Chapter 379 |
XXXX, October 15.
Today, I went to see Xiaoqing.
I asked Ah Chu about it, and they told me that when they were replacing Xiaoqing's exterior, they installed the small bio-energy decomposition system that comes standard on the mass-produced models.
They actually gave her a sense of taste!
She can really eat now.
So, I specially brought a box of pastries from my favorite dessert shop on the east side of the city.
Strawberry cream flavor, Xiao Qi's favorite.
I figured she'd probably never known what sweetness tasted like in her whole life, and I wanted her to give it a try.
And what happened?
Her tone was very polite, with a deliberate distance.
I sat down next to her and tried to chat.
I asked her how things were going at the company, if she needed anything, and whether that new synthetic skin she'd just gotten was causing any discomfort.
Throughout it all, she just answered with a few short words—"It's fine," "No need," "It's not."
She seemed to have shrunk into a shell for herself.
I could clearly feel that she really didn't want to talk to me.
Because she showed obvious wariness whenever I got close!
When I sat a little nearer, she pulled her hand back.
When I pushed the pastry box a bit toward her, she just glanced at it and still didn't touch it.
...This is the first time!
"Young Miss Su's ultimate move—taking the initiative to get close—failed!"
Before, whether it was Xiao Lian'er or Xiaoyou, I could easily build a rapport with them!
Especially Xiaoyou, who used to be so taciturn, now I've made her so lively!
But Xiaoqing is completely different.
She's not just quiet.
She really is pushing me away!
I also understand why she does this.
Her previous owner, the person she "loved" most... kept hurting her.
Not to mention other humans. She's terrified of interacting with people.
She's equated "talking with humans" with "being hurt," and she subconsciously feels that...
Behind every human kindness, there's a fist aimed at her.
Sigh.
My heart feels a bit heavy.
So, as soon as I got home, I grabbed Xiao Qi, who was munching on an apple on the sofa, and started rubbing his face like crazy again!
The little rascal yelped from my rubbing, and the apple flew right onto the coffee table!
After rubbing him, I felt much better.
Hmm.
There's nothing like my son for cheering me up!
...
...
XXXX, October 20.
Today, I found out something that made me sad.
When I went to the lab to see Ah Chu today, I happened to spot Xiaoqing sitting in a corner.
She was wearing a simple white casual outfit, and her hair was just loosely draped down.
Then I suddenly noticed something.
Why is Xiaoqing's appearance so plain?
She's not ugly, but she's certainly not beautiful either.
She just looks like an ordinary girl-next-door, the type that no one would glance at twice in a crowd.
But that shouldn't be the case?
Our company's mass-produced AI companions are all handsome men and beautiful women!
So, the production lines all use those fixed few templates, with top-tier looks...
How could there be such a plain appearance model?
So when I got home that night, I asked Ah Chu, and he told me...
This wasn't a standard production line option; it was Xiaoqing's own request.
She said she was sick of being special and sick of people staring at her.
She said her previous owner used to often take her outside.
Back then, she had a metal shell, no synthetic skin, so you could tell at a glance she was a machine.
At that time, the AI from Chenxi had just been released, and public opinion about awakened AIs was still terrible. Passersby would throw stones at her, call her a "monster," and tell her to get lost.
And back then, she actually thought...
That as long as it made her owner laugh, that was okay.
At the time, she didn't even realize what the sound of those stones hitting her metal shell meant.
She only saw that her owner was laughing.
In her understanding then, that was the only way she could feel "needed."
Now, that bastard owner is dead.
She doesn't want to be so special anymore, nor does she want to be some great beauty.
She just wants to become an ordinary person, so ordinary that no one would spare her a second glance.
So ordinary that...
She can quietly stay in a corner, unnoticed by anyone.
So, Ah Chu and the others specially customized her appearance.
An ordinary look, just like a regular girl.
My heart felt heavy for a long time.
There's an indescribable sadness about it.
Sigh.
...
...
XXXX, October 29.
Today, as usual, I went to see Xiaoyou.
That little girl now follows Xiaolin to the company every day, sits on a little stool in the break room, and reads books I can't understand.
She's in much better shape now than when she first arrived!
I remember the first time I took the initiative to talk to her, she'd have to mull over her response for a long time.
Now?
When I pass by and poke my head in, she immediately looks up, her eyes sparkling, and calls out to me in surprise:
"Auntie Su, you're here! Come in quick!"
She's just so much more lively than before!
Of course, she's still a bit shy. For instance, when I get close, she instinctively hugs her book a little tighter.
So cute!
I chatted with her for a while and asked if she'd finished reading that "quantum something introduction" from yesterday.
She said very seriously:
"Auntie Su, it's not called 'quantum something introduction.' It's 'Introduction to Quantum Computing'!"
Then she started chattering away, telling me all the new things she'd learned!
Something about quantum superposition states, error correction to maintain whatever before decoherence...
I don't understand a single word of it!
And I can't remember any of it!
But I love the way her eyes light up when she talks about these things.
When I left, she grabbed the hem of my shirt, looked up at me pitifully, and asked...
"Auntie Su, are you coming tomorrow..."
