Hong Kong film: Rise of Prison Break

"Okay!" He forced the word out from deep in his throat, his voice hoarse but unusually firm. "I promise you! I'll do as you say!"

Meanwhile, in Stanley Prison, in the warden's office.

In the spacious and bright office, covered with a dark carpet, behind a huge mahogany desk, Warden Liang was holding a teacup, looking at Zhong Chuxiong, who stood upright in front of the desk.

Zhong Chuxiong was carrying an exquisite purple clay teapot and carefully refilling the half-empty teacup in front of Warden Liang with respectful and practiced movements.

The report on the disturbance and assault that occurred during morning exercise time has been placed on Warden Liang's desk.

In Stanley, this kind of thing is as common as eating fried dough sticks for breakfast; it can be a big deal or a small deal, depending entirely on how the higher-ups view it.

In the past, as the on-duty security chief, Chung Cho-hung would inevitably be summoned by Warden Leung and given a severe scolding, which would greatly diminish his reputation and might even lead to questions about his abilities, putting his position in jeopardy.

But that was in the past.

"Ah Xiong," Warden Liang blew on the tea froth, took a small sip, and spoke in a kind tone, with the concern of an elder, "I see that you are energetic and capable. However, don't always try to do everything yourself and be on the front line. Sometimes, you have to give the younger staff a chance to show their abilities."

He put down his teacup, then naturally changed the subject, a fatherly smile appearing on his face—a smile tinged with mischief and expectation: "When you have time, spend more time with Xiaoxia. You young people should communicate and spend more time together."

Warden Liang had a daughter in his middle age, and he doted on his only daughter, Liang Xiaoxia, as if she were a precious gem, granting her every wish.

The daughter inherited the best features of both her parents and grew into a beautiful young woman, a true treasure to them.

But as his daughter grew older and it came time to get married, Warden Liang, as a father, began to have worries.

My daughter is good-looking and comes from a well-off family within the system, but she has a stubborn and arrogant temper, which she seems to have inherited from someone else. She has high standards and has been introduced to countless potential partners, but she hasn't been able to find one she likes, and each meeting ends badly.

Warden Liang was once worried that his daughter would grow old alone.

Until recently, by chance, his daughter came to the prison to deliver something to him and bumped into Zhong Chuxiong, who was handling some business at the gate.

For some reason, Liang Xiaoxia, who was always arrogant, actually developed a slight interest in Zhong Chuxiong, who was handsome and had a strong temperament. After that, they "coincidentally" met a few more times, and it seemed that a little spark flew between them.

This made Warden Liang extremely happy!

It's good that there's a spark; at least it proves that his daughter isn't completely averse to men, and that Chung Chu-hsiung is his subordinate, someone he knows well.

He immediately and discreetly began to "investigate" this potential son-in-law.

Upon further inspection, they were even more satisfied.

Chung Cho-hung is highly capable and decisive in handling emergencies. He is able to keep the situation under control and has a reputation among his colleagues and prisoners (he has also heard of the nickname "Killer Hung").

Most importantly, Chung Chu-hsiung was an orphan, without parents, and had no complicated family relationships or burdens!

In Warden Liang's eyes, this was practically perfect—his daughter wouldn't suffer mistreatment from her in-laws after marriage, and who knows, after having children, they might even...

"Yes, Warden! I will definitely pay attention!" Chung Chu-hsiung immediately stood at attention, his posture respectful and obedient, his tone meticulous.

Warden Liang frowned slightly, seemingly somewhat displeased, as he observed the warden's standard subordinate reporting posture.

He waved his hand, his tone becoming more friendly: "Hey, Xiong, it's just the two of us in the office right now, do you have to be so formal? When no one's around, just call me uncle. But..."

He paused, then looked at Zhong Chuxiong meaningfully: "I hope this 'uncle' title doesn't last too long. Ideally, we could switch to a more intimate form of address soon. You... you know what I mean, right?"

Zhong Chuxiong's face appropriately showed a hint of "flattered" and "understanding," and he nodded quickly, his tone becoming slightly more relaxed, but still respectful: "Uncle, I understand. Don't worry, I will definitely... seize the opportunity and not let Xiaoxia down."

Hearing Chung Cho-hung address him as "uncle" and understand his implication, Warden Leung's smile widened, and he nodded in satisfaction.

That's right, he's not a blockhead; he knows how to adapt to circumstances and is also ambitious.

"Since we're all on the same side now," Warden Liang leaned forward slightly, tapping the table unconsciously with his fingers, and uttered his long-considered "unsolicited request."

"Ah Xiong, I have an idea I'd like to discuss with you. You see, I only have one daughter, Xiaoxia, and our Liang family...sigh, is so small. If you two get married and have children in the future, I hope...that one of them can take my surname, Liang. I wonder...what do you think, Ah Xiong?"

After he finished speaking, he stared intently at Chung Chu-hsiung.

This is a crucial issue, involving tradition and male dignity.

Many men are very bothered by their children not taking their surname.

Chung Chu-hsiung showed no hesitation or displeasure; instead, he revealed a sincere, even somewhat "honored" smile. He straightened his back again and spoke earnestly.

"Uncle, that's no problem at all! I understand how you feel. I was an orphan growing up, and I don't care much about surnames or clans... As long as the family is harmonious and the children grow up healthy, it doesn't matter whose surname they take. Everything is up to you, Uncle!"

His answer was crisp and concise, and he adopted a very humble attitude, completely showing that he followed Warden Liang's lead and did not care about anything else.

"Hahaha! Good! Good! Good!"

Upon hearing this, Warden Liang's last shred of concern vanished, and he couldn't help but burst into laughter, saying "Good!" three times in a row.

He looked at Chung Chu-hsiung and became more and more satisfied. He was capable, sensible, knew how to advance and retreat, and had no family burdens or traditional baggage. He was simply the perfect son-in-law sent to him by God!

As for the report on the corner of the table about the early morning riots and the serious injuries?

Warden Liang was in a great mood. He casually picked it up and flipped through it. He saw the words "Inmates fighting, dealt with, main culprit seriously injured and sent to the hospital" and closed it without a care, tossing it aside.

There are always a few fights in Stanley every day.

As long as no one dies and things don't get out of control, maintaining a semblance of stability is fine.

With a capable and "sensible" subordinate (future son-in-law) like Chung Cho-hsiung, what else could he possibly worry about?

Sunlight streamed through the blinds, casting alternating stripes of light and shadow on the polished floor of the warden's office.

On one side, there's a chilling conspiracy unfolding in the infirmary, revolving around enormous wealth and revenge; on the other, there are warm deals in the office, concerning marriage, inheritance, and future power.

Within the high walls of Stanley, different desires and schemes intertwine and grow like vines in the shadows, waiting for the moment they break through the soil.