Chapter Ten: Feeding

In the men’s prison, Li Zelin, trapped in a nightmare, was groggy and disoriented. His dream was filled with the heart-wrenching collapse of his family, the helpless sorrow of his father’s death. Struggling, a large hand suddenly mercilessly fiddled with his head, disturbing his rest.

Abruptly, he opened his eyes, the nightmare fading. Instinctively, he reached up to his head but found nothing, only hearing a soft rustling sound.

Squinting upward, Li Zelin saw a shadow swiftly flying above in the darkness. He wanted to shout but his mouth was immediately covered.

“Who’s there?”

Startled, Li Zelin hurriedly tried to pry away the hand muffling his mouth.

Chaochao quickly poked her head close.

Seeing it was his own daughter, Li Zelin’s eyes widened in shock, his heart pounding wildly.

How did his dear little girl end up here?

Chaochao, unfazed by her father’s fright, saw that he was awake. She kept her hand over his mouth still in place, while her other hand pressed to her lips, signaling him to be quiet.

Li Zelin caught on and nodded slightly. Only then did Chaochao release her grip and point with her small paw to a secluded corner of the outermost part of the cell.

Father and daughter silently shifted toward that spot, followed closely by Huahua.

Chaochao glanced back at Huahua, who silently flew behind them, then pointed toward the corridor outside the bars.

Huahua understood and, restricted by the power of its master, obediently flew out on patrol. Father and daughter then huddled in their corner, whispering quietly.

“Darling, why did you come? How did you get out of the women’s prison?”

Chaochao rubbed her ear, tickled by her silly father’s words, but didn’t answer. Instead, she reached into her hollow chest and pulled out two large osmanthus rice cakes, pressing them into his hand.

“Eat.”

Looking at the warm cakes in his hand, then at his daughter, Li Zelin was speechless.

Daughter, couldn’t you have been a little more subtle? Couldn’t you have pretended just a tiny bit? Your old man isn’t stupid!

Chaochao didn’t care whether her father was silly or not. Her big eyes stared at him, full of urging.

Li Zelin, unable to resist, meekly shoved the cakes into his mouth and quickly finished them.

Satisfied, Chaochao nodded, then dug into her chest again and pulled out two more.

Li Zelin choked out, “Burp! Darling, I’ve had enough. You eat them.”

“Keep them as reserves. Dad, listen.”

Li Zelin... suddenly felt like a failure as a father.

Usually, it’s the father protecting the daughter, but here it was the daughter protecting her father. Why did his heart ache so painfully?

Taking the cakes his daughter insisted on giving, Li Zelin, his throat hoarse, was about to say more when his beloved daughter suddenly avoided him like he was a ghost and quickly left, answering his questions with her actions.

Fearing his foolish father might recite scripture or cause trouble, Chaochao decisively rose, pressed her head against the bars, slipped her body through, and in a flash, was gone. Li Zelin was left dumbfounded, mouth agape.

He watched helplessly as his obedient daughter waved to him from the corridor, disappearing without a trace into the dim passage without looking back.

Just then, a sleepy voice called from behind him: “Second brother?”

Li Zelin hastily hid the cakes in his bosom and turned to reply, “Third brother.”

“Second brother, you’re not asleep yet? Worried about your niece?”

Mentioning his niece, Li Zelin’s heart tightened again. He nodded perfunctorily.

The brothers’ conversation, unlike the quiet whispers with his daughter, was loud enough to wake Li Changmao, the youngest son, who was sleeping in his father’s arms.

Chaochao’s age-mate, rubbing his eyes, groggily called “Dad,” his stomach growling, prompting Li Zefeng to quickly comfort him.

Approaching, Li Zelin heard his nephew’s soft cries of hunger and recalled the earlier incident with the Song family. His hand paused at his chest, then, as he sat, he discreetly took a piece of the reserved cake and offered it.

In the darkness, a warm hand holding the cake surprised Li Zefeng.

“Second brother?”

Li Zelin leaned in, lowering his voice, “Shh! For the child. I brought it from the mansion earlier. Not much. Don’t make a fuss.”

Feeling the soft cake still warm with his brother’s ‘body heat,’ Li Zefeng, who was usually uncherished at home, felt his eyes moisten.

In the silent night, within this suffocating prison, a warm cake warmed Li Zefeng’s heart.

To prevent the scent from leaking and embarrassing his brother, Li Zefeng decisively turned his back to the others, hugged his son, and secretly fed him the cake. He wiped away his tears and resolutely slept beside his brother.

Chaochao was unaware of all this happening in the men’s prison.

Quietly sneaking past the interrogation hall, she and Huahua successfully returned.

Back in her claimed corner, Chaochao hugged Huahua and curled up to sleep but tossed and turned restlessly.

The autumn night was chilly; the dungeon was truly cold.

Shivering, she gave a sudden shiver, feeling some frustration.

She had bedding, even a bed, but couldn’t use them now. Her mother had warned that possessing something valuable was a curse, so she dared not expose herself.

But without a blanket, how could she keep warm?

Chaochao’s mind went to the pile of straw she’d seen in an empty cell near the corridor entrance when she returned. Her eyes brightened, and she immediately took action.

Clever as a rabbit, she slipped out again, her footsteps soft and quick. At the corridor entrance, she eyed the tall stacks of straw in the cell and decisively took two bundles, tidying the scattered straw back into place.

Before leaving, she looked carefully, thinking it should be impossible to tell.

After all, every cell had straw; the only reason she hadn’t used any before was because they were dirty and damp.

Now with two extra bundles, surely no one would notice, right?

Comforting herself, she softened her voice and, one bundle on each side, hurried back.

Sneaking through the bars, she spread one bundle as a mattress, covered herself with the other, then scooped Huahua into her arms. Perfect.

Thus, on her first night trapped in prison, Chaochao passed it quietly.

Early the next morning, Chaochao was awakened from a sweet dream by a fit of coughing.

Grumbling with a little frown, she suddenly sat up from the straw pile. Huahua, sleeping on her chest, fell abruptly, flapping wildly and squawking.

“Dead bird! Dead bird!”

“Shut up! If you make more noise, I’ll burn you!”

Chaochao, grumpy from waking up, scolded sharply, frightening Huahua into silence.

But the bird had a temper too. Now ignoring her sulky owner but afraid of punishment, it flew to perch on the small windowsill near the narrow skylight, clearly upset.

Chaochao didn’t care about the silly bird. She rubbed her eyes and sniffed.

Good, no cold.

But the coughing around her ear was still frequent. Most of the young ones were affected, and the fourth son nearby was clearly hit hard.

Chaochao puckered her lips, glanced at Li Changying being comforted by the third aunt, and decided to leave it for now. She gathered the fluffy straw, twisted some into a rope, tied it up, determined to protect her straw bedding.

Busy as a bee, she kept to herself, causing no trouble. But sometimes, not causing trouble doesn’t mean trouble won’t find you.

Leaning against her mother Li Wenxin, who was already irritable from disturbed rest due to coughing, Chaochao’s busy antics only earned her a glare and a sharp “Idiot!” from her mother.