Chapter 88: The Strange Prison Mate

  Chen Qi and several others were all in prison for the first time.

  Early autumn night, cold air secretly invaded. Several people were all in single clothes and straight skirts, the chill came from the sleeves and surged in, and they couldn't help but shiver. Chen Qi was even more unbearable, he and Meng Yan had a fight, his back and sleeves were broken, his face and body were injured in many places.

  It was getting close to dinner time, and several people's stomachs started growling.

  Tonight is destined to be cold and hungry.

  "Time for dinner!" The prison guard brought in the meal.

  Chen Qi and Huang Lanqing, Sun Shiyi all knew that the prison food was not good to eat, probably all were spoiled. This person usually eats fine grains, let alone search for rice, even coarse rice can't be eaten.

  The prisoners arrived at mealtimes, but they didn't move, their interest was lukewarm, although their stomachs were growling with hunger.

  Only Chen Jing got up to serve and eat rice.

  Chen Jie can eat anything.

  "Who brought this meal?" Chen Jiong looked at the dishes on the tray and asked the jailer in a somewhat surprised tone.

  The jailer patiently replied: "It's He Daquan." His attitude improved a lot.

  Chen Qi and several others listened, and couldn't help but be stunned.

  He Daren is actually He Ti.

  He actually came to deliver food?

  Qin Zhi got up and saw that the tray brought in by the prison guard had sauced beef, roasted mutton, sliced mutton, wild rabbit meat, plum fish, and a bowl of mutton bone soup.

  Absolutely sumptuous!

  The rice is also plump and full of grains.

  The food has gone cold, so there's no aroma coming out of it.

  Chen Qi's saliva almost dripped down as he took the tray from the prison guard, shouting to Huang Lankui and Sun Shiyin: "Dinner, dinner!"

  Huang Lanqing and Sun Shiyi walked over, also stunned.

  Everyone had their fill of rice and began eating voraciously.

  Chen Jing first drank a bowl of soup.

  By the time he finished his soup, there was hardly any meat left on the plate.

  Chen Jing had no choice but to fill his bowl with rice and slowly sip on a mutton bone soup.

  "Save some for Chen and Liu!" Chen Qi saw Huang Lankui still lowering his head to eat, pressed down on his chopsticks, and poured the remaining small half bowl of wild rabbit meat into Chen Jing's bowl.

  "Thank you." Chen Jiong said.

  Chen Qi ate almost enough, let out a satisfied belch, and said with relish: "Elder cousin is really not bad, actually thinking of sending us lunch."

  Then he said to Huang Lanqing, "How come your family doesn't know how to send food?"

  "Your family didn't send any either!" Huang Lanqing retorted with a mouthful of food.

  "What Eldest Brother He sent over is indeed for me." said Chen Qi, "Isn't it a gift from my family?"

  After saying that, he felt short of breath.

  Chen Qi's heart was not confused. Chen Jing had cured He Zhen before, and this meal was probably brought by He to Chen Jing, they just took advantage of the opportunity.

  "No matter who sent it, filling our stomachs is what matters." Huang Lankui didn't want to quarrel with Chen Qi, and continued eating with his head down.

  Sun Shiyi didn't say anything.

  The meal was quickly eaten up, and Sun Shiyin and Huang Lanzhen were only half full. Because they ate too hastily, the food remained in their stomachs, and their brains had not yet felt it.

  Chen Qi also thought he could eat another bowl.

  Chen Jing drank the soup and ate slowly, he ate the least but felt full instead.

  "...I never knew rice could be so fragrant and sweet!" Huang Lanqing exclaimed, tapping her bowl with her chopsticks. "Tomorrow when I go out, I'll eat three bowls of plain white rice as soon as I get home!"

  He rolled his tongue after finishing speaking.

  Sun Shiyi and Chen Qi did not respond, both of them seemed to have this sigh.

  "...A few officials, would you like to eat some more?" The prison guard who had just delivered the meal came in again with a tray. This time's food was even hotter and the aroma of meat could be smelled from afar.

  Chen Qi and several others hastily stood up.

