Trafford's Trading Club

Chapter 864: Worry-Free, Ninety-Seven (2)

Ouyang Jie had been following Zhong Luoyue for quite some time.

A few years ago, he learned from Tu Shenyi, and as a young man coming down from the mountain, he was bold due to his high skills. Naturally, he made a name for himself in the world, gaining fame day by day. But the moment he first saw Zhong Luoyue, he knew he would eventually fall for her.

If this encounter could be likened to a gamble, Ouyang Jie knew that Zhong Luoyue had a winning hand from the very beginning.

But just like in a gamble, until the last card is revealed, no one knows what the outcome will be.

Thus, he adhered to a gambler’s principle, placing bets along the way, following her carefully and boldly, step by step, to unveil the cards she held.

Zhong Luoyue was interested in capable individuals and was also a supporter of feminism. She wouldn’t belittle men, but she recognized outstanding women even more, so there were few men who could stay by her side and work for her.

He knew her standards for men were high, almost as high as that of the second young master of the Zhong family.

In fact, Ouyang Jie questioned whether he could surpass Zhong Luocheng in any area besides gambling.

He was an almost perfect man—though Ouyang Jie had only met Zhong Luocheng once during the Zhong family’s annual meeting last year.

At that time, Ouyang Jie had just led the Four Seasons Group to victory in a major tournament in Las Vegas and was in high spirits, feeling like he was on top of the world.But it was precisely during that peak of personal charisma and confidence that Ouyang Jie’s pride was gradually shattered by the first meeting with Zhong Luocheng.

Though he hadn’t fallen into despair, from that moment on, he began to accept the saying: some people are born to be kings.

Zhong Luocheng was one of the few men Zhong Luoyue frequently mentioned and was someone she either intentionally or unintentionally aimed to surpass. To this, Ouyang Jie was convinced.

However, this was precisely why he found it hard to understand why Zhong Luoyue was now comparing a stranger she had only spoken to fewer than five times with someone like Zhong Luocheng.

Looking a few meters ahead at Luo Qiu, who was leisurely walking with Gan Hong, as if he were a tourist out for a stroll, Ouyang Jie felt incredulous—if this were another man who piqued Zhong Luoyue’s interest, even if he couldn't physically harm him, he would still strike him down to prove his superiority... enough to remain by her side.

But what baffled Ouyang Jie was that he had no such thoughts at all.

For this person, he felt no sense of competition; he wouldn’t say he liked him, but he subconsciously felt no disgust. Even if he did, he knew it was something he had forced upon himself.

In fact… Ouyang Jie even hoped to have a few more words with him.

This man brought by Song Ying… was a bit strange.

“Why does he know about this place?” Ouyang Jie suddenly stopped in his tracks as the thought crossed his mind.

Noticing Ouyang Jie’s surprise, Zhong Luoyue gave him a curious look. Ouyang Jie frowned and said, “There are quite a few grapevines planted here. My master planted them according to the positions of the sixty-four hexagrams in the Book of Changes. The complexity is like a maze, and even the elders in the manor often get lost in the core area. It took me a whole month to memorize the paths here… Is it really his first time here?”

After hearing this, Zhong Luoyue looked around and suddenly realized that she couldn’t remember the way back… It seemed like all the places looked similar, making it hard to distinguish.

“Are you saying he knows your master is here?” Zhong Luoyue asked seriously.

Ouyang Jie nodded, then suddenly shook his head and said, “Actually, my master doesn’t come out much in a day; he often prefers to stay indoors. But he insists on going to the fields almost every day. However, he doesn’t stay out for long—usually just an hour or two. Sometimes, if it’s cloudy, he’ll stay a bit longer. He says he’s afraid of the heat; his old body can’t take it.”

Today was indeed cloudy.

Zhong Luoyue looked up at the sky.

Ouyang Jie continued, “This isn’t a secret; the elders in the manor know this. If you inquire carefully, you’ll find out… But today’s guests should all be here for the first time. Let’s not talk too much; we might lose them.”

With that, Ouyang Jie signaled Zhong Luoyue, and the two quickly followed after.

