Ark Simulator, don't I have no physical form?

Suri (in lamb form) trembled slightly, but did not wake up immediately. He seemed to have a higher "tolerance" than usual to Eyjafjalla's calls and touch.

Eyjafjalla waited a few more seconds, and seeing that he still didn't move, she raised her voice slightly and gently nudged his shoulder: "Suri, get up. The sun's already high in the sky."

This time, Suri (in sheep form) finally reacted. His long eyelashes fluttered a few times, and then his black eyes slowly opened.

In the instant of awakening, there seemed to be a trace of extremely rare, almost bewildered mist remaining in those eyes, but almost the next second after opening them, that mist quickly dissipated, returning to the bottomless, calm, and waveless blackness, like a precision instrument that had been instantly awakened.

His gaze first fell on Eyjafjalla's face, which was so close to his own, or more precisely, on her pink eyes, which held a gentle smile and a hint of mischief. Then, he seemed to realize his current position—his cheek pressed against the girl's soft chest, his arm still wrapped around her waist.

Suri (in lamb form) showed no embarrassment or shyness. He simply and calmly, as if scanning his surroundings, quickly confirmed his current status: time (7:23 AM), location (master bedroom at 119 Oak Street, Tremont), his own posture (in close contact with Eyjafjalla Itzam), and Eyjafjalla's physiological indicators (slightly rapid heart rate, slightly elevated body temperature, stable hormone levels, no obvious abnormalities)...

Then, with remarkable ease, as if merely adjusting an uncomfortable sleeping position, he moved his cheek away from Eyjafjalla's chest, withdrew his arms from around her waist, and sat up.

The whole process was smooth and calm, without the slightest hint of romance or lingering affection. It was as if the person who had just been nestled in the girl's arms, his cheek pressed against her soft chest, was not him at all.

"Good morning," he said calmly, his voice slightly hoarse from just waking up, but his tone remained steady.

Eyjafjalla's face flushed even more, but a strange mix of disappointment and amusement welled up inside her because of Suri's overly "natural" reaction. Suri... he really was still the same Suri.

"Good morning, Suri." She sat up, rubbing her aching back, but her gaze couldn't help following Suri. He was shirtless, the morning light outlining his slender yet well-defined back, his silver hair shimmering in the sunlight. Eyjafjalla's gaze involuntarily fell on the faint scratches on his back... the ones she'd unconsciously left behind during her passion last night. Her face instantly burned hot, and she quickly looked away, gazing at the bright sunlight and lush greenery of the backyard outside the window.

"The weather is so nice today!" She tried to change the subject and dispel the embarrassing images that were starting to resurface in her mind. "Suri, shall we tidy up the house properly today? It's very clean, but it feels like... it's missing a bit of a homey feel. And we also need to organize our luggage."

Eyjafjalla spoke with great enthusiasm. This was her and Suri's home, a place where they would live for a long time to come. She wanted to personally participate in decorating it, making it more welcoming and more like "home."

However, when Suri (in his sheep form) heard the words "tidy up the house properly," he paused almost imperceptibly as he picked up his wrinkled shirt from the floor. He turned his head, his dark eyes looking at Eyjafjalla, and calmly asked:

"Organize? What exactly do you mean by that?"

“It’s… a big clean!” Eyjafjalla gestured enthusiastically. “We’ll thoroughly clean all the rooms, the windows, the floors, the furniture… and take all our luggage out, hang our clothes in the closets, put our books on the shelves, and put our toiletries where they’re supposed to be… um, and the backyard, although it’s already tidy, we can still plan it out, like planting some flowers, or putting in a lounge chair or something…” She became more and more excited as she spoke, her pink eyes sparkling, as if she could already see the warm and comfortable home that she and Suri would personally decorate in the future.

But when Suri (in his sheep form) heard the words "spring cleaning," "thorough cleaning," and "planning the backyard," his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, so much so that it was barely noticeable. He turned his gaze back to the shirt in his hands, seemingly taking a momentary interest in its messy wrinkles, then raised his eyes and, in that calm, even tone, proposed a completely different solution:

"Hiring professional housekeeping services is more efficient and ensures a more thorough cleaning. We can pack our own personal belongings."

His meaning was clear: pay people to do the time-consuming and physically demanding tasks, while they only need to tidy up their personal belongings.

