Qiao Hua answered without hesitation, "No, I don't want to see him."
From the moment Chen Xingjian had attacked her, even the faint bond they had shared as fellow transmigrators had ceased to exist.
The police officer nodded, seemingly unsurprised by Qiao Hua's answer. "All right, I'll let him know."
As soon as he finished speaking, Gu Wenze cut in. "I'd like to see him, though."
Qiao Hua turned to give Gu Wenze a puzzled look, as if asking, "Why do you want to see him?"
An almost imperceptible darkness entered Gu Wenze's deep eyes as he said meaningfully, "As it happens, I have something important to ask him, too."
That evening, Gu Wenze and Qiao Hua went to the detention center. Through the visitation room door, they could see Chen Xingjian sitting in a chair in detention center clothes, with the officer guarding him standing behind him.
At the sound of the door opening, Chen Xingjian turned toward the entrance. The instant he saw Qiao Hua, he sprang excitedly to his feet, only for the officer behind him to force him back into his seat and snap, "Stay still."
Chen Xingjian looked as though he hadn't been doing well. He had lost a great deal of weight, his cheeks were sunken, and his eyes were alarmingly bloodshot.
But compared with what Gu Wenze had suffered, Chen Xingjian's troubles were nothing.
Qiao Hua said expressionlessly, "Whatever you want to say, say it quickly. I don't have much time."
Chen Xingjian glanced at Gu Wenze by the door, looking somewhat surprised. "You're actually alive?"
Then, seeming to realize something, he gave a self-mocking smile. "Of course. You're the male lead. How could you die?"
The officer behind him didn't even react, clearly accustomed to Chen Xingjian's nonsensical remarks.
Qiao Hua turned