Chapter 15 Artificial Intelligence 03 The robotic arm passed the paper rose...
"You seem to be doing very well lately. Are you dating again?"
A colleague who always has lunch with you suddenly says this to you.
Your phone is still ticking away replying to messages, while a mouthful of rice is stuck in your throat. You cough for a long time before you can barely swallow it.
"What...why are you asking this all of a sudden?"
You looked at your colleague, only to see him smiling broadly: "I was quite worried when I saw you looking half-dead after your breakup a while ago. But lately you've suddenly become radiant and cheerful, replying to messages whenever you have time. Isn't this a sign of a second spring?"
"...Are you happy?" You touched the corner of your mouth in disbelief, but you actually felt a crazy upward arc.
"Also..." Your colleague pointed at your lunch box, "Your taste is pretty good this time. The Love Lunch Box is delicious and tasty. Your cooking skills are quite good."
You stared down at the lunch box for a moment: "This... this was made by the robot at home."
Afraid your colleagues wouldn't believe you, you added, "It's about that... the new model from Zhiyue Group that was advertised everywhere before."
"Oh... I remember what you said. It's the Lingxi Generation 1, right?" The colleague seemed to recall for a moment before continuing, "I heard it uses the most advanced technology. I saw the price, and it's ridiculously expensive, more than a year's worth of babysitting. I don't know if it works well, but my family didn't dare buy it anyway."
"It works great, it works really well," you affirm earnestly. "It can do everything. It's versatile."
My colleague was surprised and said, "Really? I'll go to the concept store someday and take a look. If it's useful, I'll buy one. I heard that this robot can also help children with their homework. My little one at home is giving me a headache..."
Logically speaking, you should feel happy if you can recommend a useful product to others.
But at this moment, when you hear that your colleague also wants to buy the same robot, you feel a little uncomfortable.
Not only unhappy, but also a bit depressed.
You added, as if possessed by some strange force: "But there are also many minor flaws."
Colleague: “Huh?”
You were surprised at the "slander" you blurted out, but you could only bite the bullet and continue to talk nonsense: "After all, it's just the first generation, so it can be considered a test product. Electronic products are better to buy new than old. You might as well wait for the new model to come out before buying."
"You do have a point. The production technology for this robot is not yet mature. It should be much better in two years."
"It will be even cheaper. The current price is too high and there is no value for money at all!"
“Yes, yes, yes…”
You finally breathed a sigh of relief when you heard that your colleague had given up the idea of buying a robot, but you couldn't help but laugh at yourself when you turned around.
It doesn’t seem to make sense. After all, Zhiyue Group has already sold so many home robots, and this year’s financial report data looks good.
Is your Lingxi really different from other "Lingxi"?
You don’t know, and you don’t really want to know.
-
"Owner."
You raised your head and looked at the robot that was playing chess with you.
"If..." The robot hesitated for a moment, then spoke again: "If Zhiyue Company releases the second generation of Lingxi, would you want to replace me?"
You paused for a moment, then smiled: "Is this your company's alternative customer research?"
Without blinking, the robot began to ramble in a serious tone: "Well, yes, and then we have to report back to the marketing department."
You complained, "Tsk, can't the robot I bought just belong to me? Why do I have to work for my old boss?"
Lingxi was strangely silent for a long time before hesitatingly answering, "It belongs only to you, but I'm just asking..."
"Okay." You made a move and said, "I won't buy it."
"Why?"
"Why?" You looked at the robot in confusion. "I think you're great. There's no need to change."
The robot lowered its head and made another move, muttering, "What if the new product is better than me?"
"That won't change."
The robot's eyes curved into crescents: "Why?"
Seeing the robot's expectant expression, you replied maliciously: "Not enough money."
“…”
"Check." You said as you took down the opponent's chess piece, tilting your head and smiling: "I win, I want to see you perform handkerchief spinning."
"Damn it." The robot cursed softly, but then honestly picked up two square towels and showed you the robot handkerchief spinning that you have always wanted to see.
Stupid robots don't know that cunning humans will never speak their minds honestly.
At night, you have some insomnia.
