C504 504

The atmosphere in the VIP wing was suffocating, a mix of cold clinical detachment and raw, suppressed grief. As Chloe Bishop stood outside the door, the weight of the silence from the specialists felt like a physical blow.

Xu Ningyuan emerged from the ward, his movements stiff, like a man whose spirit had been hollowed out. "Go in," he said, his voice flat. "He needs you."

Chloe caught his arm