Chapter 305 - 271: Did you miss me?
Chapter 305: Chapter 271: Did you miss me?
"How was the journey?" he asked softly, crouching in front of her.
"It was fine," Gu Ning replied automatically.
Even though she’d been desperately hoping Alex would catch up with their group, now that he was here, she felt a little awkward.
It was probably because she’d accidentally seen him naked just a moment ago and was still embarrassed.
Thinking of that, her mind went to the various scars, large and small, on his body. She grabbed his wrist. "Alex, your injuries..."
Alex glanced down at the hand holding him, then took her wrist in his own. With a gentle pull, he drew her into his arms, burying his face in her shoulder and taking a deep breath of her scent. "It’s nothing. They’ve all healed. They just look scary."
Gu Ning froze for a moment before wrapping her arms around his head to return the embrace.
Alex hugged her even tighter.
"I heard you ran into Mutant Species on the way," Alex said. "I was so worried about you. You can tell me if anything bad happened."
Gu Ning had a whole bellyful of things she wanted to tell Alex, but without a pen and paper, the words swirled on the tip of her tongue for a long time. In the end, she only managed to say softly, "Alex, I’m so glad you’re here."
Hearing her words, Alex’s heart melted, and a boundless joy washed over him, sweeping away every trace of fatigue from his long journey.
"Did you miss me?" he asked, leaning his head close to her ear.
Gu Ning’s heart started to pound—THUMP, THUMP, THUMP. She subconsciously tried to dodge the question. "Your injuries, let me see..."
Alex released her, reached out with a long arm, and dragged a chair behind her. He took hold of her waist and guided her to sit down.
He didn’t show her his wounds. Instead, he asked her the same question again.
He watched her face, patiently waiting for her answer, giving her no opportunity to avoid it.
After catching that familiar scent of her heat, he knew he had to make her understand his feelings.
Otherwise, it wouldn’t be just that one bird who wants her to stroke its wings.
"I... I did," Gu Ning stammered, meeting his bright, dark eyes.
Alex reached out, his large palm cupping one side of her face. Feeling that her temperature was much higher than usual, he said, "I missed you too."
Gu Ning’s heart beat even faster. She averted her gaze, unable to look at Alex.
Alex slowly stood up, leaned down, and swept her up into his arms.
Gu Ning jumped in fright, grabbing the front of his shirt. "What are you doing?"
Seeing her nervous reaction, Alex smiled faintly. "Going to sleep."
’It seems she understands what I’m talking about.’
Gu Ning grew even more nervous. "S-sleep?"
Alex’s lips curved upward as he carried her toward the bedroom. "Mhm, sleep."
Gu Ning’s heart was racing uncontrollably. "Sleep? Right now? N-no, we can’t."
Alex strode toward the bedroom. "It’s very safe here. We can sleep."
Gu Ning said urgently, "We really can’t!"
Alex sat on the edge of the bed with her in his arms, holding her on his lap. "Why not?" he asked.
Seeing Alex looking like he was about to tumble onto the bed with her, Gu Ning’s mind raced, desperately searching for the right words. She was so frantic she felt like smoke was about to come out of her ears. "I’m in ’heat’... no, that’s not it. I’m bleeding. We can’t sleep."
Alex looked slightly confused. "You can’t sleep when you’re in heat? You slept very well with me during your last heat."
Gu Ning was speechless.
’Does... does that count as sleeping...?’
Gu Ning said, "That doesn’t count."
"Alright," Alex chuckled. "Then what’s it going to take to get you to sleep?"
Gu Ning found herself being led by his words. Remembering the term Barto had used to describe her period, she said, "Not during the bleeding period."
Alex raised an eyebrow slightly. Looking at her flushed face, he said, "Only not during the bleeding period?"
It was as if he had presented Gu Ning with a question with only two options.
Gu Ning’s heart was a mess, but the question was clear and simple.
The examiner was waiting for her answer. He, the sole examiner, was staring at her, the sole examinee. She couldn’t cheat, and the examiner wouldn’t let her turn in a blank test.
An answer gradually surfaced in Gu Ning’s mind. Just as she was about to nod, Alex took off her shoes, laid her on the bed, and planted his hands on either side of her. "What day of your bleeding period is it?"
Gu Ning swallowed. "The second day."
Alex brushed aside the messy strands of hair covering her forehead. "Then I can’t wait that long to sleep," he said. "I’ll have no energy otherwise."
’Wouldn’t that make you have *even less* energy?!’
"Wait for me... until the bleeding period is over." She bent one leg, pressing it against his abdomen as he drew closer.
Alex smiled, no longer teasing her. He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. "I need some sleep to get my energy back. Is it okay if I sleep next to you for a while?"
He had been traveling for three days straight without closing his eyes.
"O-okay." ’So *that’s* the kind of sleeping he meant?...’
Seeing her adorable reaction, Alex couldn’t resist kissing her cheek again. "Good night."
A few minutes later, Gu Ning looked at the soundly sleeping Alex beside her and smacked her forehead. ’What on earth was I thinking?’