Trafford's Trading Club

657: Chapter 70: Negligence 657: Chapter 70: Negligence The dark SUV drove up to one of the urban villages of the city—this was the address Xiaolu and Zhu Maolin mentioned.

At home, she has a father addicted to gambling, and the girl herself is particularly frugal, so living in such a modest place doesn’t seem too unreasonable.

Zhu Maolin recalled an interesting thing, that the bus stop signs clearly displayed the schedule…meaning you could easily figure out whether there was a bus just by taking a quick look, no one would foolishly wait there.

But when he found Xiaolu, what was she doing?

She was jogging and jumping around the bus stop, seemingly doing some warm-up exercises—as if she intended to pass the long night like this.

In fact, before Xiaolu left the advertising company, she could have raised the issue of not having a bus.

At the very least, she could have borrowed some taxi fare from Zhu Maolin.

No one would mind that hundred or so yuan…but she chose the foolish method.

This kind of girl must have walked out from a fairy tale, right?

The chaotic atmosphere in the advertising world had long caused some quiet changes in Zhu Maolin’s perspective.

Such changes might not be good—but they’re evidently necessary for life.

Therefore, when he subconsciously began to think about a woman approaching him with ulterior motives, Xiaolu’s appearance seemed…seemed to bring a novel impact.

Zhu Maolin also recalled another idea: when men are young, they yearn for and admire mature women.

But when men…when they mature, they prefer those unacquainted with worldly matters. “Have you been living here since you were little?” The car slowly stopped under an old four-story building, the streetlights were dim yellow, giving a sense of insufficient power or aging bulbs.

A few unknown little insects were flying under the light.

Xiaolu shook her head in response to Zhu Maolin’s question.

She quickly got out of the car, as though unwilling to cause Zhu Maolin further inconvenience and apologized slightly, “Thank you this time.”

Zhu Maolin simply shook his head, calmly saying: “Just consider it as me accumulating my resources.

Good advertising models are hard to find…you’re pretty good, somewhat talented, should have more development space in future.

Treat it like I’m investing in favors.”

Xiaolu was taken aback, Zhu Maolin’s words were beyond her expectations—either as ‘Xiaolu’, or otherwise… “Is this, already officially rolling in society after a long time…” Xiaolu looked at Zhu Maolin with complex expression, “So-called maturity?” “I believe you will mature in the future too.” Zhu Maolin smiled gently, then leaned out, looking at the old building above, “Aren’t you going up?

Reaching here was all I planned to do.”

Xiaolu quickly waved her hand, going up the unprotected stairs—not even with an automatic switch for the staircase light.

And Zhu Maolin quietly drove away from this place.

Returning to the dark rooftop of the old house in Tiantaishan, a pair of cold eyes, hidden within a black robe, finally saw Zhu Maolin completely leave this place. “He still seems like nothing, right?” Da Zhe’s voice suddenly rang.

No. 18 abruptly turned around looking at Da Zhe, suddenly asked: “How’s your practice of transformation?” “Why suddenly ask this?” Da Zhe asked instinctively.

No. 18 calmly said: “Xiaolu needs a seriously irresponsible father, and you just played the role well.” “Big sister!

Are you still going on!” Da Zhe said in disbelief…he suddenly felt that this wasn’t like new recruit training, but purely seemed like this No. 18 big sister was inexplicably competing fiercely.

He doesn’t believe a dignified Black soul envoy who’s lived for who knows how long would use such cumbersome and inefficient methods…that’s too low-level! “Any opinions?

Then, I’ll think of another way, you originally have no obligation to follow my orders.” No. 18 said calmly.

Da Zhe shook his head: “That’s not what I meant.

I said, I don’t consider myself a good person, I wouldn’t blindly resist some so-called methods…I was thinking, shouldn’t we should thoroughly investigate this master’s situations?

Knowing more would definitely make the judgments better.”

Da Zhe imagined No. 18 would understand his meaning…as for No. 18 never proactively proposing this, perhaps because they spoke too eloquently at the start, now couldn’t step down, or couldn’t lower the face—that’s why he’s offering it now.

No. 18 looked at Da Zhe thoughtfully, then nodded: “That’s fine too, gathering information is originally part of my duty.

Everything behind Zhu Maolin is for you to investigate this time, treat it as practice.

Of course, I won’t make you work for nothing.

If this deal can be done, I will offer you a share of the proceeds.”

So…doesn’t this settle the matter?

Da Zhe smiled slightly, calmly said: “Let’s talk about this later…then I’ll think about where to start investigating first.”

Saying that, Da Zhe’s body vaporized and disappeared, No. 18 stared slightly, clearly still someone who couldn’t even fly properly, yet now can skillfully vaporize. “How much practice has he done secretly…”

Her opinion of Da Zhe subtly changed…unexpectedly finding that Da Zhe was a Black soul envoy who could interact ordinarily. “However…what’s this about Zhu Maolin.” No. 18 could clearly feel this man’s fleeting heartbeat.

But only a fleeting moment, then becoming impregnable again.

If he was truly in love with his wife, such situation could be explained…yet he was in a strange mode of interaction with his wife.

Just as Da Zhe said, indeed needs deep investigation.

No. 18 silently thought, unintentionally gazing at the Void-like night, murmuring: “Wouldn’t the master have foreseen this situation and intentionally approved this master?

