Trafford’s Trading Club

On the terrace, Luo Qiu, being accompanied by You Ye, had drunk half glass of beer. Sitting there for a while, he watched the cold lake water and clear and bright moon.

A slightly bitter taste was revolving in Luo Qiu’s mouth.

He looked at Allie, as if responding to her gaze, when she was dragged out by two policemen.

“Am I looking ugly now?”

Allie asked this mysterious young man again in a voice sounded by a burnt vocal cord, “Do I look ugly now?”

Luo Qiu thought for a moment and answered, “A few months ago, I have met someone even uglier…”

Boss Luo recalled the scene he met the butterfly monster for the first time, “Her skin is covered with pustules, and some were even broken. Trust me, that appearance is far more horrible-looking than yours—Of course in a human’s opinion.”

“Really?” Allie turned back and avoided looking at Luo Qiu.

She looked at the lake and quietly said, “I can’t imagine that, and I’m afraid if I think about it, it will appear in front of me… I don’t know which side is true. I saw myself in the mirror but I don’t know if the one in the mirror is my true self. However…”

After a moment’s silence, Allie whispered, “However, it’s really really ugly, beyond my imagination, it’s really…”

Allie headed down and looked at her inverted image on the lake, “It’s really ugly.”

“Can you describe it?” Luo Qiu stood up and walked to Allie, watching the inverted image with her.

Allie pointed at the eyes of the inverted image, “It’s my jealousy, you see, it broke away and became hideous. I know that Gloria is my good friend and would never try to take advantage of me but I cannot help being jealous of her.”

Alley then pointed at the horrible mouth, “This is my lie. You see, it is also broken, out of control. Obviously I don’t like Len but I never told him and have been enjoying his love and care toward me. I hated Gloria very much but always faked a smile while being with her.”

She drew a circle around the inverted image by her finger; and after a while, she whispered, “This is me…a jealous, dishonest… and real self.”

After that, Allie didn’t speak again.

Luo Qiu accompanied her, standing there for a long time.

Suddenly, Allie opened his mouth and said, “Can I request from you one last thing? I’ll pay whatever I have left.”

“Of course, we never refuse customers requests.” Luo Qiu smiled.

“I’m so terrible.” Allie smiled bitterly, the broken lips made the bitter smile look even scarier. “I hurt too many people, even myself… I couldn’t go back.” But at least …”

She stopped talking, a soft light revealed in her ferocious and broken eyes, “But at least, the little kid willing to share half of her heart can live on happily.”

“You consider yourself as her? Then I understand.” Luo Qiu gently nodded.

“Thank you.”

Allie turned around and looked at Luo Qiu, her broken eyes were recovering gradually.

When she smiled, it was as if her former appearance reappeared.

Allie closed her eyes and let her body fall freely into the lake, slowly sinking into the dark and bottomless lake.

The lake was still calm but showed a slight trace of pinkish light. After a flash, a lump of light rose up, and finally fell into Luo Qiu’s palm.

The little girl, Lena, was still holding her pillow, coming downstairs.

Her face was a bit pale, walked on the floor by little bare feet. Her pajamas looked even more wrinkled. She walked to Luo Qiu and You Ye, pitifully asking, “Big brother, big sister, my mother disappeared, and so did my father. Do you know where they are now?”

Luo Qiu collected the light ball, holding Lena’s palm, and saying softly, “Let me take you back to your mom.”

“Really?”

Luo Qiu didn’t answer. He just held Lena’s hand and went out.

…

…

A few kilometers away.

There was an ambulance stopped by the lake road, with a police car— plus three other common cars in front.

They bumped together, and flesh blood dripped all around. Several men from the ambulance were busy moving the bodies of two policemen out of the police car.

One of the medical staffs shook his head as looking at the two cops, “No breath, he’s dead.”

Later, they moved a girl wearing prison uniform out of a private car, making her lie low on the ground; and moved out bodies of a couple and a girl from another private car.

The doctor was doing first-aid for the girl with prison uniform and the family of three people.

“Doctor! This man’s heart stopped beating!” A nurse said reluctantly.

“Doctor! The girl’s heart stopped too!”

