Chapter 5 Prison Break

Lin Tang's tears fell onto the back of his hand, burning his heart with pain.

She grabbed his sleeve, her fingernails turning bluish-white: "But Qiao Yuan... he has a fiery temper. What if he gets interrogated by the people from No. 76..."

"No way." Chen Kan interrupted her, wiping away the tears from the corner of her eyes with his thumb. "Who is Qiao Yuan? A man who can make a name for himself in Jiangcheng with his bare hands, naturally has a way to find a way out at No. 76."

With Chen Kan's comforting words, Lin Tang felt somewhat at ease.

Just then, a soft rustling sound came from the doorway. The two looked up and saw Ah Chen standing outside the threshold, holding Xiao Nian'er. Xiao Nian'er's pigtails were still covered with snow that hadn't been brushed off, and her eyes were wide open like two startled deer eyes: "Mother, why are you crying?"

Lin Tang quickly turned her face away, wiped her face with her sleeve, and forced a smile: "Nian'er, be good, Mommy just got burned by the hand warmer."

Chen Nian ran over and climbed onto the sofa, touching her face with her little hands: "Mommy, does it hurt? Nian'er will blow on it." She pouted and gently breathed on Lin Tang's hand, like a little kitten.

Lin Tang held her in her arms, resting her chin on the top of her head, her voice trembling: "It doesn't hurt anymore, Nian'er blew on it and it won't hurt anymore."

He placed his hand on Lin Tang's shoulder and said, "Don't worry, I'll get him out of here!"

...

Number 76.

The dungeon reeked of dampness and mildew. Qiao Yuan leaned against the iron bars, his fingertips rubbing the bruise on the corner of his mouth.

He thought to himself, "Kids these days really don't know their own strength when they attack. The Axe Gang members were really ruthless." He touched the back of his neck and could still feel a dull pain.

The lights in the corridor flickered across the room.

"Hey!" he shouted down the corridor, "Is anyone there? I've made up my mind, I want to see Ouyang Qing!"

Ouyang Qing is now Cheng Qing's alias.

As the footsteps drew closer, a secret agent in a black uniform leaned against the doorframe and sneered, "Sister Qing is too busy to see a stray dog ​​like you."

“Go tell her,” Qiao Yuan said with a smirk, “that Qiao Yuan misses her. After all, it was just a fling!” He smiled lewdly, and the other woman was momentarily undecided.

Qiao Yuan seized the opportunity to say, "You don't know, do you? I rescued your Sister Qing from the dance hall before, and she was my concubine. Look, she's locked me up here but hasn't done anything to me. She's just waiting for me to change my mind! You should tell her that I've thought it through and want to grow old with her."

The spy was completely fooled by him.

Qiao Yuan said flirtatiously, "Hurry up and report! If I'm late, I'm afraid the woman will be unpredictable and you'll get whipped!"

The man narrowed his eyes, then turned and left.

Half an hour later, Cheng Qing came in wearing a bathrobe. She leaned against the wall with her arms crossed and sneered, "Qiao Yuan, it's been five years. You've become even more glib than before. What are you and my people saying about me?"

Qiao Yuan leaned closer to the iron bars, his voice low: "Cheng Qing, was there a single lie I just said? Didn't I rescue you back then? Weren't you my concubine? Five years have passed, and you're even more beautiful than before. How could I not be captivated by you?"

Cheng Qing looked at him, smiled, and poked his face with her finger. "So?"

Qiao Yuan said, "If Miss doesn't mind, how about we reunite?"

Cheng Qing laughed, "It seems you've changed quite a bit in the past five years, Chief Qiao. I'm all alone tonight, come on over!"

...

In the long, dark corridor.

Cheng Qing pulled on the rope and dragged Qiao Yuan into her room like a dog.

Even in this place filled with the stench of blood and seemingly devoid of sunlight year-round, Cheng Qing still managed to furnish himself with a rather luxurious room.

Qiao Yuan looked around and couldn't help but say, "Qing'er, you're living a carefree life. No wonder your face is getting more and more beautiful."

“Yan?” Cheng Qing laughed, running her fingertips across her face. “Qiao Yuan, do you know how many people have touched this face? I’m a ‘social butterfly,’ someone else’s plaything!”

Upon hearing her words, Qiao Yuan paused for a moment, then asked, "Are you really Gu Manqing?"

Cheng Qing was taken aback, then turned her face away and sneered, "This isn't some great status! I don't even want it."

"Then... are you really Manqing, the one Jintang grew up with and who she always thought of?" He still seemed unconvinced and asked again.

