Zhou Qichen lowered his eyes and smiled bitterly, withdrawing his gaze from the live stream. "Yes, she deserves happiness."
In truth, his feelings for her had been genuine.
He, too, had fallen in love with Gu Sang at first sight.
But alas, he had lost to Pei Changying back then.
And now, he had lost to this man called Lu Mufei.
Each time, he was held back by an invisible barrier.
Last time, it was authority!
This time, it was the gulf of distance, the helpless abandonment of different times and spaces!
Among all the ancient people watching the live stream, except for Pei Changying who didn't want Gu Sang to accept Lu Mufei, everyone else harbored the hope that Gu Sang could find happiness, silently cheering in their hearts: Divine Lady, say yes to him!
As for Gu Sang, the focus of attention, she gazed at the enthusiasm in Lu Mufei's eyes as he expressed his most sincere feelings for her, word by word.
She had never imagined that Lu Mufei had liked her for so many years.
But...
She didn't want to date, marry, or have children. Or rather, she was still so young that she didn't want to consider these things at all!
A thousand words rolled on Gu Sang's tongue. She took a deep breath and decisively placed the eleven red roses on the gift box, then stepped back.
"Senior Lu, thank you for your affection, but I'm sorry!"
As soon as she spoke—
The entire place fell into dead silence.
The cheering of friends and classmates came to an abrupt halt.
The smile on Lu Mufei's face froze, turning into disbelief and fear. Finally, he asked with a trembling voice, "W-why? Sang Sang, am I not good enough?"
Gu Sang shook her head and said sincerely, "You're wonderful. As a friend, as a confidant, you're great. The problem lies with me."
"I'm not even twenty-two yet. I'm still very young. There are so many things I haven't tried, experiences I haven't had. I prefer freedom, and I want to achieve self-realization."
"I'm afraid of marriage and children, afraid of integrating into another family, afraid of dealing with various interpersonal relationships, afraid of marital disputes and incompatibility, and most of all, afraid of losing myself."
"I'm sorry!"
Gu Sang's rejection undoubtedly caught everyone off guard.
Hiding behind the great hall, Gu Qingrou bit her handkerchief, worrying that Gu Sang might still have feelings for the Emperor in her heart, which was why she rejected other men's advances.
She recalled hearing storytellers say that some people are destined for a love-hate relationship. Could it be that the Emperor and Gu Sang were such a pair?
Zhou Qichen, however, inexplicably felt relieved, while at the same time feeling regretful about Gu Sang's rejection. The human heart is indeed complex.
Wanting you to be happy, yet unable to bear seeing you truly happy.
The Elder Princess recalled her previous discussion with Gu Sang about views on love, and smiled knowingly. "Sang Sang, whatever you choose, I support you. I believe that with your abilities, no matter which direction you choose, you won't live a poor life."
With Gu Sang's capabilities, even if she chose not to date or marry, she would still manage her life well into old age, without ending up miserable.
"Hahaha! Well rejected!"
"Sang Sang, you indeed still have Us in your heart."
"Although you usually don't show Us a kind face, your heart still leans towards Us." The only excited person present was Pei Changying, who laughed while slapping the table.
Gu Sang couldn't stand Pei Changying's smugness, nor his confidence and certainty.
She directly interrupted his fantasy: "Pei Changying, my rejection of him has nothing to do with you."
Pei Changying still maintained his 'I'm not listening, not listening, these are all Sang Sang's excuses, you just can't forget me, you like me the most' complacent attitude.
Gu Sang couldn't be bothered to deal with him anymore.
Lu Mufei was still kneeling on the ground. Seeing Gu Sang turn to leave, he anxiously called out, "Sang Sang, I'm sincere!"
"Besides, humans are social animals. You can't live alone for your entire life."
"You love freedom, and I won't restrict your freedom. You prefer simple interpersonal relationships, and I promise my parents won't bother you. I won't make you interact with circles you don't belong to. I can do the things you like with you."
Gu Sang shook her head, "That's not fair to you. Dating should be relaxed and enjoyable. Your likes shouldn't just follow mine, and you shouldn't lose yourself."
"Moreover, this isn't the main reason."
Some classmates around showed puzzled looks, wanting to step forward and persuade Gu Sang.
Don't let such a good man go!
In this era where only material things seem to matter, finding a man who truly loves you, who is wealthy and good-looking, is such a blessing.
If it were them, they would surely hold on tight.
"Gu Sang—"
"Let's go. This is between them. Let's go downstairs and take a look."
Chen Yun stepped in, interrupting those who wanted to persuade Gu Sang.
She envied Gu Sang for having Lu Mufei's sincere love, but she understood better that Gu Sang was strong and brave, with a different outlook on life from hers.
So although Chen Yun didn't understand, she respected Gu Sang's choice.
Just as Gu Sang trusted her unconditionally.
After everyone left, the rooftop was left to Gu Sang and Lu Mufei.
Lu Mufei still looked at Gu Sang with passionate sincerity, trying once more: "Sang Sang, I'm willing, so I won't feel it's unfair. Give me a chance to take care of you, or we can give it a try? Maybe you'll gradually get used to it."
"You said this isn't the main reason, so is the main reason that you're afraid of having children? With today's medical standards, you don't need to be afraid. No matter what happens, I'll be by your side."
"If it really comes to it, I can choose not to have children."
Gu Sang still firmly shook her head.
It's impossible to choose not to have children.
With the Lu family's billions in assets, his parents wouldn't agree. Moreover, a person's preferences are what they are. Even if he makes a choice against his will out of love now, what if he falls out of love in the future?
When he no longer loves, he will still choose to go in the direction he likes.
So Gu Sang was very clear about what she wanted.
She revealed a gentle smile, yet it was so distant that it made people afraid to approach: "I'm sorry, Senior!"
"I still can't do it, and many relationships can't be changed just because I insist. I see things too clearly."
"You're several years older than me. After accepting your love, you'll definitely be pressured to marry. Marriage means having children, after one child comes the second, then it's all about raising kids. I'm still so young, what about my dreams?"
"Perhaps due to my harrowing experiences over the past few years, I deeply cherish my life and freedom. In our great nation of China, despite our advanced medical techniques and healthcare, nearly 800-1000 women die daily during childbirth. I know this number is small, and it's unlikely to happen to me personally."
"However, pregnancy causes irreversible damage to a woman's body. Mothers undeniably invest more time and effort in childcare compared to fathers, which inevitably impacts their personal lives and careers significantly. This reality cannot be changed."
"I also fear enduring the hardships of a ten-month pregnancy. I'm scared of getting stretch marks on my belly, of urinary incontinence, of surgical procedures, of hair loss, of depression, of injections. I'm afraid of constantly compromising for the sake of the child, of being awakened by a baby's cries in the dead of night, of not being understood by others. I fear all the potential complications, but most of all, I'm terrified of losing myself."
