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

Gu Nianzhi lowered her head gently, not daring to look at Sima Yao. Her heart was beating like a deer, she was afraid that Sima Yao would find out about her panic, but she also expected him to respond. Her fingers unconsciously twisted the corner of her clothes, which had been crumpled.

"Really?" Sima Yao asked back. "I didn't notice it myself." There was a subtle tremor in his voice, as if he was trying to hide his inner fluctuations. However, the slightly trembling ending still betrayed his true feelings.

"Of course you don't know." Ulan Ya said: "You can see that her eyes are very complicated, worried, fond, and a little resentful. I just don't know which of these emotions is more." Her words were like a sharp blade, piercing straight into the hearts of the two men.

Gu Nianzhi and Sima Yao were both silent, as if time had stopped at this moment. The air was filled with a tense and subtle atmosphere, making people feel suffocated. The silence was like a heavy lead block, pressing people to the point of being unable to breathe.

"You helped me once that day, and although you didn't do anything, you witnessed the whole process. Consider it my repayment today. No matter what the hidden story is behind today's situation, I created an opportunity for you to be alone. If there is a misunderstanding, explain it. If there is no misunderstanding, let the other party give up completely." Ulan Ya said these words freely. Turning around and walking around, she said, "I'll go out and help you keep watch. Whatever you want to say, hurry up." Her footsteps echoed in the empty room, and it was particularly clear.

The door was closed with a dull sound. In the huge house, there were only two people, each in a corner, silent. The silence seemed to continue to spread, enveloping the two people in it, making them immersed in their own thoughts and unable to extricate themselves.

Finally, Sima Yao couldn't resist his curiosity and broke the silence. His voice was particularly low in the empty room, as if it carried endless fatigue and confusion. The voice seemed to come from the bottom of a deep valley, with a heavy echo, and every word seemed to carry a thousand pounds of weight.

"According to what Cen Yu said, you came to the palace just because you were bored and wanted to play, so... so when we first met, you were already his fiancée, right?" Sima Yao stared at Gu Nianzhi, his eyes full of complex emotions. There was doubt, and that doubt was like layers of fog, covering his eyes; there was reluctance, and that reluctance was like a burning flame, jumping in the bottom of his eyes; there was also deep pain, and that pain was like a sharp icicle, piercing his heart. His lips trembled slightly, as if every word he said was exhausted. Although the amplitude of the tremor was small, it clearly showed the waves in his heart.

Gu Nianzhi still lowered her head. These were all lies, but she had to tell Sima Yao with certainty that yes, all of this was true. However, she couldn't say it. The truth was like a huge rock, pressing on her heart, making it almost impossible for her to breathe. Her lips opened slightly, but then closed tightly, as if she had swallowed the lie that was about to come out.

She couldn't bear to lie to the man who had experienced life and death with her, who always carefully protected her, asking such a question. Every time she saw his eyes full of expectation and trust, her heart felt like being deeply pierced by countless needles. The ups and downs they had experienced together, the warm moments they had snuggled up to each other, all came flooding back to her mind at this moment, making it increasingly difficult for her to speak.

Sima Yao's voice was very weak. "You don't want to answer, it seems that you have acquiesced." His voice was filled with deep despair, as if he had lost all his strength in an instant. His body trembled slightly, as if he could not bear this cruel answer. The trembling started from his shoulders and gradually spread to his whole body, as if an invisible storm was raging in his body.

"I'm sorry, Lord Yao. I never thought that everything would turn out like this." Gu Nianzhi murmured, as if she was talking to herself. Her voice was so soft that it was almost inaudible, as if it was a ghost floating from a distant place, weak and illusory. Her eyes were red, and tears were swirling in her eyes, but she tried hard not to let them fall. The tears flashed in her eyes, like broken starlight.