  "Who sent it this time?" Chen Qi asked, "Is it my second brother?"

  His eyes held a hint of expectation.

  He thought that his second brother was the most affectionate to him since he was a child. This time he went to prison, did his second brother not know? Otherwise, why didn't he come to pick him up yet?

  Even if he couldn't take him back, he still hoped that his elder brother could bribe the prison guard to send food in.

  In this regard, Chen Qi was very dependent on Er Ge, like a child.

  "It was personally delivered by Young Master Shen of the Shen family. He said it was sent by Eldest Young Master Shen, for you and Officer." The jailer replied.

  The prison guard handed the tray over to Chen Jie.

  When they left, the prison guard gave Chen Xuan a meaningful look. His attitude towards Chen Xuan had undergone a huge change. Previously, he was somewhat fierce, but after He Ti came, he became very gentle and patient; now, there were a few more points of respect added to it.

  It seems that the Shen family's face is quite big.

  Chen Jiong took over the tray and asked Chen Qi and Huang Lankui, Sun Shiyi: "Do you want to eat anymore? I'm full."

  "...Eat, eat." Huang Lankui and the others were stunned, their eyes wide with shock as they stared at Chen Jing, and it was a long time before they came back to themselves.

  They were a few people, Chen Jing seemed to be the most down and out, with the poorest family. Unexpectedly, those who came to deliver food and send dishes all rushed towards Chen Jing.

  He Ti is a relative, so be it; now Shen Changyu also sent his younger brother to deliver food, this move is heavy, Huang Lankui and several others can see it.

  The thought flashed through their minds, but they still hadn't eaten enough, so they continued eating.

  This time, they were more polite.

  "Kid, throw over a piece of meat!" Suddenly, a voice came from the opposite cell.

  Huang Lanqing was startled.

  After they came in, all that could be seen was a small figure huddled in the corner of the opposite cell, with its head and hands and feet all drawn in, revealing only the back of a tattered quilt.

  They thought it was just a sweater.

  It wasn't until later when they saw a prison guard delivering food to that cell that they realized it was a person.

  Like a child.

  Even if it's not a child, it's still a thin and hunched person.

  But the man didn't eat and continued sleeping as if he were dead.

  Later, the sky turned dark and the light in the cell grew dim. The people across from them fell into complete darkness. Huang Lankui and the others forgot that there were still prisoners in the opposite cell.

  Now, the sudden sound that came over was rough and hoarse, but full of energy. Huang Lankui had his back to the prison door. The voice came from behind him, and he couldn't help but be startled for a moment.

  Chen Jiong also turned his head to look.

  The sound of shackles clanking, slowly emerged from the corner. A moment later, a face slowly walked into the light. Under the dim and hazy light, a man of medium build, with a thick beard, his features indistinct, wearing shackles on his feet and hands, looked like a malevolent spirit.

  Huang Lanqing and Sun Shiyi were frightened and took a few steps back.

  Chen Qi also felt uneasy in his heart.

  I've never heard of a serious prisoner being held in Wangxian County Jail before.

  Moreover, this prison cell is not solid at all, and it's easy to escape. And this person, wearing handcuffs and shackles, must have committed a serious crime.

  How did I end up in here?

  "Who are you?" Chen Qizhong plucked up his courage and asked.

  That big man did not respond, but quietly looked at Chen Jing.

  He wants to eat meat.

  "It just so happens that we've had enough to eat, so giving you some won't hurt. Chen Jiong bent down and looked at the dishes in the bowl. He tore off a piece of cloth from his pants, wrapped up a bowl of braised beef and a roasted chicken, squeezed out through the bars of the prison cell, and threw them over to the other side."

  The chain on that big fellow's leg is not long enough.

  He used a great deal of effort to pick up that package of meat.

  During the process of picking up, the iron chain kept ringing non-stop.

  "Thank you." The big man picked up the meat and slowly returned to the shadows, devouring it in large mouthfuls.

  Wait until he finishes eating and returns to calmness. Those iron chains never moved again.

