Ark Simulator: Don't I Have No Physical Form?

But the problem is--

He couldn't sleep at all.

Nightingale's hair occasionally brushed against his cheek, tickling him; Shining's body temperature was low, but her presence was exceptionally strong, making him afraid to turn over easily.

(This is even more agonizing than being kidnapped.)

Su Rui stared at the low ceiling with her eyes open, silently counting the time.

The next morning, the medical team got up early to continue providing medical treatment to the villagers.

Nightingale organized the medicines with great enthusiasm, while Shining remained as calm and efficient as ever.

And Su Rui...

He sat on the wooden crate, holding a roll of bandages in his hand, his eyelids so heavy he could barely lift them.

"Su Rui, hand me the disinfectant." Nightingale reached out her hand without turning her head.

Su Rui, still half-asleep, grabbed a bottle of liquid and handed it over.

"That's saline solution," Shining's voice came from the side.

Su Rui: "... I'm sorry."

He rubbed his eyes, trying to concentrate, but his head still felt as heavy as lead.

Nightingale finally noticed his condition and leaned closer, asking with concern, "Are you alright? You don't look well."

Su Rui gave her a long, wistful look. "... How could I sleep well with you all crowding around me like that last night?"

Nightingale was taken aback, then her face flushed slightly. "I'm... I'm sorry..."

Shining coughed lightly and turned her face away. "... Next time, I'll arrange a bed for you."

Su Rui sighed, "Is the main issue the bed? The main issue is—"

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly swayed and almost slipped off the wooden crate.

Nightingale and Shining simultaneously reached out to support him.

Nightingale grabbed his arm, and Shining pressed down on his shoulder.

The two exchanged a glance and tacitly reached a consensus:

(Let him get a good night's sleep tonight.)

During the lunch break, Su Rui finally couldn't hold on any longer and fell asleep on the table in the medical tent.

Nightingale gently draped a coat over him, while Shining quietly moved the stool a little closer to block any drafts.

As villagers passed by, they asked curiously, "What's wrong with this young man?"

The Nightingale answered softly, "He... didn't sleep well last night."

Shining added casually, "Keeping watch is too tiring."

The villagers suddenly realized. "Oh! He's the sentry at the village entrance, isn't he? What a responsible young man!"

Nightingale:"..."

The Shining: "..."

The two glanced silently at the sleeping Su Rui and decided not to explain.

The midday sun streamed into the kitchen through the window, where Nightingale stood at the stove, intently stirring the thick soup in the pot. The wooden spoon gently tapped against the earthenware pot, producing a soft sound, and steam, mingled with the aroma of herbs and meat, rose slowly into the air.

Su Rui sat at the dining table, his chin resting on one hand, his amber eyes half-closed. He had gone to the village entrance early this morning with the medical team to provide free medical services, treating the wounds of more than a dozen villagers. Now, the warm room temperature finally made him sleepy.

"Want to take a nap?" Nightingale turned to look at him and noticed that his head was drooping little by little, like a dozing cat.

"No need..." Su Rui mumbled, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the wood grain of the tabletop, "After you finish cooking..."

Before he could finish speaking, his forehead slammed heavily onto the table.

Nightingale was about to put down her spoon when she suddenly saw a white shadow dart past the door. Shining had appeared behind Su Rui without her noticing, a hint of helplessness flashing in her greyish-purple eyes. She reached out to support Su Rui's shoulder as it was about to slip, her other hand reaching around his knee—

"The Shining Doctor?" Nightingale's spoon hovered in mid-air.

You'll catch a cold sleeping like that.

As he calmly recounted the story, Su Rui was lifted up. His head instinctively rubbed against the source of warmth, nestled against Shining's neck. Strands of silver hair brushed against his nose, carrying a faint scent of Absinthe, causing him to unconsciously take a deep breath.

Nightingale watched as Shining walked to the wicker chair by the window. As the older doctor sat down, the hem of her medical uniform spread out like wings, and Su Rui was thus comfortably placed in her arms. Shining even adjusted her position so that Suri's cheek could rest comfortably on her shoulder.

