Trafford's Trading Club

There were 2 golden stamps on the black card---usually there were 3 or 4.

Each stamp represented a discount for the transaction fee. For example, if there were 3 stamps, it meant the first gave a 30% discount, the second gave 20%, and the third gave 10% off the total amount.

He remembered the first time Jin Zifu came, there was only one stamp left on his black card, which was frankly quite useless. The one Luo Qiu gave Cao Ziqian was a new card with all the stamps.

As for a black card with 4 stamps---it gave a 40% discount.

How interesting…this was the card Luo Qiu saw in Gu Yue Zhai.

But it didnʼt matter who kept the black card, the important thing was the card holder had arrived.

Zhong Luochen and Luo Qiu sat down on both sides of the table, while You Ye served some scented tea. However, Zhong Luochen was not in the mood to enjoy it.

It would eventually get cold and evaporated.

”Mr. Zhong, do you know the rules here?” Luo Qiu asked--- if this card was what he got from Gu Yue Zhai, then itʼd be hard to speculate how familiar he had known about the club.

Sometimes it was necessary to inform the customers how the transaction process takes place.

”Go ahead please.” Zhong Luochen collected himself, and gazed at Luo Qiu calmly---he was polite and open-minded, ready to confront the unknown.

Luo Qiu said, ”The card holders are considered members of the club. There are two stamps on your card, which means you can enjoy discounts in two transactions.”

Zhong Luochen nodded, and recalled Mrs. Zhang’s hesitation when he took out the jade lock. It must have been because she knew it was an extraordinary card.

”Then…”

”You’ll have 20% discount this time on the deal, and 10% for the next time,” Luo Qiu calmly said. ”Someone has used it once for a 30% discount before…”

Zhong Luochen nodded again, ”Mr. Clown, I understand…but I just want to confirm something. Is it true that this place can offer anything I want to buy?”

Luo Qiu answered, ”Of course…not. Say you want to buy a weapon of mass destruction to annihilate the world. If you destroy of the world, the club will be closed.”

Zhong Luochen agreed with him and nodded.

Whereas Luo Qiu stated further, ”Besides, you can’t afford the tremendous transaction fee needed to destroy the world…even with a discount. Anyway, let’s talk about what you want.”

Zhong Luochen couldnʼt help being flustered... Was this a joke or something else?

He was like a con artist, ”You can get anything. Wealth, fame, woman or power, if you can afford it.”

”I want to increase a person’s lifespan!” Zhong Luochen deeply breathed, then said heavily.

After that, he just stared at Luo Qiu anxiously. Although Luo Qiu wore a clown mask, he still hoped to catch some sign of his intention from his gesture language.

However, he couldnʼt find anything at all.

Facing the clown’s stare, Zhong Luochen waited until he broke into a cold sweat. Only then did the boss speak, ”No problem. Who is it? And what’s your transaction fee? By the way, we don’t accept any currency.”

”My grandfather,” Zhong Luochen said in a low voice, ”His illness is too serious to be cured by any of the famous doctors. I want to help him and relieve his pain.”

Luo Qiu said, ”I don’t care what the disease your grandfather has, but how many years would you like to buy? One year? Five years or ten years?”

Zhong Luochen looked at Luoqiu, ”How much is the maximum?”

Luo Qiu said, ”It depends on how much you can afford, and how much you value your grandfather.”

”Ten years…no…” Zhong Luochen hesitated for a second, ”Five years, only five years! The price…I don’t know how to measure it. Can you tell me that? but I know the unbeknown trade here should be freewill, so I believe that you wonʼt mislead.”

ʼBut I can guide you to the way...ʼ

Luo Qiu paused, which made Zhong Luochen even more uncomfortable. He sipped the tea, trying to cover up his uneasiness.

”Do you choose to spend 3 hours of your lifespan in exchange for information on Zhong Luochen’s grandfather?”

”…Yes.”

Altough Luo Qiu seem to fell silent, he was actually communicating with the altar---as You Ye said, he would get stronger abilities after completing the first transaction.

Such as now, he could communicate with the altar by his thought, and exchange his own lifespan for getting the intelligence he wanted. the altar could let Luo Qiu keep increasing his lifespan, but it seemed to exploit it at the same time.

Because he still held the 70-day-lifespan worth of white jade token, Luo Qiu directly chose to purchase the information... for the sake of up-front investment.

But he still felt sort of heartache because of the 6 hoursʼ reduction of his life...

...

Only after Zhong Luochen had drunk half pot of tea did Luo Qiu say slowly, ”Sir, you should realize that your grandfather affects the destinies of many people. Some of them will be able to live in comfort, while other families may be broken by him… No matter you or his other people, relatives or enemies, the increase of your grandfatherʼs lifespan would help countless persons have enough to eat and wear, but let countless persons break up their families... just with one decision.”

