"I used to think making money was easy, until I was in a detention center where I couldn't even eat meat, and then I understood what true despair was," said a Chinese man, pseudonymously called "Lao Lin," who shared his real experience of being imprisoned for five years in Southeast Asia.
In 2018, Lao Lin, who was involved in a gray industry in Southeast Asia, was suddenly arrested. From making a fortune daily to being trapped in prison, he experienced the most brutal downfall of his life. "In the detention center, wealthy prisoners had meat every meal, while those of us who were ignored could only eat white rice with pumpkin. This isn't a movie plot, it's what I experienced every single day."
In this microcosm of society, money and connections decided everything. Lao Lin described the strict hierarchy in prison: "The big group leader" could avoid labor, while ordinary prisoners had to complete heavy production tasks. Sixteen people crammed into a small cell, and two fans couldn't withstand the heat of Southeast Asia, and it was freezing cold in winter. Sick? "Getting a corner to sit in was the greatest kindness."
It's heartbreaking that, in this isolated world, the most ordinary items became treasures. "Receiving two mooncakes for the New Year and two rice dumplings for the Dragon Boat Festival, these things aren't worth much outside, but inside they could move someone to tears." Cigarettes were especially valuable in prison, used to trade for goods or to gain temporary favors.
The most torturous part wasn't the physical pain, but the loneliness of being forgotten by the world. "In five years, I never received a letter, and I only had 8 yuan a month from the state subsidy. Watching others buy things by the box, that feeling..." Lao Lin's voice choked up.
Now free, Lao Lin wants to use his experience to warn others: "In Southeast Asia, today's glory might lead to tomorrow's prison meal. Truly smart people not only need to know how to make money but also need to know how to plan for the future. When trouble comes, only those with money and connections can live like humans."
This man, who has been through so much, concluded: "I wish all brothers striving abroad can bring home US dollars safely, instead of learning this lesson with five years of their youth like I did." His story is a profound reflection for every overseas fortune seeker dreaming of striking it rich.