"Keep cooking." Shining gestured with his chin towards the stunned Nightingale. "He needs at least twenty minutes of deep sleep."

The thick soup on the stove bubbled and simmered. Nightingale mechanically turned back to stir it, but couldn't help glancing out the window. Sunlight gilded the two embracing figures, Shining was gently combing Su Rui's black hair with her fingertips, the movements so practiced as if she had done it a thousand times.

(When did this tacit understanding begin...?)

The wooden spoon suddenly hit the bottom of the pot, making a crisp "clink" sound. Su Rui frowned slightly in her sleep and snuggled deeper into Shining's arms. Nightingale saw the older doctor's lips curl into a barely perceptible smile, and he tightened his arms around Su Rui.

A sour taste suddenly welled up in her throat. Nightingale looked down at the swirling vortex in the soup pot and found herself unconsciously poking a piece of carrot with her spoon—just like she usually poked Su Rui's face.

"Does he often sleep like this lately?" Nightingale regretted the question as soon as it left her mouth; it sounded like an interrogation.

Shining's fingers paused behind Su Rui's ear. "The third time." As if sensing something, she suddenly looked up. "Should we wake him?"

"No!" Nightingale nearly knocked over the spice jar. "I... I just..."

The wicker chair creaked softly. Shining unfastened the doctor's badge pin on her chest with one hand, the cold metallic gleam swirling between her fingers. "Come here."

By the time Nightingale realized what was happening, she was already standing in front of the wicker chair. Shining pulled her wrist and placed the badge, still warm from his touch, into her palm.

"Wake him in fifteen minutes." Her silvery eyelashes drooped, casting dappled shadows on her eyelids. "Use this as an alarm clock."

The sharp metal edges burned her palm. Nightingale suddenly understood what Shining meant—the badge that was always pinned to her left breast was now lying in her hand.

The rising steam from the soup pot blurred her vision. Nightingale gripped her badge tightly, her golden hair brushing against Su Rui's sleeping face as she leaned down. She whispered in the young doctor's ear, "Next time, it's my turn to carry you."

Shining slightly widened her eyes.

Volume 12, Chapter 693: The soup is going to burn.

Su Rui snuggled against Shining, half-asleep, the scent of Absinthe and disinfectant filling his nostrils, so warm it made him reluctant to open his eyes. But the burnt smell emanating from the kitchen still managed to penetrate his consciousness. He wrinkled his nose and mumbled something indistinctly:

"... The soup is going to burn."

Nightingale, who had been staring blankly at Shining and Su Rui, snapped out of her daze upon hearing this and nearly tripped over her own staff as she turned to rush toward the stove.

"Ah! My soup--!"

She frantically lifted the pot lid, and a rich, caramelized aroma wafted out. The soup was already bubbling and steaming, with the edges slightly blackened. Nightingale quickly turned down the heat and frantically stirred with a wooden spoon, trying to salvage the lunch that was almost ruined.

Shining looked down at Su Rui, who was pretending to be asleep in her arms, and gently pinched his cheek with her fingertips, the force just right so that he could no longer keep up the act.

"Don't pretend to be asleep if you're awake." Her voice remained calm, but the corners of her mouth were slightly upturned. "We'll eat later."

Su Rui was forced to open her eyes, her amber pupils still lingering with sleepiness, as she lazily protested, "I could have slept for another five minutes..."

Shining ignored him, simply letting go and instead gently rubbing his reddened cheek, as if soothing a cat reluctant to get out of bed.

Su Rui sighed, slowly sitting up from her lap, a few tufts of hair sticking up from the position. He glanced at Nightingale, who was battling the soup pot in the kitchen, then at Shining beside him, who looked completely indifferent, and suddenly felt—

(This feeling of being managed by two people... doesn't seem so bad?)

Nightingale finally saved the soup from the brink of burning. Wiping the sweat from her brow, she turned and glared at Su Rui: "It's all your fault! We almost lost our lunch!"

Su Rui blinked innocently. "I definitely reminded you."

Nightingale walked over angrily and poked his forehead. "Then why didn't you say so sooner!"

