Nan Zhiyun tried to sit up, but she was too weak to move. Yu Jingchen saw this, put down his cup, and instinctively went to help her.
But just as Yu Jingchen's hand grasped her arm, intending to help Nan Zhiyun sit up, Nan Zhiyun seemed to be startled and flinched back.
Yu Jingchen's movements stiffened slightly, but only for a moment. Nan Zhiyun was genuinely uneasy, but this time Yu Jingchen didn't pursue the matter much and went over to help her sit up.
"What are you afraid of?" Yu Jingchen asked.
Nan Zhiyun forced herself to sit up. Yu Jingchen picked up a teacup from the side and tested it; the temperature inside was just right.
"Want some?" Yu Jingchen asked her.
Nan Zhiyun looked at the cup in Yu Jingchen's hand, and it took her a while before she dared to reach out and take it. She dared to take it but didn't dare to drink from it.
"Not drinking? Afraid of being poisoned?" Yu Jingchen was as sharp-tongued as ever. Nan Zhiyun thought it must be because she was delirious from the fever and her mind was not clear.
She brought the cup to her lips; her lips were terribly chapped, so the warm water made her feel quite comfortable.
"Do you still need it?" Yu Jingchen asked again.
Nan Zhiyun didn't dare to speak, and could only shake her head. But Yu Jingchen wasn't so oblivious to her little scheme, so after taking the cup back, he poured her another cup of water.
Nan Zhiyun lowered her head, and then saw another glass of water being handed to her. She looked up and saw that Yu Jingchen had poured her another glass of warm water.
"If you're going to drink a glass of water, just drink it. Why are you hesitating?" Yu Jingchen gestured to the water he was holding.
Nan Zhiyun looked at the glass of water. Why... did it feel unreal?
She took it and, without much hesitation, drank the entire glass of water.
"Do you still need it?" Yu Jingchen asked her again.
Nan Zhiyun didn't speak, so Yu Jingchen waited for her to speak. In just a few seconds, he saw her nod.
"Don't nod, speak." Yu Jingchen couldn't stand Nan Zhiyun's behavior.
"Would you like some more water?" Yu Jingchen asked again.
“…Yes, drink,” Nan Zhiyun finally spoke.
Yu Jingchen was barely satisfied upon hearing this, and went over to pour another cup. Nan Zhiyun watched Yu Jingchen go to pour water, feeling her head buzzing; this wasn't like Yu Jingchen at all.
After drinking that glass of water, Nan Zhiyun felt a little better. But... she didn't know how to give the glass to the person holding it.
"Is it so hard to say just one sentence?" Yu Jingchen took the cup back, and Nan Zhiyun remained silent.
"Does your head hurt?" Yu Jingchen asked her.
Nan Zhiyun nodded, her head spinning and aching. Before she could react, she suddenly felt a cool sensation on her forehead and realized it was Yu Jingchen's hand reaching out.
Nan Zhiyun wanted to walk back, but Yu Jingchen stopped her: "What are you afraid of?" he said, his voice still sounding a little hot.
"Let the imperial physician take another look later. If you feel uncomfortable, just say so. Otherwise, what's the point of having this mouth of yours?" Yu Jingchen kept babbling on and on.
Nan Zhiyun had been listening quietly the whole time. Anyway... she was used to Yu Jingchen's words by now, but something was off today.
Yu Jingchen looked at Nan Zhiyun, who was bowing her head and remaining silent, and couldn't quite describe his feelings. He had seen her like this quite a few times recently, but this time she still gave him a different feeling.
"If you're not feeling well, just rest. The imperial physician said that your illness this time is due to mental stress and excessive pressure. Try to adjust yourself, relax, and don't make yourself so miserable." Yu Jingchen said, frowning as he spoke.
But how could Nan Zhiyun possibly do that? She experiences physical fear whenever she sees Yu Jingchen and can't control herself at all.
"...I won't be coming over for the next few days. You should sort out your own mindset." Yu Jingchen hesitated for a moment before saying this. He knew very well that Nan Zhiyun's fear was caused by him, so he thought it wouldn't hurt to give her some time.
Nan Zhiyun finally reacted after hearing these words, slowly raising her head to look at Yu Jingchen, just in time to meet his gaze.
"...Didn't you say you wanted to leave the palace? Take your time to adjust, and I can consider it." Yu Jingchen dropped another bombshell.
Sure enough, Nan Zhiyun visibly softened upon hearing this, and Yu Jingchen noticed it all. However, he felt uneasy. Was she really that happy to leave the palace? She was the one who insisted on entering the palace before, and now she was the one giving it up. What did she take the palace for?
However... although he was a little angry, Yu Jingchen suppressed it. After all, he was the one who spoke first, and she was injured and sick, so he didn't hold it against her.
“But there are conditions,” Yu Jingchen said. Conditions? Nan Zhiyun felt nervous, and the light in her eyes slowly dimmed.
"The conditions are simple, and I won't make things difficult for you. In the next few days, take good care of yourself, regulate your emotions, and focus on recovering from your injuries. If you are truly satisfied, I will consider letting you leave the palace," Yu Jingchen continued.
Is that all? Nan Zhiyun seemed a little hesitant to believe it. This condition wasn't really a condition at all; she had thought Yu Jingchen's request would be particularly difficult.
"What? Do you want to add more conditions?" Yu Jingchen asked.
Nan Zhiyun quickly shook her head, but then, perhaps fearing that Yu Jingchen would be dissatisfied, she immediately added, "No, Your Majesty understands..."
"Good that you understand. Don't make me remind you again. Besides, I don't want this to happen again. Don't let me hear anyone say that you're not eating or taking your medicine, or you'll bear the consequences. Understand?" Yu Jingchen continued.
"Your Majesty, I understand," Nan Zhiyun replied obediently.
"I'll have the imperial physician come over again in a bit to examine you. Besides bringing down your fever, check your hands; there are blood blisters on them. Ask the physician how to treat them and if there are any other problems. Just do whatever the physician says. Also, the new palace maids—they're not here to spy on you, and I haven't asked them to report on your affairs, so use them as you see fit." Yu Jingchen added a few more instructions.
Nan Zhiyun's head was already spinning, and now, after hearing this long string of things, she still felt like she hadn't come to her senses. Yu Jingchen didn't seem like Yu Jingchen anymore; he was talking more.
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