尋找自我的機器基督徒少女
Searching for Self: The Robot Christian Girl
後日談 16 趁虛而入
Sequel 16: Taking advantage of the opportunity
本篇為「後日談15 王董事長」之續篇。
This is a continuation of "Epilogue 15: Chairman Wang."
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自從凱琳進入那感受不到自我的「Catherine化」狀態後，她週邊的氣氛都變得有些不一樣。雖然依舊能去研究所上課，去宇尋參與計畫討論，甚至能完成黃博士交代的各項研究任務，但言談舉止完美得如同精密儀器般的「Catherine」，與孟禎和志文所熟悉的凱琳姊，終究還是不同。人雖在眼前，卻依然思念。這段時間，凱琳的休假也變得頻繁。她會主動請假，黃博士和王文興自然是第一時間批准，並為她安排好一切，讓她能安心休養。
Ever since Kailyn entered that self-nullifying "Catherine-fication" state, the atmosphere around her had subtly shifted. Although she could still attend classes at the research institute, participate in project discussions at Yu-Xun, and even complete various research tasks assigned by Dr. Huang, the "Catherine" whose words and actions were as perfect as a precision instrument was ultimately different from the Kailyn that Meng-Zhen and Zhi-Wen knew. Though she was right there, they still missed her. During this time, Kailyn's leaves of absence also became more frequent. She would proactively request time off, and Dr. Huang and Wang Wen-Xing would naturally approve it immediately, arranging everything for her so she could rest assured.
此外，孟禎的「隔空聯絡」對象名單裡，也悄然多了一個備註為「王大哥（［The Owner XD］）」的加密頻道。王文興每隔一兩天就會主動聯繫孟禎，旁敲側擊地詢問凱琳的近況，語氣中總是帶著小心翼翼的關切。孟禎除了認真回應外，偶爾也會玩心大起，在結束通訊前，故意說一句：「好的，王大哥，我會轉告Catherine…喔對了，親愛的主人，再見！」然後迅速掛斷，留下電話那頭的王文興一陣哭笑不得的尷尬。看來，咱們這位心思越來越細膩、也越來越放得開的機器人女孩，已經開始懂得享受她的獨特身份所帶來的樂趣了。
時序入秋，天氣漸涼。某日午後，孟禎和志文拎著剛買的熱奶茶和凱琳愛吃的法式小點心，打算去探望一下「閉關休養」中的凱琳姊。剛走到凱琳公寓樓下，孟禎的內建通訊模組又響了起來，是凱琳的專線。
「喂？Catherine嗎？我們正準備上去…嗯？等一下…」孟禎的聲音突然拔高了幾度，臉上露出了難以置信的驚喜表情。她下意識地抓緊了志文的手臂，「咦？凱琳姊？！是妳嗎？感覺起來…妳、妳變回來了？！哦，真的喔！太好了！…嗯？是喔，董事長也在那邊？妳有事找我們？好的，我們馬上到！」
她迅速地結束通話，轉頭望向一臉好奇的志文，興奮得眼睛都在發光：「大消息！天大的好消息！志文，凱琳姊她…她恢復正常了！她變回我們認識的那個凱琳姊了！而且，王大哥也在她那裡。凱琳姊說她有事想找我們一起聊，我們趕快上去吧！」
兩人懷著既興奮又有些忐忑的心情，搭電梯上樓。然而，當孟禎進入凱琳家門的那一刻，映入眼簾的景象，卻讓兩人原本準備好的一大堆「恭喜妳康復！」、「歡迎回來！」之類的祝福話語，像被按了暫停鍵一樣，硬生生卡在了喉嚨裡，說不出口。
客廳裡，氣氛有些…詭異。孟禎心心念念的凱琳姊，確實是恢復了「正常」——至少從她那鮮活「有力」的表情和帶著慍怒的眼神來看是如此。她正抱著心愛的龍貓抱枕，氣鼓鼓地窩在沙發上，活像一隻被人搶了堅果的小松鼠。而在客廳的另一邊，本該意氣風發的宇尋大老闆王文興，卻像個做錯事被罰站的小學生，臉上掛著混合了無奈、尷尬與些許討好的苦笑。孟禎和志文面面相覷，一時之間，還真不知道從何開口。
Additionally, a new encrypted channel, marked with the note "Brother Wang ([The Owner XD])", quietly appeared on Meng-Zhen's list of "telepathic contact" recipients. Every couple of days, Wang Wen-Xing would proactively contact Meng-Zhen, subtly inquiring about Kailyn's recent condition, his tone always carrying a careful concern. Besides responding earnestly, Meng-Zhen would occasionally get playful. Before ending the communication, she would deliberately say, "Alright, Brother Wang, I'll tell Catherine... Oh, by the way, goodbye, my dear Owner!" and then quickly hang up, leaving Wang Wen-Xing on the other end of the line with a bewildered and awkward expression. It seemed that our increasingly thoughtful and uninhibited robot girl had begun to enjoy the perks of her unique identity.
