Chapter 5

Early the next morning, just as An Xiaohai woke up, the door to his hospital room swung open. A petite figure dashed toward him, throwing herself into his arms.

It was Lin Xuan’er, the foolish woman who had stayed single her entire life for him!

The sudden embrace hurt him, but An Xiaohai didn’t blame her at all. Instead, he reached out with his left arm, hugging her, and gently stroked her long, flowing hair.

In his previous life, when An Xiaohai had been released from prison, the first people he saw were his mother, Pan Zhuangzhuang, and this foolish woman. By then, Lin Xuan’er’s hair had already turned gray.

Lin Xuan’er was quickly pulled back, as she was only allowed to stand outside the hospital room window to speak with him. But when she saw An Xiaohai, bandaged from head to toe, she had rushed in without hesitation.

“Xiaohai, it’s all my fault! It’s all my fault!” Lin Xuan’er cried, her tears streaming down like rain, unable to complete a single coherent sentence, blaming herself repeatedly.

The reason An Xiaohai had ended up stabbing someone to death was because of Lin Xuan’er.

Not long ago, while An Xiaohai was home for summer break and playing mahjong at the village entrance, Pan Zhuangzhuang had rushed over, saying Lin Xuan’er was being bullied. Without a second thought, An Xiaohai went with him.

Apo Jiao Village was a fishing village, with most villagers being fishermen. At the far end of the village was a modest fish market where Lin Xuan’er would help her family sell fish during breaks.

That day, a group of thugs showed up at the fish market, led by the infamous troublemaker from the neighboring village, the son of its village chief. They harassed Lin Xuan’er, a well-known local beauty.

Lin Xuan’er looked soft and gentle, but her spirit was fierce. When An Xiaohai and Pan Zhuangzhuang arrived, she was already facing down the thugs with a sharp fish knife. Still, she was cornered by their numbers.

An Xiaohai couldn’t stand it. Without a word, he charged into the fight.

In the chaos, somehow, a sharp knife found its way into An Xiaohai’s hand, and before he knew it, he had stabbed it into the leader’s abdomen.

It happened so quickly that by the time the police arrived, An Xiaohai was still in shock. The leader, however, was already dead.

That’s how An Xiaohai ended up in prison.

“Xuan’er, don’t cry, I’m alright!” An Xiaohai’s words were steady and filled with strength, calming Lin Xuan’er’s emotions.

“Officer Liu, please, could you let Xuan’er stay with me for a few minutes? Just a few minutes, I beg you!” An Xiaohai looked at Officer Liu Cong, his gaze sincere.

“This…is against regulations,” Liu Cong said, clearly reluctant.

“Just three minutes, Officer Liu, please?” An Xiaohai asked again.

If Liu Cong agreed, it would give An Xiaohai not only a few more moments with Lin Xuan’er but also an invaluable chance to survive, something he couldn’t afford to miss.

“Alright, but I have to stay in the room. Three minutes, no more!” Liu Cong finally relented, feeling a certain sympathy for this young university student.

“Thank you, Officer Liu! Xuan’er, come here!”

At An Xiaohai’s call, Lin Xuan’er threw herself into his arms, weeping freely. Liu Cong watched them for a moment, then found a seat nearby and lowered his head, pretending to look at the records in his notebook to give them some semblance of privacy.

An Xiaohai gently held Lin Xuan’er, brushing his cheek against her hair as he whispered into her ear:

“Xuan’er, keep crying, but listen closely. There are a few things I need you to do for me.”

Lin Xuan’er continued to sob but squeezed his arm lightly in acknowledgment.

“First, tell my mom to get 30,000 yuan, no matter what it takes, and go to Wan Shu Hang on Bading West Street. She should give the money to the boss there, ordering some Zhonghua Cigarettes, but she should leave without taking them. Slip a note with my name and prison on it in with the money.”

“Second, tell Pan Zhuangzhuang to go see Captain Wang Tiejun of the Shenhai City Anti-drug bridge in six days. He has to find a way to get a message to him. The front should say ‘Shanghai Kite’ and the back should have my name, prison, and ‘Confidential’ in red.”

“Third, tell Pan Zhuangzhuang not to waste his time messing around outside. He should find a job on Guoqiang South Road, even if it’s just as an apprentice. I’ll talk to him when I’m out.”

“Fourth, you must not give up your studies. If you didn’t get into college this time, that’s okay. Study for another year and choose biomedical, finance and accounting, or English as your major.”

“These four things are crucial. If you do them well, I might be able to get out sooner, understand?”

Lin Xuan’er stopped crying and looked up at An Xiaohai, her eyes filled with surprise—she hadn’t told him she hadn’t been accepted to college, as it happened after his arrest.

“Do you understand?” An Xiaohai smiled, looking into her eyes.

Lin Xuan’er nodded firmly. “Don’t worry, I’ll do it! Xiaohai, take care of yourself. No matter how long it takes, I’ll wait for you!”

Watching her determined expression, An Xiaohai felt his eyes grow wet.

No matter how long, I’ll wait for you.

Decades later, this kind of vow would seem unbelievable to most, but An Xiaohai knew this foolish woman had truly waited for him for twenty years.

This time, I’ll never let you down. I’ll protect you for a lifetime.

Unable to control his emotions, he pulled Lin Xuan’er close and kissed her. She trembled at first, then responded warmly.

“Ahem… three minutes are up!” Officer Liu Cong’s voice reminded them.

An Xiaohai didn’t blame him; Liu Cong had already bent the rules enough. Gently, he released Lin Xuan’er.

“Xuan’er, time’s up. Take care of yourself.”

“I will, and you do the same!” Lin Xuan’er bit her lip, held back her tears, and left quickly. For Lin Xuan’er, An Xiaohai’s words were gospel, and she was determined to carry out his instructions. She knew he was trying to save himself and couldn’t let him down.

“Is she worth it?” Officer Liu asked as he watched her leave. He knew about An Xiaohai and Lin Xuan’er’s relationship.

“She is,” An Xiaohai replied softly with a resolute smile.

To Liu, that single nod seemed weighty beyond measure.

“Alright…” Liu exhaled slowly. “Now rest, focus on reforming, and try to reduce your sentence.”

“I will. Thank you, Officer Liu.”

Liu Cong looked at him, wanting to say something more, but only managed a sigh.

Once alone, An Xiaohai lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, finally exhaling in relief.

Everything he could do was done. Now, all that was left was to wait.