Trafford's Trading Club

Chapter 1250: Chapter 91: March and April

If you look closely, you’ll notice that Jimmy has a hint of European features, and his pupils aren’t the color typical of Asians. Without a doubt, he’s of mixed heritage.

Charming and witty, he easily attracts the attention of socialites at gatherings, exuding a strong aura of a business elite.

“Do you believe in fate?” Jimmy asked with a smile, revealing his white and neatly arranged teeth, directing his question at Luo Qiu.

Since Luo Qiu entered, Jimmy’s gaze had been mostly on him. While he still looked at Song Ying with a blazing gaze, he clearly maintained a certain restraint and distance, avoiding any sense of abruptness or intimidation.

Luo Qiu, who was using the back of his Western knife to push peas on his plate and was just about to pick a few up with his fork, was intrigued by the topic.

Boss Luo naturally has a fondness for fate more than ordinary people.

He pondered for a moment and said, “Mr. Jimmy, how do you perceive fate?”

Seeing Song Ying looking over, Jimmy picked up his water glass with his left hand, took a small sip, and then slowly said, “Someone once said, in our lifetime, we might meet about 29.2 million people, but the probability of two people falling in love is only 0.000049%, or 49 in a million. Whether male or female, or even between the same gender, the chance from meeting to falling in love is so low among the vast sea of people, yet around us, there’s always people in love. Don’t you think that’s fate?”

“That’s a romantically tinted view, not probability theory,” Song Ying disrupted the mood, saying, “Besides, where did the number 29.3 million come from? Was it from a sampling experiment?”

Jimmy was momentarily stunned, then showed a wry smile, lifted his water glass towards the two, “Gosh, what usually works for my ‘I once heard’ became an absurdity with Miss Song. Miss Song, please pardon my ignorance.”

Assistant Zi Yun, who was listening at the table, sighed inwardly… this Miss Ying of hers, understanding romance? That would be a miracle. Her mind is probably filled mostly with stock codes.

For someone who doesn’t even have a copy of “Pride and Prejudice” in their bookcase, romance is like casting pearls before swine… This talented young man obviously used the wrong approach—though Zi Yun certainly wouldn’t remind him of that.

Didn’t you see the main person is still sitting beside you? The little assistant sneaked a glance at Young Master Qiu, having more thoughts about the mysterious designer Astaroth and feeling somewhat perplexed.

She’s from Song Family Village Academy, specializing in business and social skills… wasn’t it said that Young Master Qiu grew up in an ordinary family? Yet through this meal, he displayed those ancient noble court manners that only a minority of old European aristocrats know…

Miss Ying wouldn’t notice; she barely passed the social dance courses… and this talented young man Jimmy certainly wouldn’t notice either.

Though he presented himself well, some intrinsic qualities cannot be concealed… Despite this lunch seeming like Jimmy was being humorous and leading discussions, Zi Yun preferred Young Master Qiu’s occasional remarks.

As per the academy’s teachings on self-cultivation in national studies, it’s about hiding one’s light and biding one’s time.

As she thought, her eyes were caught by a glance from Young Master Qiu. Luo Qiu merely smiled slightly, then gently tapped the side of his lips with his finger.

Zi Yun was momentarily bewildered, then realized there was a bit of sauce on her lips—but Young Master Qiu suddenly spoke, drawing Jimmy and Miss Ying’s attention.

Taking the opportunity, Zi Yun quickly dabbed at her mouth with a napkin, avoiding any faux pas.

“Actually, I find Mr. Jimmy’s way of speaking quite interesting,” Luo Qiu said in a voice not loud but compelling.

Song Ying felt quite moved by this. When this person isn’t speaking, he’s like he’s invisible, but once he opens his mouth, even the most trivial words become the focus.

Actually, Song Ying felt quite helpless about this… hmm, that fragrance has wafted over again!

“Why do you say that?” Song Ying asked expressionlessly.

Luo Qiu looked at her and said, “Let’s put it this way… As long as there are people in the world, there are opportunities for people to know and love each other. Probability theory also believes in opportunities, right?”

In the first half of the sentence, Miss Ying’s heart unavoidably fluttered, then rolled her eyes in the second half… so frustrating!

Do you even know why you were invited over!!

What kind of operation is undermining!!

“Excuse me, I need to step out for a moment, to the restroom.” Jimmy stood up, nodding in acknowledgment.

Noticing the atmosphere was somewhat off, Zi Yun also said, “Miss, Young Master, I’ll go touch up my makeup too, you two chat, chat slowly, haha…”

The attendants were all waiting outside the door, leaving only Luo Qiu and Song Ying in the private room. Today, Miss Ying was wearing a black dress, the coat removed, and in the rather chilly weather of March and April, even though the heater was on in the room, her fair skin was still covered with tiny goosebumps.

