The elevator incident changed something.
Not just for Jiang Yue.
For everyone.
"You do realize," jainyu said, arms crossed, "that normal people don't get trapped in elevators this often."
Jiang Yue sat on the couch, wrapped in a blanket like a traumatized burrito. "I'm not normal."
"That's becoming very clear."
Zixuan leaned against the wall, grinning. "At this point, I'm starting to think elevators have a personal vendetta against you."
"They do," she replied flatly.
[System Alert: Elevator hostility acknowledged.]
[System Suggestion: Avoid all vertical transportation.]
"…That's not realistic," she muttered internally.
[System: Neither is your survival rate.]
"…Rude."
Across the room, Li Zhenkai stood by the window, phone pressed to his ear, voice low and controlled.
"Double the security," he said. "I want every system checked. Every blind spot covered."
A pause.
"No mistakes this time."
His tone left no room for argument.
Jiang Yue watched him quietly.
Something in her chest tightened, now she just felt like a burden.
Later that night
The group thinned out.
Yuze disappeared into his digital world again.
That left
Jianyu.
And Zixuan.
They stood on the balcony, the city lights stretching endlessly below.
Zixuan tilted his head. "You're quiet."
Jianyu exhaled slowly. "…I'm thinking."
"Dangerous habit."
Jianyu ignored him.
His gaze drifted back inside,
To where Jiang Yue sat, laughing softly at something Tessa said.
"She's… not what I expected," Jianyu said finally.
Zixuan raised a brow. "That's one way to put it."
Jianyu's voice was low. Thoughtful.
"She's growing on me."
Zixuan stilled.
"…Oh?"
Jianyu crossed his arms. "She's strong."
Zixuan smirked. "Strong? She trips over air."
"In weird ways," Jianyu corrected.
Zixuan didn't respond immediately.
His gaze followed Jianyu's, landing on Jiang Yue.
Still smiling, still alive which is considered strange following the past events.
"…I don't trust it," Zixuan said quietly.
Jianyu frowned slightly. "Trust what?"
"Her," Zixuan replied.
The word hung in the air.
It was heavy and uncomfortable.
Jianyu turned to him. "…You think she's dangerous?"
"I think she's not who she claims to be."
Jianyu's expression darkened. "We've been through this."
"And I'm still not convinced."
Zixuan's tone wasn't mocking anymore.
It was sharp and focused now, like when the crowds start pointing fingers without evidence
"There's something off," he continued. "Her luck, her instincts, the way she reacts to things before they happen"
"That's trauma," Jianyu cut in.
Zixuan shook his head. "That's more than trauma."
The silence got him thinking more on it.
"…Zhenkai trusts her," Jianyu said.
Zixuan's lips curved faintly. "Zhenkai doesn't trust. He chooses."
A pause.
"And right now, he's choosing her."
Inside
Jiang Yue felt it.
The shift in the room.
The weight of their eyes.
Even without hearing them
She knew.
"…They're talking about me," she murmured.
Tessa glanced up. "Obviously. You're the main character."
"That's not comforting."
[System Alert: Social tension detected.]
[System Suggestion: Ignore and focus on ML.]
"…You're obsessed with him," she muttered internally.
[System: I have taste.]
She sighed.
The Interruption
"Jiang Yue."
She looked up.
Zhenkai stood in front of her now.
Closer than before.
His expression unreadable.
"…What?"
"Come with me."
Tessa wiggled her brows. "Ooooh."
Jiang Yue groaned. "It's not like that."
[System: It could be.]
"…STOP."
He led her into his office.
Closed the door, then he said nothing keeping her on edge.
"…You're doing that thing again," she said.
"What thing?"
"The intense, scary CEO stare."
His lips twitched faintly.
"…We have a lead."
Her heart skipped. "…On who's behind this?"
"Yes."
She straightened.
"…Tell me."
Zhenkai hesitated.
Just for a second.
Then he said:
"It's bigger than we thought."
Her stomach dropped.
"…How big?"
He met her gaze.
"Big enough to target me directly."
Her breath caught. "…So the elevator ?"
"Wasn't about you," he said.
A pause.
"…It was about me."
For a moment, everything went quiet.
Then Jiang Yue laughed.
It was soft and incredulous and disbelieving laugh.
"…That's new."
Zhenkai frowned slightly. "…You're not afraid?"
"I am," she admitted.
Then she stepped closer.
"But not for me."
His expression changed.
"…For you."
Her voice was steady.
"I'm used to almost dying."
He didn't like that.
At all.
His hand lifted, gripping her wrist lightly.
"You shouldn't be."
She smiled faintly. "…Too late."
The System Interferes
[System Alert: Emotional vulnerability detected.]
[System Mission: Hug him for 10 seconds.]
Her brain froze.
"…Now?"
[System: Now.]
She hesitated.
Then she moved.
Her arms wrapped around him, tightly
Zhenkai stilled instantly.
"…Jiang Yue?"
"Just… give me a second," she murmured.
His arms slowly came up
Holding her closer, and warmer making her feel
Safer.
[System Countdown: 10… 9… 8…]
"…Why are you counting?" she whispered internally.
[System: Accuracy matters.]
She pulled back slightly.
Their faces were close.
Too close.
Her heart raced.
His gaze dropped again.
That same look.
That same tension.
[System Alert: KISS PROBABILITY HIGH.]
Her breath hitched.
"…Don't," she whispered.
"…Don't what?" he asked quietly.
"Don't make this complicated."
He paused briefly
"I don't think it's complicated," he said.
Her chest tightened.
"…It is for me."
Then he stepped back.
Just enough to give her space to breath
"…Then we'll take it slow."
Her heart softened.
"…Okay."
Later that night
Jianyu stood alone, watching Jiang Yue from a distance again.
Zixuan joined him.
"…Still suspicious?" Jianyu asked.
Zixuan didn't look away.
"…Yes."
"…But," he added quietly, "I also think she's important."
Jianyu smirked faintly. "That's progress."
Zixuan sighed.
"…Or it's the beginning of a bigger problem."
Across the city,
A man sat in the shadows, watching on the screen on repeat as the elevator footage replayed, over and over again
His voice was calm.
Cold.
"They're getting closer."
A pause.
Then
"Accelerate the plan."
[System Status Update:]
Survival Rate: 80%
Emotional Bond: Critical
Threat Level: Escalating
Jiang Yue lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.
"…This is getting worse."
[System: And more interesting.]
"…I hate you."
[System: You don't.]
She sighed.
"…Yeah."