Chapter 72: Tears Trickling Down

Lin Jianxi had been changed into a more comfortable set of clothes. He sat on the small bed in the infirmary, listening to Cheng Yedu chatting with the doctor nearby.

“Your spouse is seven weeks pregnant right now, but cases like this are extremely rare. It’s more unstable than usual, so I recommend extra protection. Make sure there’s no bumping or falling.” The doctor continued, “And no random medications. For now, stick to just these two I prescribed.”

“What about the constant vomiting?” Cheng Yedu asked, a hint of heartache in his voice. “He can’t keep anything down.”

“Sigh, no other options. If the meds don’t work, he’ll just have to tough it out.” The doctor sighed. “Suggest easy-to-digest foods, cut into small pieces, little meals often. Keep some electrolyte drinks on hand in case of dehydration.”

“Also… sir,” the doctor said gravely, “given your spouse’s condition, the pregnancy needs to stay under wraps. Prisons always have people with bad intentions. I won’t record anything on my end, so you can rest easy.”

“And…”

…

~~~

When Lin Jianxi heard the doctor say “absolutely no smoking or drinking,” he quietly crumbled inside.

Cheng Yedu sat beside him, holding his hand. “Anywhere uncomfortable?”

“Sigh.” Lin Jianxi shook his head. “No, I’m fine. Go handle your work.”

“Not busy today. I’ll walk you around the prison.”

Lin Jianxi smiled. “What, want to show everyone who I belong to?”

“Mm-hmm.” Cheng Yedu pulled him close. “Don’t worry, Jianxi. This is my turf. You do whatever you want. As for that bastard A Yi…”

“He won’t do anything to me until you two really clash.” Lin Jianxi gently squeezed Cheng Yedu’s fingers. “No need to worry about that.”

By the time they did clash, A Yi might have already learned his lesson.

Having traversed so many small worlds, Lin Jianxi was intimately familiar with these protagonists and side characters. After his experiment in the previous world, he was completely confident.

So in this world, his only concern was the baby.

He had raised a prince in the second world, and though the process had been grueling, he’d been attended by palace maids and eunuchs the whole time, leading to good results.

But that was utterly unrealistic in a prison—at least for now.

Later on…

Lin Jianxi leaned on Cheng Yedu’s shoulder, his breathing hitching slightly.

Later… maybe he could make that idea a reality?

~~~

After walking a lap around the prison with Cheng Yedu, Lin Jianxi came back loaded with little fruits and snacks from the cafeteria ladies and guards.

He almost wanted to laugh.

Were they treating him like a kid?

Cheng Yedu walked him back to the cell. A Yi was sitting on his bunk, fiddling with a pack of cigarettes. He glanced up when they entered.

The moment their eyes met, sparks flew. Before Lin Jianxi could say a word, Cheng Yedu called over a guard to confiscate A Yi’s smokes and barked, “Smoke in front of Lin Jianxi, and you’re off to the interrogation room.”

“Alright, alright.” Before A Yi could curse, Lin Jianxi kissed Cheng Yedu’s cheek to calm him down. “Go get to work.”

He leaned in close to Cheng Yedu’s ear and whispered, “Didn’t you say to get the shackles off ASAP? Keep him guessing, stay calm. Fighting won’t help, husband.”

“…Mm.” Cheng Yedu tamped down his temper and met his eyes. “You’re right… I wasn’t thinking straight. If you want to see me, just tell the guards anytime.”

“Got it. Go on.” Lin Jianxi smiled softly.

Cheng Yedu left reluctantly.

The cell fell silent.

Lin Jianxi carefully made his way back to his bunk, pulling out the meds and fruits and snacks, pondering where to stash them.

For a moment, the only sound was the rustle of plastic bags.

His three cellmates all shot him sidelong glances.

Lin Jianxi ignored them, thinking quietly—

The meds and snacks were easy enough.

But the fruit… no fridge. It’d spoil anywhere. Better eat it quick.

As he mulled it over, a flash of gold passed before his eyes—A Yi had squatted down in front of his bed.

Those faintly blue eyes fixed on him, tone puzzled. “He didn’t get you a single cell?”

Lin Jianxi’s hand paused while peeling an orange.

As if you’d be happy if he did.

I’d be the one hurt when you got mad.

Lin Jianxi and Cheng Yedu had run through countless scenarios and concluded: don’t make waves. Give Cheng Yedu a week to clean up A Yi’s remaining influence.

Sure, according to the plot, Cheng Yedu was supposed to fail.

But Lin Jianxi was used to that.

That was the whole reason he was in this world—to avert the tragedy.

Besides…

Lin Jianxi peeled the orange and broke off half, offering it to A Yi.

His fingers holding it were fair and slender, the pads faintly pink, like a work of art that made even the orange gleam.

A Yi’s gaze lingered on his hand, then lifted. “Trying to butter me up?”

Besides, he still needed to teach you to behave.

