Chapter 28: World One [28]

Working is painful for the everyday employee, and the same held true for a boss who had been idle for ten days.

Shang Siyu was experiencing a rare case of post-holiday syndrome. After hearing Jing Ke rattle off her jam-packed schedule, she felt an impulse to just let everything slide.

“Jing Ke, if I don’t work hard and don’t make New Life Technology bigger and stronger, does that mean you won’t get enough Fortune?” Shang Siyu pushed her keyboard away and slumped directly onto her desk.

Jing Ke gently shook her head. She scooped the person slumped on the desk up, letting her lean against her.

“No. I’ve already gained a considerable amount of Fortune from you. Even if you dropped everything right now and did nothing at all, I’d have more than enough energy to stay with you until you’re a hundred.”

Shang Siyu buried her head against Jing Ke’s chest, taking the opportunity to cop a feel. “Then, if I work even harder, can you get more Fortune?”

“Theoretically, yes. That Fortune can strengthen my abilities. But it doesn’t matter if there isn’t any more; I can take my time and accumulate it slowly over a long period,” Jing Ke said.

As a product of the System, Jing Ke had been split into many parts at the very beginning, sent into various different Small Worlds.

However, because Jing Ke’s self-awareness wasn’t strong enough yet, she could only control her main body and abilities within a single world. She couldn’t reach across Small Worlds to reclaim the others.

Absorbing Fortune made Jing Ke’s self-awareness stronger. When Jing Ke grew strong enough to establish contact with all her main bodies, that would be the moment she completely broke free from the System’s control and restraints.

Without enough Fortune, Jing Ke might grow somewhat weaker, but she wouldn’t vanish entirely.

Under such circumstances, if Jing Ke didn’t bind a new Trader in this current world, it would take a very, very long time before she could contact and control the main bodies in other worlds.

Shang Siyu let her mind go blank. Especially after feeling Jing Ke’s heartbeat, her state grew more and more relaxed.

It seemed she was becoming more and more unbridled in front of Jing Ke. Those bad habits she had hidden for so long were also beginning to show themselves without reservation.

Was she being spoiled rotten by Jing Ke? When doing experiments in the lab, she was never in this state. Back then, she could work fourteen hours a day without complaining of fatigue.

Shang Siyu sighed inwardly. Upon hearing a knock on the office door, she straightened up in a second, recovering her usual composure, and in a calm voice, told the person to enter.

“CEO Shang, the front desk just reported that a middle-aged couple came to the company looking for you,” the Assistant said, both hands carrying gift boxes of considerable weight. “After confirming that New Life Technology is your company, they left these things behind, saying they were for you as compensation.”

“When the receptionist chased after them, they were already far away. How would you like these handled?” the Assistant asked.

“What are these, gifts?” Shang Siyu frowned, her gaze falling on the predominantly bright red outer packaging, which was the most popular gift box style during the New Year period.

“There’s surveillance at the front desk, isn’t there? Let’s pull up the footage and see who left these things,” Jing Ke suggested.

Shang Siyu tapped her forehead. “Right, let’s check the surveillance first.”

As the company’s owner, Shang Siyu naturally had the right to check the surveillance. After asking the Assistant for the precise time, the corresponding footage quickly appeared on the computer screen.

From the footage, one could see the people carrying the items were a middle-aged couple. The husband had a small potbelly, and the wife was slightly thin but moved with exceptional efficiency.

The ones who brought the items were none other than Xue Fan’s father and mother. Their actions matched the Assistant’s report—they left after putting the things down, seemingly unwilling to have the gifts returned.

“I previously had someone deliver the news to Xue Fan’s father that Xue Fan was targeting and making things difficult for me,” Shang Siyu said. “They probably felt embarrassed after learning the truth, so they sent these gifts.”

Connecting the cause and effect, the purpose behind Xue Fan’s parents’ actions was very clear.

“So how are you going to handle these things?” Jing Ke asked.

“We already have plenty of this kind of stuff at home. I’ll find an opportunity to send them back. My conflict is with Xue Fan; accepting gifts or not won’t change that,” Shang Siyu stated.

