The week of intense study life quickly came to an end. The weekend that the students were waiting for was coming.
The city strictly stipulated that middle and high school students couldn’t come to school to make up classes during the holidays, so Pei Qingyuan had two days off to relax.
On weekdays, he left early and returned late. He didn’t want to have too much contact with Luo Xiuyun. Now that it was the weekend, Luo Zhichang didn’t have to go to work. He spent all day watching TV in the living room, which made Pei Qingyuan even more reluctant to stay home.
In the morning, he still got up on time. He didn’t miss his warm bed at all and took Ji Tong out for breakfast before the family woke up.
Unexpectedly, his host didn’t even sleep in on weekends. What a ruthless person.
Ji Tong sat in an unresponsive manner on the side of the flower bed, his hair sticking up. He watched Pei Qingyuan wait in line in front of the steaming breakfast stall.
He didn’t have time to do handsome styling today because he didn’t sleep enough and was woken up by Pei Qingyuan.
The host already knew that he loved to eat human food, but didn’t realize that he also liked to sleep.
Yes, he was such a maverick artificial intelligence.
Pei Qingyuan came back with several bags. He first stuffed the soy milk cup with just the right temperature into Ji Tong’s hand. Then he put a paper towel on the stone beside him, put a bag of hot egg burgers on it and told him, “It is very hot since it is just cooked. Eat it later.”
The child nodded obediently. He held up the paper cup and drank the soy milk. His dull hair swayed in the wind.
Sitting next to him was a bearded uncle in big pants and flip-flops. He ate rice noodle rolls from a plastic lunch box while curiously talking to them.
“Handsome young man, are you a student of the high school next door?”
Pei Qingyuan was also holding a cup of soy milk. Then he realized who the other person was talking about and was about to answer when next to him, Ji Tong replied while nodding like a chicken pecking rice. “Ye ye.”
The uncle was amused by his learned tone and laughed loudly. “I saw you two handsome boys eating breakfast together every morning. It looks good and tasteful!”
He spoke strange Mandarin and gave a thumbs up to the two people next to him, praising them. “The relationship between you two brothers is so good!”
The cool autumn breeze in the morning brought the smoke over. Pei Qingyuan smiled at the strange uncle and thanked him politely.
Ji Tong was eating an egg burger when he suddenly pulled excitedly at Pei Qingyuan’s sleeve, his eyes shining.
Pei Qingyuan asked him, “What’s wrong?”
Just after the strange uncle said that the two brothers had a good relationship, Ji Tong suddenly sensed a change in the task panel. A faint green light lit up on the electronic display screen that he had stepped on before.
As stated in the manual, the flashing green light of the task panel meant that the task was on the right track and had progressed.
During the days when Pei Qingyuan and Luo Xiuyun got along coldly, the task panel never reacted because there was obvious disharmony and unhappiness spreading in this home.
Then the stranger thought the two of them were brothers and felt they had a good relationship. This actually met the standard of a happy family in the task requirements.
Thus, the plan he had come up with on a whim was feasible.
Ji Tong suddenly felt that the whole world was bright. He took a big bite of the breakfast in his hand and excitedly answered Pei Qingyuan’s question. “The egg burger is so delicious!”
He had to think of a set of words that conformed to the logic of an AI and then tell the host.
There was no need for the host to aggrieve himself to stay in that home and feel expectant of Luo Xiuyun.
Pei Qingyuan didn’t know what the child was happy about. However, seeing the shining appearance of Ji Tong’s eyes, he couldn’t help feeling that the breakfast in his hand seemed a bit more delicious.
The egg burger was really delicious.
After breakfast, Ji Tong found a hidden place to disappear as usual. He returned to Pei Qingyuan’s consciousness space and accompanied him to the library for self-study.
The quiet library was much better than the Luo house, which always echoed with the noise of the TV.
All morning, Pei Qingyuan seriously read books. At the same time, Ji Tong sat at a stone table in the center of the garden and drew seriously.
He had already started to conceive the furnishings and decorations of a happy family.
Ji Tong was ready to ask the host what type of form he liked. For example, the three and a half year old host liked a doll system. Pei Qingyuan could also assign him this type of non-human, daily form. This type of form had less restrictions and he could often appear around the host.
He preferred to be a big bowl that could hold things well.
If he asked the host to fill the bowl with food, wasn’t it the same as eating? Would there be a feeling of satiety?
But how could a bowl walk? Could the bottom of a bowl grow legs?
Ji Tong held his chin and hadn’t thought about it for long when he saw that Pei Qingyuan’s mobile phone received several calls from Luo Xiuyun.
Pei Qingyuan had kept his phone on silent. It was only when he took it out to search for information that he saw he had many missed calls. As he was feeling stunned, Luo Xiuyun called again.
He hesitated for a moment before walking to the corridor outside the study room to answer the phone.
