“Wait, wait for me to skin you alive.” Pang Xiao immediately shouted back unceremoniously.

The jailer looked at this person’s eyes and ultimately felt fear in his heart, turning to run away.

Without the jailer, the prisoners in other cells became bolder, all curiously looking this way, with some speaking in low voices. However, most prisoners sat haggardly and powerlessly on the ground, each staring blankly in a daze, no longer caring about the outside world.

Pang Xiao kicked at the dirty, moldy straw on the ground, sat down carelessly himself, then pulled Qin Yining into his embrace, letting her sit on his lap.

His thighs were firm and powerful, and in this cold, damp cell, his embrace radiated abundant warmth.

Qin Yining said worriedly: “The ground is cold.” As she spoke, she removed her crimson jacket with gold thread, folding it into a square: “You sit on this.”

“It’s nothing, what kind of cold is this.” Pang Xiao looked down at Qin Yining fussing in his arms, his gaze so tender it could wring out water.

But Qin Yining wouldn’t listen to his words, insisting he use the jacket as a cushion.

Bingtang, Huzi and the others in the neighboring cell saw this and couldn’t help but show slight smiles, each finding their own places to sit.

Qin Yining whispered in Pang Xiao’s ear: “How long do you think Lu Zheng will keep us confined?”

“Who knows. But we can be certain he probably just wants to deflate our arrogance. Plus, with such an incident happening, his mind is entirely focused on Lu Xi for now—he can’t spare attention for us.”

“Mm. I think so too.” Qin Yining leaned close to Pang Xiao’s ear and whispered: “Before we came, we were still wondering who from the Lu family would be handling this matter. Now it seems it should be Lu Zheng.”

“Indeed.”

Pang Xiao’s ear was tickled by Qin Yining’s warm breath, and he couldn’t help but turn to kiss her cheek.

Qin Yining startled, hurriedly looking toward the neighboring cell. Finding no one had noticed, she reproachfully pinched the flesh at Pang Xiao’s waist lightly.

Pang Xiao chuckled softly, rocking Qin Yining in his arms while whispering: “Being imprisoned together with you—even being in jail is good.”

“Silly, I’ve never seen anyone who thinks being in jail is good.” Qin Yining felt as if she’d eaten honey, sweet from her heart to her mouth.

Still, being confined in prison, even though Qin Yining knew that with Pang Xiao beside her, her safety was guaranteed, she still felt somewhat uneasy in her heart.

There was only one torch in the prison, inserted diagonally by the window at the end of the corridor. The entire prison relied on this single point of light. Later, when the torch extinguished and thick clouds covered the sky outside with no moonlight or starlight visible, the prison became so dark you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face.

Qin Yining curled up in Pang Xiao’s embrace, her ear pressed against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat as she gradually fell into sleep.

Pang Xiao closed his eyes in light sleep, but even while dozing, he remained alert to surrounding movements, his arms continuously embracing the person in his arms to give her a sense of security and make her feel stable.

Just then, footsteps suddenly echoed in the corridor.

Soon they could see a bit of candlelight gradually approaching. The orange-red light moved slowly through the prison, brightening areas as it passed before immediately returning to darkness.

The visitor stopped outside the cell where Pang Xiao and Qin Yining were confined, inserting his lantern on the cell door: “Miss, how should you be addressed?”

This person’s arrival awakened everyone in the prison.

Pang Xiao raised his eyes and discovered it was the middle-aged man who had followed Lu Zheng earlier at the pleasure boat.

Coming personally yet speaking to Qin Yining—his intentions were quite clear.

He just didn’t know whether this was his own idea or if Lu Zheng had instructed him.

Qin Yining rubbed her sleepy eyes drowsily, glanced at Manager Yuan, and said: “Who are you?”

“This humble one is surnamed Yuan, a manager under Young Master Lu, overseeing quite a few trading houses and shops.” Manager Yuan smiled very gently.

Qin Yining slightly narrowed her almond eyes, then smiled charmingly: “So it’s Manager Yuan. You’ve come here—do you have some instructions?”

Viewing a beauty by lamplight naturally made her several degrees more beautiful, combined with the beauty’s smile…

Manager Yuan’s bones nearly went soft, thinking privately: Could it be the beauty doesn’t want to stay in prison and wants to grab onto me as a lifeline?

“Ah, instructions wouldn’t be appropriate—I just came to check on conditions here and see if the young lady lacks anything.” Manager Yuan smiled even more gently.

“In a prison cell, everything is lacking, isn’t it? Isn’t Manager Yuan asking the obvious?” Qin Yining frowned in disgust: “There isn’t even a blanket here—how is one supposed to rest? My young master came to conduct business with Young Master Lu, but upon meeting, without distinguishing right from wrong, you threw people into prison. Is this how you treat guests?”

The woman’s tone wasn’t intense, nor could her voice be called sharp—it was soft with echoes in the prison. Yet every sentence sounded like a slap to the face.

Hearing this, Manager Yuan was only embarrassed for an instant before his gaze became even more inseparable from Qin Yining.

“So the young lady is also someone with many ideas. It seems one cannot treat you as an ordinary woman without thoughts or brains simply because you’re a woman.” Manager Yuan smiled: “This humble one wishes to converse with the young lady—would you honor me?”

