Trafford's Trading Club

Ding Dongsheng felt upset just like the dark, cloudy sky suggested.

He sighed and fell into a trance while sitting on the stairs behind the classroom. Of course, he was not alone here.

As this was a popular place among students where they could avoid the surveillance of teachers.

Another two boys were smoking and gossiping after sneaking out of class during school time.

One of them was stunned for a moment when he saw Ding Dongsheng sitting downstairs.

”Do you know him?” the other one asked.

”Top in class,” he said with a shrug.

”A good boy should be in class, right?” the other one said derisively.

”Maybe he is in a low mood. Because a girl, who committed suicided last month was a good friend of his.”

”Oh, death of a girlfriend?”

”No wonder he is so sad. I saw the news on TV. It reported that another boy jumped from a building several days ago. His school was very near from ours.”

”Stop. Maybe we should think about where we are going after class?” The boy skipped the topic.

Ding Dongsheng left when the boys were in discussion.

He believed that Rongrong was threatened by somebody. No one knew whether he said to himself or to the boys.

…

…

He came to the back of the library instead of going to the classroom as he just wanted to find a place without disturbance.

He stopped after a trot, and then hit the tree trunk along the road.

As a senior student, Ding Dongsheng had begun class one month after summer vacation.

But only a month passed by, nobody else remembered Qiao Rongrong except him in the whole class.

He remembered everything about the girl.

”We should have been preparing for college together, but you…”

”But why did you leave me?” Ding Dongsheng looked at the dark, rainy day with his whole body leaning against the tree.

They fell in love with each other gradually when they learned, discussed and even argued.

But things changed. He wasnʼt even aware when she became indifferent and alienated to him.

ʼBecause of that man?ʼ

Ding Dongsheng had more than once saw her coming out from a manʼs car near her house.

”I donʼt want to go to college now. Forget me, we are from different worlds.”

Rongrong left the last words to him since summer holiday began. He felt that he lost everything and buried himself at home for one week. Unexpectedly, that was their last meeting.

She committed suicide later.

He would never forget Xu Zhao, the man who changed Qiao Rongrong. The police told him that Rongrong fell down from the building herself. But he was reluctant to accept it.

ʼXu Zhao was a key person in Rongrongʼs death.ʼ

”Will you get revenge?”

A husky, sharp voice was saying to him. It was more like the voice from his deep heart.

Unbeknownst to him, something inky in his shadow was moving out and changing into another indistinct reflection.

That was the voice of Black Soul No.18.

…

…

”Why canʼt I hear such voices in the washroom?”

Ren Ziling was staring at Lizi despondently. Lizi was really a lucky dog. No wonder for someone who rarely played cards, she was always the final winner.

”Sister Ren, can you stop looking at me?” Lizi said.

Ren Ziling shrugged her shoulders. They were at a cafe near the cram school after class.

”According to what you said, Xu Zhao is a womanizer. Did the girls mention anything about the dead?” said by Ren Ziling.

Lizi nodded and said, ”It sounded like they had accomplished something together. And judging from their conversation, maybe more students are involved in. What would it be?”

”Well…” Ren Ziling thought for a moment and then said, ”Excellent. Lizi, you have helped me out this time. I need to inform Ma Houde as there might be dangerous deals behind it. The police can follow the clues and finally catch the culprit.”

”Sister Ren, itʼs not like you. You would have tried to dig out the truth yourself if this happened before.”

Ren Ziling took a drag on her cigarette and said, ”Things have changed. Our duty is to expose the truth. But the further investigation should be done by the police. ”

Lizi wouldnʼt believe her excuse. She winked and pressed, ” Because of Luo Qiu?”

Ren Ziling took it for granted and said, ”As a part of a family, we shouldnʼt bring danger to ourselves for both us and our families.”

Although Luo Qiu told her that she could do anything she likes without scruples, but she couldnʼt.

It was so important that someone in your family could welcome you back with open arms.

In this case, she was satisfied that she could still help by conducting some investigations. She didnʼt forget her initial determination to take a back seat.

”Families…” Lizi put one spoon of ice cream into her mouth. Families? What would a family be?

Of course, she didnʼt know.

Lizi didnʼt have a family since she was conscious.

”Eh? Is that Xu Zhao?” Ren Ziling looked at the man behind Liziʼs back.

Lizi turned her head at Xu Zhao.

The man was walking out from the cafe with a woman in his arms. If not mistaken, the woman was also a staff of this cram school.

Ren Ziling said disdainfully, ”This guys taste is really wide. From students to married women. I remember this woman has a husband.”

”Not surprisingly, he is a philander.”

Suddenly, the two of them stopped their discussion due to shock. This was because a man with a hat and a mask had rushed toward Xu Zhao.

Xu Zhao was knocked on the ground before he realized it.

”Whatʼs wrong with you!” Xu Zhao was purple with anger.

