The green light in the tool bag flashed again.
Chen Hao stared at the stone fragment, his finger hovering in mid-air, not daring to touch it. He held his breath, waited two seconds, and then the light went out again.
"Was that...you who did that?" He looked up at Nana.
“I didn’t touch the object,” she said. “nor did it send any signals.”
"So it lights up by itself?"
"The possibility exists."
"Is this thing somehow becoming sentient?"
Nana didn't answer, but simply rearranged the three bundles of silvery-white fibers on the workbench. Her robotic arm gently pressed down on one of them, and the material bent slightly before quickly springing back.
"The most important thing now is to complete the line repairs," she said. "Current testing is about to begin."
Chen Hao sighed and tossed the tool bag in his hand into the corner. "Let's ignore it for now. If it really explodes, at least the lights will be on, and we can see the bodies."
He walked to the front of the table and picked up a roll of processed fiber. The surface looked smooth, but upon touching it, he found tiny burrs that pricked his fingertips. He changed his grip, holding it between the sides of his knuckles to avoid direct contact.
"You're saying this vine bark can withstand an electric current?" he asked.
“According to the knowledge base, similar plant fibers have insulating properties in low-voltage environments,” she said. “However, multiple layers of wrapping are required to ensure that there are no exposed nodes.”
"So, one layer isn't enough?"
"At least five floors."
"Damn, this is going to be a real pain in the neck."
Nana had already connected a section of bare copper wire to a safe power source, adjusting the voltage to the lowest setting. She gestured for Chen Hao to hand her the fiber, then used a robotic arm to secure the starting end and began winding it around the connector, circle by circle. The movement was steady, each circle tightly wrapped around the previous one, leaving no gaps.
Chen Hao squatted down beside it, holding another piece of fiber in his hand, ready to use. He looked at the copper wire, his heart pounding. "With such a low voltage, will the ore even light up?"
"Enough to trigger the initial luminescence response," she said, "but not enough to sustain prolonged illumination."
"Then why are you measuring this? It's not like we're actually going to use this little bit of electricity."
"To verify the leakage situation," she said. "If there is already current leakage under low voltage, it will inevitably short-circuit under high load."
"Oh." He nodded. "Then you can try it slowly, I'll count the laps for you."
After the first layer of packaging was completed, Nana connected to the detection module. The values on the dashboard fluctuated a few times before stabilizing.
“No abnormal conduction,” she said.
"That's good news."
The second and third layers were then added on top of each other. After each layer was completed, a pause was made for testing. By the fourth layer, Chen Hao noticed that the edges of the fibers were curling up, as if the fibers had become damp and their stickiness had decreased.
“This end is a bit loose,” he said.
Nana adjusted the heating device, and the temperature slowly rose. The fibers softened upon contact with the heat, and the edges re-adhered to the metal surface. She gently pressed the joint with a roller to ensure a complete seal.
"The fifth floor is complete," she said. "Ready to power it on."
Chen Hao took half a step back, resting his arm on the edge of the table. "Come on, come on, I don't want to be the first one to get electrocuted."
Nana pressed the start button.
With current applied, the meter reading remained stable. There were no sparks, no burning smell, and no signs of overheating at the connection points.
“Normal conductivity,” she said. “No leakage feedback.”
"He's alive?"
"The circuit is working properly."
Chen Hao leaned closer to take a look and couldn't resist touching the connector. "It's not hot, and it didn't make my hand go numb... It really works?"
"Preliminary verification passed."
"So, this tattered vine bark can really be used as electrical wire insulation?"
"Under the current load conditions, it is possible."
He grinned. "Wouldn't you call us masters of recycling? Weaving cables from straw? Who would have believed that back then?"
"Practicality takes precedence over the source of materials."
"You're really reasonable." He stood up and cracked his knuckles. "So, shouldn't we get serious now?"
"The main line replacement procedure is ready."
They disassembled the electrical box, revealing a clump of blackened old wires inside. Chen Hao pinched his nose: "This smells even stronger than leftover food from the cafeteria."
"Long-term oxidation leads to the decomposition of organic matter."
"Can't you just say 'stinky'?"
"Can."
"That's more like it."
The two had a clear division of labor. Nana controlled the heating temperature to keep the fibers in a malleable state; Chen Hao was responsible for winding and applying pressure. When they encountered bends that were difficult to fit, he tore off a strip of old cloth and tightened the joint like bandaging a wound, then removed it after the fibers cooled and set.
“This trick works.” Nana glanced at the fixation effect. “Temporary constraints help maintain the shape.”
