Chapter Forty-One: Bai Muqing Visits the Prison

Hearing the approaching footsteps, Zhang Mingyang hurried to the iron-barred window and peered outside.

As the footsteps drew closer, a woman dressed in a black business suit came into Zhang Mingyang’s line of sight.

“Bai Muqing?”

Zhang Mingyang hadn’t expected Bai Muqing to be the one who came.

“Well, there you are!”

Seeing Zhang Mingyang through the small window, Bai Muqing smiled and said, “So this is where you are!”

“What brings you here?” Zhang Mingyang asked.

“What, am I not allowed? Fine, if you don’t want me here, I’ll just leave.”

With that, she turned to walk out.

“Hey…! Don’t go.”

Zhang Mingyang hurriedly stopped her, smiling as he said, “It’s not that I don’t welcome you. I just woke up and haven’t figured out what’s going on yet.”

“Hmph!”

With a soft snort, Bai Muqing returned to the “cell door” in front of Zhang Mingyang, squatted down, took out a few food containers from her handbag, and passed them through the small window.

“Do you think I came here because I wanted to? If it weren’t for Grandpa Wang asking me to bring you food, I wouldn’t have come to see you.”

Zhang Mingyang quickly opened the containers, and a wave of delicious aroma instantly filled the air, making his already rumbling stomach even more restless. Without thinking, he wiped the chopsticks and began to devour the food ravenously.

Watching Zhang Mingyang eat so hungrily, Bai Muqing looked at him with distaste. “Slow down, no one’s going to take it from you.”

“It’s delicious, really delicious.” Zhang Mingyang spoke between mouthfuls, asking, “So Grandpa Wang sent you?”

“Yes. Grandpa Wang has been worrying himself sick over you, running to the Inspection Unit every day to plead on your behalf. Even your teacher, Lin Guangming, almost organized a strike at the Energy Department for you. It’s been absolute chaos.”

“Ah!”

Listening to Bai Muqing, Zhang Mingyang hadn’t expected his arrest to cause such a commotion.

“So, how are things outside now?”

Bai Muqing shook her head with a sigh. “Don’t get me started. It’s a mess out there—every day the Inspection Unit is arresting people. In the days you’ve been locked up, they’ve already detained a whole bunch. The base hasn’t carried out any work lately; it’s all interrogations and arrests, and everyone’s on edge.”

“It’s that serious?”

Zhang Mingyang suddenly sensed that something was off—it didn’t feel like they were here for a spy; it was more like they were here to cause trouble.

“And Grandpa Wang? Isn’t he doing anything about it?”

“What can he do?” Bai Muqing stood up, stretched her legs, and continued, “These past few days, Grandpa Wang’s been busy pleading for you and pulling strings everywhere—he doesn’t have time for anything else. I honestly don’t understand why he cares so much about you.”

Hearing this, Zhang Mingyang felt a pang of guilt toward Grandpa Wang. If he hadn’t been so impulsive and ignored advice, none of this would have happened, and the situation outside wouldn’t be so dire.

“What about my teacher? How is he?”

“Old Lin’s holding up. After you were arrested, he and Old Qian organized a group of researchers to strike for your release, but Wang Yanxiu had them detained. Now they’re all confined to their dorms and aren’t allowed out.”

“Damn it!”

Zhang Mingyang pounded the wall and cursed Wang Yanxiu’s entire family. “If anything happens to my teacher, when I get out, I’ll skin Wang Yanxiu alive.”

Listening to him, Bai Muqing snarked, “You should focus on how to get out first.”

“True.” Zhang Mingyang deflated, “You’re right, I should think about how to get out.”

“By the way,”

Zhang Mingyang asked, “What crime did Wang Yanxiu charge me with?”

Bai Muqing tilted her head, thinking, “He said you didn’t have your review materials—your selection and screening documents to enter the base.”

“Review materials?”

Zhang Mingyang hadn’t realized there was such a requirement; when he’d come, all it took was Grandpa Wang’s word.

“Don’t tell me you came in without going through any review.”

Zhang Mingyang thought back, “I really didn’t go through any screening.”

“Then you’re in trouble.” Bai Muqing replied, “The base has strict regulations on recruitment—everyone must be reviewed by the expert panel, then go through file and background checks. Not one step can be skipped. How did you get in without any review?”

“I’d heard you got in through Wang Bowen’s connections, but in a top-secret place like this, no matter how influential Wang Bowen is, he couldn’t have just walked you in.”

“I have no idea!” Zhang Mingyang was puzzled; he knew nothing about the review process. It was Wang Bowen who’d talked him into coming.

“In any case, because of this spy affair, all work at the base has stopped. It all depends on how Grandpa Wang manages to get you out.”

Having finished eating, Zhang Mingyang quickly handed the food containers back to Bai Muqing, reminding her to keep him informed if there was any news.

“By the way, where am I? Why is this room so small, with no facilities, and so low I can’t even lie down?”

Tapping the iron bars on the window, Bai Muqing replied, “You’re in a good spot, actually. This is our logistics department’s hazardous materials warehouse—it’s used for storing dangerous chemicals. The walls around you are a meter thick with reinforced concrete. Even Iron Man would have trouble getting out. Wang Yanxiu chose it especially for you.”

“Damn it,” Zhang Mingyang chuckled, “That guy is really good to me—giving me such a nice room. When I get out, I’ll have to thank him properly.”

“Actually, there’s something I’m curious about.”

Bai Muqing sat down, resting her chin in her hands. “How did you get on Wang Yanxiu’s bad side? He seems to take a special interest in you.”

Zhang Mingyang thought for a moment, then recounted how he’d come to know Wang Yanxiu. Hearing the story, Bai Muqing couldn’t help but giggle, exclaiming, “So that’s what happened.”

“He’s really petty, isn’t he? So he lost—big deal. He could just win next time. Why go to such lengths?”

Zhang Mingyang nodded, “Exactly. Ever since then, he’s seen me as a thorn in his side. He’d love nothing more than to strangle me. I just never expected he’d end up at the National Security Bureau as an inspector, and then get assigned to our base. Fate is really playing tricks on me!”

“All right, enough lamenting.” Bai Muqing stood, dusted off her clothes, and said to Zhang Mingyang, “I’m off. If I stay too long, people will get suspicious. I took a risk bringing you food, so you owe me a big favor.”

“No problem.” Zhang Mingyang patted his chest in promise. “When I get out, whatever you want, as long as I can do it, I’ll make it happen.”

“Then, goodbye.”

Waving her hand, Bai Muqing headed for the iron door.

Just as she was about to leave, she paused, remembering something she’d forgotten. She turned back to the cell.

“Hey, why are you back?” Zhang Mingyang asked.

Bai Muqing rummaged through her bag and pulled out a book, handing it to Zhang Mingyang.

“No way! It’s ‘Resource Game’?”

“When they searched your dorm, I found this under your pillow. I figured you’d be bored in here, so I brought it to you.”

Staring at the book, Zhang Mingyang suddenly felt a strange connection to it.

“Well, this is just what I need.”

Bai Muqing said goodbye once more, swung her bag, and walked out.