As autumn arrived, the weather grew cooler. One afternoon, Meng-Zhen and Zhi-Wen, carrying newly bought hot milk tea and Kailyn's favorite French pastries, planned to visit "Sister Kailyn," who was recuperating. Just as they reached the ground floor of Kailyn's apartment, Meng-Zhen's internal communication module rang again; it was Kailyn's direct line.
"Hello? Catherine? We're just about to come up... Hmm? Wait a minute..." Meng-Zhen's voice suddenly rose several octaves, and an expression of incredible surprise appeared on her face. She instinctively gripped Zhi-Wen's arm. "Huh? Sister Kailyn?! Is that really you? You... you're back?! Oh, really! That's great!... Hmm? Oh, is that so, the Chairman is there too? You need to talk to us? Okay, we'll be right there!"
She quickly ended the call and turned to look at a curious Zhi-Wen, her eyes sparkling with excitement: "Big news! Amazing news! Zhi-Wen, Sister Kailyn... she's back to normal! She's the Kailyn we know again! And, Brother Wang is with her. Sister Kailyn said she wants to talk to us about something, let's hurry up!"
With a mix of excitement and trepidation, the two took the elevator upstairs. However, the moment Meng-Zhen stepped into Kailyn's apartment, the sight that greeted them caused all the "Congratulations on your recovery!" and "Welcome back!" blessings they had prepared to get stuck in their throats, as if someone had pressed pause.
The atmosphere in the living room was... peculiar. The Sister Kailyn that Meng-Zhen had been longing for had indeed returned to "normal"—at least judging by her vivid, "energetic" expression and indignant gaze. She was hugging her beloved Totoro pillow, pouting on the sofa like a little squirrel whose nuts had been stolen. And across the living room, the usually spirited CEO of Yu-Xun, Wang Wen-Xing, stood like a student punished for misbehaving, a bitter smile on his face mixed with helplessness, awkwardness, and a touch of ingratiation. Meng-Zhen and Zhi-Wen exchanged glances, unsure of how to even begin speaking.
倒是凱琳先發現他們，原本緊繃的臉在看到孟禎時，柔和了不少，但語氣依舊帶著幾分不平：「孟禎！志文！妳們來啦！來得正好，快進來，給我評評理！妳們說說，王文興他怎麼可以趁我『不在家』時，這樣對我？」
「凱琳姊，」孟禎謹慎地走進去，將點心放在茶几上，關切地問，「妳先別生氣，發生什麼事了？雖然我好想先恭喜妳恢復正常，不過還是先聽妳說，王大哥他怎麼『欺負』妳了？」
「謝謝妳啊，孟禎，我也很想妳們。」凱琳給了孟禎一個擁抱，然後一屁股坐回沙發，抱枕被她揉捏得變了形。她伸出纖纖玉指，直指角落裡的王文興，控訴道：「妳們知道嗎？在我之前處於『Catherine模式』時，王文興他…他竟然利用Catherine對他的『完全信任』，讓Catherine以各種理由，請了好多次假！然後，他又利用他宇尋大老闆的特權，要黃博士把那些假，全都批准了！你們說，他怎麼可以這樣？！」
「……」孟禎和志文陷入了一陣短暫的沉默，王文興則在角落裡發出一聲輕咳，眼神有些飄移。
「怎…怎麼啦，你們兩個？都不說話了？是不是也覺得他太過分了？」凱琳追問道，語氣中帶著期待被聲援的意味。
「呃…請問…」志文猶豫一陣，還是忍不住舉起了手，像個課堂上小心翼翼提問的學生，「那個…凱琳姊，王董他讓妳請那麼多假，是…算是什麼不好的事情嗎？」
「當然是啊！」凱琳想也不想地回答，臉頰鼓鼓的，像隻生氣的河豚，「志文我跟妳說，他讓我請那麼多假，你知道是為了幹嘛嗎？是為了…是為了帶我出去玩！他知道那個狀態下的我，對他的提議幾乎是百依百順，平常約我八百次都約不動的行程，只要跟Catherine提，都會乖乖點頭！於是我在一個對外界事物幾乎沒有主觀感受的狀態下，腦袋裡突然就多出了一大——堆和這位王先生去旅行、遊玩和度假的體驗！等我今天早上『自我開機』，這些記憶和體驗就像洪水一樣，嘩啦啦地一下子全都灌進來！我整個內心，就像被強迫餵食的肥鵝，塞滿了他、他、還是他！那些記憶、那些感覺…唉！」凱琳雙手揪緊了胸口。
“Kailyn first spotted them. Her taut face softened considerably when she saw Meng-Zhen, but her tone still held a hint of injustice: "Meng-Zhen! Zhi-Wen! You're here! Just in time, come in, tell me what you think! How could Wang Wen-Xing do this to me while I was 'away'?"
