He supposed he was willing to play along because she was a woman. Had it been a man, he'd likely be facing extended solitary for assaulting a prison guard.

“True enough, in this entire prison, I’m probably the only one worth looking at. You like my face, don’t you?” 

Yue Linze’s gaze shifted, a touch of wildness and defiance in his eyes. He released her arm and reached out to touch her face. “I’m not for sale, but seeing as you’re a pretty little guard, I might be persuaded… Ow!”

Before he could finish, Tao Yu jabbed a finger into his wound. As he recoiled in pain, she swiftly drew her baton, activating the electric current and thrusting it towards him.

Yue Linze’s expression changed drastically. He jerked backward, but the room was too small. He hit the wall mid-dodge, and as the baton connected, a groan escaped his lips. He crumpled onto the bed, his body convulsing before he slowly regained control.

He frowned at Tao Yu, the usual amusement gone from his eyes.

Tao Yu stared back, her expression cold. Seeing his continued defiance, she deactivated the baton and scoffed. “Look at the state of you. What makes you think you deserve an invitation from me? Next time you decide to be arrogant, take a look in the mirror first. Save yourself the embarrassment.”

She turned to leave, but he grabbed her arm with surprising strength. She hadn’t expected him to recover so quickly after being shocked. It was too late to react. He effortlessly wrenched the baton from her grip and tossed it aside.

By the time it clattered to the floor, he had her pinned to the bed, her limbs restrained.

She struggled briefly. “Let go! Are you trying to assault a prison officer?!”

“Don’t you want to be assaulted, little guard? Why else would you be so attentive? Why else would you…” Yue Linze glanced at the medicine bottle, a smirk playing on his lips. “…protect me? Care for me?”

“Are you insane? We’d never even met before today. Why would I care for you?” Tao Yu retorted coldly.

Yue Linze raised an eyebrow. “Really? Then why did you…”

“Because you know who I am.” Tao Yu’s voice was calm, but a flicker of disdain crossed her eyes, a carefully crafted disdain, designed to mislead him about her true feelings. After all, it was that kind of misunderstanding that had trapped her in the last world. “I did it to keep you quiet.”

Yue Linze narrowed his eyes, unconvinced. Tao Yu gave a short laugh. “As for the fight, I was just doing my job. Who knew this prison was so different from the outside? From now on, I’m staying out of it.”

Yue Linze’s eyebrow arched, and his grip loosened. Tao Yu seized the opportunity, shoving him away and retrieving her baton.

“Just a reminder,” Yue Linze said, watching her bristle, “it was only my carelessness that let you get the upper hand. I doubt you’d manage it again.”

Tao Yu scoffed. “And let me remind you, you’re a prisoner. Lose the arrogance. Plenty of people here might look up to you, but prison guards certainly don’t.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted their harshness. If she angered him now, it might complicate things later.

She still planned to guide him onto the right path, like a mentor and friend.

Fortunately, Yue Linze simply blinked, seemingly unfazed. He smiled. “So I was mistaken. What a disappointment. Such a pretty girl, I thought you were interested…”

“You’re delusional. I’m only being civil because you know my secret.” Tao Yu paused, then added, “And I have a fiancé. I hope there won’t be any further misunderstandings.”

A fiancé… Yue Linze’s eyes narrowed. “Are you even old enough to have a fiancé, little guard?”

“Mind your own business.” Tao Yu glared at him and turned to leave.

As the door slammed shut and her footsteps faded, Yue Linze sighed dramatically. “I shouldn’t have annoyed her. It’s a bit boring in here alone.”

He’d absorbed maybe a quarter of her explanation, enough to believe she wasn’t deliberately flirting. But the remaining three-quarters had morphed into a new theory: maybe she wasn’t flirting, but she definitely had feelings for him. Why else would she do so much for him?

As for the fiancé, he conveniently disregarded that.

Buying him medicine and visiting him in solitary because of an impending inspection? She was quite the storyteller.

Normally, he wouldn’t give a second glance to a woman who threw herself at him. But on this island of men, the sudden appearance of a young woman, whose real identity only he knew, made things… interesting. He could overlook her ulterior motives for now.