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

Li Yiru tried to make her voice sound lighthearted and cheerful, trying to break the oppressive and suffocating atmosphere. Her voice rose slightly, with a deliberately created cheerfulness. She forced a seemingly bright smile on her face, which was like a forced mask, trying to cover up the bitterness in her heart.

Her eyes were full of expectation, hoping to make Gu Nianzhi forget his troubles temporarily, even if it was just a moment of joy. However, the bitterness and worry behind that smile could not be completely hidden. Li Yiru's fingers twisted together unconsciously, showing her inner uneasiness and anxiety.

"What is...lu...skewers?" Sima Yao asked at an inopportune moment. His handsome face was full of doubts, and he was very curious about this unfamiliar word. His brows were slightly wrinkled, forming a few shallow lines, like ripples on a calm lake. Curious light flashed in his bright eyes, like the bright stars in the night sky, eagerly longing for an answer. His eyes moved back and forth between Gu Nianzhi and Li Yiru, like a confused child, waiting for someone to give him a clear explanation. His lips opened slightly, as if he wanted to ask another question, but he held back, just quietly waiting for their answers.

His voice broke the brief silence, but also made the atmosphere more subtle. This sudden question was like a stone thrown into a lake, breaking the already fragile calm and causing ripples.

"Your friend is addicted to playing the role of an ancient person." Li Yiru smiled and turned around, with a hint of helplessness and ridicule in her eyes. Her laughter seemed a little abrupt in the silent atmosphere. It was crisp and loud, but with a bit of reluctance and deliberateness. Her eyes were full of amusement at Sima Yao's naive question, but also helpless about the current complicated situation. The helplessness was like a layer of light mist, shrouding the depths of her eyes, lingering.

"I'm driving too. Let's go our separate ways and meet at the usual place. I'll go grab a seat first." After saying that, Li Yiru flashed out of the convenience store. Her movements were swift and decisive, like a gust of wind, and she disappeared at the door in an instant. She left in a hurry, as if she was escaping from something, but also seemed to be eager to prepare for the upcoming party. Her steps were hurried and flustered, and every step was filled with an impatient determination.

"Let's go." Gu Nianzhi called Sima Yao, with a hint of fatigue and helplessness in her voice. Her voice was low and hoarse, as if it came from a faraway place, with endless fatigue and vicissitudes. "I'll take you to eat something delicious." She forced a smile, and that smile was so pale and weak, like a flower that was about to wither in late autumn. The upward arc of the corners of her mouth seemed so stiff, as if it was pulled by an invisible force.

She tried to cheer herself up, at least at this moment, to show some positive attitude for Sima Yao. However, the pain and worry in her heart followed her like a shadow, making her every move and every word seem so heavy and difficult.

Sima Yao followed Gu Nianzhi obediently. He had already accepted the fact that he had traveled to Gu Nianzhi's world. Many questions that he had not been able to figure out before now slowly had answers. He did not ask proactively because he knew that if Gu Nianzhi was not embarrassed, she would definitely tell him proactively. His heart was filled with peace and calmness, and every step he took was firm and steady.

He walked silently, thinking about his future in this strange world. He could feel the pain and struggle in Gu Nianzhi's heart. The pain seemed to be an invisible force, transmitted to him through Gu Nianzhi's back, making his heart tighten. He secretly vowed that if he had the chance, he would help Gu Nianzhi solve his problems. There was a firm light in his eyes, which was a manifestation of determination and courage.

Gu Nianzhi walked in front, her steps seemed a little heavy. She was still thinking about the theater, and her worries were not reduced at all by Li Yiru's change of subject. Every step seemed to carry a thousand pounds of weight, making it difficult for her to move forward. Those thoughts were like a tangled mess, tightly entangled in her heart, making it impossible for her to break free.

Sima Yao followed behind, observing Gu Nianzhi's back from time to time, and an inexplicable sympathy and the urge to protect her surged in his heart. That back looked so lonely and fragile, as if a breeze could blow it down. His hands clenched unconsciously, as if he was ready to stand up for Gu Nianzhi at any time.

