Nan Zhiyun remained silent, a sudden guilt washing over her. Had she asked for too much? Had she become too demanding? Yu Jingchen's identity was that of an emperor; these matters were to be expected. Had she spoken out of turn? She had chosen this path, and now complaining – was that immature?
Yet… she couldn't ignore the unhappiness these situations brought her. She cared about every concubine by Yu Jingchen's side. She felt jealousy, sadness, anger, heartache, and bitterness. She had simply never shown it overtly, because Yu Jingchen was His Majesty, not hers alone.
If it were in the past, she might not have been so conflicted. But now, things were different. People seemed inherently greedy; having something, they desired more. She was no different. Yu Jingchen treated her exceptionally well now, attentive, thoughtful, gentle, and patient, coaxing and protecting her. She couldn't bear to share such a Yu Jingchen with others. This was something she had finally waited for, and she was unwilling to share.
Nan Zhiyun didn't know if this was due to her own selfishness. All she knew was that Yu Jingchen's current demeanor made her incredibly possessive. Beyond that, she was terrified. She feared… that with other women, Yu Jingchen would come to favor them, treat them as he treated her now, and then her own situation would revert to how it was before. She couldn't accept it, nor could she imagine how she would feel or what her fate would be if Yu Jingchen truly returned to his former self.
Sensing Nan Zhiyun's increasingly gloomy mood, Yu Jingchen's brow furrowed slightly. In the end, Nan Zhiyun must be suffering from extreme insecurity.
"Yun'er, don't overthink things. We will be alright. When the time is right, we can be like ordinary couples. Don't worry too much. Everything I say to you is my promise, alright?" Yu Jingchen didn't know how to act or comfort her. All he knew was that Nan Zhiyun needed to be coaxed and protected. Her past wounds were too deep, requiring a lifetime to heal.
There was a moment when Yu Jingchen began to doubt his own intentions. Perhaps Nan Zhiyun was fine as she was now – forever young, not needing to understand much, just needing to be simple, kind, happy, and joyful. With him present, she only needed to live carefree under his wing, healthy and content. There was no need for her to deliberately mature or face hardships.
Before, he had thought that Nan Zhiyun would be able to protect herself once she grew up. If he couldn't attend to her, she could safeguard herself and avoid harm, rather than relying solely on him, as he couldn't guarantee his vigilance every single time.
But now, he felt that was unnecessary. Besides, he was meant to be her pillar of support. What did he mean by situations he couldn't attend to? As long as it concerned Nan Zhiyun, he would ensure everything was foolproof. Therefore… his little lady didn't need to grow up. The Empress Dowager had protected her so well, and surely that had its own purpose. In this life, with someone to escort her, shield her from storms, and shelter her from the rain, she only needed to live healthily and carefree, joyfully and without worry, within her own world.