Volume 19, Chapter 1321 (before)

Eyjafjalla paused for a moment, then understood what Suri meant. She knew, of course, that Suri disliked (or rather, wasn't used to?) doing these mundane household chores; he had more important things to do (though she wasn't entirely sure what those "more important things" were). Moreover, with Suri's current wealth, hiring the best domestic help was indeed the most convenient and efficient option.

But... she still held onto a tiny bit of her conviction. This was their home; wouldn't it be more meaningful to decorate it herself?

“But… Suri, this is our home,” Eyjafjalla said softly, trying to persuade them. “Wouldn’t it feel more like ‘home’ if we did it ourselves, little by little, to make it better? Besides, it’s not like I can’t do it. Back in Cumberland, I did all the cleaning…”

“That was then,” Suri (in sheep form) interrupted her, her tone still calm but carrying an undeniable air of authority. “It’s not necessary now. Time can be used for more efficient learning and adapting to new environments. Leave the housework to the professionals.”

He paused, then added, "You can decide the placement of items and the style of decoration. Cleaning and manual labor will be done by hired staff."

This is the biggest "compromise" he can make—Eyjafjalla can retain her sense of participation in the "arranging," but the specific, arduous cleaning and tidying work must be outsourced.

Looking into Suri's calm yet resolute black eyes, Eyjafjalla knew she would likely find it difficult to persuade him on this matter. Moreover, upon reflection, Suri made a valid point. They did have more important plans for the future, and professional housekeeping services could indeed save a significant amount of time and energy. Most importantly… she also knew that Suri rarely changed his mind once he made a decision.

“Alright…” Eyjafjalla finally nodded, somewhat helplessly, but with a hint of knowing “I knew it” in her voice. “Then… let’s do it your way. But I still need to pack our own luggage and personal belongings!”

Suri (in lamb form) nodded almost imperceptibly, acknowledging her insistence. He dropped the subject, as if the matter were resolved. He stood up, picked up the wrinkled shirt, and headed towards the ensuite bathroom in the bedroom to wash up.

Eyjafjalla watched his retreating figure and sighed softly, but quickly cheered up again. Well, it was a little disappointing not being able to do a thorough cleaning herself, but being able to arrange the room and her belongings herself was also quite nice! Besides, Suri was willing to spend money to make things easy for her, which was itself a kind of... well, sweet indulgence, wasn't it?

She rubbed her still slightly sore lower back and legs, and struggled to get out of bed, ready to start a new day.

An hour later, after Eyjafjalla changed into comfortable loungewear and finished a quick wash, she was about to go to the kitchen to see what breakfast Suri had prepared (or, what delicious food Suri had "summoned" this time) when the doorbell rang.

The crisp sound of the doorbell rang out clearly in the spacious and quiet villa.

Eyjafjalla paused, looking at Suri. Suri (in his sheep form) was sitting at the island in the open kitchen, a steaming glass of an unidentifiable, transparent liquid in front of him (it could be water, or something else), holding his old touchscreen phone, seemingly browsing something. Hearing the doorbell, he didn't look up, calmly saying, "Household services. Go answer the door."

"Oh... okay." Eyjafjalla then remembered that Suri had said she would hire someone. Was she really that efficient? She quickly tidied her hair and clothes, walked to the entrance, and looked out through the peephole.

Two figures stood outside the door. One looked to be in her forties, slightly overweight, wearing a neat dark blue work uniform, carrying a large cleaning toolbox, and with a kind expression—a typical middle-aged housekeeper. The other, however, made Eyjafjalla's eyes widen slightly.

It was a girl who looked to be around her age, or even a year or two younger. She was tall, with a neat high ponytail, and wore a well-fitting, easy-to-move-in tracksuit with a light blue apron bearing the logo of a housekeeping company. Her features were striking and vibrant, with clear, bright blue eyes and a healthy tan, radiating sunshine and energy. What struck Ayjafjalla most was the girl's demeanor; it didn't resemble that of an ordinary housekeeper, but rather... well, more like a college student, or an athlete.

Eyjafjalla opened the door.

"Good morning!" The middle-aged woman outside the door immediately greeted him with a warm smile. "Is this Mr. Su Rui's home? We are from 'Clean as New' Housekeeping Company. We have received an appointment to provide a deep cleaning and tidying service for the entire house."

"Yes, yes, please come in." Eyjafjalla quickly stepped aside.

The two women carried in their toolboxes. The young blonde woman with a high ponytail followed behind the older woman, her gaze quickly and subtly sweeping over the spacious, bright, modernly yet simply decorated villa. A fleeting hint of surprise and envy crossed her eyes, but it was quickly masked by a polite and professional expression. Her gaze finally settled on Eyjafjalla.