She couldn’t help but cross her arms and gently rub them.

But the scene of removing a coat to drape over her didn’t happen; Luo Qiu merely adjusted the heater’s temperature a bit higher and had a new pot of hot tea brought in by the attendant outside.

The more she thought about it, the more annoyed Miss Ying felt, then calmly said, “Your outfit is nice, did your girlfriend pick it for you?”

“Yes,” Luo Qiu nodded.

Miss Ying rolled her eyes again, feeling somewhat displeased, “You’re direct; you should learn from Jimmy just now. If it were him, he definitely wouldn’t admit it.”

“Recently, have you been feeling unwell?”

Having hit a soft spot multiple times, Miss Ying could only hopelessly say, “It’s okay, I haven’t even started yet, naturally I’m busy, thanks for asking… Are you concerned about me?”

Luo Qiu nodded, “I think I should care for you, don’t you like that?”

“Like… I’m not buying that for a moment!” Song Ying exhaled with relief, resting her forehead on her hand, gazing blankly.

Soon, she felt something draped over her; Song Ying was slightly bewildered, glancing up to see… it was merely the coat she had hung on the chair.

Luo Qiu had walked to the window, seemingly gazing at the view outside… it gave Song Ying the impression he acted spontaneously, sighing quietly with some helplessness.

Luo Qiu opened the window slightly, letting in a bit of cold wind, which brought in the outside chill but also dispersed some of the indoor stuffiness.

Luo Qiu said, “Spring is here.”

The spring of March and April.

Song Ying was momentarily stunned, gazing out the window, where the curtain that Luo Qiu had just pulled open revealed the exquisite courtyard outside the club.

There were actually Sakura Trees planted here; the cherry blossom bloom is brief, brilliant yet fleeting, and as Song Ying watched, she became captivated, her body relaxing.

The Sakura of March and April.

Suddenly, she spoke, “Hey, what do you think about me dyeing my hair back?”

…

“Hmm… he’s a young man with the surname Luo, seems to be from a prominent family, but there’s little information available.”

In the restroom, Jimmy was on the phone with Mr. Haus, reporting a few matters, “This Song Ying doesn’t seem to prioritize the one surnamed Luo but appears to hold him in regard. We still don’t know what their relationship is exactly.”

But on the other end, Mr. Haus seemed disinterested, spoke a few words casually, and ended the call.

This old man is nearing the end of his life, but Jimmy, in the prime of his life, bursting with energy, naturally had much more interest in business than Mr. Haus.

After ending the call, Jimmy suddenly smirked, but the smile quickly vanished. Looking in the mirror again, he once more donned a courteous demeanor.

At this point, someone entered the restroom, wearing a trench coat and hat, brim lowered to reveal less than half their face.

Jimmy curiously observed the person coming in through the mirror, and knowing they had stopped just behind him, he spun around in surprise.

The person then lifted their head just in time.

Seeing the person’s face, Jimmy’s mouth fell open in shock, taking a small step back, bumping into the sink, “You…”

…

…

Zi Yun had touched up her makeup early and returned to the door of the private room but didn’t enter. After asking the door attendant if Mr. Jimmy had returned and receiving a ‘no’ response, she stood outside waiting and advised the two attendants not to enter.

At this moment, Zi Yun received a text message from Mr. Jimmy, saying he had to leave for something, and the lunch bill was already settled… Though feeling somewhat puzzled, Zi Yun didn’t pay much attention.

She waited outside for nearly half an hour, feeling it was time, before finally pushing the door open and walking in.

Song Ying was leaning on a table, Luo Qiu stood in front of the window, both gazing at the scenery outside… Zi Yun stifled a laugh before speaking, “Miss, Young Master, sorry, I just answered a call, came back late.”

Song Ying came back to her senses from a very comfortable state, responded with a soft “Oh.”

Zi Yun then said, “Just now, Mr. Jimmy left me a message saying he had to go, apologizing to you both, and promises to make amends next time.”

Miss Ying waved her hand vigorously, “Next time, just turn him away; he’s such a slick character. You can handle him for me. If Mr. Haus only sends an assistant to meet, then you stand in for me, it’s a fitting match.”

Luo Qiu chuckled lightly upon hearing this.

“What’s so funny, did I say something wrong?” Song Ying shot him a glare.

Zi Yun stepped forward, whispering a reminder, “Miss… ‘fitting match’ isn’t used like that. ‘Fitting match’ is used in marriage, meaning families with similar status…”

“Being good in Chinese is amazing!” Song Ying exploded, “This Jimmy seems decent; be careful I’ll really marry you off to him!”

