Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Gentlewoman Criminal (Part Two)

“Come in!” The familiar voice of the old warden rang out. Zhao Li naturally pushed the door open and entered, standing at attention as soon as he stepped in: “Sir, Sergeant Zhao Li reporting as ordered!”

“Sit down!” The warden’s voice was unusually gentle. Once inside, Zhao Li noticed that the old warden was sitting upright this time, not as informally as usual, apparently engrossed in something he was reading.

He took a seat on a nearby chair, adopting the standard military posture, waiting for the warden to speak. The old man seemed absorbed in his reading, and after a moment, he finally set the item aside.

“Would you like a drink?” The warden stood up, walked over to a cabinet, and took out two glass cups. From an ornate wine rack, he retrieved a familiar bottle of wine.

Wine? Zhao Li politely declined, “No, thank you, Sir!” Although the wine looked tempting, Zhao Li feared that accepting would only invite more teasing from the warden; it seemed his current status didn’t permit him such luxuries.

“No wine? Good habit. How about some juice then?” The warden assumed Zhao Li wasn’t used to drinking, so he offered an alternative.

It would be rude to refuse now. Zhao Li wasn’t an expert in social etiquette, but he understood this much. He nodded, “Thank you, Sir!”

The juice appeared freshly squeezed. The warden took a cylindrical container, tossed in several bright red fruits of unknown origin, then pressed another cylinder into it. With a strong push of his thumb, a stream of crimson juice poured into the glass. Moments later, a glass of vibrant red juice was placed before Zhao Li.

The warden poured himself a glass of fine wine, sat back in his large chair, raised his glass slightly at chest level to Zhao Li, and took a sip. Zhao Li picked up his juice and took a hearty drink.

The flavor was exquisite. Zhao Li was certain he’d never tasted such delicious juice before; he wondered what kind of fruit it was, perhaps a rare delicacy from some distant place.

“Good performance yesterday, boy!” Setting down his glass, the warden got straight to the point. “Winning under those circumstances—I admit I had misjudged you before. You know, young people should be like that, not lifeless and dull.”

“Thank you for your praise, Sir!” Zhao Li replied with his tried-and-true formula, but the warden seemed to pay it little mind.

“What caused such a change in you?” the warden asked curiously.

Wasn’t it your provocation? Zhao Li cursed inwardly, but kept a calm expression and said nothing.

“You don’t have to tell me. As long as you know yourself, as long as you remember you’re still young,” the warden said, stopping Zhao Li as he began to speak. He reached for something on the desk and handed it to Zhao Li.

Zhao Li took it, puzzled. There didn’t seem to be any documents in the prison meant for him. Looking down, he was surprised, and after a moment, his face lit up with joy.

It was a notice of judgment regarding his father’s car accident. The original verdict had blamed his father, but now the truth was restored: the perpetrator was found fully responsible, required to compensate Zhao Li’s father for all losses, as well as medical expenses, nutritional fees, lost wages, and more. The official seal of the local traffic department was there, confirming its authenticity.

“This, this…” Zhao Li was so moved he didn’t know what to say. Was the warden playing some game? The difference between yesterday and today was so stark he couldn’t process it, unsure which was the warden’s true self.

It had to be the warden’s doing—there was no other possibility. He was the only one aware of the situation, and to overturn the entire case, including the verdict, in just one day required influence only the warden could wield.

“Thank you, Sir!” Not knowing what else to say, Zhao Li stood, saluted, and expressed his gratitude.

“No need for such fuss. It was nothing. I promised I’d help you,” the warden replied magnanimously, waving his hand and taking another sip of wine.

The warden had indeed promised to help Zhao Li, but Zhao Li had thought it meant merely uncovering the truth. He hadn’t expected the old man to resolve everything at its root, leaving him astonished and delighted.

“How’s your injury?” Zhao Li couldn’t see his own expression, but in reality, his bruised, swollen face made his every gesture comical. The warden had been suppressing laughter since Zhao Li entered, and could no longer hold back.

“I’m fine, thank you for your concern, Sir.” Zhao Li always answered his superiors with utmost seriousness. But his earnestness, combined with wide eyes and the color of his face, was simply irresistible. At last, the warden burst out laughing.

“Hahaha!” The hearty laughter made it clear the warden was in high spirits. Zhao Li was bewildered by the laughter, but gleaned something from it, sheepishly touching his face and lowering his head.

“Boy, for a first fight, you did quite well.” The warden continued his praise, making Zhao Li blush. He had fought Sanders out of personal grievance, a behavior strictly prohibited in prison management. On his second day, he had already violated this rule.

“Sir, I fought with an inmate and violated discipline. Please punish me according to regulations!” Zhao Li lowered his head; in his cheerful mood, he was willing to accept any consequence.

“So you fought. Is there really a right or wrong in that?” The warden seemed unconcerned. “Those guys here don’t fight enough?” That casual remark revealed why he didn’t care.

“But!” Noticing the pride on Zhao Li’s face, the warden resumed his stern tone. “Do you think beating a big guy means you have the right to stand your ground here, to rule over everyone?”

Zhao Li was momentarily confused. What did the warden mean by ‘rule over everyone’?

“Boy, stay humble. Don’t think you’re top dog here—you’ve got a long way to go!” The words were blunt and direct.

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