The phone screen read 9:04.
Liuxian stared at it for a moment before turning his head toward the empty side of the bed. The pillow still held the shape of a head, and half the blanket had been kicked aside during the night, one corner hanging off the mattress like it had been abandoned mid-argument.
His gaze lingered there for a second before a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
For someone committed to sulking, Guiying had slept remarkably well.
His phone buzzed in his hand before he could dwell on it any longer.
"The new team has arrived," Zhang Wei said after he answered. "Ten personnel. If you'd like to brief them yourself, now would be a good time."
"I'll be down shortly."
Liuxian ended the call and sat up, only to freeze halfway through a stretch when his lower back let out a series of alarming cracks. He lowered his arms slowly and pressed a hand against the offending area.
Thirty-three wasn't old.
