Shen Yue had just walked to Building 7 when she saw the figure of No.14 standing at the door.
His long legs were vaguely visible under the black shirt, showing explosive muscles, just like when Shen Yue first saw him.
What was the first thing No.14 said to her back then?
Oh, at that time, No.14 would still formally call her "ma'am."
But now he would wait longingly for her return at the door of Building 7.
Shen Yue walked closer to No.14, looking at his deliberately calm handsome face, a touch of smile appeared in her eyes as she asked knowingly, "What are you doing standing here? Are you going out to race Wang Cai?"
No.14 had been jealous of the good relationship between Shen Yue and Wang Cai for a while. In order to get closer to Wang Cai, he would get up early every morning to find Wang Cai in the prison and go running with it.
No.14 had always thought that he had hidden his little mind very well, but he didn't expect that it would still be discovered by Shen Yue.
His ears turned red as he replied calmly, "You suddenly said you wouldn't come back yesterday and we were all very worried."
Shen Yue knew who No.14 meant by "we." Sure enough, when she arrived on the 35th floor, she saw the other two raccoons with dark circles under their eyes.
"You didn't sleep?"
"Woo woo, boss, you said we would eat dumplings together... You didn't come back and I had no appetite at all facing these two smelly men!!"
Aisi glanced at Mo Aman and fought back without giving in at all, "The dumplings you made also made me lose my appetite just by looking at them."
Mo Aman said, "Do you think yours look good? Your little finger is not even comparable to the boss's!"
Aisi said, "The boss said mine look good."
No.14 really didn't want to listen to the noisy quarrel between these two. Ever since Shen Yue left yesterday, these two had been arguing non-stop. He just couldn't stand it so he went downstairs to wait.
Shen Yue saw No.14's speechlessness. She said lightly, "You haven't eaten yet?"
Aisi and Mo Aman said, "Waiting for the boss to eat together."
No.14 also said softly from behind, "Like we agreed last night."
Shen Yue felt her stomach’s remaining capacity and hesitated for a moment before nodding, "Let's eat together now then."
The four of them ate the first meal of the new year happily together. Then Shen Yue successfully vomited after forcing herself to eat too much when she returned to her cell.
But she didn't let anyone know about it.
...
Shen Yue did not go to find Si Chengyou the next day as she had said. Instead, she deliberately dragged it out for a few more days.
She was giving Si Chengyou time to prepare.
On the sixth day, Shen Yue felt that Si Chengyou should be prepared enough, so she swaggered back to Building 5 again.
Unlike previous times, after Shen Yue entered Building 5, she was surrounded by the inmates of Building 5.
They said they needed to notify Si first before letting Shen Yue up.
Shen Yue didn't show any other expression, she just nodded.
After about 10 minutes, an inmate ran back with the message, "Si said you can go up now."
Only then did Shen Yue stride into the elevator.
Her elevator access had not been revoked, she didn't know what Si Chengyou’s intention was.
When Shen Yue arrived on the 36th floor, Si Chengyou was painting. His slender fingers held the brush, and with every stroke, an ink landscape painting emerged on the paper.
However, Shen Yue noticed that the force Si Chengyou was using with his right hand seemed to be different from usual.
Shen Yue didn't say much. She walked straight to Si Chengyou's side and rolled up his right shirt sleeve.
What caught her eye were still dense scars, one of which was about an inch long new wound.
Shen Yue just glanced at it without saying much, and put Si Chengyou's sleeve back down.
She took away Si Chengyou's painting and forcibly made his eyes fall on her. She asked, "Ready to tell me now? If you don't say it again, I won't ask anymore either."
But your goal can never be achieved.
Si Chengyou heard the implication in Shen Yue’s words. His long lashes trembled lightly, somehow showing a trace of pitifulness, but it was just a flash. He soon resumed his original high and aloof appearance.
"In two months, there will be a special mission. If you are willing to participate in that mission when you come back, I will tell you."
Shen Yue said lightly, "I don't necessarily have to know."
Si Chengyou sighed, his voice softened, "Please, I'm begging you."
Judging solely from Shen Yue’s never-wrong memory, this was the first time Si Chengyou had said “please” to her.
As the past events flashed through her mind and eventually fell on the scene of the four of them eating dumplings together in Building 7 that day, Shen Yue had to admit that Si Chengyou had helped her a lot and also made her see again things she had not wanted to believe before.
Both emotionally and rationally, she should also help Si Chengyou this time.
"What mission?"
Hearing that Shen Yue didn't refuse again, Si Chengyou understood what she meant. He started to explain, "The flames of war have spread all over the world. There is a country called Ashkadon. This country has special terrain and is being contested by two major countries. The prison has received a mission this time to send personnel with military expertise to help one country occupy Ashkadon. I want you to go too."
"You want me to help Ashkadon?"
Si Chengyou shook his head and looked at Shen Yue earnestly, "No, I want you to see the suffering that this world is undergoing now."
Shen Yue was so smart. Even without Si Chengyou saying it clearly, she understood his implication.
"You mean this is all caused by my sister, right?"
Si Chengyou didn’t answer. He just said, "You are very strong. Some things don’t need to be asked."
Shen Yue stood there for a while, then suddenly turned and left the room.
At the moment Shen Yue turned around, Si Chengyou’s heart felt like it was being pinched.
Did he fail again?
Had he failed again?
Yes, why did he have to lose his composure and do such an inappropriate thing on New Year’s Eve? Why didn't he confirm the surroundings before venting his emotions?
He had failed so many times. This was the only chance left. Why was he still so weak?
It was as if, from the beginning, he had changed nothing at all.
He couldn't do anything at all.
Si Chengyou fell into endless panic. No one knew what burden he was carrying at this moment, just like the wound on his hand, healed and torn open again and again, but that scar would exist for a long time.
Just one glance was enough to recall all the despair and pain.
Forever.
"Si Chengyou." A faint voice sounded, allowing Si Chengyou to find a spot of light in the endless darkness.
It was just a shallow light at first, but when he reached out to touch it, he realized it was the real sun.
Hot, scorching, dazzling, yet it could also burn people to ashes.
"I’ll take part in the mission, but you can’t hurt yourself anymore."
"....Okay."
