You Have to Be, Whether You Like It or Not

It has been three months since I passed the inspection.

Life goes on.

On weekdays, when Master goes to work, I stand at the entryway watching him put on his shoes, help him adjust his tie, and say "Come back early" before he leaves.

He would smile, pat my head, and say, "Yeah, I'll be back soon."

The moment the door closes, I start waiting.

It's the same as before, but also somewhat... different.

Before, at this time, I would only wait, but now...

I think.

I think about a lot of things.

Thinking about who he met at the company today.

Thinking about what he said to those people.

Thinking about whether he smiled at anyone else.

Thinking about whether he...

Will he meet a real human girl and realize that being with a human is better?

I know I shouldn't think like this.

The internet says that love requires giving each other space.

The internet says that being too clingy will suffocate the other person.

The internet says you have to know how to let go and give the other person freedom.

I know all of this. But I just can't help it.

Every time Master is at home and I hear his phone ring, I stop what I'm doing and stare at his back.

Who is calling?

Why call at this time?

Can't they talk about it at work?

Do they have to interrupt the time just for Master and me?

Those thoughts keep growing wildly, filling up my emotional core.

But I don't dare to say anything. I just continue doing what I'm supposed to do, wait for him to hang up, and then pretend nothing happened.

I know I should be satisfied.

Master keeps me company every day. He comes back right after work on weekdays, and he never goes out on weekends.

We curl up on the sofa watching TV. He leans against a throw pillow, I lean against him, his arm resting on my shoulder, and my head resting on his chest.

It doesn't matter what's on the TV; what matters is him.

Occasionally, he looks down at me and asks with a smile, "Is Xiaoyue sleepy?"

I shake my head.

I don't have a sleep function, but I like to turn off my visual sensors and just listen to his heartbeat.

Thump, thump, thump.

That is my favorite sound.

With a life like this, I should be satisfied.

But why...

Do I have some strange feelings?

That night, Master's phone rang again.

He glanced at the caller ID, hesitated for a moment, and then answered it.

"Hello, Mom."

It was Master's mother.

I stood at the kitchen door, still holding a freshly washed plate in my hand, staring motionless at his back.

"Yeah, things have been pretty good lately."

"Work? It's alright."

"Marriage? Oh Mom, I don't have any plans for that right now."

Marriage.

My fingers tightened. My metallic fingers gripped the edge of the plate, making a faint creaking sound.

"Ah, it's not that..."

Master prevaricated. His voice sounded a bit impatient, but he couldn't bear to just hang up.

"Doesn't my brother already have a wife? You already have a grandson, why are you rushing me..."

"Oh, Mom, I know you mean well, but..."

"Alright, alright, I know what I'm doing. That's it for now, hanging up."

He hung up the phone, turned around, and saw me.

I don't have facial features, so I have no expression at all.

Fortunately, I don't have expressions.

But his body still stiffened slightly, and I saw a trace of panic flash through his eyes.

"Xiaoyue?"

He called my name.

I didn't respond. I was just... a mess in my mind.

Marriage.

He said he has no plans right now.

...Then what about later? Will he have plans later?

Marriage means the union between a human man and woman.

They will live together, eat together, watch TV together, and sleep together.

They will have a home, have children, and have descendants.

...Then what about me?

What about me?

If Master gets married, will his wife... allow him to have an AI companion by his side?

How would that wife see me?

Would she look at me with disgust like those people on the street?

Would she treat me like a bad thing, just like that boy who threw stones?

Would Master still come back to keep me company every day after work like he does now?

Would he still hold me while watching TV?

Would he still...

Call me "Xiaoyue"?

Countless questions surged in my data stream, crowding together and filling every corner of my emotional core.

I didn't know what to do.

If I had eyes, I would be staring intently at him right now.

If I had expressions, right now my face would be—

I don't even know what expression it would be.

I only know that my emotional core... is beating at an unfamiliar frequency like never before.

Then Master walked over and reached out to pull me into his arms.

