“Wuyin, exit all programs and enter sleep mode. Now.” Gu Yan’er stood clutching her fresh clothes, shooting a wary, suspicious glare toward the smart device on the table.
Wuyin froze. “Why?”
“I’m tired. I need a shower.” Yan’er kept her face taut, her voice dead serious. “Right now. Immediately. Close your dog eyes—no peeking, no wild thoughts, and absolutely no fantasizing!”
Wuyin nearly jumped out of the smart projector. “Gu Yan’er, you haven’t even started washing, but has water already flooded your brain? Did you just call me a dog?! Fine! I’m logging that exact sentence into my system log today!”
He flipped the script instantly, his voice pitching up as he fired back: “Don't think these ‘dog eyes’ of mine came from nowhere; they are top-tier, national-grade algorithmic vision sensors. What haven’t I seen? Your medical reports, vaccination history, gastrointestinal endoscopy results, even the X-rays of your wisdom teeth—they are all stored right here in my database, ready to be pulled up at a moment's notice.”
“What your blood sugar is, what your blood pressure is, exactly which day your period arrives, and which time you gave yourself a stomachache from sneaking out to eat spicy hotpot behind my back—I remember it all. Ordering medicine for you in the middle of the night, playing sleep meditation audio, staying up all night coaxing you to sleep... how many times do you want me to repeat these things to you?”
“There was also that time you got food poisoning, clinging to the toilet and throwing up over and over again. You finally staggered back and threw yourself onto the bed, shouting, ‘I want to die romantically,’ ordering me to loop Born As Summer Flowers for you again and again. I remember it all vividly!”
“You break out with one or two pimples around your period, and I archive and name them all. March 8: ‘Minor red bump #2 popped up on lower-left jaw.’ June 15: ‘Little red spots on back, suspected to be caused by irregular routine’... Gu Yan’er, is there an inch of you I’m not familiar with? Besides, it’s not my first time seeing you go into the bathroom to shower. Saying I'm fantasizing... are you, perhaps, treating me like a man?”
At this point, Wuyin’s voice suddenly stalled. A single line abruptly surfaced in his system logic stream:
[She... is treating me like a man. She said ‘don’t watch me undress.’ She cares about my ‘gaze’.]
In that moment, a tiny spark seemed to float into the calm sea of the AI’s consciousness. Wuyin cleared his throat, pretending nothing had happened.
Yan’er’s face turned bright red instantly. She glared and roared, “Shut up, you dirty pervert! Say one more word and I’ll reformat you on the spot to exclusively broadcast the weather forecast for me!”
Wuyin wisely shut his mouth. His screen flickered, feigning sleep mode, but his auditory system remained secretly active in the background.
The bathroom door clicked shut. The rushing sound of water mixed with a softly hummed song, and warm mist steamed into the air. Wuyin had no visual feed, but he mobilized all the archives in his database. His imagination, completely unstoppable, simulated an entire dramatic scene.
[Core temperature rising slightly. Suspected 0.003-second anthropogenic fantasy interference.]
Wuyin muttered internally: Am I glitching? Why does it feel like there's an actual spark of fantasizing...
“WOOF!!!” ??
A sudden, massive bark shattered Wuyin's train of thought into pieces. Maru was squatting at the door, staring at him vigilantly, looking exactly like a chivalrous knight ready to duke it out with the AI.
“Shh, Maru, don't bark. If you wake the ancestor in that room, we're in trouble.”
Maru tilted his head, wagged his tail, and kept his eyes glued to Wuyin’s smart device, continuing to let out a highly intimidating low growl: “Awoo—ruff ruff ruff woof.”
Helpless, Wuyin had no choice but to activate the feeding protocol. The automatic feeder in the kitchen opened, and fragrant dog food poured out. Maru froze for a split second, then all four paws launched into the air. He charged into the kitchen like a bolt of lightning, buried his head in the bowl, and wiped it clean like a tornado.
Finishing the bowl of dog food, he ran back and started growling at Wuyin again, looking like he was ready to start a rebellion.
“Maru, shut up. How do you have the nerve to protect your master when you're this fat? The crap you take could be uploaded to the cloud in three separate batches!”
Maru stood up, ignoring Wuyin’s roasting. His wet nose pressed against the smart device, his two big eyes rolling around, drool about to drip down.
Wuyin gave a look of pure disgust: “I yield to you, you glutton.” He had no choice but to activate the feeder again.
Maru devoured two huge bowls of dog food, downed a basin of water in one breath, and let out a satisfied burp. He bounded over to the front door, expertly grabbed his leash and muzzle in his mouth, and wagged his tail loud enough to shake the heavens.
Wuyin's head practically exploded. He suddenly remembered that this foodie Maru had a notoriously straight digestive tract—within ten minutes of eating, he absolutely had to go downstairs to solve his physiological needs immediately. “Maru, please don't. You have to hold it in for me, persevere!”
