The morning light filtered through the torn curtains, casting a cold glow over the small, shabby room. Lin Xinya—no, Bai Yue—sat up slowly, each movement a painful reminder of how weak this body truly was. Her limbs ached with the effort, and a wave of dizziness washed over her. She gritted her teeth and steadied herself.
With the dim light illuminating her surroundings, she took a better look at herself. Her arms were thin, almost skeletal, her skin a sickly pale shade, and when she touched her face, she could feel the sharp edges of her bones. It didn't take long for her trained mind to come to a grim conclusion. Malnutrition, extreme fatigue… and something else.
Xinya pressed two fingers lightly against her wrist, feeling for her pulse. It was faint and irregular, with a subtle undercurrent of weakness that spoke of something more sinister. Her lips curled in a bitter smile.
Poison.
A slow, insidious kind—one that wouldn't kill outright but would erode her strength day by day, making her seem naturally frail.
"So, they want me to suffer." Xinya's voice was soft, but her eyes burned with cold determination. "But they didn't expect me."
She let out a slow breath and forced herself to focus. There was no room for fear or despair. If she wanted to survive in this new life, she needed to regain her strength and control over her own fate.
Sliding her legs off the bed, she gingerly stood up, gripping the wall for support. Every muscle protested, but she pushed through it. She needed to move, to fight back against this weakness. Slowly, she made her way to a small wooden chest in the corner of the room, her breath shallow and labored.
Inside, she found a small collection of herbs—most of them old and dry, but still potentially useful. Ginseng root, dried mint leaves, and a few unidentified herbs that carried a familiar scent. With her experience as a healer, she knew how to make do with whatever was available.
With trembling hands, she crushed a piece of ginseng and mixed it with the stale water left in a cup beside her bed. The bitter taste made her grimace, but she swallowed it down without hesitation.
She sat back down and took a deep breath, feeling the warmth of the tonic spread through her exhausted body. It was a small step, but a necessary one.
As she was gathering her thoughts, the door creaked open again. Bai Yue's cousin, Bai Rong, stepped inside, a smirk of satisfaction plastered across her face. Her richly embroidered robes contrasted sharply with the bleakness of the room.
"Oh? You're still alive," Bai Rong said, her voice dripping with mock surprise. "I thought you would've given up by now."
Xinya didn't react immediately. Instead, she met Bai Rong's gaze with a calm, unwavering stare, her fingers tightening slightly around the cup in her hand.
"You look disappointed," Xinya said, her tone devoid of emotion.
Bai Rong's smile faltered for a brief moment before she scoffed. "Hmph. Don't get any ideas, Bai Yue. You're nothing but a burden to this family. Just stay out of sight and don't embarrass us further."
With that, she turned and left, her laughter echoing down the corridor.
Xinya sat in silence for a moment, her grip on the cup tightening until her knuckles turned white. In her past life, she had dealt with difficult people before—jealous colleagues, manipulative superiors—but this… this was an entirely different battlefield.
She let out a slow breath and whispered, "Weak today… strong tomorrow."
This world may see her as powerless, but they had no idea who they were dealing with now. Step by step, she would reclaim her strength and uncover the secrets hidden within this new life.
For now, survival was her priority. Revenge could wait.