I Won't Be with You

A sweet, delicate princess x a cool, reserved tutor. Marriage before love / rekindled romance

Little Princess Ji He liked Tutor Shen Changze more than anyone. Everyone knew it.

To pursue Shen Changze, Ji He followed her crown prince brother to class every day. Of course, the crown prince was there to study, while Ji He was there to keep her eyes on Shen Changze.

"Tutor, wait for me! You're walking so fast, I can't keep up."

Ji He was utterly obedient to Shen Changze. If he told her to go east, she would never go west.

Ji He pursued Shen Changze for three years. Even a rock should have warmed up after three years, but Shen Changze remained unmoved, still giving Ji He the cold shoulder.

Ji He wasn't upset at all. She snacked and cheered herself on. "It's fine. If I can't win him over in three years, I'll try for another three. I'll cling to him for the rest of my life!"

Truthfully, Ji He was a little unsure of herself. She had heard long ago that Shen Changze had someone else in his heart, someone who wasn't her.

But Ji He believed no one in the world could love Shen Changze more than she did. One day, he would see how wonderful she was. She could wait.

Then one day, Ji He dreamed that Shen Changze drove his beloved sword into her body with his own hands.

*

Shen Changze had been waiting for someone for many years.

He held half of a broken jade pendant and swore that he would marry no one but its owner.

So no matter how Ji He tried to win Shen Changze over, he acted as if he didn't notice.

Shen Changze knew Ji He liked him. He also knew that this high-and-mighty princess was willing to humble herself for his sake alone.

But he couldn't be with Ji He.

Shen Changze told Ji He, "Princess, do not waste your efforts on me. My heart belongs to someone else."

But Ji He just grinned. "That's all right. I can wait with you, Tutor."

It wasn't that Shen Changze had never been moved. Sometimes he even asked himself what exactly he was holding on to.

One day, Ji He fell from her horse in front of everyone to please him. He instinctively rushed forward and caught her as she fell.

Then Shen Changze saw half a jade pendant fall from Ji He's sleeve. It was the very piece he had been searching for all these years.

At the same time, he saw the vermilion mole beneath Ji He's collar.

Shen Changze was stunned. Holding the unconscious Ji He, he murmured in a daze, "So the person I've been waiting for all these years... was you?"

Ji He slept for a day and a night, and Shen Changze never left her side.

He decided that as soon as Ji He woke up, he would tell her how he felt.

But the first thing Ji He said when she woke up was, "Tutor, I don't want to love you anymore."

Bonus scene:

Shen Changze: "You were the one who asked for our marriage, and now you're the one asking for a divorce. Ji He, what do you want from me?"

Ji He: "Tutor, let's go our separate ways from now on."

Shen Changze: "Princess, don't think you can shake me off. I won't let go."

Ji He: ? Stay away from me! I still want to live.

Theme: He suffers the consequences, then realizes she's the one