Jason frowned at the sight of the notes, all with identical handwriting.
But as the aroma of pastries wafted up from downstairs, Jason’s frown instantly relaxed.
He stuffed the notes back into the paper bag, pulled open a drawer, and tossed it in.
As long as the female pastry chef did not have the scent of ‘food’ on her, she could be trusted.
Most people, sotis, really are strange.
One you’ve spent a considerable amount of ti with, another you’ve never t.
But just let the latter say a few bad words about the forr, and the person involved will imdiately lose judgnt, becoming cautious and wary of the forr, never considering the true nature of their ti together.
Jason wasn’t that kind of person.
He believed more in what he saw, heard, touched, and perceived.
Not so mysterious ‘information’.
And also…
The pastries slled so good!
Slling the scent of the pastries, Jason quickened his cleanup pace.
After laying out the ‘bed’ as he had imagined, Jason headed straight downstairs.
“If you need to wash your hands, use the sink in the hallway; the one inside the store isn’t for handwashing,”
the female pastry chef said, busy with her work, upon hearing the sound of Jason coming downstairs.
“Hmm,”
Jason grunted in response and walked towards the sink in the hallway.
He had no resentnt toward the practice of not washing hands inside the pastry chef’s store.
On the contrary, he appreciated this attitude,
It was respect for the food.
As Jason ca out drying his hands, the aroma of the pastries beca even more pronounced.
The scent of milk and sweetness was infused with a hint of walnut.
“Walnut cake?”
Jason guessed.
“Right, along with my special custard tarts…”
the female pastry chef replied, and then she suddenly realized that Jason’s attention wasn’t on that anymore.
The sowhat astounded pastry chef turned her head to find Jason looking out the door.
“Jason?”
the pastry chef asked tentatively.
“It’s nothing.”
“There’s a visitor.”
Jason waved his hand and smiled.
Smile?!
The pastry chef stared blankly at Jason’s smile.
It was the first ti she had genuinely seen Jason smile.
It wasn’t a re courtesy smile.
But one of heartfelt joy.
What had happened?
The pastry chef was puzzled, but not neglecting her duties, she stayed in front of the oven while watching Jason leave the shop.
There weren’t many things that could make Jason happy,
but ‘food’ was definitely one of them.
Just now, within the pastry-scented shop, he had slled a faint aroma of ‘food’.
And it was coming straight in this direction, getting closer.
He didn’t know the intentions of this ‘food’ yet,
but that didn’t stop Jason from going out to investigate.
As he stepped outside,
Jason watched the approaching figure, frowning again.
He could clearly sll that the ‘food’s’ scent was fading away, dissipating.
It wasn’t ‘food’!
But rather soone who had been in contact with ‘food’!
Jason eyed the person who was getting closer.
dium build.
Ordinary face.
The clothes looked expensive.
The way he walked, with even steps and eyes straight ahead, indicated a clear purpose.
His right hand subconsciously moved closer to his waist, where there was likely a weapon.
As Jason sized up the man, the man also caught sight of Jason.
The man first looked surprised, then offered a smile.
With that smile, his ordinary features suddenly took on a friendly countenance.
“Sure enough, Mr. Jason,”
“Your perception is as sharp as the rumors say.”
“I’m Griffin, a humble persuader,”
the man complinted Jason as he introduced himself.
Persuader?
Jason sized up the man once again.
He never thought he would co into contact with such a person.
Suddenly, Jason’s heart skipped a beat.
He thought of a possibility.
Then, as he looked at the man who claid to be a persuader once more, his gaze beca sharp.
Griffin, on the receiving end of the stare, waved his hands repeatedly.
“Mr. Jason, please don’t misunderstand,”
“I have no ill intentions, I’m just a humble persuader, I only bring my client’s thoughts, and my job is to, as much as possible, persuade you.”
“If successful, I’ll receive a handso reward.”
“If I fail, it’s no loss to , after all…”
“Being able to take on this task is already doing a favor for my employer. Mr. Jason, you should know, sotis, people like have no choice.”
Griffin shrugged his shoulders with a look of helplessness.
Jason didn’t say a word, just stared at him.
This made the man who claid to be a persuader sowhat uncomfortable; he always felt like Jason’s gaze was odd, as if looking at a dish.
“How about we talk in detail sowhere else?”
the other party suggested.
“Right here is fine,”
Jason insisted.
“With your intelligence, you surely know what I’ve co for.”
“Yes, it’s about the missing won.”
“I don’t know what my employer has done, I’m just responsible for persuading you to stop pursuing it.”
“For this, my employer is willing to give you $2,000 as paynt.”
As he said this, the man who claid to be a persuader paused for a mont, displaying an even more amicable smile, and whispered, “Of course, if you agree, it’s also my success, and I’ll share thirty percent of my reward with you, and promise one free help, so you won’t have worked for nothing.”
The man who claid to be a persuader didn’t stop speaking.
After providing ample benefits, he continued,
“I can’t reveal my employer’s identity.”
“But he is soone important.”
“In fact, Mr. Jason, with your smarts should understand, being able to keep things quiet with the diligent Edward investigating for so long, it ans sothing.”
“I hope you won’t…”
Before he could finish, the man who claid to be a persuader stopped.
Offering benefits as a bargaining chip, then following with threats, has always been the persuader’s surefire strategy.
Griffin was no exception.
The only difference was that he expanded the range of the tempting chip.
Offering the persuaded more.
That was one of the secrets to Griffin’s success.
Another secret was: thoroughly investigating the target of persuasion.
Just like this ti, he had done his howork well before coming.
Jason, a veteran of the battlefield, had to leave the military due to post-traumatic stress disorder.
He had stayed at a veterans’ hospital for treatnt.
But it was ineffective.
Then, he sought treatnt from the highly acclaid Dr. Hannibal.
Unfortunately, he had to leave before the treatnt was truly complete, due to lack of money.
And subsequently beca holess.
This ti, he was involved in a special incident by chance.
So, to persuade him, money was all that was needed!
As for the accidental involvent in special events?
That was just a coincidence.
There surely wouldn’t be much emotion involved.
At worst, just offer more money.
Griffin had seen such people more than once.
Therefore, he was very confident.
He could already picture Jason nodding in agreent.
In fact, the next mont, he saw Jason nodding.
Not only nodding, his nostrils flared slightly, and he even said a strange phrase,
“Tastes good.”
Tastes good?
Griffin was puzzled, but that didn’t stop him from praising the completion of the task; after all, complints were free, and it didn’t matter if he gave a few more.
“You see, I told you, you’re a smart man, here’s to a fruitful partnership—”
Bang!
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