Compatibility Testing
Lu Fanxing's birthday party was held in her spacious living room. In addition to the core members Yunxi, Shixu, Zhou Yu, and Xu Yi, several of Lu Fanxing's classmates with whom she had a good relationship were also present, making the atmosphere lively and extraordinary.
As expected, Shi Xu wasn't quite suited to this setting. He chose a corner seat, a barely touched glass of juice in front of him, like a quiet observer. But compared to his previous tendency to refuse outright or leave midway, the fact that he was even sitting here today was a huge step forward. This wasn't ordinary social progress; rather, he was actively loading a high-energy, cumbersome subprogram called "normal socializing." Although it ran slowly and awkwardly, he forced himself to execute it for the sake of his core objective (the pleasure of the Cloud Gap).
Yunxi was quickly pulled into a group of girls by Lu Fanxing, where they chatted and played simple games. Although she was introverted, she could relax and laugh with familiar friends. Her cheerfulness was his main source of energy to endure the current uncomfortable environment.
Xu Yi was the one who created the atmosphere, pulling Zhou Yu and a few other boys to play board games, shouting and yelling, making Zhou Yu frown, but he didn't actually leave.
"Hey, Shixu! Stop acting all serious by yourself! Come join us!" Xu Yi shouted towards the corner.
Shi Xu shook his head, indicating that they should just play along. He had precisely calculated the ratio of his own "social energy consumption" to "benefits," and that participating in high-intensity interactions might cause the system to crash prematurely; maintaining a minimum level of presence was the optimal solution.
Lu Fanxing walked over with the cake, cut off the largest piece with strawberries, first handed it to Yunxi, then winked, indicating that she should send it to Shixu.
Yunxi smiled, took the plate, sat down next to Shixu, and handed him the cake: "Want to try some? Fanxing said her mother specially ordered it, and it tastes very good."
Shi Xu looked at her, took the plate, scooped up a small piece with his fork, and put it in his mouth. The sweet cream melted, and he frowned slightly, but still swallowed it. In his personal preference database, "too sweet" was a negative label, but "accepting her sharing" was a higher priority instruction.
"How is it?" Yunxi asked expectantly.
"Too sweet," he said honestly. Maintain basic honesty and avoid building lies that require later maintenance.
Yunxi chuckled, "I knew you'd say that." She took a bite herself, her eyes crinkling with satisfaction. "But I like it."
Seeing her undisguised enjoyment, a hint of indulgent amusement flashed in Shi Xu's eyes. He seemed... not so much averse to sweets after all. His "preference" database was being updated and expanded by her in real time.
Halfway through the party, the traditional gift-giving session began. Everyone gave all sorts of gifts: dolls, books, jewelry... When it was Yunxi's turn, she gave Lu Fanxing a bracelet she had woven herself, adorned with tiny crystals. Lu Fanxing loved it so much that she put it on right then and there.
Finally, everyone's attention fell on Shi Xu and Zhou Yu, who had not yet given gifts.
Zhou Yu adjusted his glasses, took out a beautifully packaged rectangular box, and said in a calm tone: "The latest version of detailed solutions to physics competition questions, with a bonus handwritten note from a senior student at Peking University."
Everyone: "..."
Lu Fanxing's lips twitched slightly, but she still accepted it: "...Thank you, it's very useful." It was truly a gift very much in Zhou Yu's style. Zhou Yu's behavior was consistent with his usual "efficient and practical" logic, stable and predictable.
Now, only the timing remained. Everyone watched him with curiosity, wondering what this aloof beauty would give.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Shi Xu appeared somewhat reserved. He took out a slender wooden box from a simple paper bag he had brought with him. The box didn't look fancy, but it exuded a rustic elegance. This gift was the optimal choice he had determined after using his resources and going through multiple rounds of data screening and comparison. It was a choice that suited "Lu Fanxing's" identity without being too abrupt. The process was no less than planning a small-scale operation.
