Day: September 14, 2023

Chapter 18: Mound of Devotion

 

Xu Huaiming had a good biological clock and woke up at six in the morning.

 

Perhaps because he had eaten and drunk his fill at the restaurant the day before, Tan Xilu had gone straight to bed and slept without waking up.

 

Christmas fell on a weekend, and following Tan Xilu’s law of weekends, he wouldn’t wake up before eleven.

 

After waking up, Xu Huaiming made a simple breakfast in the kitchen and then sat on the couch, reading a book for a while. When the clock pointed to nine, he got up, ready to leave.

 

He arrived at the entrance of the laboratory by bus at half-past nine. Since one of the lab’s projects had just ended yesterday, the professor had given the students a day off, as it was a weekend. When Xu Huaiming entered the lab, only Professor Bowen and Little A were present.

 

Professor Bowen was busy making coffee, and the lab was filled with the strong aroma of bitterness. Little A lay on the ground, panting with its tongue out.

 

Hearing Xu Huaiming’s footsteps, Little A perked up and ran over as soon as it saw him.

 

Xu Huaiming crouched down and petted Little A’s fur, which had become rough due to not being groomed for a long time. It seemed that it had been a while since it had last been brushed.

 

Professor Bowen was the kind of person who could easily get lost in his work and forget everything else. There was even one time when he hadn’t left the lab for three days. Xu Huaiming wondered just how long it had been since he last left to make Little A’s fur so rough.

 

“Isn’t it still less than a month? Why are you here for maintenance again?” Professor Bowen poured himself a cup of coffee, adding milk. He was someone who enjoyed the finer things in life and was quite indulgent. Otherwise, who would install a coffee machine in a laboratory like this?

 

He stirred the coffee with a spoon and looked up at Xu Huaiming. “Or is there a problem with your emotions again?”

 

Xu Huaiming hesitated for a moment, seeming a bit regretful. He spoke with uncertainty, “I feel like I’ve been acting strangely lately.”

 

Looking at Professor Bon, Xu Huaiming confessed, “I saw a video of him with another man, and it hurt me, it made me feel really sad. I know I shouldn’t be angry, he deserves to be happy, but I can’t help feeling reluctant to let go.”

 

“Do you… do you think I’ve fallen for him?” Xu Huaiming asked, his voice trembling.

 

Professor Bowen raised an eyebrow and looked at him. “Have you fallen in love with him?”

 

Xu Huaiming hesitated for a moment, then shook his head with uncertainty.

 

Seeing Xu Huaiming’s expression, Professor Bowen understood. He smiled and said, “Actually, no. 7 consulted me once. He asked me what to do if he fell in love with a human. I told him it’s difficult because, for an AI, having emotions like love is challenging. If he falls in love with someone, it’s likely due to a programming issue. I made a great effort to restore his program, but unfortunately, maybe that unrequited love in his program was too overwhelming. His program didn’t recover, and as you know, his destiny was destruction.”

 

“As for you… you’re like a replica of him in terms of emotions. Have you fallen in love with that human? Actually, you can’t be sure of yourself. Why is that? Because no. 7 copied you, and in your system, the senses are the most sensitive. You feel sad when you see him with someone else because your program subtly suggests that you should love him. Regardless of the outcome, whether he falls in love with someone else and you part ways or you stay together for a very long time, it doesn’t matter. Right now, you’re like a human, you have emotions, and you naturally feel pain. But you need to understand, you’re an AI, not a real human.”

 

In other words, all this pain was just an illusion.

 

The dog barked twice, and it bit at Xu Huaiming’s pants, as if trying to wake him up.

 

After pondering for a moment, Xu Huaiming said, “I understand.”

 

“Good that you’ve figured it out. You have to realize that you can never truly fall in love with a human. Everything you think you feel is fake,” the professor said, taking a sip of his coffee without sugar, giving it a bitter taste.

 

Xu Huaiming nodded. He had been convinced by the professor. Yes, how could he possibly love Tan Xilu? It was all fake.

 

After coming to terms with it, Xu Huaiming’s bad mood from the previous night seemed to have dissipated. When he left the laboratory, he felt much better, and in the laboratory’s lobby, he could hear the sound of flowing water from a fountain.

 

In the center of the lobby, there was a golden toad, and the fountain water flowed from its mouth. Xu Huaiming stopped in his tracks, paused for a moment, and walked toward the fountain.

 

The fountain pool was filled with coins, although everyone in the research institute believed in science, occasionally they still had some superstitions, thinking that tossing a coin in the fountain would bring wealth.

 

Xu Huaiming had no desire for wealth. He took a moment to think and then took out a red velvet box from his pocket. The ring that was originally hidden in the cake was probably no longer of use. It had been in the cake for quite some time, and it still carried the sweet scent of cream.

