Still immersed in ambiguous memories, Ruan Xian didn’t know how to react for a while. Tang Yibu put his hands in the pockets of his white coat and smiled very warmly.
Ruan Xian stared at the smile, suddenly feeling regretful. Even if they behaved intimately in those memories, the fact that he pretended not to have amnesia still fooled Tang Yibu—The other party believed he was an android with a cybernetic brain, and he obviously had reservations about Tang Yibu pre-amnesia.
He thought for a moment, jumped out of bed, and decided to use his actions to dilute the weird regrets in his heart.
“You caretakers are really considerate.” There was surveillance in the room, and this was the second time Tang Yibu had come in today. The android would have thought of this. At least judging from his scattered memories, Tang Yibu wasn’t stupid.
“I just happened to pass by here, just in time to take you to dinner.” Tang Yibu showed a nervous look unique to young people, and there was some diligence and shyness in his tone. Ruan Xian instantly understood what cards the other party wanted to play. “Mr. Ruan, you have been lying down for a long time. How’s your health? Are there any symptoms such as headaches?”
The first time he gave a hug, he wanted to test him and just grabbed the other party with his hand and played with it. Ruan Xian instantly had a feeling of bewilderment, and then walked away for half a second from this novel emotion.
“Gong Siyi must be paying attention to you. He must have seen the hug. Not long ago, he reminded me not to be attracted casually.” On the way to the cafeteria, Tang Yibu lowered his head so that the surveillance couldn’t capture the movements of his mouth. “He thinks you are deliberately seducing me so that you can get some benefits, so it won’t be too abrupt for me to show a little bit of attraction.”
As he spoke, Tang Yibu stretched out his hand and lightly tapped the tip of Ruan Xian’s nose. “After all, I am indeed attracted to you.”
Ruan Xian subconsciously wanted to push the hand away, but according to Tang Yibu’s script, he was supposed to be the one who should be taking the initiative, so he could only let the other party withdraw his hand on his own and take advantage of the situation by pinching the other party’s waist in the most densely monitored place.
“It feels good,” Ruan Xian commented impartially, “But it’s a pity that it’s time for us to get down to business.”
Tang Yibu smiled without answering.
The cunning fox, Ruan Xian let out a sigh in his heart. If it wasn’t an illusion, Tang Yibu didn’t seem to have completely bought his “amnesia”. He was waiting for him to take the initiative himself.
The two of them were dawdling forward. It was still early at that moment, and there were not many people walking towards the cafeteria. Ruan Xian saw the patient closest to them bypass the corner and dragged Tang Yibu to a more hidden area of the partition. He heard the sound of the monitor turning almost immediately, but still pretended to press the other party against the wall unknowingly.
Tang Yibu was a little taller than him, but this wasn’t a problem—Ruan Xian pressed up intimately, pretending to make out as his lips brushed the other’s ear.
“I have finished reading the information.” Compared to the overly intimate posture, Ruan Xian’s tone was light but solemn. “Only Luo Jian has talked about the end of the world here.”
If Luo Jian was the target of their original plan, Tang Yibu should follow this topic now. If Luo Jian wasn’t, this information was also important—Tang Yibu’s previous test was extremely secretive, and he wouldn’t use a few botched “jokes” at this moment to increase his vigilance.
“I know, I have also read those materials. It’s just that the supervision of people’s data exchange here is too strict, and it’s not convenient for me to give them directly to you.”
Sure enough, Tang Yibu didn’t use this question to continue to test him. He dutifully played the role of a seduced person, stroking the other’s black hair with trembling fingers.
“Actually, that’s why I’m here. Luo Jian is accustomed to eating during off-peak hours. He goes early for lunch and dinner every time. We have limited time, so don’t waste every opportunity.”
“Thank you for reminding me.” Ruan Xian bit the android’s earlobe lightly. He still couldn’t remember the main purpose of this infiltration. “I will find a chance to have a good chat with him—Now we should separate. If I’m right…”
Tang Yibu’s newly equipped electronic wristband made a noise. It was all white, and it was also printed with the mark of the prevention shelter. A small light screen flickered in the air, and Gong Siyi’s name was displayed on it, unsurprisingly.
“It seems that I have a training session to deal with,” Tang Yibu muttered in a low voice. “Go ahead, Ruan Xian…”
In order to deepen the effect, Ruan Xian smiled provocatively in the empty corridor and kissed Tang Yibu directly.
The android’s lips were as soft as a human’s.
Tang Yibu’s breathing was very steady, and he obviously reacted, but on the surface, he put on a look of helplessness. Ruan Xian savored the familiar feeling for a while before finally letting go while panting.
He liked that warmth, Ruan Xian thought. Even if it was mixed with disguise and wariness, it still made the surrounding scenery look a bit brighter.
Ruan Xian couldn’t help but touch the corner of the other party’s lip, and he could feel it rising under his fingers.
“If I’m not mistaken, Gong Siyi will arrange an assistant robot for you next—this will better monitor your actions and reduce my reasons for visiting.” Tang Yibu didn’t move immediately. He rubbed Ruan Xian’s nose affectionately with the tip of his nose, like some kind of large beast. “When you pick one, remember to pick the off-white machine that is floating a little unsteadily. It should be waiting for you in the cafeteria right now.”
Having said that, he bent his golden eyes and showed a somewhat complicated smile. “Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Ruan. I thought I needed to take the initiative…”
“Well, that can be saved for another time.” Ruan Xian straightened his collar, which was a bit skewed, “See you later, Yibu.”
Tang Yibu’s fingertips slowly brushed the back of his hand.
“When you figure out Luo Jian’s condition, remember to tell me as soon as possible.” The android lowered his gaze and withdrew his hand. His expression became a little stiff, not knowing what was on his mind. “See you later, Mr. Ruan.”
