Blinded chapter 7
The entire day, Xie Li stayed close to Chang Xiaojia.
In the afternoon, during outdoor time, Chang Xiaojia leaned against the shade of a tree. Xie Li intended to join Gao Yuan, Luo Wanchun, and others nearby, but Chang Xiaojia reached out towards Xie Li, saying, “Come over here.”
All the inmates in the cell yard sneaked glances at their direction.
Xie Li looked at Chang Xiaojia and stood in place for a while. Eventually, he walked over to Chang Xiaojia and sat beside him.
Chang Xiaojia patted the space next to him. “Sit here.”
Xie Li hesitated but complied.
Chang Xiaojia reclined, finding a comfortable spot with his head resting on Xie Li’s lap.
Xie Li, looking down at him, encountered Chang Xiaojia’s gaze. Chang Xiaojia smiled at him and said, “I want to sleep.”
“Didn’t you have insomnia?” Xie Li remarked expressionlessly.
Chang Xiaojia had already closed his eyes and lazily replied, “That’s why I want to sleep leaning on you.”
Xie Li didn’t say anything more, but he noticed the covert glances from the inmates in the exercise yard. Even those playing basketball in the middle of the yard stopped their actions. The group huddled under the wall whispered to each other. Even the prison guards approached, holding their batons, as if trying to get a clearer view.
In this closed environment, a male-only prison didn’t eliminate sexual desires due to the absence of women. Men found alternatives. So, for an attractive young man like Xie Li, being noticed by Chang Xiaojia was not that surprising.
Xie Li understood the meaning behind those inquisitive gazes. He could sense people pointing at him, whispering, and laughing. He didn’t bother to look up but adjusted to a more comfortable position, stretching his legs and leaning against the tree trunk.
Chang Xiaojia was disturbed, frowning slightly. He reached out a hand and pressed it against Xie Li’s thigh.
Xie Li, looking down at Chang Xiaojia, extended his hand to wipe away a bead of sweat from Chang Xiaojia’s temple.
There was a suppressed commotion around them.
Xie Li was fully aware of what he was doing—trying to flirt with Chang Xiaojia using the same tactics he would with a girl. Xie Li had been attractive since childhood, and in high school, many girls pursued him. He knew the behaviors that could endear him to girls, and he had always been successful in pursuing romantic interests.
Although Chang Xiaojia wasn’t a woman, and his personality was peculiar, certain aspects of human emotions were universal, irrespective of gender.
Xie Li then closed his eyes, leaning against the tree trunk, but couldn’t fall asleep. His mind was filled with various thoughts about how to proceed, and he felt a bit lost.
When it was time to sleep that night, Chang Xiaojia climbed onto his bed again.
Suppressing his inner irritation, Xie Li reached out and embraced Chang Xiaojia. He didn’t know what Chang Xiaojia wanted, but he didn’t want anything.
Chang Xiaojia laid his head on Xie Li’s chest, making it difficult for Xie Li to breathe. Nonetheless, Xie Li patiently raised his hand and gently patted Chang Xiaojia’s back.
That night, Chang Xiaojia didn’t fall asleep so quickly. Xie Li, who was already exhausted, felt even more restless, especially when Chang Xiaojia’s hand slipped under his prison uniform, the soft palm lingering around Xie Li’s waist and abdomen. It seemed like Chang Xiaojia particularly liked tracing the scar on his side.
The cell became quiet. Before long, the snores of other inmates filled the air.
Xie Li gradually got used to Chang Xiaojia lying on his chest. As he began to feel drowsy, Chang Xiaojia showed no signs of falling asleep.
After a while, Chang Xiaojia lifted his head and asked Xie Li softly, “How long until your release date?”
Xie Li, nearly dozing off, was abruptly awakened by Chang Xiaojia’s question. He frowned slightly before answering, “September 17th.”
“Oh,” Chang Xiaojia laid back down. “My sentence is until September 18th, one day later than yours.”
Xie Li’s warm hand rested on Chang Xiaojia’s back as he said, “I’ll come to pick you up.”
It was a test.
Quickly, Chang Xiaojia chuckled and said indifferently, “Why do I need you to pick me up?”
Xie Li remained calm. He lifted his palm gently, patting Chang Xiaojia’s back with a soothing rhythm. In a deep voice, he said, “So I can hold you while you sleep.”
Chang Xiaojia laughed sarcastically. “There are so many people waiting in line to hold me when I get out. Why do you think you are special?”