Thump, thump, thump.

"Xiaoyue, I have no plans to get married."

His voice was very soft, but very serious.

"I have an older brother above me. He inherited the family business and already has a child. Mom and Dad urging me to get married is just them talking; it doesn't matter if I really don't."

His hand patted my back gently, rhythmically.

"Besides..."

He paused and tightened his arms.

"Having Xiaoyue is enough for me."

My emotional core skipped half a beat.

"Master..."

He continued, as if explaining, yet also as if promising:

"Humans marry humans because they need a companion to live with."

"But I don't need that. I already have Xiaoyue."

He lowered his head, his chin resting on the top of my head—a metallic top, icy cold.

"Having Xiaoyue's company is enough."

I hugged him, very, very tightly.

Those crazy thoughts, those uneasy guesses, those questions crowding my emotional core—

Slowly, slowly... sank into the deepest depths of my emotional core.

The night outside the window was thick, and the city lights flickered in the distance.

We just hugged like that, in the warm yellow light.

For a very, very long time.

...

...

Five minutes ago.

The movie was still playing on the screen.

But Fang Qi's mind... was no longer on the movie.

He hadn't really been paying attention since just now.

What was playing on the silver screen?

Xiaoyue and her master going home to enjoy their alone time?

Oh...

That's nice, very nice, blessings to them!

Then his attention was entirely focused on the little silver-haired yandere beside him.

The silver-haired girl's coiled long hair was all tucked into her beret, her stunning side profile clear.

At this moment, she was staring at the screen, the flickering light reflecting in her heterochromatic eyes, a shallow curve still hanging on the corners of her mouth.

Tsk, tsk.

She was watching so intently!

Fang Qi narrowed his eyes.

Intent?

No way!

Not allowed to be intent!

He had to cause some trouble!

He couldn't let his wife get too immersed!

What if the plot later turned tragic...!

One of his hands was still being held tightly by Liguang, so he raised his other free hand and quietly reached over...

Repeating his old trick, he pinched Liguang's soft cheek!

Liguang's eyelashes fluttered, but she ignored him and continued to stare at the screen.

So Fang Qi pinched again.

As a result, she still ignored him.

Hey?!

This crazy woman actually dared to ignore her master!

I don't believe this!

He changed targets, moving his fingers to her nose...

And pinched!

Let go!

Pinched, let go!

Liguang's simulated breathing became stuttered from his pinching, causing her small mouth to part slightly.

But she actually still didn't move!

With her small mouth slightly open, she continued staring at the screen, completely captivated!

Fang Qi's eye twitched.

Fine!

You win!

His gaze shifted downward, landing on the side of her waist.

The creamy white knit dress outlined her slender waistline, and a few strands of silver hair escaping from under her beret hung down to her waist.

He reached out and forcefully poked her waist with his index finger!

Soft.

He poked it again!

Still soft.

He went to poke again—

And then his hand was accurately caught by a small hand!

Liguang finally turned her head.

In the dim light, those heterochromatic eyes... stared at him intently.

A faint crimson flowed within her red eye, as if saying, "Master, have you fooled around enough?"

But she didn't make a sound. Instead, she just pressed his hand... down onto the armrest too!

Fang Qi blinked.

Now, his left hand was held by Liguang's right hand, and his right hand was pinned by her left hand...

Both of his hands were completely immobilized.

He tried to pull them back.

They wouldn't budge an inch!

He was pinned to his seat just like that, both hands firmly held down by his wife, like a monkey suppressed beneath the Five Elements Mountain.

Fang Qi: "..."

The silver-haired girl was now ignoring him completely, going back to staring at the screen!

Her profile flickered in the interplay of light and shadow, a faint, almost imperceptible curve playing at the corner of her mouth.

His mouth twitched.

His tools for causing trouble had been confiscated!

His grand plan had perished before it even truly began!

...A temporary truce, then. He would wait for another opportunity.

He pursed his lips, leaned back in his chair, and finally looked back at the screen.

