Trafford's Trading Club

Chapter 1511: Chapter 238: The Little Girl Who Loved Stories

The Red Lamp Spirit was bound like a rice dumpling, unable to move, standing not far from the Magic Lamp, its face full of grief and indignation… Then gradually became resigned.

“I see, it seems like Mr. Lamp Spirit has restrictions on harming others.” Boss Luo took two steps forward and arrived beside the Red Lamp Spirit, then pointed at the chains binding the Lamp Spirit.

What made the Lamp Spirit widen its eyes was that the chains wrapped around its body loosened just like that… It opened its mouth and repeatedly said the word “you” several times… failing to say anything complete.

Boss Luo shook his head: “I should have no direct relation with this Magic Lamp… But you have your story too. I meant the story before you became the Lamp Spirit.”

The Red Lamp Spirit fell silent and then sighed disheartenedly, before looking expectantly at the summoner this time, “You… you’re really not planning to make a third wish?”

Luo Qiu did not speak, just glanced at those pattern cards waiting to be flipped, making his intention clear.

The Red Lamp Spirit frowned deeply, never in all the years since becoming the Lamp Spirit had it seen anyone directly abandon wishing… That was understandable, it merely showed they were without desires, but the fact that the other party could loosen the restrictions of the Magic Lamp on itself… How to explain this?

“You… could it be?” The Red Lamp Spirit suddenly seemed to realize something, looking at Luo Qiu with a trace of fear.

Boss Luo directly shook his head and said, “I told you, I have no direct relation with the Magic Lamp itself… In fact, from certain aspects, our situations are similar.”

The Red Lamp Spirit stared suspiciously, temporarily unable to sort out its thoughts—the rule restricting the Lamp Spirit from attacking the summoner had already determined the summoner’s safety, leaving it only with a loud voice, having lost its dignity.

It could only turn to look at the pattern cards wrapped around itself, then tentatively grabbed one and brought it to its face.

“What, it actually requires half of my power?” The Red Lamp Spirit looked at the card it randomly grabbed, full of incredulity… even its voice became sharp, “I just want you to make a third wish! Plus, it’s me who helps you realize the third wish, yet it takes half of my power as the price? How preposterous, how preposterous! How preposterous!!”

“Relative to the possibility of freedom…” Boss Luo slowly said, “Mr. Lamp Spirit, don’t you think half the power is already quite cheap—after all, when I make this third wish, it will mean the next summoner might fulfill plans for five hundred wishes… and the like.”

The Red Lamp Spirit’s finger couldn’t help but tremble… evidently, its heart was shaken by such a possibility—but it still couldn’t understand why it must contribute half its power to the other party even if it was the one helping them fulfill the wish…?

How is that reasonable… Isn’t that just bullying?

“I also have dignity… Never mind.” The Red Lamp Spirit sighed, tossed the card in hand aside, and then grabbed the second card nearby, looking at it with little expectation.

“Soul returned to you after death???”

It wasn’t wrong, the first card already demanded greedily, the second card evidently wouldn’t be simple—but suggesting the most precious thing upfront still made the Red Lamp Spirit unable to accept.

Boss Luo casually provided the official explanation, “This here refers to after death… which is when you, Mr. Lamp Spirit, truly die. Maybe you can leave the Magic Lamp afterward, and still have a lengthy freedom… before you die. Actually, from a cost-effectiveness standpoint, I suggest you give up half your power.”

The Red Lamp Spirit snorted coldly, “Half the power… are you willing to lose half your current strength just to buy a possibility?”

“I think I am willing… at least, at this stage, it is so.” Boss Luo suddenly spoke softly: “If there was a possibility appearing before me… I think I would be willing, even if it’s all I’d give.”

“Madman!” The Red Lamp Spirit snorted coldly, “For this power, willingly enslaved by this Magic Lamp, already nearly completing half the wishes… Now want me to forfeit half the power, impossible! My soul also belongs to me, I can’t bear the pain of being imprisoned by the Magic Lamp anymore, I will never allow the soul to be imprisoned! That too is impossible!”

