Ending (Part 1)

"You are always calm and confident, as if you have everything under your control," Ivy said, "Now even quarrels have to follow your rhythm? I just don't want to, I just want to go against you."

Her head felt hot and dizzy, as if she had just finished an emergency training session or had sprinted five kilometers, with sweat all over her forehead.

Lorraine said, "I haven't said I'm leaving yet. Don't you want to go out?"

His voice was calm, and he was restraining his emotions. The words he said in anger just now made Lorraine herself feel strange. He maintained the etiquette of Lorraine Hector, but still told her in the voice of Lorraine Cyril: "Songxu is fine now. He is on the carpet in the second bedroom and should still be sleeping. But I don't recommend you to go over. Now he smells like a golden retriever that hasn't had a bath for seven days."

Lorraine's metaphor is much better than before.

Ivy thought he was going to say "like a golden retriever that slept in a mud puddle for seven days in a row."

"You don't run away in the middle of an argument," Ivy said. "I want to say it, and I must say it. Lorraine, I have lost so much emotion in my head now, including what you said, and the deep feelings I had for you - I can't remember them all, but I still have my memory, and I remember everything about you clearly."

The excitement made her jump around like a little sparrow on the beach. Lorraine turned around, and the little sparrow who was accusing him took a few steps back and bounced away.

The feeling of her holding my waist is still there.

Her attempt to retain me only required one sentence, but it left a deep memory.

"I can't imagine that I would like you," Ivy said to Lorraine, "because you seem to have no need for love, and even the wedding will be delayed. When there is a conflict between your work and mine, your first reaction is to ask me to change my major instead of leaving your job."

Lorraine said: "This is the government's arrangement. The course has already started and there is no way to transfer other more suitable teachers at this time."

"You should marry your government," Ivy said seriously. "I believe you two will be happily married forever. When you announce your marriage, please let me know. I am willing to give you and your government my most sincere blessing."

Lorraine said: "Thank you for your blessing, but I would prefer my wife's name to be 'Ivy'."

"Okay, okay, of course I know these are unavoidable, you have explained it many times," Ivy said, "but in your heart, there are many things that come before me, the government, your secrets, the mysterious data you took away from the dungeon - sometimes I don't even know what you want to do - you seem to be pursuing something terrible, a secret that even Xin Lan doesn't know."

While saying these words, Ivy stared at Lorraine: "You did not hand over the data of 'creating new humans' in the underground city to the government, but kept it secretly for yourself; Xin Lan is not the only conscious android around you, and you violated the government's ban and established a private laboratory full of androids; you concealed a lot of information about 'Yuan', and acquiesced to the existence of Yu Mo, Alice and even Yu Bai, and had no intention of handing them over; What exactly do you want to do? Which camp do you belong to?... Many times, the things you do make me feel terrified."

Lorraine turned slightly and clicked a button beside him.

The curtains were closed, and the entire wall opposite became the base of the projection. He pressed a few buttons, and a wide projection slowly appeared in front of Ivy.

A whole wall of surveillance footage appeared in front of Ivy.

Ivy initially thought it was the surveillance in the room. She had almost finished saying hello to Lorraine when her eyes were drawn to the scene on the screen.

She walked over and looked at the pictures in amazement.

Pedestrians on the street, salespeople in stores, students in schools, even children in kindergartens, elderly people sunbathing in nursing homes...

They are all ordinary people struggling for life.

"This is my secret," Lorraine looked at the people on the screen, "These people are illegal 'clones' just like you."

Ivy was incredulous: "...So many?"

"I have successfully tracked down 4,256 clones in the first zone alone," Lorraine looked at the screen. "According to the law, they should all be executed."

Ivy's heart trembled, and she subconsciously looked at the screen, seeing the drooling baby on the rubber pad babbling and clumsily putting his fingers in his mouth.

Lorraine turned to look at her at this moment.

"You asked me why I took away Yuan's human creation data. It's because the cloning technology they used was based on Yuan's technological breakthrough a hundred years ago. Conscious bionic people and these clones who have no idea of ​​their own identities can all be traced back through Yuan's laboratory," he said. "Once, when my friends and I went to that underground city, we also hoped to get the hard drive data before the government did. Once it falls into the hands of the government, all lives created using this technology will be destroyed."

Ivy said, "You don't act like you would protect clones and androids..."

