Chapter 98 Finally

The man's roar exploded in the air, every word hysterical, making Ruan Yi's eardrums ache.

The girl stood frozen in place, her face full of confusion.

The two people by the door also focused their gazes on Ruan Yi, looking at her trembling shoulders with a hint of seriousness in their eyes.

Silence reigned in the room.

Ruan Yi's gaze slowly moved down and landed on Shen Xun's hand, which was tightly gripping the test results.

The veins on his hands bulged, and he gripped the paper with such force that it seemed he wanted to crush it.

Ruan Yi suddenly pulled the report away. Even though she had just finished soaking in the hot spring, she was sweating profusely.

The man in her arms had sat up straight at some point.

He offered no explanation, simply watching her quietly. Those familiar and kind eyes were now so calm it sent chills down one's spine.

Gu Zhi even turned slightly to the side to make it easier for her to look through the report, as if he were the one who had been exposed, not someone else who had nothing to do with him.

Ruan Yi sat on the tatami mat, turning the pages one by one.

At first, his movements were a little stiff, but later his fingers trembled more and more violently, and the sound of paper rubbing became increasingly jarring in the deathly silent room.

The girl's breathing gradually became erratic, as if someone was choking her, each breath accompanied by a slight tremor.

My chest heaved violently, but I couldn't breathe in much air.

How could this be...?

Her mind felt like it was a jumble of threads, a chaotic mess that was driving her crazy.

Those inexplicable emotional fluctuations, those sudden surges of disgust and fear, those unwarranted aversions to Shen Xun and Fu Jingchen...

Is this really not what she should have thought? And what about the setting of the novel's world—is that also fake?

But she was clearly reborn!

This is the person who follows her around every day, calling her "sister," who has been with her for so many years, with whom she can talk about anything, and who offers her a shoulder to lean on when she is sad.

Did they really distort her perception and control her mind in this way without her knowledge?

Ruan Yi couldn't believe it, but she had no choice but to stare at the shocking test data on the report and the abnormal indicators that were circled.

“I know…” A deep, hoarse voice suddenly rang out, carrying an almost raspy quality.

"I'm a fucking idiot, I can't speak softly, and I can't even bring myself to apologize."

His Adam's apple bobbed, and his eyes welled up with years of suppressed grievances and resentment.

"But I really tried. After you blocked all my contact methods, I wrote you so many letters, countless since the day we argued. I wanted to ask you out, even if it was just to let you hit me! I thought about it..."

Shen Xun paused for a moment, then realized there were three other men in the room. His voice, choked with sobs, abruptly stopped.

He had also thought that if Ruan Yi was willing to come out and have a proper talk with him, he would even chase after Ruan Yi, kneel down, and kowtow to apologize.

My clenched fists are still trembling, and I'm still regretting it. Why did I have to wait until private? Why didn't I just go to her house and kowtow to apologize?

I was young and naive, and it was because of that worthless pride that things have developed into what they are now.

If he and Ruan Yi had reconciled, would this scheming woman still have a role?

The man took a step forward, his tall figure blocking the light from reaching the girl.

In the backlight, his gaunt face was not clearly visible.

"Did you even see those letters? The gifts I asked Gu Zhi to give you, those things I made by hand, things I collected little by little... you never responded to them even once."

"Is it that you don't want to forgive me, or..."

His gaze suddenly swept over Gu Zhi, who remained silent beside him, his tone seemingly containing a suppressed pain.

"He didn't give it to you even once?"

Ruan Yi looked up abruptly, her eyes filled with pure shock. "A letter? What letter?"

"An apology gift? I've never received one..."

"Bang—!" A loud explosion rang out.

The man kicked the low coffee table next to him hard, causing the heavy table to overturn and shatter teacups and teaware into pieces.

"Damn! Finally..." Finally, we've figured it out completely.

His voice was filled with overwhelming anger and deep regret.

It turns out that it wasn't that she couldn't forgive him; it was that he had personally handed the knife to the enemy, and that he was indulging in wishful thinking.

Looking at Gu Zhi's still calm face, Shen Xun felt like the most stupid fool in the world.

The private room fell silent once again.

The lab report in Ruan Yi's hand fell to the ground, and she stared blankly at everything in front of her.

