Throughout Luna's recovery, Xiao He stayed away. He visited her room late at night when the hospital was quiet, sitting in the shadows, watching over her without her knowing. The guilt gnawed at him. He should have been there for her. He should have fought for her.
But seeing Xiao Li so close to Luna, playing the part of the attentive caretaker, made Xiao He hesitate. His brother had always been the more patient one, the one who quietly observed and waited for his moment. Xiao He couldn't compete with that. He knew he had been too selfish, too consumed by his own life. It was too late now.
Xiao He couldn't bear to see Luna with Xiao Li, not when he knew deep down that it should have been him. The pain was overwhelming, and yet, he remained silent, watching from the periphery. He couldn't bring himself to interfere - not yet.
As the days passed, Luna's physical wounds began to heal, but the emotional turmoil continued. She was confused. Her heart ached for Xiao He, the man she had once loved so deeply, but she couldn't deny the pull she felt toward Xiao Li. He had been there for her in her darkest moments. He had been the one to hold her hand, to speak softly to her, to promise her that everything would be okay.
But as her sight began to return, so did the clarity she had been avoiding. Luna realized that it wasn't just Xiao Li's presence she had relied on - it was the absence of Xiao He. She had convinced herself that Xiao He no longer cared for her, but the truth was more complicated. The truth was that Xiao He had been watching her all along, but had been too proud, too afraid to come back.