Chapter 16: I’m Not Falling for That

Exposed for his true intentions, Gu Zhizhi’s expression grew subtly complicated. It was true—he had only considered his own interests. He hadn’t given a single thought to the troubles that might arise from keeping a young woman by his side.

As Ruan Cha dialed the phone, before the call to Shen Changqing connected, her mobile suddenly vanished from her palm. A slender, cold hand appeared before her eyes. In the next instant, Gu Zhizhi took the phone, pressed the red hang-up button without a second thought, then tossed it aside and turned to stand before her.

His body drew close, carrying a faint citrus scent. Ruan Cha immediately recognized this familiar fragrance—it was the woody perfume she had crafted herself. Globally limited edition. Top-tier luxury. Ordinary people could never even hope to reserve a bottle.

By the time she realized all this, Gu Zhizhi’s face was already just inches from hers. His breath lingered at her ear, delicate and tingling.

Ruan Cha stiffened. “What are you doing?”

Gu Zhizhi didn’t move. He waited until he’d checked her seatbelt thoroughly before returning to the driver’s seat, his arm draped lazily over the steering wheel, exuding an inexplicable charm.

Ruan Cha retrieved her phone, opened Weibo, and immediately began to edit a post: [The mysterious eldest son of the Gu Group has returned to the country, and he actually did such a thing to his illegitimate daughter. She’s just a child!] As soon as she was about to hit send, the sports car, which had been stationary, shot forward like an arrow released from a bow!

Her phone, caught by inertia, slammed against the roof of the car and then dropped straight down. Instinctively, she screamed in sync with the motion. “Ahhhhh!”

Though secretly, when she was racing herself, she’d experienced far greater thrills.

–

It had to be said—Gu Zhizhi’s driving skills were truly exceptional. His arm rested lazily on the steering wheel, muscular and refined, and his eyes, dark as ink, were fixed ahead, casual and indifferent, but the speedometer shot up to two hundred.

Ruan Cha could feel the wind outside the window slicing across her face, sharp and biting. What should have been a journey of several hours took only a little over an hour in Gu Zhizhi’s sports car, and they arrived at the villa nestled in the mountains.

By the time the car slowed and entered the villa’s parking area, Ruan Cha’s face was numb from the wind. She got out, raising her hand to rub her cheeks, which had lost all feeling.

Gu Zhizhi shut the car door, turned, and strode toward the villa on his long legs. He hadn’t gone far when the sound of hurried footsteps caught up behind him.

“Why didn’t you wait for me?” she complained.

He glanced down at Ruan Cha, who was rubbing her cheeks and glaring up at him, indignation in her eyes.

“Do you not have legs?” His voice was as cool and indifferent as ever, devoid of warmth.

Ruan Cha dug her fingers harder into her cheeks until the soft skin flushed red. “Is this how you treat me?” she muttered, lowering her head. After a couple of seconds in silence, she turned and headed in the opposite direction. “I’d better go back to the old man. Nobody here cares for me. Either I get mocked or barely acknowledged…”

She finished with a sigh and shuffled away, her steps growing smaller and more distant.

Gu Zhizhi couldn’t fathom Ruan Cha’s sudden change in mood. But as his gaze lingered on her slender, sorrowful figure, a hint of helplessness flickered in his ink-dark eyes.

“Ruan Cha, don’t play the victim with me. I’m not buying it,” he said, face impassive.

He caught up quickly, raised his hand, and pinched the back of her delicate, porcelain neck.

Ruan Cha, walking along peacefully, was stunned. “…?”

What the hell.

Was Gu Zhizhi even human?

Why was he pinching her neck?