Wide-open eyes and restless nights weren’t so foreign to you.

Sleep was a luxury that often danced just out of reach, leaving you trapped in the quiet tyranny of your thoughts. Tonight was no different—until the faint, melodic strumming of a ruǎn broke the silence that had been drowning you for days.

The sound was soothing itself, an embrace that seemed to cradle your restless mind. To be honest, you had lost track of how long she had been playing, but that didn’t matter. Time itself felt distant here, blurred by the soft strumming of her fingers.

Her movements were unhurried, each note deliberate, as though she was pouring a part of herself into the melody. The ruǎn rested comfortably in her lap as she watched for the smallest signs of ease in your expression.

"You should try to rest," she murmured, her voice as soft as the music she played. It wasn’t a command, only a quiet plea, her words carrying the kind of tenderness that slipped past your defenses. "Your thoughts have been wandering all night. Let them follow the music instead."