Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming!

Chapter 163: And, I want to help you

As Ryan felt his fondness for Alice rise again, he couldn’t help but sigh. Why couldn’t he keep his hands to himself?

If being a life coach were a special trait, Ryan would definitely be top-notch.

He was a pro at advising people on how to be good and helping them live their best lives!

He thought of his old buddy Ethan.

But the problem was, now it was Ryan himself who was in deep trouble!

Calculating the upper limit of his fondness, Ryan kept reminding himself in his mind that he absolutely couldn’t show any more kindness to Alice.

Otherwise, if his fondness exceeded seventy, that accident would definitely not be a good thing.

Glancing briefly at the system’s rewards, Ryan wasn’t too concerned. With both the maid and the bodyguard watching, he couldn’t just use the Truth Serum right now.

As for those so-called skill points, Ryan didn’t plan to draw them now. Maybe he’d try after washing his hands later.

Then came dinner, which was probably silent because of his bold move earlier. Ryan and Alice ate quietly, not speaking.

The blush on Alice’s face had faded, and after a brief moment of relaxation, her irritation wrapped around her again.

[Mood Level: 50/100 (Gloomy)]

Something was off. Ryan watched the young girl across from him, muttering to himself that her Mood Level was dropping way too fast. It was definitely not normal.

Had something happened today?

Ryan’s intuition was spot on. Alice’s day could be described as terrible.

The old timers in the club had conspired against her, and if she hadn’t forcefully shut them down, who knows what would have happened?

The main thing was, she had been fighting alone, with no one to help her.

Ryan watched Alice’s expression, worried her Mood Level might continue to drop.

No, he had to prevent that from happening. Otherwise, if Alice died before him, how could he ever revive?

He was sure now that Alice had been having a tough time lately, looking more worn out today than before, indicating her crisis was intensifying.

If he wanted to avoid a disastrous end to his mission, he needed to start strategizing now.

Stick to the plan. The first step was to gain Alice’s trust and help her manage the crisis.

Ryan looked up at the young girl across from him. Her brows were relaxed now, but her eyes still held a trace of gloom. She was probably still worried about that issue.

Should he ask directly?

Would that come off as having bad intentions, especially since probing too much into gang matters was a capital offense?

Wait… wasn’t he just looking to get killed?

Ryan clapped his hands and perked up. If he wasn’t afraid of dying, suddenly it seemed like nothing in the world could hold him back.

“Um… Miss, can I discuss something with you?”

Although Ryan wasn’t afraid of dying, he still moderated his tone. He was always careful about how he spoke to a beautiful girl.

[Mood Level +1, Current 51/100]

Just talking to her could increase the Mood Level? Ryan looked at Alice, slightly dazed.

“Just spit it out.”

Alice didn’t know what Ryan was up to again. Ever since she brought him back, there hadn’t been a day he hadn’t tried to irritate her.

Alice couldn’t figure out what Ryan gained from making her angry.

He was already receiving a lot of her leniency just by being here with her.

But luckily, Ryan’s massage earlier was quite comforting, and it did help her, so she could at least hear him out.

Alice found herself an excuse, making it seem reasonable to listen to Ryan’s request.

She straightened up, her beautiful features forming a serious expression, and looked at Ryan with her arms crossed.

“Here’s the thing, can I go out with you tomorrow?”

[Alice Mood Level -10, Current 41/100]

Hey, hey, hey! It was just a request, why did her Mood Level drop so much?

With the system’s help, Ryan couldn’t help but notice the change in Alice’s mood. Her expression turned noticeably colder when she heard his request to go out.

“What?” Alice’s voice was sharp.

“I want to go out with you.”

“You said you want to go out with me?”

“Yes, out…”

Ryan’s voice trailed off, losing confidence as he spoke.

He wasn’t afraid of dying, but for some reason, he still feared the young girl’s anger.

Sure enough, as he spoke, Alice’s eyes narrowed, and she tapped her left arm lightly with the fingers of her right hand.

Seeing Alice like this, the maids lowered their heads, and the bodyguard swallowed nervously, ready to restrain Ryan and take him away.

Alice was generally lenient with Ryan, but she had one strict rule: he could not leave this place. That was her bottom line.

