Yu Jingchen moved to extinguish the candlelight one by one, and the room gradually grew dim. Nan Zhiyun's heart felt as if it were being clutched by a large hand, tightening with each passing moment, suffocating her until she felt she could barely breathe.
"Your Majesty..." Nan Zhiyun's voice trembled as she called out.
"I won't extinguish them all, I'll leave one lit. Don't be afraid." Yu Jingchen turned back to look at Nan Zhiyun, sensing her fear, and walked over.
Two lamps remained lit in the room. He sat down beside Nan Zhiyun and pulled her into his embrace. "There's no need to be afraid. Leaving two lamps will prevent it from becoming completely dark. If you're truly scared, I'm right here, aren't I?" Yu Jingchen patted Nan Zhiyun's back, comforting her softly.
Nan Zhiyun was genuinely frightened, especially in the past two years. Her fear of dark environments had intensified. When placed in such darkness, she always felt as if she were imprisoned in a cage, unable to breathe.
"Alright, sleep now." Yu Jingchen said, helping her lie down. However, as he prepared to stand up, he found his sleeve being held by her. The grip was very weak, yet Yu Jingchen felt he couldn't break free.
"Don't go... I'm scared... I'm sorry..." Nan Zhiyun felt she didn't know what she was saying, but she was truly terrified. This environment... it was so strange, and so dark.
"I won't go, but look at me now. I can't stay like this. I'll go change, and then I'll come right back, alright?" Yu Jingchen patted Nan Zhiyun's hand, holding it and gently removing it from his sleeve.
Nan Zhiyun remained silent, her eyes pleading with Yu Jingchen. Her heart ached. "I'll have someone from outside come to stay with you, and then I'll return in a moment, okay?" he asked.
With that, he sent for Qian Xia to come in. Only when Nan Zhiyun was no longer holding him so tightly did he leave. However, everything in this room was unfamiliar to Nan Zhiyun, which was why she was afraid.
Even with Qian Xia by her side, she couldn't quite overcome her fear. But it wasn't long before Yu Jingchen returned. Perhaps because he knew Nan Zhiyun was afraid, he didn't dare to delay any longer.
"Still scared?" Yu Jingchen sat beside her and then said to Qian Xia and the others, "You all may withdraw." Qian Xia glanced at Nan Zhiyun and, seeing no reaction from her, withdrew.
"Why has it become worse than before?" Yu Jingchen smiled, but a hint of worry surfaced in his heart. Over the past year or so, Nan Zhiyun's fears had seemed to deepen regarding many things.
"Scared..." Nan Zhiyun answered truthfully.
"Aren't there lights in the room? Why are you still so afraid? Do you need me to light more lamps?" Yu Jingchen asked her. Initially, Yu Jingchen had planned to help her gradually overcome this fear, as he had done in his previous life. But now, he changed his mind.
However, Nan Zhiyun might not be ready for it now. Moreover, he felt that Nan Zhiyun didn't need to overcome it anymore. After all, forcing oneself to confront something one fears is not a simple matter.
Each time she found herself in such an environment, deeply ingrained shadows from her past might surface in her mind. This could be another form of torment for her, so Yu Jingchen had completely changed his decision and would no longer force Nan Zhiyun to do so.
"No need..." Nan Zhiyun's response was to Yu Jingchen's question. It wasn't that she didn't want all the lights in the room to be lit, but she felt she didn't have the right to demand it, nor did she dare to make so many requests.
"Then, are you going to sleep now?" Yu Jingchen asked her.
Nan Zhiyun nodded. Yu Jingchen helped her lie down. The bed was quite wide, so Nan Zhiyun lying on her side didn't cause any issues.
Yu Jingchen lay down next to her, embracing her gently, carefully avoiding her injuries.
"You won't be comfortable sleeping like this all night. Lean against me. Do whatever feels most comfortable." Yu Jingchen had Nan Zhiyun lean against him. This resulted in Nan Zhiyun's entire face pressing against Yu Jingchen's chest.
"Don't be afraid, hmm? I'm here. Do whatever is comfortable, don't worry too much. I won't be angry, nor will I do anything. Nan Zhiyun, I know my current changes might be significant. There are many things you might not understand, but don't overthink it. I have no other intentions; I just want you to get better. You know what kind of person I am; no matter what, I won't lie to you, right?" Yu Jingchen guided her gently.
Nan Zhiyun knew Yu Jingchen wouldn't resort to any underhanded tactics with her, but how could she convince herself to completely disregard her feelings and stop thinking? No one could easily convince themselves of that. He was always like this, and everything from the past was a lie.
"Nan Zhiyun, I was wrong in the past. As for why I suddenly changed like this, it might be difficult to accept all at once. But believe me, when the opportunity arises later, I will slowly tell you, okay?" Yu Jingchen's voice was like an elder telling a story to a child, always with a touch of magic.
"In about a month, General Nan will return. So, you must take good care of your injuries. When your wounds have healed sufficiently, I'll let you have a good reunion with your father, alright?" Yu Jingchen told her.
Upon hearing this, Nan Zhiyun finally reacted. "Can I?" she asked cautiously, her tone laced with a slight test.
"Of course, you can. But only if you take good care of your health first. Otherwise, I won't agree," Yu Jingchen said deliberately. Nan Zhiyun remained silent, unsure if she had believed him.
"Alright, sleep now." It was very late.
But Nan Zhiyun couldn't sleep at all. She didn't know if it was due to her heightened emotions, her inability to relax, or something else. Her heart remained unsettled.
However, being held in Yu Jingchen's arms, she dared not move, not to mention her injuries on her back. So...
"Don't be nervous. If you really can't sleep, let's talk." Yu Jingchen's voice was so soft it could nearly drown someone, and he gently patted her back.
Perhaps his method worked, as Nan Zhiyun's eyelids grew heavy. Soon, she drifted off to sleep.