The prince loves me like his life, but I force him to rebel

Gu Nianzhi walked out of the room slowly, and the veil on her face had been quietly removed. Shu Huaiyuan was able to see her face clearly. At that moment, he felt as if his breathing had stopped, and time seemed to freeze at this moment. He widened his eyes, his gaze glued to Gu Nianzhi, as if he was being pulled by an invisible force and could not move away at all.

The person who followed Cen Yu into the inner hall was actually Gu Nianzhi. This discovery made Shu Huaiyuan's heart sink suddenly, as if a heavy boulder suddenly fell into a bottomless deep pool, and with a "plop", countless chaotic thoughts splashed out. Those thoughts were like a raging storm, howling wantonly in his mind. He never thought it would be her, and countless questions and worries suddenly surged into his mind. He began to speculate on the reasons behind this, thinking about the various possible consequences, and his heart was in turmoil.

The veil had been removed, which meant there was no need to cover it any longer. That meant Sima Yao must have known the identity of the woman Gu Nianzhi was. Shu Huaiyuan stood still, his feet seemed to have taken root, not moving at all. His heart was full of entanglement and hesitation, and two voices in his mind were arguing fiercely. One voice said, "Go up, no matter what, you have to face it." The other voice retorted, "Don't be impulsive, there are so many people around who don't know, and rash actions may lead to a situation that is difficult to deal with."

Just when he was full of hesitation and in a dilemma, he saw Lin Heng walking forward with big strides. His steps were quick and powerful, and every step seemed to be full of doubt and anxiety. Lin Heng's brows were tightly furrowed, his eyes were fixed on Gu Nianzhi, his lips trembled slightly, and he asked tentatively in a doubtful tone: "Gu... Mr. Gu?" His voice trembled slightly, as if he couldn't believe his eyes. There was trembling and astonishment in his voice, as if his throat was tightly strangled by an invisible hand, and every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth with difficulty.

Gu Nianzhi heard the voice and slowly raised her head. At that moment, her eyes met Lin Heng's. Her expression was extremely complicated, like a crumpled painting, intertwined with helplessness, relief, and a trace of unspeakable sadness. The helplessness seemed to be a sigh for the fickleness of fate, and the relief was like putting down the burden that had been in her heart for a long time, and the trace of sadness was like the cold wind in late autumn, making people feel a little chilly. She looked at Lin Heng quietly and nodded gently, her movements were so slight that they were almost imperceptible.

"You are... you are... you are..." Lin Heng's lips trembled, and he began to stutter. His eyes were full of astonishment and disbelief, as if he had seen the most incredible thing in the world. His mind was blank, and the scene before him was completely beyond his cognition and imagination. "You are actually a woman? You are actually a woman?" His voice was trembling slightly, and the shock was beyond words. Every word was so strong that it seemed to shatter the air around him.

Gu Nianzhi said "hmm" softly, and the sound was as light as the ripples on the lake caused by the breeze. Her voice was as thin as a mosquito, with a hint of helplessness and fatigue. Her eyes were downcast, as if she didn't dare to look directly at Lin Heng's surprised eyes, as if she was afraid to see more doubts and confusion in his eyes.

"I'm sorry for keeping it a secret from you for so long." After saying that, Gu Nianzhi's eyes drifted slowly to Shu Huaiyuan's face like flying catkins. There was a hint of expectation in her eyes, mixed with a little uneasiness, as if she was seeking some kind of understanding and support.

Shu Huaiyuan knew the identity of his daughter earlier than anyone else. As expected, she did not see much surprise on Shu Huaiyuan's face, but only deep worry. The worry was like a layer of haze, heavily shrouding Shu Huaiyuan's eyebrows and eyes. His brows were slightly furrowed, forming two deep ravines, as if carrying endless worries. His eyes were full of concern and uneasiness, as if he was worried about Gu Nianzhi's future fate, and every look seemed to be telling the inner entanglement and worry.

