Trafford's Trading Club

Chapter 868: Worry-Free, Yellow Springs (1)

Lady Eve, who lived on the top floor of the West Tower, had her own maid—a young and beautiful girl named Bella.

At this moment, Lady Eve had just returned from outside, and her maid opened the door for her. Lady Eve casually said, "Bella, I’d like to take a bath. Prepare some rose petals for me."

"Yes, ma’am," Bella respectfully left.

The room was luxuriously decorated, and Lady Eve slowly walked to the vanity and sat down. Gently, she took a small flat box from her handbag and opened it.

It was the folded handkerchief.

Lady Eve carefully lifted the handkerchief, and as it unfolded, tiny bloodstains appeared on the pure white cloth, resembling plum blossoms.

Suddenly, Lady Eve grabbed the handkerchief with both hands and brought it to her nose, inhaling deeply, her face filled with ecstasy.

After a long while, she slowly put it down, exhaling softly, and sighed. She folded the handkerchief again, placed it back in the small box, and stored it in the drawer of the vanity.

Lady Eve looked at herself in the mirror and noticed that her hair seemed a little messy. She carefully tidied it up and even touched up her eyebrows.

Soon after, Lady Eve stood up, walked to the window, and retrieved a delicate 40-centimeter box from the bedside cabinet.She inserted a ring into a slot on the box and turned it slightly. There was a click, and the box unlocked.

Inside was an equally exquisite crystal bottle containing a dark red liquid, almost black, but it only filled half of the bottle.

Lady Eve rested her hand on the stopper, gripping it, but didn’t pull it out. She shook her head and placed the bottle back in the box, locking it once more.

At that moment, Bella knocked on the door from outside. "Ma’am, the petals are ready."

Lady Eve put the box away, stood up, adjusted her gown, and opened the door.

Bella saw a flash of purple in front of her and stared in a daze. No matter when she looked at Lady Eve, she was always so beautiful, as if nothing had changed since Bella first came to serve her five years ago.

Lady Eve was a legendary figure in Britain’s social circles, known for having many remarkable lovers.

"Am I beautiful, Bella?"

"You are, ma’am, the most beautiful," Bella responded dreamily.

Lady Eve smiled and asked again, "More beautiful than the woman holding the cat in the study?"

"Yes, even more beautiful than her," Bella replied, her voice gradually becoming calm, devoid of emotion.

Lady Eve caressed Bella’s cheek, tracing the youthful firmness of her skin, before gently taking her hand and leading her into the room. "Come, help me change."

The heavy wooden door slowly closed, and the faint sound of silver-bell-like laughter echoed from within.

...

Creak!

Ouyang Jie thought the door hinges could use some oil as he led Zhong Luoyue into the study—Gambling God Tu Shenyi’s study.

Before they entered, Tu Shenyi had already been there and had changed into a different outfit. Despite the white half-mask he wore giving him an odd appearance, he still exuded an air of elegance.

They had just returned from the vineyard.

Tu Shenyi invited Ouyang Jie and Zhong Luoyue to sit at the desk. "Go ahead, you said you had something to discuss with me. What is it?"

Ouyang Jie spoke frankly, "Master, let me introduce you again. This is Miss Zhong Luoyue, the owner of Four Seasons Group and the Four Seasons Casino. She’s here to meet you."

Only then did Tu Shenyi glance at Zhong Luoyue.

Zhong Luoyue said solemnly, "Mr. Tu, I wonder if you would consider returning to the world of gambling?"

Tu Shenyi didn’t seem surprised by her request and responded calmly, "Hmm, getting straight to the point is good. But since you’ve already recruited A Jie, and he won last year’s tournament for you, why do you still want to ask for my help?"

Zhong Luoyue replied, "Because I don’t want to face the day when I might meet you at the gambling table. You know, Mr. Tu, no one wants to lose, or even face the possibility of losing."

