TIMO - Chapter 43
Chapter 43
The wish Fu Zhao owed Shi Nan finally had a concrete standard for fulfillment.
Shi Nan said she hoped Fu Zhao would always be on her side, that she would think of herself, and stay safe and sound.
This was a seemingly simple wish, at least for the Fu Zhao of the past.
But now, having been here for several months, her feelings for Nanke Island had deepened, her connections with the people around her had grown stronger, and her relationship with Shi Nan... her view of Shi Nan had also changed significantly.
If the events from the original book were to truly happen, forcing her to stand by and do nothing-the person she was now would be incapable of it.
She had promised Shi Nan, yet it seemed she couldn't keep that promise.
Fu Zhao had gone against her conscience.
That night, she tossed and turned in bed, watching the crescent moon outside cast rings of light, watching Number Ten, placed quietly on the nightstand, emit a faint, hazy glow.
Ever since Number Ten had proven its worth during the rescue of Shi Nan, she had moved it into her bedroom.
But since the built-in voiceprint chip used the original host's voice, which was identical to her own, she felt uncomfortable every time she heard it and hadn't spoken to Number Ten since.
Number Ten looked like just an ordinary smart speaker, not an AI central control unit. It was even unremarkable-a plain, square black box with a small smart screen in the center that gave off a translucent glow.
Fu Zhao lay on her side, staring at it for a long time before subconsciously calling out, "Number Ten..."
"Master, is there anything you need?"
The screen suddenly lit up, its glow pulsing. A soft female voice emerged from the small box. It wasn't a mechanical AI voice, but Fu Zhao's own, genuine voice.
It sounded strange, especially hearing her own voice call her "Master."
Fu Zhao shivered at the sound. Coming back to her senses, she pressed her lips together. "Can you change the voiceprint chip?"
"I can't, Master!"
Number Ten responded quickly, its tone carrying a cheerfulness Fu Zhao had never possessed. "My voiceprint chip is a core component from my production. If it's changed, it means I can no longer be used."
Fu Zhao sighed, resting her right hand under her head as a pillow. After some thought, she spoke again. "Your master... why did she create you back then?"
She regretted the question as soon as she asked it. It was undoubtedly for some functions prepared for Shi Nan, to ensure her safety in conjunction with the smart watch... or perhaps as an engagement gift.
"If Master is asking about my duties, then they are to be responsible for Miss Shi Nan's safety and daily life, as well as anything else Miss Shi Nan needs..."
As expected, it was the answer she had anticipated.
Fu Zhao's gaze flickered. She turned over, deciding not to discuss such emotional matters with an AI. She wouldn't get the answers she wanted.
After its initial statement, Number Ten fell silent for a few seconds before its voice sounded again from behind Fu Zhao.
"But if Master is asking why you installed your own voiceprint chip and created me... you can try saying Miss Shi Nan's name."
Although it was explaining in a gentle tone, to Fu Zhao's ears, the soft voice was like a devil's whisper. She couldn't help but turn back over, staring at the still-flickering light of Number Ten. She closed her eyes for a moment, then in an equally low voice, she softly called out,
"Shi Nan."
Her voice, spoken aloud in the night, was a little hoarse and dry, sounding abrupt and not particularly pleasant in the quiet room.
Number Ten let out a "ding," and the light around it suddenly brightened. Then, the gentle, melodious sound of wind, crashing waves, rustling leaves, and chirping crickets flowed out of the box, surrounding her ears as if she were right there.
Fu Zhao pricked up her ears and listened for a while, but it was still just these sounds-the pleasant, relaxing sounds of nature. She waited for a long time, but no other sounds emerged. She cleared her throat, and just as she was about to speak, she heard a soft phrase, woven into the wind, the waves, and the swaying leaves.
"Shi Nan... I like you."
A voice filled with genuine emotion, clear and pleasing to the ear, rang out in the quiet room. It was just one sentence, yet it sounded incredibly moving.
