He didn’t call Lin Jiayan out on it. After laughing enough, they chatted about other things. Lin Jiayan mentioned he had to go because his mom was waiting for him to eat.

Ke Mingxuan nodded. As Lin Jiayan was getting out of the car, he told him that he was getting married.

Lin Jiayan paused for a moment with his hand on the car door, then grinned and laughed. “Well, that’s great news. Congratulations.”

With that, he slammed the door shut and walked toward his own car.

Ke Mingxuan smiled helplessly and started the engine, driving out of the compound.

Lin Jiayan, of course, knew exactly why Ke Mingxuan was getting married, so his congratulations didn’t have a hint of revenge in it.

He sat in the car, watching Ke Mingxuan’s car gradually disappear from his sight. The sorrow and sadness in his heart almost drowned him—both for Ke Mingxuan and for himself.

As soon as Ke Mingxuan returned to Junlin Tianxia, he received a call from Feng Shuxian.

He walked in, changing his shoes while listening to his mother’s excited voice. She was playfully scolding him for not telling her about his marriage in advance, catching her off guard.

Ke Mingxuan replied, “I wanted to surprise you.”

Feng Shuxian laughed happily, then went on to list a bunch of things to keep in mind for the wedding: how many banquets to hold, how many guests to invite, what to prepare in advance, and when Ke Mingxuan would bring Chen Fei home, when they would pick out rings, when to take wedding photos, and where they’d go for their honeymoon…

Ke Mingxuan, feeling exhausted, interrupted her. “Mom, I just want a wedding. The sooner, the simpler, the better. Don’t make it so complicated.”

Feng Shuxian immediately became unhappy. “How can that be? I’ve been waiting so long for you to get married. It has to be done in a grand, lively way!”

“Mom, with our two families’ backgrounds, being too high-profile wouldn’t be good.”

Feng Shuxian thought for a moment and agreed, but she still insisted that all the proper formalities must be observed, and Chen Fei couldn’t be treated carelessly.

Ke Mingxuan rubbed his temples, saying he was tired and wanted to rest. Only then did Feng Shuxian reluctantly hang up, cheerfully going to discuss the wedding details with her sister-in-law.

The wedding was scheduled for the 23rd of next month.

Ke Mingxuan glanced at the calendar—it was almost a month away.

“Can’t it be sooner?”

Feng Shuxian replied, “This is the most auspicious date I had someone specially pick. It’s the best one. Originally, the master said the 9th would be better, but it was too close, so I went with the 23rd…”

Ke Mingxuan said, “Let’s just go with the 9th.”

Feng Shuxian frowned. “Why are you in such a hurry? There’s only half a month left—how can we possibly prepare in time?”

“Spend a little more to hire people. Ten days will be enough.” Ke Mingxuan didn’t wait for Feng Shuxian to respond before telling her he had a meeting to attend. He told her to take care of the details and then hung up the phone.

“Hello? Mingxuan? Mingxuan?” Feng Shuxian heard the beeping sound on the other end and felt something was off, but she couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong. She decided to chalk it up to her excitement over her son finally getting married, maybe thinking too much.

He Xu and Old Meng went to visit Zhou Ming’s wife, Cao Yun, at her family home. At first, Cao Yun was hesitant and told them that since she left Z City last year, she hadn’t been in touch with Zhou Ming and didn’t know anything about his life. She asked them not to disturb her. But when she found out that Zhou Ming had died, her face went pale. She froze for a moment, then covered her face and started crying.

He Xu and Old Meng were former colleagues and friends of Zhou Ming, so Cao Yun recognized them. They explained that they were there to find the person who killed Zhou Ming. With He Xu being a lawyer, she gradually let her guard down and finally asked if they knew someone named Ke Mingxuan.

He Xu and Old Meng exchanged a look before asking her how she knew about Ke Mingxuan.

Cao Yun shook her head. “I can’t tell you, I can only tell him.”

He Xu immediately called Ke Mingxuan and brought Cao Yun and Zhou Ming’s daughter, Xiao Yu, back to Z City.

Despite the Ke and Chen families’ efforts to keep the wedding low-profile, their high status made it impossible to keep it a secret, and word of the marriage quickly spread within elite circles. A few friends who were aware of the details were concerned. When Fatty saw him, the first thing he said was, “Damn, you really went with my crappy idea, huh!”

Ke Mingxuan forced a bitter smile. “I really don’t have any other choice.”

Fang Rui furrowed his brow and looked at him. “The Chen family isn’t an ordinary family. After you get married, do you think you’ll be able to get away from all this?”