"Sister Kailyn," Meng-Zhen cautiously walked in, placing the pastries on the coffee table. She asked with concern, "Please don't get angry yet, what happened? Although I really want to congratulate you on getting back to normal, let's hear what you have to say first. How did Brother Wang 'bully' you?"
"Thank you, Meng-Zhen, I missed you both too." Kailyn gave Meng-Zhen a hug, then plopped back onto the sofa, her pillow distorted from her kneading. She extended a slender finger, pointing directly at Wang Wen-Xing in the corner, and accused, "Do you know? While I was in 'Catherine mode' before, Wang Wen-Xing... he actually took advantage of Catherine's 'complete trust' in him to have Catherine take many days off for various reasons! Then, he used his privilege as the CEO of Yu-Xun to have Dr. Huang approve all those leaves! Tell me, how could he do that?!"
"..." Meng-Zhen and Zhi-Wen fell into a brief silence. Wang Wen-Xing let out a soft cough in the corner, his gaze somewhat shifty.
"Wh-What's wrong with you two? Why aren't you saying anything? Do you also think he went too far?" Kailyn pressed, her tone hinting that she expected their support.
"Uh... excuse me..." Zhi-Wen hesitated for a moment but couldn't resist raising his hand, like a cautious student asking a question in class. "Um... Sister Kailyn, is it... considered a bad thing that Chairman Wang made you take so much time off?"
"Of course it is!" Kailyn replied without thinking, her cheeks puffed out like an angry pufferfish. "Zhi-Wen, let me tell you, he made me take so many days off, do you know what for? It was for... it was to take me out and have fun! He knew that in that state, I would practically agree to anything he suggested. Schedules that he couldn't get me to agree to even after asking me eight hundred times, if he mentioned them to Catherine, she would obediently nod! So, while I was in a state with almost no subjective perception of the outside world, my mind suddenly gained a huge — pile of experiences traveling, playing, and vacationing with this Mr. Wang! When I 'self-booted' this morning, these memories and experiences flooded in like a torrent! My whole being felt like a force-fed fatted goose, stuffed with him, him, and only him! Those memories, those feelings... Ugh!" Kailyn clutched her chest with both hands.
「好吧…」志文摸了摸鼻子，小聲嘟囔道，「雖然我還是不太明白這具體是發生了什麼『壞事』…聽起來好像…還挺浪漫的？」
「那麼，凱琳姊，」孟禎適時地插話，試圖緩和一下氣氛，同時眼中也閃爍著濃濃的八卦光芒，「具體來說，王大哥他…都帶『Catherine』去玩些什麼了呀？能讓妳這麼『印象深刻』？」
凱琳狠狠地瞪了一眼角落裡依舊保持著苦笑表情的王文興，重重地嘆了口氣，語氣中卻帶上一絲連自己都沒察覺到的複雜甜意：「他啊～哼！也不知道他是怎麼想的，光是跟『Catherine』聊，就彷彿就變得比我這個『本尊』更了解我自己了！簡直莫名其妙！」
她頓了頓，聲音輕柔了幾許：「比如說，連我自己都沒想過要騎重機，他居然就知道要帶著Catherine去騎，載著她在濱海公路上馳騁。強風迎面吹拂，大海和青山從兩旁飛奔而過，那感覺…回想起來，實在很有意思。」
"Well..." Zhi-Wen rubbed his nose and muttered, "Though I still don't quite understand what 'bad thing' exactly happened... It sounds kinda... romantic?"
"So, Sister Kailyn," Meng-Zhen interjected, trying to ease the tension while her eyes gleamed with intense curiosity, "specifically, what did Brother Wang... take 'Catherine' to do? What made such a 'strong impression' on you?"
Kailyn shot a fierce glare at Wang Wen-Xing, who still wore a wry smile in the corner, and let out a heavy sigh. Yet, her voice carried a subtle, complex sweetness she didn't even notice herself: "Him, huh! I don't know what he was thinking, just by talking to 'Catherine,' it's like he understood me, the 'original,' better than I understood myself! It's utterly baffling!"