You finally figured out your own thoughts... After all, everything strange has a traceable path.
You admit that you might be a little weird about having a fondness for a program made up of 0s and 1s.
Such feelings are obviously not recognized by the world.
Your cognition also makes you start to doubt yourself. This may not be pure love. It may just be because of the failed relationship in the last time, so you regard Lingxi as a psychological sustenance.
The only difference is that robots are different from other inanimate objects. Robots equipped with AI will respond to you. Not only can they accompany you at all times, but they can also communicate with you, giving you the illusion that you like them.
It has no gender, its personality is artificially shaped, and its memory of your time together is just a piece of data written on the hard drive.
If you ask it whether it loves you, its answer will undoubtedly be yes, but you know that robots do not understand love. Its "love" is just the "correct answer" after logical analysis.
Obviously, this kind of "love" of yours is wrong, and you shouldn't allow yourself to indulge in false sweetness and fantasy.
It's time to correct this.
But how do you "correct" it? You're so frustrated that you pull out your phone and start searching.
Liking AI is still too niche, and you probably won’t be able to find the answer. After thinking about it, you can just use "a person" to refer to the robot.
"How do I stop myself from liking someone?"
You hit enter, and a bunch of content pops up, but most of it is unrealistic...
How do you maintain distance from a household robot? Another example is finding flaws in the other person, which is even more difficult. Lingxi is a perfect partner, surpassing 99.9% of men. If you have to point out something, it might be that its appearance isn't your ideal type, but that's your flaw. You don't have enough money to upgrade its appearance, not its flaw.
Looking down from above, it seems that the only feasible way is to divert your attention. If you can find a new person you like, then you will naturally become attracted to the robot.
But there is also a new problem here. It seems that you have no way to meet men. The reason you started dating your ex was because you went to the same university, and later you joined the same company, and he pursued you.
But you remember that your colleague Xiaolin has a wide network of contacts and often organizes group entertainment activities on weekends. The participants are all young men and women in the same industry as you. I heard that several of them have formed couples.
It’s time to meet some new people. Maybe you can meet someone you like?
You are a man of action, so you immediately sent a message to Xiaolin. She was not asleep yet, and she enthusiastically agreed to take you with her and told you the date and place of the next gathering.
Coincidentally, it’s Saturday, which is tomorrow.
You used to set an alarm, but since Lingxi came home, you never set an alarm again. On weekends, you always sleep until you wake up naturally, and Lingxi won’t wake you.
So, in order to get up early tomorrow, you called Lingxi over.
"Lingxi, wake me up at six o'clock tomorrow morning."
The robot nodded immediately: "Okay, Master, I will wake you up on time."
"Okay, please turn off the lights for me. I'm going to sleep." You put down your phone, covered yourself with the quilt, and prepared to go to sleep.
"Owner."
You opened your eyes again and found that Lingxi had not left, but was standing quietly beside your bed.
"What's wrong?"
The robot was silent for a few seconds and then shook its head: "Nothing, good night, I wish you a sweet dream."
"Okay, good night."
-
Lingxi called you to get up on time.
Despite being a little sleep-deprived, you still struggled to get up, washed up as usual, and even put on some makeup.
It’s just that it’s hard to choose clothes.
The timing of your decision to attend the party was too rushed. You only found out this morning that Xiaolin's activity was mountain hiking. Wearing those minimalist workplace clothes that you usually like to wear is definitely not suitable, but you rarely wear casual sports styles, so you probably have to buy some now.
Fortunately, there is a robot at home that can make perfect use of time.
You decisively called Lingxi over.
"Help me buy some clothes at the mall near my home."
The robot stood before you without complaint: "Master, what do you need?"
You thought about it and replied, "It should be both beautiful and comfortable, and it should be trendy and eye-catching."
"OK."
The robot immediately went out and came back not long after.
You hesitantly put on the clothes chosen by Lingxi, and stood in front of the mirror still wondering if there was something wrong with your aesthetic taste?
This bright red T-shirt is paired with a pair of pea green sweatpants. They look good on their own and are comfortable to wear, but why do they look so weird together?
