Ark Simulator, Am I Not Without a Physical Body?

"Action!"

Bai Xue took a deep breath and stumbled towards Su Rui —she had practiced this move three times, her knees were bruised. Su Rui instinctively reached out to catch her, the worry in her eyes was utterly genuine.

"Senior brother..." She reached out her hand, her fingertips lightly touching his cheek, "Actually, I..."

The lines stuck in her throat, and Bai Xue's mind Blank. Su Rui's eyelashes trembled slightly before her eyes, her amber eyes reflecting her panicked expression.

Nian's voice came from afar. "Say it! 'Actually, I've always liked you!'"

A few soft laughs rippled across the set. Bai Xue's face flushed crimson, and she stammered her lines, "Actually, I... have always..."

Su Rui suddenly lowered his head and kissed her lips.

The kiss came so suddenly that Bai Xue's eyes widened. Su Rui's lips were softer than she had imagined, with a faint scent of minty lip balm. His arms encircled her waist, holding her tightly in his embrace, as if he were truly afraid she would disappear.

"Cut! Perfect!" Nian's excited voice seemed to come from a great distance, "One take!"

But Su Rui didn't let go immediately. His lips gently caressed hers, his tongue lightly brushing against her lips, as if confirming something. Bai Xue unconsciously closed her eyes, her hands climbing onto his shoulders, completely forgetting that they were filming a scene.

The set was completely silent; everyone held their breath.

Finally, Su Rui slowly stepped back, his forehead pressed against hers, his breathing slightly erratic. Bai Xue opened her eyes and saw her reflection reflected in his amber eyes.

"... the lines," he said in a low voice, his voice hoarse.

Bai Xue then remembered that she hadn't finished reciting her lines. Blushing, she whispered her belated confession, "Actually, I've always... liked you."

The cheers from that year broke the curse, "Fantastic! This is real emotion!"

She rushed over and hugged them both tightly. "Little Bai Xue! You're an absolute acting genius! This scene is definitely award-winning!"

Su Rui's tailbone visibly tensed—a sign of his displeasure. Nian sensibly released his grip, but couldn't contain his excitement. "Let's do a few close-ups tomorrow! We'll call it a day!"

The crowd began to disperse, and Bai Xue was still immersed in the kiss, unable to come back to her senses. Su Rui gently squeezed her hand. "... Are you alright?"

His ear tips were so red they looked like they could bleed; his real ears under the wig must have been bristling with fur. Bai Xue suddenly found Su Rui incredibly cute and couldn't help but lean close to his ear. "More exciting than usual..."

Su Rui's breath hitched for a moment. His fingers tightened, almost crushing her hand. "... Stop it."

"Ms. Su! Ms. Bai!" The makeup artist rushed over. "Do you need any touch-ups?"

The two quickly separated, but their clasped hands remained hidden inside the wide sleeves of their costumes. Bai Xue shook her head. "No need, thank you."

She pulled Su Rui quickly toward the dressing room, and the moment the door closed, she was pressed against the wall. Su Rui's silver hair and fake ear brushed against her cheek, her breath hot. "Did you do that on purpose?"

"I... I just don't want you to kiss other people..." Bai Xue whispered in defense, her fingers unconsciously tugging at the belt of his costume.

Su Rui's eyes darkened.

Once again, Su Rui kissed Bai Xue. This time, Su Rui was a bit unreasonable, after all, he was somewhat willful, so much so that Bai Xue could feel these emotions from his actions. Therefore, Bai Xue did not resist, but instead touched Su Rui's hair nervously, trying to comfort him.

Nian's voice came from outside the door. "Su Rui? Little Bai Xue? Are you inside? The producer wants to see you..."

Su Rui's tailbone visibly tensed. He stepped back slightly, his forehead pressed against Bai Xue's. "... Go home?"

Bai Xue blushed and nodded. "Mm."

They slipped out of the film studio through the back door, the setting sun casting long shadows of the two. Su Rui was still in his costume, his silver hair and fake ears swaying gently in the wind, attracting frequent glances from passersby. Bai Xue jogged to keep up with him, her fingers gripping his sleeve tightly.

"Su Rui..."

"Um?"

"Um..." she mustered her courage to ask, "Was that acting on set just now?"

Su Rui paused. He turned to look at Bai Xue, his amber eyes like melting honey in the setting sun.

"No."

This simple answer made Bai Xue's heart skip a beat. A smile involuntarily crept onto her lips, and the silver bells around her neck jingled softly. "Then... one more time?"

Su Rui's ears twitched, and he suddenly pulled her into a side alley. The moment his kiss landed on her lips, Nian's shout came from afar:

"Found you! Remember to come back tomorrow for the close-up reshoot!"

Su Rui's tail snapped. He pulled Bai Xue behind him, giving Nian a warning look at him at the alley entrance.

Nian grinned and raised her hands. "Don't glare at me!" She waved the camera in her hand, "That behind-the-scenes footage could definitely be used as a promotional video!"

Bai Xue's eyes widened in horror. "You took a picture?"