“Hello, my name is Renata,” the blonde girl greeted with a smile, her voice clear and pleasant, full of youthful energy. “I’m a sophomore in the engineering school at Trimont University (the name of the comprehensive university where Columbia University of Geosciences is located), and I work part-time at this housekeeping company in my spare time. Today, Aunt Mary and I will be serving you.”

Trimont University? Engineering School? Second-year student? Upperclassman?!

Eyjafjalla was completely stunned. She never expected that the helper Su Rui had casually found on a "housekeeping website" would actually be her future senior?! What a coincidence!

She subconsciously turned her head to look towards the kitchen. Suri (in sheep form) was still sitting by the island, holding the glass of "water" in her hand, her gaze calmly fixed on them, as if she knew everything about the situation at the door.

Seeing Eyjafjalla's questioning gaze, Suri (in lamb form) subtly raised his chin, as if confirming. Then, in his calm and even tone, he simply explained:

“The housekeeping platform sorts and filters by rating and distance. Her profile shows she's a student at Trimont University, actively taking orders, and has good reviews. Her motivation for working part-time,” he paused, his dark eyes sweeping over the blonde girl named Renata, “is most likely to pay for her expensive tuition and textbooks.”

His voice wasn't loud, but it was clearly audible in the quiet living room. The middle-aged woman named Mary seemed unfazed, simply offering a good-natured smile. As for the blonde senior, Renata, a flicker of embarrassment crossed her azure eyes when Suri so bluntly revealed the reason for her part-time job, but it quickly returned to its bright and slightly stubborn smile.

Volume 19, Chapter 1322: It's better not to get distracted.

“This gentleman is right,” Renata readily admitted, shrugging her shoulders with a hint of self-deprecation and composure. “The tuition at Tremont and those damned textbooks with redemption codes seem designed specifically to squeeze every last penny out of students and parents. Without working like crazy, relying solely on student loans and the meager support from home, I doubt I could even afford new books for next semester.” As she spoke, her gaze swept over the spacious and beautiful villa again, her envy deepening. “So, thank you so much for choosing our services! We will definitely clean this place spotless!”

As Eyjafjalla listened to Renata's candid words, seeing the other's vibrant smile and the helplessness in her eyes regarding the tuition fees, a complex emotion welled up within her. It was both a coincidence and reality. This senior student was a microcosm of the countless ordinary students struggling to survive under Columbia's exorbitant education costs. And she herself, because of Suri, had been spared.

She looked at Suri again, her pink eyes filled with emotion and relief. Suri calmly returned her gaze, as if to say: See, this is reality. Then, he put down his cup and said to Aunt Mary and Renata:

“The cleaning scope includes deep cleaning of all rooms, windows, floors, kitchen, and bathrooms. Organize and categorize items, and follow her instructions.” He pointed to Eyjafjalla. “We’ve already taken care of valuables and personal belongings. Let’s begin.”

His instructions were clear and unambiguous, carrying an air of unquestionable composure. Aunt Mary nodded quickly, and Renata also abandoned her idle chatter, adopting a professional attitude: "Yes, sir! We'll begin immediately!"

Watching her two "helpers" immediately get to work, Eyjafjalla stood there, her heart filled with mixed emotions. There was sympathy for her senior's situation, a clear understanding of her own good fortune, and a deep reliance on Suri's omnipresent and powerful "arrangement" ability, which was strong enough to change her destiny.

She turned around and looked at Su Rui, who had already started operating something on his phone, seemingly oblivious to all the noise around him. She then looked at the brand-new, bright "home" that was about to be thoroughly cleaned and gently clenched her fist.

Well, now that Suri has solved the "cleaning" problem this way, she should enjoy this "luck" and work even harder to face the new life that is about to begin, which truly belongs to her, at Columbia University.

After Suri gave her "instruction" to "outsource cleaning and arrange the furniture as you see fit," the atmosphere in the villa immediately became busy yet orderly. Aunt Mary, clearly experienced, took out various professional cleaning tools and eco-friendly cleaners from her huge toolbox and quickly began assigning tasks. She was responsible for cleaning the kitchen and bathroom, the two "hardest-hit areas," as well as all the windows—the window cleaning tools in her hands looked quite professional.