Lin Jianxi said nothing, just held the orange to A Yi’s lips. He truly had no strength; even lifting his arm like this made it tremble faintly.

Seeing him like that, A Yi simply grasped his wrist.

—So thin, so fragile.

That was A Yi’s first thought.

As he leaned in to bite the orange, a second thought struck.

His hand… smells so good.

A Yi took the bite and asked, “You showered over there?”

“No.”

His voice was soft, a little hoarse—maybe from fear, or maybe from poor care. Either way, it was all A Yi’s fault.

Cheng Yedu had pointed out today how much weight he’d lost.

Just this past week, and A Yi hadn’t taken proper care of him.

That week, he’d barely spoken to A Yi, mostly just humming in response. Now these two sudden words felt novel to A Yi… almost like he was competing.

“That good, huh? Hang out with him a bit, come back chattier, even sharing food?”

A Yi’s eyes chilled.

“He’s my husband,” Lin Jianxi said bluntly. “You’ve bullied me. It’s different.”

A Yi: “…”

A Yi tilted his head with a laugh. “Got a good memory for grudges, huh.”

“You could try sleeping in the bathroom for a week.”

“…”

Lin Jianxi recalled that week, and grievance and anger welled up unbidden.

He wasn’t the type to cry easily, but ever since getting pregnant, the slightest grievance made tears well up, impossible to hold back. The moment the words left his lips, they came plopping down.

“Shouldn’t I hold a grudge? Am I supposed to like you instead?” Lin Jianxi turned away, unwilling to say more. He sorted through the pile of snacks and fruit, tears still falling.

A Yi: “Hey.”

Lin Jianxi gathered up the fruit.

A Yi watched him. “Where are you off to?”

Lin Jianxi ignored him. He carried the fruit to his roommates’ beds and divided it equally between them, leaving none for A Yi.

The roommates: “…”

The two roommates shot glances at A Yi. Seeing the golden-haired young man’s full attention fixed on Lin Jianxi, they quietly breathed sighs of relief but didn’t dare make a move. The fruit sat on their beds like ritual offerings.

Once he’d finished distributing it, Lin Jianxi stowed the snacks in the cabinet and set the medicine by his pillow. With everything neatly in place, he ignored A Yi’s gaze—brimming with keen interest—and slipped under the covers.

Less than twenty minutes later, nausea jolted him awake.

He stumbled to the bathroom and heaved until the world spun, his head pounding as if his stomach might turn inside out.

His hands clutched the edge of the sink, knuckles white, his whole body trembling.

When it finally stopped, Lin Jianxi shakily twisted the faucet.

Splash—

In the rush of water, he lifted his head to stare at his reflection.

His eyes were red-rimmed, his face a ghostly white. The violent retching had left his lips briefly flushed, lending him an unexpectedly alluring air.

A flash of gold in his peripheral vision made Lin Jianxi go rigid.

There, in the mirror, was A Yi.

A Yi lounged in the spot Lin Jianxi had slept in a few days earlier, watching him at his leisure.

“…”

They held that tableau for a long stretch, unmoving and silent. Lin Jianxi didn’t turn around.

Eventually, he bent to cup water and rinse his mouth.

A Yi drawled, his fingers trailing over the hard, cold tiles. “This place… sure ain’t comfortable.”

“…”

No shit.

A Yi seemed determined to sample the environment he’d once slept in. As he spoke, he eased himself down flat and shut his eyes. “Hiss. Damn cold.”

Lin Jianxi: “…”

That familiar brand of madness.

Feeling a mischievous urge to tease him, Lin Jianxi said, “There’s the stall, too. That’s where I sleep at night.”

“Tried it already,” A Yi murmured, eyes still closed. “Not much better.”

“…Mm.”

Lin Jianxi shut off the faucet and walked out. A Yi called after him, “Gonna grab a shower soon. Then I’ll take you to eat!”

“Sure.”

Lin Jianxi gave a flat reply and left the bathroom.

~~~

A Yi’s influence reached into every corner of the prison. Over these past days, Lin Jianxi had noticed even some of the guards giving him a wide berth—not out of respect, but fear.

Just like his two roommates.

Those fruits were still sitting untouched right where he’d left them.

Fruit was a rarity in this place. Lin Jianxi had once witnessed two inmates come to blows over a single apple. It ended up trampled to mush, and the fighters were hauled off to the interrogation room. When they returned, they were shells of themselves, hollow-eyed and broken. He hadn’t seen them in ages.

His roommates’ eyes kept flicking to the fruit, their throats bobbing with swallowed saliva, but they didn’t dare touch it.

Lin Jianxi figured A Yi’s thought patterns might stray from the norm, but he wasn’t the sort to inspire this level of terror…

Clearly, the man hadn’t revealed his full hand.

Time would tell.

He was a puzzle, his actions capricious and utterly inscrutable.

Lin Jianxi let out a soft sigh and sat on his bed. He took a pill from the bottle, holding it in his palm, debating whether to take it now.

The doctor had said only if he truly couldn’t bear it…

After a moment’s hesitation, he wrapped the pill in a tissue and tucked it under his pillow.

