Chapter 159: Come On, I’ll Take You to Bask in the Sun
They had to report to the factory for work at 8:30 a.m. Taking advantage of the time before that, Nan Xun hurriedly took the dirty clothes of a certain “lord” that he’d forgotten to wash last night to the washroom, cleaned them, and hung them by the window to dry.
Second Brother, sharp-eyed as always, noticed that the prison uniform Xiao Liu was washing—both the top and the pants—was a size bigger than his own. Especially the pants: they were much longer than the pair Xiao Liu was wearing. Suspicion immediately arose among the others.
Nan Xun explained it straightaway. “These are my brother’s prison clothes. I borrowed them to wear last night. I came back too late and forgot to wash them.”
As soon as they heard this, everyone instantly backed away from the uniform as if it were the plague.
Damn it—Xiao Liu must have stepped in some unbelievable dog shit to have this kind of luck. In just one day, he’d even gotten his hands on Lord Yan’s prison clothes?
That was insane!
From that moment on, everyone in Cell 242 decided they would worship Xiao Liu like a living Buddha from now on.
Seeing that it was almost time, the group hurriedly clustered around Xiao Liu and headed out together.
Nan Xun smiled and waved his hand. “You guys go on ahead. I’m going to walk with my brother.”
His smile dazzled them, making them feel even more certain that the title of “Prison Beauty” belonged to none other than their Xiao Liu.
But it also made them feel bitter. In the blink of an eye, Xiao Liu was no longer theirs—he belonged to Lord Yan now.
As soon as Yan Luo opened the door, he saw the kid standing ramrod straight outside. The moment he came out, those eyes lit up at once. “Bro, you’re finally out!”
Yan Luo was a little surprised, then seemed to think of something. A trace of amusement flickered through his eyes.
“How long have you been waiting?”
Nan Xun waved his hand nonchalantly. “Not long—just ten or twenty minutes.”
Yan Luo couldn’t help but laugh. The kid was clearly hoping to be praised.
“Very good,” Yan Luo commented, then took long strides forward, leading the way.
Nan Xun straightened into the proper posture of a little underling and followed two steps behind, ready at any moment to take orders from his big brother.
The factory was divided into two areas. One side was for polishing stones—some kind of ore dug up from who knew where, full of sharp edges. The inmates had to use tools to grind them smooth. This was pure, backbreaking labor.
The other side was for welding circuit boards. This required a bit of brainpower and, even more so, a pair of nimble hands.
Nan Xun himself was a top student, and even in this body—Su Mobai—he was still a straight-A genius. He’d originally planned to choose the circuit boards, but when he thought of Yan Luo, he changed his mind.
He needed to use this time to bond with Yan Luo. A man from the underworld would definitely pick the rough work.
But in the moment he spaced out, Yan Luo had already headed toward the circuit board area. Halfway there, he even turned back to glance at him. “What are you spacing out for? Keep up.”
The circuits on the boards were tiny, so welding required extra care. Nan Xun really hadn’t expected Yan Luo to be even more skilled than himself. Those long, callused fingers were extremely dexterous, and in no time he’d welded five or six boards neatly according to specifications.
The guard supervising the inmates immediately logged five points for Yan Luo.
Nan Xun felt secretly stifled. It had taken him a full week of morning runs just to rack up five points, yet Yan Luo earned five points just by performing well at work.
Five points! Just like that—half a day off his sentence.
Later, Nan Xun’s own decent performance earned him four points, which finally made him feel a little better.
Although the guards had rules against chatting during work, it was impossible to completely stop it.
When the surrounding whispers grew louder, Nan Xun leaned in and whispered to Yan Luo, “Bro, staring at this too long makes your eyes hurt. If you’re tired, take a break. I can do a bit less and help you with yours.”
Yan Luo shot him a sideways glance. “I don’t need your help.”
After saying that, he actually took five of the boards he’d finished and slid them over. “These are done for you. Since you call me ‘bro,’ I can’t just take the title for nothing.”
Nan Xun stared at him blankly, so moved that his eyes welled up. He’d been staring at the circuits for a long time and his eyes were already sore. After this small kindness, tears really did start to gather. “Bro, you’re really good to me. If I ever get the chance to get out in this lifetime, I’ll work like an ox or a horse for you.”
Yan Luo snorted, unimpressed. “Look at how unambitious you are. This is all it takes for you to sell yourself as an ox or a horse?”
Nan Xun sniffed. “Go ahead and laugh if you want. In all my life, other than my grandma, you’re the second person who’s been good to me.”
Hearing that, Yan Luo fell silent. Without a word, he reached out and rubbed Nan Xun’s head hard, turning that neat black hair into a chicken’s nest.
Before they knew it, it was ten o’clock—the inmates’ outdoor break time. After staring at circuit boards for over an hour, Nan Xun blinked his sore eyes and stretched lazily.
When the guard gave the signal, cheers erupted in the factory. The inmates dropped their half-finished work and rushed outside.
“Bro, why are they running so fast?” Nan Xun yawned as he asked.
“Fighting for spots. There are only two basketball hoops. If you’re late, you don’t get one,” Yan Luo replied casually, then narrowed his eyes and dozed off.
Nan Xun reached out and poked his hand, whispering, “Bro, aren’t we going out for a stroll?”
Yan Luo gave a lazy hum. “A bit sleepy. Don’t feel like moving. Probably didn’t sleep well last night.”
As he spoke, he seemed to suddenly recall something and lifted his eyelids slightly. Those half-lidded eyes carried a lazy, seductive air as they landed on Nan Xun’s face.
“Xiao Bai, how did you sleep last night?” he asked.
Nan Xun patted his face and lied with a straight face. “Pretty good. Just that the bed was too narrow—I couldn’t turn over.”
Yan Luo’s lips curled upward. “An innocent little kid like you can sleep soundly anywhere.”
“Bro, I want to go bask in the sun. The sunlight this season is just right—warm and cozy on your body. It feels especially good, and sunbathing helps you absorb calcium too.” Nan Xun tried hard to persuade him.
A low chuckle rumbled in Yan Luo’s throat. He stretched out his long arm and draped it directly over Nan Xun’s shoulders. “Since Xiao Bai is promoting it so enthusiastically, if I don’t go out and bask in the sun, wouldn’t that make you lose face? Come on—help me up.”
Nan Xun hurried to help him up. The man’s weight made Nan Xun’s face go slightly pale.
Damn it—I’m just helping you up. Are you trying to crush me to death by putting all your weight on me?
Nan Xun suspected this man’s bones weren’t bones at all, but solid iron. He was seriously heavy.
Luckily, Yan Luo only leaned on him for the moment it took to stand up. After that, he straightened and withdrew his arm.
The two of them left the factory one after the other.
“Bro, where are we going?” Nan Xun asked curiously, seeing how purposefully he was heading forward.
Yan Luo strolled along at an unhurried pace and said lightly, “Didn’t Xiao Bai say he wanted to bask in the sun? I’ll take you to find a comfortable spot to soak up some sunlight.”
