C178

From the other end of the line came a series of thin cords, and I held my breath as I listened. A deep voice slowly drifted into my ear. "Xia Zhen, are you telling the truth?" he asked.

His voice was low, and there was no warmth in his voice. It was as if he was asking me about an extremely ordinary thing. But now, to my ears, it sounded unspeakably ear-piercing