As he spoke, he untied his official robe worn on the outside and handed it to a guard beside him.
The guard seemed confused, “This subordinate will go get the Superintendent’s casual clothes.”
Deng Ying personally took the water brought by the guard and said softly, “No need. Step back a few paces and keep quiet.”
“Yes.”
The guards stepped back several paces after responding, their footsteps rustling from near to far.
Yang Wan closed her eyes, hearing sounds at the door. Outside, someone seemed to be walking back and forth with a wind lantern, much brighter than inside the room. But after just a moment, the door closed, and a thin shadow fell before her.
Yang Wan slowly turned over, enduring the pain.
“Being a prisoner of the Eastern Depot is much better than being in the imperial prison.”
Deng Ying put the water pot on the table, silently poured a cup of water, and walked to Yang Wan’s bedside.
He didn’t sit but half-knelt down. He gently supported Yang Wan’s back with his arm and brought the cup to her lips.
Yang Wan lowered her head, sipping the water from the cup bit by bit. Deng Ying just held the cup quietly, completely still, waiting until she moved her mouth away before switching to his other half-kneeling leg.
Yang Wan looked up at Deng Ying, “Doesn’t your leg hurt like that? Sit down.”
Deng Ying shook his head while holding the teacup, “I won’t sit.”
“Why?”
He didn’t speak, just shook his head.
Only then did Yang Wan notice he wasn’t wearing his outer robe. His blue undergarment showed the bone structure of his shoulders, but where those shoulder bones bent, there were no sharp angles. He looked no different from any gentleman from an ordinary family.
Yang Wan reached her hand out from under the blanket and gently grabbed his wrist, trying to help him up.
Fearing she would pull at her wounds, Deng Ying didn’t hesitate for a moment and quickly stood up following her force, but then she pressed down on his wrist again, trying to pull him to sit.
“Yang Wan… let me stand.”
“No…”
She didn’t let go, “Your heart is truly too delicate, so delicate that I feel ashamed in comparison. I have to use so much effort just to get you a little closer to me…”
As she spoke, she met Deng Ying’s gaze, “Please don’t stand like this, alright? If you want to question me, wait until tomorrow. I don’t have any strength today…”
“What would I question you about?”
As he spoke, he quickly complied and sat down.
“Wait for Lord Yang to return, let him question me, together with you.”
After saying this, he pinched his sleeve and lowered his head, “Yang Wan, I no longer know what to do to make things better for you.”
Yang Wan pressed her lips together and gritted her teeth as she propped herself up halfway.
Deng Ying quickly said, “What do you need? I’ll get it.”
“I don’t need anything. Help me lie down a bit further inside.”
“Alright…”
Deng Ying was somewhat at a loss, “How can I help you without pulling at your wounds?”
“Hold me.”
Deng Ying was stunned.
“I…”
Yang Wan looked at his slightly reddening ears and smiled palely at him, “Never mind, I’ll do it myself.”
As she spoke, she tried to lift her leg but had no strength at all.
“Don’t move, I’ll do it.”
After saying this, he gently squeezed his hand before standing up and bending down to reach into the cotton blanket.
Fortunately, she was wearing complete undergarments.
But because she was feverish, her body temperature was much higher than his hands. When he searched for her knee bend and touched her leg, she seemed to tremble but said nothing.
Deng Ying dared not think of anything as he gently supported Yang Wan’s knee bend, one hand supporting her back, trying to gather her into his arms.
“Lying here… does it feel better?”
“Yes, I want to lie a bit further in.”
Hearing this, Deng Ying lifted one leg, half-kneeling on the edge of the couch, and moved Yang Wan’s body in a bit more.
“That’s good…”
Just as Deng Ying was about to withdraw his hand, Yang Wan gripped his arm, “Deng Ying… I have an unreasonable request.”
“Tell me.”
“Stay with me tonight, please?”
As she spoke, she gently released his arm, “You’re the Superintendent of the Eastern Depot, it might not be appropriate to be locked up with a prisoner like me, but this is your jurisdiction, and Song Yunqing and the others don’t dare stay…”
“I wasn’t planning to leave.”