Bound for Years

[Rebirth + both virgins + sweet romance + coercive love + imprisonment + desperate pursuit after a breakup + palace and household intrigue] [Fallen daughter of a ruined former dynasty chancellor's family × new emperor, an obsessive, cunning, sinister man] In her previous life, Shen Ningxuan's clan was wiped out and her family destroyed. Reborn and left all alone, she gradually drew closer to Su Yu, the new emperor of the realm, in order to clear her father's name. She planned each move carefully, never expecting to find herself gradually swept into his tender embrace. One night in the bath, he gripped her chin, his gaze dark, and said, “You were the one who came after me first. Give yourself to me.” Once her heart stirred, her feelings were impossible to contain. Until his long-lost first love returned, shattering the last thread of restraint she had left. “You don't love me purely. I'll leave with my dignity intact.” After she left, he went completely mad. Late at night, he pinned her beneath him and bound her there. His slender fingers slowly traced the golden ring locked around her ankle, his sinister eyes flushed red with desire. “This time, there's nowhere for you to run... Shen Ran, even if you die, you'll die in my arms...” (The leads truly love each other. The first love is only a catalyst for their relationship, and the heroine is not a substitute in the hero's eyes. The first half focuses on palace intrigue, the second on the push and pull of their relationship. The heroine is clearheaded and principled. The hero is jealous and lovesick, willing to bend for her. They keep each other on edge, with lots of sweet moments and only some angst in the middle and later parts. Happy ending.) Second male lead Zhou Jingce: Gentle and refined on the outside, a cold-blooded general on the inside. He keeps his feelings hidden, with a twist in store.