Chapter Three: They Were Busy Chasing Mice!
Chapter Three: They're Busy Catching Mice!
The bearded man carried a gray travel bag in front, while Tang Zhong followed behind, his head hanging low.
It was three in the afternoon, the prison’s outdoor exercise time. Just beyond a wire fence, dozens of inmates were strolling and chatting in the exercise yard. Seeing the father and son emerge from the white building, many inmates who were friendly with Tang Zhong gathered around.
"Second Boss, off to study again? Good for you. Bring back a top scholar’s title!"
"Second Boss, if you end up in Mingzhu, remember to check if my wife’s cheating on me."
"Second Boss, do you still want that ‘I Love Big Men’ recipe I told you about last time? Quick, grab a pen and I’ll write it down. Might come in handy once you’re out."
———
Suddenly, the bearded man turned and barked, "Quiet."
Silence fell instantly.
The bearded man had ruled Henshan Prison for years, earning immense authority and a fearsome reputation.
A skinny, unassuming middle-aged man, undaunted by the outburst, walked over with red-rimmed eyes and said, “Second Boss, I’ll be on my way soon. I’m afraid you won’t see me next time you visit… Your kindness, I, Zhang Engui, can never repay in this life. If there’s a next, I’ll be your most faithful servant.”
Zhang Engui was a simple farmer from the mountains, lured out to work by a fellow villager. The villager brought him to Yundian, handed him a plane ticket and a pair of sneakers, and told him, “Wear these shoes to Mingzhu—someone will meet you at the station and give you a thousand yuan.”
A thousand yuan was a fortune for Zhang Engui. But at Mingzhu Airport, he was arrested; the police found five hundred grams of pure powder in his shoes.
In two months, International Anti-Drug Day would arrive, and a group of drug-related death row inmates were to be executed together.
Honest and frail, men like him were easy targets in prison. After Tang Zhong learned his story, he looked after him, making his life a little easier. Still, he couldn't escape his fate.
Tang Zhong halted.
He turned to look at the bearded man, who nodded, confirming Zhang Engui’s words.
Tang Zhong gazed at Zhang Engui and, smiling, said, “There’s a suit in my wardrobe—bought it for last year’s New Year, only wore it twice. If you don’t mind, I’ll have the Boss bring it to you.”
He then squatted down, slipped off his pristine leather shoes, and added, “A suit needs leather shoes. You’ll look sharp, clean and dignified on your way. Next life, be a cleverer man.”
Before their execution, prisoners’ families usually brought new clothes and shoes so their loved ones could leave the world at peace. Zhang Engui’s family, deep in poverty, likely couldn’t even afford travel costs, let alone new clothes.
“Second Boss…” Zhang Engui collapsed to his knees with a thud, sobbing uncontrollably.
Tang Zhong waved to the others and said solemnly, “Take care.”
Then, wearing only black socks, he strode toward the world outside.
The bearded man sighed, picked up the travel bag, and followed.
At the prison gate, the bearded man tossed the bag to the ground. “Wait here.”
With that, he turned and walked back inside, swift and decisive, as if Tang Zhong weren’t his own son.
“Boss!” Tang Zhong called out.
The bearded man turned, his eyes questioning.
“It’s nothing…” Tang Zhong’s voice was hoarse.
The bearded man glanced at him, then turned away again.
“I just wanted to call you Dad,” Tang Zhong shouted after him.
The bearded man’s body stiffened—but he didn’t look back.
———
Tang Zhong stood at the barren prison gate, grumbling impatiently, “What a hot day.”
He eyed the only gravel road leading from Henshan Prison to the city, wondering why that woman hadn’t come yet.
He had agreed to Bai Su’s request. More precisely, he had agreed to the bearded man’s demand. For the first time, the bearded man had interfered in his life; Tang Zhong had neither reason nor way to refuse.
Just then, a car came into view.
A sports car, no less!
It sped toward him like a gust of wind, arriving in a flash.
Whoosh—
The red sports car zipped past, the rush of air tugging at his clothes and skin.
Then, with a dazzling drift, the car spun one hundred eighty degrees and came roaring back, stopping right at his side.
The woman behind the wheel removed her sunglasses, lifted her face with a smile, and asked, “I’m not late, am I?”
If yesterday’s Bai Su had been intellectual and mature, today she was a blazing beauty.
She wore a faded denim jacket over her shoulders, but beneath—it was only a floral silk scarf tied in a bow at her chest, barely covering her ample curves, the rest left bare and exposed, revealing vast expanses of creamy, rosy skin.
“Just in time,” Tang Zhong replied, doing his best to avoid looking at her, picking up his travel bag and sliding into the car.
Bai Su gave a bewitching smile and started the engine.
“I’ll brief you on the basics about Butterfly on the way, so you’ll be ready to work once we arrive,” she said.
