CHAPTER 37.2

When I arrive at the Dining Hall, meal time is already over, and only the kitchen staff are left and currently cleaning up things. Today, it’s the prisoners on the second and third floors of Teal’s building who are in charge of the kitchen work.

I recognize Josh within the several busy figures, and Josh just so happens to notice me as well.

“Big Brother Ye ShiJiu!” A smile blooms on Josh’s face, he looks as delighted as a puppy who has seen its master coming home. Looking at him feels extremely pleasing to the heart as he walks in quick strides towards me.

Although we only chatted a few times, Josh seems to like me a lot too, every time he spots me, he welcomes me very warmly.

I sweep my sigh around, making sure that Li is not present before greeting him back.

“Josh, have you seen Teal?”

“Yes, he should be there at the sports field.” Josh bobs his head, making the yellow strands of hair on his forehead flutter gently with his movements.

“Okay, thank you.”

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“Zsw’al olznsxl… Gb, R eked’v pll usw lyazkla, usw byhld’v lyvld zwdnb ulv, byhl usw?”

R dse, R byhld’v lyvld zwdnb ulv, cwv R’x yzps dsv bwdtau aktbv dso. Vlabyrp, kv’p clnywpl R bye fwpv plld Dkys Ubldt yde vbl yqvlatzso sq xu lmnkvlxldv yde ryppksd kp pvkzz pokxxkdt kd xu pvsxynb, ulv vs cl ektlpvle.

Mbl dlmv plnsde, yd yrrzl kp pvwqqle kdvs xu byde.

“Kwpv lyv vbkp qkapv, kv’p dsv tsse vs cl bwdtau,” Kspb pxkzle pbuzu. “Fsaau, R jlrv psxlvbkdt lzpl qsa usw, cwv vblu olal yzz vyjld cu Pa. TwkYldt obs nyxl esod zyvl yde oydvle psxlvbkdt vs lyv, yde kv’p yzps yzalyeu vss zyvl vs nssj psxlvbkdt ytykd…”

“Ls, kv eslpd’v xyvvla, R’x dsv hlau bwdtau yduoyu, vbydj usw.” R pxkzl yv Kspb, vbld pvyal yv vbl yrrzl kd xu byde, qllzkdt xu blyav qzwvvla kd nsdvldvxldv yde fsu.

“Mbld… R’zz ts cynj vs nzlyd vbl jkvnbld qkapv, cul!” Kspb’p nbyaynvlakpvkn sq y pbu vlldytla alxkdep xl sq Dkys Ubldt ytykd.

Tl oyhlp tssecul yv xl yde vasvp yoyu vs nsdvkdwl nzlydkdt.

“…”

I stare at Josh’s back, gripping the apple in my hand as a sense of sympathy washes me all over.

──This child, who also has a younger sister, came to the Absolute Wing Hall before I did. And since then, after entering the Absolute Wing Hall, it may not be possible to meet with my sister even once.

When I catch sight of Teal, it’s just about time when the release period is over.

I immediately pluck out the electronic watch from Teal, who keeps complaining about how hard he is working when he notices me, and quickly return to my floor to start working, diligently sending the prisoners back to their rightful cells one by one.

After confirming that all the prisoners have returned to their cells, I stand immobile at the entrance of the stairs leading to the ninth floor for a long time, before slowly marching and inviting myself upstairs.

This is the first time that I have voluntarily stepped onto the stairs leading to Gu Yan’s cell without any special matter or without Gu Yan seeking me out first.

Subconsciously, my heart starts racing, my palms sweating, and the cold temperature of the surrounding air suddenly presents a subtle sense of contradiction to what I’m currently feeling.

I couldn’t help smiling bitterly because of the conflict within my heart── it’s obviously me who willingly made my way to Gu Yan, but the more I move my feet forward, the less I want him to really be in the cell.

Suddenly feeling afraid of seeing Gu Yan, all the words I want to voice out are swallowed down into my stomach again.

The hallway is empty, except for the white shadows pulled in from the windows. And aside from the clear sound of my leather shoes, even the air is as quiet as still.

Unexpectedly, what first drifts to my ears is a single note, just like the delicate sound of water droplets rippling on the surface of the water, followed by a brisk but slightly mournful scale of strings of notes, bringing in a familiar melody.

I halt outside the cell, thinking that Gu Yan is listening to Beethoven’s “Pathétique” again, but Gu Yan is not lying lazily in bed as I expected, nor reading a book and listening to music in his cell while waiting for my arrival. I breathe a sigh of relief, yet at the same time, I feel a sulking squeeze somewhere in my heart, and it makes me feel unpleasant that I can’t say the words that are pressing at the bottom of my heart to Gu Yan.

I take a detour to the end of the corridor and step towards the room right next to the stairs, where the sound of piano is drifting from and where Gu Yan should be.

On the ninth floor of each building, in addition to the King’s cell, there is another room at the far end of the entire floor.

This room is exclusively for the king’s use. Everyone calls this specially set up place for the king as “the king’s room”, and the king can use it however he wants.

According to Teal, the things and furnishings in each king’s room are not quite the same.

I’ve been to Gu Yan’s room several times, and whenever I approach Gu Yan but he’s not in the cell, it means he’s nestling in this place. There are two large rows of bookshelves inside the room, which are taller than those in Gu Yan’s cell. Each row is full of books, those that can no longer fit are casually tossed aside, and Gu Yan always sits on those piles of books to read.

Placed in the empty space on the right side of the room is a grand piano, but Gu Yan rarely uses it. I even suspect that Gu Yan just put it in the room as a decoration.

I nudge open the slightly gaping and not completely closed door, and what welcomes me is the sitting Gu Yan in front of the piano, his beautiful, slender white long fingers dancing on the black and white keys, relaxed and lively.

Listening to this familiar melody, my heart stirs.

“Gu Yan…” I whisper his name.

Gu Yan’s fingers leaping from the keyboard run aground in mid-air because of my call. He stopped playing the piano and covered the piano with his hands.

“Still having fun? Wolf?”

Gu Yan sits sideways on the piano chair and pats the now wide space on his side, beckoning me to sit down. I stride to Gu Yan’s side yet I don’t sit down, and just stand next to him.

“Gu Yan.” I call his name once more.

“What’s the matter?” Gu Yan laughs at my obstinate standing aside behavior..

“I…” It’s just a simple sentence, but it squeezes a corner of my heart so hard it seems embarrassing to say it out loud; but it would put me on edge if I don’t let it out.

I firmly stare at Gu Yan’s deep turquoise pupils with determination, take a deep breath, and sincerely utters, “Thank you,” in a small but audible volume.

Gu Yan reveals a rather surprised expression.

“Thank you for letting me see my sister.” Reiterate it twice, but never a third time, I thought to myself.

“You’re welcome, just be happy.” Gu Yan smiles at me, still with his lazy look.