LUO YAN awoke slowly, his eyelids heavy from the night before. He felt a faint soreness around his eyes, a reminder of how much he had cried. For a moment, he just lay still. Then he noticed the empty space beside him. The sheets were cool, indicating Shen Ji Yun had been up for a while. He blinked a few times, turned his head, and heard faint sounds coming from the kitchen.
A small smile tugged at his lips. He stretched his arms above his head and let out a long breath. He felt tired, but lighter. Like a massive burden was suddenly gone inside him. He sat up slowly, swung his legs over the side of the bed, and sat there for a moment, rubbing his face with his hands. Then he stood up and went to the adjoining bathroom.
