Gu Ning sat on the sofa, swinging her legs idly.
The heater by her feet radiated warmth, instantly chasing away the chill.
She took off her gloves, warmed her hands over the heater for a moment, and looked up to survey the office.
This was Alex’s office at the East Wall. She hadn’t been back since she stopped working for Cook.
Thinking about how she used to study and work here, she felt a wave of nostalgia.
KNOCK KNOCK—
A light knock sounded at the door, and then the office door was pushed open.
Gu Ning pulled herself from her thoughts and looked toward the entrance. Alex’s familiar yet long-unseen figure appeared, and she couldn’t help but sit up straight.
Even though it had only been a few days since she’d last seen his human form, she felt a bit flustered—not at all as at ease as she was with his beast form.
Alex keenly sensed the young female’s unease. He paused for a moment at the door, closed it, and walked over to Gu Ning with a cup of hot water, crouching down in front of her.
"Are you cold?" Alex asked, handing the cup to her.
Gu Ning shook her head slightly, took the cup, pulled down her mask, and took a sip—
’It’s sweet.’
’It was made with honey. The temperature was just right—not too hot.’
Gu Ning’s heart hammered a little faster. She clutched the cup with both hands and, keeping her head down, took several more sips in a row.
Alex watched her. Neither of them was the first to speak.
In the surrounding silence, the only sound was her drinking.
Only after she had drunk more than half of the honey water did she finally look up at the Beastman before her.
"Alex..."
"Do you need..."
They spoke at the same time, then simultaneously fell silent.
Alex said, "You go first."
Gu Ning translated his words in her head, but she was at a loss. She didn’t know what to say, either; she just wanted to break the silence that was making her uncomfortable.
She tapped her terminal and made a shutter-clicking gesture at Alex.
Alex looked down at his black long-sleeved shirt and asked, "Is this okay?"
He’d been in such a hurry to see her that he hadn’t thought to change.
Gu Ning didn’t understand. She took off her hat and turned her head from side to side to show him her ears.
Alex saw that her ears were bare and immediately understood.
’Did the earpiece fall out?’
He reached out and gestured toward her ear, asking a silent question.
Gu Ning mostly understood him. She took out a pen and paper and took the initiative to write: *I took it out myself. I don’t want to rely on the translation earpiece all the time.*
Alex took the note and looked at it, then took the pen from her hand and wrote down what he had just asked.
After Gu Ning finished reading, her gaze swept over him, and she nodded. The black shirt was perfect.
Alex studied the young female’s expression. While writing, he also spoke the words aloud, "How should we take the picture? Where do you need me to stand?"
Gu Ning looked around and pointed to the white wall on the right.
Alex got up, walked to the wall, and stood ready. "Is just standing okay?"
Worried she wouldn’t understand, he spoke slowly, breaking the words down and enunciating them separately, mimicking the way she usually spoke.
Sensing his attentiveness, Gu Ning avoided his gaze and gave a haphazard nod. She opened the camera app on her terminal and aimed it at him.
Through the lens, Alex cut a powerful and upright figure. The simple, form-fitting long-sleeved shirt clung to his body, revealing the clear lines of his muscles. He was photogenic from any angle.
Gu Ning carefully adjusted the camera settings and quickly snapped several photos.
"All done," she said, lowering her terminal and looking up at Alex, who was still standing perfectly still.
Alex walked over to her, looked down, and asked, "Can I see?"
Gu Ning could understand simple words like "speak," "see," "cold," and "hot." It took her a moment to process, but then she pulled up the photos to show him.
Alex bent down, getting closer to her, his gaze fixed on the photos on the terminal. "I rarely have my picture taken. You’re very good at this."
Gu Ning tilted her head slightly and saw Alex’s face just inches away. Any closer, and the tip of her nose would touch his cheek.
She held her breath, her eyes fluttering.
’It’s not like I’ve never been this close to Alex before,’ she thought. ’Why am I so nervous? We’ve done even more intimate things... ’
’Nope, that just makes me more nervous.’
"&*%#v?" Alex turned his head to ask her.
Gu Ning stared blankly for a moment, then let out, "...Huh?"
Seeing that she hadn’t understood, Alex naturally put an arm around her and sat her down on the sofa, then picked up the pen and paper to communicate.
Gu Ning expertly used her terminal to scan and translate his writing. Oh, he was asking if she wanted to take pictures of anything else.
"Yes, I do," she said.
Her main goal for the day was to get some material for the Military Department and turn in this month’s assignment.
However, she wasn’t sure if Alex knew about this. After a moment’s thought, she decided to tell him.
*I’m now a freelance reporter for the Military Department’s Propaganda Department.*
Alex wasn’t surprised when he read her note. He held the slip of paper for a moment, then took the pen from her hand and wrote in a blank space, saying aloud, "This job is a great fit for you."
After he finished, he added another line: "Is there anything I can do for you?"
Gu Ning reached for the pen. When her fingers brushed against his, she instinctively pulled back. Alex nudged the tip of the pen toward her hand.
Gu Ning took the pen, squeezed it tightly, and wrote: *You’ve already done so much for me.*
Alex looked at her and said, "It was nothing."
"Hm?" Gu Ning turned her head to look at him.
They looked at each other wordlessly for a moment. Gu Ning averted her gaze, lowered her eyes, and swung her legs, her knees bumping together. She said softly, "Alex... you... not ask... about photos?"
Her phrasing was awkward. Afraid Alex wouldn’t understand, she started to write the sentence down.
Alex moved the paper away.
Gu Ning looked up at him, slightly puzzled.
Alex said, "I understood."
Gu Ning let out a soft "Oh" and waited for him to continue.
Alex stared at her face for a moment, then pulled down her mask.
Gu Ning stopped swinging her legs.
Alex expertly took a new slip of paper from Gu Ning’s small pocket. As he wrote, he said, "You don’t need to wear a mask in front of me."
Gu Ning: "...Mm."
"Do whatever you want to do. If you want to tell me, then tell me," Alex continued to write. The scratching of the pen on the paper was especially clear in the quiet office.
"As for everything else, just leave it to me."
Alex’s script was steady, yet carried a hint of flourish. After writing the last stroke, he turned to look at the young female’s expression. He thought for a moment, then added: "Anything that has to do with me, you’re free to do. It doesn’t matter if it’s good or bad; I’ll take care of it."
Gu Ning looked at the words that appeared on her terminal and said sullenly, "That’s not good."
Alex: "Hm?"
Gu Ning looked at him, her eyes bright. "I said... this... is not good."
She snatched the pen from his hand and, after a moment of inner conflict, wrote: *I think we need to communicate properly.*
Alex finished reading, and a gentle smile touched his eyes.
"Mm, you’re right. We are indeed lacking a deeper level of communication."
Holding her hand, he wrote the words down.
It took her a moment to react. By the time he finished writing, her face was already burning. She tried to pull her hand away, but Alex tightened his grip and said, "Are you still angry with me?"