Trafford’s Trading Club

Ma Houde and Ye Yan‘s expressions turned extremely grim.

Both of them didn’t even get to shut their eyes for more than 5 minutes since last night— even though Kingkong had been put into prison.

But Yu Hua died.

People who rushed to the old doctor’s pharmacy were covered with cold sweat when they saw the surroundings!

Yu Hua died in quite a miserable way!

His body fell on a pool of thick, black blood. Most of his muscles burst forth. Not one part of his body was complete nor it looked like its original state… it was badly mutilated.

So was the crack on the floor.

Flipping open Yu Hua’s body, Ye Yan looked at everything here in silence. He frowned, “The damages here must be done by Yu Hua…”

Officer Ma frowned as well, “How serious a punishment could be that it tortured a person into such a miserable situation…”

Ma Houde turned to the pale old doctor behind him, “Didn’t you see or hear something?”

The old Chinese doctor shook his head, looking quite frightened, “Officer Ma, how dare I lie to you? I’ve been treating your sprains, haven’t you know me for decades since you started working? I saw such a situation when I woke up and I contacted you immediately!”

“Well…” Ma Houde breathed in deeply, the air was filled with a frowzy smell of blood— like the smell in the sewer that was full of dead fish, fishy and niffy!

“Would it be the people from Michael Club?” He looked at Ye Yan, saying out his first thought.

Ye Yan shook his head, sighing, “No matter if it is or not, no more clues can be found from Yu Hua… Besides, he was with the buyers, he might not know much about the Michael Club. The key figure is still Kingkong.”

Ma Houde nodded, “I’ll send people to keep an eye on this guy around-the-clock. He won’t even be able to commit suicide! I don’t believe that the people from Michael Club dare to rush into the police station!”

With saying this, Officer Ma pat Ye Yan’s shoulder, “Dude, don’t worry, I’ll send more people to find that lady if she’s still in the city… and the cargo!”

Ye Yan patted Ma Houde’s hand that was pressing on his shoulder, faking a smile. He heaved a long sigh, looking at the sky through the window, “The sun rises.”

“Let me send you back to Peace Hotel.” Ma Houde said after considering for a while.

Ye Yan shook his head, “No, I want to be alone… notify me if you have some news about Kingkong. Keep in touch.”

“You won’t disappear this time, right?” Ma Houde asked seriously.

“No, I won’t. Go back to let the tigress of your family know that you’re safe.” Ye Yan smiled faintly, tidying his black wind coat, exiting the door.

…

…

Luo Qiu looked at himself in the mirror after washing his face… The feeling he had in the Chinese pharmacy faded away from his heart.

Yu Hua’s emotions broke the peace that he had been having. The impulse then went away with the trade like a burnout oil lamp.

He went back to his room, sitting in front of the desk.

Two letters were placed here…it was formerly written by Jessica. According to her request, the contents of these two letters were to be nullified.

But that didn’t mean he couldn’t read it— and the time had passed, it was 7:01 a.m.

Luo Qiu tore open the first envelope.

“There is an island in the Pacific Ocean, where the ‘heaven’ of Michael Club located. Many people live there. Kids, adults… believers. So, please set all the people free from that island. If my soul is not sufficient, please set my mother free at least and keep her away from the belief of Michael Club so that she start a new life. And, forget my existence.”

It was not a long letter.

But this was what Jessica wanted to get from the club after thinking that she might fail.

Luo Qiu took this letter and put it on top of the garbage bin. Since Jessica was aware that her mother was a swindler, this letter was useless.

It burned in the air, the ashes fell slowly into the small garbage.

Luo Qiu closed his eyes, putting his palm on the second letter, but he didn’t open it right now.

…

This kind of lock couldn’t stop Ye Yan.

At the moment when he opened the door, he suddenly recalled the scene in which Jessica passed her pistol to him not long ago. He heaved a long sigh, fingers sweeping over the furniture.

Sitting on the sofa, he closed his eyes… imagining that Jessica was sitting next to him and was carefully eavesdropping the sounds in Luo Qiu’s home.

Ye Yan covered his ears using both of his hands, tilting his head slightly.

He thought that Jessica should be like this.

Suddenly, Ye Yan curved his fingers and placed them gently at the corner of his mouth, imagining that he was holding a recording pen. He was thinking if he were Jessica, what she would say.

“Would that be ‘I came here, to Ye Yan’s hometown.’?”

Ye Yan put his hands down, giving out a smile that was neither happy nor sad… it was probably a fake one.

He looked around the room and discovered a black case under the tea table.

Ye Yan took it out and touched its surface… he was quite familiar with the shape.

Ye Yan opened it.

A saxophone, a letter and a USB flash disk.

That was a two-page letter.

…

“To Ye Yan”

“I know you’ll come here again, probably very soon. I know you are curious about my identity.”

“I’ve been with Michael Club for a long time. From my childhood, I’ve grown up in the Michael Club.”

“Yes, I think Michael Club would become my belief for the rest of my life until I met you.”

“I even remembered when I first saw you at the airport 3 years ago, I spotted you among the crowd with my first glance. A comatose drunkard, a face full of beard, and your eyes were reflecting depression.”

“3 years had passed, can’t you show your smile?”

“I know there has always been a person living in your heart. And I, might not have the chance to be that person.”

“But throughout these past 3 years, you entered my empty 25 years of life.”

“I might be the person whom you hate the most. Because you can’t believe how many things I’ve done that go against your values when I was spying in the Interpol. And how many innocent people have been dragged into this misfortune. And what’s more, beyond your imagination, because of my belief, I did countless evil deeds that seem unbelievable looking back now.

“I’m a devil and now this devil will become an avenger.”

“The information in this USB flash disk is about the group arranged in the headquarters along with the material that entrapped you. All these could prove that you’re innocent and then could get you a good reward.”

“Do you remember? You gave me a reward 3 years ago. What you told me that year is also applicative for now. Only the speaker of those words has become me.”

“Ye Yan, please don’t look for me.”

“Can you play saxophone for me for one last time…”

Ye Yan shut his eyes closed, letting out a sigh, “Jessica…”

…

Luo Qiu tore open the second envelope.

“If I die after failing and my mum gets punished to death due to the anger of Michael Club, please let Ye Yan live on happily. And, forget me.”

Luo Qiu didn’t burn them up.

He only folded the letters, putting them into the envelope separately.

When the familiar saxophone sound came from upstairs faintly, Luo Qiu locked the letters in the drawer and shut his eyes closed.

Both of his hands moved to the front. He imagined himself holding a saxophone and his fingers were bouncing up and down together with the sound and rhythm.

That was the fingering of this melody.

Upstairs, Ye Yan picked the saxophone that Jessica had left, standing in the quiet room, the dim light in the early morning set off laziness and gloom like a stage.

He played ‘Yesterday Once More’ slowly.

…

She stood on the top of the building, watching the sunrise.

Her left hand covered one of her ears, feeling the gentle breeze and listening to the sound coming from her earphone.

The breeze lifted her hair, and blew away her yearning.

A single tear dropped.

“Thank you…”