Upon hearing this, Xie Li suddenly reached out, gripping Chang Xiaojia’s jaw and forcing him to lift his head.
The two locked eyes in the darkness.
Knowing he was quite forceful, Xie Li saw Chang Xiaojia furrowing his brows slightly. Then, shaking his head, Chang Xiaojia began to struggle, quietly saying, “Let go of me.”
Xie Li didn’t release his grip; instead, he tightened it. Chang Xiaojia’s low, pained exhale echoed as he intensified his struggle, trying to free his hands from Xie Li’s grasp.
Finally, Xie Li let go of Chang Xiaojia’s jaw, but he swiftly grabbed both of Chang Xiaojia’s wrists, turning to face him directly. He pulled Chang Xiaojia’s hands behind him, holding one with a single hand and pressing the other against his chest. Xie Li then pressed Chang Xiaojia’s head onto his chest, kissing the top of his head.
Chang Xiaojia’s struggle ceased.
Xie Li slowly released the hand that held Chang Xiaojia’s wrists. Seeing that Chang Xiaojia remained motionless, he embraced him again, gently patting his back. In a deep voice, Xie Li said, “Sleep, Xiaojia.”
Chang Xiaojia no longer moved.
After a while, Xie Li heard Chang Xiaojia’s even breathing. He quietly waited for some time, feeling that Chang Xiaojia had fallen asleep, before gently releasing him with careful movements, flipping his body and getting off the bed.
Two days later, Dai Hao finished serving his time in solitary confinement.
A total of four people were in solitary, including Dai Hao and his two subordinates. They were released in the early morning. When they returned from solitary to the cell block, all the inmates in the prison yard were doing morning exercises.
Dai Hao and his group were at the end of the line. They obediently followed along during the exercises. After finishing, as they were preparing to line up and head to the dining hall, Dai Hao approached Xie Li, grabbing his shoulder.
Xie Li looked at him calmly.
Having just come out of solitary, Dai Hao wouldn’t dare to make a scene in public. He sneered at Xie Li and said, “You’ve got guts!”
Before Xie Li could respond, Chang Xiaojia walked up beside him, glaring at Dai Hao. He said, “Let go.”
Dai Hao hesitated.
Chang Xiaojia repeated, “Let go.”
Realizing that something was amiss, Dai Hao released his grip on Xie Li’s shoulder.
Chang Xiaojia walked away from the exercise yard, and Xie Li didn’t bother looking at Dai Hao. He followed Chang Xiaojia as they left.
At this moment, another one of Dai Hao’s subordinates, who hadn’t been in solitary, approached him and whispered a few words. Dai Hao immediately spat on the ground, cursing, “Disgusting!”
Dai Hao harbored a sense of resentment.
When they sat down in the dining hall to have breakfast, Dai Hao continued to mutter about being disgusted. However, he couldn’t help but glare hatefully at Chang Xiaojia and Xie Li, who were sitting at the same table.
There were no overly intimate actions between the two, not even much eye contact during the meal.
Chang Xiaojia seemed uninterested in the food. He only used a spoon to drink the rice porridge, untouched by the steamed bun and egg on his plate.
Xie Li ate quickly. When he finished, he looked up and asked, “Feeling unwell?”
Chang Xiaojia didn’t answer. He simply put down the spoon, picked up the egg from his plate, and handed it to Xie Li.
Xie Li looked down and asked, “Huh?”
Chang Xiaojia, devoid of much enthusiasm, said, “Peel the egg.”
Xie Li fell silent for a moment, then reached out to take the egg from Chang Xiaojia. He gently tapped it on the table, cracking the shell while asking, “You don’t know how to peel an egg?”
Chang Xiaojia continued to scoop rice porridge with his spoon. Taking a moment, he replied, “I have a maid at home.”
Xie Li inquired, “And before I came in?”
Chang Xiaojia, biting the spoon, lifted his head slightly, his dark eyes meeting Xie Li’s. “Now that you’re here, why bother about the past? I helped you deal with that trouble from Dai Hao, and you complain about peeling an egg for me?”
Xie Li didn’t say anything more, he smoothly peeled the egg and handed it back to him.
Chang Xiaojia reached out to take it. His fingers were nearly indistinguishable in color from the egg white, blending seamlessly together.
Watching Chang Xiaojia hold the egg with three fingers, the ring and pinky fingers slightly curved, bringing it to his mouth, biting a small piece, and slowly chewing, even licking the yolk at the corner of his mouth, Xie Li averted his gaze.