Only then did Li Xian realize that no matter how volatile and irritable these patients were around other patients, they immediately suppressed their aggression and became docile whenever a doctor or nurse appeared.
Taking medication, answering roll call, lining up every day... despite their wildly varied symptoms, every one of them could follow instructions and obediently do as they were told.
Something flickered in Li Xian's eyes.
It seemed... there was one exception.
He turned his gaze toward 303B and discovered that he still hadn't eaten the candy Li Xian had given him. Instead, he was staring blankly at it.
After a long while, 303B actually handed the candy back to him.
Li Xian took it, surprised.
303B closed his eyes and spoke to Li Xian as though he had made up his mind about something:
"Don't go... to the pharmacy again."
Li Xian's eyes widened even further at those words.
How did he know I got this from the pharmacy?
After saying that, 303B let out a trembling breath and looked at Li Xian pleadingly:
"Just do as you're told... and you won't be discharged."
"Don't die again."
Li Xian practically held his breath as he listened to 303B stumble through those words. Only once he had finished conveying his message did Li Xian ask softly:
"Someone else once stole candy from the pharmacy for you, didn't they?"
Why had the vent in the Solitary Confinement Room been so easy to pry open? Why had the pharmacy vent been missing three screws? Why had 303B known that he had gotten the gummy candy from the pharmacy? Why had he said, "Don't die again"?
With that premise, everything made sense.
At those words, 303B began trembling, as though Li Xian had struck a nerve.
"Who was it? And... where is