“Fine by me,” Tang Zhong replied. He had nothing else to do during the drive anyway.
“The Butterfly Trio is a three-member group. Tang Xin is the leader, responsible for the team: coordinating relationships, reporting and relaying requests to the company, speaking to the media, and handling public appearances. Of course, her main job is singing and performing, but most of these are handled with help from her manager and assistants.”
“Besides Tang Xin, the group has two other members. One is Lin Huiyin—proud, rather aloof, but kind at heart. The other is Hepburn—Zhang Hepburn, nickname Benben—very talkative, mischievous, a child at heart.”
“Tang Xin doesn’t own property in Mingzhu, so she’s always lived in the company’s villa. Hepburn and Lin Huiyin both have homes in the city and usually stay there, but sometimes they sleep at the villa. I’ll arrange for you to live at the villa, so you can interact with them as much as possible—get to know each other and work together smoothly without raising suspicion.”
Seeing Tang Zhong’s odd expression, Bai Su added, “Don’t worry, the two of them are easy to get along with. Tang Xin gets along with them just fine. But—”
“But what?” Tang Zhong asked.
“Well, you’re fresh out of prison, and they’re both real beauties—each one in ten thousand,” Bai Su said tactfully. Truthfully, she had been somewhat concerned about this.
Yet, seeing him react so calmly—only glancing twice at her revealing outfit, nothing more—showed he was a man of tremendous self-control. He knew what lines could not be crossed.
And, there were bodyguards and staff at the villa. He wouldn’t dare do anything out of line.
Tang Zhong pondered seriously, then asked, “Are you worried they’ll try to take advantage of me?”
“—”
The sports car glided into a luxury complex called ‘Purple Garden’ and stopped outside a villa.
Bai Su honked, but the electronic gate stayed closed, and no one responded from inside.
“That’s strange. They should be home,” Bai Su muttered. “I just called them earlier.”
She got out, walked to the sensor gate, and pressed the doorbell.
No answer—but a window on the villa’s second floor slid open, and a cute girl with a bob haircut poked out.
“Aunt Bai, what’s up?” the girl called, her voice sweet as honey.
“Hepburn, open the door,” Bai Su shouted back.
“Can’t, Aunt Bai. We can’t open the door right now,” Hepburn called, louder. “There’s a big rat in the house—we’re catching it! If we open the door, it’ll escape.”
“Hepburn, don’t be ridiculous,” Bai Su said helplessly. “Open up—I have something important to discuss.”
“I’m not being ridiculous. The rat’s the one making trouble,” Hepburn protested, her tone aggrieved. “Aunt Bai, we’re really busy. How about you come back tomorrow? Oh no, the rat’s coming—can’t talk, gotta go!”
Click—
The window shut, and the little head vanished.
“Looks like they’re not exactly welcoming me,” Tang Zhong joked.
“No,” Bai Su replied. “They’re catching a rat.”
As she said this, a blush crept up her cheeks.
Inside the villa. Bedroom.
“Huiyin, Aunt Bai really brought that guy here. He’s a man, you know—how awful! How can we let him live with us? I’m so cute, you’re so beautiful, what if he tries something? Even if he doesn’t—it’s an insult to our charm, isn’t it?”
“So, let’s just not let him in. Problem solved, right? No more trouble. You’re okay with that, aren’t you, Huiyin?” The bob-haired girl grinned.
Her face was oval, brows like willow leaves, big round eyes sparkling with mischief. She wore a large white T-shirt with a Spider-Man print, bare feet curled up on the bed.
“No problem,” the girl in black replied, her back turned and focused on her painting.
“I knew you’d say that, Huiyin.” The bob-haired girl’s eyes crinkled with glee. “I told Aunt Bai we’re catching a rat—she’ll never believe me. She’ll be so annoyed! Serves her right for bringing a man to live with us—straight from prison, no less. How could someone from prison be a good person? What if he bullies us and we can’t fight back?”
“Whatever.”
“Huiyin, what should we eat tonight?”
“You decide.”
“How about we play video games after dinner?”
“No.”
“—”
Knock, knock, knock—
The door was rapped.
Both girls looked out to see a man in a white shirt standing in the doorway, lips curved in a mysterious smile, fingers lightly tapping on the frame.
“Are you two catching a rat?” he asked.
They nodded blankly.
Who is this man? Why does he look so much like Tang Xin?
His smile widened as he revealed his right hand, which had been hidden behind his back, holding up a squirming, black rat.
“Is this the one?”
A shriek—!
Both women screamed. One knocked over her easel, the other tumbled off the bed, and they both scurried away like startled rabbits.
(P.S. You’re all so passionate—Old Liu has to work hard too. Chapter Three delivered. Today’s goal: over twenty thousand votes!)