“I can sense this lady breathing!” The other nurse said urgently.

But the doctor didn’t look joyful, because this little life he was attempting to revive was still in danger… She was badly wounded!

“Don’t give up! Your family is still alive! Don’t give up!!”

The doctor shouted while doing CPR to the little girl. He pressed her chest while saying, “Listen, girl! Wake up! I know you’re strong enough! You need to go to school, making many friends, you still have a whole life, don’t stop here. Kid! Breathe, breathe, breathe, breathe…”

…

…

Arex closed his eyes, and showed an extremely enchanting expression next to the road.

Suddenly, a voice came from his back.

“Looks like Mr. Arex has finished eating the dinner, right?”

“Looks like Boss Luo Qiu also made a good business deal, right?”

When he turned back, he saw Luo Qiu.

Boss Luo held a little girl, but Luo Qiu didn’t focus on her; instead, he watched the scene of the incident. Arex smiled shyly.

He took off his hat and said in a humble tone, “Trust me, this is just an accident. Allie’s car and Mr. Marken’s car collided with each other at the fork of the road. And the police car didn’t escape from the accident either.”

Arex squinted his eyes, “But I called the ambulance at the first instance; however, as you see, these people are all gone.”

“That’s alright,” Luo Qiu said indifferently.

Luo Qiu bowed his head, and patted Lena’s shoulder, pointing to the front as whispering, “Go back, your mother is waiting for you.”

“Big Brother, where’s Mr. Monster?” Little Lena took two steps forward, and suddenly turned back and asked.

Luo Qiu whispered, “There’s no monster. Monsters are all things we imagine. Go back, or it will be too late.”

Little Lena nodded, and gradually walked close to herself.

…

…

“Breathe.. Breathe! Breathe! Breathe! Breathe… Breathe! Breathe! Oxygen! Nurse! Oxygen!!”

“It’s great! Great! We saved her!”

Looking at medical staffs cheering after rescuing a life, Arex put on his hat.

He looked at Luo Qiu, “Well, I have to leave, Boss Luo Qiu.”

He gradually went deep into the forest, the figure disappearing into the darkness.

He never stayed anywhere for long, but kept travelling while carrying his large luggage.

Luo Qiu watched Arex leave, shaking his head and murmuring, “You eat too much. Aren’t you afraid of being too full?”

…

…

But Arex couldn’t hear this sentence.

Because he was arriving at already miles away—he was in a good mood near the dark lake. After all, he got a good free meal on this business trip.

“The successor of the former boss is more interesting.” Arex smiled, but his smile stiffened soon.

Arex subconsciously covered his stomach, showing a hint of painful expression, getting down on one knee; he only recovered after a while.

He looked at the calm lake, smiling wryly, “It should be… more scary. How stingy… painful…”

The Yumekui… Mr. Arex suffered diarrhea.

…

…

“Master, the hot water for the bath is ready.”

The servant girl came from the darkness, but she found her master squatting by the roadside.

Luo Qiu picked up some newly-blooming flowers at the roadside. After he picked a lot, Luo Qiu stood up.

He held these flowers and went to the scene of the accident— coming to Allie, who lay quietly.

Her body was totally cold.

No breath, no life, she looked so calm, with a smile on her mouth. Luo Qiu gently folded Allie’s hands on her belly, and then put down the flowers in his hand.

“Actually, Miss Allie looks very nice.” You Ye said beside Boss Luo.

“Here’s a flower for you.”

Boss Luo was in a good mood, he gave the remaining flowers to the servant girl.

“I’ll find a place to arrange them.” She whispered.

“Go back, it’s dawn.”

…

…

During their childhood.

“This is the cookie my mother baked for me because I was well behaved. It’s tasty, do you want to have a taste?”

“Okay!”

“Then I give you half, but you should make friends with me, is it OK?”

“Yes, it’s OK!”

“But promise, if I have some problems, you must help me! Of course I’ll help you if so. Don’t hide it from each other! Because this is what a good friend should do! Would you like to be a good friend with me forever?”

“Ok, my name is Gloria, what about you?”

“Allie, my name is Allie.”