It was followed by a soft laugh, tinged with shyness and a suppressed fluster.
"You probably can't imagine it, but I'm actually in love with you."
Spoken in a playful tone, yet carrying deep regret and affection.
As if scalded by those two sentences, Fu Zhao shot up from the bed with a whoosh, the air-conditioning blanket flying off. She stared at Number Ten, whose light had dimmed slightly after speaking, her palms pressed flat against the bed, her gaze burning.
"Is that Fu Zhao's own voice? Not yours?"
The rich ambient sounds indicated that this was a recording the original host had made herself at the seaside one day, not a voice automatically generated by the implanted voiceprint chip.
"Yes, Master. This is a recording of your own voice, not mine."
"The trigger program is when my master says Miss 'Shi Nan's' name."
So that was it...
Fu Zhao closed her eyes and took a light breath to calm down. Number Ten's current master was her, which meant only she could trigger this condition... According to what she knew from the original book and the original host's memories, the original host had never expressed her feelings to Shi Nan. Even if her actions had been more than enough to show it, she had never said it directly in words.
That's what she had thought.
But in reality, the original host had hidden this sentence near Shi Nan. Yet, the Shi Nan in the story had only stayed on the island for a month and had never discovered this, never discovered this hidden message from the original host.
And now, she was the first to know the words the original host never got to say.
What should she do?
Should she pretend she didn't know, or should she do something else?
Fu Zhao's gaze lingered on Number Ten. She stared blankly at its light, once again feeling like an outsider caught between the original host and Shi Nan. Even if she had replaced the original host now, even if she, like the original host, had also fallen for Shi Nan, even if she didn't know who Shi Nan would prefer between her and the original host...
She had always been a selfish person. And right now, the one standing before Shi Nan, the one connected to Shi Nan, the one who had promised to fulfill Shi Nan's wish, was her, not the original host.
She was selfish and cold.
She didn't feel the slightest bit of pity for the original host, nor did she feel any regret for her.
Because she was just that kind of selfish person.
As Fu Zhao thought this, she subconsciously clenched her fingertips until they turned white and ached. After a long moment, it was as if all the strength had drained from her body. She lowered her eyelids and said in a low voice,
"Number Ten, you should know you were created for Shi Nan. So, from now on..." She took a sharp breath, the coldness making her heart ache and swell. She paused for a moment before continuing, "Your master is now changed to Shi Nan. This is a top-level command."
As a top-tier artificial intelligence, Number Ten could alter its own programming based on its master's instructions.
"Understood, Fu Zhao. Number Ten has engraved Miss Shi Nan's saved voiceprint into the program. Number Ten's master has been changed to Miss Shi Nan. From now on, all top-level commands can only be triggered by Miss Shi Nan..."
"Commands below level two can be triggered by the producer, Fu Zhao."
"System upgrade in progress..."
This meant that Fu Zhao had returned the trigger authority for the original host's words to Shi Nan.
She was a selfish and cold person. Based on her feelings, she should have never let Shi Nan discover this, so keeping the highest authority over Number Ten in her own hands was the safest option.
Besides, even if Shi Nan heard it, she would just think it was Fu Zhao herself who said it. Shi Nan didn't know she wasn't the original host.
Logically speaking, there was no point in her doing this.
But she did it anyway. Even if it was meaningless, even if she regretted it the moment she gave the command to change the highest authority... perhaps it was because she already owed the original host a great deal.
To selfishly continue erasing the original host's traces from this world... to even prevent the original host's deepest wish-for Shi Nan to know her feelings-from being known by Shi Nan, would be too cruel.
No matter how cold she was, she couldn't be a bad person, right?
She couldn't just claim everything that belonged to the original host as her own. If one day, Shi Nan really did discover this sentence... perhaps that would be the time for her to explain everything to Shi Nan.
To explain that she wasn't the original Fu Zhao.
That she was just an outsider.
Perhaps Shi Nan would never say her own name in front of Number Ten. After all, no one just randomly calls out their own name.