“That’s how my grandma mended pots,” he said. “If the iron pot cracked, she would tie it up with strips of cloth, weld it, and then take it apart.”
"Traditional experience has practical value."
"Are you praising me?"
"State the facts."
Chen Hao shook his head and continued working. Several red marks were scratched on his palms by the fibers, and they stung painfully. He didn't stop, blowing on them to relieve the pain as he wrapped them.
After all three main lines were replaced, Nana connected them to the monitoring system and checked the resistance and continuity of each section. Once the last test was completed, she looked up.
"All lines meet insulation standards."
"Really?"
"The data speaks for itself."
"Then let's show one and see."
She connected the wall lamp holder to the ceiling and pressed the main switch.
The lights slowly came on.
Soft, blue-white light streamed down, illuminating the workbench, the toolbox in the corner, and the cracks in the wall. There was no flickering, no popping; the light remained steadily burning.
Chen Hao looked up for a full ten seconds before exhaling. "He's alive... he's really alive."
"The lights are working properly."
"We didn't suffer the itching, the chafing, or carry that bundle of thorny vines for nothing, did we?"
"All efforts will be rewarded."
He plopped down on the edge of the table, rubbing his swollen, red fingers. The ointment was still in his pocket; he hadn't bothered to apply it. The lamplight shone warmly on his face.
But his gaze unconsciously drifted to that corner—the tool bag lay quietly, the green light fragments motionless, as if the tremor had never happened.
"Why do you think it's flashing?" he asked.
"This cannot be explained at present."
"Don't you think it's weird?"
"Unknown phenomena require more data support."
"Couldn't you just say, 'I also feel something's not right'?"
"My judgment is based on analysis."
"Never mind," he waved his hand. "As long as the lights are on now, that's fine. We can talk about other things tomorrow."
Nana walked over and turned on the recorder. "The insulation repair is complete. The next step is to install the lights."
"Could you show me the design drawings before installing the lights?" he said. "I don't want to make a monstrosity that looks like a mishmash of shapes and colors to hang on the wall."
"A preliminary plan has been developed."
"Let me see it."
She retrieved an image from the database and projected it onto the wall. The outline of a disc-shaped wall lamp appeared, with wavy patterns engraved on its edges.
"What's this?" Chen Hao frowned. "It looks like a wok?"
"The structure is stable and facilitates heat dissipation."
"It's too ugly."
"Aesthetics are not the primary function."
"But we see it every day! Can't it be both functional and aesthetically pleasing?"
"You can suggest revisions."
“Of course it needs to be changed.” He stood up and walked to the projector. “The wall lamp needs to have a design and a style. Look at these lines, they’re all flat and straight, they’re meaningless.”
What style do you need?
"I can't quite put my finger on it, but it's definitely not a pot lid."
Nana paused for two seconds. "Provide a reference case."
Chen Hao rummaged through his phone for a while and finally found a picture of an old-fashioned chandelier. "This kind, with a slight curve, somewhat decorative."
"This light fixture is made of cast iron and weighs 3.2 times that of current mineral components, making it unsuitable for existing wall load-bearing standards."
“Then let’s simplify it,” he said. “Just keep the feel. We’re not making museum exhibits, where it’s both beautiful and practical.”
"We could try a curved structure."
“That’s right.” He nodded. “That’s what cooperation is all about.”
Nana began adjusting the model parameters. The new outline gradually took shape, with slight curves at the edges and a space reserved for a light source in the central recess.
"Will this work?" she asked.
"It's alright." Chen Hao stared at it for a while. "Make the edges a little thinner, don't make it so thick and bulky."
She continued making changes. The lights on the projector gradually became lighter and the lines became smoother.
“That’s about it,” he said. “It’s like this.”
"Is this design方案 confirmed?"
"Wait a minute." He remembered something else. "What about the desk lamp? We can't just make a pot lid too, can we?"
"The design of the desk lamp has not yet started."
"Let's do it together later."
"We recommend prioritizing the installation of wall lamps first."
"I know, but I have to check it out in advance."
Nana paused her work and turned the optical mirror toward him. "Are you worried the final product won't meet your expectations?"
“It’s not that I’m worried,” he said, “it’s about learning from the experience. Last time the chair cushion almost pierced my butt, so we can’t afford to have that happen again this time.”
"understand."
She saved the current plan and prepared to move on to the production process. Chen Hao sat back down at the table, picked up the ointment and was about to squeeze it when he suddenly heard a soft sound.
The tool bag moved slightly.
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