After three rounds of drinks, Li Ming was feeling a bit tipsy.
Seeing how late it had gotten, Li Ming decided it was time to take his leave.
"Brother Huang, how are the procedures coming along? It's almost dark, and we've had enough to drink. Let's do a headcount and get this transfer on the road," Li Ming said, standing up first and checking the time.
"Ah, Brother Li, it's so late already—even the prisoners need their rest. No need to rush! The paperwork is done, but the escorting officers need rest too. The roads are terrible in the dark, and if anything happens, the responsibility would be huge. Better to leave first thing tomorrow!" Huang Feihu urged.
"That's right! Stay the night. We’ve got plenty of clean rooms here. Warden Li, rest well tonight and set off tomorrow morning," Yang Yang chimed in, also rising to persuade him.
Li Ming glanced at Wang Keyan. He didn’t mind staying, but he was worried she might not be comfortable with it.
Noticing Li Ming’s gaze, Wang Keyan bit her lip.
She definitely didn’t want to spend the night here—the people in the prison seemed rough and intimidating. But she didn’t want to disrespect the warden either, so she nodded at Li Ming. "Brother Li, whatever you decide is fine. I’ll follow your lead."
Yang Yang immediately understood Li Ming’s concern for the young woman and took the initiative to take Wang Keyan’s hand.
"Keyan, don’t be afraid. You’ll share a room with me tonight. Sure, this prison is full of men, but with your Brother Li here, none of them would dare lay a finger on you. Relax!" Yang Yang wrapped an arm around Wang Keyan’s shoulders, knowing that if she could reassure her, Li Ming would agree to stay.
Seeing Wang Keyan’s nod, Li Ming stopped hesitating and went along with Huang Feihu’s suggestion to stay the night.
Deputy Warden Wang Hai had already gone ahead to prepare the rooms. Huang Feihu instructed Yang Yang to take Li Ming and Wang Keyan to their quarters before being helped away by Dong Wentao, disappearing to who-knows-where.
Li Ming wasn’t actually drunk, but he pretended to be slightly buzzed—otherwise, Huang Feihu and the others would keep pushing drinks on him, and he couldn’t afford to lose his wits.
With Yang Yang and Wang Keyan supporting him on either side, they led him to the prison’s guest quarters, settling him into his room first.
The room had clearly just been cleaned, with fresh bedding laid out and a scented candle burning to mask the faint musty odor.
Yang Yang and Wang Keyan helped Li Ming onto the bed, then Yang Yang knelt to pull off his boots and tuck him in before finally leading Wang Keyan out.
"Keyan, we’ll share a room tonight. My place is on the top floor, and it’s got a security lock—no one but me can get up there. Don’t worry! None of these prison brutes would dare try anything. And with your Brother Li around, you’ve got nothing to fear." Yang Yang reassured her as they walked.
"In our line of work, once you’re in the prison system, it’s almost like being locked up yourself. Promotions are rare, so knowing how to read the room is crucial. If you want to transfer out of this godforsaken place, you’ve got to play along. That’s why no one steps out of line."
Wang Keyan could only nod along, finding Yang Yang’s words too cryptic to fully grasp. But she did understand one thing—her room was safe.
After settling Wang Keyan in, Yang Yang gave her a quick tour of the rooftop. The entire floor was hers alone, accessible only by a special keycard—the only one in the whole prison. Reassured, Wang Keyan washed up and climbed into bed.
She hadn’t drunk any alcohol, but the day’s long journey and emotional strain had left her exhausted. Within minutes, her breathing evened out into sleep.
Yang Yang smiled when she saw how quickly Wang Keyan had dozed off.
After freshening up herself, she wrapped a towel around herself and pulled a seductive nightgown from the wardrobe.
Admiring her reflection for a moment, she didn’t return to bed. Instead, she threw on a loose robe over the nightgown.
Then, moving quietly, she cracked open the door. Seeing Wang Keyan still fast asleep, she slipped out and shut the door behind her.
Meanwhile, after being left in his room, Li Ming waited until he was alone before getting up and heading to the shower. Covered in travel grime, he hadn’t bathed in two days.
The liquor had left his body burning, and the cool water was pure relief.
Noticing a spacious bathtub, he impulsively filled it, planning to soak away the fatigue.
Testing the water with a hand, he stepped in and sank down with a sigh, closing his eyes in bliss.
Just as Li Ming was relaxing in the tub…
The door to his room clicked open, pushed gently from the outside.
Distracted by his drowsiness, Li Ming didn’t notice at first.
The visitor locked the door behind them, scanned the room, and smirked at the clothes draped over the sofa.
Slipping off the loose robe, they stood there in nothing but a sheer nightgown before slowly turning the shower door’s handle.
Li Ming, eyes still shut, jolted at the sound and looked up—
Standing in the doorway was none other than Yang Yang, the prison doctor he’d just dined with.
Now clad in a black lace negligee, her long legs bare, her slender waist teasingly visible, she padded toward him on delicate pink feet, leaving him speechless.
"Dr. Yang! You—what are you—?" Li Ming fought the heat rising in his body, not daring to stand.
"Warden Li, I’m a special gift from our warden. Please don’t refuse his kindness. And… I’ve admired you for so long. Just one night as your girlfriend—be gentle with me…"
As she spoke, one foot dipped into the tub.
Li Ming tensed, about to protest—when a sudden buzz filled his head. The system’s voice rang out.
Mission issued: As the warden of Black Mountain Women’s Prison, maintaining good relations with other wardens is part of the job.
Failure penalty: Future cooperation will be met with unified resistance and sabotage! Earn the title: Social Pariah. Effect: Universally disliked, barred from all professional networking.
...