I guarantee no one else will know."

Dirk Carter's words went straight to Chester Bates's heart.

He patted Dirk Carter on the shoulder.

Saying, "You're quite an understanding young man."

Dirk Carter smiled slightly, saying, "Mr. Bates, then I won't disturb your appreciation of beauties, this is my phone number, if you need anything, feel free to call me."

"Alright, alright, you're busy, you go ahead and be busy!"

Finished speaking,

Chester Bates drew the curtains of the room.

Took out a magazine, and immersed himself in it.

At the entrance,

Zach Griffin saw Dirk Carter coming out and quickly approached.

Somewhat worried he asked, "Boss, is Mr. Bates settled?"

"Settled."

Dirk Carter said.

Zach Griffin opened his mouth wide, with a look of disbelief, saying, "Settled? How's that possible? I heard Mr. Bates is extremely stubborn, doesn't take well to anyone, even provincial and municipal leaders get shown the door when they visit, how did you manage to settle him in less than an hour?"

"People, as long as they're alive, have weaknesses, you just need to find the right weakness and then nothing's unconquerable."

Dirk Carter said.

Zach Griffin nodded, asked, "And Mr. Bates's weakness is what's in that box? I'm curious, what on earth is in that box?"

Dirk Carter patted him on the shoulder, saying, "Temptation!"

After saying this word, he opened the car door and got in.

Zach Griffin wasn't wrong.

Chester Bates was indeed a rather difficult figure.

He retired from the position of principal at Ardmore University, and since he was originally from Stillwater County, having lost his spouse early and without offspring, he requested to live in the Stillwater County retired cadres' cadre rest home.

As mentioned before,

Chester Bates is a literary giant, over the years, many of his literary works have won awards, and he holds significant influence in the literary world, enjoying high esteem in Ardmore City.

Besides this, Ardmore University, being one of the top provincial universities, has cultivated countless prominent figures in politics, even reaching national leadership levels.

Numerous provincial and municipal leaders wish to curry favor with him in hopes of climbing to higher positions.

But he has a nasty temper.

Anyone visiting him finds even seeing him quite difficult, let alone bringing gifts.

From Dylan Tate's notes, Dirk Carter learned his little-known secrets and thus devised a fishing scheme.

Since humility didn't work, he decided to take a hard line, and it really had a different effect.

The reason for seeking out Chester Bates is simple.

Because Augustus Hendrix will definitely listen to Chester Bates.

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