"What?" At this moment, a crisp female voice suddenly sounded, like a thunder in the clear sky, instantly breaking the originally calm atmosphere. Wulan Ya's eyebrows were raised, and her body rushed forward like the wind, standing in front of Gu Nianzhi in a few steps. She widened her eyes, full of disbelief and shock, and her originally beautiful face was now distorted by anger and surprise. "Are you a woman?" Her voice was sharp and piercing, full of questioning and disbelief, as if Gu Nianzhi's identity as a woman was a great deception and betrayal to her.

Gu Nianzhi was startled by Wulanya's sudden fierce tone. Her heart suddenly contracted, as if it was tightly grasped by an invisible big hand. The strong sense of oppression made her almost unable to breathe. She took a step back involuntarily, staggering a little, as if she was stepping on cotton. A trace of panic appeared on her face instantly, and the panic quickly spread across her face like a thin layer of frost.

"To answer your question, Princess, I was indeed a woman dressed as a man before, but there was a reason for it. Please forgive me for my previous deception." Gu Nianzhi's voice trembled slightly, and the trembling was like the leaves shivering in the cold wind of late autumn, with deep apology. She lowered her eyes, and her long eyelashes trembled slightly, as fragile as butterfly wings. She did not dare to look directly into Wulan Ya's angry eyes, as if those eyes were a blazing flame that would devour her in an instant.

"You're so good." Ulanya's face was full of anger, and her voice was trembling. The anger seemed to ignite the air around her and turn it into a raging flame. She clenched her teeth tightly, and her silver teeth clattered, as if she wanted to chew up the anger. Her chest rose and fell violently, and each rise and fall was accompanied by deep resentment. Her fair face was flushed red at this moment, like a ripe apple, and the red color seemed to be the external reflection of her inner anger. "You actually kept it from me all this time, and let me be kept in the dark like a fool!" Her voice was sharp and shrill, and every word was like a sharp blade, stabbing straight at Gu Nianzhi.

Seeing this, Shu Huaiyuan hurried forward, his steps steady and quick, the rapid footsteps were particularly clear in this tense atmosphere. He stood in front of Gu Nianzhi, slightly extended his right hand, although he did not touch Gu Nianzhi, but like a solid shield, firmly blocked between Ulan Ya and Gu Nianzhi. His posture was upright, like a pine tree that stood tall and unyielding.

"Princess, calm down." Shu Huaiyuan's voice was gentle and firm, like a gurgling stream, flowing in the flames of anger, trying to extinguish the burning rage. He bowed slightly, with a respectful but not humble expression on his face, and sincerity and persuasion in his eyes.

"Calm down?" Ulan Ya's face flushed, her eyes wide open, her eyes glaring as if they could spit fire, staring at Shu Huaiyuan, "Do you know how much he deceived me? I treated her..." At this point, her voice suddenly choked, her throat seemed to be blocked by a ball of cotton, and it was difficult to continue. The unfinished words were like a heavy stone, pressing on her heart, making it difficult for her to speak out easily.

"As far as I know, Mr. Gu, no, Miss Gu only met the princess once, and they didn't have a deep relationship. How could she lie to you?" Shu Huaiyuan said slowly, his voice calm and powerful, like a steady drumbeat, beating people's hearts again and again. He looked at Ulan Ya firmly, with understanding in his eyes, trying to calm her down and look at everything rationally.

Gu Nianzhi stood beside Shu Huaiyuan, and she felt a sense of security for no reason. His broad back seemed to shield her from all the wind and rain and danger from the outside world, like a solid fortress, allowing her to find a quiet harbor in the stormy sea. She secretly raised her eyes and looked at Shu Huaiyuan, her eyes full of gratitude. The gratitude was like stars, twinkling in her eyes.

Wulanya was speechless for a moment. Her anger was like a punctured balloon, and most of it was deflated in an instant. Yes, she had made a lifelong mistake at first sight, and she had secretly fallen in love with the other person before she even knew the other person's gender. All of this was her own wishful thinking, so how could she blame others? Her thoughts were tangled like a tangled mess, and her heart was full of regret and helplessness.

What does this have to do with Gu Nianzhi? Who can blame her? Gu Nianzhi helped her out of the predicament in the alley that day, which was a favor to her. How can she blame her for her gender now? These thoughts kept churning in her mind, making her more aware of her impulsiveness and recklessness.