"Because cloning itself is unethical," Lorraine said, "to this day, I would still vote against it."

Ivy was silent.

"But the lives that have been taken are innocent," Lorraine stared at the screen, where those accurately located people were walking hurriedly in the streets and alleys of the city. "Humans are selfish and their desires are endless... But we can't generalize and anger the majority of people because of the mistakes of a few."

When Lorraine turned to look at Ivy, there was an indelible fatigue between his brows.

"I must be responsible for all the innocent lives," he said, "and also for humanity - I can't be sure that these people are all 'ordinary' normal people. All their trips will be recorded by the system, and most of them cannot enter important systems such as the military and expedition teams, because I am also responsible for the rest of humanity."

It's all responsibility.

Ivy had lost count of how many times he had said "responsible".

"But I'm on the expedition," Ivy said. "Are you going to expel me?"

"You've been recognized," Lorraine raised his hand and turned off the surveillance on the entire wall. "The possibility that Song Feng betrayed humanity and joined the stray dogs is greater than the probability that you will join Yuan."

"You've been in charge for so long, giving orders and saying them so well," Ivy said. "It's incredible. Why would you install these things in the master bedroom? Do you want to look at them before you go to bed at night? No - you don't watch my every move before you go to bed, do you?"

"Don't think I'm that shameless," Lorraine said. "Ivy."

"I even suspected you'd hide my stuff," Ivy said, "like my hair ties and hats and stuff like that—yeah."

She cheered up again at this moment and said to Lorraine: "Don't change the subject. I know you don't want to hear it, but I have to say it. You have done many, many infuriating things - Lorraine!"

Lorraine looked down at her and said, "Both ears are listening carefully."

"You are arrogant and too 'selfless'. You never say nice things or give in. Even when you are arguing, you are always superior, acting like a superior or a teacher," Ivy said a lot in one breath. She criticized loudly, "You only care about your responsibilities and the overall situation. You seriously ignore my feelings. Whether in bed or outside the bed, you always regard yourself as the one in control -"

"You said you like to be passive in bed," Lorraine said, "and that wasn't a problem in the end. We are a perfect match, one active and the other passive."

"Then let's not talk about this, let's talk about something else," Ivy said. "You are too stingy with compliments, but you are good at using sharp words to close your heart. You are unwilling to share those secrets with me, and would rather be misunderstood than open that noble mouth. You should not match me, unless I lose my hearing - no, I guess you will write to continue criticizing me."

"Did I scold you harshly?" Lorraine said in a gentle voice, "Really?"

"Not as good as the best, but better than the worst," Ivy cried, "I always thought that courtship was a very humble thing, but——"

"I love you."

Lorraine said suddenly.

He stared into Ivy's eyes, and every word was clear to him.

"I love you."

It's not like, it's love.

I love you.

"I admit that I don't have a strong ability to love," Lorraine said slowly, her voice stagnant. "I'm sorry, I love you."

Ivy said, "I can tell you're not good at speaking from the heart. You only speak from the heart to others. I find you're almost unable to speak."

Lorraine said, "Don't use those exquisite words to mock me. When it comes to mocking people, your vocabulary is as empty as your pocket."

"Is there anyone else in the world who says this right after confessing his love?" Ivy's eyes widened, her amber pupils full of shock. "Next, I'm going to criticize your shortcomings. You're too arrogant and unwilling to admit your 'failure', even verbally. You're not willing to give in at all. In your eyes, 'victory' is too important, even more important than emotion. I even suspect that you've never compromised with anyone in your first half of your life. Are you really unwilling to take a step back and give in a little?"

"Forget it," Ivy straightened her chest and said proudly without waiting for his answer, "I don't need anyone to give in. You have a vicious mouth, but I can be more vicious than you. I will always find a way to hit back hard and hurt you."

Lorraine said, "You are already traumatizing me now."

"Arrogant, conceited, shameless, hypocritical, closed-minded, too eager to win, not good at saying nice things, things are too big, and I don't have the same interests and hobbies as you, no..." Ivy listed a lot of shortcomings in one breath, and every word made Lorraine silent. But, at the end, she paused, "I have read all my past memories, and I have no idea why I loved you, and loved you the most."

Lorraine said nothing.

“There are a lot of things you won’t tell me,” Ivy said. “You were fined for choosing to teach me — why not tell me? If it wasn’t for the Divorce Review Office, I wouldn’t even know about it.”