The night wind blew gently, bringing a hint of coolness. The wind was like a naughty child, gently caressing people's faces, but inadvertently getting into the collar, making people shiver. The lights on the street flickered, and the dim light illuminated the road surface in a mottled manner. Vehicles passed by in a hurry like flowing water, and the sound of wheels rubbing against the ground came one after another, as if it was the breath of the city. Pedestrians walked in a hurry, and their figures were long and short under the lights. Everyone was immersed in their own world, with the fatigue of the day or the expectation of the unknown.

Gu Nianzhi and Sima Yao looked lonely and lost in the night. They were like two leaves blown down by the wind, drifting in the vast crowd. Their footsteps echoed in the silent streets, the sound was crisp and monotonous, as if telling of their inner uneasiness and uncertainty about the future. Every step was hesitant and uncertain, as if the road under their feet had no end.

In the car, Gu Nianzhi was worried. Her hands tightly grasped the steering wheel, and her knuckles turned slightly white due to the force. The pale knuckles were like small pearls, which were particularly conspicuous under the dim light inside the car. She stared straight ahead with a dull look, but her eyes were unfocused, and the whole person seemed to be shrouded in a thick haze. Her beautiful eyebrows were tightly furrowed, forming a deep "chuan" character. Each wrinkle seemed to be an unhealable wound, carrying her endless worries. Her lips unconsciously pursed into a straight line, and the corners of her mouth slightly turned down, revealing her heavy mood at the moment.

"What should I do with the theater? How can I save everything?" Gu Nianzhi kept asking herself in her heart. Every question was like a heavy stone, pressing her down so hard that she couldn't breathe. Her heart seemed to be in a tangled mess that she couldn't sort out.

Sima Yao sat in the passenger seat, turning his head to look at Gu Nianzhi from time to time. His eyes were full of concern and hesitation, and his hesitation made it easy to see his inner struggle. His eyes were like warm sunshine, trying to penetrate the haze in Gu Nianzhi's heart, but were blocked by the thick clouds. Every time he was about to speak, he seemed to be stopped by some invisible force, and could only swallow his words back in his stomach silently.

"I really want to comfort her, but I don't know where to start." Sima Yao was secretly distressed in his heart. He could clearly feel the heavy and oppressive aura emanating from Gu Nianzhi. It was an atmosphere that was tightly entangled by deep worries and troubles and could not be escaped.

The kebab place that Gu Nianzhi and Li Yiru often eat is not far away. According to the usual route, it can be reached in 15 minutes at most. But the city will hold a marathon the next day, and traffic control has been implemented on the necessary roads. Gu Nianzhi had to take a detour, and the journey directly increased from 15 minutes to more than minutes. The originally familiar and short route has now become long and tortuous due to this sudden change.

The air in the car seemed to become heavy, and the passage of time became unusually slow. Every second was stretched infinitely, making people feel extremely tortured. Gu Nianzhi became more and more irritated. She kept tapping the steering wheel, and each tap was filled with her inner dissatisfaction and helplessness.

"How could this happen? Why can't even this road be passed?" She complained in her heart, with beads of sweat oozing out of her forehead.

"Ask whatever you want to ask." Stuck on a narrow road, Gu Nianzhi suddenly spoke. There was a hint of fatigue and helplessness in her voice, and the voice seemed to come from a deep valley, with endless desolation and loneliness. It seemed that this short sentence had exhausted the little energy left in her body. Her throat seemed to have been rubbed by sandpaper, and every word was rough and full of fatigue.

The voice was light and light, without the vitality and liveliness of the past, like a leaf drifting in the wind, so helpless and lonely. Gu Nianzhi's eyes were empty and lifeless, looking at the stagnant traffic in front of her, and the annoyance in her heart became heavier. "Why did I mess up everything?" She asked herself silently in her heart, and every time she asked herself, it was like a knife cutting through her heart.