"Of course!" Nian winked smugly, "Genuine feelings are the most precious!"

She turned and ran, her red cheongsam like a dancing flame in the setting sun. Su Rui was about to give chase when Bai Xue grabbed her hand:

"Never mind..." Her face was still red, "Anyway..."

That's just who they are, there's nothing to be ashamed of.

Su Rui's tail slowly relaxed and gently wrapped around her waist. The setting sun merged their shadows into one, stretching them long, very long through the streets and alleys of Lungmen.

The afterglow of the setting sun painted the sky Lungmen, and the streets outside the film studio gradually became lively. Bai Xue and Su Rui walked side by side on their way home, their shadows stretching long on the stone pavement. Su Rui had already removed her silver hair and false ears, but she hadn't had time to change out of her costume yet. Her wide sleeves swayed gently with her steps, occasionally brushing against the back of Bai Xue's hand.

"Are you tired?" Bai Xue asked softly, her fingers secretly hooking around his sleeve.

Su Rui's ears twitched, and her tail gently wrapped around her wrist beneath her costume. "... It's alright."

His voice was lower and husky than usual, and his lips still bore the light makeup from filming, making them appear exceptionally soft in the twilight. Bai Xue couldn't help but glance at him a few more times, and remembering the sudden kiss that afternoon, her ears began to burn again.

"Um..." she hesitated before speaking, "The close-up tomorrow..."

Su Rui paused slightly. "No filming."

"But what about Nian and the producer..."

"Reject it." His tone left no room for argument, his tail tightening slightly. "That's enough."

Bai Xue pursed her lips, secretly relieved. She didn't really want to film any more intimate scenes—even with Su Rui, it was too embarrassing in front of everyone.

The convenience store on the street corner was lit with warm lights, and a poster for the newly released ice cream was pasted on the glass door. Bai Xue's eyes lit up. "Wait for me!"

She jogged into the store and came out a moment later holding two ice cream cones. "Here you go! Mint chocolate flavor!"

Su Rui took the ice cream cone, her fingertips accidentally brushing against Bai Xue's. The cool touch made them both flinch. Bai Xue chuckled, sticking out her tongue to lick the melted cream. "Eat it quickly, it's going to melt."

Su Rui looked down at the ice cream cone, hesitated for a moment, and then, imitating Bai Xue, gently licked it. The cool sweetness melted on his tongue, the refreshing mint mixed with the rich chocolate, making him unconsciously squint his eyes.

"Is it delicious?" Bai Xue asked with a smile, a little cream on the corner of her mouth.

Volume 15, Chapter 861: Business is being done here.

Su Rui's gaze fell on her lips, then she suddenly reached out and wiped away the bit of cream with her thumb, before naturally putting it in her mouth. "... Mmm."

The gesture was too intimate; Bai Xue's breath hitched, and she almost dropped the ice cream cone. Su Rui seemed to realize that her actions had crossed the line, her ears turning slightly red, and she lowered her head to focus on eating her ice cream.

The two walked silently down the darkening street, the only sounds the rustling of ice cream wrappers and the occasional car horn breaking the silence. Bai Xue licked her ice cream in small bites, occasionally stealing a glance at Su Rui beside her.

His profile was exceptionally handsome in the twilight, the shadows cast by his eyelashes trembling gently with each blink, and a speck of mint-green ice cream clung to the corner of his lips. As if possessed, Bai Xue reached out and lightly brushed her fingertips against his lips. "You got some..."

Su Rui's body stiffened slightly, but he didn't flinch. His gaze fell on Bai Xue's face, his amber eyes appearing exceptionally deep in the darkness. The distance between them unconsciously closed, their breaths mingling with the sweet scent of mint chocolate.

"Cough cough!"

A sudden cough made the two quickly separate. The convenience store owner stood at the door, pointing helplessly at the sign. "Young lovers, go somewhere else to be affectionate. I need to do business here."

Bai Xue's face instantly turned as red as a ripe apple, and she almost dropped the ice cream cone in her hand. Su Rui grabbed her hand, turned around, and quickly left, her tail bristling like a feather duster under her costume.

After turning two street corners and making sure no one was watching, Bai Xue finally couldn't help but burst out laughing, "We've been mistaken for middle school students in a relationship!"

Su Rui's ears twitched, and the corners of her mouth turned up slightly. "... Idiot."

His fingers were still tightly gripping Bai Xue's, the warmth emanating from his palms even hotter than the summer evening breeze.

***

The courtyard of Wenyue Estate was warmly lit, and Aju was looking out from the gate. Seeing the two return, she trotted forward to greet them, "You're finally back! Madam asked several times... Oh?"

Her gaze fell on Su Rui's costume, her eyes widening. "Mr. Su, what is this...?"

"Filming," Bai Xue quickly explained, "A new movie from this year."

Aju suddenly realized, "Oh! It's that ' Silver Moon Legend,' right? There are posters all over the street corner!" She leaned close to Bai Xue's ear and whispered, "Aunt Wang from the grocery store next door even asked me if the handsome silver-haired guy on the poster is Mr. Su!"