"I’ve long retired," Tu Shenyi shook his head. "This is a world for the young. A Jie has learned all my skills, and I’ve taught him everything I know. My time has passed, but A Jie’s is just beginning. He has the potential to develop even more advanced techniques than I did."

Tu Shenyi smiled and said, "Miss Zhong, you've made a name for yourself in the gambling world at a young age, a true heroine. Why can’t you understand this?"

"A simple question, I hope Mr. Tu can answer me." Zhong Luoyue suddenly asked.

Tu Shenyi gestured for her to proceed.

Zhong Luoyue asked, "If you were to gamble with A Jie right now, who would win?"

Ouyang Jie looked at Zhong Luoyue in shock—he hadn't expected her to ask such a sharp question.

Who is better: the master or the student who has learned the master’s skills?

Ouyang Jie glanced at Tu Shenyi, wondering if he could surpass his master now.

Tu Shenyi shook his head. "I’ve already said I’m retired and no longer involved in gambling. Even with A Jie, I won’t gamble again. Miss Zhong, I understand your concern, but I can assure you, the Gambling God Tu Shenyi no longer exists. What remains is a man content to live a quiet life in a vineyard, enjoying wine and dreams."

With that, Tu Shenyi stood up. "It's getting late. I need to prepare for the wine tasting. Miss Zhong, if you’re interested in my wine, feel free to join us."

He moved towards the door.

Zhong Luoyue suddenly asked, "Mr. Tu, please wait... How do you view my Zhong family’s wealth?"

"The pinnacle of aristocracy, nothing more," Tu Shenyi replied indifferently.

"I can promise you anything," Zhong Luoyue stood up, "I can promise you that the Zhong family can achieve anything."

"Time." Tu Shenyi suddenly turned his head to glance, "At the very least, you cannot promise me time."

"Time?"

"Or rather, the lost time." Tu Shenyi nodded, "Even if you gathered all the wealth in the world, you cannot buy back a single second that has passed."

Zhong Luoyue frowned, "Is there nothing that can move you, Mr. Tu? Yes, we indeed cannot fulfill your request, but I fear no one under heaven could... Mr. Tu, I hope you can consider it carefully, because I have truly come with utmost sincerity."

At this moment, Ouyang Jie quickly said, "Master, Miss Zhong indeed came with sincerity. She came personally, and only reached the manor after escaping a disaster. Now her family is still in the hospital."

"Please go ahead." Tu Shenyi waved his hand, indifferent, and left directly.

...

Ouyang Jie sat down a bit dejectedly, but Zhong Luoyue did not. He saw no anger on the woman's face, only didn't know what she was thinking.

Ouyang Jie thought for a while before breaking the silence, "Actually, it's fine this way. If Master has rejected even me, then there's no way he would agree to others. At the very least, we can't get it, and others wouldn't want to get what they can't have... Except for my Master, I am confident no one can defeat me."

Zhong Luoyue suddenly said, "Didn't you lose to an amateur not long ago?"

Ouyang Jie was stunned, then bitterly smiled, "That time we were gambling on luck, no skill involved. I lost, but I can only say my luck wasn't as good as his. It's not a matter of my skills."

Zhong Luoyue remained neutral, looking at a painting hanging on the study's wall.

In the painting, a woman holding a white furry cat sat quietly at the edge of the window... Zhong Luoyue couldn't help but exclaim, "What a beautiful woman, who is she?"

"Karen." Ouyang Jie also looked at the painting, seemingly lost in memories, finally said, "Her name is Karen. I don't know the exact name, because even this name, I only heard it from my Master—when he occasionally gets drunk, he would recite this name, that's how I knew."

"She... is your Master's wife?" Zhong Luoyue asked seriously.

Ouyang Jie shook his head, "My Master has always been single, everyone in the manor knows that. Even Lady Eve can only be described as my Master's close confidante. I feel that Lady Eve has some interest in my Master, but it might just be because Lady Eve herself is naturally flirtatious."