  Huang Lanqing and Sun Shiyi dared to breathe slowly at this time.

  They suddenly found that the whole prison had quieted down. Before the strong man woke up, there were people scolding their mothers in other cells, some crying, and some idle chatter.

  Now all is quiet.

  "Who is it?" Huang Lanqing whispered and asked as she leaned in close to Chen Jing.

  "Ask him," said Chen Jiong with a smile.

  Huang Lanqing hastily shook her head and said: "I didn't ask. Why don't you ask?"

  "I don't want to know who he is, why ask?" Chen Jiong smiled and said.

  Huang Lanqing was embarrassed.

  "Who are you?" Chen Qi suddenly asked.

  There was no response from the other side.

  After waiting for a while, it was still quiet, as if that dark corner had never been inhabited by anyone.

  "What a stupid idea!" Chen Qi turned back and scolded Chen Jing, "It's useless even if you ask."

  "That's you," said Chen Jiong. "If I ask him, he'll say so."

  Chen Qibai raised an eyebrow, disbelieving: "Then ask one for us to take a look."

  "But I don't want to ask," said Chen Jiong with a smile.

  Chen Qi ate a bitter melon and was so angry he almost died.

  Chen Jiong is sometimes very annoying.

  "Come on, let's eat, the dishes are getting cold." Sun Shiyi mediated and invited them to dinner.

  They were actually full just now, but they ate too fast and didn't feel it. Now that they've made such a fuss, they're slowly starting to feel very full and no longer have any desire to eat.

  "I'm not eating anymore." Huang Lanqing waved her hand.

  Chen Qi and Chen Jing also didn't eat.

  Sun Shiyi didn't feel like eating anymore.

  The warders quickly came to take away the tray, bowls and plates, then two more warders brought in four small thin quilts. The quilts were a bit old and gave off a sour smell.

  But it's better than freezing.

  Several people were delighted and rushed around, feeling satisfied.

  "It's not so hard to get through prison either." Huang Lanqing sighed again.

  Chen Qi gave him a cold glance.

  Their bellies were full and their bodies warm; several people were drowsy.

  Chen Jiong also closed his eyes and took a nap, nourishing his spirit and sharpening his will.

  "....General!" Chen Jiong heard someone calling him.

  When I opened my eyes, it was Li Balang and Mingfeng who had arrived.

  Chen Jiong smiled and quickly got up, saying: "Eighth brother, you're here. I was worried in my heart, afraid that sister would think too much. Does my elder sister not know that I'm here?"

  Li Balang saw that he was still in good spirits, hadn't been beaten, and even had a thin quilt to sleep with, so his treatment was extremely good. He slightly relaxed and said: "I don't know. I'll tell you later that you're at Old Man Yang's house. What will you do? When can you come out?"

  "Tomorrow," Chen Jing said with certainty.

  Chen Qi rolled his eyes in his grave.

  "Really?" Li Balang also had some doubts, "Do you want Mr. Yang to help?"

  "No need." Chen Jiong smiled, "The Xing family will take me out. That arm of Xing Wending's was dislocated by me. Except for me, no one else can put it back in place, they'll ask me to go out, don't worry, I'll be home this afternoon. Don't let my sister-in-law know."

  Li Balang was stunned.

  The bright wind behind was also slightly stunned.

  "Bravo!" Chen Qi muttered behind his back, "Setting bones is not a difficult task, any doctor can do it! You think you're so great?"

  Chen Jiong smiled and didn't explain.

  He only said to Li Balang: "Remember what I said? Don't disturb the people at home. You'd better go back now. If you return late, your sister-in-law will become suspicious."

  Tell my sister that Mr. Yang is suffering from rheumatism due to the change of water and soil, and his left foot always hurts. To treat this disease, we need to observe it at midnight when yin and yang are changing. So I'll stay with Mr. Yang tonight and see how he's doing at midnight. Remember to cure this disease... did you remember?

  "Remember," said Li Balang, "if you don't come back by noon tomorrow, I'll come looking for you again?"

  Chen Jing nodded and said, "Alright. If you don't return home by noon, come back again."