You almost had an extra older sister.

XXXX Month, April 15th.

Today, I went to the orphanage. Xiao Lian'er cautiously came over and asked when she could visit the company.

She asked very quietly, but there was hope in her eyes.

I panicked on the spot!

I muttered that it would be soon, but even my own tone sounded hollow to me.

The main issue is—this hasn't even been agreed upon yet!

The board of directors, those old fogies, I've brought it up several times, but they just won't give me a straight answer.

Maybe I showed too much panic; Xiao Lian'er seemed to catch on, and she immediately said:

"Auntie, it's okay if I can't go. I've been working hard on my own studies."

"In the future, I'll definitely get into a good university and join Chenxi Company on my own merit."

Her expression was eerily calm when she said that.

It was as if…… from the very beginning, she had already prepared for her expectations to be dashed.

As if she was used to expectations falling short.

Seeing her so composed made my heart ache even more.

Sigh, this child is way too mature.

So mature that it's heartbreaking.

She's only twelve!

Other kids her age demand things outright, but she's already learned to read the room.

And also……

I had already noticed her dedication to studying.

Xiao Lian'er always liked reading quietly in the corner.

When I first came to the orphanage, she was holding novels and classics—fairy tales, literature, that sort of thing.

Now, she's surrounded by nothing but study materials and science books.

Math, physics, computer science…… a whole pile of them.

Before the Second Mechanical Crisis, she was still in elementary school. If that disaster hadn't happened, she would be in middle school now, wouldn't she?

With a face as pretty as hers, she'd definitely be the class flower in her middle school.

Every day, happily going to school, with her parents waiting at the door when she got home, and her older brother occasionally picking her up and lifting her high.

That was the life a twelve-year-old girl should have.

But now, everything is ruined. We ruined it.

The world outside is still chaotic, and no schools have reopened yet.

Other kids are still running wild in the yard, playing around, but she's already teaching herself middle school coursework.

She's so good, so good, to the point of being heartbreaking.

I really want to take her to the company right now, to let her see with her own eyes all the things she dreams about.

But I can't.

I really can't!

Getting her in isn't the problem—I know all the security guards at the entrance, it's just a matter of swiping a visitor pass.

But I'm terrified, terrified that the official lunatics might do something to her.

What if they think she's too smart and needs special attention, and slap some kind of label on her……

Then wouldn't I be ruining her?

The more I thought about it, the more frustrated I got!

Just then, Xiao Qi was running around madly with his gang of buddies in the yard. I charged over, grabbed him, and started squishing his face wildly!

Xiao Qi's head wobbled back and forth as I squished him, and the paper plane in his hand fell to the ground.

The little boys beside him were all stunned, staring wide-eyed at the scene.

But I was too annoyed to care about appearances. I squished him until I was satisfied.

And then, Xiao Qi stayed completely calm this time. With my hands still on his face, he waved at his buddies and said, "My mom's having her daily freakout, no big deal, go on and play."

…… This little brat!

What daily freakout?

I call it motherly love! Motherly love!

Still, after squishing him, I did feel a lot better, refreshed and ready to face those annoying problems again.

Xiao Qi didn't hold a grudge either. After I let go, he bent down, picked up the paper plane, and asked if I was feeling better.

Little rascal, he could actually tell his mom was upset.

I said I was much better. He replied that next time, I'd have to pay—squishing him once meant I had to create a silver-haired big sister the day before.

I said, "How dare you set conditions?" He said, "That's what I learned from you."

This little punk, his tongue is getting sharper and sharper.

Anyway, back to business.

I need to figure something out for Xiao Lian'er.

Yesterday, I brought it up again at the board meeting. Those old farts all had sour expressions, saying this was a sensitive time and not suitable for opening up for visits.

I said, "It's just a little girl coming for a tour, how is that an open visit?"

Then they started playing dodgeball.

Throwing around phrases like, "The company's security regulations are strict right now," and "Bringing outsiders into the R&D area requires multiple approvals," and "It's still under discussion, please be patient, Ms. Su"……

Bottom line—they refuse to give in!

The more I think about it, the angrier I get.

I couldn't vent my anger in front of them then, so I just kept smiling……

And wrote their names down on my mental little blacklist.

And in this notebook, too.

A bunch of old farts!

……

……

XXXX Month, May 21st.

It's been a long time since I wrote in this notebook.

I've been busy again lately.

The chaos caused by the Second Mechanical Crisis has finally started to settle, and social order is slowly being restored.

There are more patrol cars on the streets, and people don't look as tense as before.

Schools are reopening one after another.

All the kids from the orphanage have gone back to school under our sponsorship.

And many children, after undergoing strict reviews, have been adopted by kind-hearted people and gone to new families.

Every time I visit the orphanage and see those empty little beds, I feel both bittersweet and comforted.

I hope they have a good future.

Xiao Lian'er also had a chance to be adopted.

A couple came specifically to see her several times. They were well-off, kind-hearted, and it was clear they genuinely liked her.

