Day six.
There was a knock at the door.
Wang Xiaoliang did not react.
His pen kept moving, writing painfully slowly.
His wrist trembled, and a stroke went crooked by half a millimeter, but he did not stop.
The door opened.
Two people walked in.
"Xiaoliang."
A woman's voice.
Wang Xiaoliang's pen paused.
He raised his head.
His gaze went blank for a moment. After focusing up close for so long, his eyes had that bewildered look of trying to focus when he looked farther away.
He saw them clearly.
Zhou Qiang and Kong Xiuyun.
Wang Xiaoliang smiled.
The corners of his mouth lifted only slightly, but it was a smile.
Kong Xiuyun glanced at him without looking any farther down. Her gaze rested on his face for less than a second-he had lost so much weight that his cheekbones were beginning to jut out.
She said nothing about it.
When she spoke, her tone was perfectly normal, even carrying a hint of a playfully petulant complaint. "Xiaoliang, did you buy that bag you promised me?"
Wang Xiaoliang smiled and shook his head.
"You'd better not go back on your word." Kong Xiuyun pointed at him. "I'm keeping track. Once you're done, the very first thing you do is get me that bag."
Wang Xiaoliang kept smiling.
His lips moved, but no sound came out.
But the word he mouthed was-okay.
Kong Xiuyun turned around. As she reached the door, her steps quickened.
The door closed.
She leaned against the hallway wall, her hand covering her mouth.
Her tears fell silently.
She let no one see.
Inside the room.
Zhou Qiang had stayed.
He found an empty spot and plopped down on the floor.
He crossed his legs.
"Xiaoliang."
Wang Xiaoliang kept his head lowered and continued writing.
Zhou Qiang