"A-Sang? Are you okay? Are you --" He wanted to ask if he was alone but he didn't want to give it away. Nie Huaisang and he had some up with a system, in case his brother had gotten kidnapped again, and he remembered to use it. "Are you well? I miss you. Your birds do too. Especially Gengi."

He didn't have a bird called Gengi, of course. But if he corrected him on it, then he was alone and they could talk.