He shook his head quickly, almost desperately.
"I had even made up my mind once. I thought I would ignore my mother’s last wishes, break off the engagement, and confess to you myself. I wanted to love you, only you. But that very same day, you exposed your identity. You misunderstand me, Gu Jin."
Gu Jin rolled her eyes and said coldly, "I do not believe you."
Her calm rejection was like ice water poured over his head.
But Long Yifan did not let go of her hand. He tightened his grip, his eyes shining with determination. "Then I will show you proof."
Before Gu Jin could even respond, he pulled out a small crystal device from his pocket. With a wave of his hand, it lit up, projecting glowing images into the air.
The first image showed Long Yifan sitting at his desk, writing something down in a notebook. His voice came out from the device, clear and steady. "Tomorrow, I will tell her. I will confess. I will not wait anymore." The timestamp on the side showed it was a week before Gu Jin had revealed her identity.
Another projection appeared. It showed Long Yifan in his training room, holding two rings in his palm. He was smiling to himself.
"Should I take her to the lake or the garden? Where should I propose? She will like the lake, I think. The water is peaceful, just like her smile."
Gu Jin’s eyes widened slightly, but she said nothing.
Long Yifan quickly moved to the next one. This time, he was sitting with his sister, hiding something behind his back. When she asked him what it was, he laughed and said,
"It is a surprise. I am planning for our wedding already. It is silly, but I cannot help it." The timestamp showed it was long before her identity was revealed.
One after another, the videos played. Each one showed his thoughts, his secret plans, his love that had been hidden. The crystal device did not lie. The dates were all real.
Long Yifan finally turned off the device. His hands shook as he put it away. Then, without hesitation, he knelt down in front of her.
Gu Jin stared at him, shocked by his sudden action.
Long Yifan looked up, his eyes filled with raw sincerity. "I have only loved you, Gu Jin. In my entire life, you are the only one I want. Not your identity. Not your status. Only you. Believe me... please."
The room was silent except for his trembling voice.
Gu Jin’s lips parted slightly, but no words came out. She did not know what to say.
Her heart was shaking, though her face still tried to remain calm. She lowered her gaze, her thoughts spinning in chaos.
Long Yifan stayed on his knees, his hand still holding hers, his eyes never leaving her face. "Even if you hate me right now," he whispered, "I will not give up. Not unless you truly tell me to leave forever."
Gu Jin was silent for a long time. Her eyes stayed on Long Yifan, who was still kneeling in front of her. The room was quiet, so quiet that even the sound of their breathing could be heard.
Finally, she spoke in a calm but tired voice. "I want time."
Long Yifan’s body stiffened. He shook his head slowly, almost like he could not believe her words.
"Time? Gu Jin, I have given you time. So much time. Again and again, I waited for you. But each time I stepped forward, you pushed me back. Each time I opened my heart, you closed yours. Do you know how it feels? Like every chance I gave you, you treated it as a signal to stay away from me."
His grip on her hand grew tighter. His eyes were no longer soft; they were filled with determination and pain.
"I am truly tired, Gu Jin," he whispered. "I admit it. I was wrong in the beginning. I was cruel. I ignored your feelings, I ignored you. But now, I will do anything to gain your forgiveness. Anything. If you want me to kneel, I will kneel. If you want me to fetch something impossible, I will fetch it. If you want to punish me, I will accept it all. Just..." His voice shook, and he lowered his head.
"Just do not make me suffer anymore. Do not make me fear that one day... you will never return my feelings."
Gu Jin’s eyes narrowed. A dangerous gleam shone in them. Her voice was cold. "So you know how it feels now? That same fear. That same desperation. You feel it now, do you?"
Long Yifan looked at her, his face pale. "What do you mean?"
Gu Jin leaned closer, her cold eyes flashing like hidden blades. "I, too, have felt that fear, Long Yifan. I, too, have been desperate. Do you know what I once thought of doing? I thought of kidnapping you."
"Yes," Gu Jin said with a bitter smile. "That was how pathetic I was. I thought if you would not look at me, then I would force you to. At that time, I even wondered if something was wrong with my mind, if something was broken inside me. I was truly pathetic."
She leaned back and her smile turned sharper, crueler.
"And now, looking at you, seeing you kneel, seeing you beg, I realize something. You are pathetic too."
Her words stabbed straight into his heart. Long Yifan’s body trembled as if he had been cut open. He swallowed hard, his voice breaking.
"Gu Jin... are you truly holding such a grudge against me?"
Gu Jin’s smile grew calm, almost peaceful.
"Yes. I am. What will you do now? Will you leave me after hearing this truth?" She slowly raised her hand and tapped his chest with her finger, her voice chilling.
"I will continue to ignore you. I will continue to hold this grudge for my entire lifetime. Are you ready to bear that?"
Long Yifan’s lips parted, but no words came out. His eyes searched her face, desperate to see if she was lying. But the seriousness in her eyes told him she meant every word. His chest tightened. For a moment, he thought he could not breathe.
Then suddenly, he chuckled. The sound was soft but strange.
Gu Jin’s eyes widened. She did not expect laughter at such a moment.
Long Yifan gently lifted her hand and pressed his lips to it, kissing it as though it was something holy. His eyes gleamed with a strange, unshakable light.
"It is alright. When I love you, I love all of you. Your beauty, your strength, and yes... even your grudges. Even if you keep hating me for the smallest things, I will accept it. If you want to stab my heart every night, I will accept that too. Because all of it... is you."
Gu Jin’s breath caught. She stared at him, stunned by his words. For a moment, she did not know what to say.
Finally, she gritted her teeth. "Are you some kind of masochist?"
Long Yifan chuckled softly.
"No. I am not. But I love you too much, Gu Jin. I cannot let you go. Just like you once felt desperate for me, I feel desperate now. I cannot bear the thought of losing you. If you trample on my pride, if you crush my self-esteem, I will still stay. As long as you love me back, even just a little, I will stay."
Gu Jin’s eyes flickered. Her heart trembled, but she quickly hid it with sarcasm. "You are being too filmy."
Long Yifan smiled, his voice gentle. "Then for you, I am ready to be filmy again and again. If it makes you smile, if it makes you look at me again, I will play that role without shame."
Gu Jin pulled her hand away at last and said coldly, "I want space."
This time, Long Yifan did not argue. Instead, he tilted his head and asked casually, "Do you want to eat something?"
Gu Jin blinked. She had not expected that question. She was not hungry before, but when he asked, her stomach gave a quiet growl. She quickly looked away, embarrassed. "I am fine."
But Long Yifan chuckled. "No, you are not. I will make your favorite."
Without waiting for her reply, he stood up and walked out of the room.
Gu Jin stared after him, completely speechless. She had just told him she wanted space, yet he ignored it like it was nothing.
"This guy..." she muttered softly. "Is he even listening to my words?"
But as she sat there, a strange feeling spread through her chest. Her heart, which had been heavy for so long, suddenly felt lighter.
Something had been lifted, something she had been carrying for years. It was... relief. A strange kind of relief she could not explain.