Chapter 311 - 275: I Am Her Mate
Chapter 311: Chapter 275: I Am Her Mate
Gu Ning took a washcloth from the basin of hot water, wrung it dry, and wiped her face. Her gaze then fell on the mirror before her.
In the mirror, her entire face, ears included, was bright red.
Thinking about the kiss she had just initiated with Alex, her face began to burn again.
Gu Ning turned on the faucet, cupped some cold water, and splashed it on her cheeks, trying to cool her face down a little.
"Ningning? Do you need any help?"
She had been in the bathroom for too long. Waiting outside, Alex knocked on the door and called out, his voice laced with a hint of concern.
"I’ll be right out."
After pressing her cold, wet hands against her burning ears, Gu Ning wiped her hands and face dry with a towel. She then poured the water from the basin into a smoldering iron bucket before emptying it into the toilet and flushing.
She was burning her used sanitary underwear in the bucket. This was how she’d been disposing of it for the past few days.
"COUGH, COUGH." The smoke rising from the bucket made Gu Ning choke.
Hearing her cough, Alex immediately reached for the doorknob, only to be stopped by Vine, who pressed his hand down.
"Do you always stand guard like this when she uses the bathroom?"
Vine frowned at Alex, making no effort to hide his displeasure.
Alex didn’t care about Vine’s attitude. It wasn’t just him; not a single Beastman in the room treated him well. Even Cook had never looked at him kindly.
But for Vine to stand there and say that, combined with the way he was stopping him, felt strange.
Alex gave Vine’s expression a cool once-over. "If I didn’t guard Ningning like this," he said, "something would have snatched her away long ago."
As he spoke, he glanced at the other Beastmen in the living room, his gaze lingering on a certain dog.
"What are you looking at?" Leo snapped.
Alex withdrew his gaze, not wanting to start an argument with him.
Gu Ning had told him, in bits and pieces, about what happened on their journey. Leo had risked life and limb to protect her.
Because of that, Gu Ning was probably much more tolerant of him.
"Stop beating around the bush," Vine said coldly. "You’re in no position to talk, given what you’ve done."
"Oh?" Alex listened for any sounds from the bathroom. Once he was sure Gu Ning was all right, he leaned against the wall and faced Vine. "And what shameless thing might that be?"
Vine’s face was taut. "You know exactly what you’ve done. I won’t let you near her again."
Philinos, who had been leaning against the window looking out, glanced over at them.
Hearing this, Alex was genuinely confused.
’He could tell at a glance that the three captains were interested in Gu Ning, especially Vine. From the moment she’d stepped out of the bedroom, he’d been acting like a mother hen, trying to shield her. It was normal for males to compete for the right to a mate, but Vine’s words were overly harsh, as if Alex had committed some terrible crime.’
’From what he knew of Vine, the man was always straightforward. He wasn’t the type to use underhanded tactics to compete.’
"Captain Vine, just say what you mean," Alex said.
Leo perked up his ears. Philinos watched them with a pensive expression.
"WOOF?" Cook, who was guarding the other side of the bathroom door, sensed the tense atmosphere. He let out a yawn and straightened up.
Barto sat silently at the dining table, idly tapping the spoon he’d used to feed Gu Ning her porridge. He observed the explosive tension building between the others.
’Now that Alex is here, Leo and the others won’t come to blows, no matter how much of a scene they make,’ he thought. ’I might not like Alex, but compared to the others, he’s relatively dependable and level-headed.’
’But more than their little rivalries, I want to know where Gu Ning stands.’
’The little one has been hiding in the bathroom for ages. I wonder if she can’t handle the situation and is deliberately avoiding us.’
Barto stared at the closed bathroom door, trying to guess what Gu Ning was thinking. ’If she’s hiding on purpose, it means she’s either prepared to accept Vine and the others, or at least isn’t opposed to them pursuing her.’
’Either that, or Alex said something to her.’
’The two of them were cooped up in the bedroom all night. I refuse to believe Alex didn’t say or do anything to Gu Ning.’
’For him to rush to catch up with the group, just in time for her heat... he’s not just worried about her safety.’
’I just didn’t expect Vine, the most level-headed one, to be the first to pick a fight with Alex, while that dog Leo is actually behaving himself.’
"I don’t need to explain myself to you," Vine said. "I won’t cause trouble for you until your mission is complete. But you are not to go near her again. Otherwise, don’t blame me for what happens."
Alex’s tone turned cold as well. "Did Ningning tell you that? If she didn’t, you have no right to interfere in her life."
"Of course I have the right," Vine retorted. "I’m going to have a long talk with her and make sure she understands exactly who she’s dealing with."
"And what gives you that right?" Philinos suddenly cut in.
Vine’s gaze swept over them. After a moment’s thought, he decided there was no reason to hide it and declared openly, "I am her mate. I have the right to be a part of her life and help her tell right from wrong."
"Mate?"
Leo and the others exclaimed in unison.
Gu Ning, who had just opened the door: "..."
In an instant, Barto and all the others fixed their gazes on her, so intense they felt like they could burn right through her.
Gu Ning’s heart skipped a beat. She pursed her lips and blinked, looking at them.
"Vine says he’s your mate." Barto lightly tapped the bowl with his spoon, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Gu Ning. "Is that true?"
No one there thought Vine was lying.
Not even Cook, who only partially understood the situation.
Barto was giving Gu Ning a way out. He wanted her to smooth things over for now, regardless of the truth, intending to ask her for the full story in private later.
But Gu Ning remembered signing her name on Vine’s "squad application" form. And Vine was so direct and uncompromising; there was no way she could talk her way out of this. ’Even though I didn’t know it was a "mate application" at the time, I still signed it.’ Her confidence evaporated. Her first instinct wasn’t to try and explain, but to—
Slam the bathroom door shut.
Alex and Vine both reached out at the same time, stopping the door.
"Heh." Barto let out a frustrated, cold laugh.
Now, even Alex couldn’t let Gu Ning run away from this. It was no small matter.
Seeing Gu Ning try to hide, Vine frowned. "What are you hiding from? Are you afraid of him?"
His tone softened. "I’m here. You don’t have to be afraid of him."
"Don’t be scared," Alex said. "Whatever it is, we can talk it through and figure out a solution together."
"When did this wolf become your mate?!" Leo demanded, striding toward Gu Ning. Philinos also straightened up, his expression even colder than usual.
Their reactions made Gu Ning even more nervous. It wasn’t Alex she was afraid of, but Vine. ’This is all a big misunderstanding,’ she thought. ’It’s better to clear it up now before it gets harder to explain. I’m sure Alex and the others will listen to my explanation.’
"Misunderstanding." Gu Ning quickly translated the appropriate word on her terminal. "This is a misunderstanding," she told them.
Alex’s expression softened. "It’s all right. As long as it’s a misunderstanding, we just need to clear it up."
Leo halted his aggressive advance and turned to snarl at Vine. "What nonsense are you spouting? You looking for a fight?"
When Vine heard Gu Ning say it was a misunderstanding, his brow furrowed. He stared at her for a long moment, then reached into his pocket. His hand closed around the mate application she had signed, and he was just about to pull it out.