Ark Simulator: Don't I Lack a Physical Form? Chapter 338

Su Rui leaned against a pillar at the fruit stand, her eyes unfocused. "Hmm... it looks good..."

The stall owner, a young woman, brightened up when she saw Su Rui: "Young man, would you like to try some? We have men's headbands in our shop!"

Normally, Su Rui would have politely declined. But now, he just blinked blankly, then slowly turned his head towards Shining: "... What did she just say?"

Shining sighed and shook his head at the stall owner, "He's not thinking straight today."

Nightingale handed over a glass of chilled lemonade at just the right moment. "Have some water."

Su Rui's fingers were trembling when she took the cup; she almost spilled the water on herself.

While resting outside the fabric shop, a stylish noblewoman passed by with her maid. Seeing Su Rui leaning against the bench, her eyes lit up, and she deliberately dropped her fan at his feet.

"Oh dear, my fan..."

As is customary, a gentleman should immediately pick it up and return it. But Su Rui merely glanced down at the fan at his feet, then looked up at the young lady, and finally turned to Nightingale: "... Pick it up for me."

Nightingale:"..."

Shining: "..."

The noblewoman's smile froze on her face.

Maria chuckled, skipped over to pick up the fan, and handed it over. "Sorry, my Su Rui isn't feeling well today~"

The noblewoman awkwardly accepted the fan and hurried away.

Passing by a dessert shop, the strawberry cakes displayed in the glass window finally brought a sparkle back to Su Rui's eyes.

"... I want to eat." He clung to the shop window like a pitiful little dog.

The Nightingale smiled gently, "Would you like to go inside and rest for a bit?"

Ten minutes later, Su Rui was slumped over a table in the dessert shop, with three different cakes in front of him. He was slowly scooping out the cream with a spoon, at least three times slower than usual.

"Su Rui, you have cream on your lips," Shining suddenly said.

Su Rui blankly hummed in response and continued mechanically putting cake into her mouth.

Shining frowned and reached out to wipe the cream from the corner of his mouth with her thumb. This sudden action startled Su Rui, who almost jumped up from his chair.

"!... Why did you suddenly..."

"Dirty." Shining said succinctly, wiping the cream on her napkin.

Maria chuckled to herself, biting her fork. "The Shining is so thoughtful~"

The Nightingale gently stirred the black tea, a faint smile playing on her lips.

On the way back, Su Rui was completely unable to walk. He squatted by the roadside, hugging his knees and refusing to get up. "... I can't take another step."

Shining and Nightingale exchanged a glance.

"Carry me or hug me?" Shining asked.

"Carry me! I'll carry you!" Su Rui immediately jumped up, his face flushed, afraid that Shining would really pick him up in the street.

On the way back to the castle, Su Rui lay on Shining's back, his head nodding off. Nightingale walked beside him, occasionally patting his shoulder to prevent him from slipping off. Maria walked ahead, carrying a basket full of strawberries, humming a song.

"... I'm never doing morning exercises again..." Su Rui muttered in her half-asleep state.

Shining gave a soft "hmm," but lifted him up a little to make him more comfortable.

The last rays of the setting sun shone through the stained-glass windows, casting dappled light and shadow on the castle corridor. Su Rui lay dozing on Shining's back, his head bobbing up and down with each step. Nightingale walked beside him, occasionally reaching out to pat his shoulder.

"Hmm... have we arrived yet..." Su Rui mumbled sleepily, her warm breath brushing against Shining's ear.

Shining paused almost imperceptibly. "We're here."

Maria had already skipped and hopped off to show off the strawberries she'd bought to the kitchen maid. Nightingale gently pushed open the door to Su Rui's bedroom; the heavy Oak door creaked softly.

Shining bent down and carefully placed Su Rui on the edge of the bed. The moment Su Rui touched the soft mattress, she seemed boneless, swaying to the side and about to fall over—

Nightingale reacted quickly, grabbing his shoulder. "Be careful."

"Ah... thank you..." Su Rui rubbed his eyes, trying to clear his head. His blond hair was slightly damp from sweat, with a few strands sticking to his forehead.

Shining stood by the bed, her grey-purple eyes fixed on him. Suddenly, she reached out and brushed aside the stray hairs on Su Rui's forehead, her fingertips lightly brushing against his skin.

"!" Su Rui jolted awake, most of her sleepiness instantly vanishing. "Flash... Shining?"

