Chapter 35
He was wearing his military uniform again today. Tang Zefei glanced at the other man's entire body and thought to herself. So the way Yu Congyi rushed over like a wolf, grabbed that man's collar, and fiercely questioned him must have had a special kind of sexiness... Ignoring Yu Congyi's hesitant look, Tang Zefei couldn't help but smile slightly. He did it for me... He got up on his own and, with his back to the other man, picked up a long robe-like garment from the bed.
"I brought you a few cotton-padded coats, all newly bought. I didn't know what size you usually wear, so I bought them a size larger than mine. If it's convenient, just wear them." Yu Congyi was still standing by the door, his voice carrying clearly. Where is he now? He's always carrying that cumbersome velvet robe that looks incredibly difficult to carry. I've really worried for nothing. Yu Congyi thought to himself when he saw the other man wearing that dark purple cotton robe.
Tang Zefei silently put on her pajamas before turning around and turning her gaze back to Yu Congyi.
“I didn’t know they would use torture.” Yu Congyi met his gaze, his throat sounding hoarse as he spoke, but his tone was neither cold nor indifferent.
"As expected." Tang Zefei leaned against the bedside.
“I…let me see your back.”
Tang Zefei stared at him for a while, and Yu Congyi looked back at him. Tang Zefei's eyes remained unfathomable and unfathomable. Just as Yu Congyi began to feel increasingly uncomfortable and his heart pounded, Tang Zefei raised an eyebrow and finally sat down sideways.
Lifting his clothes and brushing aside the hair draped over his shoulders, Yu Congyi walked to the bedside. He didn't sit down, but simply reached out and lifted the clothes that were blocking his view.
Tang Zefei grabbed Yu Congyi's hand.
Yu Congyi withdrew his hand, but couldn't escape from the other's grasp. He looked at Tang Zefei with a hint of helplessness, "How many times did you hit me?"
"I didn't remember, it doesn't matter." Tang Zefei let go of her hand and straightened her clothes. Yu Congyi noticed with his sharp eyes that in addition to the fresh scars, there were many faded scars on the other person's back and chest, which were almost indistinguishable in color.
Yu Congyi wanted to ask what had happened, but he didn't say anything. "I'll go find some medicine," he said. "The wound needs to be cleaned."
Tang Zefei watched his figure walk out the door, and then return shortly afterward.
"Why did you decide to come see me today?" Tang Zefei asked. The other person was holding an iron tray with a bottle of iodine, gauze, cotton, long tweezers, and a small knife on it.
“It’s those clothes,” Yu Congyi said. “I’m bringing you some clothes.”
Yu Congyi moved a stool to sit beside the bed and gestured for Tang Zefei to turn her back. Tang Zefei was surprised that he was willing to treat her wounds, but a faint, enigmatic smile appeared on her face again.
"Why are you being so nice to me today?" Tang Zefei's words were brimming with satisfaction. "Or is it because you feel sorry for me?"
Yu Congyi watched as the other person sat sideways, took off his bathrobe and draped it around his waist. Tang Zefei had her back to him, and her hair, which was draped over her shoulders, almost covered her shoulder blades.
Yu Congyi hesitated for a moment, then reached out and brushed aside the other man's dark hair. "Don't overthink it," he said. "I just can't let you die here."
Unscrew the iodine bottle cap, Yu Congyi used tweezers to take a cotton ball, soaked it in iodine, and applied it to Tang Zefei's shoulders and back. This was the first time he had observed a man's shoulders and back so closely. When he touched them, he felt that the other man's back seemed to be more solid than it appeared. Although he could only see the outline of thin muscles, it was not as frail as he had imagined.
He was somewhat surprised, assuming that Tang Zefei must be thin.
When the iodine was applied to the linear scar, Tang Zefei only twitched slightly at first, but then made no sound. After Yu Congyi had applied the iodine all over the wound, he abandoned the idea of wrapping it with gauze; perhaps the wounds should be allowed to breathe.
As he turned to apply iodine for a second disinfection, he noticed Tang Zefei's profile—head down, eyes closed, long strands of hair half tucked behind his ear, half falling in front of his cheek—his lips were pursed, or perhaps bitten, and his expression suggested he was enduring pain. Yu Congyi was all too familiar with moments like this. He hesitated for a moment, then raised his hand, which was about to be lowered. "Does it hurt a lot?" he asked.
"It's alright," Tang Zefei said softly.
