CRACK!
The roaring fire crackled, and a cold wind slipped through the cracks of the house, making the flames flicker and sway.
On the wall, a shapeless black shadow danced with the firelight, accompanied by breaths that alternated between suppressed and frantic, like the gasps of someone drowning—
"Alex..."
Gu Ning's voice, muffled and hoarse, came from under the fur blanket. If one listened closely, they could hear it trembling.
"Hm?"
Alex's tone was relatively steady as he responded. He lifted a corner of the blanket slightly, bent down to kiss the top of her somewhat sweaty hair, then pressed the blanket back down to prevent any drafts from chilling Gu Ning.
It also kept her from seeing the savage look on his face—the look of a predator wanting to tear its prey apart.
'He and Gu Ning needed more time to adjust to each other. He couldn't scare her. He also needed to get used to this feeling of being on the brink of death.'
