Back in her quarters, Rui settled onto the plush sitting area with obvious reluctance, her body language screaming defiance even as exhaustion pulled at her limbs.
"I don't need to be coddled like some delicate flower," she muttered, though she made no move to leave when Shen began preparing tea at the small service station.
"You nearly collapsed from fever last night," Shen replied without looking up from the steaming kettle.
"And today you threw yourself through an avalanche."
The gentle clink of porcelain filled the comfortable silence as he arranged two cups with practiced precision.
"That's just a normal day for me," Rui said with a dismissive wave, but accepted the warm cup he offered with grateful hands.
Shen spread the course map across the table. The jungle's verdant pathways glowed in emerald light, shadows flickering across his focused features."
"Listen to this," he said, his voice taking on that scholarly tone she secretly adored.