“Xue Fan’s parents can’t possibly give up their only son, and I won’t just forgive Xue Fan because of this. If we ever meet again in the future, at most we’ll exchange some pleasantries. We can’t go back to the harmonious neighborly relationship we had before.”

Shang Siyu sighed. “Each going our own way peacefully is the best possible outcome.”

Jing Ke wasn’t in a position to judge what kind of people Xue Fan’s parents were, but she fully agreed with returning the gifts.

“I know where Xue Fan rented a place for them. We can ask a delivery guy to make a trip, just leave the things at the door,” Jing Ke offered an idea from the side. “Xue Fan is still under interrogation; it’s best not to be associated with him.”

Shang Siyu answered with a soft hum. Not wanting to go to work was one thing, but when it was time to perk up and use her brain, Shang Siyu’s reaction was still very quick, and she promptly handled the matter.

This small interlude didn’t affect New Life Technology much.

Just a few days after smoothly resuming operations, New Life Technology began receiving a steady stream of orders.

This also proved that the Spring Festival was indeed a very good opportunity to catch up. A simple New Year’s greeting could create a chance to resume a conversation.

Kangxin Group used this exact tactic to deliver the news—that the new generation of prosthetics had entered production and were accepting one-on-one custom orders—to a specific group of people.

After becoming wealthy, people subconsciously pursue higher-level things and treat themselves better.

So, after getting this news, the tycoons who weren’t short on money showed even more interest than before. A few impatient tycoons even directly sent over the detailed condition of their bodies, all so they could get a perfect prosthetic, nearly identical to a real limb, as quickly as possible.

Seeing large numbers of orders flooding into the company, Shang Siyu’s post-holiday syndrome vanished in no time, and she rallied her spirits once more for the sake of more money and Fortune.

As for Jing Ke, although she had taken over the mess that was Wanshen Real Estate, the company’s twenty-four-hour live-stream cameras were always there, and the employees she’d recruited were quite reliable.

So, Jing Ke, who was also a company President, was much more leisurely than Shang Siyu. She only needed to show her face one day a week and sign a few relatively important documents, and that counted as completing her tasks.

Winter passed and spring arrived. After a period of busy life, the chilly wind disappeared from the streets at some point, replaced by a gentle spring breeze. The original white frost was also replaced by emerald green sprouts lining the roadsides.

Spring had arrived.

Seeing the greenery in her office looking more vigorous, Shang Siyu couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. “Jing Ke, spring is here. Counting from when we first met, we’ve now experienced all four seasons together—spring, summer, autumn, and winter.”

“Spring is here. Little Yu, do you want to go out for a spring outing, to breathe the fresh air outside?” Jing Ke asked, blinking.

“Now that you mention it, I am getting a little interested,” Shang Siyu said, imagining the corresponding scene in her mind.

Herself and Jing Ke strolling along a small path paved with stones, every breath filled with a refreshing, subtle, elegant fragrance.

Moreover, they could see many scenes full of life. Perhaps after seeing them enough, they might even feel younger themselves.

Shang Siyu’s words made Jing Ke’s eyes brighten a notch. “Then when shall we go on a spring outing? The sports car seems perfect to take out at this time of year.”

“Hmm, let’s set it for the weekend then. It should be sunny recently,” Shang Siyu took out her phone, glanced at the weather to confirm, “Sunday. The temperature will be relatively higher. We could also go see the lake view.”

“Okay, Sunday it is.” The joy in Jing Ke’s amber eyes was exceptionally clear. “Spring outings usually involve picnics and camping activities. I’ll go prepare the corresponding gear.”

“Ah, does this need a tent? We’re not staying overnight outside, right?” Shang Siyu was taken aback.

“We won’t stay overnight, but a tent lets me have my own little space in the wild. And if I get tired, I can lie down and rest anytime.” Jing Ke said with a smile. “Leave the tent and such to me. Little Yu, you just need to be responsible for making the food.”

Shang Siyu chuckled. “Jing Ke, do you really like camping? You look very happy.”

