Employment or Imprisonment

Snapping back to reality, Li Ming had already gotten out of the car, dragging a large suitcase as he stood beneath the sign for Black Mountain Women's Prison, pinching his thigh hard in an attempt to wake up from this absurd dream.

Unfortunately…

This was cold, hard reality.

"Hahaha, stop pinching yourself, Li Ming! This is your workplace now! Uncle Li specifically told me not to reveal the truth, afraid you’d run away. Now that you’re here, whether you accept it or not, you have no choice!" Lin Xi had also stepped out of the car, shedding her previously icy demeanor as she doubled over laughing at Li Ming’s bewildered expression.

The armed female guards surrounding them watched curiously as a man arrived at the women’s prison, gawking at him as if he were a circus attraction. Some pointed and whispered, while others even whistled at him.

"All of you, scram! Don’t you have jobs to do? Never seen a man before? Get lost!" Lin Xi finally stopped laughing and shooed away the gawking guards with a wave.

"Yes, Deputy Warden!" The guards saluted in unison before scattering like startled birds, returning to their posts.

"Lin Xi… this can’t be real, right? This is a women’s prison! What am I supposed to do here? And from the moment I stepped in, I haven’t seen a single man! Don’t tell me…" Li Ming eyed Lin Xi warily as he tentatively voiced his suspicion.

"Hahaha! Exactly! You’re smarter than you look! At Black Mountain Women’s Prison, there’s only one man—and that’s you!" Lin Xi grinned.

"Oh god… what an honor! Can I back out now?" Li Ming grabbed his hair in distress, his usual concern for appearances forgotten as his scalp prickled with dread.

"Of course… not! This is a prison, not some place you can waltz in and out of as you please! Stop dreaming and follow me! Time for your onboarding!" Lin Xi rolled her eyes, crushing his hopes without hesitation.

Resigned to his fate, Li Ming knew there was no going back. He trudged after Lin Xi toward the prison staff building.

Every female guard they passed stared at him with open curiosity before saluting Lin Xi.

"Deputy Warden!"

"Mhm." Lin Xi nodded coolly, leading Li Ming straight to the innermost room.

"You’re the deputy warden? That’s a pretty high rank! Who’s the actual warden?" Li Ming couldn’t help but ask.

"Tch. You’ll find out soon enough. Now get in there! Strip for your medical exam!" Lin Xi snorted before shoving him into the examination room.

"Geez, no need to be so harsh! It’s just a checkup!"

Once inside, Li Ming realized the room held only one person—a woman in a white lab coat, her sleek black hair cascading down her back, her fox-like face accentuated by gold-rimmed glasses. She wore black stockings over her long, pale legs, which were crossed as she sat in heels, blinking her big eyes while studying him intently.

"Uh… hi. I’m here for the checkup?" Li Ming stiffened under the gaze of the stunning woman.

"Hehe, I know who you are. Li Ming, right? Lin Xi told me about you. Not bad—you’re quite the looker!" The fox-like woman chuckled as she rose from her chair.

"Yeah, that’s me. Li Ming. And you are…?" He extended a polite hand for a handshake.

Instead of taking it, she pulled on a pair of medical gloves, then gestured toward a curtained-off area.

"Xia Hong. Everyone calls me Hong. I’m the prison doctor. Go take a shower first—we’ll do the exam right after. It’s getting late."

"O-okay." Li Ming retracted his hand and awkwardly sidestepped past her into the adjoining shower area.

He glanced around—the "shower" was just a row of wall-mounted nozzles with no partitions, more like an old-school communal bath.

That wasn’t the problem, though. The real issue was that the room was completely open, with nowhere to undress privately.

Flustered, Li Ming turned back toward the entrance, where Hong was still leaning against the doorframe, smirking at him.

"Uh… Hong? Could you maybe… step out? I need to shower, and that means taking my clothes off."

"Oh, I know! Go ahead and strip. Don’t mind me—you’ll be naked for the rectal exam anyway. No need to be shy. I’ll see it all eventually." She waved dismissively, completely unfazed.

"Wait, what?! Naked? Rectal exam?! You mean… the kind I’m thinking of?!" Li Ming’s jaw dropped as he desperately hoped she’d shake her head and say it was just a routine checkup.

No such luck.

Hong nodded enthusiastically, even clarifying helpfully, "Yep, exactly what you’re imagining. Strip completely—not a single stitch left. Then I’ll do the manual exam to make sure you’re not smuggling anything in. Don’t worry, everyone who comes here goes through this!" She smiled sweetly, as if discussing the weather.

"Holy crap!! I’m here to work, not get locked up! Are you sure this isn’t a mistake, Hong?!" Li Ming clutched his waistband like a damsel about to be violated.

"No mistake! Lin Xi was very clear. Hurry up—you’re a grown man, stop dawdling! If you were an inmate, you’d already be getting whipped!" She giggled, nudging him forward.

Li Ming gulped. There was no way he could strip naked in front of a stranger, let alone a bombshell in a lab coat and stockings.

What if he… reacted? How would he ever show his face here again?

After a long internal struggle, he realized he had no leverage. Resisting was pointless—unless he wanted to pull the "Do you know who my father is?" card.

Better swallow his pride for now.

"Fine," he muttered weakly before turning his back to her and starting to undress.

First his shirt, then his pants. Given the warm weather, he only wore boxers underneath.

Gritting his teeth, he reminded himself—he was a man! What was there to be embarrassed about? If anything, he should be flattered!

With a swift yank, he pulled down his underwear, not daring to glance back as he turned on the shower and scrubbed himself frantically.

The water was lukewarm, just right. He washed at lightning speed before snatching a towel from the rack and wrapping it around his waist.

When he finally mustered the courage to look back, Hong was no longer at the door.

He exhaled in relief—until the impending "exam" flashed through his mind again, making his stomach clench.

Dad… Dad! Most kids screw over their parents, but you? You’re screwing over your own son! Are you sure I’m not adopted?! Dear old dad, what did I do to deserve this?!