Chapter 79: Forced Kiss!
Seeing the interaction between the two, the livestream comments erupted—
“Ahhh! I can’t take it anymore! He actually asked her to call him ‘Zhi Zhi Gege’!”
“This is too sweet! I’m dying from the sugar! I thought he was the silent, stoic type, but I was so wrong. Who would have thought a man with a face as expressionless as his could be so gentle with her?”
“They’re so close—why aren’t they kissing yet? Kiss! Someone push their heads together!”
…
The director, watching the barrage of comments, was so excited he nearly jumped out of his seat.
This was exactly the effect he wanted!
Compared to this, Gu Jiayan and Ruan Wei on the other side were a complete mess. Anyone in the know would see this was a romance variety show, but to the uninitiated, it looked like a low-budget Mary Sue idol drama.
…
Ruan Cha and Gu Zhenzhi made their way further up the mountain together.
After a short distance, their path was blocked by an obstacle set up by the production team. To continue, they needed to complete a task.
Ruan Cha glanced at the task board. The challenges were all sweet and intimate, designed to nurture romance between couples—wholly beneficial.
“Welcome to the first stop of our ‘Love Journey’! To keep climbing, you must complete one of our tasks. Otherwise, you can’t proceed.”
A staff member in sunglasses lined up the backs of the task boards. “Pick one at random. Once you finish the task you draw, you can pass and move on.”
Ruan Cha stepped forward and picked one from the middle.
The staff member drew out her chosen card. Written on it was—“Love at First Sight.”
“This task means: the two guests must recall the feeling of their very first meeting, then gaze deeply into each other’s eyes for three minutes without smiling. If you hold out, you succeed.”
Ruan Cha listened, then turned to face Gu Zhenzhi. “Zhi Zhi Gege, let’s start~”
This challenge wasn’t too difficult.
A staff member readied the timer. At the signal, Gu Zhenzhi’s dark, fathomless eyes fell on Ruan Cha’s face.
Ruan Cha was used to smiling with her eyes, but now, not allowed to, she forced herself to tighten her jaw, cheeks puffed slightly.
At that moment, Gu Zhenzhi’s gaze flickered almost imperceptibly.
In his mind, the memory of their first encounter surfaced unbidden.
She had rushed up to him, heedless of everything, thrown her arms around his leg, and shouted, “Daddy—!”
Looking back, their meeting seemed almost meticulously orchestrated—Ruan Cha acting cute, feigning pitifulness, clearly aiming for his sympathy.
He had never fallen for such antics, yet somehow, without realizing it, his heart—once calm and undisturbed—had begun to ripple, again and again.
Lost in these thoughts, Gu Zhenzhi snapped back to reality.
His fingers, hanging at his side, curled tightly; his knuckles pale.
His mind was in disarray.
He realized… he truly was losing his composure because of Ruan Cha…
A sharp pang seized his heart. He drew several rapid breaths, then, unable to bear it, broke eye contact with her.
His dark gaze fell, lashes veiling the emotion in his eyes.
Ruan Cha, watching his eyes, clearly sensed his turmoil—the struggle and complexity in his gaze subtly and deeply pierced her heart.
Her back went rigid.
Without thinking, she took a step forward.
An inexplicable emotion overwhelmed her reason, propelling her onward.
Suddenly!
Just as Gu Zhenzhi averted his gaze, his mind a tangled mess, Ruan Cha rose on tiptoe, closing the distance to his eyes—