"Gordon," she called him again. "If you're not leaving, then I won't either. We'll stand here together." Gordon's expression finally softened a little. "You ... " He started to speak but suddenly tensed, reaching out to pull Addison close. "Someone's coming." Sure enough, a shadowy figure was approaching, carrying two bags and walking straight toward them at an unhurried pace. Addison stiffened, holding her breath as she stood beside Gordon, not daring to move. As the figure drew closer, she couldn't help but scoff internally. "If this person was a thief, then they were being ridiculously bold. Did they think she was that easy to mess with?" Gordon's voice was low and steady. "When he gets close enough, step aside. I'll take him down." "Okay ... " Addison felt a bit nervous. But as the person moved closer, she realized something—he looked familiar. Her instincts kicked in, and she grabbed Gordon's arm. "Wait ... I think that's Ryan." "Who?" Gordon's body remained tense, his muscles coiled like a spring, ready to strike. "Ryan?" Addison hesitantly waved toward the approaching figure. Ryan initially frowned in confusion, then his expression shifted to disbelief, and finally, sheer excitement. In the span of a second, he went through a rollercoaster of emotions before breaking into a full sprint toward her. "Dr. Daves! When did you get back? "I've missed you so much!" Ryan barely had time to drop his things before throwing his arms around Addison, pulling her into a tight hug—like a puppy that hadn't seen its owner in ages, wagging its tail wildly in excitement. The warmth of his embrace completely stunned Addison. "Ryan?" She called his name hesitantly, still held in his arms. Ryan had never hugged her like this before. He was usually so reserved that he wouldn't even step out of line in the slightest.The last time she'd asked him to just call her by her first name, he had hesitated for ages before finally mumbling it. So what is going on with him today? When he didn't respond, Addison called his name again. "Ryan?" A few seconds passed before he seemed to snap out of it. He abruptly let go of her, his expression flustered. "I'm sorry, Dr. Daves ... "I just—I haven't seen you in so long. I got a little carried away." It was as if he had just realized how inappropriate and impulsive his actions had been. "But I wasn't even gone that long ... " Addison mentally counted the days—she hadn't been away for long. "It's only been a few days. Did you miss me that much?" Ryan's face flushed a deep red, so red it looked like it might start dripping. He suddenly seemed at a complete loss. "I ... Um ... "I finished most of my experiments, and I was hoping you'd be back to guide me through the rest." Addison tilted her head slightly, giving him a teasing look. "Wow, that eager to learn?" "Of course ... " Ryan mumbled, staring down at his feet, avoiding her gaze. "That's all it is." But even he wasn't convinced by his own words. The truth was, in the days Addison had been gone, the lab had felt unbearably quiet.