Zhong Luochen totally agreed, ”That is why I can’t let him leave!”

Luo Qiu then swept his hand over the surface of the table. Several decorated cards appeared, ”Please look at the estimated price.”

Afterwards, Luo Qiu opened the first card at the left side, it showed the number‘30’. Luo Qiu then explained, ”It means you can barter 30 years of your lifespan for 5 years of lifespan for your grandfather.”

Zhong Luochen was stunned ,then angrily said, ”What kind of deal this is! 30 years of my lifespan for a measly 5 years!”

Luo Qiu said calmly, ”Mr. Zhong, from what I know, there are 2 others in your generation, with the same ability and opportunity to take over the family business. In addition, it’ll take you 10 years to build enough influence to match your grandfather, even though you have good talent. And that’s the best result. So…Multiply 10 by 3, equals 30 years.”

Zhong Luochen fell silent for a while, ”What’s the second card? ”

Luo Qiu then overturned the second one, it was ‘Intelligence’.

This meant that his life wouldn’t decrease but his grandfather’s life would be extended, but, he would give up his intelligence forever.

Obviously, that wasn’t what Zhong Luochen could accept, either.

”And the third one?” Zhong Luochen swallowed his saliva unconsciously.

The third was ‘Happiness.’

”What does this mean? ” Zhong Luochen frowned.

Luo Qiu indifferently said, ”It means that no matter what you obtain later on, you won’t feel happy. Whether if it is love, your baby, a relationship, you’ll lose your sense of satisfaction---no matter what or how you do.”

This time, Zhong Luochen fell silent. Luo Qiu intended to open the fourth card.

Suddenly, Zhong Luochen shouted to stop him, ”Hold on, just take away my happiness as the transaction fee!”

Luo Qiu was shocked, ”Mr. Zhong, you know, it’s your right to be told all the options.”

Zhong Luochen sneered, ”It might be more terrible. This really is the right place to make a deal with the devil. I won’t give up my life or my intelligence!”

”Is that the reason you choose to give up your happiness? ”

He raised his head, saying confidently, ”Yes! But remember, I’m the card holder and still qualified to claim the discount of my happiness…which means, you have to leave me at least one or two items that give me satisfaction!”

Luo Qiu knocked the table, ”Then what do you want to keep? The things that make people feel happy are love, family, interests, achievements and relief.”

”I’ll keep the sense of achievement.” Zhong Luochen answered without a second thought.

”Are you sure? Maybe something better will show up later on.” Luo Qiu said.

Zhong Luochen shook his head, ”I believe in my instincts.”

Luo Qiu had no choice but to nod, then conjured up an old goatskin, that slowly unrolled itself, in front of Zhong Luochen, ”If you made up your mind, please leave your palm print on it. Then our contract will be in place.”

Zhong Luochen pressed his palm on it directly. His heart contracted at this moment due to nervousness. Then he looked up at Luo Qiu in a panic while gasping.

Luo Qiu said, ”Don’t worry, you’ll be safe after completing the deal. We always give the goods to the customers first, then take the transaction fee…the contract is just a guarantee.”

Zhong Luochen took a deep breath, ”Good! So, has my grandfather recovered now?”

Luo Qiu shook his head, ”Don’t worry, you bring your grandfather to a place where we won’t be disturbed…Then, come contact me. You should know how to get access to me.”

The black card was sent back to Zhong Luochen. He nodded, pushed the door and left the club.

Watching Zhong Luochen leave, Luo Qiu shook his head. He could go there by himself by vehicles rather than trasportation ability.

He didnʼt have strong enough ability to support him to step over several provinces--- He could only move within the city he stayed.

And there was another simple reason.

Just because he was lazy...

…

”Congratulations on finishing a deal.”

You Ye praised Luo Qiu.

Luo Qiu took off the clown mask and fan, ”The deal isn’t completed. And I feel like I lost a lot due to the discount I gave him.”

After all, it was one of the rules, Luo Qiu had no idea though he felt he suffered lost---Even though Zhong Luochen managed to maintain his feelings of satisfaction, the value of his happiness was still above Luo QIu’s expectations if they were all tributed.

”Master, what’s the fourth card?” You Ye asked curiously.

Luo Qiu shook his head, then went upstairs without saying a word.

You Ye tilted her head and turned over the fourth card.

It was ‘Doing good deeds for 20 years.’

She knew that the transaction fee of the fourth card couldnʼt be paid or the deal wouldnʼt be finished unless the next 20 years passed; and within this period, Zhong Luochen had to do good works and couldnʼt do anything bad.

There was a saying in this eastern country which meant ‘Doing good to accumulate virtue and merit, so it would be returned back to you.’

The transaction fee was doing 20 years of good deeds.

”Master is a little mean.”

The beautiful servant girl smiled faintly, putting back the cards.