The man who hit him was carrying a knife in his hands. And the knife now was by Xu Zhaoʼs cheek!

”Calm down, bro.” Xu Zhao was shivering. His anger vanished

The woman with him also screamed!

The guests who were sitting in the open area of the cafe stood up in a panic. Some of them were busy taking pictures, some thought this was a scene for a movie, and some were even going to call the police. However, no one was going to help Xu Zhao.

”Scumbag! Why did you kill Rongrong?” The man shouted.

”Who is Rongrong? I really donʼt know whom you are talking about. Dude, are you serious?”

”Qiao Rongrong, donʼt you remember?” his voice roared and sounded repressive.

”I do, I know her! But I didnʼt murder her. The police have confirmed that she committed suicide.” Xu Zhao was frightened with cold sweat.

”Shut up!” The man got more frantic. ”You dated her every day. How could you have another relationship with this woman so soon!”

”Oh, take it easy! Her death has nothing to do with me. She was willing to date me.”

”What did you do to her?!”The masked man pulled up the knife as if he wanted to kill Xu Zhao directly.

”Wait, let me tell you.” Xu Zhao shouted.

The masked man was stunned and stopped his actions. But right then, Xu Zhao grabbed the knife from the manʼs hands quickly and punched his face as fast as he could.

Xu Zhaoʼs strike made the masked manʼs dizzy. At the same time, Xu Zhao subdued the masked man and pinned him to the ground.

The situation was reversed now.

”Little boy!” Xu Zhao spat at the man and pinned him, so that he was unable to move. Xu Zhao looked down at him and said, ”You dare touch me? Xiaomei, call the police, right now!”

He said to the woman who screamed.

The masked man was struggling frantically but it was to no avail as he was so thin and could not disengage himself from Xu Zhao.

”I have told you, Rongrongʼs death had nothing to do with me at all!” Xu Zhao sneered and said to the masked man, ”But I know her better than you. Are you her boyfriend, or unrequited love? You didnʼt touch her, did you? She was a really skittish and avaricious b*tch!”

”Release me!!!”The masked man struck his limbs like a wild animal. ”Itʼs you! It must be you! You seduced her, you changed her!! Itʼs you!!!”

”The cops are coming! I donʼt want to talk to you any more! But Iʼll see who you are! Iʼll remember you and I wonʼt forgive you! You best be careful!”

A cup hit Xu Zhaoʼs back ruthlessly just as he was trying to tear off the manʼs mask.

He screamed… the cup was just like a stone.

”Bastard, who attacked me! ” Xu Zhao looked around angrily. In the meanwhile, the masked man had broken away.

The masked man didnʼt look back, and then rushed out of the crowd.

Xu Zhao was livid with rage. It was not realistic for him to chase the masked man at this point, not to mention finding out the one who attacked him as there were too many people watching here!

…

…

”Oh my God, the masked man was really brave!”

”So were you, Sister Ren. Well shot. It was very cool of you to throw that cup towards Xu Zhao.”

They immediately followed up the masked man when he was escaping from the crowd. Unexpectedly, the masked man got on a cab on the road and left.

”I donʼt think we can catch up with him today. Sister Ren, where is your car?” Lizi seemed pretty disappointed.

”Donʼt mention it!” Ren Ziling shook her head. ”I thought we could get some information from this masked man... I remembered Qiao Rongrong, who is one of the dead students. But who is this masked boy?”

The two women discussed fruitlessly and left with questions.

…

…

ʼAlmost... almost got him...ʼ

Ding Dongsheng regretted his hesitation at that time, and the words ʼIf I had not hesitatedʼ kept repeating in his mind.

He walked down the street after throwing the hat and mask in a nearby trash can.

Ding Dongsheng clenched his fists without noticing that his knuckles had gone totally white.

Xu Zhaoʼs words constantly occurred in his mind. Thinking of that, he felt even worse. He didnʼt want to believe any of Xu Zhaoʼs words.

It was really ridiculous and total b*llshit!

ʼIt was his temptation that changed Rongrong... It must be... He abandoned Rongrong and then Rongrong killed herself. It must be like this...ʼ

ʼXu Zhao! I will never forgive you...Iʼm not going to give up!ʼ

”But what can you do? After all, you didnʼt succeed. You can do nothing.”

The shrill voice began to ring around his ear. He subconsciously looked at the glass of the shopʼs cabinet with his reflection on it.

He seemed to see his reflection was sneering as well as looking at himself disdainfully.

”Youʼre just a student. You canʼt do anything. Xu Zhao is an adult in society. He knows people from all walks. In addition, you have no evidence, so it is not impossible to get revenge... You are a useless man.”

”I am not!!!”

Ding Dongsheng began to growl at his reflection, ”I am not! I am not! I am not!!”

He even went crazy to beat… his own reflection in the glass of the cabinet.

”Iʼm not...”

”Do you want protection? I know a place that can help you. However, you need to pay for it...”