Lorraine said, "It's only a few tens of thousands of dollars."

"What about using your bones to make bone growth enhancers for me?" Ivy asked, "If I don't test its composition myself, you won't tell me?"

Lorraine said, "Just a few bones."

"Where are the inheritance documents you asked Xin Lan to sign? All the inheritance, laboratories, and even the research results obtained by the investment laboratories under your name--" Ivy asked. The bone engraved with Lorraine's name on her wrist swayed slightly. She questioned, "Do you want to describe all this that you have worked so hard to get in the first half of your life as 'just'?"

"You are my heir," said Lorraine, "and these things belong only to you—"

"Lorraine Cyril!"

Ivy called his name and raised her hand to grab his collar, but unfortunately the height difference made this gesture look not so threatening.

"Is it difficult to admit that you only have me? You have the courage to like me, but not the courage to admit it?!" Ivy said, "You arrogant and conceited person, why don't you just change your name to Aolin."

Lorraine was not angry at this action, but smiled because of her words and actions.

It was the first time that Ivy saw the emotion of "helplessness" on his face.

"Even after you woke up, your attitude was only a little better than before. You learned to give me strange gifts and treated me to dinner." Due to his self-esteem, Ivy swallowed the sentence "It would be better if the restaurant had better soundproofing and the lights were fixed." She said, "Without the interference of emotions, I can find out more clearly what kind of person you are. It's strange that before this, you never said love to me, and we didn't have any romantic dates between boyfriend and girlfriend, never went to the movies together, never walked hand in hand, never..."

"Who went to the movies with you? Yu Mo or Song Xu?"

"Including this!" Ivy yelled, "You're always jealous for no reason, just like a puppy barking everywhere to mark its territory!"

"Don't describe our relationship in such a bad way," Lorraine said, "If you must describe me as a canine, I would like it to be a wolf."

Ivy said, "See, that's how you are. You have to be better than me in language or anything else... You have so many shortcomings, but I still love you, Lorraine. Even though I can't remember it now, just now, my hands still want to hug you and I can still smell your scent."

Lorraine saw the chirping little sparrow calm down. She let go of her hands, lowered her head, and looked at her hands silently. After a moment, she raised her face and looked at Lorraine intently.

"But these are what make you who you are," Ivy said, more like she was talking to herself. "If you were really perfect, a real moral guardian, a real... maybe I wouldn't like you either."

"So," Ivy said, "I think I really loved you before."

Lorraine asked in a low voice: "Before?"

before.

past tense.

It often means that it is over.

"I don't want to be completely troubled by this disgusting gene, or other, residual feelings, or the humility of being a face lover..." Ivy said, "I can't admit it, but I still have to say that I will be attracted to you again and hate it to death. I even think that you love me just because of genes and because we are compatible. Now I feel that if it wasn't me who went through all this with you, if it wasn't me who accepted your bones -"

"Why do you have to divide yourself into several parts?" Lorraine approached Ivy, raised his hand and wanted to touch her lips, but finally fell on her shoulder with restraint. He asked in a deep voice, "Everything you do, every word you say, every person you date, every book you read... constitutes the Ivy standing in front of me now. If the person who experienced all this with you was not me, would you love him?"

Ivy was at a loss: "I don't know."

"All I know is that there is only one Ivy in the world," Lorraine said. "In other words, would you love me when I squatted on the ground and drank rainwater in the Dark Zone? Would you love me when I shaved off my bionic flesh to survive? If I didn't have these two experiences, would you love me?"

Ivy said: "...I didn't know that before..."

"So," Lorraine asked, "Why do we have to dwell on this issue? You're right, not being able to love is the greatest misfortune. Maybe you've given me this luck... Ivy."

The following words became lighter and lighter.

He lowered his head and moved closer to Ivy's face. Her breathing was as rapid as a small fan spinning wildly in the heat, and her lips were slightly parted.

Bang bang bang.

There was a rapid knock on the door.

Xin Lan opened the door a little and said, "Song Xu woke up and knocked on the door, asking for clothes to wear. He said if he wasn't given any, he would have to run naked or wear Ivy's clothes. Oh, and what about Yu Mo? He said he could provide the whereabouts of Draven, but he wanted to see Ivy."

Ai Wei suddenly took two steps back and asked incredulously: "What did you do to Yu Mo?"

