She lowered her eyes slightly, her gaze falling on the spot where he had just hugged her. After a moment of silence, she spoke softly, "I'm fine. You can go back now. I'll come back to you after I've finished dealing with things here."

"Nonsense!" Gu Zhixing looked up into her eyes, his tone tinged with reproach. "Nothing's wrong yet, and you've already been locked in the woodshed! What's next? Are you going to kill me?"

His brow furrowed slightly, his eyes filled with unease: "Don't you really value your life?"

Shen Jintang smiled self-deprecatingly, the corners of her mouth slightly upturned, but with a hint of bitterness: "Your Highness, I've told you before, I want to live, I want to live well, but I have nothing. I only have this one life, and if I want to live well, I can only gamble with this life, to try to win a better future."

"And I am here. I will protect you." Gu Zhixing's voice was firm, and his eyes were full of seriousness.

Shen Jintang looked at him, a hint of seriousness in her eyes: "Will you protect me for the rest of my life?"

Her voice was very soft, but it sounded like she was asking herself.

Who can protect someone for a lifetime?

“Why not?” Gu Zhixing blurted out, his eyes filled with certainty.

Shen Jintang looked into his eyes, but Gu Zhixing suddenly felt a little embarrassed and lowered his head slightly.

Shen Jintang suddenly felt a wave of weakness. She gently exhaled a breath of stale air and tried to change the subject: "Your Highness, I'm serious. I have things to do. I'll come back to you when I'm done."

“I’m serious. I’m your support. You don’t have to gamble with your life.” Gu Zhixing looked up into her eyes, his gaze filled with determination.