'...It would've been better if I hadn't woken up.'
Fu Tailan was calmer than he expected—no, perhaps "calm" wasn't the right word.
He was more like a piece of paper that had been repeatedly crumpled, folded, and rolled up. Its very fibers had been torn apart, and it lacked the strength to smooth itself out again. All it could do was lie spread out on the hospital bed in the rough shape of a person.
He lay motionless on the bed, watching the doctors and nurses come and go, running tests and asking questions. He felt it was exhausting to even open his mouth.
"Do you remember what happened before you came to the hospital?"
"Yeah."
"How are you feeling? Can you feel the pressure on your limbs?"
"Yes."
"Is the pain severe? Do you need more pain—"
"It hurts," Fu Tailan said immediately. "Give me more. I need it."