"From what your friend just said, it seems that you are short of money?" Sima Yao hesitated for a moment after hearing what Gu Nianzhi said, and finally carefully expressed his doubts. There was a hint of uncertainty in his voice, and that hint of uncertainty was like a candle swaying in the wind, weak and trembling. His eyes were full of concern and worry, and his gaze was like a warm stream, trying to moisten Gu Nianzhi's dry and painful heart.

He knew that this question might be a little sensitive, but he couldn't bear to see Gu Nianzhi in such pain and confusion, and wanted to do his best to understand her predicament, hoping to give her some help or support. Sima Yao's fingers twisted together unconsciously, showing his inner tension and anxiety.

"I run a theatre troupe here. It was my grandfather's business. He handed it over to me, but I didn't manage it well, so I couldn't make ends meet." Gu Nianzhi explained everything in detail. Her voice trembled slightly, as if every word was carrying an extremely heavy pressure. The trembling voice was like a string in the wind, playing a sad melody.

Her eyes became distant, as if she had returned to the good old days she had spent with her grandfather in the opera troupe. Memories came flooding back like a tide: her grandfather's heroic presence on the stage, the cheers of the audience, the lively and warm atmosphere in the troupe, everything was so clear, yet so distant.

"My grandfather was full of love and dedication to opera. He dedicated his whole life to this opera troupe. He placed high hopes on me, hoping that I could pass on this career and carry it forward. But I... I disappointed him." At this point, Gu Nianzhi's voice choked, and tears rolled in her eyes. The tears were like beasts trapped in a cage, eager to break free, but she used her strong will to hold them back and not let them fall.

Her heart was like a garden ravaged by a storm, a mess. "How could I be so useless that I couldn't even fulfill my grandfather's last wish?" Self-blame and guilt were like two huge rocks, weighing her down so hard that she couldn't breathe. She pursed her lips tightly, trying to control her emotions, but her slightly trembling chin betrayed the turmoil in her heart.

"In order to keep the troupe going, I tried everything. I went everywhere to solicit sponsorship and investment, but there were too few people willing to support traditional opera. I also tried to change the performance format and add some modern elements, hoping to attract more audiences, but the results were not satisfactory." Gu Nianzhi sighed deeply, and the sigh was full of helplessness and frustration. Her voice seemed like the bleak wind in late autumn, with endless desolation.

Gu Nianzhi's eyes were dim, and she felt bitter when recalling those days of running around. "Every time I discussed cooperation with hope, I was always rejected coldly. Those so-called businessmen only care about profit and don't understand the value of opera at all." Her lips trembled slightly, as if she was telling of unspeakable pain.

"The monthly rent, actors' salaries, props and costume costs are like mountains that are suffocating me. I keep running around and working hard, but I still can't withstand the pressure of reality." Her voice became deeper and deeper, as if she was unable to straighten her back due to the heavy burden.

Gu Nianzhi's fingers tapped the steering wheel unconsciously, and each tap seemed to vent her inner anxiety. "I'm really tired. Sometimes I feel like a person groping alone in the dark, unable to find a way out." There seemed to be a black hole in her heart, constantly devouring her confidence and courage.

"In fact, I was going to sell that Phoenix-inlaid Kingfisher Hairpin to pay the rent, but I didn't expect it to bring me to your world." Gu Nianzhi's eyes were full of regret and helplessness. She recalled the surprise she felt when she found the hairpin, thinking it could be her life-saving straw, but she didn't expect that fate would play such a huge joke on her.

"Why does fate play such a trick on me? When I thought I had grasped hope, I was ruthlessly thrown into a deeper abyss." Gu Nianzhi lamented in her heart, tears welling up in her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall.

"That is to say, the rent problem was not solved before you traveled through time." Sima Yao's expression became serious, and he began to truly realize the seriousness of the predicament that Gu Nianzhi was facing.