"So, you haven't met this woman named Karen either," Zhong Luoyue nodded.

Ouyang Jie blinked, somewhat cheekily asked, "I used to watch this painting every day, doesn't that count as having seen her?"

But Zhong Luoyue didn't spare him a glance, leaving Ouyang Jie somewhat disappointed. She simply said, "Let's go."

Ouyang Jie was stunned, two fingers passing in front of Zhong Luoyue's eyes, "You mean, we're going back now?"

"No, it's not about getting it yet. Although we haven't received your Master's approval, at least it would be good to get a glimpse of the legendary 'Worry-Free' series." Zhong Luoyue took out a crystal ball with embedded numbers from her pocket, examining it, "Didn't they say a lucky one would emerge?"

"Yes, you do quite like to drink red wine." Ouyang Jie smiled, then bent his arm, "Let's go then."

Zhong Luoyue finally gave him a cold glance.

...

...

Perhaps for young talents, coming here would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Even for those young and beautiful girls, it is also a rare platform.

But Luo Qiu does not like social engagements, except for his guests.

Therefore, in such a place most suitable for socializing, he does not proactively approach anyone.

Then, it seems the only way to pass the time is to admire the various decorations within the manor castle, or the oil paintings hanging on the walls.

For example, at this moment, Luo Qiu stopped in front of an oil painting.

The oil painting hanging on the wall was very large, depicting a male noble. Judging by the blurriness of the painting, it seemed to be quite old.

It's unknown why Young Master Qiu could be so engrossed in this painting... Gan Hong felt that such portrait paintings were very ordinary—after all, she was focused on learning various useful skills that could help her survive. Appreciating oil paintings was, for the village's children, nothing but a waste of time.

"He is called Viscount Ferdinand."

A young man was slowly approaching from behind. Luo Qiu turned around to glance. This young man was very handsome, with his hands casually tucked into the pockets of his western trousers, a trace of a mischievous smile on his face.

Blonde hair and blue eyes, with a pair of very beautiful eyes.

"Viscount Ferdinand?" Luo Qiu repeated the name.

The handsome man walked up beside Luo Qiu, looked up, examining the portrait in the painting, nodded and said, "He was the original owner of this manor castle. Of course, I mean two hundred years ago."

Luo Qiu nodded, and once again looked at the self-portrait of Viscount Ferdinand. The handsome young man suddenly said, "Regarding Viscount Ferdinand, there is actually another legend."

Saying this, the handsome man suddenly looked at Luo Qiu, "Legend has it that Viscount Ferdinand was a blood-dependent monster."

"Sustaining himself on blood." Luo Qiu pondered for a moment, "Generally, people tend to imagine such a person as a vampire, right?"

"Yes." The handsome man smiled charmingly, "People generally think that way, but the rumors have not been confirmed. However, one thing is true: Viscount Ferdinand cannot be exposed to sunlight. Once sunlight touches his skin, he feels pain. This is something everyone in Viscount Ferdinand's family knows. They kept this secret, but for some reason, it eventually became known to outsiders. You know, people's fear of the unknown can sometimes destroy many things."

"What happened to Viscount Ferdinand later?" Luo Qiu asked curiously.

The handsome man turned to look out the window, then extended his finger, pointing to a tall tower of the manor outside the window, and said, "That's the tallest building in the East Wing. Viscount Ferdinand was hanged there by the people of his territory, exposed to direct sunlight. I heard he agonizedly howled for an entire day and eventually died of exhaustion."

Luo Qiu glanced... that was the tallest tower in the east, and across from it was the high tower in the west, which seemed to be the residence Lady Eve had mentioned before.

The handsome man now walked in front of Luo Qiu, standing slightly taller than him, "What, don't you believe it?"

Luo Qiu didn't deny it, but instead asked, "Do you believe it?"

The handsome man now moved even closer, whispering, "I believe it, and I believe you will too."

"Why?"

"Because I can't hear your heartbeat."