"…Just some friendly exchanges," Lorraine stared at her, "You said you loved me."

Ivy pushed him hard, and Lorraine didn't resist. He took a few steps back and watched her run away.

Find the clothes that Lorraine has not worn for Song Xu who is still dizzy, and let the housework robot deal with the beach where Song Xu vomited.

Ivy asked with concern: "Are you okay? - You seem to be fine."

Song Xu shook his head and said to Ai Wei, "I seemed to have a nightmare. In the dream, I became Qin Xianglian, carrying my child to see Chen Shimei, and then my hand was injured by a clamp. This dream was too real. My finger is still hurting now."

Ivy turned around and asked Xin Lan worriedly, "Should we send him to the hospital? I suspect the alcohol has damaged his nerves."

…

Yu Mo asked to meet with Ivy alone.

Ivy agreed.

Because Yu Mo said that he was only willing to tell her the location of the cloud server that stored Ivy's memory consciousness.

Xin Lan felt very uncomfortable, as if the sofa was hot on her butt. She sat for one minute, stood up and walked for two minutes, muttering to herself, "Oh, oh, oh, oh!"

He thought that Yu Mo's words were not to be believed, and that the kind and innocent Ivy would definitely be deceived.

Lorraine said nothing. He asked the home medical robot to bring ointment to Songxu and apply it to the finger joints that he had the so-called "phantom pain".

Song Xu was very grateful, his blue eyes sparkling: "Teacher, you are such a good person, thank you."

Lorraine said calmly: “It doesn’t matter.”

He turned sideways and looked towards the room where only Yu Mo and Ivy were.

The room was still wiretapped and monitored, but Lorraine didn't go to see it.

This is also the reason why Xin Lan doesn't understand.

He thought that Lorraine should control the other party's every move——

But Lorraine thought of Ivy's accusation.

——She really doesn’t like being monitored.

"The surveillance is still running," Yu Mo retracted his gaze and said, "Guess how many people are watching us from behind?"

"Probably not Lorraine," Ivy said. "If he keeps watching after I lose my temper, he's not worthy of my love."

Yu Mo smiled, his long silver hair contrasting with his thin body: "Xiaobao, even if your feelings are removed, you will still like him, right?"

Ivy confessed: "I'm not sure."

"I just want to know if he is worthy of your love," Yu Mo said, "I know you want to get back the relationship that was cleared away... but the tiny particle implanted in your brain when you were young only has one chance to be downloaded if you don't have surgery."

Ivy understood: "Will it be corrupted after downloading?"

"They will automatically dissolve like those micro-robots that devour consciousness," Yu Mo stared at Ivy, "This is a very precious chance for you to be resurrected, and I don't want it to be used for emotional purposes."

"Limited life makes humans cherish the present more," Ivy said without caring, "I understand what you mean, but it doesn't matter, I am willing."

Yu Mo smiled softly.

"I know you are willing, little treasure. I have taken care of you and know all your tempers. Before you fell in love with Lorraine, I could understand your feelings through every expression of yours. Just like now, without his interference, I know all your choices and all your answers," he said, "but the choice in this matter is not in your hands."

Ivy was stunned.

"I want to know if Lorraine is worthy of your love," Yu Mo said, "or, I want to know if he is willing to sacrifice his own interests for you - I don't want you to be with a selfish man, because he will hurt your burning love again."

"He's not selfish," Ivy said quickly. "Lorraine... he has important things to do and he has a big responsibility."

"You are precious to me too," Yu Mo said softly, "Xiaobao, don't make excuses for him. Mom will be sad when she hears it."

Ivy looked at him intently.

"……mother?"

——Yuan, always called herself "Mom".

"You..." Ivy stood up suddenly after realizing this. She said, "You have been contaminated by the consciousness of 'meta'."

"This matter is a bit troublesome to explain," Yu Mo smiled, and he said softly, "I can slowly tell you the whole story, but before that, I need to confirm one thing with Lorraine."

"I can help you re-download your feelings for him," Yu Mo said, "but he needs to give me something in exchange."

Ivy asked, "What?"

"All the data in the Yuan underground city laboratory," Yu Mo said, "his friends exchanged their lives for it, and this time, they almost lost their lives to get this data."

"I want to know whether he is willing to give up his love and whether he will choose to sacrifice for you."