The original host must have had the same thought, which gave her that little bit of courage to hide that sentence within Number Ten's highest authority.
Fu Zhao let out a long sigh, hugged the blanket tighter, and lay back down on the bed. She closed her eyes, resolving to return Number Ten to Shi Nan the next day and not to meddle in this matter any further.
Not interfering, not concealing-this was the absolute limit of what a selfish person like her could do.
She wasn't the original host. She wouldn't be like her, silently watching over Shi Nan's happiness... even going so far as to seek out Shen Caiwei.
There was absolutely no way she would push the original host and Shi Nan together.
Or rather, she couldn't push anyone toward Shi Nan. Just seeing Shen Caiwei appear was enough to make her sour with jealousy. This was the first time she had admitted to liking someone, and without a doubt, it was a selfish feeling.
"Upgrade complete. A holographic image is required as a representative avatar for this artificial intelligence. Producer Fu Zhao, would you like to input it now?"
The familiar voice sounded by her ear again, interrupting Fu Zhao's thoughts. She looked up as if waking from a dream and subconsciously replied, "Input a holographic image, what does that mean?"
"The most advanced artificial intelligences can have their own holographic projections to provide companionship for their masters..."
Fu Zhao listened quietly as Number Ten finished, her lips pressed tightly together. If Number Ten's voice was unchangeable, then perhaps she could set its image to be her own.
That way, even if the voice belonged to the original host, the image would be hers.
Her true self.
She couldn't destroy the original host's heartfelt wish, but she could express her own. That would be fair. It had nothing to do with anyone else's opinion; it was just an internal struggle.
Even if she looked similar to the original host and others couldn't tell the difference.
Even if only she knew, she would feel a little better about it.
At this thought, some of the tightness in Fu Zhao's chest eased. Her throat moved, and she asked Number Ten in a slightly awkward tone,
"Okay, how do I input it?"
The next day.
Fu Zhao dazedly opened the door and took the box from the housekeeping robot waiting outside. As she sat down on the sofa, she still felt like she was floating.
She had barely slept last night, working with Number Ten to input the holographic image.
The process had just been completed, with only the final step remaining, when the doorbell suddenly rang. Still yawning, she had staggered into the yard and accepted this exquisitely packaged, handmade gift box.
It was from the housekeeping robot she had assigned to Shi Nan.
So this gift box was naturally from Shi Nan. But why didn't Shi Nan bring it to her herself?
Fu Zhao didn't have time to figure out the answer to that question. All she knew was that this was likely the engagement gift Shi Nan had mentioned she'd been preparing for a long time. The thought made her already light body feel even more weightless. An emotion swelled in her heart as she stared at the beautifully wrapped gift box in her hands. After a moment of silence, she reached out and carefully began to unwrap it.
The silk ribbon had to be untied carefully, without being damaged.
The gift box had to be opened along its folds. She was a bit strong and always accidentally tore the packaging when opening deliveries, but this box couldn't be torn.
The wrapping was carefully removed.
Inside was a glass sculpture, a complete scene with a figure, exquisitely crafted and glowing with light.
It was a miniature model of Nanke Island. The sea was a translucent azure blue, with a tall lighthouse standing on the horizon. The coast was lined with rugged reefs. The island alone was already incredibly detailed.
But there was a person standing on the model.
Tall and slender, in a white shirt, with long black hair and amber eyes rendered in a translucent glass texture. An electric guitar strap was slung over one shoulder, and an electric guitar was in her hands. The facial features were sculpted with striking realism, three-dimensional and detailed. Even the corner of the white shirt, gently lifted by the wind, was carved with lifelike precision.
It was her, from the night of the closing ceremony.
But this style... it was a bit familiar.
Fu Zhao frowned unconsciously, remembering something. She took out her phone, opened Ning Si's social media page, and scrolled through it with her fingertip.
She swiped through the photos and finally, among the latest works, she saw a hand-drawn sketch that was nearly identical to the sculpture in her hands.