But she turned them down every time.

She said she wanted to stay at the orphanage because she didn't want to leave a familiar environment.

I know she's actually waiting for me.

She's afraid that if she gets adopted, she'll lose contact with me.

So, today, when I went to the orphanage, I had a serious talk with Xiao Lian'er.

I told her that our company is now preparing to establish a brand-new department—the Maintenance and Inspection Department—which specializes in routine maintenance and emotional core diagnostics for AI companions.

Setting up this department will take time, but once it's up and running, it will need a group of professionally trained inspection and maintenance personnel.

I promised her that she should first finish her compulsory education. Once the department is officially launched, the company would definitely keep a spot for her!

I give my word as Miss Su! I'll personally train her then!

Her eyes lit up immediately, and she nodded hard.

She said she would definitely study hard and never let me down.

Then, in that cautious voice again, she asked if I would still come to see her when I got busy.

That was heartbreaking!

I said of course I would! How could I not come?

At that moment, I was even thinking…… maybe I should just…… bring her home to live with us.

Adopt her.

Make her Xiao Qi's real sister.

Once that thought popped into my head, I couldn't shake it off.

When Ah Chu came back that evening, I told him.

He was silent for a moment, then said he also thought An Lian was a really good kid.

But then he asked me, if we adopted her…… wouldn't she become a target for those others, too?

That's what I'm worried about.

Xiao Qi has to hide his identity from the outside world, never telling his classmates who his parents are.

Ever since he started kindergarten, we’ve taught him how to answer questions about his parents’ jobs.

His dad works with computers, his mom is in sales—just an ordinary family.

Protecting one child already keeps us on edge.

Adding another? That would be painting a target on our backs!

So, I decided against it.

Xiao Qi, you know what? You almost had an older sister.

Mom is writing that here, secretly.

When you grow up and find this notebook, make sure to go tell her.

Tell her that your mom nearly brought her home back then!

Just that close!

Sigh…

A couple of days ago, I sent Xiao Qi back to school.

Before he went, I pulled him onto the sofa and sternly reminded him:

At school, absolutely no revealing your identity! Don’t say your dad is Fang Chu, don’t say your mom is Su Yue, and don’t mention Chenxi Company even half a word!

He said he knew, knew—how many times had I told him already!

I can trust him on this; he’s never slipped up since kindergarten.

New semester, new start.

Hope everything slowly gets better.

…

…

XXXX, June 5th.

That little brat Xiao Qi, sure enough, he’s already the big shot at school again!

School just started not long ago, and today the teacher @‘d me in the parent group.

Even tagged me specifically!

Said my son has way too much energy—as soon as class ends, he leads a bunch of kids on wild runs everywhere!

He doesn’t pay attention in class either; he just doodles in his textbook, drawing little girls no less!

And when the teacher called on him, he couldn’t even answer simple questions!

The teacher said he couldn’t even solve a “chickens and rabbits in the same cage” problem and suggested the parents help him practice at home.

I have no idea what that problem is either.

Sounds vaguely familiar—probably learned it before—but math was never my strong suit either…

Heh heh.

So that evening, I brought it up with Ah Chu.

I seriously asked him, what kind of advanced problem is this “chickens and rabbits in the same cage”?

I said, since Xiao Qi inherited your smarts, and even he can’t solve it, it must be really hard, right?

Ah Chu was busy editing an experiment report at the time. Without even looking up, he said Xiao Qi was faking it on purpose.

He said Xiao Qi probably didn’t want to stand out by being too brilliant, so he was deliberately playing dumb.

He added that even a three-year-old could solve a “chickens and rabbits in the same cage” problem—there’s no way Xiao Qi couldn’t.

He himself could do that kind of problem mentally in two seconds when he was two and a half years old. Xiao Qi takes after him, so it’s impossible he wouldn’t know.

I suddenly saw the light!

So that was it!

My mistake—I really thought it was some deep question even my Xiao Qi couldn’t handle.

What a clever boy, truly his father’s child!

That move—playing dumb in front of the teacher, keeping his identity under wraps, and ruling the kids’ social scene…

Brilliant!

Back in kindergarten, he was the same—getting along with his classmates but never bragging about his parents.

Now in elementary school, he’s perfected the art, even mastering the act of playing dumb!

But then again, playing dumb to the point where the teacher specifically tags a parent…

Isn’t that going a bit too far?

Alright, I need to talk to him tomorrow.

At the very least, a simple “chickens and rabbits in the same cage” problem that any two- or three-year-old can handle—you should at least get that right!

Otherwise, the teacher might think there’s something wrong with our family’s education!

Your dad is a world-class AI scientist!

Your mom is one of the founders and former majority shareholder of a listed company!

And yet you can’t solve a problem a three-year-old can handle…

People might think we’re an illiterate family!

… Forget it.

Illiterate family, so be it.

Let him keep playing dumb.

If playing it safe means pretending to be slow, I’d rather he rank last every time!