“I just want to get Bian Yiqiu out as soon as possible. He’s already gone through the first round of hearings. If I don’t act now, the next time might be a final verdict.” Once the verdict is final, overturning the case will be much harder than it is now.

Everyone sighed in unison. Chu Yi said, “Lu Xiao found out you’re getting married and almost punched me. He’s dead set against me going to your wedding.”

Ke Mingxuan shot him a glance. “So, are you coming or not?”

Chu Yi retorted, “How could I not come?”

Ke Mingxuan thought for a moment. “Actually, you don’t need to come. I’ll send you an invitation when Bian Yiqiu and I get married.”

Fatty grinned. “Oh, there’s going to be that day? When’s it happening?”

Ke Mingxuan narrowed his eyes, a slight smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “It might be sooner than you think.” If everything went according to plan, that is.

As June approached, the temperature in Z City kept rising. Ke Mingxuan’s wedding was being planned with increasing urgency, while Bian Yiqiu sat idly in the detention center, bored out of his mind.

Since Bian Yiqiu was still under investigation, he was still considered a suspect and didn’t need to participate in labor reform. Most of his time was spent either studying laws and regulations or undergoing ideological and political education, organized by the prison officers and guards. For Boss Bian, who had never been to school, this was even more unbearable than spending hours working in the mountains. However, the detention center’s management was relatively humane. In addition to half an hour of outdoor time in the morning and afternoon, there were also two hours of free time after dinner. During this time, the inmates would usually play chess in the game room or go to the basketball court to play ball.

Bian Yiqiu was currently sitting with a few of his underlings from his cell, watching the others play basketball.

His cell had six other inmates besides him. None of them had committed particularly serious crimes. Two were there for fighting and causing trouble, two for theft, one for robbery, and another for embezzlement.

The two who were there for fighting were street small thugs. In terms of status, they were the kind of people who would never come close to encountering someone like Bian Yiqiu in their lives. So, as soon as Bian Yiqiu entered the cell, they started flattering him by calling him “Boss” and “Qiu ge.”

Bian Yiqiu was accustomed to this kind of treatment from his life before prison, so he didn’t mind letting them take care of him. His clothes, socks, and even underwear were washed for him. All he had to do was spend a little extra money on a small stir-fry dish when the cafeteria didn’t serve much meat, and in return, these two became completely loyal to him, following his orders without question.

The two who were there for theft included one who had worked as a warehouse manager at a company, stealing electronic chips worth hundreds of thousands and selling them. The other was a temporary worker at a construction site in the suburbs, who supposedly stole a significant sum of material fees from the foreman. However, he claimed he was framed, insisting that he only slept with the foreman’s wife and was then set up in revenge.

Bian Yiqiu listened silently for a moment, then thought to himself, Well, he kind of brought this on himself.

The robber was even more of a joke. His first robbery was a total failure when he ran into a woman even crazier than he was. The screams she let out still make his heart race when he thinks about it. After two hours of waiting, covered in dozens of mosquito bites, he finally managed to grab her bag. Inside, there was less than two hundred bucks and not even a phone—because the phone was in her hand. She turned around and called the cops right away.

The man convicted of embezzlement looked like an honest, middle-aged man. He had been the accountant at a small company and had stolen a hundred thousand to pay for his seriously ill mother’s surgery, only to be sued by his boss.

Bian Yiqiu felt a bit sorry for him. Every time he ordered extra food in the cafeteria, he’d get an extra portion for the man, and in return, the man would wash his dishes.

Prison was basically a small society with a clear hierarchy, much like the outside world. No matter what crime you committed, those with money and power lived well inside. If you didn’t have money, then being tough could help. And if you had neither, knowing how to suck up and play nice was also a survival skill.

Bian Yiqiu might not be able to see anyone, but the money in his account was never lacking. Plus, he was always generous with others, so it didn’t take long before people from other cells started coming to him, trying to get on his good side. A few even tried to flirt with him, taking advantage of bath time to make advances. But Bian Yiqiu’s heart was firmly set on the one and only Young Master Ke. If it were a few years ago, like those time in Tongshan prison, he would’ve immediately jumped into action without a second thought.

Thinking of Ke Mingxuan’s body and face, who else in the prison could catch his eye? He’d rather spend his nights thinking about him and masturbating.

The image in his mind was just beginning to take on a bit of color when a basketball suddenly spun toward him, heading straight for his face.

Everyone else instinctively moved aside, but Bian Yiqiu didn’t even budge, raising his hand to catch the ball and then tossing it back with a quick flick.

“Not bad, Boss Bian,” Qian Ying said as he caught the ball, grinning as he walked toward him.

