Pei Shuo grabbed Wang Lei's sleeve before anyone could move him. His fingers were weak, but the fear in his face made Wang Lei stop.
"Water," he whispered.
Wang Lei handed him the nearest bottle.
Pei Shuo drank too quickly. Water spilled down his chin and soaked the front of his shirt, but he kept swallowing until the bottle was empty. When he finished, his stomach cramped hard enough to fold him forward.
Tang Mei caught his shoulder. "Pei Shuo?"
He gasped once, his whole body tightening beneath her hands, then suddenly went still.
For a moment, no one moved.
Wang Lei kept waiting for Pei Shuo to breathe again. He watched the thin chest beneath the wet shirt, expecting it to rise, but nothing happened.
Tang Mei pressed two fingers against the side of Pei Shuo's neck. Her face slowly changed as she searched for a pulse she couldn't find.
"He's gone."
Liu Fang stepped back.