Meanwhile, the blonde, high-ponytail senior, Renata, was assigned a relatively "easy" but meticulous task: vacuuming all the carpets and floors in all the rooms, wiping dust off the furniture surfaces, and assisting Eyjafjalla with the initial sorting and organization of some items.

“Miss Izam,” Renata said naturally, using polite language. Although she and Eyjafjalla were about the same age, she was now the server. “Where would you like to begin? Or do you have any special requests?”

Eyjafjalla was still caught up in the complex emotions of meeting her "future senior" and "working hard to pay for tuition," and quickly waved her hand upon hearing this: "Just call me Eyjafjalla. Hmm... shall we start with the living room and common areas? The bedroom... I want to tidy it up myself first." Subconsciously, she designated the bedroom as her "private territory," not wanting outsiders to interfere too much, especially since she and Suri had just... there were still too many private scents and traces remaining there.

Renata readily agreed, "Okay, Eyjafjalla. I'll clean the living room floor and furniture first. You go ahead with your work, just call me if you need anything." She gave a bright smile, turned around and grabbed the vacuum cleaner, her movements swift and efficient, perfectly befitting her image as an engineering student and part-time housekeeper.

Eyjafjalla breathed a sigh of relief and turned to walk towards the master bedroom. Closing the door shut out the hum of the vacuum cleaner, the bedroom instantly returned to silence, broken only by the occasional birdsong from outside the window. The morning light was still bright, spilling onto the polished floor and illuminating the fine dust particles floating in the air.

Her gaze involuntarily fell on the large, soft, and now somewhat disheveled bed. The bedding was crumpled, and two pillows lay side by side, one bearing the faint imprint of Su Rui's head. A faint, lingering scent of the morning air, a warm and intimate fragrance mingled with their shared scent, seemed to remain in the air.

Eyjafjalla's cheeks began to burn again. She shook her head, trying to banish the blush-inducing images from her mind, took a deep breath, and began to tidy herself up.

She first went to the window and with a whoosh, pulled back all the curtains, letting in more sunlight and fresh air. Then, she began to make the bed. She carefully smoothed out the crumpled comforter, fluffed it up, arranged the two pillows, and smoothed out the wrinkles on their covers. When she picked up the pillow that Suri had used, her movements unconsciously softened, as if handling some fragile treasure. With the bed made, the whole room seemed instantly much tidier and brighter.

Then, she began to tidy up the clothes she and Suri had changed out of, which had been carelessly tossed onto the back of the chair the night before. Her little white dress was wrinkled beyond recognition, and it seemed to have some… indescribable marks on it. Eyjafjalla's face turned even redder, and she quickly rolled it up, intending to deal with it separately later. Suri's crumpled shirt and suit trousers were also carefully folded and placed aside.

Then she opened the small suitcase she had brought back from Cumberland. It contained few things: a few changes of clothes, a few of her favorite introductory books on geology and Originium theory, an old photo frame with faded pictures of her parents, and some miscellaneous personal items.

She took out her clothes one by one and hung them in the huge, empty walk-in closet of the master bedroom. Suri had very few clothes, only a few sets of almost identical dark casual wear and loungewear, neatly hung to one side. Eyjafjalla hung her own clothes on the other side, looking at her few simple, even somewhat worn garments—a reflection of her past bleak life—alongside Suri's high-quality, well-tailored clothes, and a strange feeling rose in her heart. But quickly, this feeling was replaced by anticipation for her new life—once settled, perhaps she could ask Suri to take her to buy some new clothes? She blushed and suppressed the thought for the time being.

Volume 19, Chapter 1323: Eyjafjalla is going to be possessive of her food.

She temporarily placed the books on the small desk in her bedroom, and carefully placed her parents' framed photos on her bedside table. Looking at her parents' gentle smiles in the photos, Eyjafjalla silently said in her heart: "Dad, Mom, I've moved to a new house, with Suri. It's nice here, big, and bright. I'll be going to university soon, Columbia University. You...won't be happy for me, right?"

After doing all that, the bedroom was sparkling clean and full of life. Ayjafjalla looked around with satisfaction, then put away some of her personal belongings that she had carelessly left out the night before. Finally, she picked up the crumpled white dress and the sheets that needed separate cleaning (the stained sheet that Suri had changed last night, which she had quietly taken away this morning), hesitated for a moment, and decided to take them to the laundry room downstairs first.

