The Bet

Li Ming waited until everyone had left the examination room before sitting down in a chair, observing Tan Qingqing, who was slumped on the floor in helpless sobs after her narrow escape.

From the moment she arrived at Qingcheng Prison, Li Ming could tell Tan Qingqing wasn’t like the usual inmates. Instead, she seemed more like a mischievous canary who had wandered into prison for a taste of life behind bars.

Her delicate, fair skin and soft, rosy hands suggested she had never done manual labor in her life—likely raised as a pampered young mistress, accustomed to being waited on hand and foot.

The freshly cut bob that framed her face, which might have looked awkward on other prisoners, only accentuated Tan Qingqing’s refined features. Even without makeup, she could rival the beauty of celebrities on TV.

Li Ming studied her from head to toe, waiting until her sobs subsided before speaking in a cold tone.

"Alright, out with it. What’s this ‘important matter’ you wanted to tell me? I may have saved you for now, but if you’re lying, you’ll still have to go through the full examination." His harsh words sent fresh tears welling up in Tan Qingqing’s eyes, stripping away any remaining composure she had when she first arrived.

Trembling, Tan Qingqing stood up, no longer bothering to cover herself. "Warden… I—I won’t be here long. My family will get me out in just a few days! Please, don’t let them do the internal exam. I’m still… untouched. Once I’m out, I’ll repay you properly. I have money—I’ll give you a fortune, okay?"

Li Ming raised an eyebrow in surprise. Huang Feihu had just been telling him about the underhanded ways prisoners got pulled out of incarceration. Was this sheer coincidence, or had Huang Feihu been hinting at something?

Li Ming couldn’t shake the feeling Huang Feihu knew more than he let on—but there was no way to confirm it now.

"Oh? Getting you out?" Li Ming smirked. "You haven’t even been here long. What kind of connections does your family have to pull that off?"

"It’s true, Warden! Believe me! Name your price—I’ll pay anything! Just lend me your phone. One call, and the money’s yours. Please!" Tan Qingqing dropped to her knees, clutching at Li Ming’s pant leg in desperation.

Li Ming quietly assessed his intuition—his "sense of truth" ability—but it gave no warning. Tan Qingqing was telling the truth. She really was wealthy, and it seemed she’d be out in no time. That only deepened his curiosity.

"You say someone’s getting you out soon. How? I’m the warden—if I don’t sign off, no one’s taking you anywhere. You know that, right?" He chose his words carefully, probing for more.

"Well… Warden, it’s not that I won’t tell you. I just don’t know how far along my family is in the process. But I know they’ll get me out! This whole prison stint was just for show. I just never expected the inspections to be this… invasive. If they accidentally break my hymen during the exam, even if my family gets me out, it’ll be too late." Tan Qingqing’s face twisted with regret. She’d planned for everything except this.

"You’re that confident your family can pull strings? What crime even landed you here?" Li Ming was now thoroughly intrigued. He picked up Tan Qingqing’s file and skimmed through it.

"Smuggling, bribery, and financial fraud. Multiple charges, 25 years—already finalized. And you think your family can just waltz you out?" Li Ming scoffed. These were serious offenses. Did she really think his prison was some revolving door?

No way was he buying this. He’d make sure no one smuggled Tan Qingqing out under his watch.

"Warden! If I’m saying this, I mean it. Trust me! Just let me stay quietly for a few days. Once I’m out, I’ll send you a generous gift!" Tan Qingqing insisted, dead serious.

"Keep your gifts. And forget about getting out. No one’s pulling you from this prison. Give it up." Li Ming stood, his tone final.

"Warden! If—if you don’t believe me… then how about a bet?" Tan Qingqing, frustrated by his stubbornness, racked her brain for a solution.

"A bet?" Li Ming chuckled. "Alright, I’ll bite. What’s the wager?"

"That I’ll walk out of here! Within a week—no, two weeks tops! I’ll leave this prison, and it’ll be completely legal!" Tan Qingqing stood tall, arms crossed over her chest, her delicate brows furrowed. She no longer wanted this man staring at her—his attitude had thoroughly turned her off.

"Interesting. And your stakes?" Li Ming smirked, amused by her fiery defiance. The way she half-covered herself only stoked his interest further, stirring something primal in him.

"My stake? If I don’t get out… I’ll be your dog in this prison. I’ll obey your every word. A virgin like me—you’re not losing out, right?" Tan Qingqing spat.

"Fine. And if you do get out?"

"Hmph! If I leave, I won’t ask much. Just guarantee my safety these two weeks—no internal exams, and no sharing cells with other inmates. I had my own room in Qingcheng Prison!" she negotiated carefully.

"Deal. Anything else?" Li Ming shrugged, indifferent.

"One more thing—let me use your phone to make a call. I won’t take advantage. Once I’m out, I’ll still send you that gift. I keep my promises, Warden. No lies." Despite her nakedness, Tan Qingqing spoke with unshakable conviction, earning a flicker of respect from Li Ming.

"Alright. The bet’s on." Li Ming handed her his phone. No matter how he looked at it, he had nothing to lose. He’d see just how Tan Qingqing planned to slip through his fingers.

"Make your call. Do it now—say whatever you need to. You get five minutes. After that, I’m coming back in." With that, Li Ming turned and left the examination room.

After a quick word with the guards at the door, he headed to the adjacent medical office.

Pushing the door open, he found Xia Hong lounging lazily in a chair, engrossed in a book.

...