If that’s truly the case then…”

Has the master been peeking into the future…? … …

Three thirty AM, Zhu Maolin finally returned to his residential complex.

Dragging his exhausted body from the day, he quietly washed up, and went to bed with clothes on, when he closed his eyes, suddenly heard a rustling sound. “Did I wake you?” Zhu Maolin knew it was Hou Chen Yuhuan. “I haven’t slept at all.” Hou Chen Yuhuan softly said.

After a long silence, Zhu Maolin finally said, “Then… let’s sleep.”

Unexpectedly, his wife didn’t turn away; instead, she moved her body closer.

It was the warm body that had been buried in the blankets for a long time…

This warmth was completely different from the heat just after a bath.

Like warm water at just the right temperature, gently poured over the body, covered with a thin layer of gauze.

Zhu Maolin smelled the scent of his wife’s shampoo as his lips were already kissed…

Heavy breaths exchanged between them, and without thinking, he could instinctively respond to her demand for a kiss.

There was no need to deliberately cooperate because they had practiced countless times already.

His wife’s passion exceeded Zhu Maolin’s imagination, like a magnesium strip ignited, a momentary flash of light and heat was driving Hou Chen Yuhuan’s mature body.

She sat passionately astride Zhu Maolin’s body but bent her own, seemingly unwilling to leave the lips of this bedmate.

One by one, she unbuttoned her husband’s pajamas, beginning to suck gently on his neck like soft, drizzling rain.

Finally, as a wife, her hand became restless.

Hou Chen Yuhuan’s hand slipped into her husband’s pajama pants.

There was nothing indescribable because they were a legitimate couple, and this was human relations.

Because they had long passed the age of supposed modesty… but Zhu Maolin knew his wife rarely acted so proactively, which made him feel a bit at a loss.

This gentle tomb, Zhu Maolin didn’t know how many lifetimes of penance he had undergone to earn.

He ultimately sighed, speaking softly with a bitter tone, “Still… let’s sleep.”

Hou Chen Yuhuan suddenly quieted down, her body seemed stiff… time seemed frozen.

When time resumed, she burst from the blankets with despairing eyes looking at Zhu Maolin, then turned away, walking into the bathroom.

The sound of water rushed; Zhu Maolin knew these noises existed to cover another sound.

Yet, he couldn’t, and completely couldn’t find a position to stop those covered sounds… because of his incompetence.

Yes—as a man unable to fulfill his duties as a husband.

Yet he hadn’t lost his functions as a man—or rather, his functions were quite normal, at any time.

However, he could never respond even a bit when facing his wife.

When Hou Chen Yuhuan finally emerged from the master bedroom’s bathroom, Zhu Maolin was no longer in the room.

He lay on the couch in the outer living room, sleepless; whether he wanted to sleep…

Hou Chen Yuhuan didn’t even want to let herself think about this problem—she even wanted to forget the source of all this pain.

Hou Chen Yuhuan closed her eyes, and naturally, the content of those flower cards she had opened floated before her eyes.

These contents flashed repeatedly in her memory, gradually becoming clearer—including her love.

She wasn’t sure how this mystical shop priced things; she just wondered if this near-shattered love still held such value.

Hou Chen Yuhuan couldn’t remember how long she and her husband had been out of sync.

Originally, the moment the time lag syncs up, as always… only pain.

Through the closed door, the quiet living room suddenly heard a scream from inside the room; Zhu Maolin ultimately just covered his eyes with his arm.

At dawn, four o’clock and two minutes. … …

Early in the morning, the cemetery chapel welcomed a man with a scarf covering half his face, appearing very young.

It wasn’t a fixed festival for worship, very few would choose to visit the grave at this time…

The old man responsible for cleaning looked curiously at this young man with a scarf.

He stopped in front of a spirit tablet, staring at one. “Excuse me, would you like to buy some incense candles?”

Since someone came, the old man unsurprisingly planned to do business with this young man without anything in hand. “Alright, give me some.” Da Zhe nodded.

The old man found this young man exceptionally devout, and Da Zhe eventually offered incense at the memorial of a child…

Zhu Maoxing.

The name of the deceased child. “Hey, young man, who are you to this child?

I haven’t seen you before,” the old man curiously asked Da Zhe.

The old man had been running things here always remembering, whether newly interred or long past—thinking over and over, this young man was indeed a first-time sight. “Well, I’m a friend of this child’s parents.” Da Zhe replied and suddenly asked, “Old man, have you seen the parents of this child?” “His mother would often come alone.

Hence, I remember distinctly.” The old man recalled, “But his father, I don’t recall.

I think maybe he came once when buying the plot.” “Why?” Da Zhe suddenly asked.

The old man instinctively replied, “Maybe feeling guilty?

After all, such things happened.

I suppose anyone would feel bad…

Alas, it’s said the boy had a short life.” “What do you mean?” Da Zhe pursued. “This child, it seems he was locked in the car by his father, suffocating to death.”

The old man shook his head, sighing, “Generally, such things are common, only blaming the father for carelessness.

Yet, it wasn’t entirely his dad’s fault.

I heard his father just went into a nearby convenience store without thinking, and when he returned he was directly hit by a drunk driver, sent to the hospital for emergency care… and the child, no one realized he was still in the car…

Wait, aren’t you their friend?

Why don’t you know… about them?”