Su Rui's tail twitched visibly as she strode towards the inner courtyard. Bai Xue stuck her tongue out at Aju and quickly followed.

The sound of running water came from the bathroom, Su Rui finally had a chance to wash off her makeup, hair, and costume. Bai Xue sat on the veranda, swinging her legs and waiting for him, still clutching the ice cream wrapper in her hand.

Moonlight spilled into the courtyard, shimmering the pond's surface with tiny silver sparkles. Bai Xue recalled the kiss from that afternoon, and her heart began to race again. Although they had been affectionate at times, this was the first time they had kissed in front of the cameras and in front of so many people. The feeling of nervousness and excitement was like tasting forbidden fruit.

The sound of water stopped, Su Rui emerged from the bathroom in his everyday clothes, his silver hair still dripping wet, gleaming softly in the moonlight. He had finally returned to his usual appearance, with only a trace of smudged red makeup remaining at the corner of his eye, adding a touch of allure to his appearance.

"Here," Bai Xue handed over a towel, "You need to dry your hair."

Su Rui took the towel, but instead of using it herself, she leaned closer to Bai Xue, her meaning all too clear.

Bai Xue smiled helplessly and stood up to dry his hair. Her movements were very gentle, her fingertips occasionally brushing against the tips of his ears, feeling the slight warmth there. Su Rui closed his eyes, his tail wagging happily, like a large dog enjoying its owner's affection.

"Are we really not going to do reshoots tomorrow?" Bai Xue asked softly. "Will Director Nian...?"

"I'm not going," Su Rui interrupted decisively, reaching out to wrap her arms around her waist and pulling her closer. "I'll stay home."

His breath brushed against Bai Xue's neck, carrying the fresh scent of mint shampoo. Bai Xue's hand froze in mid-air, her heart pounding. "Then... then what do we do?"

Su Rui opened her eyes, her amber pupils gleaming in the moonlight. "... Whatever."

This vague answer made Bai Xue blush even more. She wiped her face haphazardly a couple of times and shoved the towel back into Su Rui's hand. "Okay, okay!"

Su Rui's tail tip gently hooked around her wrist, preventing her from escaping. "Did you see the New Year?"

What are you looking at?

"The afternoon..." His voice trailed off, "... the camera."

Bai Xue then realized what he was asking, her ears burning. "No, no! She only said she filmed some behind-the-scenes footage..."

Su Rui's ears perked up alertly. "Delete it."

"Go talk to her yourself," Bai Xue poked his chest. "I wouldn't dare mess with Director Nian."

Su Rui snorted and flicked his tail in dissatisfaction. Just as he was about to say something, a familiar sound of footsteps suddenly came from outside the courtyard wall—light as a cat, yet with an undeniable presence.

"Speak of the devil and he appears..." Bai Xue muttered softly.

Sure enough, the next second, Nian's head popped out from over the wall. She had changed into a black night outfit, her long SilverAsh hair was tied into a neat ponytail, and her red eyes shone brightly in the moonlight.

"Good evening, you two!" She chuckled as she climbed over the wall, waving a USB drive in her hand. "Guess what I brought?"

Su Rui's tail instantly bristled, blocking Bai Xue's path. "Get lost."

"Don't be so fierce~" The young girl jumped off the wall, landing almost silently. "I'm here to deliver something good."

She shook the USB drive. "Today's behind-the-scenes footage, unedited version."

Bai Xue's heart skipped a beat. "You... you really got it?"

"Of course!" Nian raised an eyebrow smugly, "Four cameras, every angle is perfect!"

Su Rui's eyes were as cold as ice. "Delete it."

"Why should I?" Nian exaggeratedly clutched his chest. "This is art!"

She suddenly leaned closer to Bai Xue and whispered mysteriously, "Want to see how handsome your Su Rui looks on camera?"

Bai Xue's rationality told her she should refuse, but curiosity prevailed. She secretly glanced at Su Rui and found that his ears were so red they looked like they could bleed, and his tail was slapping the floor restlessly.

"Just... just one look?" she asked tentatively.

Su Rui's pupils contracted slightly. "Bai Xue!"

"Oh, don't be so stingy~" Nian took the opportunity to shove the USB drive into Bai Xue's hand, "You acted superbly! You were born to do this!"

Su Rui snatched the USB drive away, her fingers digging until her knuckles turned white. "Don't look at it."

A sly glint flashed in Nian's red eyes. "Alright then~" she spread her hands, feigning regret, "Anyway, I made over a dozen backups..."

Su Rui's tail snapped straight up, and he was about to explode when Bai Xue quickly grabbed his hand. "Never mind, never mind..."

She turned to Nian and asked helplessly, "What exactly do you want?"

"Simple!" Nian held up one finger. "Two choices: one, come back tomorrow to reshoot the close-ups; two, let me use today's footage to edit the main film."

Film Review, Volume 15, Chapter 862

A hint of murderous intent flashed in Su Rui's eyes. "None of them."