Meng Jueyan noticed the changes but could not guess their true reason.
She only knew that these painful sessions Ju Fan conducted seemed to be making her body stronger.
She feared asking questions. Slaves who asked questions were punished. Slaves who were even perceived as questioning something were punished. She had seen countless examples in the past two years.
So she endured. Quietly.
And with each week, some of her despair loosened.
Not hope. She was not yet capable of that. But the exhaustion that had drowned her mind began to lift just slightly.
When she walked behind Ju Fan, carrying crates or herbs or jars of powder, she felt her steps grow steadier. Her breaths deeper. Her gaze clearer.
She did not know it, but Han Yu often scanned her from behind as well, observing the small improvements. He was quietly pleased she was recovering faster than he expected.
Meanwhile, life in the cave slowly transformed.