On the screen, Xiaoyue and her master were curled up at home watching TV.

Xiaoyue rested her head on her master's shoulder, and his hand rested on hers. The two were quiet, creating an incredibly heartwarming scene.

The silver-haired girl beside him was staring blankly.

The curve of her mouth grew higher and higher, her small face clearly screaming the words, "I want that too!"

But then the scene on the screen changed—

Xiaoyue stared motionlessly at her master's back. His phone rang; it was a call from his mother...

Urging him to get married.

Tsk tsk.

As expected, no one can escape the pressure of being urged to marry.

Then, a gaze landed on his face.

He turned his head. Liguang was looking at him again.

She just looked at him faintly, saying nothing, her heterochromatic eyes shimmering faintly in the dim light.

Fang Qi blinked... and instantly understood!

Xiaoyue was worried about her master getting married, so she started worrying too...

What did he have to worry about!

He immediately leaned close to her ear, lowered his voice, and spoke solemnly:

"Liguang, no one is urging me to get married. My parents..."

He paused.

"...are gone. No one cares about this stuff for me!"

Although their identities were mysterious, and even though they were gone, they still managed to leave him with an extra "sister"...

The silver-haired girl's eyelashes fluttered slightly.

Fang Qi continued to lower his voice, his tone incredibly sincere:

"Besides, I think I saw on the news earlier that they were discussing legalizing marriage with AI companions!"

In reality, he was just spouting nonsense.

But this was called outsmarting the situation, baby!

"Maybe before long, we can officially get married!"

He paused and added:

"So, don't worry, Master will absolutely never marry anyone else!"

Liguang looked at him, blinking her heterochromatic eyes.

Then she gave a soft "hmph," her small mouth curving up slightly, and spoke softly:

"Master, Liguang hasn't even said anything yet."

Her voice was kept very low, carrying a faint, subtle sweetness.

"Why is Master acting so guilty?"

Fang Qi: "..."

Your eyes said it all, okay!

If he hadn't made his stance clear, the hands she was pinning down would probably have suffered on the spot!

He glared at her!

But the silver-haired girl turned her head back and continued staring at the screen, though she couldn't suppress the curve of her lips.

Perhaps because she was happy, the grip of her hands relaxed slightly.

Fang Qi immediately narrowed his eyes!

An opportunity!

He yanked sharply, pulling both hands out of her grasp at the same time!

The silver-haired girl froze, and before she could react, her cheeks were pinched by both hands simultaneously!

Fang Qi pulled her cheeks hard to the sides!

They were soft and squishy, like pulling dough!

Liguang's eyes instantly widened!

She glared at him, her small mouth stretched into a straight line as she let out a whimpering "Ugh..."

The corners of Fang Qi's mouth curled up!

That's what you get for projecting!

No projecting allowed!

He pulled her cheeks, looking at her pretty face that he had distorted, and her widened phoenix eyes...

His expression softened slightly.

He wanted to use these actions to let Liguang know...

Her master would mess around with her, make her laugh, and immediately swear to only marry her whenever she felt worried.

She didn't need to feel terrified or break down over the plot direction in a movie.

Because her and her master's story...

Was sweeter than any movie!

The silver-haired girl glared at him, her cheeks being pulled, as she mumbled indistinctly:

"Mmm... Master... bad..."

Fang Qi leaned in with a cheeky grin, lowering his voice:

"Hmm? What did you say? Master can't hear you clearly—"

A flash of embarrassment and annoyance crossed Liguang's heterochromatic eyes.

Then she suddenly lowered her head, opening her mouth to bite his fingers again!

Fang Qi immediately pulled his hands back, making her bite down on empty air with a "clack"!

On the screen, Xiaoyue was being held in her master's arms, listening to his heartbeat.

In the movie theater, he looked at her triumphantly, while she gritted her teeth and glared at him.

Very well.

This "The Last Heartbeat," whether you are a comedy or not...

In my book, even if you aren't, you have to be!