"Your hands are rough when you hold a gun. Please bear with it," Yu Congyi said, lightening his grip as he went down again. "You can do it yourself to the chest area later," he said.
“This is your territory, isn’t it?” As Tang Zefei treated his wounds, Yu Congyi stood by the iron bars of the window, his back to him.
"I suppose so, but not entirely accurate," Yu Congyi said.
"Then can you tell me, do I have to stay here for the rest of my life?" Tang Zefei asked again. At this moment, he took a shallow breath because he touched a deep whip mark.
"I don't know," Yu Congyi said.
"I can't spend my whole life here." Tang Zefei lowered her head and wiped her wounds, her voice coming out intermittently, "That's enough, let me go."
"This isn't something I can decide," Yu Congyi said indifferently.
"Are you willing?" At this moment, Tang Zefei raised her head and looked at Yu Congyi's back.
"What?" Yu Congyi asked, puzzled.
"Will you let me go?" Tang Zefei stared at his unturned figure.
"What do you mean?" Yu Congyi thought for a moment, then turned around and suddenly understood what the other person meant. His eyebrows shot up. "You think I can violate the institute's regulations for personal reasons?...
"Don't get agitated." Tang Zefei interrupted him, stopped what she was doing, turned around and tossed what she was holding back onto the iron plate. He was still staring at Yu Congyi, his eyes deep and cold, but suddenly he sneered, "Excuse me, sir, personal matters? Did I hear you wrong?"
“That’s not what I meant.” Yu Congyi sighed. “I meant…”
“I know you brought me here for my sake. We both know what other prisons are like; I should be grateful you've done even half the favors here. That's what you're trying to say, isn't it? That I shouldn't push my luck or anything like that.” Tang Zefei slowly stood up, gripping the edge of the bed, and walked towards Yu Congyi. “But…”
"So what?" Yu Congyi turned around, his eyes suddenly turning fierce.
"So we had that affair." Tang Zefei walked to Yu Congyi's side, suddenly pinning him against the solid iron wall. He leaned down, pinched Yu Congyi's chin, and stared intently at him, his face close to his. "Or do you think we need to thank each other or apologize? Don't worry, I won't force you. I killed for you, but also for myself."
His breath brushed against Yu Congyi's cheek. The hand holding his chin didn't exert much force. Yu Congyi stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly frowned and turned his head to one side. Seemingly taking a deep breath, he pushed Tang Zefei away, walked to the bedside, picked up a set of clothes of suitable length, and threw them to the other person, "Put these on, aren't you cold?"
Tang Zefei was still leaning against the iron wall. He couldn't say for sure if he was cold, but he was probably quite cold. He was shirtless, and his heart was beating faster and faster. He felt a little dizzy and his breathing became rapid.
"I'm leaving," Yu Congyi said. He stood at the door, glanced back at him, looked for several seconds, and then left in silence. Tang Zefei felt that he probably still had something he wanted to say to her, but he didn't.
Turning back to the bedside, Tang Zefei sat down, but he wasn't particularly worried. He had spoken the truth just now; life is full of unexpected events, and he felt he wouldn't be trapped here forever. Somehow, he had a feeling that something was amiss, and he believed it.
He lowered his head and began to straighten his clothes, folding them as he thought about Yu Congyi's appearance earlier, feeling that something seemed different about him. "When will he see me next?" Tang Zefei thought to himself, "I hope it won't be too long."
…
"Sir, I'm here to deliver something." After several days of light snow, Tianjin was now shrouded in a gray haze. The guard on the early shift had just switched shifts with the night shift and was yawning when he saw a woman in a dark cotton coat carrying a large package hesitantly cross the detention center gate and walk directly towards the guard's cell.
"Who are you looking after?" The guard yawned again, and in front of the woman, he looked her up and down. "What's in your bag?"
Several guards stood beside the detention center. When they saw that it was a woman, they glanced at her a few more times but did not surround her to question her.
"Look... my sworn brother, Young Master Tang... Tang Zefei." The woman said softly, a hint of embarrassment on her face.
"Tang Zefei from 107?" The guard glanced at him, turned around and looked into the room, muttering, "Commander Yu didn't give any prior notice that someone was visiting relatives."
"Commander Yu?" The woman's eyes darted around after hearing this, and she replied very quickly, "Commander, this package is full of clothes and bedding. You can check it. My uncle saw that the weather here has been getting worse these past few days and was worried that my brother Yi wouldn't be able to sleep soundly in there... so he sent me to bring some underwear."
