Trafford's Trading Club

549: Imprisoned Bird 549: Imprisoned Bird Editor: TheSloth As the owner of the club, Luo Qiu, whose abilities grew with each transaction, never needed to go to such trouble if he wanted to observe something—he could simply switch to another perspective.

The moment he placed the Spirit Seed within Nero, it was just a whim of Luo Qiu—along with the flood of transaction information he was implanting in Nero, he also slipped in this Perspective Seed.

This was Luo Qiu’s first attempt at observing through Nero’s perspective.

And what surprised him was that, when he used Nero’s perspective, he felt something utterly different—as if he had rediscovered that feeling from before he ever became the club’s owner.

But the moment his perspective returned to himself, everything was once again restored to a profound quiet, like water in an ancient well…

almost dead stillness.

Maybe through Nero’s perspective, he could find—or even resolve—the problem of his stripped emotions.

Boss Luo’s movements suddenly stilled, as he watched You Ye slicing roast lamb for him.

He seemed a little distracted.

“Master, is something wrong?” Placing a delicately cut piece of lamb onto the plate in front of him, You Ye quietly asked.

Luo Qiu shook his head, calmly praising, “It’s just that I think you look beautiful again today.”

You Ye smiled and nodded, accepting the compliment.

And he—was once more the club’s owner.

…

…

For Xiao Zhi, she had many treasures—as a child who still attended nursery, there were always treasures grown-ups could never understand.

Xiao Zhi’s treasure now was a very pretty, tiny wooden swan.

It was a gift from Uncle Mark—ever since she got it, Xiao Zhi hadn’t let the swan leave her little bag.

But today something happened that made Xiao Zhi unhappy—the other kids at nursery bullied her.

This is what happened: the nursery teacher asked everyone to draw pictures in the afternoon, to use crayons to draw their mom and dad—but till the very end, Xiao Zhi couldn’t finish her picture.

“Haha, Xiao Zhi doesn’t have a daddy!”

“Xiao Zhi didn’t finish her homework, she’s a bad kid!”

“Quiet down, children, you can’t bully Xiao Zhi like that!”

“Nyeh nyeh nyeh nyeh!”

Even the teacher in the classroom couldn’t stop so many kids from making a ruckus.

If she scolded them, some would cry from fear.

If she tried to coax them, as soon as she calmed one side the other side would flare up.

Watching Xiao Zhi lower her head, tears brimming in her eyes, the teacher felt both pained and anxious.

Unexpectedly, Xiao Zhi suddenly flipped her little desk over, and lunged at the boy who was making the most noise.

The two little ones immediately started scuffling together.

The result, naturally…

was a mess impossible to stop.

…

When San Er got the phone call, she didn’t care about tofu shop business, hurriedly closed up, still wearing slippers and her apron, rushing over in a panic.

“I’m sorry, my child is too naughty, I’m so sorry, really so sorry.”

San Er kept apologizing to the parent of the boy Xiao Zhi had bitten, while the teacher tried mediating between both sides—but their boy had been bitten, and for a mother who didn’t have a son until her thirties, the pain was unbearable.

She was clearly not ready to forgive so easily.

The woman glared furiously at San Er, her voice sharp and bitter: “How do you raise your kid?

She acts like a wild child!

So stubborn already, imagine how she’ll be when she grows up!

Huh?

Do you spend all your time sneaking around with men, is that why you don’t have time for your child?”

“Please…

could you show a little respect?” San Er’s eyes reddened, staring intently at the other woman.

“Respect?” The woman’s face twisted even further, “Respect yourself first!

Everyone knows you’ve got a foreign man hiding at home!

So, does he make you feel good, huh?

Well?

You slut…

ah!!”

But at that moment, Xiao Zhi grabbed the woman’s thigh and bit down hard.

“You damned bastard!

Bit me, did you?

I’ll beat you to death!” The woman snatched Xiao Zhi up and raised her hand to strike.

“Don’t hit my daughter!” San Er couldn’t hold back any longer, rushing over and pulling Xiao Zhi back.

“I have to teach her a lesson today!” The woman turned ferocious, grabbing San Er’s hair.