 

With a “splash,” Xu Huaiming tossed the ring into the pool.

 

Since Tan Xilu would have better options, there was no need for surprises or anything else.

 

Xu Huaiming turned to leave, but after a few steps, he seemed to think of something. He sighed, and in the end, he turned back and stepped into the water to retrieve the ring.

 

He was still somewhat reluctant.

 

After picking up the ring, Xu Huaiming finally left, perhaps because the water had made his system less sensitive, and he didn’t even notice that someone was watching him from behind.

 

Tan Xilu was still sleeping when he heard footsteps outside, followed by the sound of a door opening and closing, and then the splashing of water.

 

He turned over, covering his ears with the blanket, but still found it somewhat annoying. Finally, he shouted, “Xu Huaiming, you’re so noisy.”

 

Outside, there was some muffled response, which Tan Xilu couldn’t quite make out. Ten minutes later, the bedroom door opened again.

 

The blanket was pulled away, and Tan Xilu heard Xu Huaiming’s voice, “Aren’t you getting up yet?”

 

Tan Xilu was feeling a bit grumpy, so he tugged the blanket and grunted.

 

“It’s almost lunchtime, and you’re still in bed,” Xu Huaiming said, pinching Tan Xilu’s nose.

 

Xu Huaiming had just taken a shower, and his hands were still slightly damp. Tan Xilu initially felt a chill, and then his nose got blocked. He felt uncomfortable as Xu Huaiming pinched his nose, so he reluctantly opened his eyes.

 

Tan Xilu had always found Xu Huaiming attractive. The first time he saw him, even though his clothes were stained, he remained composed. Instead of blaming Tan Xilu, he offered to buy him a new one. Such a gentle and considerate man was hard not to like.

 

Seeing Xu Huaiming right after a shower still made Tan Xilu’s heart skip a beat.

 

“Why are you showering so early in the morning?” Tan Xilu sat up in bed. “Aren’t you afraid of getting cold?”

 

“I accidentally stepped in a puddle when I went out, got myself wet, and I was afraid you’d find me dirty. So, I wanted to take a shower when I got back,” Xu Huaiming explained.

 

“Nonsense, who would find you dirty?” Tan Xilu beckoned to Xu Huaiming, motioning for him to come closer.

 

Xu Huaiming instinctively leaned closer; he wouldn’t refuse any of Tan Xilu’s requests. Tan Xilu reached out, grabbing the back of Xu Huaiming’s neck, and then straddled him on the bed.

 

He gazed at Xu Huaiming with a mischievous smile and said, “We owe each other from yesterday, how about we make up for it in broad daylight today?”

 

Xu Huaiming hesitated for a moment but then met Tan Xilu’s lips with his own.

 

“Your wish is my command,” he whispered.

 

---

T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

Chapter 17: Bitter Coffee

 

As soon as Tan Xilu left the house, he received a call from his mother.

 

His mother seemed to be in a good mood, and her voice on the phone was filled with a smile. “Xiao Lu, today is Christmas Eve.”

 

Tan Xilu knew that his mother wouldn’t just call to talk about Christmas; there had to be more to it. His mother wasn’t particularly fond of celebrating holidays for no reason.

 

As expected, in the next moment, his mother said, “Many young couples spend Christmas Eve together. I saw it on my friends’ social media. Some of my students even went to couple’s restaurants. I’ve reserved a table for you and Xiaoli. It’s a great opportunity to strengthen your relationship.”

 

Tan Xilu sighed and said, “Mom, you don’t need to worry about this. Xiaoli and I have only met a few times, and we’re not a good match.”

 

“At first, your father and I didn’t think we were a good match either, but now we’ve been happily married for decades,” his mother replied. She then turned to his father, who was reading a newspaper on the balcony, and rolled her eyes. “Relationships require compromise.”

 

Tan Xilu locked the door behind him as he descended the stairs and said, “It’s not about compromise or not. From the beginning, I didn’t really like him.”

 

Tan Xilu wasn’t just saying this to appease his mother; he genuinely didn’t like Li Zhao. His instincts were usually spot on, and when he first met Li Zhao, he had a bad feeling about him. Li Zhao’s smooth-talking and the disrespectful things he had said on their very first meeting had made Tan Xilu uncomfortable.

 

“Li Zhao seems nice. Why don’t you like him? Just meet him once, and maybe this time you’ll feel differently,” Tan Xilu’s mother urged.

 

“Mom… I actually…” Tan Xilu’s words were cut short as he spotted Li Zhao standing at the entrance of the building. Li Zhao was dressed casually today, in a white hoodie paired with black pants. He looked more youthful compared to their first meeting, and this sudden change in appearance reminded Tan Xilu of when he first met Xu Huaiming.

