Chapter 160: There’s Grass—Bro, Just Wiggle and It’ll Fall Off
The two of them walked one after the other, passing by the basketball court where the inmates were scrambling.
Nan Xun looked over curiously and saw a circle of people surrounding the court. A noisy din came from inside, but it didn’t quite sound like an argument.
Nan Xun originally wanted to go over and take a look, but Yan Luo walked straight ahead without even glancing sideways. After a few more looks, Nan Xun followed him.
Because the higher-ups strongly advocated environmental greening, even the prison had large areas of greenery. Past the basketball court and further inside, at the southwest corner of the prison, there was a stretch of green lawn. It had even been artistically shaped into rolling slopes. Several towering trees grew on the grassy rise, lush and verdant, casting broad swaths of shade across the grass.
It was said that these trees had quite a history and were deliberately preserved when Meihuan Prison was built.
Yan Luo chose a recessed spot on the grassy slope and lay down, both hands cradling his head on the emerald grass.
He’d picked an excellent place—nestled into the slope so people outside couldn’t see him. His handsome face lay in the shadow of the big tree, while everything below his neck was perfectly exposed to the sunlight. It neither interfered with his sleep nor prevented him from basking in the sun.
Nan Xun, watching him select a spot and lie down as if it were only natural, even squinting comfortably: …
Nan Xun sat down beside him, one leg stretched out parallel to Yan Luo’s long legs, the other bent. He propped his chin on his knee, those bright black eyes staring straight at Yan Luo’s face.
Sunlight filtered through the dense foliage, scattering dappled patterns on the ground. Flecks of light fell on the youth’s face, warm and pale gold. A cluster of light was reflected in his pitch-black eyes, like two floating lanterns swaying gently in a clear spring.
Suddenly, Yan Luo’s drooping long lashes trembled. In an instant, the clusters of light in the boy’s eyes shattered and dispersed, melting into the darkness.
“Good-looking?” Yan Luo suddenly asked. The corners of his mouth lifted bit by bit, the curve carrying a hint of teasing wickedness.
Nan Xun blinked, showing no embarrassment at being caught. Instead, he smiled brightly and replied, “Especially handsome. Very charismatic. I hope I can become someone like you in the future, bro.”
Yan Luo’s sharp brows lifted slightly, and a low, deep laugh rumbled from his chest, like a cello resonating with insects under the warm sun.
“Little flatterer.” The man’s thin lips moved lazily, the words stirring the air, almost indistinct.
Nan Xun’s hearing was sharp; he caught the breathy sound and hurried to say, “It’s true, bro. When I first met you, I was thinking, who is this guy, acting so arrogant? But after getting to know you, I realized—you were born to be arrogant. If you weren’t, it would be an insult to your entire setup.”
Yan Luo’s half-lidded eyes opened fully. He tilted his head slightly and looked at him leisurely, smiling as he asked, “Setup? What setup?”
Nan Xun immediately started counting on his fingers. “My bro has a handsome face, long legs, great build—broad shoulders, narrow hips, a perfect waist. Not only can you fight, you can even weld circuit boards. Bro, I really admire you. When I reach your age, I want to become someone like you too.”
Yan Luo glanced at the kid. Those eyes were jet-black and glossy, clear and bright. The blazing admiration in them seemed to heat up even this rare patch of shade.
Yan Luo had seen plenty of underlings who worshipped him fervently, but he always felt that Su Mobai was special.
When others said things like this, he felt nothing—sometimes he even thought they were being too sycophantic. But when this kid said it, the moment he met those glass-bead-like eyes, he felt an unusual sincerity. Even the most bootlicking words didn’t sound fake coming from him; instead, they were strangely pleasing.
Yan Luo patted the grass beside him. “Come on, Xiao Bai. Lie down and chat with me.”
“Bro, you’re not sleeping anymore? Did I disturb you? I can move aside. You sleep—don’t worry, I’ll wake you when the whistle blows.”
Yan Luo shot him a glance. “Come here.”
Two light words, but an unquestionable command.
Nan Xun answered with an “oh” and obediently lay down, shoulder to shoulder with him on the grass.
Looking up, through the dense greenery of the trees, a patch of deep blue sky was visible, dotted with cotton-candy-like white clouds. A few birds flew past, leaving behind a string of pleasant calls.
The man beside him suddenly turned his head to look at him. The kid was staring blankly at the sky, lost in thought.
Yan Luo asked, “Xiao Bai, what do you plan to do after you get out?”
Nan Xun paused, then gave a bitter smile. “Bro, did you forget? I’m serving life. I’ll be stuck in here forever. Even if good behavior turns it into a fixed term, I still won’t be able to get out for ten or twenty years.”
“And if you could get out—what would you want to do then, Xiao Bai?”
Nan Xun turned his head too, immediately meeting those dark, profound eyes, as if they could pull him in.
He looked away, a little downcast. “Even if I really got out, I wouldn’t be able to go to college anymore. The fact that I went to prison has already spread all over my hometown. Going back to farm isn’t realistic either. So I’d probably sell the old house, find some remote place, buy a small house, and quietly live out my days alone.”
Yan Luo narrowed his eyes after hearing that. “You’re still so young, and you’re already thinking about retirement?”
Nan Xun was unhappy. “Didn’t you ask me to say it? Now that I have, you’re making fun of me.”
As he spoke, he rolled over, turning his back to him.
“Throwing a tantrum now, Xiao Bai?”
“How is it your temper is like a little girl’s—angry at the drop of a hat?”
Nan Xun thought to himself: I am a little girl.
A man’s body, a girl’s heart.
Yan Luo reached out and poked his lower back.
Nan Xun’s body instantly curled.
“Xiao Bai, you’re ticklish.” As if he’d discovered something amusing, Yan Luo couldn’t resist reaching out again to poke him twice more.
Nan Xun was poked so badly he jumped up, fuming. “Bro!”
Yan Luo burst out laughing, thoroughly delighted.
Why hadn’t he met Xiao Bai earlier? Such a fun kid. With him around, life would definitely never be boring again.
“Didn’t you just say you wanted to become someone like me? If you sneak off to some place to retire, how are you going to become someone like me?” Yan Luo said.
Nan Xun sighed. “I also said it was just something I wanted. Wanting and doing are two different things. I’m already like this now. Besides, I can’t even get out.”
Yan Luo suddenly fixed his gaze on him, eyes dark and heavy, lost in thought.
His thin lips moved, as if he wanted to say something—but at that moment, the sharp sound of a guard’s whistle suddenly rang out in the distance.
Nan Xun thought it signaled the end of the break, but it was clearly too early. The whistle was urgent, blown several times in quick succession.
Yan Luo stood up with lingering reluctance, slinging an arm around the kid’s shoulders as they walked out.
“Bro, wait a second!” Nan Xun moved the heavy arm off his shoulder, then stepped behind Yan Luo and gently brushed away the bits of grass clinging to his back.
“Bro, there’s still some on your butt. Just wiggle a bit yourself and it’ll fall off,” Nan Xun suggested with complete seriousness.
