Trafford's Trading Club

Shu Xiaoshu watched todayʼs ʼharvestʼ from Cheese with astonishment---they were fresh canned food and some frozen meat, instead of the usual expired canned food.

She had long known that her kid went out to scavenge for food.

She didnʼt want it to do so, but her family was in deep trouble. If Cheese didnʼt go find food… the other younger babies would obviously not be able to give help.

As for Shu Xiaoshu herself, she was unable to move.

”Cheese, tell me, where did you find them?”

Cheese was very smart. According to his motherʼs tone, he knew that she was suspecting something, but still had some words to answer her.

He lowered head, trying not to let her see his expression, showing a look of feeling wronged, ”Sorry, mum… I went to dadʼs colleagues.”

”Shu Youʼs…” Shu Xiaoshu was stunned.

Cheese with his head still down, said, ”When those colleagues from the cleaning company heard my dad… had gone, they felt me pitiful and gave me some money. And I bought some food for you.”

”Alas…” Shu Xiaoshu felt both grieved and sorrowful, giving him a hug with tears.

”Mum, let me cook the meat, eat more!” Cheese changed the topic, ”Let my brother or sister in your body eat!”

”Good kid.” Shu Xiaoshu sighed, ”Thank you.”

”Donʼt worry!” Cheese looked up and gave her a smiling face, ”Iʼll do it now! Brothers and sisters havenʼt had a big meal in a long time!”

”Go then.” Shu Xiaoshu faked a smile, then went back to her room---which was actually a corner separated by a curtain.

She had a young daughter, who was still in beast form and needed to be looked after.

While watching Shu Xiaoshu go in, Cheese frowned and massaged its arm gently.

Because his arm had been twisted by that huge mouse monster and the hug from his mum had him bear the pain.

Cheese heaved a sigh of relief, and gathered his energy before starting to cook the meat.

When he was done and fed his brothers and sisters, he turned to look after Shu Xiaoshu, until all the others fell asleep.

Then, it was almost the midnight.

Cheese left the basement and came up to the empty place in front of the old house. He sat on the cement pipe, and looked up at the moon.

How long would he have to suffer this kind of life?

He probably couldnʼt go to that supermarket any longer.

ʼGo to some other place tomorrow? Or the food…

ʼForget about primary school.ʼ

ʼCheer up, Cheese.ʼ

ʼYouʼre not a kid anymore. You need to support the family, and look after mum, brothers and sisters.ʼ

He talked about these to himself…

ʼBe strong.ʼ

Cheese suddenly shed tears… ʼBe strong.ʼ

He shrugged, and hoped for someone to rely on… who could keep him safe.

In his childhood, Cheese remembered that Shu You always took him to this place and watched the moon and stars. Even if there was no entertainment at that time, but Shu You always told many interesting stories.

All of a sudden, Cheese took out an iron whistle from his collar--- it was the present from Shu You.

These years, Cheese cherished it very much---because Shu You ever said that if he was in danger, he could blow this whistle.

Of course, he knew that it would work only if his father was close to him.

How long had it been since he blew it?

Actually, he never blew it before---because Cheese didnʼt expect that he would lose his father.

And the whistle sound…

Cheese said to himself, ”It sounds like hummingbirdʼs voice.”

He blew it again and again.

He blew it gently. Cheese told himself, that tonight was the only chance to blow it and he wouldnʼt do it anymore… because it was useless. It couldnʼt bring him courage, but only let him be a coward.

It was too late, Cheese needed to get some sleep. Within 2 short weeks, he had become a man rather than a boy and he became more self-discipline.

However, when he was about to leave, he felt a sound coming from his back which made him turn to look.

Ah!

He cried out, and his body slid down from the pipe!

He saw the ʼthingʼ that had brought him a horrible experience!

But he didnʼt fall down; something caught his body and drew him to the place it sat!

It turned out it was ʼitsʼ tail!

It was the weird ʼthingʼ, which rescued him from the mouse monster in the underground pipe of the supermarket but left silently…

It squatted beside him and placed both its hands on the pipe, with tail waving and head tilted.

Cheese found that it was not as horrible as he thought.

”You… came for me?” Cheese gathered his courage but dared not get close and ask, ”Who are you?”

It seemed that it had no speaking ability; Cheese only saw its eyes made a ʼcrackʼ sound, closing and opening quickly.

ʼDid it understand or not?ʼ

”Do you have a name?” Cheese continued asking.

It didnʼt answer him yet; but Cheese felt that it kept gazing at him… or maybe the whistle in his hand.

Cheese gave a start; he blew it again, and surprisingly found it reacted--- and its tail waved quickly.

Did it…

ʼHow could it be?ʼ

Cheese showed a bitter smile, then shook his head.

He glanced at it again and they looked at each other. After a long while, Cheese tried to sit down beside it.

”How about I call you Iron Whistle?” Cheese suddenly said, ”…Well, you didnʼt answer me, it means you accept it?”

It… it blinked its eyes, as if saying ʼI cannot speak.ʼ

”Iron Whistle! Hahaha!”

…

…

In a room of the Forensic Division.

”Chief Qin, why are you staying here so late?”

”Iʼll leave until these are done. You go back home.” Old Qin didnʼt turn back, but just looked up from the microscope, ”Donʼt worry about me.”

”Fine, Chief, take care of yourself.”

Chief Qin was a well-known workaholic… the record of him not returning home was for half a month.

Hearing the door closed, Old Qin massaged his forehead, then shook his head hard. He seemed to be thinking about something; then he looked toward the microscope.

He was looking at the weird mucus found from the murder scene in the morning…

”What is it?” Old Qin looked at it as whispering, ”Itʼs not a mucus but actually a… biological cell?”

Old Qin frowned tightly, but still couldnʼt get the result after so long. So he planned to do something to broaden his thoughts.

Old Qin breathed deeply, changing another pair of white gloves, and picking up the scalpel---it meant that he wanted to stay up and do an autopsy.

To see whether there would be some new discoveries.