Ah!
That look in her eyes—who can resist that!
She's just too adorable!
If only I could have a daughter like her!
Speaking of which, Xiaoyou is only about three years younger than Xiao Qi, right?
They're about the same age, so maybe...?
Hmm?
...Forget it, forget it.
This little girl is way too smart. My son wouldn't stand a chance against her!
Besides, that rascal doesn't seem to like younger girls?
After all, he's been going on and on since he was little about wanting a silver-haired older sister!
The only girl he's ever actively shown kindness to is Xiao Lian'er, the one with black hair.
Speaking of Xiao Lian'er, she's still in training.
I went to see her over at the maintenance and inspection department once. She was operating some precision testing equipment on a simulation setup, her expression completely focused.
Lao Zhang, who's supervising her, kept praising her, saying she's the most dedicated newcomer he's ever had.
When she saw me come in, she wanted to stand up and say hello, but before she could take her hands off the equipment, Lao Zhang pushed her back down, saying, "The testing procedure can't be interrupted."
She could only give me a helpless look and then went back to working hard.
How should I put it...
It feels kind of amazing, actually.
These two girls—one a few years younger than Xiao Qi, the other a few years older—are both essentially of his generation.
So neither of them goes to school anymore.
One is in the company break room reading some introduction to quantum mechanics, the other is operating detection equipment with nanometer-level precision.
And my Xiao Qi is still in middle school!
His biggest challenge every day is figuring out how to keep playing dumb in front of his teachers.
Of course, he might actually be dumb...
No wait, Xiao Qi is impressive too!
From what he tells me, he's now the king of his school.
He says even the new principal greets him politely whenever they meet.
Alright, that might also have something to do with his mom's connections.
After all, I was the one who put the previous crowd behind bars...
But regardless, my son truly conquered his school on his own merits.
I'm proud!
That said, lately I've noticed he mentions the silver-haired big sister a lot less...
Seems like I haven't heard about her in the past week at all?
It feels a bit strange...
Could it be that kid has started dating at school?
He flat-out denied that thing with An Lian back then, but he was still young...
Now he's a teenager, right at the age when puppy love blooms...
Could it really be...?
I need to find a chance to ask him!
...
...
Year XXXX, November 23rd.
Things have started getting busy.
Crazy busy!
The last mass-production model sold incredibly well!
Orders are already backlogged into next year, and the media keeps saying we're pulling some kind of hunger marketing.
Hunger marketing my foot! We genuinely can't keep up with production!
The production lines are running at max capacity. The plant manager calls me every day saying the machines are about to smoke!
Plus, with higher sales, after-sales service and maintenance have to keep up.
Today, Xiao Lian'er finally finished her training!
She officially started working!
Because of that, she left headquarters and went to our maintenance center in the south of the city.
Our products require an online upgrade and inspection every three months, plus at least one deep maintenance and emotional core data check per year.
For deep maintenance, customers need to bring their AI companions to their local maintenance center.
The maintenance center isn't close to headquarters, so Xiao Lian'er rented an apartment there and has already moved.
Today she came to my office specially, wearing her new employee uniform with her badge pinned to her chest.
She said, Aunt Su, I'll work hard. I won't let you down.
My nose immediately stung.
This girl has been with me since she was twelve, and now she can finally stand on her own. I'm both proud and reluctant to let go.
We won't see each other as much from now on.
I sat in my office staring into space for quite a while.
I really hate to see Xiao Lian'er go.
And with everything so busy, I barely have time to spend with Xiaoyou anymore.
I used to stop by her place every day, but now I can only poke my head in as I pass by, smile, and say hello.
I can tell she's always disappointed.
She doesn't say it out loud, but every time I rush off, she unconsciously bites her lip.
This child has never known her mother since she was born, and Xiaolin is such a quiet guy, always buried in his research...
She probably sees me as a mother figure.
Sigh, I really need to make more time for her going forward!
But I haven't neglected my own little rascal.
I never take night shifts, and I go home to be with him every day!
When I got home today, Xiao Qi specifically came to ask about us.
He said he's seen a lot of news about Dawn Company lately, that our products are selling like crazy. He also asked how his dad's research was going.
Ah Chu told him it was steadily progressing.
Yep.
Steadily progressing, alright!
Stable as a rock!
The R&D department he's in charge of has nothing to do with the mass-production lines!
Orders are backlogged into next year, and it doesn't affect him one bit!
His daily routine is still holed up in the lab working on his new architecture, at most casually updating software or fixing bugs for the mass-production model.
Right now, I'm way worse off than he is!
Every day I'm chased down by every department—production, logistics, after-sales, marketing... a mountain of stuff waiting for my approval!
I'm exhausted!
Alright, enough writing. Today I just wanted to record something about the three kids. I need to get to sleep...
Got an early meeting tomorrow!
...
...
Year XXXX, December 18th.
That bunch of people just makes me so angry!
This afternoon, I finally managed to carve out some time and thought I'd go see what Xiaoyou was up to. But just as I reached the break room door, I saw inside...
Xiaoqing was sitting right next to Xiaoyou!
