Trafford's Trading Club

Clouds had stayed a whole day in the sky, and it had started raining since 9 oʼclock in the evening.

A moderate rain.

Luo Qiu opened the door of the club. When it rained, there were very few pedestrians on the road and it would naturally become deserted. This was a good time to look at the city.

And it was a convenient time for him to go home.

He planned to walk home due to the moderate rain---but Boss Luo soon perished the thought.

A 17-year-old boy was standing outside the club, in the rain.

The rain washed away the noise of the street, but couldnʼt wipe the smell of a black soul on that boy. Luo Qiu could clearly distinguish the origin of the smell.

He knew that it was from Black Soul No.18.

ʼSuch a hard-working envoy.ʼ Luo Qiu thought.

Luo Qiu stepped back into the club hall, because he realized the boy would come in… after seeing the club gate.

”Prepare a cup of ginger tea.”

Luo Qiu ordered Miss Maid gently.

…

”... when I was in class that day, I wrote some words on an eraser and intended to pass it on to her, but I accidentally dropped it on the ground. The teacher carelessly stepped on it with her high-heeled shoes and almost fell. Both she and I knew what was going on and laughed in secret.”

He was telling his story with the girl, like it happened yesterday.

Ding Dongsheng and Qiao Rongrong.

A cup of hot ginger tea did not seem to disperse the coldness of the rain but the memory could bring him warmth.

Luo Qiu was used to listening to othersʼ stories.

He even forgot about the time for going home, as the guest needed a good audience.

Every single trifle could give Ding Dongsheng an aftertaste… Only until he finished pouring out all his memories, did he fall into silence.

”Anymore?” Ding Dongsheng grasped his hair and closed eyes tightly, ”There should be… let me think, there really should be!”

Snap.

His hands slammed on the table at the same time, and look turned bleak and desolate. ”There should be lots of memories! We should have had a lot of memories! It was all that manʼs fault! Rongrong left me and the world because of his appearance! I want this man to feel the consequences of his evil! He needs to pay for what he has done! I donʼt want him to live well!!”

He gazed at the club boss.

Ding Dongsheng wasnʼt afraid of anything… He wouldnʼt be afraid because hatred clouded his eyes and anger hid his sensibility.

”You know you cannot change your decision after it has been spoken,” Luo Qiu said indifferently, ”So you must think about it thoroughly before raising your request.”

”Do you think its necessary?” Ding Dongsheng asked back.

Luo Qiu said after a moment of silence, ”As far as I know, the police in this city have already begun to investigate the cram school. Xu Zhao, who you hate, eventually will not be able to escape from the law. In other words, the punishment you want will happen sooner or later. Customer, are you sure you want to make such a request?”

”I canʼt wait.” Ding Dongsheng said in a low voice, ”Do you know how much time the police need to investigate? One month? Two months? Or half a year? But I canʼt wait for even one day!! I cannot do anything to him! Furthermore, even if heʼs caught, the punishment will just be staying in jail! But my Rongrong is gone! I canʼt forgive him at all!”

Luo Qiu looked directly at this Ding Dongshengʼs eyes. He seemed to be seen through but didnʼt avoid the gaze.

”I understand.” Luo Qiu nodded, ”But Customer, what will you pay for it?”

Ding Dongsheng deeply breathed, and fished out a box from his clothes.

It was a palm-sized box.

At the moment the box opened, a sheet of bronze was presented in front of Luo Qiu, Ding Dongsheng said, ”This is something passed down from my family and is very valuable! Is it enough?”

The words on it looked gloomy---Luo Qiu hadnʼt received such a treasure as the transaction fee for a long time.

His palm stroke through the sheet bronze, and nodded, ”Yes, tell me your request, and I will evaluate if itʼs beyond the price of this piece of bronze.”

Ding Dongsheng blurted out with no thought, ”I want Xu Zhaoʼs name to be utterly discredited, and wish to die!”

”Deal.”

…

Ding Dongsheng ran wildly on the street in the rain. He showed an unusual smile… excited and as if he saw hope.

Very pathetic.

”Master is not interested in it?” You Ye asked while cleaning up the tea set. She didnʼt see a smile from Luo Qiu after he took off his mask.

”Itʼs not that. I used to be interested in antiques,” Luo Qiu said softly.

But he shook his head later, ”That piece of bronze is interesting. But whatʼs more, that treasure is used for such a purpose by the descendant.”

Luo Qiu played around with the clown mask, ”It makes me recall a piece of news before. An ordinary familyʼs child used up all his grandmotherʼs annuity and even went to rob.”

The servant girl said, ”Master, do you mean ʼbeauties beget disastersʼ?”

Luo Qiu just smiled.

He opened his hands and the account book in the first floor of the basement appeared directly in his hands. The pages turned automatically.

He was reading some information about the potential customer Black Soul No. 18 chose.

”It seems that Mrs. Witch attracts potential customers here with hatred.”

Several minutes later, Luo Qiu sent the account book back.

”Black Souls No.18 is pretty good in this respect.” You Ye nodded. ”All along, Black Soul No.18ʼs customers are steadily in the top 3 of all envoysʼ. Hatred is indeed a good thing to stimulate the desire of potential customers.”

”Iʼve noticed of that.”

Luo Qiu smiled---Black Soul No. 18 found another potential customer after a few days he met her.

He didnʼt even need to attract Ding Dongsheng by sending out black cards.

”You Ye will analyze all the information about Xu Zhao before Master wakes up tomorrow,” the servant girl said.

What she could do didnʼt need to be done through the altar--- The new boss differed from the old boss in his operating procedures.

The former one was so busy that he had to resort to the altar in getting intelligence.

As for the new boss… he had lots of spare time.

”No.” Luo Qiu waved his hand, ”Let him do it.”

With his words, Luo Qiu snapped his fingers, then a figure showed up from the ceiling---Tai Yinzi, who had been hung on the ceiling--- from the day Luo Qiu came back from Russia, till today.

After the customer left, he shouldnʼt be hidden any longer… Luo Qiu obviously wouldnʼt treat it as if Tai Yinzi had some peculiar hobby.

The black rope was broken, and Tai Yinzi knelt down to appreciate his masterʼs kindness--- it was the way for an ancient person to thank somebody.

”Tai Yinzi, the police is starting to investigate the incident of the cram school, but there is no substantial progress. Go help them.” Luo Qiu said, ”Since the customer requests speed, then let us have Xu Zhao be utterly discredited!”

”Master! Old Taoist wonʼt let you down!!”

Tai Yinzi made up his mind not to screw it up… ʼWho knows how long I will be hung next time?ʼ

…

In the rain, Ding Dongsheng stopped, hiding under the roof and weeping secretly.

On the other side, Shen Meihuan and her son were watching TV in the apartment they rented.

He wore a gauze mask and a hat, following them to the block of flat, watching their apartment under the building.

…

Luo Qiu opened an umbrella and walked in the rain.

After midnight, it turned into a rainstorm.

A pouring rain.