Master, I Need Charging

It was boring in the hospital. Besides sleeping and eating, there was nothing else to do except to coordinate with the robotic body to regulate her blood pressure and heart rhythm.

Actually, most patients did not like to be served by robots; they deemed robots as non-affective and uncompassionate. The media had also raised doubts about Ming Rui Hospital’s liberal use of robotics in patients’ care and recuperation.

Truth be told, the said hospital had the lowest rate of medical mishaps in the entire country.

Gu Anbao was used to this kind of lifestyle. Compared to the company of a stranger, she felt more at ease with a robot.

After lunch, as she stared at the clear, blue sky outside the window with the lovely, warm sunbeams, she decided to take a walk outside.

She switched the robot into the outdoor mode and, together with her robot, leisurely strode out into the sky garden on the 32nd story.

The so-called sky garden was a gigantic bridge that connected Block A and Block B. It was also known as the balcony. Surrounded by a glass wall, there were all kinds of flora and fauna planted alongside the parquet flooring. This was an ideal place for a change of fresh air, indeed.

Aimless, she found a deserted bench and sat down to enjoy the sun.

She could see countless folks passing by before her. Some white-collared workers had their lunch boxes with them, while others, like her, were patients taking a stroll in the garden with their robotic caregivers.

Although all these were caregiver-robots, they were different in their physical presentation.

For instance, the boy in the wheelchair had a robot that was as tall as an adult, with long upper and lower limbs. As this robotic model needed to carry the patient up and down, it was built to withstand a heavy load. On the other hand, the robot besides an old lady was a human look alike. It came with a high anthropomorphic ability that could mimic any human facial expressions and was an excellent partner for chitchats. This was a classic companion-robot.

Her robot paled in comparison beside these other robots…

She caressed the robot’s shiny head and said, “I don’t despise you.”

The Blu-ray screen flashed and displayed her current body temperature and heart rate. A mechanical voice could be heard ringing from the machine beside her. “You are in excellent physical condition, please keep it up!” With that, a big smiley face appeared on the screen.

She stifled a laugh.

How interesting.

Suddenly a commotion could be heard from nearby.

She gazed toward the direction and was slightly taken aback at the sight.

Is that him?

That man whom she had bumped into in the carpark…

“Chen Yuheng…” she muttered.

“Chen Yuheng, the founder of RK AI Technology Corporation. He is the CEO and chairs the board of directors. Currently, at the age of 28, he’s unmarried and came from Qingjiang City in Lingnan Province. He graduated…”

The robot rattled off a long string of information obtained through Baidu Baike.

With her cheeks flushing red in embarrassment, she quickly whispered a command in the hope that others did not catch that. “Stop it…”

Robot: “Please confirm if you want to stop the information retrieval?”

“Confirmed, confirmed!”

It stopped, finally…

When she turned to look back again, she could see a woman marching toward her angrily!

What… happened?

The man grabbed the woman’s arm from behind and told her firmly, “Lijun! There’s no way I’ll agree to this! It’s not gonna make a difference even if you complain to the board of directors!”

The woman’s furious face sunk further. Jerking his hand abruptly, she retorted, “You sound so haughty, Director Chen. Let me tell you, Chen Yuheng, I can succeed even without you in the picture!”

With that, she threw the files in her hands at him and stomped off, brushing past Gu Anbao at the same time…

The documents flew out of the files and scattered across the lawn. The man stared at the departing figure for a long time before stooping down slowly to pick up the A4 papers that were full of English notes.

This was a very detailed and thorough proposal. Pei Lijun had spent the last five years preparing it but yet, it was shamelessly rebutted by him at the directors’ meeting earlier…

“Here…”

A pair of small, fair hands passed him a few of the A4 papers picked up from the ground.

He looked up to see a little girl in a patient outfit.

“Thank you,” the man took the papers from her and stood up.

He’s so tall…

She thought in her heart.

Her spine stiffened involuntarily as she clutched her hands behind her. Her heart began to race as she saw his dark grey pants and black-leathered shoes inching toward her from behind her dipping eyelids…

Quick, take a deep inhale… control your heartbeat. Don’t panic, Gu Anbao, act normal. Don’t tremble!

Ah? He’s… gonna walk away just like that?

“Wait… Wait up…” she blurted as she watched him slipping off right in front of her eyes.

And just as nice, he stopped in his tracks.

But… But, what can I say to him?

The man paused and turned to face her.

He has an attractive face but right now, he did not look good at all. With his brows buried in a deep frown and his eyes looking deep and pensive, he seemed to hold the ability to see straight into somebody’s heart. She dared not look into his eyes as her heart pounded wildly.

She cast her eyes desperately around her before catching a glimpse of a piece of paper under a long bench; and added hurriedly, “Over there… there’s one more.”

Cocking a brow, he bent over to pick up the paper underneath the bench.

It was a flyer advertising fast food delivery.

Oh, god… It’s so embarrassing…

He watched the little girl’s face turning scorchingly red and asked with concern, “Are you alright? Is there anyone else with you?”

“No… no problem…” Her voice sounded terribly hoarse.

I’m so nervous!

He frowned again. She seems to be in her teens, still; hardly over 20. Why is she here alone? Where’s her family? According to hospital regulations, a minor has to be accompanied by a caregiver at all times.

Looking past the child, he saw a petite size robot, standing half a head taller, behind her. So the family has engaged a robotic caregiver; the hospital has not flaunted the regulation. His brows relaxed, somewhat.

Looking at Gu Anbao trembling helplessly before him, he wondered if the earlier argument between him and Pei Lijun had frightened her and thus, he tried to make himself appear friendly and gentle. Clearing his throat, he said to her, “Don’t be afraid. I’ve no ulterior motives for asking.”

After saying that, he threw the flyer that he was holding into a dustbin and walked off.

Wait… Wait…

I’m not afraid of you… You… you can ask… whatever you want…

Crestfallen, she watched his back disappearing from her sight. The earlier excitement and eagerness eventually subsided without a trace.

……

As dusk descended in the far horizon, Gu Anbao sat on her hospital bed with her palms propping up her chin. She could see the building across the road from one side through the full-length window pane.

He was leaving for Block A just now… So now, he should be in the office, right? Which floor is that…?

The President’s office should be located on the uppermost storey. The CEO of RK… How fantastic! He must have conquered tons of challenges to establish RK all by himself, and then to make the company such a success now… How incredible…

For no reason, she started to feel ashamed of herself…

While he was leading his team to build the company, she was… just a kid who needed to depend on her parents for everything. She knew nothing, absolutely nothing…

They came from… two totally different worlds.

It’s impossible.

She whispered to herself inside her heart.

Looking down and lost, she turned around to see, standing by the wall, her robot in the process of being recharged. Walking over, she muttered, “… Chen Yuheng.”

“Chen Yuheng, the founder of RK AI Technology Corporation. He is the CEO and chairs the board of directors. Currently, at the age of 28, he’s unmarried and came from Qingjiang City in Lingnan Province. He graduated from Moreland University of Technology…”

She pressed against her chest as she quietly felt her heart picking up speed.

Her crush was so out of reach that she could feel the despondency and sorrow swallowing her; yet at the same time, pride swelled a little as she thought of his amazing capability.

How she wished for a healthy body, and she wanted so much… to know him.