Somewhere down the corridor, a maid's voice murmured, followed by the soft creak of a door. Life moved on quietly around them, unaware that in this room, the fragments of a woman's soul were finally beginning to surface.
Dr. Lin placed a hand on Shen Xiao's shoulder, firm, and steady. "What she needs now is safety, and not control, no explanations. Just space to breathe without being forced to remember. Let her choose when… and how."
Shen Xiao didn't speak, but the haunted look in his eyes lingered. Regret hung heavy on his shoulders. Guilt too.
Dr. Lin gave a quiet nod and stepped back. "I'll monitor her tonight. But from here on… be careful what you say around her. Even kindness can reopen wounds if the mind isn't ready."
As the doctor left, Shen Xiao stood alone in the dimly lit sitting area, staring at the closed door to her bedroom.
