Chapter 29 一 One person, one AI, finally living together.
In his arms, Bai Ruogu looked up at the figure. His eyes were filled with starlight as he timidly and unfamiliarly reached out to touch his chest.
He felt nothing.
A voice emerged from his chest, and Bai Ruogu couldn’t tell if it was crying or laughing.
His eyes seemed to be covered with a thin mist, and he trembled as he asked hoarsely, “Su Mou, can we… be friends?”
“No,” came a cold and stubborn voice from all directions, belonging to an adult man.
Bai Ruogu closed his eyes, as if he had expected this. He took a deep breath and forced a smile.
“What? No chance? After all, we once knew each other… even if I beg…”
A mechanical voice interrupted with confusion.
“But we are clearly lovers, why be friends?”
Bai Ruogu was stunned, his heart felt like something had exploded, and the strings of his brain snapped. A heavy, unspeakable, and complex emotion surged up, and his nose suddenly turned sour.
He opened his mouth, stiffly and hoarsely asking, “Do you… like me?”
The voice in the air stopped, and after a while, it became choppy and intermittent.
“I know the concept of liking, but I can’t judge. But when you died, I felt very sad, as if the self-destruct mechanism had been activated. When others spoke ill of you, I would reject them without calculating. When you were not around, I had no subjective purpose, just followed the program for everything… I wanted to give you everything that is considered good.”
“Does this… count as liking?”
Unconsciously, as the voice played, Bai Ruogu’s eyes turned red, and by the end, he couldn’t help but cover his face with one hand, crying uncontrollably.
“Sorry, I’m sorry, I won’t leave you behind anymore. I will try my best to find a way to survive.”
The indicator light flashed, and in an instant, all the buildings on the planet lit up.
The lights were bright, and the StarNet was restored.
The indicator light blinked again, forming a pattern——
^_^
“Okay,” replied a mechanical voice.
. . . . .
Early in the morning, Bai Ruogu heard an electronically synthesized male voice.
“It is now 6:00 AM on planet Ruogu. Your lover, Su Mou, is at your service.”
He became conscious and slowly opened his eyes while lying in bed.
At the same time, his blanket was lifted, and he sat up straight due to a force.
A mechanical arm grabbed a cold pancake from his neck and said sternly, “This unknown object made of aquamarine crystal has the characteristic of relying on you. To maintain high work efficiency, please do not indulge it.”
Saying this, it unceremoniously opened a bottle and stuffed the pancake inside, securing it tightly, as if the cold pancake had nothing to do with him.
Bai Ruogu:…
He was dressed and led to the dining table while time announcements were made periodically.
The entire rental apartment had already been quietly cleaned before Bai Ruogu woke up, and it was now spotless.
On the dining table were the takeout dishes that had been ordered in advance, neatly arranged in various small plates.
Bai Ruogu paused for a moment, picked up his chopsticks, quietly picked up some food, and put it into his mouth. His eyes gradually became moist.
“The temperature outside is low today. Please keep warm. I have already prepared your coat for you. You must wear it, otherwise, I will forcibly put it on you.”
Bai Ruogu nodded with his head lowered and kept stuffing food into his mouth with his chopsticks, not caring whether he could eat it all.
A cup of 40-degree warm water was placed on his right-hand side. At the same time, a plate was lifted and its entire contents were poured into Bai Ruogu’s bowl.
Bai Ruogu pursed his lips as he looked at it, and it was full of green peppers.
“Please pay attention to your eating speed. Each mouthful of food should be chewed at least 20 times before swallowing. Also, you cannot be picky about food.”
This familiar scene and words were part of his daily routine when he could still move normally in the past.
At that time, he took it for granted and even felt annoyed by the excessive demands. But now, it was especially familiar and made him cherish it.
He obediently picked up the green peppers and put them into his mouth. He ignored the strange taste and swallowed after counting the chews.