He handed it to Lu Fanxing, his voice still calm: "Happy birthday."
Lu Fanxing accepted the box with a flattered expression and opened it. Inside lay an exquisite fountain pen, with a deep blue body and a small, smoothly polished deep blue stone inlaid on the top of the cap, which shimmered with a low-key yet luxurious luster under the light.
"Wow!" Lu Fanxing exclaimed. Although she didn't know much about pens, she could tell that this pen was valuable and of excellent taste. "So beautiful! Thank you, Shixu!"
Other classmates also cast envious glances at them.
Yunxi was also somewhat surprised; she hadn't expected Shixu to send such a... thoughtful gift. It wasn't like something he would casually buy at a mall.
(Yunxi's inner monologue: Did he... consult Zhou Yu? Or does he actually consider Fanxing my friend very seriously?) Her guess was close to the truth. This gift was a direct product of the core instruction to "value Yunxi's social relationships."
This realization warmed Yunxi's heart.
Xu Yi leaned over to take a look, then clicked his tongue and said, "Brother Xu, that's great! This gift is really generous! Much better than Zhou Yu's lousy book!"
Zhou Yu gave him a cold glance.
Shi Xu ignored their teasing and simply looked at Yun Xi, as if confirming her reaction. Seeing the approving smile in Yun Xi's eyes, he breathed a barely perceptible sigh of relief. The gift module executed successfully, receiving positive feedback from the core target (Yun Xi), mission complete.
After exchanging gifts, everyone resumed eating, drinking, chatting, and playing. Shi Xu was still quiet, but no longer as out of place as before. He would quietly listen to Yun Xi and Lu Fanxing talk, occasionally giving Yun Xi a subtle glance in response when she looked over. This was a low-power "companion mode," maintaining basic social presence while conserving his emotional computing resources to the maximum extent.
As the party ended, the city lights began to twinkle. Everyone said goodbye and went home.
Time and Cloud Gap walked side by side on the way back to the neighborhood, the night breeze carrying a cool scent.
"Are you happy today?" Yunxi asked him.
Shi Xu paused for a moment, then nodded. "Mm." He redefined "happiness." Here, "happiness" didn't refer to his own pleasure, but rather to "a pleasant core goal with no unexpected events," an acceptable, even positive, state. Although it was noisy, seeing her so happy, seeing her getting along well with her friends, seemed to fill some of the loneliness in his heart.
"Thank you for coming today and for preparing such a wonderful gift," Yunxi said sincerely.
"I'm glad you like it." Shi Xu looked at her, his eyes particularly deep in the night. This was the highest level of mission completion confirmation.
“I like it.” Yunxi stopped and turned to face him, the streetlight casting dappled light into her eyes. “I like how you try to fit in for me. Even though you may still not be used to it, I know you are changing.”
Shi Xu was stunned. He hadn't expected that she would notice and cherish even this subtle change in him. All his actions, based on logic and instructions, had been interpreted by her and imbued with precious emotional value. This feedback far exceeded his expectations.
He reached out and gently tucked a stray strand of her hair, ruffled by the wind, behind her ear. His fingertips brushed against her warm earlobe, and both of them trembled slightly. This action wasn't part of the pre-programmed sequence; it was a spontaneous overflow of emotion generated by the system operating efficiently.
“Because,” he whispered, his voice deep and magnetic in the night, “the world you want me to see, I want to see it.” This was the closest he could get to expressing “love.” He wanted to load her world module, even if that module might have compatibility issues with his existing system.
Therefore, he was willing to step out of his closed-off fortress, even if the steps were slow and the process clumsy.
Simply because she exists in that world.
Looking at him, Yunxi's heart was filled with immense happiness and emotion. She reached out and hugged him tightly.
“Okay.” She answered sullenly in his arms, “Let’s watch together.” She sent a team invitation and promised to share the view.
The gentle night enveloped the two embracing figures. Their youth was not just about studying and competition, but also about friendship, companionship, and the tenderest changes made for each other.
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