When he woke again, it was broad daylight.
Sunlight slipped through a gap in the curtains, casting a white stripe across the floor. Wang Xiaoliang reached for the bedside table out of habit, but his phone wasn't there.
Oh, right.
He had given it to Luo Bisheng.
He sat up. His backside still hurt, as did his right arm and wrist, but they were better than yesterday. Bearable. Bracing himself against the edge of the bed, he stood and rolled his neck.
Zijin must still be asleep.
If she were awake, Luo Bisheng would have rushed in long ago.
He walked to the door and opened it.
Out in the hallway, Luo Bisheng sat in a chair with a phone pressed to his ear, speaking so quietly that Wang Xiaoliang couldn't tell who he was talking to. When he saw Wang Xiaoliang come out, he immediately hung up and stood.
"Brother."
He smiled, but couldn't hold himself together afterward, and his eyes instantly reddened.
"How are you feeling? Any discomfort?"
Wang Xiaoliang looked at him.
"I'm fine. Bisheng, thanks for everything."
Luo Bisheng blinked hard twice, drew a breath, and pushed it back down.
"Where's my phone?"
Luo Bisheng took one out of his trouser pocket and handed it over.
"The other one's in my room. I'll get it."
Wang Xiaoliang nodded, took the phone, and lit up the screen.
The time: 9:43 a.m.
The date-
He did the math.
It had been twenty-five days since Wei Zijin had received the antibodies.
Twenty-five days.
He held the phone tightly, calculating in his mind.
Luo Bisheng soon came out of his room and handed him the other phone. Wang Xiaoliang took it and slipped it into his pocket.
"Where are the others?"
"They've all gone back," Luo Bisheng said. "Back to