Hearing his answer to the question, Hesse felt a tangle of emotions.
“I didn’t look for any backing either,” Yan Chuan lowered his head, his long, dark eyelashes casting shadows on his cheeks. “I just went to see a doctor, and he prescribed me some medication.”
This effectively responded to Hesse’s earlier question about whether he needed him as a backing.
Not receiving a response from Hesse, Yan Chuan thought for a moment and added, “I also didn’t see the prison guard. I passed out by then.”
“The clothes weren’t something I requested to be put on,” he said at last, a hint of grievance creeping into his voice.
He hadn’t even seen what the guard looked like and was still contemplating how to return the coat.
Yan Chuan glanced at the coat draped over his knees, still warm to the touch.
From the coat, he could probably deduce that the man who carried him to the infirmary was quite tall, as the coat hung loosely on him.
He hadn’t seen the guard’s face at all, only catching the name from Doctor Navee.
Navee had mentioned that the guard who brought him over was named Leo.
Hesse’s expression had turned completely cold.
Excluding the possibility that this delicate and beautiful oriental beauty was playing with words, it became clear that this beauty was truly unaware of his vulnerability, needing someone to protect him.
He cleverly explained why he had two different people’s clothes on him, wearing an innocent and naive expression.
To Hesse, this situation felt as absurd as a weak lamb bouncing around in front of lions and tigers, claiming they were happy friends.
It was utterly ridiculous.
Hesse stared at the oriental beauty’s flawless, white face, curling his lips into a cynical smile.
He wondered whether this oriental beauty was genuinely innocent or simply foolish, unaware that there were no good people in prison.
Seeing his naive expression, one might think he believed he had received help from “good people,” contemplating how to repay them in the future.
Strangely, Hesse felt some bizarre emotions bubbling up.
The doctor and the guard probably didn’t realize that their olive branch was being interpreted by the naive and innocent oriental beauty as an act of goodness, easily dismissed with a few words of thanks.
Little did he know that in the isolation prison, all “help” comes at a price; one learns to express gratitude in mere words to those who have ulterior motives.
Hesse’s smile deepened.
“Well,” he shrugged and stood up straight, “if you regret it, you can come find me.”
The oriental beauty also sat up, showing a hint of wariness.
“The time limit is…” Hesse contemplated, “let’s say three days until the first competition, how does that sound?”
A smirk spread across his lips, his mischievous expression reminiscent of his own age. “I will be right here waiting for you.”
Yan Chuan remained in disbelief, nodding absentmindedly.
Hesse stepped aside, allowing him passage to his bunk.
However, he had arrived too late; all three beds in the cell were occupied except for the one above Hesse.
Yan Chuan: …
He felt a bit embarrassed, but the warning whistle echoed down the corridor, signaling that the water and electricity would soon be cut off in ten minutes.
Yan Chuan quickly hurried to wash up.
Thankfully, there was a washroom on the side of the cell, small but equipped with a shower and a sink. Yan Chuan spent a few minutes showering, just in time to finish before the lights went out.
The overhead lights had gone out, leaving the cell dimly lit, with only the light filtering through the bars.
He cautiously stole a glance at Hesse, who was already lying in bed.
The other seemed to be asleep… or perhaps just lying still; in any case, Yan Chuan carefully climbed into the top bunk.
Hesse said nothing, seemingly undisturbed.
Yan Chuan settled into bed, pulling the thin blanket up to his chin.
Fortunately, Hesse didn’t utter a word.
Yan Chuan blinked, feeling his eyelids grow heavier.
It was only the first day in this setting, and already the NPCs he encountered were all strange.
Not only was there the quirky Doctor Navee who spoke oddly, but now he had a roommate, Hesse, who kept asking him whom he had as a backing…
Yan Chuan thought this was all very peculiar.
How could Hesse determine that he had found any backing?
Just because he was carried to see the doctor and returned wearing someone else’s coat?
He touched the loose-fitting shirt he wore and decided to use it as pajamas.
The prison attire was too coarse and rubbed against his skin uncomfortably.
It also had a strange smell, likely from the rough ink used in the dye.
Yan Chuan wrinkled his nose in distaste.
It felt too rough, and he resolved to find a moment to wash it tomorrow; otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to wear it at all.
With these thoughts, Yan Chuan drifted into a heavy sleep.
***
The next day.
The wake-up time at the isolation prison was very early, as inmates had to perform some labor to “expend” their excessive energy.
Yan Chuan was assigned to the laundry duties.
However, he was not to wash clothes but to move them. After the clothes were washed, he had to transport them outside, one cart at a time, for the next person.
Yan Chuan was assigned this task along with a group of newly arrived inmates.
Some were assigned other, physically demanding tasks that were much heavier than the laundry duties.
Yan Chuan speculated that these tasks were likely distributed based on the inmates’ ranks, indicated by the letters a-f on their badges.
Those with lower ranks were given the heavier tasks.