"That day on the top of the mountain..." Sima Yao paused, as if he couldn't continue, with a hint of sobs in his voice. His throat seemed to be blocked by something, and every word became extremely difficult. His voice became intermittent, as if it was cut off by an invisible hand again and again. "Since you knew that you couldn't be with me, why did you agree to be with me on the top of the mountain that day?" His eyes were full of pain and questioning, as if he wanted to get an answer from Gu Nianzhi, an answer that would make him feel relieved. The desire and despair in his eyes intertwined, forming a heartbreaking contradiction.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry..." Gu Nianzhi buried her head deeper. She couldn't hold back her tears and finally burst out, dripping onto the ground, splashing small water droplets. The tears were like a flood that could not be stopped. The sadder Sima Yao was, the more guilty she felt. She felt like a sinner who had destroyed the beautiful memories and future possibilities between them with her own hands. Her heart was filled with self-blame and regret, and the pain followed her like a shadow, making it impossible for her to escape.

"I just want to ask you one question." Sima Yao's eyes were red, but there were no tears in his eyes. His voice was hoarse, as if it had been rubbed by sandpaper, and every word was filled with deep pain. The pain was like a sharp sword, piercing straight into Gu Nianzhi's heart. "In the past six months with me, have you ever really been attracted to me?" He stared at Gu Nianzhi closely, his eyes full of eager desire, as if a drowning person was desperately seeking a life-saving straw. His body leaned forward slightly, his hands unconsciously clenched into fists, and his joints turned pale due to the force, as if he was trying to restrain the surging emotions in his heart.

"I'm sorry, Lord Yao." Gu Nianzhi didn't dare to answer. She could only prevaricate. Her voice was weak and trembling, like a leaf in the wind, which could disappear at any time. Her eyes were evasive, not daring to meet Sima Yao's fiery and painful gaze. Her lips trembled slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she just pursed them into a pale line. Her heart was like being pressed by a huge rock, so heavy that she could hardly breathe.

"Yes, or no?" Sima Yao's voice rose a little, with a hint of despair. His eyes became moist, and Gu Nianzhi's panicked figure was reflected in his moist eyes, as if she was the only one left in his world at this moment. His throat choked, and he tried hard to swallow the sob that was about to burst out. His heart was shouting and praying, praying for an answer he had longed for, even if it was just a glimmer of hope.

Sima Yao's heart seemed to be tightly grasped by an invisible hand, and every beat was accompanied by sharp pain. He wanted to focus on the big picture and not consider the love affair, but Ulan Ya gave him such an opportunity to be alone with Gu Nianzhi, and he couldn't help but ask what was in his heart. He once tried to bury this feeling deep in his heart and use responsibility and mission to cover up his inner desire, but at this moment, all the restraint collapsed in an instant. He felt as if he was in the abyss of darkness, and Gu Nianzhi was the only light, but this light was so far away and so vague.

"Your Highness, I'm really sorry..." Gu Nianzhi's voice trembled. She was not afraid, but sad and guilty. Her tears rolled in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Her heart was like the sea ravaged by the wind, with turbulent waves, pain and helplessness intertwined. She wanted to explain, wanted to confide her difficulties, but when the words came to her lips, they turned into a weak apology.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Don't you have anything else to say to me except sorry?" Sima Yao suddenly got angry, his voice exploded like thunder. Anger burned in his heart, an outburst of emotions that had been suppressed for a long time. He reached out and held Gu Nianzhi's shoulders, his fingers turned white because of the force, as if he wanted to pass all his pain and confusion to her through these hands. His eyes were burning with anger, but that anger was mixed with deep pain. Seeing that Gu Nianzhi still lowered her head and didn't look at him, he reached out and held Gu Nianzhi's face.

Gu Nianzhi was forced to face Sima Yao. Sima Yao's expression was distorted and his eyes were full of tears. The tears rolled in his eyes, but he refused to fall, as if once they fell, his last dignity would be shattered. His face looked a little hideous because of the pain, but in Gu Nianzhi's eyes, there was only endless heartache and sorrow.