“Oh, I see,” the guard said, looking at her. “Just leave your clothes here, and I’ll have someone inside take them in.”
"Brother guard, I still want to see my sworn brother. I'm so worried about him." The woman looked up at the other man earnestly, lifted her bundle slightly, sighed, and said with a hint of grievance, "To be honest, I only learned about my sworn brother's situation from my uncle two days ago. Otherwise, I would have come much earlier. I haven't seen him in a long time. You see, I want to see him, is that alright?"
Looking at her honest and unassuming appearance, the guard hesitated and said, "Without an official's permission, visits are strictly prohibited in our facility..."
"Big brother! Please have mercy, I beg you!" Upon hearing this, the woman frowned, swayed, and almost knelt down in front of the guard. Her voice lowered, "I really want to see him."
"Hey! You," the guard said, at a loss with the woman, unsure whether to help her up or not. He waved his hands a couple of times, then slapped his forehead. "Get up! This is our rule, I'll explain it to you. Here's what we'll do: I'll have two jailers go in with you. Once you've delivered your things, come out quickly!"
"Okay! Great, big brother." Upon hearing this, the woman's face immediately brightened, and she even broke into a smile.
"Come out when you're done looking." The guard shook his head, turned his back and said a few words to the guards at the gate. A moment later, two jailers dressed in black and carrying sticks walked out of the courtyard.
"Take her in, to room 107," the guard instructed the two men.
The woman followed behind the two jailers, her cloth shoes making a soft, almost silent sound as they trod on the stone floor.
The jailer on the left yawned and complained to the jailer on the right, "It seems like the weather has gotten colder again."
The jailer on the right crossed his arms and nodded in agreement, saying that he hadn't been able to get out of bed this morning, still holding the young woman in his arms.
"The snow has stopped, so it's going to get colder again," the woman whispered in agreement. Soon, the two people in front of them stopped in front of an iron gate.
"Here you are. Hurry up and come out after you've delivered your things." The jailer on the right took out his key from his waist and opened the door in front of the woman.
"Brothers, I'm going in now." The woman walked into the prison, turned around and looked at the iron gate. "Brother, I want to have a private talk with my sworn brother. Could you close the door?"
"Let her be." The left jailer waved his hand dismissively, then turned and stood against the wall with the right jailer.
After seeing this strange woman enter the room, Tang Zefei sat on the edge of the bed and stared at her without moving.
Since he was ten years old, his sleep had become very poor; the sound of patrolling footsteps in the corridor could wake him up immediately. The jailers dragged their feet and walked very casually. Tang Zefei had heard these noises long ago, so he simply threw off the covers and sat on the edge of the bed, fully clothed.
"Brother?" The woman, carrying a package, quickly looked around after entering. Seeing that the prison had no other place to see the light of day except for the two tall iron windows on the right side of the bed, she breathed a sigh of relief and put down the package she was carrying.
Tang Zefei just stared at her without saying a word. He didn't remember ever having a sworn sister, and even if it was some ill-fated relationship left by his father, she shouldn't look like this.
"Brother, why aren't you saying anything? Don't you recognize me? I miss you so much..." The woman burst into tears almost suddenly, her vivid cries startling Tang Zefei. He hesitated, frowned, and subconsciously stood up, taking a step back.
"Brother, are you alright? Have you lost weight? I want to hug you..." The woman continued her act, approaching Tang Zefei step by step. She lowered her head, wiping away non-existent tears from the corner of her eye with her right hand, then suddenly looked up, her eyes flashing with a fierce light!
At the same time, Tang Zefei quickly dodged to the side. The woman drew a four-inch dagger from her waist and fiercely swung it at Tang Zefei.
Tang Zefei had long suspected this person was hostile, but he hadn't expected such a ruthless and aggressive approach. He dodged the first slash, but the woman's movements were far more swift than he had anticipated. The second slash involved the woman grabbing the belt of Tang Zefei's robe at the waist and yanking it sharply, instantly closing the distance between them. As the silver blade grazed Tang Zefei's chin, he raised his elbow to block the oncoming attack. The next moment, the knife pierced his left arm, tearing open the sleeve of his silk robe. The woman pulled out the knife and, in an instant, viciously stabbed it towards Tang Zefei's chest.
