Volume 1, Chapter 375 – Newcomers

Compared with everything else, Shi Lan’s life in prison was fairly peaceful, aside from Song Run’s unchanging fondness for teasing her.

It was prison, after all, so the living conditions naturally could not be called good. Bathing was basically done in cold water. Ordinary inmates could only get one hot shower a week, and even the process of bathing was deeply humiliating, with someone watching the entire time.

Every cell had a “mutual supervision group,” led by the group leader, the so-called “big sister,” who organized everyone to watch one another. Even going to the toilet meant someone followed along. There was no privacy at all.

In prison, it was more often prisoners managing prisoners. The guards rarely interfered. Aside from the necessary cell inspections, inmates had very few chances to come into contact with guards most of the time, and for ordinary minor matters, the guards simply did not care.

Because of Qi Pingxia’s special attention, Shi Lan’s days were far easier than most people’s.

At the very least, she did not have to take part in prison labor, she had no heavy work each day, she could take a hot shower every day, and the officers usually looked after her. Whenever they had the chance, they improved her meals as well.

In Shi Lan’s cell, Song Run was the group leader. Though her mouth was full of jokes and innuendo from morning to night, she treated Shi Lan fairly well and at least gave her enough personal space.

Of course, it would have been even better if she could correct her habit of climbing into the wrong bed in the middle of the night.

This very obvious preferential treatment did not provoke dissatisfaction among the other female inmates. On the contrary, more and more people wanted to get on good terms with Shi Lan.

If someone could receive different treatment, it naturally represented a different status and position. Being on good terms with the prison guards meant one probably had decent connections outside as well, and that meant more chances for a reduced sentence.

As a result, every time recreation period came around, Shi Lan would be surrounded by a crowd of people. Even things like massaging her shoulders or pounding her legs were jobs people rushed to do.

After refusing many times without result, Shi Lan stopped saying anything.

As time passed, Shi Lan gradually and almost invisibly became the central figure in the women’s section.

…

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There was only one visitation opportunity each month. Qi Pingxia and Zhang Guang came almost every month to chat about recent events.

Qi Pingxia had been following up on the earlier case all along and had vaguely uncovered a few leads. What it dragged out in the end was far more than just human trafficking alone.

As for Zhang Guang, happy events were drawing near. He was preparing to get married soon. After all, he was not exactly young anymore.

Shi Lan had met his girlfriend during her time at the internet café. She was a girl with a very sweet smile.

Everything seemed to have returned to the proper track again.

…

Shi Lan lay on the square with her eyes narrowed, basking in the sun and feeling warm all over.

It was already late autumn, and the cells were always somewhat damp, cold, and gloomy.

A faint, appraising gaze swept over her from somewhere unknown. Shi Lan abruptly sat up and looked up in the direction she had sensed it from.

All she saw was a sheet of wire mesh.

The recreation areas for the men’s and women’s sections were adjacent, separated by a path about one and a half meters wide and fenced off by wire mesh.

During recreation time, many prisoners chatted through that fence, and the guards did not stop them. Occasional relaxation helped these criminals reform more effectively.

At that moment, behind the mesh, a man was staring at her without blinking, his expression unreadable.

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Even during recreation, the man still wore handcuffs, and heavy shackles were fastened to his feet. Not far from him, two prison guards were watching him closely.

The man had narrow eyes, a broad brow, and a close-cropped buzz cut that added an extra note of ferocity. He gave off the feeling of a lone wolf, reeking of blood.

When his gaze met Shi Lan’s, he grinned, and for some reason the smile sent a chill through the heart.

Shi Lan frowned slightly and looked away, though a trace of curiosity rose in her heart of its own accord.

Tweet, tweet.

A clear whistle sounded, recreation time ended, and the prisoners slowly flowed back into their cells with the crowd.

…

By dinnertime, most prisoners had a required routine: listen to the evening news. There was the national broadcast and then the provincial one, and after listening they even had to write reflections.

The national evening news mostly talked about major international events, though important domestic matters were mentioned as well.

The provincial reports, on the other hand, included quite a few livelihood-related issues.

“The day before yesterday, after tireless investigation by officers of the Yunhai City Public Security Bureau, a major human trafficking case was cracked. A total of sixty-three people were arrested across fourteen counties and cities, and a total of fifty-six trafficked women and children were rescued…”

Shi Lan had originally been listening drowsily enough to nearly nod off, but when she heard that report, her spirits rose at once.

It was presumably the matter Qi Pingxia had been pursuing all this time. At last, it had produced results.

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After returning to the cell, Shi Lan remembered the man she had seen during the day and asked Song Run about him. After all, Song Run had been here for more than three years and knew far more than she did.

“7532 was already here before I came in. I’m not too clear on exactly what he did, but over in the men’s section, nobody dares mess with him, not even those few death-row inmates.”

Song Run did not know much either. Most of it was hearsay she had picked up while chatting during recreation.

7532 was that man’s number. Nobody knew his actual name, and he was held in a separate cell. Sometimes half a month could pass without anyone seeing him even once.

After hearing that, Shi Lan stopped thinking about it and soon forgot it.

…

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye, and Shi Lan saw Qi Pingxia again.

Qi Pingxia looked tired, as if she had gone a very long time without proper rest, and only after seeing Shi Lan did she manage to summon a little energy.

After talking a bit about recent events, Qi Pingxia brought up that case again, sounding rather powerless.

“Following the trail of those people did drag out quite a few more names, but I always feel like these people were deliberately pushed into the police’s face, like a lizard shedding its tail to survive…”

“Take care of your health. Don’t always put work first.”

Shi Lan could not help offering a word of advice.

“I’ve just been a bit tired lately.”

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Qi Pingxia smiled and shook her head. She only wanted to do her job well.

“I’ve already fought for you. At most, your sentence can be reduced by four months. Around next summer, you should be able to get out. While you’re in here, try not to stir up trouble. If there’s something you can back down from, then back down.”

“I understand.”

“When you get out, if you have nowhere to go, you can stay with me for a while.”

Shi Lan understood what Qi Pingxia meant. Zhang Guang had a family of his own now, and it would not be appropriate to keep troubling him. Besides, she already owed both Zhang Guang and Qi Pingxia quite a lot.

“Keep it up.”

Qi Pingxia stood and raised a fist, cheering Shi Lan on.

“Sister Qi… you too.”

…

Another month passed in the blink of an eye, and newcomers arrived in Shi Lan’s cell.

There were two of them, both around forty years old. When they came in, everyone else in the cell was out at work, and only Shi Lan was inside.

It was not until lunchtime that Song Run and the others returned from their work detail and introduced the two newcomers.

After hearing why Shi Lan had gone to prison and how long she had been sentenced for, both women’s expressions changed instantly. One of them fixed Shi Lan with a hard stare, her eyes full of hatred.