“I spent four years in Tongshan. Didn’t do much, but I sure played a lot of basketball.”

Tongshan Prison was located in a remote area with poor conditions, and its facilities were naturally nowhere near as good as those in the second prison. Apart from a few barely usable basketball courts, there were no other entertainment options. So, the warden would often organize basketball games—sometimes dividing teams by prison block, other times by individual cells. This routine eventually turned someone like Bian Yiqiu, who had no interest in basketball before, into a player with professional-level skills.

“Want to play a game?”

“I’m not playing.”

“Why not?”

“Lazy.”

“Damn.” Qian Ying couldn’t help but curse. “Lazy is a disease, you need treatment.”

“I’ve already given up on treatment.”

“…” Qian Ying squatted down and pointed to the opposing team. “Do you see that tall guy? The one who looks like a bear?”

Bian Yiqiu glanced over. “What about him?”

“He’s the leader of Zone C. Last time, he lost to me in a game and hasn’t been able to let it go. He’s been pestering me for a rematch. Don’t you, the big shot of Zone A, want to show him who’s boss?”

Bian Yiqiu lazily rolled his eyes. “A-zone boss? Isn’t that you?”

“That was before you came. You’re older than me…” Qian Ying quickly changed his tone when he noticed the look in Bian Yiqiu’s eyes, “I mean, you’re a few years older than me. Shouldn’t I give you some face?”

Bian Yiqiu chuckled, his expression half-smiling, half-mocking.

“Alright, alright. Actually, the guy I used to team up with just got out last week, and I haven’t been able to find anyone else suitable…”

“So, I’m just your fucking spare tire?”

Bian Yiqiu continued with a grin, “Don’t make it sound so bad. If you want, I can let you be the main wife.”

“Get lost.”

Although Bian Yiqiu said this, he eventually stood up and walked onto the court. There was no gym in the detention center, and if he didn’t move his body by playing basketball, his arms and legs would really start to atrophy.

When Qian Ying was studying in Italy, he had represented his school team in the European University League. Among all the inmates and guards in the second prison, there was probably no one more professional than him. Bian Yiqiu’s basketball skills were similar to his fighting skills—rough and unrefined, lacking formal training. Back when he was in Tongshan Prison, basketball was one of the few distractions, so he was forced to play. However, a guard he got along well with back then was more professional and taught him many techniques. They often played together, and over the years, Bian Yiqiu’s skills became quite polished. So, as soon as they stepped onto the court, they dominated, easily leading by more than 20 points, nearly causing Big Bear to vomit from frustration.

The final result, of course, was never in doubt. Big Bear from Zone C was thoroughly defeated, beaten so badly it was almost too much to watch. Add to that the fact that both Qian Ying and Bian Yiqiu had a tendency to show off, and they couldn’t resist pulling off a few flashy dunks after the game. The inmates watching from the sidelines got so excited that they completely lost themselves, with whistles echoing all around.

After Bian Yiqiu made a basket, he didn’t even bother with the basketball that bounced loudly on the ground. He lowered his head, lifted his prison uniform to wipe the sweat off, preparing to leave the court. But as he raised his head, he suddenly felt an extremely hostile gaze cutting through the crowd and landing squarely on him.

He turned his head to look in the direction of the gaze. The drug dealer he had seen earlier was standing nearby, arms crossed over his chest, offering him a cold, sinister smile. His eyes were filled with malice, making the whole situation feel unnerving.

Bian Yiqiu furrowed his brows. Before he could react, his body was suddenly slammed from behind. The force of the collision caught him off guard. With several large men running around the court and sweat dripping onto the floor, his foot slipped, and he was sent flying, crashing hard and feeling dizzy.

“Fuck your mother!” Qian Ying shouted in fury, charging over. He kicked Big Bear in the waist, sending the nearly two-meter-tall man flying like a ragdoll, further than Bian Yiqiu himself had been sent.

“Fuck!” Bian Yiqiu gritted his teeth, glancing at the furious Qian Ying and giving him a thumbs-up. “Young Master Qian, you’re amazing!”

Qian Ying couldn’t help but shout, “Such a big guy can successfully launch a sneak attack, what the hell are you looking at?!”

“I’m looking at you, big—watch out!” Bian Yiqiu barely finished his sentence before Qian Ying, in perfect sync, turned around and punched the man who had been sneaking up from behind, leaving him with a black eye. “What the hell are you playing dead for? Get up and help!”

Seeing their boss and second-in-command beaten like this, the prisoners in Zone C couldn’t hold back their anger. They immediately swarmed onto the court, clashing with Zone A in the biggest cross-zone brawl the detention centre had ever seen since its establishment.