Unlike Young Master Song, she wasn’t proficient in Chinese studies, having spent most of her learning abroad; if not for the Song Family maintaining Hua Country traditions, she might have become fully westernized.

“Miss, that’s not what I meant…” Zi Yun looked at Young Master Qiu with a pleading gaze.

“Could you order me some fried rice?” Luo Qiu said casually, “I seem not to have eaten enough… Hmm, see what Song Ying likes too, she didn’t eat much earlier.”

“Immediately!” Zi Yun rushed out of the door, feeling liberated.

Song Ying gave Luo Qiu an annoyed look, Boss Luo smiled and said, “By the way, how are Old Zhong and Song Haoran doing recently? You could tell me about their recent happenings.”

Song Ying shook her head, half-dazed and half-playfully exclaimed, “You’re a master at changing the subject!”

She sighed again, “Fine, I won’t argue with you! Come over, I’ll tell you about Grandpa and Song Haoran.”

Afterward, they spent another hour over lunch before finally leaving the Maple Club. Song Ying wanted to see Luo Qiu off but was rejected.

Her dissatisfaction eventually erupted in the car, looking at Zi Yun, “Zi Yun, as of today, you’re forbidden from watching TV dramas!”

“Miss, you should just marry me off…”

…

…

Night, Auston Pharmaceuticals.

Jimmy walked quickly through the corridor; whenever security personnel passed by, they would greet him respectfully… Until he reached Mr. Haus’s office.

Inside were Mr. Haus himself, along with two doctors and three nurses… Mr. Haus still had an IV attached to his arm.

Mr. Haus seemed to have been waiting for a while, currently resting with his eyes closed.

Jimmy glanced around the office before approaching Mr. Haus, lowering his voice, “Sorry, Boss, something held me up.”

Mr. Haus slowly opened his eyes, gave Jimmy a somewhat surprised glance, then nodded and waved his hand, signaling the doctors to remove the needle.

Afterward, the doctors and nurses packed up and quietly left.

Jimmy said, “Boss, your body…”

Mr. Haus shook his head, propped himself up with a cane, and instructed Jimmy to lock the office door—when Jimmy locked the door, he heard a strange sound behind him.

The display cabinet along one wall split open… There was a secret room designed into the office.

Jimmy maintained his composure, moving to Mr. Haus’s side.

Mr. Haus let out a slow breath, casually remarked, “Join me inside to check the progress.”

After they entered the secret room passage, the display cabinet moved slowly, finally closing… But soon, on the locked office door, a dark red mark appeared on the lock.

The mark fluttered momentarily, and in the next instant, the door lock automatically opened.

Then, a woman wearing leather pants and a leather jacket, with a silver mask concealing the upper half of her face, swiftly entered.

After she entered, she suspiciously looked around and then fixed her gaze on the display cabinet… She approached the cabinet, pondered for a moment, before reaching out her finger to trace a dark red mark similar to the one on the door lock.

“Open.”

The woman softly uttered.

…

After a somewhat short passage followed by an iron staircase, Jimmy supported Mr. Haus along, eventually reaching an open area.

What they saw was as large as a basketball court… Jimmy noticed many burly men with weapons, not only guarding the entrance but stationed at various other passages leading here.

Various instruments, a multitude of researchers in white coats moved about.

In the center of this vast space, was a large circular container with a base.

At this moment, a foreign man in his fifties brought a man and a woman to Mr. Haus’s side.

“Let me take a look at him.” Mr. Haus bluntly emitted.

The man nodded to Mr. Haus and also nodded to Jimmy, offering a brief greeting. He replaced Jimmy’s position, accompanying Mr. Haus towards the massive container.

“When can it be completed?”

Drawing closer, Mr. Haus suddenly asked.

The man slowly replied, “Soon, the equation you sent was indeed the missing part we’ve lacked all along. Tomorrow we can perform the final test.”

Mr. Haus’s vigor suddenly increased, seemingly better than ever before, he quickened his pace towards the container, even dropping his cane to the ground.

In front of the container, a young man, seeing Mr. Haus approach, pressed a button on a control panel on the container.

Seen was the sealed front of the container, a section the size of a ruler slowly opened.

Jimmy’s gaze slightly sharpened.

Through the opening on the container’s outer shell, the interior displayed a light green color… And through this small opening, he could see a human face.

It vaguely resembled Mr. Haus’s face by about sixty to seventy percent…

The individual seemed to be asleep, with devices providing oxygen to the mouth and nose.

Mr. Haus’s palm trembled slightly, gently touching the small mirror surface as if caressing a treasure. “Soon, soon…”

At this moment, the sealed space suddenly erupted with a piercing alarm sound.

“Someone’s intruded!”

This was the cry of a robust man holding a weapon at the entrance…