"Your hair is messy." Shining's tone remained calm, but her fingers lingered on his hair.

Nightingale had somehow gotten to sit on the other side of Su Rui, holding a warm, damp towel in her hand. "Wipe your face."

Just as Su Rui was about to reach out and take it, Nightingale had already started wiping him down. The soft towel gently stroked his forehead and cheeks, her movements incredibly tender.

Volume 12, Chapter 740: I can solve this myself.

"I... I can do it myself..." Su Rui's voice trailed off as Shining suddenly pinched his earlobe.

"Your ears are red," Shining stated, her thumb unconsciously rubbing the hot, soft flesh.

Nightingale chuckled softly, put down the towel, and began to run her fingers through the blond hair at the back of Su Rui's head. Her fingertips occasionally brushed against the back of his neck, causing a slight shiver to run through him.

Su Rui froze on the spot, like a small animal surrounded by two large felines. "Um... aren't you two getting a little too close...?"

"Really?" Nightingale's voice was tinged with laughter, but her hands didn't stop moving.

Shining sat directly on the bed, her knees resting against Su Rui's legs. "Tired?"

"Of course I'm tired..." Su Rui tried to shrink back, but found that there was only the headboard behind her, and nowhere to retreat. "You guys have been keeping me up all day..."

Nightingale suddenly leaned closer and whispered in his ear, "How about we take care of you now?"

The warm breath made Su Rui shiver. Before he could react, Shining had already reached out and pulled him closer to her.

"Wait! Why are you all here today—uh!"

The protests abruptly ceased as Nightingale suddenly hugged him from behind. Her chin rested gently on Su Rui's shoulder, her arms encircling his waist. "Su Rui, you worked very hard today."

Shining didn't speak, but she rested her forehead on Su Rui's shoulder. Her long SilverAsh hair fell down, intertwining with Su Rui's golden hair.

Su Rui froze, her heart pounding. "You... you guys..."

"You don't like it?" Nightingale's voice carried a hint of grievance.

Shining looked up, her grey-purple eyes staring directly into Su Rui's. "Disgusting?"

"No, no..." Su Rui's voice trailed off, "It's just... a little too sudden..."

Nightingale chuckled softly, loosening her grip slightly, but still keeping her arms around him. "Because Su Rui was so adorable today, I couldn't help but want to get a little closer."

Shining nodded in agreement, her fingers unconsciously twirling a strand of Su Rui's golden hair.

Su Rui's face turned as red as the strawberries Maria bought. "I... I'm not cute at all..."

"Cute," Shining said decisively.

Nightingale added with a laugh, "Especially the way he looks panting when he's running."

"And the way they look at cakes through the shop window," Shining added.

"The way she got startled when Shining smeared the cream was also cute."

"When I was carried back, I looked like a cat with its fur standing on end."

"Wait! Were you watching me the whole time?!" Su Rui protested, embarrassed and indignant.

Nightingale and Shining exchanged a glance, then said in unison, "Hmm."

Su Rui was speechless for a moment, and could only bury her burning face in her hands. "That's too much..."

Nightingale gently pulled his hand away. "Don't pull away."

Shining cupped his face in her hands, forcing him to look up. "Look at us."

At such close range, Su Rui could clearly see Shining's long eyelashes and his own reflection in Nightingale's eyes. Their scents mingled, making him feel slightly dizzy.

"You must always watch over us from now on," Nightingale said softly, her fingers gently tracing his brow bone.

Shining nodded, her thumb brushing against his lower lip. "Ours."

This possessive declaration made Su Rui's heart skip a beat. He opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say, finally muttering softly, "... Domineering."

The Nightingale smiled and placed a feather-light kiss on his forehead, "Only for you."

Shining followed suit, kissing the other forehead. "Mmm."

Su Rui was completely speechless, his whole body turning as red as a boiled shrimp. He instinctively tried to burrow under the covers, but was stopped by the two people on either side.

"Don't hide," Shining said.

"Let us hold each other a little longer," Nightingale's voice was gentle yet firm.

So Su Rui could only sit obediently, letting them use him as a giant cushion. Nightingale played with his hair idly, while Shining held his hand, unconsciously squeezing his knuckles.

Outside the window, the sun had completely set. One by one, the lights in the castle lit up, casting a warm glow on the windowpanes.