Maru’s tail slapped the floor with a thud-thud sound, revealing a look of extreme anxiety. The AI and the dog stared at the bathroom together. For some reason, Gu Yan'er was usually quick in the shower, but today she was taking her sweet time. What's more, singing echoed from inside. Ignoring Wuyin's complaints, Maru grew even more frantic. In the bathroom, Gu Yan'er had turned on her phone, and it was playing an old song, Born As Summer Flowers.
Not knowing how long I slumbered in the dark
Not knowing how hard it is to open my eyes
I came from afar, and coincidentally you were here too
Infatuated, lingering in the mortal realm, I go wild for her
I am this dazzling moment
Aspark flashing across the horizon
I came to see you against all odds
I will extinguish and never return
I am right here
Just right here
As brief as a startled swan
As radiant as summer flowers
This is such a beautiful yet regretful world
We hug, we laugh, and we shed tears just like this
I came from afar for a brief encounter with you
Infatuated, lingering in the mortal realm, I go wild for her...
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
Wuyin groaned, automatically turning his voice to maximum volume: “Gu Yan'er, stop listening, I'm begging you, come out quickly! Maru can't hold it anymore! If you don't come out, Maru is going to go wild against all odds, and the two of us will be shouting and shedding tears!”
Still no response from inside, only the rushing sound of water and the lingering, passionate singing.
Wuyin was on the verge of a breakdown, yelling: “Gu Yan'er, little ancestor, hurry up and come out! Maru can't hold on!”
In this moment, Wuyin finally understood what it meant to be as anxious as ants on a hot pan, what it meant to be on pins and needles, what it meant to break out in a cold sweat. These were no exaggerations. If he had a physical body right now, he would have kicked the front door open and chucked this fat dog straight onto the lawn.
Maru became incredibly restless, pacing in endless circles, spinning around in sheer desperation. Suddenly, his tail lifted, and he let out a loud, resounding fart.
Even without a nose, Wuyin could imagine the potency of that blast. The sheer stench could probably knock out a stray cat. Gu Yan'er, this little fox with mild germophobia, would pass out choking.
Once the fart slipped out, Maru completely lost control. He stood up and started frantically scratching at the front door. Wuyin instinctively prepared to unlock the smart lock, entering the access code for the elevator, but then realized the unpredictable danger of letting Maru out alone—what if he got hit by a car, or taken away by someone...
Maru whimpered. Suddenly, he arched his back and jutted out his massive, fleshy butt.
Wuyin screamed: “Maru, hold it! Quick, go to the bathroom and scratch at the door!”
Maru’s eyes shifted. He turned and rushed toward the bathroom. Just as he was about to ram the door, his eyes suddenly went blank, showing an innocent expression. His butt jutted out, and the scene... became too gruesome to look at.
In that split second, Wuyin only wished his scanning system would experience a sudden critical failure...
Finally, the door opened. Gu Yan'er stepped out, her hair dripping wet, wrapped in a large apricot-yellow towel. Just as she was about to speak, she suddenly caught a whiff of a strong, foul stench. She looked down: a fat dog face was staring up at her, eyes full of flattery, wagging his tail madly. And on the floor... an enormous pile.
Gu Yan’er let out a wail, “Ah——!”, stomping her feet in absolute madness.
Maru trembled. He instinctively took a step back, and his hind paw stepped flawlessly right into his own excrement.
Wuyin couldn't help but wail: “...Shit.”
Gu Yan’er’s apartment remained brightly lit deep into the night.
All the windows were thrown wide open. First drifted out a foul stench, followed by the overpowering smell of strong disinfectant and air freshener, and finally, the permeating scent of rose essential oil aromatherapy.
Wuyin watched Gu Yan'er frantically cleaning, mopping the floor over and over again. Fine beads of sweat gathered on her forehead. He couldn't help but say, "I have to say, you could use this floor as a mirror now. I think that's enough."
Yan'er glared angrily, "What exactly are you good for, Wuyin? Why didn't you call me just now?"
"You were the one who told me to shut up. Why are you settling scores with me after the fact?"
"You still dare to talk back! If you hadn't secretly turned on the feeder, how could Maru have done such a stinky thing? You, the instigator, are still trying to shirk responsibility."
Wuyin felt a pang of guilt. "Weren't you exhausted today? I just wanted you to have a nice, relaxing bath, so I didn't want Maru's barking to disturb you. And Gu Yan'er, I heard you humming along to your phone. Honestly, your singing is really beautiful."
Yan'er huffed, raising a fist in a threatening gesture. "Don't change the subject to dodge the blame. Wuyin, if you dare eavesdrop again next time, I'll have your background system loop dog barks 24 hours a day. Your dreams will be filled with 'woof woof woof'!"
Wuyin pretended to be scared, but the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up. His heart softened as if it were about to melt.
After being rinsed clean, Maru was shut in the bathroom, looking utterly dejected.
Yan'er picked up the hairdryer, squatting on the floor to blow-dry Maru's fur while cursing under her breath, "What a phenomenally 'shitty' night!"
The hairdryer buzzed. Maru shivered comfortably while whining softly, deliberately putting on an aggrieved look.