Unlike the neatly aligned grapevines grown under typical scientific management methods, these vines were unusually tall, densely grown, resembling a low wall, and presented a curved shape, akin to a maze.

Gan Hong had gradually noticed something strange about this place. She was about to persuade Luo Qiu to head back when Luo Qiu suddenly stopped.

Before them… the view suddenly opened up.

Surrounding them was a nearly circular clearing, not large—about a hundred square meters. There was no pavilion built here, but there was a grape trellis, and beneath it, some cushions for sitting.

Beside it was a well, without any pumping equipment, using the most primitive method of drawing water with a wooden bucket. A small wooden bucket stood on a stone slab at the entrance.

“Wow, I didn’t know such a place existed,” Gan Hong said, feeling a bit surprised.

While it wouldn’t be accurate to say that the grape trellis was particularly exquisite, after walking through the dense grapevines, seeing this clearing felt like a different experience.

Luo Qiu simply smiled and walked into the grape trellis.

At that moment, there were already people beneath the trellis ahead of them.

One was a man wearing a white half-mask with gray hair, dressed in a vest and shirt, lean but giving off a tall impression—a man who Gan Hong recognized at first glance from the information on Song Ying; he was probably the legendary figure in the gambling world, the Gambling God, Tu Shenyi.

The other was a woman who appeared to be in her thirties but looked like she was in her forties, not of Eastern descent, though it was hard to determine her nationality. She had long golden hair, which could also appear white due to the sunlight, and was dressed in a purple dress, seemingly not afraid of the heat, with an elegant appearance.

The two were sitting across from each other, engrossed in a chess game on the table, playing international chess.

Luo Qiu quietly walked to the grape trellis, then took off his shoes before stepping onto the wooden floor beneath the trellis. He approached Tu Shenyi and the lady playing chess, standing silently beside them as they observed the game.

The two players seemed oblivious to his presence. Tu Shenyi focused intently on the black and white chessboard, while the elegant lady held a piece in her hand, deep in thought, contemplating her move.

She was holding a chariot piece.

Seeing this, Gan Hong quickly followed suit, removing her shoes in front of the grape trellis and gently moving to Luo Qiu's side. However, she found it puzzling that while neither of the chess players had taken off their shoes, Master Qiu had done so first.

At this moment, Zhong Luoyue and Ouyang Jie also arrived at the open space and, upon noticing the scene, stopped to observe.

Ouyang Jie leaned closer to Zhong Luoyue and whispered, "That’s my master. He is playing chess with someone. My master doesn't like noise while playing, so it’s best not to speak until they finish."

Zhong Luoyue nodded. "Who is the woman beside him?"

Ouyang Jie replied, "She is my master's close friend, Lady Eve, of British nationality… a very mysterious woman. I've heard she inherited a large fortune. She comes here twice a year, stays for a while, and then leaves. But she rarely interacts with others. I’ve only exchanged a few words with her; we’re acquainted but not close, and I don’t know much about her."

As he spoke, Ouyang Jie smiled and added, "She is quite polite, knows not to disturb others, takes off her shoes, and walks quietly."

"Is that so?" Zhong Luoyue replied indifferently.

Ouyang Jie was taken aback. "Isn't that the case?"

Zhong Luoyue looked at Gan Hong and slowly said, "If the host doesn't take off their shoes first, how can the attendant take theirs off? Just look at the back of Gan Hong’s heel."

"It’s worn out." Ouyang Jie, with sharp eyes, immediately spotted the worn spots on her long legs.

As a trained bodyguard, getting injured during practice was routine, and such minor abrasions hardly affected Gan Hong… She likely didn’t feel much discomfort, just a slight annoyance.

"How considerate." Ouyang Jie chuckled. "Seems like you appreciate beauty; I like that. Shall I help you take off your shoes?"

Zhong Luoyue shot him a cold glance. Ouyang Jie, accustomed to her demeanor, shrugged it off, interpreting her coolness as charm and feeling delighted.

Zhong Luoyue also took off her shoes in front of the grape trellis, neatly placing them to the side before stepping in.

She moved to stand opposite Luo Qiu and Gan Hong, also observing the chess match silently.