The sketch was rough, very different from the finished product she was holding.
The caption was simple: Learning some new things recently.
She scrutinized it for a while, constantly zooming in to compare, and sure enough, she found some corresponding points on the sketch. But...
In the sketch, there were supposed to be two people in the sculpture.
Fu Zhao stared at it for a moment, then meticulously compared it with the actual object in her hands. Her head spun from looking so closely, and she even used a magnifying glass. Only then did she discover a thin white mark next to where the figure was standing.
She shook her head and looked again.
The white mark was right next to where the figure stood...
She put down the magnifying glass and examined the sculpture again. The sculpture as a whole looked harmonious and exquisite, but next to the reef where the figure stood, there was a large empty space.
Combined with that thin white mark...
She had reason to suspect that there was originally another person next to her. This meant the sketch and the model matched up, which also meant that Shi Nan was Ning Si.
Realizing this, Fu Zhao's eyes widened in disbelief. Soon, confusion flashed in her eyes. Who was the other person standing next to the figure? And why did Shi Nan remove that person?
If this was an engagement gift... the person originally standing there would obviously have been Shi Nan herself.
But now...
Fu Zhao gently placed the sculpture back in the box. Her mouth was dry as she took a sip of tea, then stared longingly at the box again. Suddenly, she noticed a card at the bottom of the box.
"Clink-"
The ceramic cup made a sound as it was placed on the table.
Fu Zhao fumbled to pull the card out of the box. After opening it and reading it, she blinked blankly. The strength in her hands unconsciously slackened, and the card fluttered down, slowly drifting to the floor, revealing dense lines of text.
The card was plain, with a message written in the interstellar language. It was clearly Shi Nan's handwriting:
Fu Zhao, I'm sorry, I've broken my promise.
I'm afraid I can no longer give you an engagement gift. I just spoke with Island Master Fu about calling off the engagement. I will be leaving Nanke Island this afternoon. This can only be considered a farewell gift.
Don't misunderstand. There's no hidden reason, and it has nothing to do with anyone else, and especially not with you.
It's my own problem.
I just... suddenly realized something, and I've started to become afraid of it. So, I made a choice that could alleviate that fear.
I'm very selfish. I always tried to escape this matter, always forced myself not to think about the consequences. But the more frequently we've interacted these past few days, the more afraid I've become that this thing will happen.
Until now, at this very moment, I have finally made this decision.
Perhaps you'll blame me for not leaving sooner if I was going to leave. Perhaps you'll blame me for not calling off the engagement from the start.
Actually, I'm blaming myself too. I'm too selfish, always thinking I could perfectly make up for my regrets. But now, I'm starting to regret why I didn't leave Nanke Island at the very beginning, why I held on to that sliver of hope, why I was always so hopeful, why I always thought I could have the best of both worlds...
By the time I understood, it was already too late. So I made another foolish decision, hoping to cut my losses in time before what comes next can happen.
In short, it's all my fault. I'm the most detestable, most foolish person.
Logically, if I wanted to make a clean break, I should say that I was lying to you before, that it was all false affection, that not a single word I said was true.
But by my own logic, I can't say such things against my conscience.
Fu Zhao, I was sincere. Every word, every sentence I said to you was from the heart.
But I'm sorry, I can't tell you what this is all about right now.
This is also something I feel guilty about.
I hope that after I leave without saying goodbye, you will hate me. At least that way, it won't hurt as much. I truly deserve to be hated, for not even saying goodbye to your face, for turning a promised engagement gift into a farewell gift.
So, hate me as much as you want. It's okay.
I deserve to be hated, to be loathed.
Oh, and don't forget the wish you promised me.
Fu Zhao, I hope that no matter what happens in the future, you will always take care of yourself first....
Author's Notes
Don't panic! Let me pluck some petals:
Shi Nan left, Shi Nan didn't leave, Shi Nan left...
In short, whether she left or not, this is not a point of angst!!!
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