 

Back then, Tan Xilu had just bought a cake from the shop. Due to holiday promotions, the shop was crowded with customers. As he was leaving the shop, someone accidentally pushed him, and he stumbled forward, expecting to fall to the ground. To his surprise, he fell into warm arms instead.

 

The other person made a muffled sound, indicating that the collision had not been gentle.

 

Embarrassed, Tan Xilu looked up to see the person’s face, and he was unexpectedly good-looking. However, the person was frowning and staring at Tan Xilu’s clothes.

 

Tan Xilu then followed the person’s gaze and realized that the cake had fallen out of its box during the collision. Most of the cream had smudged onto his white hoodie, mixed with fruit pieces.

 

“Sorry, I’m really sorry,” Tan Xilu blushed immediately.

 

“It’s okay,” the person helped him up and checked his pockets before asking somewhat awkwardly, “Do you have any paper?”

 

Tan Xilu responded with an “Ah” and quickly took out some tissues from his pocket.

 

The person’s voice was also pleasant to the ears, and that was Tan Xilu’s first impression at the time.

 

Back then, Tan Xilu had never imagined that a few months later, he would hear this person’s breath in bed.

 

At that time, Xu Huaiming had also been dressed in a white hoodie and black pants. However, his demeanor was completely different from the impression Li Zhao gave. Xu Huaiming always seemed serious and unapproachable, exuding an air of aloofness. Tan Xilu thought that it was because of this that Xu Huaiming had few friends.

 

But both of them had introverted personalities, which seemed to match well.

 

On the phone, Tan Xilu’s mother continued, “I’ve already asked Li Zhao to wait downstairs for you. I’ve even reserved a restaurant, and it cost me quite a bit. You must go today.”

 

At this moment, Li Zhao also saw Tan Xilu coming downstairs and walked over.

 

When he reached Tan Xilu, he suddenly pulled out a bouquet of flowers from behind his back and said with a smile, “Merry Christmas!”

 

Tan Xilu frowned at him and responded with an “Hmm” into the phone before saying, “Alright, Mom, I got it.”

 

Tan Xilu put his phone back into his pocket but didn’t take the bouquet.

 

“Why are you here?” Tan Xilu’s tone was somewhat unfriendly.

 

“My aunt asked me to come,” Li Zhao replied, holding the bouquet, walking alongside Tan Xilu. “She called me and said she had reserved a restaurant for us, and she wanted me to take the initiative to invite you for dinner to build our relationship.”

 

Tan Xilu massaged his temples, feeling a headache coming on. “Don’t you know I have a partner? And yet, you’re here because my mom told you to?”

 

“What’s the big deal? I’m genuinely interested in you,” Li Zhao said with a smile, glancing at Tan Xilu. “I mean, why don’t you break up with that person and be with me instead?”

 

Tan Xilu immediately gave him a stern look and said, “Give it up. I won’t break up with him.”

 

“I was just kidding,” Li Zhao chuckled. “Come on, be a little lenient. Join me for a meal first. I heard the restaurant my aunt booked is quite expensive. We can’t let her money go to waste, can we?”

 

“Maximum of two hours,” Tan Xilu hesitated and then extended two fingers. “No longer than that.”

 

“Deal,” Li Zhao agreed with a smile.

 

When Xu Huaiming called, Li Zhao’s cake had just been delivered to the table. Li Zhao picked up a fork and pushed the cake toward Tan Xilu, who nodded in thanks before answering the phone.

 

Tan Xilu was worried that Xu Huaiming would jump to conclusions if he knew he was meeting someone for an arranged date, so he quickly made up a lie about being busy with school. Fortunately, Xu Huaiming didn’t seem suspicious, but before he could finish the conversation, the call was abruptly disconnected. Tan Xilu checked his phone and realized it had run out of battery and turned off.

 

“This cake is the best-selling item at the restaurant. My aunt said you love cakes, so I ordered this for you. Give it a try. How does it taste?” Li Zhao said.

 

“Thank you,” Tan Xilu replied. He put his phone down and reached for a fork.

 

The cake was indeed delicious, but Tan Xilu thought that Xu Huaiming’s latest desserts were even more exquisite. He savored the cake while thinking that he would ask Xu Huaiming to make it for him when he got home.

 

Suddenly, a cup of milk tea appeared in his line of sight. Tan Xilu looked up, and Li Zhao raised an eyebrow. “Cake and milk tea go well together!”

 

Tan Xilu recalled Xu Huaiming’s warning about consuming high-sugar items and gaining weight. He hesitated.