Cheng Qing casually picked up a cigarette from the coffee table, lit it with a lighter, and took a deep drag. "She remembers me? She's just putting on a show. Has she ever really remembered me or thought of me all these years? Does she know that I was locked up in a pigsty like a pig, served as a maid by day, and abused by men at night? Does she know that I ran out barefoot in the dead of winter, thinking I'd met a kind person, only to be sold to a brothel in the blink of an eye?"

She suddenly grabbed his collar, her nails digging into his neck. "Lin Jintang said she would protect me for life, but what happened? Did she even come to me? She was just talking! In the end, she pointed a gun at me!"

Qiao Yuan reached out and stroked the back of her hand: "Cheng Qing, A Tang didn't want this, and she didn't know it either. I think she has always felt sorry for you."

A ripple appeared in Cheng Qing's eyes, but it was quickly covered by coldness: "What's the use of saying sorry?"

Qiao Yuan remained silent.

"Stop talking," Qiao Yuan interrupted her, his voice hoarse. "Cheng Qing, we're all just fellow sufferers!"

“Qing’er…” he said softly.

His hands were rough, but they were incredibly gentle when he caressed her body. She had become like a block of wood, but his hands trembled slightly.

She was genuinely moved.

"Qiao Yuan..."

"Qing'er, you are actually a good woman."

Her heart skipped a beat.

The next second, Qiao Yuan suddenly pushed her away, grabbed her cheongsam, and threw it out the window.

Cheng Qing was stunned for a moment, and before he could speak, he had already opened the door and run into the corridor.

"Qiao Yuan!" She suddenly realized what was happening, and chased after him naked, gun in hand. "You dare to run? Stop right there, or I'll shoot!"

Qiao Yuan didn't look back and kept running forward.

"Qiao Yuan!" Cheng Qing chased after him barefoot, the gun barrel pressed against his temple, his breath still carrying lingering lust, but his voice was as cold as ice, "You think I wouldn't dare to shoot?"

Qiao Yuan looked up, sweat trickling down his face and wetting the stubble on his chin. He gave a bitter smile: "Qing'er, you've gone pretty hard. Aren't you afraid I won't be able to serve you like a slave in the future?"

Cheng Qing looked down at him, the lamplight casting a long shadow that obscured half his face: "Serving as a slave? Chief Qiao, you're not lying to me, you can just look for a better one while you're still on the job!" Her fingertips trembled, but the gun barrel pressed harder and harder against her. "I almost believed your nonsense just now, but you're still playing me!"

"No need?" Cheng Qing laughed. "Qiao Yuan, I am Gu Manqing, I am also Sato Sakura, and I am Sister Qing from No. 76. I am a madwoman who doesn't even wear clothes!" She suddenly squatted down, grabbed his collar, and dug her nails into his neck. "You forced me to do this! Lin Tang forced me to do this! This world forced me to do this!"

Qiao Yuan gently placed his hand on hers, but she abruptly shook it off.

"Take him back!" Cheng Qing stood up, tidied her messy hair, and transformed back into the aloof "Sister Qing." "If he dares to run again, break his other leg!"

...

A barely perceptible smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

As Cheng Qing watched him being led away, she suddenly called out, "Qiao Yuan!"

He turned around, and there she stood under the light, naked, like a discarded doll: "If you run away again, I'll break both your legs!"

Qiao Yuan smiled but didn't say anything.

The secret agents pushed him into the dungeon and locked the door.

He leaned against the wall and touched the wound on his knee. The bleeding had stopped, but it still hurt terribly.

...

The next morning, Chen Kan arrived at the entrance of No. 76: "Looking for Mr. Ishimura Eijiro."

When Ishimura Eisei came out, he had a fake smile on his face: "Mr. Chen, what brings you here?"

“Mr. Ishimura, I heard you arrested Qiao Yuan,” Chen Kan said bluntly. “He is my friend, and I’m taking him with me.”

Ishimura Eisei laughed: "I've never heard of any Qiao Yuan. We at 76 don't arrest people without reason. Besides, Mr. Chen, do you think 76 is a marketplace? You can't just come and go as you please?"

“Mr. Ishimura, don’t forget.” Chen Kan took a check out of his pocket and placed it in his hand. “I still need to sign off on next month’s military expenses.”

Ishimura Eisei glanced at the number on the check and curled the corner of his mouth: "Mr. Chen, you certainly know how to put on airs."

"Take me to see Qiao Yuan."

“Mr. Chen, I must remind you that the government behind you is also supported by us Japanese.”

“I know, but your government has given me this power.”

Ishimura Eisei looked at him coldly.

Chen Kan leaned closer and said, "Mr. Ishimura, sometimes helping others is also helping yourself."