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

Sima Yao looked at Gu Nianzhi's silent profile, and the disappointment in his heart surged like a tide. His eyes gradually dimmed, and the originally ardent expectations were extinguished bit by bit by the cold silence. He didn't understand why Gu Nianzhi couldn't give him a clear answer. Were the ups and downs they had experienced, the days of mutual support, not enough for her to firmly choose him?

His thoughts were in a mess, and memories came flooding back like a tide. He remembered them running in the rain together, their laughter sounded especially clear under the beating of raindrops; he remembered them making wishes under the starry sky, their eyes meeting each other, as if they could see eternity. Those beautiful moments kept flashing in his mind, forming a sharp contrast with Gu Nianzhi's silence at the moment.

Sima Yao's heart was filled with pain and confusion. He didn't understand why love was so difficult, why they had to face so many obstacles and hesitations even though they loved each other. He felt like he was groping in the dark and couldn't find a way out. He wanted to question Gu Nianzhi loudly to break the suffocating silence, but he was afraid of hearing an answer that would break his heart even more.

The atmosphere in the car became increasingly oppressive. Sima Yao breathed heavily, and every breath seemed to carry a lead weight pressing on his chest. He looked out the window at the rapidly receding street scene. The lights and figures became blurry, as if the whole world was moving away from him. His fingers unconsciously rubbed the seat, as if he was looking for a trace of comfort.

Gu Nianzhi felt Sima Yao's loss, and her heart ached. She wanted to explain, wanted to tell him about her inner struggles and fears, but when the words came to her lips, she didn't know where to start. She was afraid that her words would hurt him even more, and that once she opened her mouth, she would never be able to take it back.

Sima Yao's voice broke the silence again, with a hint of despair and helplessness: "Nianzhi, I really don't understand, are our feelings so insignificant in your eyes?" His voice was hoarse and filled with deep pain.

Gu Nianzhi's eyes were moist, she bit her lip, trying to control her emotions. She knew her silence was hurting Sima Yao, but she really didn't know how to choose.

The car continued to move on the road, but their hearts seemed lost in the vast night.

"Nianzhi, what are you worried about?" Sima Yao's voice was filled with anxiety and confusion. His voice echoed in the small space of the car, like a stone thrown into a calm lake, breaking the silence. His eyes were fixed on Gu Nianzhi, burning with anxiety, his brows were furrowed, and the veins on his forehead were slightly bulging, as if he was trying to suppress the surging emotions in his heart.

Gu Nianzhi took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. Her chest rose and fell, as if she was trying to calm the waves in her heart. "Sima Yao, you don't understand. We come from different worlds, with different backgrounds and lives. I don't know if we can really adapt to each other after we are together, and whether we can overcome the difficulties that are bound to arise." Her voice trembled slightly, and every word seemed to be squeezed out from between her teeth, with deep helplessness and worry. Her eyes wandered, and she didn't dare to look Sima Yao in the eye. She just stared at the road ahead, holding the steering wheel even harder with both hands, and her knuckles turned pale due to excessive force.

Sima Yao frowned, his brows tightly twisted into a "川" shape, his face full of confusion and unwillingness. "These are not problems. As long as we love each other and as long as we are willing to work hard for each other, everything can be solved." His voice was firm and powerful, as if he was announcing his determination to the whole world. His eyes became more and more determined, shooting straight at Gu Nianzhi, trying to convey his inner persistence and belief with his eyes. "Nianzhi, I am not afraid of difficulties or challenges. As long as I can be with you, I am willing to do anything." His heart beat like a drum, and every beat was accompanied by deep affection for Gu Nianzhi and expectations for the future.

Gu Nianzhi shook her head gently, her hair swaying slightly with the movement, gleaming a dim luster under the dim light in the car. "Love is not everything, Sima Yao. Reality is cruel, and we can't make decisions based on impulse." There was a hint of bitterness in her voice, as if she had tasted the bitterest fruit in life. Her eyes revealed a deep fatigue and confusion, like a child lost in the dark, unable to find the way forward. "I have experienced too many setbacks and disappointments. I am afraid of getting hurt again, afraid that our love will fall apart under the weight of reality." Her heart was struggling painfully, on the one hand, she had a deep love for Sima Yao, and on the other hand, she was afraid and uneasy about reality.

The car fell into silence again, with only the music on the radio playing tirelessly. The melodious melody seemed so abrupt at this moment, and it was out of tune with the heavy atmosphere in the car. Sima Yao looked at the night view outside the car window, feeling extremely confused and helpless. The city lights were brilliant and the neon lights were flashing, but all this prosperity could not illuminate the darkness in his heart. His eyes were empty, looking at the lights and buildings that were receding rapidly, as if his soul was also lost in this endless night.

He didn't know how to make Gu Nianzhi put down her worries, nor did he know where their future would go. He felt like he was drifting in a vast ocean, without direction or support. "Are we really going to miss each other like this?" He asked himself silently in his heart, and every word was like a sharp knife, piercing his heart. "No, I'm not willing to give up. I can't just give up like this." He clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deep into his palms, but he didn't feel any pain.

Sima Yao seemed to see Gu Nianzhi's hesitation and entanglement. He whispered, "You don't need to answer me now. I know you have many concerns. But I just want you to know that for me, you are the only one, not a candidate, let alone a backup." His voice was soft, but with an unquestionable firmness. His eyes were full of affection and tenderness, as if they could melt Gu Nianzhi. In fact, he was also nervous in his heart, not knowing whether his words could move the woman in front of him who made him love and helpless, but he still chose to express it bravely, even if the result was unknown.