Su Rui grabbed her fingers and gently tugged, catching Nightingale off guard and causing her to fall into his arms. He lowered his head and chuckled softly in her ear, "Because you looked so adorable when you were lost in thought, I couldn't bear to interrupt you."

Nightingale's face flushed instantly, and she struggled to sit up. "Su Rui! Dr. Shining is still seeing patients!"

Shining calmly stood up, straightened her wrinkled white coat, and said in a composed tone, "I'll go get the cutlery."

She walked towards the cupboard, a slight smile playing on her lips even with her back to the two of them.

(It's so good to be young.)

Su Rui watched Shining's retreating figure, then glanced at Nightingale still struggling in her arms, and suddenly felt—

(I wish there were more days like this.)

At lunchtime, Nightingale's soup was salvaged, but it still had a slightly bitter, burnt taste.

Su Rui finished the whole bowl without changing her expression, and even remarked, "It has a unique flavor."

Nightingale took a sip with some skepticism, then frowned and put down the spoon. "It tastes awful..."

Shining calmly drank her own portion, adding, "But it's edible."

Nightingale:"..."

(Are these two ganging up on me?)

Su Rui smiled and ladled out another bowl, "I'll cook next time."

Nightingale's eyes lit up. "Really?"

Shining glanced at him. "Don't blow up the kitchen."

Su Rui: "..."

"My cooking skills are really good."

Su Rui crossed her arms and followed behind Nightingale and Shining, her tone tinged with resentment.

Nightingale was squatting in front of a spice stall, picking up a small pinch of dried Rosmontis with her fingertips. Hearing this, she turned around and winked at him. "But you burned a hole in the filter cup last time you made coffee."

Su Rui: "... That was an accident."

Shining stood to the side, her grey-purple eyes sweeping over the dazzling array of spices on the stall, and added casually, "The last time I fried eggs, there was a layer of charcoal stuck to the bottom of the pan."

Su Rui: "..."

He took a deep breath, trying to salvage his dignity. "That's all because you guys were watching me! You interfered with my performance!"

Nightingale and Shining exchanged a glance, tacitly refraining from further rebuttal, but the smiles on their lips betrayed their thoughts.

(... Fine, he can't shake off the title of "kitchen killer" anyway.)

The market was bustling with activity, the shouts of vendors rising and falling, the air filled with the sweet aroma of toasted bread, cooked meat, and fresh fruit. Nightingale, like a curious little bird, would linger at each stall, her golden eyes sparkling, occasionally turning back to ask Su Rui and Shining:

Can this spice be used in medicine?

How about this fabric for a scarf?

"This honey looks so sweet, should we buy some?"

Su Rui followed behind her, already carrying several bags, and sighed helplessly, "Miss Nightingale, we're here to browse around a bit, not to empty the entire market."

The Nightingale turned around and blinked innocently. "But... these things are all very useful."

Shining stood to the side, holding a small jar of honey, and calmly nodded. "Indeed."

Su Rui: "..."

(Aren't these two ganging up on him?)

Nightingale stopped abruptly in front of a dessert stall.

The stall owner was a smiling old woman. On the wooden table in front of her were freshly baked apple pies, their golden and crispy crusts still steaming, and their sweet aroma wafting into one's nose.

Nightingale's eyes lit up, but she didn't say anything, only stealing a glance at Su Rui.

Su Rui raised an eyebrow. "Want to eat?"

Nightingale nodded slightly, then looked at Shining, as if seeking his consent.

Shining glanced at the apple pie, then at Nightingale's expectant eyes, and finally gave a faint "hmm".

Su Rui chuckled and took out her wallet, buying three servings.

Nightingale took the warm apple pie, took a small bite, and squinted her eyes happily. "So sweet..."

Seeing her satisfied expression, Su Rui couldn't help but reach out and ruffle her hair. "Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you."

Nightingale puffed out her cheeks and protested in a muffled voice, "Don't rub it, it'll mess up my hair..."

Shining stood to the side, quietly eating her own portion, but her gaze would occasionally sweep over Su Rui and Nightingale, a hint of tenderness flashing in her grey-purple eyes.

(... Youth is truly wonderful.)