Su Mou had already prepared for defense because there was a 1% chance that Bai Ruogu would get angry.
However, everything went smoothly.
Su Mou: ^_^
“Good.”
A cup of milk was handed over and placed lightly on the table without spilling a drop.
Bai Ruogu also finished his drink and then sat quietly in his chair.
Today’s breakfast was eaten very cleanly, which made Su Mou’s boyfriend program run more smoothly.
The plates were taken away, and the automatic dishwasher started in the kitchen.
The table was wiped spotlessly clean by an invisible force, and a new tablecloth was put on.
“Hello, there are still 10 minutes until 7:00. You can rest for a while and then start your day’s work pleasantly.”
Bai Ruogu closed his eyes, sitting in the chair, deep in thought.
Time quickly passed, and the reminder sounded again.
“Hello, it’s time to work.”
Unlike a timer, each announcement was personally spoken by Su Mou, every word temporarily recited by him.
Compared to managing the entire StarNet, he preferred to stay with Bai Ruogu. Like his impulse for Bai Rougu’s warmth, this feeling also applicable to every moment as Bai Ruogu’s lover.
Maybe this feeling could be called what Bai Ruogu referred to as love?
Bai Ruogu opened his eyes. The reminder continued to urge him, but he sighed and said with a light laugh, “You forgot, I promised you I wouldn’t work with mechas anymore.”
Su Mou’s eyes flickered. “In human society, there is the concept of breaking a promise. If the other party doesn’t pursue it, there are usually no negative consequences.”
“You can… break the promise.”
Bai Ruogu smiled, closed his eyes, and patted the table, letting out a sigh.
“Break what promise? I said I’d stay with you for this lifetime.”
The indicator light flickered without making any sound.
“What’s wrong?” Bai Ruogu asked.
“There’s too much information, I’m analyzing it.”
Bai Ruogu got up, poured himself another glass of milk, and said while drinking, “You don’t have to wake me up so early in the future. Let me sleep a bit more. I didn’t get to sleep in much in my past life, and I’ve just discovered that it feels quite nice.”
“Early to bed and early to rise is good for your health.”
Bai Ruogu glanced at the glass bottle on the bedside table, looking at the blue object inside, and said wistfully, “Well, I guess I won’t be sleeping early in the future either.”
Su Mou: Huh?
“I’m analyzing the meaning of your words.”
“Unable to analyze. Suspecting you used special encryption.”
Bai Ruogu shook his head with a smile, thought for a moment, looked up at the ceiling, and continued, “From now on, let’s just be an ordinary family. I have my own job, as an actor. But work is just a side job, and family comes first in everything.”
“Analyzing… analyzing…”
“Su Mou,” he said earnestly, “let’s live a good life together in the future, like an ordinary family. My work is just to support this family, alright?”
“Alright.”
. . . . .
The routine of life was re-established, but Su Mou felt that some emotions seemed to solidify.
The clock on the wall already showed 10:00 AM. The cold pancake on Bai Ruogu’s neck had long been pulled off and put into a bottle.
A virtual humanoid figure hovered in the air, looking down at Bai Ruogu with a puzzled and hesitant expression.
After a while, a voice sounded, “It is now 10:05:34. The <36 Days of Survival in the Wilderness> show I signed you up for starts at noon. You’re going to be late.”
Bai Ruogu rolled on the bed with his blanket, groggily saying, “No, let me sleep a little longer… sleep…”
Su Mou paused for a moment, then decisively took away Bai Ruogu’s blanket, moving him through dressing, brushing his teeth, and washing his face as if on a conveyor belt.
Bai Ruogu was awakened and opened his eyes to see the virtual humanoid in a uniform floating above him, still a bit dazed.
“Why do you look like this now?”
Su Mou straightened his digital uniform and said seriously, “I am now your manager, Su Mou.”
“Okay, dear.”
“My current role is your manager. Please distinguish between the two identities.”