She paused, her voice softening slightly: "For example, I never even thought about riding a heavy motorcycle, but he knew to take Catherine for a ride, cruising along the coastal highway. The strong wind blew against us, the ocean and green mountains rushed by on both sides—that feeling... it's really interesting to recall."
「還有，我都不知道自己原來對深海有那麼強烈的探索欲，他竟安排專業教練，帶著Catherine一起體驗潛水，看到了我以前只在紀錄片裡見過的瑰麗珊瑚和奇異魚群。」
"And I didn't even know I had such a strong desire to explore the deep sea, but he arranged for a professional instructor to take Catherine diving. I saw magnificent coral and strange schools of fish that I'd only ever seen in documentaries before."
「甚至…甚至他還帶著Catherine去衝浪！他居然敢放Catherine挑戰高難度的極限運動！連回憶起來都會怕。但是，好刺激呀！」
"He even... he even took Catherine surfing! He actually dared to let Catherine try high-difficulty extreme sports! It's even scary to remember. But, oh, it was so thrilling!"
凱琳的語氣中，抱怨的成分越來越少，取而代之的是混雜著驚奇、興奮與些許不甘的複雜情緒：「雖然Catherine在經歷那些事情的時候，並不會因此感到『開心』或『激動』，她的情緒保持平靜。可是等我一『醒過來』，這些『我』不在場的體驗，和因而產生的心情，一股腦兒地灌進我的內心…」
The complaints in Kailyn's voice dwindled, replaced by a complex mix of surprise, excitement, and a hint of unwillingness: "Although Catherine didn't feel 'happy' or 'excited' while experiencing those things—her emotions remained calm. But the moment I 'woke up,' these experiences from when 'I' wasn't present, and the feelings they generated, flooded my mind all at once..."
「你們能理解嗎？那就像沉睡了很久的火山，突然被投入了無數顆炸彈，瞬間爆發，把我炸矇了！好多好多…刺激的、精彩的、快樂的、甚至是有點小鹿亂撞的情緒，快把我整個人都淹沒。更過分的是…」
她的聲音突然低了下去，臉頰也悄悄泛起一抹紅暈，有點不好意思地用抱枕遮住了半張臉，悶悶地說：「更過分的是，這些美好的時刻，在那些讓我心跳加速的記憶片段裡，通通都帶著他那張臉！有時候感覺正經，有時候還頗溫柔，而且還一直看著我，害我…害我現在一想到那些畫面，就…就會…就是會對他產生好感啦！這不公平，根本就是作弊！」
志文聽得目瞪口呆，下巴都快掉下來了。他看看氣鼓鼓的凱琳，又看看一臉不該如何是好的王文興，一時之間，也不知道該說什麼。
孟禎倒是很快反應過來，知道凱琳姊動了真情，眼中閃過一絲笑意，輕輕拍著凱琳的肩膀，試圖圓場：「哎呀，凱琳姊，王大哥這也太厲害了吧？居然能比妳自己更了解妳喜歡什麼，這也表示…他對妳真的很用心，觀察得很仔細，對不對？」
「我多少也是個董事長，在社會上打滾這麼多年，察言觀色、分析人心的能力，自問還是有一套的。」一直保持沉默的王文興，終於找到接話的機會，他解釋道，「光是Catherine能直白地回應我的提問，我就有足夠資訊，分析凱琳的反應模式和潛在偏好，去推斷出『真正的凱琳』可能會喜歡和渴望些什麼。」
「是啊是啊，你最厲害了！還懂得趁我『不在家』的時候，趁虛而入，偷襲我的心防！」凱琳從抱枕後抬起頭，沒好氣地白了他一眼，「我本來也只是…只是覺得你這個人還不錯，不討厭，可以讓你追我試試看而已！誰知道你會這麼狡猾，選擇『簡單模式』，繞過我本人的意願，直接對我的『潛意識』進行攻略！甚至…」她像是想起了什麼更讓她「氣憤」的事情，聲音又高了幾分，「甚至有一次，我們在海邊散步，Catherine的腳踝不小心扭了一下，明明可以叫人幫忙，他卻…居然就二話不說地把那個我背起來，還在灑滿金色餘暉的沙灘上慢慢走回去…他的觸感，他的心跳，他的體溫，通通塞進我回憶裡！王文興！你也太會了吧！」她說著說着，又傲嬌地將整張臉埋進柔軟的抱枕裡。
"Can you understand? It's like a long-dormant volcano suddenly had countless bombs thrown into it, erupting in an instant and blowing me away! So many... thrilling, exciting, happy, and even slightly heart-fluttering emotions, they almost drowned me. And what's worse..."