The last thread in my mind seemed to snap completely with that loud bang.

The girl's breathing grew more rapid, fragmented, and trembling, making one's heart tighten.

All eyes were fixed on her, and they all subconsciously held their breath, afraid of disturbing the girl's fragile mental state.

The girl suddenly plunged her fingertips into her hair, covered her forehead with her palm, and her knuckles turned white from the force.

Her temples throbbed as if countless needles were pricking them, and the "truths" forcibly crammed into her mind were clashing violently with her original memories.

She was supposed to be the villainous female supporting character in a novel, but after her rebirth, she was cautious and extremely hostile towards the other main characters, while unconditionally trusting Gu Zhi...

But now, the facts tell her that none of this might be true? Her emotions were being manipulated?

The evidence was laid out on the ground, and the person she was protecting in her arms remained silent, offering no rebuttal.

"How is that possible..."

The headache intensified, her vision began to darken, and chaotic images swirled and tore through her mind, causing her so much pain that she almost curled up in agony.

Her breathing suddenly became rapid, her chest heaving violently, and each of her breaths was accompanied by a faint gasp, making one's heart tighten.

"elder sister."

A familiar, gentle voice rang in my ears, carrying just the right amount of concern.

The next second, Ruan Yi felt herself being gently pulled into someone's arms, enveloped by a familiar scent, carrying the faint fragrance she knew well.

That was the scent that Ah Zhi always carried.

The man's arms were wrapped around her shoulders and back, the pressure light but carrying a sense of restraint that made her feel uncontrollably at ease.

"It's okay, sister, look at me."

Gu Zhi's voice was right next to her ear, low and light as a feather. He reached out his fingertips and gently brushed her earlobe, the movement carrying the familiarity of many years.

He gently lifted her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes, which were now filled with focused tenderness, eyes that always seemed so pure.

"Your head hurts, right? Don't think about anything else, just look at me and listen to me..."

The man's warm fingertips repeatedly caressed her earlobe, the warm touch carrying a strange soothing power, like pressing a switch.

Ruan Yi's confused consciousness seemed to be drawn by this familiar movement. Her breathing actually slowed down a bit, and the pain in her eyes faded slightly, replaced by a layer of bewildered mist.

"Tsk." Pei Lian suddenly scoffed softly, his eyes narrowing into slits.

“Systemic sensory deprivation,” the man explained softly to the two people beside him.

"To make a person's vision, touch, smell, and thoughts all focus on a certain thing, unsurprisingly, it is one of the conditions for creating control that they have been doing for many years by repeatedly performing such specific actions..."

Pei Lian tapped his fingertips lightly on his side, a chill running through his heart.

This method is not precise enough. If it were him, given this close relationship, he could have easily succeeded.

He could have easily turned the girl into a complete puppet, leaving her no chance of ever coming to her senses.

Fortunately, everyone has their own expertise, and the skill level was just lacking.

"Don't you fucking touch her!"

A deep, furious roar suddenly exploded, becoming unbearable.

He had to watch helplessly as Ruan Yi's eyes became glazed over, and as this beast used such despicable methods to soothe her. The anger in his chest almost burned away his reason.

Shen Xun suddenly reached out and grabbed Gu Zhi's collar, his other hand already clenched into a fist.

Just then, Fu Jingchen moved almost simultaneously with Shen Xun, and as Gu Zhi was pulled up, he steadily took Ruan Yi from that embrace.

Fu Jingchen's movements were quick and steady, his arms supporting her knees and back, the warmth of his palms seeping through the thin fabric.

"Xiaoyi, don't be afraid." He lowered his head, his voice deep and gentle, and patted her back lightly. "It's alright now."

A dull thud resounded.

The heavy fist slammed solidly into Gu Zhi's face.

Gu Zhi's head was turned to the side by the blow, and blood immediately seeped from the corner of his mouth, but his gaze went over his heavy shoulders and remained fixed on Ruan Yi, who was being carried away.

There was no anger in his eyes, only an almost eerie calm, as if he wasn't the one who had been beaten.

After the girl was switched into another embrace, the headache that had been forcibly suppressed surged back up. She closed her eyes, her long eyelashes trembling, struggling with the memories in her mind.

She remembered many things.

But she couldn't figure it out...