Luo Jian was very easy to find. This time he sat at the place where Ruan Xian had breakfast the other day and was eating a nutritious meal on his plate as he stared outside the window looking at the pear blossoms that were in full bloom. The young girl who accompanied him last time wasn’t there, and Luo Jian looked a little less lively.
Ruan Xian thought for a moment, then walked over with his plate. Luo Jian raised his eyes and glanced at him; his face lengthened visibly to the naked eye.
“Sorry for the morning incident.”
Ruan Xian sat diagonally opposite him, twisting his restraint clothes.
“I was put in this as soon as I came in, and I wasn’t in a good mood. Although I still don’t think a seat belongs to a specific person, we should have a better way to solve this problem.”
“Oh,” Luo Jian responded indifferently. “You’re right. I think it’s good on a first-come, first-served basis.”
He stopped staring at the pear blossoms outside the window, and quickly picked up his food with a stern face, as if he didn’t really want to sit with Ruan Xian for too long.
Ruan Xian wasn’t in a hurry. He fiddled with the fried meat slices on the plate with his chopsticks unhurriedly. “What did you come in for?”
Luo Jian ignored him.
“What did you come in?” Ruan Xian continued with a smile, aggravating the pronunciation of “you“.
Seeing that he couldn’t get rid of the other party for a while, Luo Jian rolled his eyes and poured himself a glass of water. “Paranoia.”
After speaking, he continued to eat hurriedly. Obviously, there was no need for an in-depth conversation.
“Coincidentally, Dr. Gong said that I also have this symptom.” Ruan Xian sent a piece of fried meat to his mouth and chewed it carefully. “But to be honest, I still think the world has been destroyed.”
Luo Jian stopped his chopsticks. His expression was a little complicated for a moment. He looked Ruan Xian up and down and snorted. “I heard that you had an overdose of memory inhibitors.”
“So I don’t remember details of the doomsday. I only remember a few symbolic locations, such as the Sea of Ruins and the Underground City.” Ruan Xian neatly put the green peppers on the plate aside.
Luo Jian’s face changed. He seemed half eager, half desperate. After a while, he put down his chopsticks. His hands were shaking so much that it didn’t look as if he could hold it.
“Those are all fantasies,” Luo Jian said in a hiss. “You may have been exposed to Pear Blossom and put such kinds of things in your head as if they were common sense.”
“Pear Blossom?” Seeing that the other party showed signs of chatting, Ruan Xian blinked in confusion.
“Some kind of book club. I also came into contact with them, and ended up being brainwashed by them, ending up like this… I know I’m crazy. Those are all fantasies, but I can’t get out.” When he said this, Luo Jian didn’t look at Ruan Xian but stared at the few grains of rice that fell off his plate.
“I don’t understand.”
“To put it another way, there are a few people who are as bad as me. Most people just want to find some excitement, and what they do is all garbage in nature. That’s why MUL-01 didn’t hit them hard.” Luo Jian snorted a little uncomfortably. “…They pursue higher entertainment and feel that the current ones are too upright, so they dig out some prohibited creations, and even make related memories to inject into their brains… Data files can still be destroyed by MUL-01, but books aren’t so easy to do in reality.”
“What does this have to do with the doomsday?”
“Do you know the paper medium?”
Luo Jian pushed the plate away, as if he had no appetite. “In addition to spreading memories and texts, they also hide a lot of forbidden things. As a source of inspiration, books are all physical objects, and they can’t be eliminated. But I’m not sure… Anyways, right now I can’t tell what’s reality and what’s fantasy.”
Ruan Xian blinked and gave a look of listening carefully, implying the other party should continue.
“Anyway, my appearance is because of Ruan Xian’s diary. There are still people who use pens and paper to write things these days, which is terrible. According to Mr. Gong’s approach, that diary, being brainwashed, plus a little brain lesion, I imagined a doomsday scenario based on the diary’s contents.”
“The Sea of Ruins and The Underground City were mentioned in the diary. I guess you stepped into the same pit as me… If you have also come into contact with them, it makes sense to take an overdose of memory inhibitors yourself. I guess you were probably trying to save yourself.”
He smiled self-deprecatingly. “Now I have no work and my body is broken. Just for that little excitement, why bother. Young man, if you ask me, it’s good to be obedient. The Mainbrain is much smarter than us, and there’s always a price when taking detours.”
Ruan Xian’s diary.
His temples began to tingle again, and Ruan Xian guessed that this wasn’t a simple name, but when he was about to continue, Luo Jian had finished his meal. With the added points of fellow sufferers, his attitude had softened a little bit, but he didn’t seem to have any intention of continuing to chat with him.
Ruan Xian bit his chopsticks and was about to think about the next move when a silver-white teardrop machine staggered to his side. Ruan Xian didn’t notice it at first, until it started to hit the edge of the table, dissatisfied.
Ruan Xian glanced at it strangely. When he turned his head, the thing became inexplicably excited.
“Gwah—” it whispered in a small, airy voice.
Ruan Xian retracted his gaze and continued to chuck his food.
“Gwah…” There was a bit more grievance in the voice.
This should be the silver-white machine mentioned by Tang Yibu, but when looking at it, it seemed a bit… stupid. Ruan Xian sighed and poked the little thing that was exuding grievances with the tip of his chopsticks.
As a result, the thing avoided the greasy tip of the chopsticks and turned 180 degrees sulkily.
Ruan Xian put down his chopsticks in amusement, reached out his hand and tried to touch the machine floating on the edge of the table. This time, it whizzed back and rubbed Ruan Xian’s palm hard.
‘It’s kind of cute,’ Ruan Xian thought to himself.