Saying this, it tossed away the second card then grabbed the third one.

Its expression changed strangely… then became silent—it stared at the third card for a long time, took a deep breath, looked hatefully at Boss Luo, and spat, “You… might be more wicked… cruel than the one who created this Magic Lamp.”

“Mr. Lamp Spirit, do you have an answer already.” Boss Luo pretended not to hear anything.

There were only three cards altogether… the Red Lamp Spirit had already seen all of them—but hesitated, then gritted its teeth and said, “I need a quiet moment to think.”

That said, the Red Lamp Spirit transformed into a mass of red-black smoke that surged into the Magic Lamp—the room holding the Magic Lamp suddenly became dim, perfectly quiet.

As the Lamp Spirit needed to make a decision, Luo Qiu naturally wouldn’t leave quietly before the customer had an answer… He looked at the way back.

On the way back, Claudia’s figure still hadn’t appeared—she was still undergoing the trial of the Magic Lamp.

…

…

Suddenly, Claudia arrived… or rather returned to her familiar place—where she lived.

“Father?”

She followed that familiar figure here, yet didn’t know why she returned here… the everything at home was so familiar to her, she wouldn’t run into walls even with closed eyes.

A figure flashed from upstairs, Claudia paused, hurriedly chasing it, arriving at the room at the end of the corridor, pushing the door open—this was the study in her home, also where Professor Xie Jiatu spent most of his time besides the bedroom.

“Father!”

As the door opened, sunlight pierced into Claudia’s eyes, in front of the study’s window, Professor Xie Jiatu was holding a tobacco pipe, lost in thought.

He heard Claudia’s call, turned around, and showed a gentle smile: “Oh, Claudia, it’s you, is there something you need?”

“Is it really you…” Claudia walked in slowly… then quickened the pace, three steps making two, crashing into Professor Xie Jiatu’s embrace, “Am I not dreaming?”

“What happened exactly, Claudia?” Professor Xie Jiatu frowned, gently asked while stroking his daughter’s head, “Is there something troubling you? Bullied by classmates again?”

“No, I’m just too happy.” Claudia wiped away her tears, lifted her head and said, “Besides, I haven’t been bullied in a long time, only after learning Taekwondo! I’m really strong now!”

Professor Xie Jiatu laughed heartily and rubbed Claudia’s head again: “Really? Learned for less than a month, already got strong, of course, you are my daughter.”

“What month, I’ve been learning for almost eight…”

Eight years—she was going to say, only now realizing her father was much taller than she remembered, she could only reach his chest height.

When did Father become so tall?

No…she herself became smaller, returning to the appearance of her childhood—when she was always bullied and teased… simply because she developed more maturely than ordinary children.

That’s why, under Professor Xie Jiatu’s suggestion, she learned some self-defense skills…that year, she was only fourteen.

Passage of time, passage of time…has time rewound?

She suddenly became groggy, and in the midst of dizziness, her body suddenly felt light; it must’ve been her father who picked her up…in childhood, her father would always pick her up when she fell asleep.

…

Daylight quickly broke, and Claudia pushed open the window of her room and said good morning to the little bird standing on the branch outside the window. She then saw Professor Xie Jiatu reading in the yard.

“Father!”

The sound caught Professor Xie Jiatu’s attention as he was reading. He looked up and saw Claudia climb out of the window sill and then make her way down along the pipe outside the house.

“My little princess, you might have been a little monkey in your past life.” Professor Xie Jiatu chuckled bitterly, quickening his steps, fearing she might suddenly fall with a nervous expression all over his face.

“Father!”

Claudia, feeling mischievous, jumped halfway, leaping toward Professor Xie Jiatu—the professor caught her, but because of the impact, he immediately fell to the ground.

Claudia sat on Professor Xie Jiatu’s chest, letting out a giggle—but then the professor closed his eyes, appearing motionless.

