Trafford's Trading Club

“Right, brother, has the room card been returned?” Mu Zi asked, using this as an ice breaker to start a conversation.

“Sent to the Claims Department for further action.”

“I am sorry to have to trouble you. If it wasn’t that I suddenly needed to deal with something urgent, it should have been me to send it over.” Mu Zi’s gaze suddenly relaxed.

“Everyone has moments of emergencies.”

Luo Qiu looked at a small black spot on the sea level. Perhaps that is a small island or something?

“Oh, from your appearance, you must still be a student? Are you here with your girlfriend for the Golden Week?”

She seemed to be a talkative lady. The topic unwittingly revolved around Luo Qiu’s matters but surprisingly most of Ms. Mu Zi’s questions did not cause any discomfort.

Or probably it was because of her feminine charisma or perhaps it was because of the social skills of a socialite. Ms. Mu Zi would start a conversation with something about herself, “…If you have the chance, you should really go to the Tibetan Plateau. If you like traveling, I will recommend you to go there.”

“If I have the chance.” Luo Qiu nodded with a smile.

Ms. Mu Zi intertwined her fingers and stretched her back comfortably in the sea breeze. She seemed to be very comfortable with the gentle sea breeze here. She let out a breath and said, “Um… I have enough rest. I am very happy to talk to you. I thought that there would be a generation gap between us when I am talking to someone as young as you are.”

Luo Qiu thought for a while, but said, “The generation gap is probably formed because both sides insist on arguing about the topic. It’s actually good to talk about something else. People of different ages can always find common ground.”

Ms. Mu Zi was stumped and said inadvertently, “However, when people interact with each other, they can’t just talk about things they like. After a while, there will still be friction. After all, creatures like humans are independent, irreplaceable and complicated individuals. If you only stay in simple contact with people, it may be difficult to find intimate friends.”

“Thank you for your words.” Luo Qiu nodded.

Suddenly, Ms. Mu Zi opened her bag, “Little brother, just treat this as a thank-you gift from me for your help in sending off the room card. I bought this when I traveled to the plateau years ago. I hope it will give you good luck.”

A chain of small wooden beads.

Luo Qiu curiously took it, and saw Sanskrit words inscribed on each bead. All of which were different. Although it looked rough at first glance, it seemed to show a sense of indescribable refinement at a closer look.

“Like a colored glass, clear inside and outside.” Ms. Muzi said softly. “When translated, the words on the beads mean that I hope your internal and external souls are in tune with each other. Be a person free of worries.”

“This is too precious.” Luo Qiu shook his head, intending to return the bracelet.

Ms. Mu Zi smiled, ” It is fated that we meet. Although I am not a Buddhist, I really like this kind of saying. If I can give you a little kindness, and you can give my kindness to others, life will be better.”

With that said, Ms. Mu Zi stood up and patted Luo Qiu’s shoulder gently. She then looked slyly at You Ye, who was beside Luo Qiu astutely. She then smiled and said, “Of course, do treat the people around you well.”

…

“This Ms. Mu Zi is very polite.” Usually, the maid seldom praised others.

“Like a colored glass, clear inside and outside” Luo Qiu played with the wooden bead bracelet on his hand and suddenly smiled, “Look like this sea trip is not bad.”

“Master, there seems to be a very weak spiritual power attached to this bracelet… but it is a very gentle power.” You Ye voiced her opinion. “If ordinary people wear it, they will probably feel refreshed and there are no adverse reactions.”

“Probably a monk with a good reputation has blessed the bracelet with it.” Luo Qiu looked at You Ye. “I haven’t really been there but I heard that on the plateau this kind of little thing blessed by the monk is popular. However, it is not easy to find those items that are truly blessed by the monks.”

Saying that, the boss immediately wore the bracelet on his wrist… He felt indescribably stronger than ordinary people. The weak energy on the bracelet suddenly exuded a sense of calm which he absorbed completely.

“Mu Zi, Mu Zi… Li [1].”

Luo Qiu gave a faint smile and continued to look at the black spot as the ship gradually approached… The tourist guidebook placed at the side stated that this was an island called Haibei.