However, the game did not last much longer. Eventually, Lady Eve placed the chariot piece outside the chessboard, let out a slow breath, and placed her hands in her lap, smiling gently. "I lost."

Tu Shenyi simply nodded.

At this moment, Lady Eve stood up and looked around at the two pairs of young men and women beside her but said nothing. She picked up her handbag from the side, opened it, and suddenly pulled out a small, flat box.

Inside the box was a square-folded handkerchief. Lady Eve took it out and unexpectedly crouched down.

Her action surprised everyone, as Lady Eve was now using the handkerchief to wipe the worn spot on Gan Hong’s heel.

Gan Hong was taken aback and felt a bit flustered—not out of fear of the woman, but from the unexpected kindness. She instinctively stepped back. "No, no, I can do it myself."

Lady Eve held Gan Hong’s ankle, looked up with a gentle smile, and shook her head.

Gan Hong instinctively glanced at Luo Qiu, who also slightly shook his head. Reluctantly, Gan Hong allowed Lady Eve to carefully tend to her wound.

The handkerchief was slightly damp, giving a cool sensation against the wound, accompanied by a subtle scent of bay laurel.

After a short while, Lady Eve stood up, neatly folded the handkerchief, placed it back into the box, and said to Gan Hong, "Thank you."

"No, no, I should thank you." Gan Hong felt defeated by the nearly perfect demeanor of the lady and couldn't help but think… this woman was truly peculiar.

"It’s almost time; I’ll head back." Lady Eve glanced at Tu Shenyi. "Ninety-seven, I’ll return it to you later."

Tu Shenyi made a gesture to invite her to leave. Lady Eve then looked at Luo Qiu, smiled slowly, and uttered something surprising: "I like you."

Though this woman appeared to be of an older age, her noble demeanor, wrapped in a purple dress, resembled fully matured grapes, as if they could drip with juice.

Nevertheless, such a statement left Ouyang Jie and Zhong Luoyue astonished… Lady Eve was quite open-minded!

She walked to Luo Qiu's side, her gaze dreamy, and said softly, "You would make a perfect lover; no woman could escape you. It’s just a pity…"

Her voice dropped, low enough that only she could hear, "…you have no heart."

Luo Qiu was momentarily stunned, then smiled. "Thanks for the reminder."

"I’m staying in the top room of the West Tower."

Lady Eve's eyes glimmered, as if a gentle breeze had swept through, leaving a meaningful smile before she slowly vanished among the lush grapevines.

---

Tu Shenyi remained silent, beginning to tidy up the chessboard and pieces on the table.

He collected the black and white pieces one by one, arranging them neatly before closing the box.

Noticing the atmosphere had grown somewhat subtle, Ouyang Jie took the initiative to speak, "Master, did Lady Eve just mention 'Ninety-seven'? Is that your bottle of 'Worry-Free · Ninety-Seven'? Why did she say she would return it to you?"

Tu Shenyi paused for a moment, then spoke slowly. His voice surprisingly did not sound aged; rather, it was quite bright. "I gave it to her twenty years ago. She hasn’t taken a sip, so it would have gone to waste, so I have to take it back. If she doesn’t drink it soon, it will spoil."

Ouyang Jie was taken aback. Seeing that Zhong Luoyue was examining Tu Shenyi closely, he leaned closer and whispered, "Don’t mind it; my master is a bit eccentric, but he’s actually a good person."

Zhong Luoyue nodded and suddenly said softly, "It is said that in Mr. Tu’s 'Worry-Free' series, there is a bottle named 'Ninety-Seven,' which reminds me of a line from 'Where are the trees entwined with vines in this world': 'We make a pact of a hundred years, which of us will die at ninety-seven, let’s wait three years on the Naihe Bridge.' This implies that Mr. Tu must be someone deeply sentimental."

"Mm." Tu Shenyi smiled slightly. "Is there such a thing? You have quite a vivid imagination."

Zhong Luoyue opened her mouth slightly.

Tu Shenyi calmly continued, "The reason I named it Ninety-Seven is simply because twenty years ago was exactly 1997. I couldn’t think of a better name, so I just used this one casually."

Pfft.

That was Gan Hong's very soft, almost imperceptible laugh, barely stifled.