Gu Nianzhi was heartbroken. "Sima Yao... I... I don't want to be like this..." Her voice was filled with tears, and her throat seemed to be choked by something, and every word was extremely difficult to say. She couldn't help but let her tears fall, and they fell drop by drop on Sima Yao's hand, but the warm tears could not melt the ice in his heart.

"Have you ever loved me?" Sima Yao didn't seem to hear Gu Nianzhi's words, but continued to ask for the answer persistently: "Answer me! You must answer me." His eyes were like torches, shooting straight into Gu Nianzhi's eyes, trying to find a trace of the answer he longed for. His voice was trembling, that was his last struggle, his last expectation.

Gu Nianzhi looked at Sima Yao, who had been so affectionate a few days ago, but now had become like this. Her heart felt as if it was pierced by thousands of arrows, and she was in so much pain that she couldn't breathe. Those sweet moments in the past kept flashing through her mind, and every smile, every hug, was like a sharp blade, cutting her heart. She wanted to answer honestly that she loved him, and she had never loved someone so much. But she couldn't. After a little thought, she said in a mosquito-like voice: "I'm sorry, it's all my fault for being too playful. I made you, Your Highness, misunderstand a lot of things."

"Playful? Misunderstanding?" Sima Yao trembled and let go of his hand, shaking his head and taking two steps back. "You mean, you were with me just because you wanted to play, and I thought you loved me, but it was just a misunderstanding?" His voice was full of disbelief and deep despair, as if the whole world had completely collapsed at this moment. His eyes became empty, and his body seemed to have lost its support.

Sima Yao felt his heart was torn apart, the pain was indescribable. What he once thought was love turned out to be just a misunderstanding, a beautiful dream he had woven. He looked at Gu Nianzhi, as if he wanted to carve her appearance deeply into his heart and seal it away forever. His lips trembled, but he could not utter a complete sentence.

Gu Nianzhi felt more guilty watching Sima Yao in such pain. She wanted to comfort him, but she felt that she was not qualified. She could only stand there blankly, watching Sima Yao struggling in pain. The room was filled with sadness and despair, making it hard to breathe.

I am sorry.

Gu Nianzhi said this in her heart. But she didn't say a word. No explanation, no comfort. She just stood there quietly, watching Sima Yao crying in front of her with complicated eyes. Her heart was beating violently in her chest, as if it wanted to break through the restraints and rush out. The guilt in her heart was like a surging tide, hitting her rational defense line wave after wave. Her fingers were tightly twisted together, and the joints turned white because of the force, showing her extreme struggle in her heart.

Various thoughts kept flashing through her mind. She wanted to explain, to express her helplessness and hardship, but she chose to remain silent in the end. Because she knew very well that at this critical moment, any explanation could bring more serious consequences. She just watched Sima Yao shed tears in front of her. The crystal tears rolled down his eyes, slid down his cheeks, and dripped onto the ground, as if hitting her heart.

Every tear was like a heavy hammer, hitting her soul hard. She could feel his sadness, a pain that went deep into her bones, like a lonely soul swallowed by darkness, struggling in endless pain. But she could only watch helplessly. The helplessness and heartache made her almost unable to breathe.

Gu Nianzhi knew that at this moment, only if she was ruthless could Sima Yao really let go of her. If Cen Yu knew that there was still a tug-of-war between her and Sima Yao, even if Sima Yao was useful, he would probably die soon. She kept reminding herself in her heart to hold back, to be firm, and not to waver in the slightest. Every time she reminded herself like this, it was like another cut in her heart.

"Your Highness should consider how to win this battle and not give that person in the palace a handle." Gu Nianzhi tried to keep her voice calm, but the slightly trembling ending still betrayed her inner turmoil. She looked at Sima Yao firmly, trying to use this firmness to cover up the pain in her heart.