Claudia seemed to notice something was wrong and quickly shook him, but Professor Xie Jiatu still didn’t react at all. She suddenly panicked, her nose tingled, and tears streamed down.

Until Professor Xie Jiatu suddenly opened his eyes, picked her up, and spun her around a few times—only then did she break into laughter.

“Father, you’ve gotten taller again?” Claudia hugged her father’s waist, realizing she could only reach his waist.

Professor Xie Jiatu couldn’t help but laugh, “My little princess, you’re only 11 years old, do you really want to be taller than me?”

“I’m only 11?” Claudia lifted her head in confusion and saw the Christmas tree in front of the house—she remembered this tree because her father deliberately brought it back and planted it in the yard when she was 11.

Indeed, she was 11 this year.

“Father, I had a dream yesterday.” Claudia tilted her little head, looking especially adorable, “I dreamt that I grew up, turning 14!”

Professor Xie Jiatu seemed intrigued, squatting down, gently brushing off the grass clippings on Claudia from her arms to her legs, carefully tidying up, “Fourteen-year-old Claudia? What were you doing when you were fourteen?”

“I started learning Taekwondo early!” Claudia giggled, “I’m so skilled! I can protect myself and won’t be bullied anymore!”

Professor Xie Jiatu held her hands, kissed them, and said, “Little princess, even now no one will bully you because I will protect you.”

She happily listened, then kissed the professor on the forehead, just like a princess she was—and a father is a Knight.

“I want to be with dad forever!”

…

That year, she was even younger, an age when she loved resting by her father’s side listening to stories.

Claudia lay on the soft carpet, not far away was the stove emitting light and heat.

Professor Xie Jiatu’s magnetic voice was slowly resonating, he was telling his daughter the stories passed down from the Greek God System. He had already told several stories this evening, yet she seemed insatiable, even resisting sleepiness as bedtime approached.

“…Later, after Oedipus personally killed the King, the King’s position was temporarily taken over by the King’s younger brother. Not long after, a monster appeared in the empire, which no one could solve…”

“Oedipus saw the notice, bravely stepped forward, and solved the problem of the monster. According to what the notice said, Oedipus became the new King and took the previous King’s Queen as his wife.”

The story seemed to come to an end here. Seeing Professor Xie Jiatu flipping to a new page in the book on his lap, Claudia suddenly curiously asked, “Dad, wasn’t the Queen Oedipus’s mother? How could he marry his own mother?”

Professor Xie Jiatu chuckled, looking at the little figure… Claudia lying on the ground, her legs raised, lightly kicking in the air, clearly still full of energy.

Mr. Xie Jiatu pulled back his gaze, thought for a moment, and said, “Do you remember Pelops’s curse back then? Everything Oedipus did was to fulfill this curse. It’s a destiny, Claudia.”

She was at an age completely unable to understand what fate meant, so she simply shook her head, “I don’t like this story, it’s too tragic! I want to hear something else!”

Professor Xie Jiatu laughed heartily, picked up Claudia lying on the ground, placed her on his lap, and gently embraced her, “What other story do you want to hear?”

The little Claudia thought for a while and then looked up and said, “I want to hear a Valentine’s Day story!”

Professor Xie Jiatu blinked, softly said, “But the Valentine’s Day story is also a tragic story, and haven’t you heard it before?”

“I don’t care, I want to hear it.” Claudia said naively: “I want to hear a Valentine’s Day story with a good ending!”

Professor Xie Jiatu smiled gently, nodded, pondered for a moment, and then said, “Alright, let’s tell a Valentine’s Day story…”

The story once again began under the reflection of the firelight, with Professor Xie Jiatu’s magnetic voice resonating, telling the Valentine’s Day story.

“…Finally, on the eve of the execution, the blind girl’s eyes were finally healed, she rushed to the execution ground, and in the end saw Valentine for real. Later, the King…Claudia?”

She had fallen asleep, resting on Professor Xie Jiatu.

So he stopped the story, gently picked her up, and took her into the room.

At this age, she truly could fall asleep to a story…just like that.