Gu Nianzhi's heart moved. These words were not a confession but better than a confession. It would be a lie to say that she was not moved. She could feel her heartbeat suddenly speeding up, as if it was about to burst out of her chest. At that moment, countless scenes of her time with Sima Yao flashed through her mind. Those gentle moments, those affectionate gazes, all made her heart surge. She remembered Sima Yao's slightly shy but sincere smile when they first met; she remembered them walking in the park together, Sima Yao picked a flower for her and gently pinned it in her hair; she remembered them supporting each other in the face of difficulties, Sima Yao's firm eyes and warm embrace.

However, the reality was like a mountain pressing down on her heart, making it difficult for her to respond to this feeling. She was afraid that her choice would be a mistake and that it would hurt Sima Yao. "What should I do?" She cried out in pain in her heart. Her heart was like a fierce war, with reason and emotion constantly fighting. She wanted to take that step bravely to embrace this love, but fear made her steps heavy.

Sima Yao waited quietly, and the air in the car seemed to freeze. His eyes never left Gu Nianzhi, expecting her to respond even a little. Time seemed to stop at this moment, and only the sound of their breathing and heartbeats intertwined in the silence.

Gu Nianzhi finally turned her head, tears glistening in her eyes. "Sima Yao, I..." Her voice was choked with sobs, and the words came to her lips but could not be said. Her heart was full of contradictions and struggles, and she didn't know how to face this deep love.

But she really couldn't give a definite answer. Gu Nianzhi bit her lip, and her pearly teeth touched her delicate lips, leaving a shallow mark. Her heart was full of contradictions and struggles, like two surging tides colliding fiercely in the depths of her heart. She knew Sima Yao's true love for her, and that true love was as hot as a burning fire, but she was afraid that this true love would be vulnerable in the face of the test of reality. She was afraid of getting hurt, afraid of losing, and even more afraid of giving hope but eventually facing despair. It was a fear that went deep into her bones, following her like a shadow, making every step so difficult for her when facing this relationship.

"I brought you here this time just to let you know how different our worlds are." Gu Nianzhi held the steering wheel, staring straight ahead, pretending to be calm and indifferent as she spoke slowly. But her slightly trembling hands betrayed the turmoil in her heart. The trembling was so subtle that it was hard to detect without careful observation, but for the sensitive Sima Yao at the moment, it was like a thunderclap that shook the world. She didn't dare to turn her head to look into Sima Yao's eyes, for fear of losing her last sanity in that affectionate gaze. She knew very well that once her eyes met his, the wall of her heart that she had built with great difficulty would collapse in an instant.

"You and I are in different worlds. We are not on the same channel or the same road. The obstacle between us is not whether we love each other, but whether we can." She said every word with great difficulty, as if she had used up all her strength. Her voice trembled in the air in the car, like the last fallen leaf in late autumn, swaying. With every word she uttered, her heart felt like it was pierced by a sharp needle, stinging extremely. She was crying in her heart, and her tears gathered into a river, flowing in the unknown corner of her heart. How she wished she could love Sima Yao without any scruples, and walk hand in hand in the streets and alleys like other couples, sharing the joys and sorrows of life. But she knew clearly that the difference between the two worlds was so huge, like a natural moat between them. It was an unbridgeable gap and an insurmountable obstacle.

"Why not? We all end up in the same place, so what's impossible?" Sima Yao was a little excited, and his voice was raised a little, with a bit of urgency and unwillingness. His face flushed red, and the veins on his forehead bulged, as if he was trying to suppress the volcano that was about to erupt in his heart. His eyes were full of eagerness and desire, which was the persistence in love and the expectation for the future. He clenched his hands into fists, and his knuckles turned white because of the force. The protruding joints seemed to tell of his inner anger and confusion. He didn't understand why Gu Nianzhi was so pessimistic. In his opinion, as long as there was love, everything could be overcome. Love should be an omnipotent force that can overcome all difficulties and obstacles.

"Nianzhi, as long as we truly love each other, as long as we are willing to work hard for each other, nothing can stop us!" Sima Yao's heart was shouting, and the sound echoed in his chest, shaking his heart and lungs. He wanted to rush over immediately and hug Gu Nianzhi in his arms, so that she could feel his determination. He wanted to let her know that he was willing to fight for this love, to struggle, and to break all the shackles. His breathing became rapid, and his heart beat like a drum, and every beat was accompanied by an affectionate call to Gu Nianzhi.

"Why can you and Cen Yu get engaged, but you can only play around with me?" Sima Yao's words were like a heavy bomb, instantly igniting the tense atmosphere in the car. His eyes were red, as if they were burned by a raging fire, with a hint of anger and unwillingness. The anger was like a blazing flame, burning his reason; the unwillingness was like a sharp thorn, piercing his heart. He thought of the news that Gu Nianzhi and Cen Yu were engaged, and his heart felt like it was cut by a knife. Every time he recalled that scene, it was as if an invisible knife had fiercely cut through his heart, leaving a series of wounds that could not be healed.

He didn't understand why Gu Nianzhi was so hesitant about him when she could choose someone else. Wasn't his love deep enough and sincere enough? Was everything he did for her meaningless? Countless question marks circled in his mind, making him fall into deep pain and confusion. He felt that his heart was broken into countless pieces at this moment, and each piece was trembling in the cold wind, cold and desperate.

When Gu Nianzhi heard this, her body trembled violently, as if she had been electrocuted. Her face turned pale instantly, and her lips opened slightly, but she could not make any sound. She had never thought that Sima Yao would mention this matter. It was the deepest pain in her heart and the most unspeakable secret. Her engagement with Cen Yu was not out of love, but due to family pressure and consideration of interests. But how could she explain these difficulties to Sima Yao?

Her eyes became empty, looking at the road ahead, but she seemed to see nothing. The pain in her heart surged like a tide, completely drowning her.