Chapter 9: The Pure Male Lead Makes His Appearance

A light blue taxi pulled up to the hotel entrance.

After settling the bill, Jiang Ning stepped out of the car, pulling her suitcase behind her.

Before being taken back by the Huo family, Jiang Ning had stayed in dormitories when school was in session and sought part-time jobs during holidays to support herself.

Since she had no place to settle in Beijing, Jiang Ning planned to stay in a hotel temporarily until she found a new residence.

After completing the check-in procedures, Jiang Ning took her room card and stepped into the elevator.

A tall, large-framed man entered the elevator with her.

Jiang Ning didn't pay much attention to him; after pressing her floor, she stepped back slightly.

Her room was on the fifth floor, while he pressed the ninth.

As he reached out to press the button, Jiang Ning suddenly noticed his hands—his fingers were long and clean, his knuckles well-defined, and the backs of his hands were large and elegantly bony.

Jiang Ning couldn't help but steal a few extra glances.

The elevator doors slowly closed.

As the elevator ascended, it suddenly jolted twice upon reaching the fourth floor. Jiang Ning's body swayed, and an ominous premonition suddenly rose in her heart.

*No way?*

*It couldn't be that unlucky, could it?*

Jiang Ning looked up.

*Click.*

The lights in the elevator went out.

This was the first time Jiang Ning had ever encountered an elevator malfunction.

She gripped the handrail with one hand and pulled her phone from her pocket with the other.

Using the light from her phone screen, Jiang Ning shifted her body to press the elevator buttons, but there was no response. She immediately moved her finger to the emergency call button.

Unsure if the elevator would plummet or experience other sudden movements, Jiang Ning remained vigilant, her grip on the handrail never loosening.

She took out her phone to call for help, clearly stating her exact location, then hung up to wait for rescue.

Although this was a hotel elevator and the malfunction would surely be noticed, it would be best to escape as soon as possible to avoid any other complications.

However... why was it so quiet in here?

Where was the person who had entered the elevator with her?

Why wasn't he saying anything?

Jiang Ning turned on her phone's flashlight and looked to the side, only to find that the person was gone!

How could such a conspicuous, tall man simply vanish?!

Jiang Ning's expression changed.

Glancing down out of the corner of her eye, she finally spotted a figure crouching in the corner.

"Hey? Are you okay?" Jiang Ning spoke up.

The man was curled into a ball, his head buried between his knees, seemingly deaf to Jiang Ning's question.

Upon closer inspection, she could see his body trembling slightly.

Jiang Ning's brow furrowed, and the words "claustrophobia" instantly flashed through her mind.

[Eh? Host, where are you?]

The system's drowsy voice rang out in Jiang Ning's mind.

It instinctively scanned Jiang Ning's surroundings, and its voice instantly turned excited: [Wow, who is that person crouching in the corner? A friend of yours? Where did you meet someone with such a pure soul? His Good/Evil Value is actually 0!]

"I don't know him. I just ran into him in the elevator," Jiang Ning replied succinctly. "What is a Good/Evil Value?"

[The Good/Evil Value is the most direct data used to detect a person's character.]

[The higher the value, the greater the person's probability of committing a crime.]

[An average person's value is usually around two to five points, representing occasional anger. Petty thieves are usually in the teens, while murderers typically have a value above eighty, placing them in the 'sinister' stage.]

Jiang Ning gave an "oh" to indicate she understood.

Looking at the man's data in the elevator, the system was astonished: [Host, you were a bit violent today—the type who settles scores immediately—so your value is three points. But this man... his value is actually 0! This is the first man with a value of 0 that this system has encountered since its release!]

If it had a physical body, seeing its level of curiosity, it would surely be circling the man several times to study him thoroughly.

Jiang Ning, who originally had no interest in the man, suddenly felt a flicker of curiosity because of the system's frantic voice.

A Good/Evil Value of 0.

Didn't that mean this person possessed not a single shred of irritability?

Glancing at the unresponsive elevator buttons, Jiang Ning shifted her weight and reached out to poke him. "Are you okay?"

It was him! It was him! It was him!!! The second male lead from Little Bear's stories!

(End of Chapter)