Morning light filtered through the sheer curtains, casting a soft, pale golden glow in the bedroom. Su Rui slowly awoke to the warmth, the first sensation being the gentle, even breath brushing against the back of his neck— Nightingale was embracing him from behind, her arms lightly resting on his waist. In front of him, Shining's long, SilverAsh hair lay scattered on the pillow, her forehead resting against Su Rui's shoulder, one hand still holding his fingertips.

Su Rui blinked, his eyes still heavy with sleep, and instinctively tried to rub them, only to find his arms trapped by the two of them, unable to move. He tried to struggle slightly, but Nightingale's arms tightened around him immediately.

"... Awake?" Shining's voice was hoarse from the early morning. His eyes weren't even open, but his fingers had already instinctively wrapped around a strand of Su Rui's golden hair.

Nightingale's nose brushed against the back of Su Rui's neck, her warm breath making him shrank his shoulders. "It's still early..." Her half-asleep voice was softer than usual, like melting honey.

Su Rui froze between the two, a blush slowly spreading across her cheeks. "When... when did you two get into this position...?"

Shining finally opened her greyish-purple eyes, the morning light swirling in them. She didn't answer, but suddenly leaned in and nuzzled Su Rui's nose with her own—this unexpected act of intimacy made Su Rui hold his breath.

Nightingale chuckled softly behind him, her lips almost touching his earlobe. "Last night, someone kept snuggling into my arms after falling asleep."

"Impossible!" Su Rui's ears turned bright red, and she instinctively wanted to turn around and retort, but accidentally bumped into Shining's chin.

"Ugh..." Shining groaned softly, but instead pulled him even tighter, pressing her forehead against his collarbone. "Don't move."

Nightingale seized the opportunity to bury her face in Su Rui's back, her voice coming through the fabric. "Just ten more minutes..."

Trapped between the two, Su Rui could clearly feel Nightingale's heartbeat against his back and Shining's breath brushing against his neck. The bedding was filled with the lavender scent Nightingale often used and Shining's unique cool aura, blending into a reassuring aroma.

"... You guys are too clingy," Su Rui complained softly, but she quietly relaxed her body.

The birdsong outside the window was crisp and melodious, and the sunlight gradually crept up to the foot of the bed. Shining's fingers unconsciously played with Su Rui's hair, Nightingale's fingertips gently drew circles in his palm—these small actions sent a strange tingling sensation through Su Rui's heart.

"Today..." Su Rui began, but was interrupted by Shining:

"Morning exercise will continue as usual."

Nightingale nodded behind him, her hair brushing against his back. "The new training plan is ready."

Su Rui buried her face in the pillow in despair. "... Never mind."

Volume 12, Chapter 741: No Way Out

Shining suddenly sat up, her silver hair cascading down. She looked down at Su Rui and poked his puffed-up cheek. "Protest denied."

Nightingale also sat up and wrapped her arms around Su Rui's neck from behind, resting her chin on the top of his head. "We'll take good care of you." She emphasized the word "take care" subtly.

Surrounded by the two men, Su Rui was like a small animal caught in a trap. "You two are just enjoying torturing me..."

A smile flickered in Shining's eyes, and she suddenly leaned down and kissed him on the forehead. "Mmm."

This direct attack momentarily stunned Su Rui. Nightingale seized the opportunity to gently nip his reddened earlobe. "This is punishment for slacking off yesterday~"

"Wait! What kind of punishment is this—ugh!"

The protests were drowned out by Shining's sudden embrace. She pressed Su Rui's head against her shoulder, her fingers gently massaging his blond hair. "Quiet."

Nightingale smiled and pressed herself against him, and the three of them became entangled in the morning light. Su Rui's face was pressed against Shining's neck, and she could smell the faint scent of steel and cedar on her skin; Nightingale's body temperature was on her back, along with the gentle vibrations of her humming an unknown tune.

"... I'll suffocate you guys sooner or later." Su Rui's muffled voice came from Shining's shoulder.

Nightingale's fingers ran through his hair. "No, you won't."

Shining nodded, and unusually cracked a joke, "I'll let go before I die."

"This is not funny at all!"

The sunlight gradually brightened, gilding the intertwined strands of their hair with gold. This overly intimate posture lasted for an unknown amount of time, until Maria's energetic footsteps echoed down the corridor—

"Su Rui! Wake up! I brought you super sweet grass--"

The sound of the door opening stopped abruptly. Maria stood in the doorway, holding a basket full of strawberries, her eyes wide open.