 

“Why are you acting like a girl, worrying about calories?” Li Zhao said. “Afraid it’s poisoned or something?”

 

Tan Xilu bit the straw in response, thinking that he would be a little indulgent this time. After all, Xu Huaiming wouldn’t know.

 

Tan Xilu had no idea that a student from the restaurant had captured a photo of him and Li Zhao together and posted it on their social media.

 

The caption mentioned that he was having dinner with Li Zhao, and Tan Xilu’s stomach was indeed filled with food. As they walked out of the restaurant, Tan Xilu even burped somewhat impolitely.

 

Li Zhao couldn’t help but laugh and said, “Full already?”

 

Tan Xilu covered his mouth, feeling embarrassed. “Sorry.”

 

“It’s okay,” Li Zhao smiled. “The food at this restaurant is really good.”

 

Tan Xilu simply responded with an “Hmm” and didn’t say much more.

 

Li Zhao offered to give Tan Xilu a ride back, but Tan Xilu declined, saying he had other plans.

 

Li Zhao quickly figured out that Tan Xilu was probably going to see his partner.

 

“Indeed, Christmas Eve is like Valentine’s Day for couples,” Li Zhao shrugged and asked, “Have you ever thought about telling your mom that you already have a boyfriend? Or is there some secret about your boyfriend that you can’t reveal?”

 

“What secret could there be?” Tan Xilu felt uncomfortable with Li Zhao’s questions. “I haven’t told my mom because it’s not the right time.”

 

“Okay,” Li Zhao said. “It’s your choice.”

 

“Oh, by the way, you can keep the flowers. They’re quite expensive,” Li Zhao handed the bouquet to him.

 

“I’d better not. I’m afraid my partner might get the wrong idea,” Tan Xilu shook his head.

 

There was no need to take his relationship with Li Zhao any further. Perhaps they wouldn’t meet again after today. He should be firm and explain the situation to his mother. He needed to talk to Xu Huaiming later and see if he wanted to meet with his mother.

 

Li Zhao simply responded with an “Oh” and didn’t say anything else.

 

Li Zhao ultimately gave Tan Xilu a ride to the bus station and watched him board the bus.

 

After Tan Xilu got on the bus, he waved to Li Zhao through the window. Li Zhao looked at him for a moment and then smiled.

 

By six in the evening, the dessert shop had become busier, with more customers and several pre-orders. Arlene watched as Xu Huaiming cut one cake after another, a worried expression on her face.

 

Earlier, Xu Huaiming had been holding his phone and watching a video, his expression as if he wanted to crush the phone, but a few minutes later, he calmly returned the phone to the girl and thanked her. However, he exuded an intense sense of pressure, and Arlin didn’t dare to talk to him.

 

The bell chimed as another customer entered the shop. Arlin reflexively greeted them, and when she looked up, she saw that it was Tan Xilu.

 

She instinctively glanced at Xu Huaiming and noticed that he seemed somewhat surprised when he saw Tan Xilu. “Why are you here? Didn’t you say you wouldn’t come?” Xu Huaiming asked.

 

“I finished my work early, so I came over,” Tan Xilu replied.

 

“Really?” Xu Huaiming smiled and gestured to the beautifully packaged cake he had prepared for Tan Xilu’s proposal. “I baked a cake for you. Do you want to have it now?”

 

Tan Xilu’s stomach was still full, and the sight of the cake made him feel a bit queasy. He immediately shook his head. “I’m not hungry right now. I don’t want to eat.”

 

“Oh, I see,” Xu Huaiming looked somewhat disappointed. “Then let’s have it tomorrow.”

 

“Arlene!” Xu Huaiming called her, pushing the blueberry cake towards her. “Table seven, go deliver this.”

 

Arlene hesitated for a moment, then sighed, taking the cake. “Alright, Xu-ge…”

 

Meanwhile, Tan Xilu was puzzled by Arlene’s strange behavior. He blinked and asked Xu Huaiming, “Is Arlene upset about something?”

 

“Yeah,” Xu Huaiming replied. “She had a cake mishap today.”

 

Tan Xilu shrugged, “Well, mistakes happen. She can just make another one.”

 

Xu Huaiming pondered for a moment and said, “But can’t she fix it using the original cake?”

 

Tan Xilu thought about it and said, “Well, she probably can, but it won’t look as good as the one she initially made, and the taste might be different.”

 

“Is that so? I understand,” Xu Huaiming smiled.

 

But deep inside, he felt a discomfort he couldn’t explain. This wasn’t like him. His emotions were usually under strict control. It was as if the system had some glitch; he couldn’t fathom why he would feel this way because of a human’s words.

 

He thought to himself, maybe it was time to visit Professor Bowen for a system check.

 

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T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!