When she emerged from the bedroom carrying the clothes, the cleaning in the living room seemed to be halfway done. Aunt Mary was intently wiping the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, while Renata had just turned off the vacuum cleaner and was wiping the coffee table and sofa with a clean, soft cloth. The vacuum cleaner noise subsided, leaving only the subtle rustling of cloth against glass and furniture, and… a rhythmic, soft clicking sound coming from the direction of the open kitchen.

Eyjafjalla, clutching her clothes, instinctively glanced towards the kitchen island.

Suri (in his sheep form) was still sitting there, but the glass of clear liquid in front of him was gone. In its place was an old touchscreen phone in his hand. However, the screen was no longer displaying complex charts or data streams, but rather… a brightly colored, rapidly changing game interface?

Su Rui lowered his head slightly, his silver bangs falling down, partially obscuring his dark eyes. His fingers tapped and swiped rapidly and precisely on the screen, the movements so fluid they almost left afterimages. The phone emitted rhythmic game sound effects and impactful sounds, and although the volume was turned down, they were still clearly audible in the relatively quiet living room.

Is he... playing video games?

Eyjafjalla blinked, almost thinking she was seeing things. The Suri who was always calm and collected, seemingly always dealing with "more important matters," the Suri with incredible abilities, as precise as a machine, was now... killing time playing games on her phone like an ordinary teenager?

This scene was quite a shock to Eyjafjalla's understanding. But then she thought about it, and although Suri was powerful and mysterious, he didn't seem to show any particular enthusiasm or hobby for anything. Playing games... seemed like a reasonable way to kill time? Moreover, the way he played the game, his expression didn't change much, only his eyes were slightly more focused than usual, and his finger movements were incredibly fast. It didn't look like he was having fun, but more like he was completing some kind of high-difficulty task.

Eyjafjalla couldn't help but smile, feeling that this version of Suri seemed... slightly more "human"? Even if only a little.

Without disturbing Suri, she carried the clothes and tiptoed down to the laundry room on the first floor. She sorted the clothes, put them in the washing machine, set the program, and pressed start. Listening to the hum of the washing machine filling with water, Eyjafjalla checked the detergent and fabric softener levels before turning to return to the living room.

However, as she walked out of the laundry room, her gaze inadvertently swept over the kitchen island, and she couldn't help but pause.

The blonde, high-ponytail senior, Renata, had finished wiping at some point and was slowly approaching Suri, who was sitting by the island counter, engrossed in a mobile game, seemingly unintentionally.

Renata's face still wore that bright, slightly professional smile, but her eyes held a different intensity than when she was working earlier. They held a more scrutinizing, probing look, and a hint of… barely perceptible, deliberately adjusted allure? She turned slightly closer to Suri, her curves accentuated by her well-fitting sportswear. She seemed to say something, her voice low and tinged with amusement; Eyjafjalla was too far away to hear clearly.

But Eyjafjalla noticed that after hearing Renata's words, Suri (in her sheep form) paused almost imperceptibly for a fraction of a second as her fingers rapidly swiped the screen. She didn't even lift her head; her gaze remained fixed on the mobile game screen. She simply replied clearly in her calm, emotionless voice:

"No need. Please focus on your work."

His refusal was decisive and left no room for negotiation.

However, Renata's smile froze for a moment, but quickly adjusted, becoming even sweeter, even carrying a hint of allure. Instead of retreating, she took another small step closer, almost touching the edge of the platform. Her voice was still very low, but this time, Eyjafjalla managed to catch a few key fragments:

"...Mr. Suri is truly a promising young man... living in such a big house all by himself... I'm just a poor student, and the tuition is just too expensive... If... you could help me... I'd do anything..."

Eyjafjalla's heart skipped a beat, and her pink eyes widened instantly. She understood! This Renata actually... actually wanted to use that method to seduce Suri in exchange for tuition fees?!

An unnamed fire, mixed with a strong sense of crisis and possessiveness, instantly surged up Eyjafjalla's head. She didn't even have time to think; her body reacted before her consciousness could—

"Su Rui!"

She almost shouted it out, her voice sharp with urgency and anger, instantly shattering the delicate balance in the living room that had been filled only with game sound effects and wiping noises.

Aunt Mary stopped wiping the windows and turned around in surprise. Renata was also startled by the sudden shout, her body trembled, and she subconsciously took half a step back. A hint of panic flashed across her face, but it was quickly covered up by a forced smile.

Suri (in lamb form) finally raised her head. Her black eyes shifted from the phone screen, calmly looking at the source of the sound—Eyjafjalla, who was rushing towards her with a tense, angry expression, like a mother hen protecting her chicks.

