Trafford's Trading Club

”You… Well, Uncle, how do you want me to prove it?” Cheng Yiran thought for a while and asked.

The old man replied in a cold voice, ”Humph! You said that it is important to you, very important to you, and I want you to prove it, but you ask me on how? Is that reasonable?”

”I…”Cheng Yiran had nothing to say.

He was getting more and more anxious. As time passed, his desire to leave got stronger and stronger---His intuition told him that maybe Hong Guanʼs playing could help him wake up the lost ability of his to play that guitar.

It was an eager desire and it even made him believe that it would be much more difficult to get another chance if he lost the opportunity this time.

He didnʼt want to waste time with the weird old man here… the best way to solve this was to buy the bass at a high price.

But obviously, the weird old man intended to create trouble for him… Maybe he wanted to raise the price?

Cheng Yiran took a breath, saying, ”How about this? Uncle, would you please let me know your contact information? I am a little busy now, and we can talk about the bass someday else. Please believe me that I really want to buy that bass back, the price will not be the problem.”

However, the old man didnʼt reply, and he looked at Fish-Ball Qiang, ”Boss, how much is the bill?”

The old man put a piece of money on the table, and then stood up to leave directly. He didnʼt glance at Cheng Yiran at all.

”Uncle, uncle! Whatʼs your contact information?” Cheng Yiran asked in a hurry.

The old man didnʼt turn back, saying, ”I will not let you know that. You said that it is important to you, but you want to leave now. I cannot feel your sincerity.”

Cheng Yiran said, ”Uncle, you are older, and also experienced more than me. You should know that we have to make the decision between two things sometimes. If you were me, how will you choose if there is another important thing?”

The old man suddenly turned back, ”Very important? Then let me ask you, is that related to a life?”

Cheng Yiran shook his head.

The old man continued, ”Is that your wife giving birth? Relatives critically ill? Rushing to save people? Or an important trade will break up without you? And hundreds of employees of the company are relying on it?

Cheng Yiran shook his head… He couldnʼt tell him the real reason. But he knew that each of the situations above was quite important.

The old man said at last, ”Then tell me, what is the thing that is more important than the bass? If it is reasonable, I will give the bass to you; while if it is not reasonable, then I wonʼt sell you the bass and you wonʼt find me again... and donʼt bother me anymore.”

”I see.” Cheng Yiran took a deep breath, ”Uncle, I am not leaving, and I will not leave until you sell it to me.”

The old man said cautiously, ”Oh, then just follow me.”

After saying this, the old man turned and left. Cheng Yiran frowned… and also followed him.

He didnʼt know where the old man was going to, so he just followed him in silence.

At the same time, he got more and more anxious… he was wondering if he would be able to see Hong Guanʼs playing in time.

His step became more and more difficult… heavier and more unsteady.

…

After walking the distance of about one street, the old man suddenly stopped. He entered an old house and let Cheng Yiran wait for him outside.

Soon, the old man came out with a bag in his hand… Cheng Yiran recognized immediately that it was just the bag that Hong Guan used for the bass. He was so happy, ”Uncle, are you…”

While the old man said nothing, and he carried the bag on his back and walked toward another direction.

Cheng Yiran sighed and just followed… the bass was on the old manʼs back… which seemed it could be taken away easily.

Cheng Yiran was thinking about this and found that the direction was totally different from that of the gymnasium. They got farther and farther from the gymnasium.

”Uncle, where… where are you going?” Cheng Yiran walked faster to catch the old man. ”We have walked for a long time, donʼt you intend to let me know the destination?”

”What? You are still worrying about your important thing?” the old man said, ”I didnʼt let you follow me, if you think that the other thing is more important, just leave. Donʼt be reluctant and push me hard.”

”I… I donʼt mean that.” Cheng Yiran sighed and kept following.

With no destination, they walked across busy streets, as well as quiet lanes… which made Cheng Yiran quite anxious.

Whatʼs the meaning of this? It seemed that the old man did not intend to sell him the bass but just wanted to create trouble and let him give up.

At last, Cheng Yiran didnʼt know what he was doing.

He had the same feeling as before… when he got out from the prison, he went toward the south and left the yard of the old lane in Beijing, which was filled with pain.

He even wanted to give up playing rock… he was the first one who wanted to leave the band before another member said it out. He didnʼt tell anyone… or didnʼt know how he insisted on that all this time.

He would always raise the other memberʼs spirits when they were low… He said that in order to make Xiaomengʼs dream come true, they had to keep going---since they had made such an effort, wouldnʼt it be a pity if they stopped now?

No one wanted to give up halfway… and also, they were not willing to give up the effort they made before.

As well as the sweat and time.

The pain they suffered, the lonely tears they shed.

They insisted even though they knew that there was no outcome at all.

Meaningless, numbness, just a waste of time…

If he stopped now and went to see Hong Guan… maybe he could get the ability back if he appeared there when Hong Guan played the guitar. Then, he would be able to keep going with the guitar…

All these things that they guarded and chased could come true with that guitar.