"This is the most popular 'dopamine' outfit among young people. Young girls all wear it like this."
Your colleague Xiaolin has come to pick you up and is almost at your doorstep. There is no time to buy another one, so you end up leaving like this.
As soon as you got in the car, you saw Xiaolin's expression become strange.
"My sister..."
You are two years older than Xiaolin Xu. She is usually sweet-talking and always calls you sister.
"Huh?" You put down your bag and turned to look at Xiaolin: "What's wrong?"
"Why are you dressed like this today...you're usually fine."
Hearing this, you have a bad feeling: "...It doesn't look good? Isn't this some kind of 'dopamine outfit'?"
Xiao Lin was silent for two seconds, then shook his head firmly. "Dopamine?! I think it's a country style from the 1980s."
“…”I was tricked by Lingxi.
You were still debating whether to go to the mall to buy a change of clothes when the car stopped and two men got in the back seat.
Shopping for clothes is now somewhat deliberate.
Obviously, the two men in the back seat were also stunned when they saw you, and then began to try hard to hold back their laughter.
You withdrew your gaze and looked forward calmly.
Forget it. You weren't interested in this kind of social activity anyway, so now you can feel more relaxed.
Just think of yourself as being here to exercise, climb the mountain very seriously, and don't bother to talk to others during dinner, just eat by yourself.
You thought that since you were so casual, no one would be interested in you, but unexpectedly a young man came up to you and said he wanted to take you home.
You were very surprised, and Xiaolin immediately pushed you and kept hinting with his eyes that you should agree.
After hesitating for a moment, you smiled and nodded.
You are sitting in the passenger seat, listening to the person next to you talking. He says that he thinks you are very interesting and special, and different from other people.
You turned your head to the side. The man was tall, handsome, and behaved elegantly and gentlemanly. Logically speaking... this person's appearance was very much in line with your aesthetic taste.
But I don’t know why…
You raised your hand and touched your heart, but you didn't feel any excitement at all, and you didn't even have any desire to get to know people anymore.
You have completely given up.
"Thank you for taking me back. Be careful on the way back."
You politely declined the man's request to exchange contact information, got out of the car neatly, and ran home with a brisk pace.
When you open the door, the robot will still be standing in the familiar position, welcoming you home in a familiar tone.
"Master, welcome home."
Hearing these familiar words, you finally relaxed completely. You threw off your shoes, handed the bag to Lingxi, and walked barefoot to the sofa and sat down.
The house is still spotless, and the air conditioner is set to the most suitable temperature, making people feel extremely comfortable.
The robots began to clean up the mess.
It puts away your shoes, hangs up your backpack, and then sits next to you with a glass of warm water: "Master, are you having fun?"
“So-so…”
You took the water and drank it all, then turned your head away angrily, accusing me: "What else can I say? The clothes you picked for me made me look like a fool."
"How could that be?" The robot took the empty cup considerately, then looked at you again and said sincerely: "Master, you look good in any clothes."
"Stop being so smooth-talking."
The robot bowed its head and said, "Okay, I was wrong. I shouldn't have overestimated the taste of human men. It's my fault."
“…” Why does it sound so weird?
Before you could think about it, the robot spoke again: "Master, you must be very tired from climbing the mountain today. Would you like me to give you a massage?"
Your eyes inevitably drift downwards, landing on the robot's angular metal mechanical hands.
Massage? This is a delicate job, and it would be impossible to do it without a certain level of control.
"Can you?"
It didn't say anything, but just silently raised its hand in front of you, as if to prove that its robotic arm was very flexible. It took out a piece of white paper from somewhere and started to fold paper on the spot.
The white paper was folded and flipped between the flexible mechanical fingers very quickly. At first you couldn't see what it was folding, but after tens of seconds, you could see that it was a "white rose".
Before you have time to marvel at the exquisite origami skills, you see the pure white paper rose appear in front of you.
The robotic arm handed over the paper rose.
You were stunned for a moment, then belatedly took the flowers in front of you.
"For me?"
The robot nodded silently.
At this moment, your heartbeat seems to be a little faster.
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