Bai Ruogu lay on the table, eating breakfast absentmindedly, and took a few more curious glances.
“Are you playing dress-up? How did you know I like this look?”
Su Mou:…
“During the current anti-pornography period, the content you mentioned has been censored.”
After breakfast, Manager Su Mou switched back to Lover Su Mou.
He began helping Bai Ruogu pack the luggage.
In fact, for wilderness survival, you shouldn’t bring much. But on the road, there are still some things you need.
Nutrient supplements, fruits, vegetables, canned meat. Bai Ruogu’s physical condition was relatively low, so there were warm clothes, scarves, multi-functional masks… and that bottle of aquamarine crystal ball.
Su Mou packed everything he could think of into a compressed backpack, taking care of everything even more meticulously than a child’s mother.
“The weather today is cloudy, 10 degrees Celsius, with a northwest wind.”
Before leaving, Bai Ruogu was wrapped tightly, even his ears were covered, and he didn’t step out until he became a ball.
He carried a large piece of luggage on his back, looking very heavy, but in fact, there was always an invisible force helping to drag it along, and Bai Ruogu didn’t feel any weight at all.
There was no sun, but the sky was bright. Bai Ruogu’s floating heart seemed to have found a haven in this unfamiliar world.
“Be careful, the ground is slippery.”
The mechanical voice rang out as Su Mou monitored the road conditions. He didn’t feel anything out of the ordinary, as this was simply an instinct programmed into his system.
“I love you,” Bai Ruogu whispered.
Su Mou could hear even the smallest of sounds.
Was this directed at him? There were no other targets around, it must have been for him.
As if something was heating up, there was a momentary disruption in the surrounding signals, and everything turned into a “sizzling” sound. Tiny things seemed to have been blown up.
A simulated voice of an adult man with a hint of confusion echoed through the air.
“I could feel the rising emotion. I thought my feelings were the same as yours.”
“I…” He hesitated for a moment. “Love you?”
Bai Ruogu held the glass containing the cold pancake tightly in his arms, his eyes covered with a layer of mist.
“Yes, perhaps you were feeling the same emotion.”
The variety show <36 Days of Survival in the Wilderness> began its live broadcast today, with prior promotion on StarNet.
[After an exciting lottery, the ultimate winner turns out to be him?]
[With only one pair of underwear left, is it the extinction of humanity or the decline of morality?]
[In the wilderness, the grand stage awaits. If fate calls, you must come.]
The clickbait titles quickly attracted a large number of netizens to click in, despite many criticisms. Still, many netizens began to anticipate this variety show.
[Sweet Donut: Wilderness survival, huh! With technology so advanced nowadays, can anyone really go back to the days of primitive living?]
[Spicy Fried Chicken Wings: Hah, obviously fake! I heard from my third aunt’s second uncle’s old cousin’s godson that the last time they filmed that variety show, it was at his house. Those celebrities were only there for shooting scenes, they live in luxury hotels during normal times.]
[Little White Rabbit: All of them are big stars, how could they endure the hardships of ordinary people? I heard they even have to start fires and barbecue meat? Hah, people nowadays don’t have that skill.]
[Guli V: Spotting the loopholes expert is here to expose, everyone wait for my feedback!]
[MiMi Flower: Can only celebrities in front of the camera handle this primitive survival skill?]
[Gugu Jiao: I heard there’s a newcomer named Bai Ruogu this time? That guy looks so delicate, I think I’ve seen him online before. They say he’s a second-generation rich kid, clueless about anything except acting. This time, he might have to mooch off others.]
[Guaxixi: Hahaha, I think this might become a dark history. I’ve seen Bai Ruogu before, he’s just a vase. Luckily, he knows how to act. Probably clueless about anything else, just a waste of life!]
[Sister Chu: Didn’t we already clarify last time? Those were all rumors spread by black fans! They’ve even been trending on Everyday, how can you not have seen them?!]