Trafford's Trading Club

The shop sign had disappeared.

When Old Feng came back to this old house, he didnʼt see the shop sign.

He used to be a tailor in his own house. Part of his living room would be used as a place to sew.

Plus there were many products placed there, so there weas not much space for him to rest.

Nevertheless, it was spacious enough for Old Feng and his daughter to play around.

Old Feng found the key at the gap of the iron door… when he touched it, he felt jubilant.

But it was soon watered down by melancholy.

The key and the lock hadnʼt been changed---but nobody was living there.

And nobody came to visit… not even Xiaman.

Old Feng sat on the old-fashioned sofa, looking around the house, and those clothes hanging on the coat hanger.

They looked like a thick growth of grass.

Old Feng suddenly laughed.

He thought of something that happened during Xiamanʼs childhood.

He was reminded that his daughter always hid behind those clothes. He didnʼt know when and where she would jump out and pounce on him.

The daughter would always sit on her fatherʼs shoulder, walking through every corner of this small house.

And there would be small scratches left at the corridor.

He left one scratch every half a year.

Old Feng squatted here and touched these scratches, which recorded the procedure of Xiamanʼs growth.

Old Feng didnʼt turn on the light all night.

He wondered why there was still electricity and water service provided after so many years. Murky water with the metallic taste of rust came out form the tap after he turned it on.

Old Feng didnʼt want others to know that he came back here…

When he came back, he met some old acquaintance nearby, but… they did not seem to recognize him. Maybe they didnʼt expect that Old Feng would show up in this place.

But it was good to be careful.

Old Feng decided to clean everything in the house.

He couldnʼt give up all his tools for tailoring.

Everything here was a record of his life and history.

Old Feng fell asleep after his hard work till midnight… This was the best sleep in the recent 10 years.

When the sun shone, Old Feng was reluctant to get up.

Even though he got used to being punctual.

He suddenly found it was almost 10 oʼclock in the morning.

It was terrible… but at this point, somebody knocked at the door.

It surprised him… whoʼs coming?

Nobody should know he came back.

Old Feng knew that he was set free because of that shop, but he didnʼt know about the matters in the prison.

Maybe the police officers came to catch him and send him back!

He was not sure if the shop could protect him throughout his remaining life. So, Old Feng grabbed a pair of scissors and got close to the door.

The knocking sound became louder with a man speaking, ”Excuse me, anyone here? Anyone here?”

Old Feng watched him through the peephole, ʼWhy is he here?ʼ

Old Feng didnʼt expect his daughterʼs fiancé to come here!

”Excuse me, anybody here?”

Old Feng gritted his teeth. He knew not making a sound was the right decision... but in the end, he couldnʼt remain silent.

He wanted to know this man… what kind of man did his daughter choose.

He was eager to know how he behaved.

”Whoʼs that?” Old Feng answered across the door.

He was aware that he might be in danger if he opened his mouth.

But his instinct as a father ordered him to do this.

”Good! Someoneʼs there!” Zhou Zihao smiled, ”I thought nobodyʼs living here, but there is!”

”Whatʼs the matter?”

Zhou Zihao said to this door, ”Are you the tailor here? I heard there is an experienced tailor living here. Iʼm getting married and am seeking for a good tailor to make a wedding dress for my fiancée!”

”How did you know about this place?”

”I got it on the Internet.” Zhou Zihao didnʼt hide it, ”Actually itʼs a remote place without a sign. If nobody mentioned it on Internet, I wouldnʼt know about this shop.”

On the Internet?

Weird… Old Feng frowned and sensed something.

However, he opened the door finally and watched the young man outside the door, saying indifferently, ”Come in and we can have a talk.”

”Fine!”

Zhou Zihao came in with a slight hint of expectation… he saw many different styles of Chinese clothes.

And an old sewing machine on the workbench, some rulers, needles and lines, scissors…

Zhou Zihao grew up in a foreign country, so he seldom saw these old kinds of stuff.

”Whatʼs your name?” Zhou Zihao asked with a polite tone.

”I…” Old Feng looked at Zhou Zihao as sitting down, ”Iʼm Mr. Zhou.”

He apologized in his heart and used the surname of one of his friends in jail.

”Hi, Mr. Zhou.” Zhou Zihao gaped, then smiled, ”I didnʼt expect our surnames are the same! Iʼm Zhou Zihao.”

”Zihao, Zihao, Zhou Zihao.” Old Feng repeated his name several times, and nodded, ”Well, itʼs a good name. And you look good.”

Zhou Zihao sensed his different gaze… he thought old tailors may be all weird.

”You want me to make a wedding dress for your fiancée, right?” Old Fend gazed at Zhou Zihao.

Zhou Zihao nodded, ”Yes! My fiancée likes Chinese-styled wedding dresses very much, but many other designers cannot give us a satisfactory style. So I think maybe some experienced tailors can make a nice and suitable one.”

”Why didnʼt you bring your fiancée here?”

Zhou Zihao said shyly, ”I wanted to give her a surprise; therefore, I came secretly. Iʼm afraid that sheʼll get mad.”

Old Fend looked at Zhou Zihao and nodded, ”Hum, youʼre good.”

Zhou Zihao seemed to find it a familiar gaze… just like the first time he met his fianceeʼs parents.

”By the way… do you have some clothing pictures?”

Zhou Zihao explained, ”I want to take some back to my fiancée, and ask if she likes some of them… Do you have some?”

”Wait for me here.” Old Fend nodded, walking to the workbench.

He didnʼt take out the old pictures; instead, he sat down, and draw something on the paper.

Soon after, Old Feng took them to Zhou Zihao, ”Itʼs like this, take it back to your fiancée. If she likes, then you can come back to me.”

”Good idea.” Zhou Zihao glanced at it, but didnʼt find it to be any special… or maybe he just didnʼt know about design.

”However, I have a requirement.” Old Feng said slowly, ”You have to come here by yourself, if you want me to make the dress, and donʼt tell my address to any others.”

”…” Zhou Zihao gaped, ”Sir, but you cannot make sure my fiancée will like this.”

Old Feng deeply looked at Zhou Zihao, ”She will.”

”Let her see it first.” Zhou Zihao didnʼt agree with him for now.

While Old Feng said, ”Remember, come to me alone and donʼt tell anyone else. Or, you will no longer find me.”

Zhou Zihao didnʼt mention his words.

ʼOld tailors are so eccentric.ʼ

…

…

When it came to September, this city turned sunny.

Those rainy and typhoon days had gone.

It was a good weather for those freshmen in university.

A girl came out of the station with a large bag. She saw many young people standing there, they might be seniors that were helping new students.

But she didnʼt go ask them; rather, she walked to the third exit and stood there, waiting for someone.

She looked around, and gaze focused on one guy. Her lips moved slightly, showing a surprising look.

It was not the person she had made an appointment with; it was an acquaintance that was unexpected.

He was a young customer that came to her holiday house for summer vacation.

At the third exit, Lui Yiyun saw Luo Qiu.

She suddenly thought of the blue star flower he sent her.