*Runze's POV*
The room is empty for the first time in hours.
Mrs. Wen left to fetch clean linens, her quiet footsteps fading down the hallway. I sit upright against the pillows, my hands resting over the smooth cotton sheet.
Little by little, my body is changing. Moving my torso no longer feels like lifting a great weight. Sitting up feels normal, a natural posture rather than a chore.
My thighs and calves still ache from the short walk to Liang Feng's room earlier. The muscles throb with a low, dull soreness, but the pain does not discourage me. Instead, it feels like a reminder. It proves that my blood is moving, my limbs are working, and I am actually recovering.
I look down at my fingers, tracing the small white line of the medical tape holding the IV needle in place.
The door clicks open.