“Enough!

If you keep this up, I’ll call the police!” The teacher was frantic now: “If you make a scene at the station, none of us will look good, right?

Let’s just talk it out!”

Maybe this kind of official threat scared the woman, who was merely fierce and domineering at home—she heard it, and spitefully let go of San Er, pulling her own son along with her, snapping, “Later I’ll bring my man to your ratty shop and settle this!

Hmph!”

Xiao Zhi was probably scared stiff, clutching San Er’s clothes, burying her face and wailing.

“Don’t be afraid, it’s okay, it’s okay,” San Er softly comforted her.

The teacher could only sigh, “Sis, don’t worry, she’s just spouting off.

If she comes looking for you, tell me—I’ll help you.”

San Er looked at the teacher gratefully…

but didn’t expect much.

This teacher…

well, “teacher”—was just a nursery substitute, probably didn’t even have a teaching certificate.

Her home was in the area too, why would she risk offending anyone?

San Er quietly sighed, nodded to the teacher, then carried Xiao Zhi away.

On the way home, even holding San Er’s hand, Xiao Zhi hung her head all the way.

San Er stayed silent, just holding her daughter, feeling this walk much longer than usual.

“Mom…

I’m sorry,” Xiao Zhi sobbed.

San Er said, “Sorry for what?”

Xiao Zhi hugged San Er’s leg, crying, “Xiao Zhi shouldn’t hit people, shouldn’t bite people…

But, but that auntie was so mean!

She, she, she cursed you!

Xiao Zhi felt so bad, so bad!”

“It’s okay, it’s okay.” San Er crouched down, holding Xiao Zhi, softly patting her back, whispering, “It’s okay, Mommy is fine.”

Xiao Zhi sniffled, aggrieved, “Mom, why don’t you ask Uncle Mark to be my daddy…”

San Er froze, lips moving, voice loud and rushed with hurt and anger, “Why would you say that?”

“Because, because if Xiao Zhi had a daddy, no one would laugh at Xiao Zhi for not having one…” Xiao Zhi hung her head, “And no one would bully Mom…

Mom, I want a daddy.”

San Er’s eyes filled with tears, she picked Xiao Zhi up, holding her to her shoulder so her daughter wouldn’t see her face, trying to suppress the pain in her voice, “Xiao Zhi, be good, when we get home I’ll make meatballs for you, okay?”

Maybe that was enough to distract Xiao Zhi—she nodded and said okay, then insisted, “I want sweet ones!”

“Okay, all sweet.”

Xiao Zhi lay in San Er’s arms, falling asleep before she knew it.

San Er, burdened with thoughts, headed home, thinking about what Xiao Zhi had said, remembering all the hardship along the way, and couldn’t help crying quietly again…

How could she not wish for someone to lean on?

But Mr.

Markem, to her, was too mysterious, too dreamlike.

San Er shook her head.

When she got to her tofu shop, she saw a crowd gathered at her store entrance, pointing at her door and gossiping.

She didn’t dare go up and ask right away, just tried to sneak a glance at her shop front.

And at that look, San Er’s face turned deathly pale!

Because her shop’s front boards had, at some point, been plastered with ugly phrases in red spray paint!

“Shameless!” “Loose Woman” “Filthy adulterers!” “Cheap bitch!”…

Who did this!

San Er couldn’t even imagine!

Now she only feared the neighbors would notice she was there!

She was terrified of the looks they’d throw her way!

Just picturing it, San Er felt chills all over, her whole body trembling with fright!

“Mommy, aren’t we home yet?”

The noise must have awakened Xiao Zhi in her arms.

San Er quickly pressed her head down, turned to run down the alley, looped around, and slipped in through the back entrance of her tofu shop.

But even here, she found red spray-painted words everywhere.

San Er frantically opened the door, locked it, then slumped against the door, clutching her daughter, sobbing in anguish.

“Mommy, Mommy, what’s wrong?

Mommy…

Mommy…

Xiao Zhi is scared, please don’t cry…”

She only hugged her daughter tighter.

“Mommy…”

Xiao Zhi cried too.