"Stop!! What's going on?!" Just then, a loud shout came from the doorway, but it did nothing to stop the woman's frenzied actions. The jailer, carrying an electric baton, menacingly circled around behind the woman, but was forced to retreat a few steps when she suddenly turned around as if she had eyes in the back of her head.
“Young lady, you…” One of the prison guards quickly drew his sidearm from his waist and fired a shot at the ceiling. “Dare to do something reckless again??? Put down your weapon!” This man shouted with even more force than the previous one.
The woman finally stopped what she was doing and gasped for breath. The jailers surrounded her from the left and right, glancing at Tang Zefei as they passed her. They saw that the latter was also leaning against the wall, breathing heavily, and his entire left arm was stained with blood.
"Take her away! Whoever's here, go and interrogate her!" At this moment, the guard appeared behind the iron gate without anyone noticing. His extremely angry expression stunned the two jailers.
Suddenly, the right jailer felt a sudden, angry shout in his ear, and something seemed to flash past his eyes. Then, a piercing scream, as if trying to pierce his skull and lungs, made his heart tremble. He turned his head in horror and saw a hellish scene—the left jailer's arm was outstretched, tightly gripping the woman's neck, while a four-inch dagger was stuck across his own neck, the blade dripping thick, bright red blood onto his back. "Grab, grab her..." the left jailer snarled, his eyes rolling back as he continued to strangle the woman, whose face was flushed red and then blue; she was about to be strangled to death.
"Keep them alive! See who their men are, you audacious bastards!!" The guard standing outside the door was so shocked by the sudden turn of events that he was speechless. However, in his thunderous rage, the right jailer, still dazed, snapped out of his daze. He glanced at his brother's face, then suddenly roared. He kicked the woman in the chest with such force that Tang Zefei thought he heard the sound of bones breaking. He silently closed his eyes, his right hand, which had been clutching his left arm, began to slide down uncontrollably. His chest felt tight, and he gradually felt his spirit draining away from his body. He slowly slumped down against the wall…
When Tang Zefei woke up, the first thing he saw was the prison ceiling. When he closed his eyes and opened them again, he saw out of the corner of his eye that there was a cot on the left side of his bed, and Yu Congyi was lying on it.
Is that Yu Congyi? Tang Zefei struggled to sit up and looked over. When he saw Yu Congyi's peaceful sleeping face, though his brows were slightly furrowed, he confirmed it. Between the two of them, bottles and jars and a long IV line were once again connected.
Yes, it was only then that Tang Zefei felt the intense pain in her left arm again, the piercing pain of a knife cutting through her flesh.
After Tang Zefei fainted, the guard almost immediately sent someone to hurriedly inform Commander Yu of the incident and recount what had happened. He was quite frightened; the woman who had attempted the assassination had been strangled to death by the left jailer, who had also died under her vicious blade. The guard, who had initially intended to spare one prisoner for interrogation, was furious, but looking at the right jailer, who was also wounded, he suddenly felt utterly powerless.
"It's been so many years since I've encountered something like this... Is this person Tang Shao's enemy, or a suicide squad? Unable to escape, she killed the prison guards. She's willingly dying here." The guard complained timidly when he saw Yu Congyi. He was truly dumbfounded. How could he have imagined that such a seemingly simple and weak woman would have such great abilities! Moreover, Tang Zefei, who had been "taken care of," also suffered considerable injuries. If Yu Congyi turned around and told the warden, he could easily lose his job as a guard.
"How is Young Master Tang's injury?"
"It's a bit tricky. The wound is on the left arm and chest. It's not fatal, but the cut on the left arm is quite large and could easily lead to excessive blood loss... But don't worry, I called a doctor on your way here, and it should be bandaged by now."
"Did that woman reveal any useful clues? Her identity or something. For her to do something like this, cutting her losses when she fails, she must be someone important." Yu Congyi asked as he walked, and the guard could tell he was in a hurry.
"She only said she was Young Master Tang's sworn sister, that she was there to deliver clothes to him, and that she wanted to see him. That's all we knew; we had no other information. Seeing how earnestly she pleaded, we let her in..."
"Idiots!" Yu Congyi cursed under his breath upon hearing this. "Are the rules of the institute just scraps of paper? What's wrong with your brains?!"
The guard immediately lowered his head and dared not speak. Yu Congyi passed him and strode into room 107.
"Quickly, his anemia has flared up again. Call the doctor, I'll give him a blood transfusion," Yu Congyi ordered immediately upon seeing Tang Zefei lying on the bed with a bandage on his arm.
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