Free Web NovelChapter 124: Chapter 124: Farewell
"Ah!"
Shi Lan’s eyes instantly reddened. Looking aggrieved but not daring to show her anger, she tried to save her wages in a small voice, "Lord Yan, seeing as it’s my last day of work, could you not dock my pay?"
Yan Huoshui’s gaze swept over her pitiful, tear-streaked face. His throat tightened imperceptibly, but the words that came out were still merciless. "Say one more word and I’ll dock another thousand."
At his words, Shi Lan immediately shut her mouth.
Fang Yuan’s gaze lingered on Shi Lan. ’This female is exceptionally beautiful. If a female acted like this toward me, how could I possibly get angry?’ And yet, Yan Huoshui could still be so cold and heartless.
Fang Yuan felt a pang of pity for the fair lady. He took a tissue from his Space Bag and offered it to her. "Miss Shi Lan, wipe your tears."
Shi Lan sniffled softly. "N-No, it’s alright. Thank you, Prison Director Fang. I have..." freeweɓnovel.cѳm
As she spoke, she was already pulling a tissue from her clothes to wipe her eyes. She had clearly come prepared to cry, always keeping some on her.
Fang Yuan couldn’t even imagine how much this female must have suffered here.
’Look at her crying—her little face flushed, her almond eyes glistening with tears. A beauty is still captivating even when she weeps.’
He found himself staring blankly at Shi Lan’s face, but for some reason, he felt a prickling, icy sensation on his back, as if something terrifying was watching him.
His instinct for danger made him quickly withdraw the hand holding the tissue. He glanced left and right but saw nothing.
Fang Yuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief and didn’t give it another thought.
Shi Lan still had to remake lunch for Ye Ming, so she quickly returned to the kitchen.
Fang Yuan followed closely behind her and took the opportunity to eat in the kitchen himself.
As he ate, he watched the ever-busy Shi Lan, who hadn’t eaten yet, and asked curiously, "Miss Shi Lan, as a female, why would you come to work in such a remote place?"
Shi Lan’s hands paused. With a lonely expression and a helpless, bitter smile, she said, "I had no choice. I’m an orphan, and my spiritual power is the lowest F-level. I couldn’t find a job, and for financial reasons, I had to..."
"So, even though they bully you like this, you just endure it?"
Understanding dawned on Fang Yuan, and a look of pity appeared in his eyes. "How pitiful."
However, after learning she was an F-level female, his interest in her vanished without a trace.
’An F-level female doesn’t even have a Comforting Ability. What’s the use of just having a pretty face?’
He sighed with regret internally and buried his head in his food.
The corners of Shi Lan’s mouth curled up imperceptibly, but there was little mirth in her eyes.
’Speaking of which, it seems that besides Leo, all the other males who find out about my poor spiritual power really mind.’
’Thinking about it now, if I really have no choice and have to be matched with a male for marriage, maybe Leo really is a suitable option.’
As for He Hanshi and the others, Shi Lan had no idea they had investigated her background from the very beginning.
She temporarily pushed aside her thoughts, her hands moving quickly as she prepared the new lunch and delivered it.
This time, Fang Yuan didn’t follow her into the prison. As soon as she entered, everyone immediately apologized to her.
Shi Lan had known all along it was an act, so she didn’t take it to heart.
’It’s actually kind of fun, now that I think about it.’
Mu Tangfeng breathed a sigh of relief. "I thought you were really crying."
He added awkwardly, "I didn’t expect Lanlan’s acting to be so good. You can cry on cue."
’It’s not that hard,’ Shi Lan thought. ’I just have to think about the original owner’s family, where her father didn’t dote on her and her mother didn’t love her.’
Even though she always said she had forgotten, the traumas rooted in her young mind would always take time to heal.
She blinked, smiled, and just said to Mu Tangfeng, "Yeah, I practiced in secret."
"Lanlan, you’re amazing!"
Jiang Xia immediately praised her.
Ye Ming quietly handed over a clean lunchbox. "Lanlan, I finished all my vegetables. Everything you make is delicious."
Shi Lan placed the new meal inside. "Mm, then please trouble yourself to finish this one too."
Jiang Xia immediately piped up, "Eldest Prince, if you can’t finish it, I’m here!"
Shi Lan shook her head helplessly and passed him the meat. "Lord Jiang, you still have your own meat."
"Oh, right, right. I almost forgot."
Jiang Xia happily buried his head in his food again, his tail wagging excitedly as he ate.
Yan Huoshui transferred a thousand credits to her, adding a message: "I’m fining myself a thousand for making you cry."
Shi Lan’s face grew a little warm. She glanced at Cell Five and saw he was looking back at her with a smile.
The final act was over. While Fang Yuan was away, Shi Lan let the warmth in her cheeks cool and began to say her goodbyes.
Hearing this, Jiang Xia lost his appetite. "Lanlan, I’ll miss you. You have to miss me too! I’ll try to get out of here sooner."
A flicker of emotion crossed Ye Ming’s eyes. "Lanlan, take care of yourself. We’ll be returning to the Capital Star soon."
The other three also said their farewells, telling her to take care of herself as well.
Shi Lan agreed to each in turn. The sorrow of parting welled up in her heart, and her mood couldn’t help but sink.
She walked toward the main gate of the detention area. Just as she was about to leave, He Hanshi couldn’t hold back any longer and said softly, "Lanlan, wait for us."
"You said that once we’re out of prison, I could pursue you."
He knew that Shi Lan’s 25th birthday was only about two months away, and they still needed some time before they could leave the prison. He was worried she would choose someone else.
He Hanshi had always been one to endure and yield, but on this matter, he finally found his courage, casting aside his many reservations to bravely hint at his feelings for Shi Lan.
Hearing his words, Shi Lan’s footsteps faltered. She didn’t turn back, simply letting out a soft "Mm."
The sound of her footsteps gradually faded, and the mood of the beasts in the prison sank with it.
But Shi Lan’s parting answer still gave the beasts in the prison a sliver of confidence, and at the same time, made them even more eager to leave.
Jiang Xia couldn’t help but ask, "When exactly can we get out?" frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
He Hanshi used his Ice Seal Skill, then rallied his spirits and said, "Tonight, Mu Tangfeng will swap out the prison chips and destroy the original ones, along with any place that might have residual data."
Mu Tangfeng nodded. "Okay."
"As for leaving, now is not a good time. There are still a few more acts to perform."
Hearing this, Yan Huoshui added, "We don’t know which side this newcomer is on yet. Everyone be as careful as possible."
Ye Ming continued, "Jiang Xia, you should eat less from now on, just in case he tampers with the food."
"No need to worry about that."
Mu Tangfeng spoke up. "The chips I had Lanlan buy this time have a food safety detection function. Once I install them for everyone tonight, we just need to activate that feature."
"Mm, that’s acceptable."
He Hanshi nodded. Ye Ming’s worry was not without reason. After all, as their chance to leave approached, the people behind the scenes would grow more restless.
In fact, Jiang Xia had gotten food poisoning once before, but he hadn’t eaten much, so his main symptom was an upset stomach, which was easily cured by the Treatment Pod.
Of course, the other party wasn’t stupid enough to try and kill him directly; it was mainly an act of deliberate retaliation.
After hearing this, Jiang Xia flopped onto a snowdrift, looking completely dejected. "Sigh. Without Lanlan, we won’t eat well or drink well. We’ll be like wilted cabbages in the field, with no one to love or care for us anymore."
Yan Huoshui also rubbed his forehead in frustration. "Just bear with it. A month at most."
