Yu Jingchen dared not go any further; she probably didn't want to see him either, but it was thundering outside.

Nan Zhiyun was probably so engrossed in her own world that she didn't notice Yu Jingchen's arrival. No matter which life she lived, she never seemed to be able to completely overcome her fear of thunder.

After an unknown amount of time, Yu Jingchen finally made a move, slowly walking towards Nan Zhiyun. His movements were very light, and he sat down next to Nan Zhiyun.

He opened his mouth, wanting to speak, but lacked the courage. The words stuck in his throat, unable to escape. Thunder rumbled outside again, and this time Yu Jingchen disregarded everything else, pulling Nan Zhiyun into his arms. He knew she was afraid, and he knew she was putting on a brave face; Yu Jingchen felt sorry for her…

Feeling the sudden embrace, Nan Zhiyun was momentarily stunned. It was Yu Jingchen… She didn't react, or rather, she didn't know how to react.

"Don't be afraid..." Yu Jingchen said softly.

His voice… Nan Zhiyun was somewhat surprised. Compared to before, his voice was terribly hoarse and had a rough quality. So, was it because of the fire?

"I remember everything," Yu Jingchen gently patted her back, trying to soothe her and ease her fear. Nan Zhiyun didn't understand at first, but she quickly realized what he meant.

But why does her heart ache so much? Have she remembered? If she remembers, can she change anything? Nan Zhiyun's eyes slowly reddened, tears welling up, her heart aching terribly.

"I'm sorry..." Yu Jingchen was speechless. But even so, he couldn't guarantee that he would do the same thing again if he had the chance.

Because in that life, Nan Su and the Empress Dowager did indeed conspire with Yu Jing'an to rebel, which is an indisputable fact. If he could do it all over again, even if he were willing to spare Nan Su's life, he would never forgive him.

Nan Zhiyun didn't push him away, but she didn't react in any other way either. The two of them just hugged each other like that. It started raining heavily outside, a light drizzle. Perhaps because of the rain, the temperature dropped, and even the house began to feel cool.

He held Nan Zhiyun in his arms the whole time. As the thunder subsided, Nan Zhiyun gradually calmed down. She had been too anxious and rushed just now, and her injuries hadn't healed yet, so she was now bleeding.

“Let’s go back…” Nan Zhiyun finally spoke. Yu Jingchen slowly released her and looked at Nan Zhiyun: “I’ll leave after the thunder stops, so I won’t be in your way, okay?” He reached out to wipe away Nan Zhiyun’s tears: “Why are you still crying? Don’t cry, don’t be afraid…” Yu Jingchen spoke slowly. His complexion was not good, and he looked sickly, as if he had become much more fragile.

“But I don’t want to be with you.” Nan Zhiyun also looked at Yu Jingchen, and the indifference in her eyes pierced Yu Jingchen’s heart, causing him great pain.

Yu Jingchen's hand paused at Nan Zhiyun's words, and the hand that wanted to wipe away her tears could no longer reach out.

"Why didn't you die? Didn't you refuse to come out? Is it just your voice that's ruined? Do you think that's enough?" The chill in Nan Zhiyun's voice made Yu Jingchen unable to suppress the sorrow in his heart. But she wasn't wrong, it was him...

Nan Zhiyun didn't think her words were excessive. On the contrary, she felt that compared to what Yu Jingchen had done in the past, these things were nothing.

"I don't want to see you, get out," Nan Zhiyun said calmly, as if devoid of emotion. They looked at each other, and finally, Yu Jingchen gave in. He smiled gently at Nan Zhiyun, "Okay, then I won't bother you anymore. The thunder has stopped. I'll have them come in to keep you company, so you won't be so scared." He instinctively reached out to touch Nan Zhiyun's head, but stopped halfway. So he could be afraid too, cautious, afraid of upsetting her.

Yu Jingchen stood up. Nan Zhiyun remained where she was, ignoring him. Yu Jingchen lowered his head slightly, a hint of bitterness in his smile.

Then he stopped dwelling on it and turned to leave. After he turned around, Nan Zhiyun finally looked up. His back was covered in blood, not only on his back but also on his arms. It was obvious that he had been injured in the fire last time. She didn't say anything.

Fortunately, he was guarding outside. He couldn't stop Yu Jingchen from leaving suddenly. How could His Majesty's current physical condition possibly withstand it?

When His Majesty saw Yu Jingchen finally come out, he quickly went forward to help him. He hadn't dared to disturb His Majesty and the Empress while they were inside, but Yu Jingchen avoided him just as he was about to help.

"Your Majesty, your health is poor. Let me help you back. Your wound has reopened, and the ground is covered in pebbles..." Before Xing Lai could finish speaking, Yu Jingchen interrupted him, "I will stay here to watch over her. Do not disturb her unless necessary." He was used to it in his past life... Whenever it rained or thundered, he would stay by her side, and she liked to stick close to him. In such situations, she would snuggle in his arms and ask him to tell her stories.

Yu Jingchen stood guard outside. The wind and rain were heavy, and it was quite cold. He was only wearing a thin shirt, and since he was already sick, he found it difficult to bear.

"It's windy today, so be careful with the candles in the house. Don't let them go out; she's very afraid of the dark," Yu Jingchen said to Xing.

Fortunately, his expression was complicated, but he naturally had to obey Yu Jingchen's orders. Yu Jingchen stood at the door the whole time, while Nan Zhiyun was inside the hall. The entire He'an Hall was quiet, with only the sounds of wind and rain.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!