“Qingyuan, why didn’t you answer your phone? Where did you run off to?”
It took many calls to get through but Luo Xiuyun didn’t sound annoyed. Rather, her voice was soft. “It is almost time to go home for lunch. I made a table full of good food. The dishes will become cold if you don’t come back.”
Pei Qingyuan heard Luo Xiuyun’s rare concerned tone. His fingers holding the phone tightened and he was silent for a moment before finally answering, “I’m in the library. I’ll come back now.”
Luo Xiuyun responded repeatedly, “Okay, okay, pay attention to safety on the way back!”
The little robot in the garden held the gaudy drawings and didn’t dare to speak. He held back the words he had been organizing all morning.
Why did Luo Xiuyun suddenly want to treat the host better?
He always felt that this matter was more outrageous than him wanting to turn into a bowl.
On the way back, Pei Qingyuan didn’t speak. Ji Tong was the only one who keenly noticed that his pace of riding on the way home was much faster than usual.
His host was still longing for love from his biological mother.
Ji Tong sighed and looked at the white butterflies lingering on the flowers with a sad expression.
He hoped that Luo Xiuyun wouldn’t disappoint the host’s expectations.
As he walked into the gray corridor and was about to reach the door, Pei Qingyuan gradually smelled the strong aroma of food. It was so fragrant that it made people feel hungry. Ji Tong judged that there was at least braised pork and sweet and sour pork included.
‘It really is a table of delicious food,’ Ji Tong thought in surprise.
Pei Qingyuan stood outside the door. His slender fingers fell on the doorknob with some hesitation. It took him a while to feel ready before he gently opened it.
He pushed open the door and first saw the table of delicious dishes in the living room. Then countless noises poured into his ears.
The sofas and chairs of the Luo house were full of people he didn’t know. They were chatting with smiles on their faces. Luo Zhichang, who had a red face, was sitting in the middle seat and talking about something in a triumphant manner.
“…They are all very polite to me! They know I have a background so it is really comfortable…”
Luo Xiuyun wore an apron tied around her waist and came out of the kitchen with some dishes. She wiped the sweat on her forehead. Then when she saw Pei Qingyuan come back, she quickly waved at him. “Qingyuan, you are finally back. Come in and wash your hands and eat. Your relatives have come to visit today and want to see you. Remember to call them properly. This is your aunt, uncle, second uncle…”
The strange relatives who were named showed him rather warm smiles.
“This is Qingyuan. What a talent. That family raised you well!”
“Lao Lin might’ve left early but Xiuyun is blessed. Both sons are decent and will honor her in the future. Hey, we can’t have such a good life!”
Lu Xiuyun’s face was flushed from the praise and she repeatedly said, “We are all family and should take care of each other…”
Thus, someone took advantage of her words. “Is there a job as comfortable as Zhichang’s job? My family has been idle at home for several years and I’ve been feeling so annoyed that my head hurts to death every day.”
Luo Xiuyun was immersed in the enthusiastic praise of her relatives and casually admitted it. “I will find an opportunity to help ask for you.”
“Hey, help inquire about my family’s Huanhuan as well…”
The fact that Luo Zhichang borrowed the relationship with Pei Minghong to work as a security guard at the 2nd High School has spread among their relatives and everyone was envious.
Thus, they visited the Luo family to meet this nephew they had never met.
It wasn’t to see him but for the benefits he could bring.
The warmth and hope that had emerged for a short time shattered into a foam-like powder.
Pei Qingyuan was still standing at the door of his house. The subtle emotions on his face had disappeared, leaving only a calm and cold look.
“You’re too late.”
His voice wasn’t loud but strangely stopped the group of noisy relatives.
Luo Xiuyun was a bit uneasy. “What are you saying? Child, don’t talk nonsense…”
However, she only saw the coldness in the child’s eyes.
Pei Qingyuan stared directly at this woman he had been separated from for many years. He no longer had any extravagant expectations and the anger that had been hidden in his heart for a long time gushed out.
He said mockingly, “It is too late. If you had sent your son to someone else’s house a dozen years earlier, you could’ve found such a good job now.”
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I’m so disappointed with that mom…
All the dishes were for others who are visiting, with the intention of squeezing out benefits from her child…. 😭💔
Poor Qingyuan… 😭😭😭💔💔💔💔
Huhuhuhuhu poor qingyuan 😭😭😭😭
I feel so terrible for Pei Qingyuan! I knew something was fishy with the way his mother called him warmly and didn’t get upset with his sudden disappearance in the morning. It’s just truly sad that the one time she shows motherly concern for her son is for the sake of benefits for her other family members. Pei Qingyuan has every right to be disappointed and upset over her actions. I’m just sad that he still held one last hope for her just to have it all crushed as soon as he opens the door.
Thanks for the chapter! 😀