~~~

A Yi hummed a little tune on the way to the cafeteria, his mood apparently buoyant even after they stepped inside. He slowed his pace now and then to accommodate Lin Jianxi’s frail condition.

When they got their food, A Yi instructed the staff not to load Lin Jianxi’s tray with anything greasy. He ended up with a plate of vibrant greens.

“…”

Sigh.

The cafeteria’s meat dishes always sent him running to the bathroom. He no longer dreamed of protein—just survival would do.

Lin Jianxi sat with A Yi and the two roommates, listlessly chewing his vegetables.

A Yi didn’t touch his own food. He propped his elbows on the greasy tabletop, chin in hand, those faintly blue eyes fixed on Lin Jianxi without blinking. It was the look of someone studying a captivating new toy.

After a moment, he said, “You notice how everyone’s staring at you?”

Lin Jianxi mumbled around a mouthful, “Stands out in these clothes. Normal.”

Everyone else wore prison grays. He was the only one in something clean and sharp.

“Nah,” A Yi shook his head. “You’re good-looking, too.”

“Mm.” Lin Jianxi’s response was devoid of enthusiasm.

“Tch. No fun.” A Yi picked up his chopsticks, his expression bored.

Lin Jianxi kept at his greens until a sudden jolt from behind nearly made him choke. He looked up to find the cafeteria in pandemonium. The already rowdy space had erupted into full brawl—fists flying, food and dishes sailing through the air.

It turned into a brutal arena in seconds, screams and curses mingling with the crash of breaking plates.

A bowl of scalding soup whistled past Lin Jianxi’s ear, flecks of oil splattering onto his pale neck and sending a shiver through him. The air thickened with the stench of spoiled food and fresh blood, threatening to bring up his lunch right there.

His face drained of what little color it had left. Across the table, A Yi irritably raked a hand through his hair and swore. “Ah… fuck it, Lin Jianxi. On your feet—no more eating. I’ll bring you something else tonight.”

“…Mm.”

Lin Jianxi nodded. His appetite had vanished. He just wanted to get back to bed. The smell was unbearable.

He rose to follow A Yi, but they hadn’t gone far when a group closed in, one of them jabbing a finger at A Yi’s nose. “That apple four days ago—you the one who tossed it, right? You fucking got my brother killed, you know that?!”

“…”

Lin Jianxi remembered: the apple had fallen to the floor amid the scuffle.

A Yi stayed by his side the whole time, prattling on with random nonsense that was utterly pointless, paying no attention whatsoever to what was happening.

A few people stepped in to block the way.

“You’re insane.”

“Start a fight with him?”

“You trying to get yourself killed alongside your brother?”

A Yi rubbed his nose and admitted it outright. “Oh? And so what?”

“…” Lin Jianxi glanced silently at the man, feeling a profound sense of helplessness.

“Fuck you—” The man swung his fist and lunged forward, only to be yanked back by the others.

“Why hold me back? Let him come at me,” A Yi said with a grin. “You guys think he dares?”

“…Let me go!”

The man was utterly enraged now, his eyes bloodshot.

“Let him go,” A Yi said, tilting his chin up. “I’m talking to you lot.”

The group glanced around uncertainly, then finally released him all at once, ducking their heads submissively.

Lin Jianxi watched as the man charged forward and landed a solid punch on A Yi’s face.

“…”

Silence fell over the entire room.

Lin Jianxi squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, sighing inwardly.

Just a split second before the man’s next fist could connect with A Yi’s face, Lin Jianxi silently hooked his toe under the soup bucket nearby and flipped it over.

Vegetable soup splashed across the floor in an instant, steaming with heat that no one could ignore.

The man jolted in shock. The moment he ducked his head to look, his foot slipped out from under him, and he crashed to the ground.

Bang!

The crowd scattered even farther back, forming a wide circle around Lin Jianxi and the others at its center.

A Yi’s brows furrowed slightly as he turned to him, a strange glint in his eyes.

Lin Jianxi kept his expression neutral, lowering his lashes and acting as if nothing had happened. In a soft voice, he murmured, “I feel like throwing up.”

“…”

His movement had been subtle. Unless someone had a perfect vantage point, no one should have noticed.

But…

Lin Jianxi wasn’t so sure anymore.

A Yi had taken a punch to the face, yet the corner of his mouth slowly curved upward. He grinned like a sugar-craving kid who’d just scored a piece of candy—a smile utterly free of malice, pure and genuine.

Lin Jianxi heard him say, “Feel like throwing up… Yeah, you should. This place is fucking disgusting.” A Yi’s gaze lingered on his face as he continued slowly, “I’ve changed my mind, Lin Jianxi. I don’t feel like bringing you dinner tonight. Come out with me instead—I’ll take you somewhere good.”

~~~