Chapter 123: Chapter 115: This Is a Very Bad Time to Go Into Heat
Gu Ning felt a soft, warm sensation scrape across her face again and again. She couldn’t help but close her eyes, her hand on Alex’s arm clenching into a fist.
’How... strange. It feels completely different from Cook.’
Soon, Gu Ning figured out what was so strange. Cook acted as if he wanted to give her a spit-wash, whereas Alex was too... gentle and meticulous.
He would lick her twice, then press his lips against her skin as if to soothe her. Gu Ning felt even stranger. Her heart began to pound wildly again, and her body grew increasingly tense.
Alex sensed her nervousness. His fingers, resting at the back of her head, threaded through her hair, massaging her scalp to help her relax.
But Gu Ning couldn’t relax, especially when Alex’s tongue licked the corner of her lips. She felt as if her heart was about to leap out of her chest.
Right then, the only sounds she could hear were her own heartbeat and the soft, wet sound of Alex’s licking.
Gu Ning took a deep breath, then exhaled softly. Deep breath, soft exhale. After doing this several times, she started to feel a little dizzy.
As the hot, wet sensation brushed past her lips, both she and Alex froze for a moment.
Alex stared at her lips for an instant, then licked them again, gently.
Gu Ning pressed her lips together tightly.
Alex noticed her small movement of pressing her lips together. He paused for a moment, then slowly pulled away, exhaling heavily.
After a while, Gu Ning no longer felt Alex move. She opened her eyes and asked, "Are you... done..."
The moment she spoke, a touch as soft as a feather, yet substantial, swept over her again—
Gu Ning: "..." ’What terrible timing to open my mouth.’
Alex paused for a second. The next moment, his hand that had been gently caressing the back of her head clamped down, holding her in place.
His lips moved to her chin, then unhurriedly licked their way to the curve of her cheek, her ear, and then down to her neck...
Gu Ning came back to her senses and slowly pressed her lips shut, feeling completely unable to move.
She didn’t know if she was too nervous to move, or if she was physically unable to because of Alex’s grip.
’Please let this end soon,’ she pleaded silently.
’This is agonizing.’
Alex was having an even harder time than Gu Ning.
After tasting the sweet fragrance from her mouth, he felt himself being forced into a passive estrus state.
Going into heat right now was terrible timing.
Alex could only speed up the process of marking Gu Ning with his scent, his breaths growing heavier and hotter.
"Don’t be nervous..." Alex soothed, stroking her rigid back. "It’s almost over."
These words were meant to soothe Gu Ning, but also to remind himself.
When it was time to end, it had to end.
But he could smell her estrus scent, which had grown even stronger.
After finishing with Gu Ning’s neck, Alex swallowed hard, his throat bobbing, and was about to move lower.
THUMP... THUMP...
A few muffled thumps came from upstairs.
Gu Ning, already on high alert and tense, was startled by the sound.
Alex froze, his focus immediately shifting away from her.
"All done." Alex released Gu Ning, smoothly rolled off the bed, and tucked her in. "You get some sleep. I’ll go check it out."
With that, he quickly left the bedroom.
After a long moment, the noise from upstairs didn’t return. Gu Ning lowered her gaze from the ceiling and pulled the blanket over her head.
...
...
"Little Gu Ning, Little Gu Ning...?"
A large hand waved in front of Gu Ning’s face. Snapping out of her daze, she pushed Kloer’s hand away and took a sip of the warm milk in front of her.
"Why so listless?" Kloer asked. "Didn’t sleep well last night?"
He picked up a meat bun from the bowl, one that was bigger than his palm, and took a huge bite. He glanced at the time on his terminal. "It’s almost ten. You slept this long and you’re still not well-rested?"
"That’s for the Little Boss to eat."
Seth snatched the meat bun from Kloer’s hand.
"..." Kloer said, annoyed. "Aren’t there more in the bowl? What’s the big deal if I eat one?"
Gu Ning took the half-eaten bun that Seth offered her and gave it back to Kloer.
"See? Little Gu Ning is the best." Kloer laughed and clapped Gu Ning on the shoulder.
Gu Ning slowly took out a notepad and wrote: *You don’t have work today?*
Kloer took the note she wrote, read it, and said, "I do. I was up working at five. Not everyone gets to live comfortably like you, sleeping in this late."
After saying that, he added with a laugh, "But you’re still sick, so it’s good for you to get more rest."
"You need to get better soon. It must be miserable being cooped up in this small room all day." Kloer finished the bun in his hand in two bites and grabbed another from the bowl. "Once you’re better, I’ll take you out and show you what those people from the Military Department are like."
Gu Ning had no interest in meeting anyone. Her current plan was to wait for her physiological period to pass, go back to where Cook and the others were staying, and remain safely indoors. She would wait for the military to deal with the Mutant Species, and then for Alex to take her and Cook out of Zone 19.
Until then, she couldn’t cause any more trouble for herself or Alex.
"Can you please wait until the Little Boss is done eating?" Seth said.
Kloer had come back and sat next to Gu Ning, eating nonstop. Couldn’t he see the Little Boss was having breakfast?
Kloer draped an arm over the back of Gu Ning’s chair. "Little Gu Ning hasn’t said anything, but here you are, getting all protective of his food."
It wasn’t that he was actually arguing with Seth over a bit of food. It was just that Gu Ning was finally able to sit and eat with them, instead of hiding away with his bowl like before. He didn’t want Seth and the others to lead him astray again.
’Although, he’s still not willing to show his face.’
Kloer’s gaze shifted from the mask on Gu Ning’s head, which only revealed two eyes and a mouth, to Seth. "You young wolves... I won’t even mention how cliquey you are, but am I an outsider?"
Seth: "We’re not treating you like an outsider, but you can’t get *too* familiar."
Seth grabbed Kloer’s hand as it reached for another bun. "There are only two left, and you’re still eating."
"Can’t you show some consideration for the little one?" Seth said, taking the bowl away.
Kloer clicked his tongue. "Little Gu Ning can’t eat that much. I used to be in charge of his meals, so I know his appetite best."
Seth wouldn’t let him have it. "Even so, wait until the Little Boss is finished. I haven’t even eaten yet."
"You wolves and your damn pecking order."
Kloer said, pushing a bowl of corn towards her. "Hurry up and eat, Little Gu Ning. I’m starving. I’ll eat your leftovers."
After the Military Department moved into Zone 19, food had gotten a little tight. The food at the construction site was prioritized for the soldiers, with fixed rations at fixed times. Even he wasn’t getting quite enough to eat.
He had been counting on having snacks, but Alex had taken them all.
Gu Ning took one ear of corn and pushed the rest in front of Kloer.
"See? Little Gu Ning still treats me the best."
Kloer laughed and ruffled Gu Ning’s hair.
Gu Ning dodged his hand, then suddenly jolted as if she remembered something. She turned and stared blankly at Kloer.
She put down the corn and quickly wrote on her paper: *What did you call me?*
Kloer took the note she handed him and raised an eyebrow. He slung an arm around Gu Ning’s shoulders and leaned in close to her ear. "Don’t worry, Little Gu Ning. I will never reveal your identity."
"..." Gu Ning stared fixedly at Kloer. ’...Kloer knows my identity?’
’How does he know? Did Alex tell him?’
Just then, Kloer continued, "You’re just covering for your brother, right? It’s understandable."
Gu Ning was silent for a moment, then slowly let out a breath of relief.
"Whoa." Kloer took a couple of deep sniffs near her and frowned. "Why do you smell so much like Alex?"