“Yes, I am very happy.” Jing Ke’s smile was dazzlingly bright. “But it’s not because I like camping, it’s because I get to go on a spring outing and camp with you. This is the first time we’re doing something like this together.”

After a brief moment of stunned silence, Shang Siyu put down her pen and reached out to pinch Jing Ke’s cheek.

“Jing Ke, what’s gotten into you lately? How come you’re blurting out things like this every so often? Tell me, who taught you? Did you do something wrong and have been keeping it from me?”

Although those love lines were a bit old-fashioned, Shang Siyu was still very happy when she heard Jing Ke say them.

“I’m always with you. You know everything I do,” Jing Ke tilted her head. “Don’t you like it when I say these things?”

These words were the product of Jing Ke first collecting data online and then processing it herself.

Jing Ke hadn’t developed a fondness for cheesy pickup lines. It was because she sensed that her girlfriend had been feeling somewhat uneasy and conflicted lately. And that unease and conflict would diminish slightly upon hearing her words that were akin to a confession.

High execution ability was one of Jing Ke’s inherent traits. Realizing that Shang Siyu might lack a little sense of security, she had been working hard to improve her behavior.

Only because she lacked related experience, Jing Ke could only combine certain love words—ones that had already been said countless times—to express her affection for Shang Siyu.

“I like it.” Shang Siyu released her hand. “But you didn’t seem like this kind of person before.”

“People change. Especially people in love—they change exceptionally fast,” Jing Ke said with a serious face.

Realizing her girlfriend’s description was a bit off, Shang Siyu laughed out loud. “Is that so? Then what kind of changes are you undergoing?”

“Perhaps… growing fonder of you every day,” Jing Ke said with a straight face.

Shang Siyu laughed even more happily. “That’s a very good change. Remember to keep it up in the future, and like me a little more every day.”

Jing Ke nodded. “Okay, I’ve memorized it. I will do it. I will like you more, love you more, each day than the day before.”

“Then how long can you maintain that? Will you keep it up forever, or only until I grow old and die?” After the casual words fell, Shang Siyu’s expression on her face suddenly turned serious.

Damn, she had been too relaxed just now, and the words she meant to keep hidden had slipped out.

Jing Ke didn’t perceive anything amiss with the question. After considering it seriously, she gave her answer.

“I will maintain it until the day you depart. And after you depart, I will continue to maintain the state of loving you.” Jing Ke’s tone sounded calm and earnest.

“Both of us know, love should be unique and without equal. So, I plan that after you leave, I will excise the memories related to you and store them in my innermost Core.”

“That way, theoretically speaking, I will never forget my love for you.” Jing Ke’s gaze rippled slightly, looking towards Shang Siyu with focus and affection.

“The Core is to me what the heart and brain are to Humans. Without my Core, I would cease to exist completely. Only by possessing my Core can I continue to exist.”

Shang Siyu listened, stunned, taking several minutes to understand Jing Ke’s meaning.

“Then… afterwards, wouldn’t you remember me?” Shang Siyu asked.

Jing Ke gently shook her head. “It wouldn’t be a case of not remembering. I’d just be storing our memories in a different place. There’s an advantage to this—it ensures they can’t be harmed by other messy things.”

“I will also regularly inspect my Core. At those times, I will see the memories belonging to us.” Jing Ke added. “Besides that, I will make backups to ensure the memories concerning my love for you will not be lost.”

The expression on Shang Siyu’s face was slightly dazed. Clearly, Jing Ke’s method of handling this had greatly exceeded her expectations.

How should she put it… after hearing that Jing Ke would eternally preserve the memories related to herself, she seemed to inexplicably feel much more relieved.

This outcome seemed quite good. She didn’t have to worry that Jing Ke would forget her over time.

Stepping back and thinking worst-case—even if Jing Ke eventually had a new trade partner, and even formed a bond with that partner, it still wouldn’t overwrite her own existence.

Not talking about having forever, but at least she had been here, had loved, and had left behind memories carved deep enough into the bone.