Chapter 5

• “This can’t be happening.” Ling held the brown paper bag over Meilei’s face as she attempted to breathe slowly, sitting on the toilet in the ladies' room where Ling had found her. She had run here when Kai exited her floor and could not do anything except cry for her friend to find her. Lost in panic and fear.
• Meilei shook her head and gripped the bag harder to combat this infernal attack, which was not calming. She thought she might suffocate to death three times already and didn’t know how she even managed to get here unseen. Even Chou missed her erratic escape.
• “Are you sure? That it’s really him?” Ling was good at soothing her with gentle touches and strokes, and Meilei at least could catch some breath with her mere presence. Her safety net was here. She could take comfort in that.