In the middle of the night, seeking conversation with a strange woman?

Pang Xiao was furious beyond measure. If Qin Yining hadn’t secretly pinched him, he would have lost control long ago.

Qin Yining laughed lightly: “Acting this way—does your Young Master Lu know?”

Manager Yuan’s expression slightly stiffened: “I too work for the Lu family. The young master understands my dedication.”

“I see. Manager Yuan truly labors with great merit. However, I appreciate your kind intentions. Please go back and tell Young Master Lu that if he has something to discuss with me, let him come personally. Remember—during the day, not in the dead of night.”

Mentioning “during the day” and “dead of night” was clearly exposing Manager Yuan’s intentions, mercilessly mocking his character in public.

The head jailer standing at the corner kept his head down, trying to minimize his presence as much as possible.

But there wasn’t just one person confined in the cell. Manager Yuan had thought this woman was sensible, never expecting she would be so unaccommodating.

“Good, very good. You don’t even look at what you are, putting on airs and acting like some chaste widow in front of me?”

“Manager Yuan is truly learned—you actually know the term ‘chaste widow.'” Qin Yining sneered.

Manager Yuan was so angry he nearly fell backward, grabbing the wooden bars of the cell door. After several deep breaths, his anger remained, but his expression appeared calm.

He suddenly revealed a smile: “It seems you currently look down on me, a mere manager. I hope you won’t regret this later. When you come seeking conversation with me then, it won’t be so easy. Farewell.”

“Take care, I won’t see you off. If you see Young Master Lu later, I’ll also put in a good word for you with him. After all, nowadays there aren’t many managers as dedicated and responsible as you. How many people could do what you do—not going home to sleep in the middle of the night, but coming to prison to visit a strange woman?”

Manager Yuan’s face alternated between red and white. After glaring at Qin Yining for a long moment, he picked up his lantern and walked away quickly, his steps even faster than when he’d arrived.

Qin Yining snorted derisively, turning to whisper to Pang Xiao: “Don’t mind him. Such people aren’t anything significant—not worth fearing.”

Watching his wife being coveted by someone, Pang Xiao held a belly full of fire with nowhere to vent. Even though Qin Yining had gained the upper hand, his tolerance for such things was zero.

But facing Qin Yining’s gentle eyes, he couldn’t possibly maintain a dark expression.

Pang Xiao took a deep breath, his large hand stroking her cheek: “Alright, be good, sleep.”

Qin Yining nodded, leaning against Pang Xiao’s embrace: “You should sleep quickly too, conserve your energy.”

“Good.” Pang Xiao gently patted her back rhythmically, like coaxing a child.

Only then did Huzi, Bingtang and the others completely relax.

Clearly, they too had been quite angered by Manager Yuan. If Pang Xiao had raised his arm and called out earlier, these people would have immediately followed him in breaking out of prison.

Everyone was mentally prepared that since Lu Zheng wanted to give them a show of force, even if there was no torture, their days wouldn’t be easy.

The dark, damp environment of the prison was very depressing, with a fishy stench constantly permeating the air. The rats had grown bold, occasionally passing by in groups of three to five. Added to this was deliberate harsh treatment regarding food and drink.

After three days, everyone had only consumed some thin rice gruel you could see your reflection in.

Fortunately, Bingtang was clever and carried a small medicine pouch with her. Fearing people would fall ill, she gave everyone a pill to supplement qi and blood.

Qin Yining was so hungry she had little strength, pillowing her head on Pang Xiao’s shoulder, her voice slightly hoarse: “I think this is about enough.”

Pang Xiao’s lips were also somewhat pale. His large hand continuously stroked Qin Yining’s long hair: “I think so too. Don’t worry, he’s not the one in charge. Their family still has the old master—being able to use private authority to this extent is already the limit.”

Sure enough, that very afternoon, Manager Yuan came.

Upon seeing the head jailer and prison guard, Manager Yuan’s expression was normal, just without the previous warmth.

The head jailer secretly cursed Manager Yuan for being petty—wanting to spend a spring evening with the beauty himself, then getting so angry when rejected that nothing was right, losing face and taking it out on others.

But though he grumbled internally, he couldn’t show emotion on his face.

“How have they been these past days? Are they behaving?” Manager Yuan asked.

The head jailer bowed obsequiously: “All according to your instructions—food and drink have been limited. They’re now so hungry they lack strength to speak and surely won’t dare resist anymore.”

Hearing this, Manager Yuan felt somewhat secretly regretful that he hadn’t restrained himself that night and had actually come immediately. It was just that the woman was too alluring. If he hadn’t been so hasty and had waited until now, after the woman had suffered enough, she might have submitted to him.

Manager Yuan sighed inwardly while quickly walking into the prison.

Standing before the cell containing Pang Xiao and Qin Yining, looking at the two disheveled people, he said unwillingly: “Have you thought it through clearly?”

Pang Xiao raised his eyelids to glance at Manager Yuan, his tone still arrogant.

“This young master is the eldest young master of the Wan family, and you’re treating me this way—I’ll definitely report this to my father when I return!”

Manager Yuan snorted contemptuously. Report to his father—so he was going home to tattle to daddy?