Thinking of this, Ulanya's expression gradually eased. She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. Her rapid breathing gradually became steady, and her chest slowly returned to normal. "Forget it, maybe all this is just my wishful thinking." There was a hint of helplessness and self-mockery in her voice, and that helplessness was like the fallen leaves in late autumn, drifting with the wind, with no one paying attention.

Gu Nianzhi raised her head and said softly, "Princess, it is really my fault. I made you misunderstand me." Her voice was soft and sincere, with deep guilt.

Wulanya waved her hand and said, "Let's just leave it at that. I blame myself for being too reckless and impulsive." After that, she turned and left, looking a little lonely. Her lonely back was elongated in the afterglow of the setting sun, as if carrying her full of loss and melancholy.

"Princess." Gu Nianzhi moved her lotus steps lightly, like a fluttering butterfly, and took a step forward, slightly passing Shu Huaiyuan. Her graceful figure swayed gently in the breeze, and her skirt rippled slightly like ripples. She held a warm jade pendant in her hands. The jade pendant exuded a soft and charming luster under the sunlight, like a treasure in a dream, and every ray of light seemed to tell an unknown story. At this moment, her expression was respectful and a little reserved, with cautiousness in her lowered eyes, and her long eyelashes were like a small fan, casting a faint shadow on her fair cheek.

Wulanya's eyes fell on the jade pendant, and her eyes became complicated instantly. The warm jade pendant, carrying the memories and emotions of the past, instantly pulled her thoughts back to the day they met. At that time, the sun was so warm and the breeze was so gentle. She still remembered the first time she saw Gu Nian. Although he was dressed in men's clothes, he had a unique temperament. That quick glance planted a seed of admiration in her heart. Now, the jade pendant appeared in front of her again, awakening those emotions hidden deep in her heart.

"This is the princess's jade pendant. Today it is returned intact to Zhao. Please take it back." Gu Nianzhi's voice was soft and sincere, like a clear stream in the mountains, gurgling and flowing with a hint of earnestness. Every word seemed to come from the softest corner of her heart, full of respect for the princess. Her eyes were clear and firm, with a hint of caution, as if she was afraid of angering the noble princess in front of her. In her eyes, there were memories of the past, as well as helplessness in the present.

Wulanya looked at the jade pendant and was silent for a moment. That brief silence seemed to make time stand still, and the air around her became heavy. Her heart was like a turbulent sea, with waves rolling. Memories came like a tide, intertwined with the reality at the moment, making her heart fall into endless entanglement. She thought of all the expectations she had for Gu Nianzhi, and those expectations were like beautiful bubbles, which seemed to be about to shatter at this moment.

"There is no reason to take back what you have given away." Wulan Ya slowly raised her eyes to look at Gu Nianzhi's face, with complicated emotions in her eyes. It was a gentle and beautiful face of a woman, with skin as white as snow, delicate as a flower, eyebrows and eyes like a painting, and delicate facial features that seemed to be a masterpiece carefully carved by God. But you can still vaguely see the heroic spirit when she dressed up as a man that day. It was a unique charm that made her fall in love with him. She felt mixed emotions in her heart. The "man" she once admired was now a woman. This huge contrast made it difficult for her to accept it for a while. That feeling was like the dream she had been pursuing was suddenly shattered, leaving only endless confusion and loss.

However, recalling Gu Nianzhi's bravery and kindness that day, she couldn't blame him. At that dangerous moment, it was Gu Nianzhi who stepped forward and protected her. Such bravery and responsibility are worthy of admiration and gratitude regardless of gender.

"Whether you are a man or a woman, your help to me that day was real. This is my thank you gift. You can keep it if you want, or throw it away if you want. Anyway, I won't take it back."

Wulanya's voice trembled slightly. She tried to maintain her composure, but she could not hide her inner struggle. Her voice was filled with helplessness, reluctance, and a hint of relief.

She wondered, was her feeling for Gu Nianzhi because of the grace of saving her life, or because of the initial impulse that she mistook for a man?