Chapter 168: Brother Zhizhi Will Protect You

Her aggrieved little voice sounded as though she had suffered the greatest injustice in the world.

Yet, had her disciples been present to hear what she said, they would have instantly vomited blood.

What did she mean by having "some talent"?

Nowadays, who in the scientific research community didn't want to establish some sort of connection with her?

That was talent of the absolute highest caliber!

Gu Zhenzhi had not expected Ruan Cha to react so intensely. His usually cold and detached gaze softened slightly, and his palm rested gently upon the girl's back as a low voice rumbled from his throat, "Wild child."

With a slight roll of his throat, a low chuckle escaped him, "I never expected to pick up such a brilliantly clever little girl."

Her heart fluttering with a tingling sensation provoked by his deep voice, Ruan Cha looked up at Gu Zhenzhi in astonishment, "Aren't you angry?"

The man's gaze was as calm as an unrippled deep pool, "Why would I be angry?"

Ruan Cha twirled her fingers together, "That time because I kept the programming matter from you, you even wanted to kick me out of the house. So, every time something related to me came up afterward, I was always afraid you would feel deceived and become unhappy."

Looking into the girl's bright eyes, which were clouded with a misty haze, Gu Zhenzhi's eyes turned as deep as ink.

He had never anticipated that his previous reaction would leave such a deep psychological scar on her. For a moment, his eyelids lowered slightly, and a trace of guilt genuinely took root in his heart.

Realizing he was having such a thought, Gu Zhenzhi felt a slight tremor in his heart.

He had always been ruthless and cold-blooded, never showing sympathy or pity for those around him, employing methods so vicious they defied belief. From when on, exactly, had he actually begun to care about every little preoccupation of this girl...

Gu Zhenzhi possessed a prominent brow ridge and deep-set eyes; when he gazed at you intently, no young girl could resist the sensation of a startled deer darting wildly within her chest.

For a moment, Ruan Cha could not figure out what Gu Zhenzhi was thinking, but she could sense that the look he gave her was exceptionally gentle—so very gentle...

The fantastical notions of paranoia and darkness she had imagined previously seemed to melt away into thin air.

"Chacha," Gu Zhenzhi murmured softly, his features cool yet as tender as he could possibly manage, "At my core, I am a paranoid and selfish person. Many of the decisions and choices I make are subconscious defense mechanisms to protect myself; I never meant to hurt you."

Hearing Gu Zhenzhi say this, Ruan Cha was somewhat shocked. She had never imagined that Gu Zhenzhi would explain such things to her, because many things in life are beyond our control.

For instance, one's birth.

For instance, one's parents.

Not everyone in this world is blessed with parents who love them.

Some people spend their entire lives healing an unhappy childhood.

Subconscious indifference and alienation actually stem from fear and low self-esteem hidden deep within the heart.

Ruan Cha's heart trembled faintly. She wrapped her arms around Gu Zhenzhi's neck, burying her face in the crook of his shoulder, recalling the saying—once a person has love in their heart, they can no longer be a villain.

Perhaps Gu Zhenzhi had truly undergone a tremendous transformation because of her.

It was she who had remained trapped in her stereotyped impression of Gu Zhenzhi.

After hesitating for a moment, Ruan Cha clutched Gu Zhenzhi's neck and muttered into his shoulder, "Actually, my mother disappeared when I was very young. Later on, I was bullied quite terribly. In order to avoid being bullied again, I forced myself to grow continuously stronger. To numb myself back then, I dabbled in many different fields, and I don't remember much about many of those things. So when they brought them up, I felt genuinely lost as well. I didn't want to hide anything from you, but..."

At this point, her chest felt somewhat constricted.

Those unpleasant memories seemed to have crept back into her mind.

Before she could finish, she felt Gu Zhenzhi tighten his hold around her waist.

His voice was deep, magnetic, and supremely alluring as he murmured, "It won't happen again. Brother Zhizhi will protect you."

He would protect her with his very life.