Zhou Yuxi managed a tired smile. "I've had practice."
"We'll reduce it manually," Dr. Chen continued, reviewing the images one last time, her brow furrowed in concentration. "It's going to hurt. I can give you something stronger for the pain first if—"
"Just do it," Zhou Yuxi interrupted, voice steady despite the exhaustion tugging at her, despite the fear she didn't want to name. "I want it done. I want to be clear-headed when I sleep."
Dr. Chen looked at her for a long moment—assessing, weighing, searching for any sign that she was pushing too hard—then nodded once, a sharp, decisive motion. "All right. Mu Yunchen, you might want to look away."
"Not a chance," Mu Yunchen said, his grip on her hand tightening fractionally, eyes locked on Zhou Yuxi's face like it was the only thing keeping him steady, like watching her pain was a penance he owed.