…

The friction between the lid and the rim of the stainless steel hip flask made a metallic scraping sound. The old captain drank about half of the vodka inside, and his body felt warm.

Standing on the second deck, the old captain looked at the people below the deck… He often watched the tourists on deck here. As he watched, the minutes would just fly by.

However, this was probably the first time he saw that the atmosphere was the coldest on the summer Golden Week in the past ten years… There were not many people.

There was only a man and a woman, who looked like a couple, sitting on a bench on the deck and silently looked at the sea… for a period of time.

Naturally, the old captain recognized the couple…This couple were the young man and woman who were traveling with Officer Ma.

“Companionship in silence…” The old captain’s gaze suddenly became a little misty as if he remembered something nostalgic.

He took another sip of the strong alcoholic drink and took out his pocket watch.

There were footsteps behind the old captain.It was the sound of impact between the leather shoes and the deck. He did not have to look back to know who was coming because this was the person he had made an appointment with.

“Dad, are you looking for me?”

The person coming was… Mu Qinghai, the deputy captain.

The old captain shook the wine bottle in his hand at this moment, and suddenly offered it to Mu Qinghai. Mu Qinghai froze and frowned, “Dad, are you drinking again?”

“There isn’t much left.” Mu Enli shook his head and suddenly said. “You drink some too… We haven’t had a drink together in a long time.”

“I don’t drink during working hours” Mu Qinghai shook his head.

However, Mu Enli said, “People like us who have been on the ship for all of our lives. If we don’t have wine, it’s like losing half of our lives. Why don’t you understand?”

Mu Qinghai still shook his head, “If you want to drink, you can go to the shore and find a place to drink. As a deputy captain of the ship, I will not get drunk on board anyway.”

Mu Enli happily took a sip himself, turned around and leaned against the railing. The wind almost blew his hat away. So, he took it off.

Mu Enli looked at the badge on the hat and said indifferently, “Everyone on the boat is afraid of me, but I can always find someone who is willing to accompany me to drink. However, you can’t find anyone… Whether when you are working or got off from work, everyone keeps a respectful distance from you. Do you know why?”

Mu Qinghai said indifferently, “Each line of work has their own system. If the crew has questions about me, they can voice it out to me. If it is my fault after discussing with them, I will naturally change it. As for showing a respectful distance… I am only being strict with myself. If they are afraid of me, it proves that I have prestige on the ship.”

“Wrong.”

Mu Enli shook his head, “Wrong, it is not because you have prestige, but it is because you don’t know how to drink. You don’t understand that neither me, you nor the manager are the most important person on this ship, but every sailor on the boat is equally important too.”

“Dad, what century are we in? The sailor’s way is outdated.” Mu Qinghai retorted. “Maybe you can deepen your relationship with the crew, but it will not improve work efficiency. The rate of turnover of the crew on board is great every year. If you want to cultivate feelings with each of them, it will be a waste of time… Besides, they are only employees on board, not sailors.”

Mu Qinghai took a deep breath and eased his tone as he felt that he was talking nonsense. “Dad, when you return this time, you will retire. When you retire, enjoy your life. Don’t worry about anything. From now on… I will do better. So, let me deal with the things in the future. You don’t need to bother with it.”

Mu Enli was silent for a while, and suddenly asked, “Qinghai, last night, were you really in the central control room the whole time? You didn’t even leave the place?”

“No, I only left the place temporarily during a blackout.” There is no change in Mu Qinghai’s face. He then asked, “Why do you ask?”

“No.” Mu Enli shook his head. “It’s nothing. Alright, we will be arriving at Haibei Island soon. Go and get ready. Find out how many tourists are willing to disembark and go sightseeing.”

“Alright.” Mu Qinghai nodded and turned away.

After staying here for a while, the old captain wanted to leave.

Before leaving, the old captain glanced at the couple sitting on the deck looking at the sea. He said softly, “If you can stay with me for a long time, it will be good, so good…”

He put on his captain’s hat again and straightened it in the wind. Then, with his hands behind his back, he silently walked along the big ship that he had been in for thirty years.

[1] Mu Zi (木子); if the two words combined, it formed the surname Li (李)