"Your tone is a bit cold. Say it again," Jiang Zheyu said slowly, her pair of tea-colored eyes focused intently on Shan Xun’s face.

’Why is this guy always frowning, his brow all bunched up? He already looks so fierce, and he goes around all day looking like someone owes him a fortune, which just makes him look even fiercer.’

Those tea-colored eyes were like a vast expanse of sunset clouds descending upon a planet at dusk, gentle and brilliant.

As if moved by some unseen force, Shan Xun spoke again. "What kind of tone is gentle?"

This time, his tone seemed to carry a different kind of warmth, and even his voice couldn’t help but soften.

It was as if, having fallen for those tea-colored eyes that resembled brilliant sunset clouds, his own heart had warmed along with the gentle dusk, and his tone had softened unconsciously.

"Mhm." Hearing this, Jiang Zheyu nodded in satisfaction. "The tone of that sentence was good, very good. Light and gentle is nice. From now on, remember this tone."

Shan Xun thought, ’Remember the feeling of falling for her tea-colored eyes?’

He turned his head slightly. This was bad. It was uncomfortable.

The affection he had deliberately ignored was now being drawn out by the female without any warning, so clearly that he could no longer ignore it.

In truth, Shan Xun had liked her from the very first day he saw her. It was nothing short of being stunned by beauty at first sight.

Back then, with the insect blood washed from her face, her fair cheeks were tinged with a delicate pink. She was so beautiful and clean that she seemed not to belong to this desolate land.

He couldn’t stop his gaze from being drawn to her.

But he had subconsciously suppressed all those feelings of affection.

He was just a warrior from Zone -2, destined never to leave this place. He couldn’t allow himself to like any female.

His irritation was actually born from that very affection.

Shan Xun grew even more agitated. He couldn’t like the female; nothing good would come of it for either of them. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

He also didn’t want the female to see that he liked her.

"Second," Jiang Zheyu spoke again, slowly.

Shan Xun’s sharp brow furrowed slightly. "There’s a second?"

"Look at you, your tone has gone back to how it was," Jiang Zheyu said quickly. "Besides, what’s wrong with there being a second point? Didn’t you say you could change anything? Don’t you want to change now?"

Shan Xun took a deep breath, then looked back into Jiang Zheyu’s tea-colored eyes. "Fine. Go on."

’Those eyes are still so beautiful. Yes, I like them a lot.’

’The little female is a lot of trouble, but I like her a lot.’

"Second, can you please not frown all the time?" Jiang Zheyu glanced at him, then quickly looked away. "Well, you can frown at other people, but you can’t frown at me."

"Okay," Shan Xun agreed.

"Also, just now, you were deliberately misjudging and slandering me," Jiang Zheyu continued quietly. "I said I miss my Beast Husbands because I like them. I want to be with them, to chat with them. It’s not because of the ’physical needs’ you mentioned."

’Am I that desperate? To think he’d imagine me as that kind of person.’

Shan Xun lowered his gaze slightly. ’A female’s Beast Husband... doesn’t a Beast Husband exist to serve the female?’

Perhaps no one had ever liked him, and he didn’t know how to like others either.

Hearing this, Shan Xun replied in a low voice, "I was wrong. I’m sorry."

His tall frame bowed his head obediently, as if his proud spirit had been broken.

Jiang Zheyu: ...

Jiang Zheyu felt she might have gone a little too far. After this whole confrontation, she didn’t feel as angry as before.

So she said slowly, "It’s fine, as long as it’s cleared up."

"Are we still going to get the nutrient solution?" Shan Xun raised his eyes to look at her again.

Even after all that, he still remembered that she wanted to drink a nutrient solution and might be hungry.

Jiang Zheyu’s heart was inexplicably touched.

’Have I been too harsh?’

"Mhm, let’s go," Jiang Zheyu said with a light nod.

Along the way, Shan Xun became exceptionally quiet, as if determined not to speak unless he had to.

It was as if he was afraid that saying a single word would upset Jiang Zheyu.

But with Shan Xun acting like this, Jiang Zheyu found herself wanting him to talk. Otherwise, it felt like there was still a conflict lingering between them.

Besides, with the two of them walking in silence, the atmosphere felt stiff. Jiang Zheyu didn’t like this feeling.

"Captain Shan, are you unhappy?" Jiang Zheyu glanced at him from his side. "Are you very displeased with me?"

Shan Xun looked down at her, his deep purple eyes profound, as if he had figured something out. His large palm pressed against the back of Jiang Zheyu’s head, turning her to face the path ahead. He said slowly, "I’m not displeased. Don’t overthink it."

Jiang Zheyu was thus forced to turn her head and look forward.

"Pick whichever nutrient solution you want," Shan Xun said from the side, his tone neutral.

So Jiang Zheyu picked out a few nutrient solutions.

The two of them started walking back together.

Jiang Zheyu didn’t actually want to be in conflict with Shan Xun. She wanted to ease the tension between them, since they would have to spend some time together in the future.

So, as if just making conversation, she spoke up in an attempt to improve their relationship. "Captain Shan, where do you live?"

"I live across from you," Shan Xun replied faintly.

Jiang Zheyu noticed his tone really had improved; it wasn’t fierce anymore. A faint tone was fine.

"Oh, I see," Jiang Zheyu replied, sipping the nutrient solution she held. "Tomorrow, I can purify the Beastmen in one lab in just an hour. You can arrange for a few more labs for me then."

"Can your spirit handle it?" Shan Xun glanced at her.

"I never boast. I really can do it. Didn’t the Beastman Doctor at the base hospital you took me to today say there was no problem? You still don’t believe me?" Jiang Zheyu said with a faint smile.

"Fine. But know your limits. Don’t take on too much," Shan Xun replied.

’But there are only ten labs on this base. At that rate, won’t the little female be able to purify all the Beastmen in the labs on this planet’s base in just ten hours?’

’Doesn’t that mean the little female can return to the Imperial City? That she’ll be leaving this place, and his mission will be complete?’

The thought of Jiang Zheyu leaving so soon made him feel a little unsettled.

’Tomorrow, I’ll just have her purify one lab.’

’One lab a day will be fine.’

’Ten days. Ten days will be just fine.’

Jiang Zheyu, unaware of Shan Xun’s thoughts, finished her nutrient solution and returned to her room.

She didn’t realize that this Deserted Star truly lived up to its name.

The power and water had gone out!

Jiang Zheyu was used to showering every day and found this instantly unbearable.

SIGH.