Eyjafjalla rushed to Suri's side in a few strides. Without thinking, she reached out and grabbed Suri's wrist, forcefully pulling him up from the bar stool. Then, she stepped to the side, blocking Suri and Renata. She straightened her back; although shorter than Renata, her aura was in no way inferior. Her pink eyes glared warily, even with a hint of fierceness, at the blonde senior opposite her, as if the other was some kind of monster.

Volume 19, Chapter 1324: Huff!

"What...what do you want to do to Suri?" Eyjafjalla's voice trembled slightly with excitement, but her tone was unusually firm, and she tightened her grip on Suri's wrist.

Renata clearly hadn't expected Eyjafjalla's reaction to be so intense. Her smile vanished completely, and a flicker of embarrassment, awkwardness, and annoyance at being caught in the act flashed in her azure eyes. She opened her mouth, as if to explain, "I...I just..."

"He's mine!" Eyjafjalla blurted out almost without thinking. She paused for a moment after saying it, her cheeks flushing bright red, but her eyes hardened with even more ferocity and determination, like a small animal whose territory had been invaded, its fur bristling. "You're not allowed to lay a finger on him!"

The living room fell silent. Aunt Mary stared in disbelief at the sudden conflict, nearly dropping the rag in her hand. Renata's face flushed red and then paled; Eyjafjalla's blunt rebuke, especially in front of her employer, left her feeling both embarrassed and guilty.

Suri (in his lamb form), who was firmly protected behind Eyjafjalla and whose wrist was being tightly gripped, finally showed a very subtle, almost helpless change on his face. His usually calm and unwavering black eyes twitched slightly, his gaze falling on Eyjafjalla's pink head, which was trembling slightly with excitement, before he looked up at Renata, whose expression was constantly changing.

He seemed to sigh softly, almost inaudibly. Then, in that still steady tone, but now sounding strangely cold and unyielding, he spoke:

“The cleaning continues. If it can be completed within the scheduled time and meets the standards,” he paused, his dark eyes calmly sweeping over Renata and Aunt Mary, “I will pay a 20% tip on top of the originally agreed fee as a bonus for efficiency.”

He made no mention of Renata's earlier inappropriate suggestion, as if it were merely a trivial interlude. But his words clearly defined the boundary—work was work; extra thoughts were unnecessary and would not arise. Earning extra compensation through efficiency was the only viable path at this moment.

Renata froze, her face flashing with astonishment and resentment. But in the end, under Suri's calm yet extremely oppressive gaze, under Eyjafjalla's unyielding and wary look, and in the face of the economic pressure of reality, she bit her lip and lowered her head.

“...Yes, Mr. Suri. I’m very sorry, I was rude just now.” Her voice was a little hoarse, but she quickly composed herself, picked up the rag again, turned to the bookshelf next to her, and began to wipe it even more diligently, as if she wanted to vent all her embarrassment and awkwardness through her work.

Aunt Mary quickly snapped out of her daze and continued wiping the windows, but she was even more careful, keeping her eyes down and not daring to look in that direction again.

Eyjafjalla remained like a prickly kitten, tightly blocking Suri's path. Only when she was certain that Renata had turned around and started working, and showed no intention of turning back, did she breathe a slight sigh of relief. However, she did not immediately let go of Suri's wrist.

Suri (in lamb form) lowered his head, looking at his wrist, which Eyjafjalla was gripping tightly, and then at her still pouting profile. Data streams silently flashed in his dark eyes, analyzing "the target individual's strong territorial protective behavior and emotional fluctuations due to sensing a potential threat." A few seconds later, he reached out his other hand and gently patted the back of Eyjafjalla's hand, which was tightly gripping his wrist.

The movements were very gentle, with a soothing quality.

Eyjafjalla trembled slightly, turning her head to meet Suri's calm, dark eyes. There was no blame, no mockery in those eyes, only her usual calm, as if to say: It's alright.

Eyjafjalla's face flushed even redder as she realized how intense her reaction had been and how...direct her words had been. As if burned, she abruptly released her grip on Suri's wrist, lowered her head, and stammered softly, "I...I'll go check the washing machine..."

After saying that, she didn't dare to look at Su Rui's expression, nor did she dare to look at Renata who was "seriously" working over there. She fled back into the laundry room as if she were running away, and slammed the door shut.

Leaning against the cold washing machine, Eyjafjalla felt her cheeks burning hot, and her heart was still pounding wildly.

"He's mine..."