Chapter 80: Why Did You Kiss Me?

In the next instant, her hands braced on the man’s shoulders, a light kiss brushed the corner of Gu Zhenzhi’s lips.

Their warm breaths mingled, and as Gu Zhenzhi lowered his gaze, all he could see were the girl’s trembling lashes.

His heartbeat suddenly quickened.

The once-calm heart in his chest was now infected by the heat surging through his body, shattering all his composure and reason.

Gu Zhenzhi’s mind was in disarray.

His gaze was fixed, his limbs frozen as if bound, unable to move.

Realizing what she had just done, Ruan Cha swiftly regained her composure. Her ears tinged red as she turned apologetically to the staff nearby. “I’m sorry, we failed the task.”

As she spoke, she was enveloped in a searing flush.

All she could think about was—she had just kissed Gu Zhenzhi!

Ruan Cha, where on earth was your self-control?!

You’re supposed to win Gu Zhenzhi’s heart to move the story forward, but this was going too far—how could you kiss him before even confirming anything between you two?

Forcing herself to calm down, Ruan Cha asked, “If we failed the task, does that mean we can’t continue?”

The staff member, unsettled by the inexplicable tension between them, nodded absentmindedly. “You can go in.”

“...?”

Ruan Cha blinked in confusion, then hurried forward without a second thought.

She’d only taken a few steps.

Then Ruan Cha turned back.

Her gaze met those deep, ink-dark eyes.

Beneath his calm exterior, a storm of emotion surged, too raw to conceal.

“Gu—Gu Zhenzhi, let’s go!” Ruan Cha forced herself to be bold, grabbing Gu Zhenzhi’s hand and breaking into a run up the mountain, afraid the staff would change their minds.

Gu Zhenzhi let himself be led for a while, then stopped. He walked up to the cameraman. “Sorry, we’ll have to pause filming for a bit.”

With that, he turned, still holding Ruan Cha’s hand, and led her deeper into the woods.

Ruan Cha followed close behind, acutely aware that the hand which usually felt so cool was now burning with heat.

When they reached the secluded depths of the forest, well away from the rest of the crew, Gu Zhenzhi slowly released her hand.

He didn’t look at her, his tall, slender figure turned away.

“Why did you kiss me?”

His voice was low and weighted, thick with suppressed emotion.

Silence fell around them.

Ruan Cha’s back went rigid, her fingers twisting together, so tense she could barely breathe.

After a long moment, she clenched her fists. “If I said it was an accident, would you... believe me?”

“Ruan Cha, do you think this is funny?”

His tone was tinged with coldness and a trace of hostility. He turned, his indifferent eyes settling on her, their stillness edged with chill.

His gaze made her chest tighten with unease.

She’d indeed been too abrupt. With Gu Zhenzhi’s sensitive, cautious nature, such sudden closeness would only breed suspicion. Yet, after all this time together, Ruan Cha had thought he’d begun to feel something for her.

But the look in his eyes now...

“We’re not suited for each other. There’s no possibility between us.” His deep gaze rested on her face, watching as her eyes grew red and misted with unshed tears.

His heart twisted painfully.

But these things had to be made clear.

There could be no feelings between them, and he would never permit a woman to enter his life.

He would not allow anyone to become his weakness.

Gu Zhenzhi’s words echoed in Ruan Cha’s ears.

She stood there in a daze for a couple of seconds.

A wave of stifled hurt welled up from her chest, impossible to contain.