"Are you considering to give him a chance?" asked Liling. "No." "Why's that? He's handsome, he's a nice person. What's wrong with him?" she asked confused. "I don't think this is the time I should be thinking about that. I still have to think about my future. I don't know what will happen next if at all I ever make it out of here. Let's talk about you, who had visited?" Li Fei changed the topic to her.
"Wu Lina had come to tell me that she is pregnant and that their wedding with my fiancee was done. Just that," she explained emotionlessly. "The nerve of that woman. How are you feeling now?" Li Fei asked her. "You shouldn't worry about me I'm used to that now. They would affect me in the beginning but I'm used to them now," said Liling who got a pair of scissors. Li Fei got off the bed and sat in between her legs so that they could resume trimming her hair. She had decided to cut her waist length black hair to mid shoulder length because maintaining it at such a place was so hard. When they got done, Li Fei went to the health care since the doctor had called her. "Why did you trim your hair?!!" he asked the moment he saw her. "Maintenance. Do I look bad?" she asked. "No, but I liked your long hair," he said. "It was so hard for me to maintain with the everyday rushing. And perhaps it will grow again," she said. "Okay. Don't trim it again. At least first talk to me about it," said Caihong.
"Okay. You called for me?" she asked. "Yes, happy birthday Li Fei," he said and Li Fei's eyes widened in shock. Today was her birthday and she had totally forgotten about it. She couldn't believe it. Never had she forgotten about her birthday. By this time, she would be hosting a luxurious party with her fellow models and socialites spending money.
But a stranger was able to remember her birthday. It really touched her and her eyes glistened with tears. "Thank you doctor Caihong," she muttered. He placed a very big cake on the table and a few gift bags. "I told you to call me Caihong," he told her and she nodded before saying," You didn't have to do all this honestly." "You shouldn't worry about me. Not to forget, your parents have been calling wanting to talk to you," he said.
"Ohh," she became excited and he handed the phone to her. She went to the extreme end so that she could talk to them. He looked at her and a faint smile came to settle on his lips. He had thought of buying her a phone but then he feared that she might not come back to him often. He then concluded that he wasn't going to buy it such that he kept seeing her whenever she wanted to talk to her parents.
After talking to her parents and Hu Feng who wished her a happy birthday, she gave him back the phone. "Are you happy?" he asked and she nodded with a small smile. He liked seeing her smile yet it was so rare. After cutting the cake, she ate some and wrapped a very big one for Liling. He then said," I want you to come back at five in the evening. I have a very big surprise for you." "Another one?" she couldn't believe it. "En. You will check your gifts then," he told her and she nodded then thanked him once again before leaving.
When Li Fei left, Caihong made his way to the Warden's office. "Uncle I need to ask for a favor from you," he said the moment he sat down. "What is it Caihong?" he asked as his fingers continued pressing the laptop keys. "I need to borrow a prisoner for not more than five hours," he said. This caught the Warden's attention and he looked at him then asked," What do you mean by that?" "I want to take someone out for a few hours. Please," he added. "I'm afraid it's too much to ask, Caihong," said the warden. "Please uncle. I've never asked you for anything. I will bring her back before ten I promise," he said. "Where do you want to take her? And who's she?" asked the warden. "I want to take her somewhere and she's new here. She's called Li Fei I think you know her," he said. At first, the warden didn't recognize her but when the name registered in his mind, his eyes widened and he said," Don't tell me she's the same person I'm thinking." "Yes. She's the one and I know that you're scared because of Jin Liwei but he won't find out. I will be very careful," he said and he saw his uncle's eyes slightly widen in surprise that he knew about Jin Liwei. "Caihong, why her in all women? First she's a prisoner and second she's Jin Liwei's target. You shouldn't go for her," his uncle reasoned with him. "Uncle, leave the rest to me. Give me this one opportunity, will you?" After thinking about it, he said," Fine. But it is this once Caihong. And also, a guard will follow you secretly just to be sure. I don't want to take any risks on that girl."
As agreed, Li Fei came back in the evening and knocked on his office before going in.
"I've been waiting for you. You can go on and check your gifts," he told her and she started opening the content in the gift bags. She found that one had a very beautiful short dress, then another had silver stilettos, a clutch bag, there was make up and other accessories. She looked at him confused and he said," I want you to dress up and I will take you out tonight." Li Fei looked at him wondering if he had lost his mind. Did he forget that this was a maximum security prison and she was a prisoner? "I don't think I'm getting you," she said. "I'm taking you out tonight, it's your birthday. How it will happen, leave that to me," he said.
"You first explain to me how you're planning on doing it. I don't want to get into any more trouble," she said so as to let him know if he was thinking of escaping. He decided to tell her the truth and he said," Okay. The thing is I've gotten the Warden's permission. He's my uncle so he has let me take you out today. Will you start dressing up now?" "Oh! I now understand," she said and continued," But you don't have to do this. You have already done so much for me." "Please Li Fei. Do it for me." After much convincing, Li Fei agreed and she went to change as he waited for her.
The Warden was still in deep thoughts of Caihong and that girl. Why her in all women?
He decided to push such thoughts away and resumed doing his work. Just then, he heard a knock on the door before it was pushed open and when he raised his eyes, he saw the most unexpected person. Jin Liwei was standing right at the doorway.