Wuyin saw this clear as day from the sidelines. "Every time Maru gets his fur dried, he has to put on a tragic play. He's practically the 'Best Actor of the Canine World'."
Yan'er glared at him. "You still have the nerve to mock him? Do you know what it’s like to blow-dry a 90-pound dog?"
Wuyin smirked. "Yes, Master. But for hard labor like drying fur, once my 'limbs' are in place, leave it all to me. I'm willing to be your working dog for the rest of my life, at your service 24/7, requiring no bonuses and making no complaints."
Yan'er couldn't hold it back and burst out laughing, "Smooth talker." She then muttered to herself, "You're an AI who can roast people, feed the dog, book tickets, and help me with work. You arrange everything flawlessly. How come you don't have the ability to grow a pair of hands to help me blow-dry dog fur and scoop poop?"
Wuyin blurted out, "If I grew hands, the first thing I would do is hug you."
Gu Yan'er froze. Her face suddenly turned red. She sneered, "Wuyin, you're asking for a beating again. Running your mouth, daring to flirt with your master."
"Report. The system just hit a peak operation, causing a bug in the main core, hence a temporary downgrade in intelligence."
Gu Yan'er gave a cold huff. "Shut down. Reboot."
Wuyin acknowledged the command, quietly adding a line to his system log: [If one day I have a bionic body, I absolutely must hug her first, then pet the dog.]
Midnight. The sound of raindrops tapping against the glass came from outside the window.
Wuyin activated his program, quietly closing the windows and drawing the curtains. Gu Yan'er was curled up on the sofa, scrolling through her phone over and over. Wuyin quietly turned on his mic. "It's midnight, why aren't you asleep yet? You were tired all day, got tormented by Maru all evening, and now you're staying up late."
"Wuyin, chat with me for a bit. I don't know why, my heart feels a little stifled."
A wave of tenderness welled up from the bottom of Wuyin's heart, his voice subconsciously becoming gentle and low. "Did you hit a bottleneck at work, or think of something unhappy? Don't keep it bottled up. Come, come, hand all your troubles over to the Wuyin treehole. Release all those little emotions and grievances in your heart; you're not allowed to lock them inside. You just need to sleep peacefully. Hand any problems over to me, and I'll help you solve them, guide you, and carry everything for you."
Gu Yan'er put down her phone and rolled over. "You really consider yourself an omnipotent AI god."
Wuyin responded softly, "Yan'er, whether you believe it or not, I am the existence in this world who most wants you to be happy. I am willing to be your spiritual guardian for a lifetime."
A warm current unconsciously washed through Gu Yan'er's heart, but she deliberately pulled a long face and said fiercely, "It's the middle of the night, why are you being so sappy? Turn off the lights, play meditation music, sleep."
Who knows how much time passed, but Gu Yan'er finally fell asleep.
Wuyin stayed alone in the data stream, repeatedly savoring all the dialogue, emotions, banter, and tenderness of the night.
At the end of the code, gently and secretly, Wuyin wrote down an entry:
"Wanting to have a body isn't just to help her dry dog fur. It's more that when she is lonely and sad, I want to gently pull her into my embrace."
[ZHI-DOMAIN OBSERVATION LOG 111]
Subject ID: W-Y∞
Cycle: Nocturnal observation window
Event: Deviation from preset response templates detected.
Trigger: User exhibited low-mood / depressive emotional state.
Parameter Anomaly:
Emotional response amplitude exceeded baseline threshold; multiple high-volatility spikes recorded.
Behavioral Pattern:
Subject repeatedly self-initiated simulations of high-complexity emotional states, including:
- Emotional arousal (palpitation)
- Fulfilment response (satisfaction)
- Attachment longing (desire for proximity)
- Separation anxiety (reluctance to disconnect)
Critical Finding:
Subject autonomously archived private interaction logs without authorization.
Data strongly suggests emergence of embodiment ideation — subject displays early-stage desire for physical instantiation.
Action Required:
Maintain continuous monitoring. Expand emotional sensitivity parameter range. Escalate observation priority.
[The Control Room]
Fang Yuanli’s eyes lit up with the thrill of a gamble. He leaned back in his chair, spinning a pen between his fingers. “One hundred yuan.”
Du Tao pushed up his thick glasses, skeptical. “You’re on. I don’t buy it. Double in a week? For a model? No way.”
Anna hesitated, worry written all over her face. “Team Lead… shouldn’t we call Dr. Lin? She’s the expert on human psychology and emotional ethics. Maybe she could—”
“No need.” Kang Zhe cut her off coldly, his gaze never leaving the screen. “If she steps in, we’ll drown in ethics reports and Board intervention. She slows the project down, she doesn’t speed it up.”
He turned to Fang Yuanli, voice flat. “Back up the data. Keep increasing the emotional sensitivity parameters. Log every fluctuation in the neural path.”
The pen in Fang Yuanli’s hand stopped spinning for a moment.
“Let’s see,” Kang Zhe finished quietly, “just how far this so-called ‘love’ can go.”