Trafford’s Trading Club

“Oleg, Oleg, Oleg.”

Who… Who’s calling me?

Is this dusk or dawn in midwinter?

Oleg looked at the flickering shadows of the trees that were reflected on the lake water. It was a familiar yet unfamiliar sight. The heavy snow that covered the branches and leaves weighed everything down. However, there were clear distinctions between layers.

When he heard the call, he walked involuntarily toward the direction of the sound.

He remembered. It was Kamala’s voice.

“Kamala.” Oleg’s footsteps became unwittingly fast… He started to run at full speed— until he pushed aside a branch that was weighed down by the thick snow.

He saw the place that he was born, and the small lake in front of the village. He could vaguely see his past, the places where he played… No, he saw a familiar figure; whose long red chestnut coloured hair was hanging at the back of a thin white dress.

She was like a fairy in the lake.

In this daze, Oleg suddenly felt some sort of palpitation. He stepped into the thick snow, which his feet quickly sank in. Although he was strong, he seemed so clumsy here.

“Kamala!”

At last, he reached out to the back of the figure. He took her into his arms and embraced her tightly.

Oleg lowered his head and completely buried his nose into her long hair. He took deep breaths. Each breath showed his increased voracity.

“Kamala!”

Each of his call also seemed so gentle and reluctance.

The woman lowered her head and placed her face on the back of the man’s big hand. She felt the cold. But soon, it was warmed up.

“Oleg, right now, I feel really happy.”

“Me too.”

…

…

“Kama…”

The earth’s gravity made Oleg’s head droop. When he opened his eyes, he found himself in the park. He was still sitting on the swing.

It turned out it was a dream.

But that long-lost, fuzzy dream cleared the bitterness in his heart.

Oleg looked at his palm unconsciously, and the touch seemed to linger around there. He lowered his head to kiss his the back of his hand. He said with a smile, “Good-bye, Kamala.”

As he took a deep breath, he felt reenergized. It was as though a surge of energy has been injected into his body.

Despite going through two days and one night’s worth of exhaustion, he felt a sudden renewal of new strength. He stood up from the swing and he felt as tall as a tower.

He was tall enough to obstruct the Antonio’s figure. Perhaps he could even lift the sky of Moscow.

When Oleg walked to Antonio, he raised his hand, and gave a hard slap on Antonio’s face.

Antonio’s small body couldn’t bear the loud slap. He was stunned and fell down to the ground.

“Stand up.” Oleg said with his stony face.

Antonio clutched his face and got up quickly without a word.

“Beat me.” Oleg suddenly said.

Antonio was shocked and he hesitated for a moment. Finally, with his fist clenched, he used all of his strength to punch Oleg in the stomach.

“Punch harder with as much strength as you can muster! Didn’t you have your daily meals?” Oleg snorted coldly.

Antonio stepped back a dozen paces. He shouted and then tackled forward ruthlessly… This caused Oleg to step back slightly.

But Antonio also rebounded and fell onto the ground.

As he looked up at Oleg—his towering father figure, Oleg said slowly, “As a man, you can voice out your dissatisfaction or even choose to fight. But leaving home is not a man’s behaviour! Understand?”

Antonio nodded.

Oleg said, “I gave you a slap and you gave me a punch, so we’re even.”

“It’s not fair! I can’t hurt you at all!” Antonio muttered angrily.

Oleg broke into a slight smile, “Then, grow up, wait for the day till you can hurt me.”

Antonio pulled a face.

As Oleg touched Antonio’s head, he shook his head, “How does it feel to leave home?”

“It’s great!”

Antonio wiped his nose, and ran excitedly to the front, “Dad! Let’s have a race! The last one to reach home will do today’s housework!”

As he ran out of the park— on the park’s sidewalk, Antonio saw a figure leaving. Unconsciously, he stopped in his tracks.

“I’ve surpassed you, Antonio!”

It was Oleg’s voice. Oleg was now in front of him… Antonio ran back for a second, then quickly turned around and tried to catch up with Oleg.

…

“Why this time…”

“Well, take this as the reward for your honesty… But your love was sold to me. You can’t get it back… However, you will be granted a chance encounter. In the future, you will meet a girl whom you really love, but whether or not she becomes your wife depends on you. You may succeed or fail. But remember, you only have one chance.”

“Who sent me that? Big brother, big brother, big… ”

…

…

At the fountain in front of the Petrov Theater,

A woman lowered her head as she was praying devoutly near the fountain. She had long red chestnut coloured hair and she wore a white dress.

“I’m sorry for the long wait.” The woman looked apologetically at Luo Qiu who sat at the edge of the fountain.

Luo Qiu looked at the colourful world. He shook his head and said, “It doesn’t matter, thank you for letting me see so many colours.”

“Colours?” Kamala showed a puzzled look.

After Luo Qiu thought for a moment, and he shook his head, “Nothing, they’re just my interests.”

Kamala was stunned. She suddenly felt a light and feathery sensation —although she did not have a body, yet the sensation felt real.

Her spirit began to rise up slowly.

All of a sudden.

A man dragged a child’s hand and came to the other side of the fountain.

“Aren’t you going to run home? Why did you take me here?”

“Antonio, if you meet someone you love in the future, you must bring her to this place. No matter what happens, do not lose her. Do you understand?”

“All right… Though, I don’t like to watch ballet.”

“Pray, your mother may hear you.”

“OK.” Antonio closed his eyes, and put his hands together… Suddenly, Antonio opened his eyes and looked at Oleg, “Dad, I think I can hear mother speaking!”

Oleg laughed, and thought to himself that if it works, he’d pray every time he comes here.

Though he wasn’t convinced, Oleg still squatted down and asked, “What did you hear?”

Antonio said, “Thank you.”

Oleg was surprised, and looked blankly around, “Thank you?…”

…

“Thank you, thank you for letting me see the end…”

Kamala’s figure slowly rose up to the air. As her voice echoed in an immortal realm, her tears were falling down.

At her back, a pair of white wings suddenly burst open with dazzling lights—It made the darkness fade away, and returned everything into its original colour.

The whole theatre and the streets nearby were filled with various colours. It was as though Luo Qiu was in the midst of a colourful banquet.

Suddenly, Luo Qiu stood up and looked frantically at the colourful world that was brought by that dazzling light. He raised his hands as if he was embracing the world.

“It’s so beautiful… It’s really, really beautiful.”

Kamala’s figure gradually turned into a ball of light before it fell slowly onto Luo Qiu’s hands.

“I didn’t expect that the original soul of Miss. Kamala to be an angel. No wonder it was so valuable…” The servant girl who stood behind the boss was captivated by the beauty and showed a little surprise on her face.

“Angel?”

Luo Qiu shook his head gently and turned around. It was as if he was reluctant to hold on to the ball of light in his hands, “Whatever it is, it was enough for me to see this colour.”

…

It was a blissfully glazed colour.