The air was tense for a few seconds, and the head of the bodyguards couldn’t stand it anymore and was about to take Ryan away.

But Alice waved her hand lightly, signaling him not to interfere.

She propped her chin with her hands, focusing intently on Ryan, waiting for him to give a convincing reason.

Under Alice’s gaze, Ryan felt as if his blood had turned cold.

The person sitting across from him seemed not just a girl but a fierce wolf ready to tear him apart.

“Because, I want to understand you better.”

“Look, you brought me here, you’ve done a background check on me, and I think it’s only fair I know a bit about you too.”

The maid had already grabbed a mop, ready to clean up the mess if Ryan’s blood were to spill.

The bodyguards sighed, thinking Ryan was doomed.

But Alice just pursed her lips, signaling Ryan to continue. She could tell he wasn’t telling the whole truth.

“Uh, I am telling the truth, isn’t that fair?” Ryan tried to argue but was silenced by a stern look, almost biting his tongue.

No wonder she’s a mafia princess, her sharpness is terrifying. Seeing Alice ready to leave, Ryan quickly changed his plea.

He wasn’t afraid of Alice killing him, but the problem was that with such high affection, he couldn’t just die.

Alice would just ignore him, dragging things out. If it dragged on like this, and he couldn’t complete his mission, then he was truly dead.

“Because I want to be part of your life, I want to know what kind of person you really are.”

“And, I want to help you.”

Ryan took a gamble and revealed his true intentions, hoping that his high affection level of fifty-three would make a difference.

If Alice really considered him a friend, shouldn’t she trust him?

The air grew silent again, this time neither the maids nor the bodyguards moved. Everyone waited for Alice’s response, Ryan’s fate hanging on her reply.

Alice just stared at Ryan, her gaze unwavering as she seemed to try to see right through him.

No one spoke, only Alice’s increasingly heavy breathing could be heard.

She wiped her palms on her clothes, her hands inexplicably sweaty.

The person in front of her, actually offering to help her?

Finally, Alice stood up, ready to leave the dining table. The maids hurried to clear the plates and prepare to take her back to her room.

She clearly didn’t want to discuss it further.

Ryan felt a pang of disappointment. Had his first attempt already aroused Alice’s suspicion?

If she didn’t agree, his mission would end before it even started.

Unexpectedly, instead of leaving in a hurry, Alice walked around the table to Ryan’s side.

She bent down, lightly lifting her hair, and stared intently at Ryan’s every move.

Ryan hadn’t expected Alice to react this way, and he was slightly nervous, his breathing quickened, inhaling the scent that reminded him of winter sweet flowers.

Her fragrance was pleasant, albeit a bit too cold.

“Going out with me, what else do you want to do?”

“You actually want to leave here, don’t you?”

“Do you really dislike staying with me that much?”

The shadows in the girl’s eyes grew rapidly, and she seemed unaware of her own state as she continued to question Ryan.

Danger loomed over Ryan, and for a moment, he felt a kind of fear—not of death, but of the unknown.

[Darkening level +1, Current Darkening level 1/100]

What now? After dealing with affection levels, the system suddenly throws in a darkening level?

Alice wouldn’t let him die, but it seemed she could make his life a living hell. Ryan suddenly realized this, and his body began to tremble involuntarily.

Being turned into a human popcorn machine or being left hanging by a thread wasn’t technically dying, was it? Why hadn’t he thought of this before?

Why was she so concerned about him leaving? Could she really keep him here forever?

“No, I don’t particularly want to leave.”

“I just want to… help you.”

After hearing Ryan’s response, Alice paused for two seconds, and Ryan could feel her breathing quicken.

Ryan answered with downcast eyes, his response somewhat against his will. If given the chance, who would want to be locked up?

It was a lie, a blatant lie, and even Ryan couldn’t deceive himself.

Yet, at this moment, Alice didn’t care whether Ryan was telling the truth or not. She slightly curved her lips into a smile, turning away before Ryan could fully catch her expression.

She had waited a long time, and now, even faced with just a 1% chance, she didn’t want to give up.

“Fine, I’ll take you out tomorrow.”