Fortunately, the journey wasn’t too long. After torturing his heart and mind for a while, Pei Xingyan and Ye Ziwei finally arrived at their destination.
Gazing up at the towering walls that almost blocked out the sky, Pei Xingyan felt a surge of sorrow in his chest. He couldn’t help but reflect—back in ancient times, there might still have been ways to rescue someone from execution or prison breaks. But nowadays, just the thought of it filled him with helplessness.
There were only two ways out of this place: serve the full sentence or have the charges overturned.
The latter was incredibly difficult—perhaps impossible, even after a lifetime of effort.
He lowered his head, resting one hand on Ye Ziwei’s side, guiding her slowly inside.
The visitation process was strict in some ways, but surprisingly lenient in others, mostly depending on the explanation given.
Normally, non-relatives weren’t allowed to visit. But Pei Xingyan had been here quite a few times already, and with his smooth talk, he had a knack for dealing with people.
To them, he was either “older brother” or “older sister,” so there was some goodwill to be had.
Besides, he had already reported and made an appointment before coming.
“Show your ID,” said a square-jawed man slowly.
“Oh, Chen Ge, it’s you today?” Pei Xingyan smiled warmly, knowing that dealing with people required this approach. If he acted tough and arrogant, he’d only face resistance.
He was grateful he’d never been too proud since childhood.
“Hmph.” The man shrugged in response. At work, acknowledging someone’s greeting was already a form of attitude.
“Here, ID.” Pei Xingyan handed over the card, then nudged Ye Ziwei.
She rummaged through her pockets for her ID and passed it to Pei Xingyan, who then handed it over.
“To be honest, under normal circumstances, this kind of visit wouldn’t be allowed,” the man warned. “The process for non-relative visits is much more complicated.”
“I know, I know,” Pei Xingyan smiled. “This is my wife, so she counts as family, right?”
“Hmph~” The man chuckled with mock annoyance, returning the two cards and teasing, “You gotta have a marriage certificate for that to count.”
But he didn’t stop them and waved them through to the next area.
Pei Xingyan thanked him repeatedly and slowly led Ye Ziwei forward.
There was still quite a long way to the visitation area, but according to security rules, Ye Ziwei’s cane was considered a prohibited metal item.
To avoid any trouble, Pei Xingyan suggested she leave it behind and let him support her as they walked.
This was exactly what Ye Ziwei wanted—she let go of her cane without hesitation, even feeling a sudden urge to destroy it.
Then, she happily clung to Pei Xingyan, nestling close as they moved forward, her limp obvious but steady.
“Mm~” she made a happy sound, completely at odds with the gloomy atmosphere of the prison. “I didn’t expect Weiwei to have already leveled up to being Brother Xingyan’s wife~ But Weiwei herself doesn’t even know yet. Isn’t that a bit too fast?”
“Enough. If I didn’t say it, you wouldn’t have been allowed in,” Pei Xingyan said with mock frustration. “But if you don’t like it, we can turn back and clarify you’re not my wife.”
“No, no, no!” Ye Ziwei shook her head vigorously. “You already said it—you can’t go back on your word! This is a prison, lying means getting locked up!”
She looked so nervous, as if afraid Pei Xingyan would actually take back his words.
“All right, walk steadily. If you want, I can carry you,” Pei Xingyan joked, wanting to change the subject. He didn’t want Ye Ziwei to use the “wife” label to stir up trouble later.
“No, I want to be independent! Brother Xingyan’s wife is a strong woman!” Ye Ziwei stubbornly distanced herself slightly.
Trying to prove she was fine, she made an effort to walk like a normal person.
Pei Xingyan was a little surprised—her recovery was truly impressive. She was already starting to look more like herself.
But it was within his expectations, after all, Ye Ziwei’s injury was a fracture, not a congenital leg problem, so she would eventually heal.
Unlike the girl who had become a vegetable from the same accident, destined to spend her life bedridden.
After quite a long walk, they finally reached the visitation area.
Pei Xingyan helped Ye Ziwei into the only seat by the window and stood behind her.
A female guard led out a woman in blue prison clothes. Though dressed in uniform, nothing could hide her exquisite features.
They say time doesn’t defeat a beauty—and neither does circumstance. Even here, it was clear this was a peerless beauty.
Pei Xingyan waved cheerfully through the glass.
The woman’s eyes lit up, and she came to the window, picking up the phone and speaking into it:
“Son, have you missed Mommy? Why haven’t you come to see me?”
“Here I am,” Pei Xingyan kept his emotions well in check. “You look pretty good—looking younger than before. Seems like a healthier routine really does wonders for the skin.”
“Hehe~” The woman smiled brightly, then suddenly noticed the girl beside her son.
She stared for a moment and exclaimed, “Isn’t this Ziwei? Why did you come with her?”
Before they could answer, she suddenly understood and slapped her own thigh. “I knew you two were meant to be! So? Have you gotten your marriage certificate?”
“I’m only twenty…” Pei Xingyan was speechless. It felt less like visiting a prisoner and more like dealing with a nagging mother pushing for marriage during the New Year.
But he understood—his mother had long since accepted she might never get out of here. Hearing that her son was married would be a comfort to her heart.
“Aunt Qin…” Ye Ziwei finally spoke up, after much hesitation, still unable to call her ‘Mom.’
“All right, all right,” the woman said happily, her voice softening. “Ziwei, I’ve always regarded you as my own daughter. It’s a pity I didn’t get to see you two become a couple sooner. Seeing you like this now makes my heart feel at ease.”
“Ugh~” Ye Ziwei was so moved she teared up. Summoning all her courage, she called out clearly, “Mom!”
“Sigh!”
The woman grew even happier and chatted warmly with the girl before her.
Only Pei Xingyan stood behind them, smirking coldly. He had seen how his mother had once looked down on Ye Ziwei at home. Now, she didn’t pick on her at all, calling her “good Ziwei” again and again.
His mother was a formidable woman—she could see through people at a glance and naturally saw the wildness hidden in Ye Ziwei’s heart.
But considering her current state, trapped behind bars, she probably couldn’t expect her daughter-in-law to be perfect.
…
The three of them chatted back and forth until visiting hours ended.
There was little meaningful to say during visits, only to see each other’s faces and say, “I’m fine, don’t worry.”
The two outside reluctantly got up to leave.
At that moment, Ye Ziwei suddenly, as if possessed, shyly called out, “Susan?”
Pei Xingyan’s heart jolted. He had completely forgotten about this. The lie they had used last time to cover for Su Shanshan’s gift—now Ye Ziwei was trying to verify it.
If his mother had reacted oddly, it would have raised suspicion immediately.
But the woman inside just paused briefly, then pursed her lips and smiled, “Why do you call Auntie by her name like that?”
Ye Ziwei hurriedly apologized, saying she meant to say something else.
Pei Xingyan exhaled slowly. His heart had raced for several seconds.
He looked at his mother, who was smiling triumphantly at him, as if she had seen through everything.
Just as Pei Xingyan had always believed—his mother was truly a formidable woman.
This formidable woman, with no effort at all, had solved a huge problem for him in the span of a single breath.
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