Just… give it up.

ʼI still have time… I can catch up if we stop here---Hong Guan wouldnʼt know I found it… Maybe he wonʼt blame me.ʼ

He suddenly stopped walking.

It was the old man who stopped. He turned back slowly and yawned, and then he looked at Cheng Yiran with no expression.

”Uncle…”Cheng Yiran frowned and sighed and he was about to says that he didnʼt want it anymore.

The old man looked around and said, ”Em, here is fine.”

Cheng Yiran then realized that they had arrived at the bridge that connected both parts of the city.

At this time, the old man opened the bag and threw it into the river under the bridge with no hesitation. Cheng Yiran was shocked.

He suddenly got angry and grabbed the collar of the old man, shouted, ”You f*ckin old guy!!! What do you want indeed! What do you want indeed!!!”

”Did you say that it is important to you? Then why do you not go now and find it?” the old man said calmly, ”It is yours if you find it.”

”Are you kidding me!!?” Cheng Yiran squeezed his fist and said, ”How can I find it in such big river!!”

”Just beat me if you want.” The old man said, ”It will get farther while you beat me.”

Ahhhh---!!!

Cheng Yiran shouted, his fist was already tough enough; he raised his fist but released it at the moment he beating the old man. Instead, he pushed the old man to the ground hard.

Cheng Yiran turned back and rushed to the railing of the bridge and jumped over it.

He jumped into the river!

ʼWhat am I doing?ʼ

ʼAnyway, since I have jumped out… just find the bass!ʼ

The dizziness caused by falling from a high altitude made him lose his conscious for a short time. Then he suddenly breathed out and waved his arms to get out of the water,

Cheng Yiran was not good at swimming and his limited physical strength did not make it easy to find something in the river easily---It was not possible to find it! It was heavy and maybe it already sank into the river.

He should be aware of this… the bass had already sunk, he should be aware of this earlier. But… why did he still jump into the river?

Without any hesitation.

At last… he sank into the black water and did not have the strength to come out of the water anymore.

This is the end of it… the end of it.

”Hey! Wake up!! Wake up!!Idiot! Wake up!!!”

…

Cough---!

Cheng Yiran trembled, his throat and nose were quite uncomfortable… he was totally soaked.

He tried to open his eyes a little and saw a messy hair---The old manʼs hair was wet.

”Uncle, you… Cough…” Cheng Yiran took a long break before sitting down.

He looked at the river in front of him and the bridge over him. While he was sitting on a pier under the bridge.

The old man wrung out the water on his clothes at this time, ”I didnʼt expect you to jump.”

”Thanks for saving me, uncle.” Cheng Yiran signed. He looked at the night sky, saying bitterly, ”I have a good friend and he often say that I am stupid. He is right.”

The old said directly, ”So, you donʼt blame me for throwing the bass?”

Cheng Yiran smiled, and he lowered his head, saying, ”Fine. I just thought that I was going to die. At the same time, I found that maybe it should have been thrown earlier… In fact, I am the one who didnʼt throw it.”

”Really?” The old man nodded and put on his plaid shirt again.

Cheng Yiran lay on the ground, which was seemed more comfortable. He looked at the night sky calmly.

After a long while, Cheng Yiran suddenly asked, ”Uncle, what time is it?”

”Itʼs almost nine oʼclock.”

”Itʼs already nine oʼclock… It seems I wonʼt be able to make it.” Cheng Yiran smiled and signed. He even felt more relaxed than before. He didnʼt want to think too much now, just intent to lie on the ground like this.

”So? You still want to go to the place?”

”No, no.” Cheng Yiran shook his head, ”I canʼt make it now… besides, itʼs fine now.”

”Where were you going to go?”

”The gymnasium.” Cheng Yiran sat up with a relaxed look; he looked at the night view calmly, saying, ”We really have walked a long distance, uncle.”

”Let me take you there.” The old man said suddenly.

Cheng Yiran gave a start, and shook head, saying, ”No, thanks, I will sit for a while and leave, I am fine.”

”Donʼt you really want to go to that place?”

”Yes, I did.” Cheng Yiranʼs expression suddenly became complicated, but soon he smiled and said, ”To be honest, I kept checking the time when I followed you at first, so that I knew when I have to leave, but…”

He shook his head, and didnʼt continue his words.

”Letʼs go, I will take you there.” The old man pulled Cheng Yiran up.

”No need now, and I canʼt make it. Uncle, you are soaked too, just go home and avoid catching a cold.”

”Not another word! Gymnasium right? I can take you there in ten minutes!”

”Ten minutes, are you kidding me?” We are here… his place is, this place is!!”

He suddenly raised his head and saw a flash of colorful light over the sky. Then he heard… the sound of cheering like a tide.

”If you have been living in this city for such a long time, donʼt you know that the East Bridge is next to the gymnasium?”

”Gymnasium…” Cheng Yiran turned back and looked at the building incredibly.

It… was right behind him.

He looked at the light shooting from the gymnasium into the sky and murdered to himself, ”It was always behind me.”