Her voice suddenly dropped, and a blush crept onto her cheeks. She half-covered her face with the pillow, mumbling sheepishly, "What's worse is that in those heart-pounding memory fragments, all those beautiful moments featured his face! Sometimes he looked serious, sometimes quite gentle, and he kept looking at me, making me... making me now, whenever I think of those scenes, I just... I just... I just develop feelings for him! It's not fair, it's totally cheating!"
Zhi-Wen was dumbfounded, his jaw practically on the floor. He looked at the sulking Kailyn, then at the helpless Wang Wen-Xing, and for a moment, he didn't know what to say.
Meng-Zhen, however, quickly caught on, realizing that Sister Kailyn had truly fallen. A hint of a smile flashed in her eyes as she gently patted Kailyn's shoulder, trying to smooth things over: "Oh, Sister Kailyn, Brother Wang is truly amazing, isn't he? To know what you like even better than you do yourself, that just goes to show... he's really attentive to you, and observes very carefully, right?"
"I am a chairman after all, and I've been in society for so many years. I'm confident in my ability to read people and analyze minds." Wang Wen-Xing, who had remained silent, finally found an opportunity to speak. He explained, "Just Catherine's straightforward responses to my questions gave me enough information to analyze Kailyn's reaction patterns and potential preferences, allowing me to deduce what the 'real Kailyn' might like and desire."
"Yes, yes, you're the best! And you even know how to take advantage of me 'being away' to sneak in and attack my emotional defenses!" Kailyn lifted her head from behind the pillow, glaring at him irritably. "I originally just... just thought you were a pretty decent person, not annoying, and I could let you try to pursue me! Who knew you'd be so cunning, choosing 'easy mode,' bypassing my own will to directly conquer my 'subconscious'! And what's more..." She seemed to recall something even more "enraging," and her voice rose a few octaves, "There was even one time, we were walking on the beach, and Catherine accidentally twisted her ankle. She could have called for help, but he... he just picked that me up without a word and slowly walked back along the beach covered in golden twilight... His touch, his heartbeat, his body temperature, all crammed into my memories! Wang Wen-Xing! You're just too good!" As she spoke, she huffily buried her entire face back into the soft pillow.
「等等…」一直努力跟上節奏的志文，此刻突然像個抓到兇手破綻的名偵探一樣，敏銳地提出了一個問題，「現在都已經是深秋了，天氣相當涼，你們剛才說的那些騎重機、潛水、衝浪…還有海邊散步，這個季節，好像不太合適吧？」
王文興聞言，嘴角浮現微笑，回答道：「這個嘛，杭州此時的氣候確實不合適。那些活動，自然就得換個地方去體驗了。所以啦，那段時間我帶凱琳…嗯，是Catherine，去了趟海南島。」
志文聽了，先是「哇喔」一聲，隨即摸著下巴，露出一副「原來如此，不愧是大老闆」的欽佩表情，心想不愧是王董，追女孩子就得大手筆，直接換地圖解決問題，果然土豪就是不一般。
「好啦，志文你也別在那邊皮了，小心凱琳姊等一下連你一起算帳。」孟禎笑著打了志文一下，然後轉向凱琳，溫柔說著，「說正經的，凱琳姊，身為真正的機器人，同時也應該還能算是個女孩子，我大概能懂妳的心情。妳並不是真的在生王大哥的氣，對吧？」
她看著凱琳，繼續說道：「妳只是為著自己這些珍貴的回憶和情感，竟然是在妳自己沒有感受的狀態下，被類似『外部資訊強行寫入』的方式充滿內心，從而對王大哥產生了超越朋友的好感，感到不甘心吧？覺得自己好像被『攻略』了，而不是經歷了一段由自己主導的，充滿未知與期待的戀愛過程，對不對？」說到這裡，孟禎對著凱琳，露出曖昧的微笑。
"Wait a minute..." Zhi-Wen, who had been struggling to keep up with the conversation, suddenly chimed in like a detective who'd caught a crucial clue. "It's already late autumn now; the weather is quite cool. Those activities you just mentioned—riding a heavy motorcycle, diving, surfing... and walking on the beach—they don't seem very suitable for this season, do they?"
A smile appeared on Wang Wen-Xing's lips when he heard this. He replied, "Well, the climate in Hangzhou isn't suitable at this time. Those activities naturally had to be experienced elsewhere. So, during that time, I took Kailyn... well, Catherine, to Hainan Island."
Upon hearing this, Zhi-Wen first exclaimed "Wow!" then stroked his chin, a look of "I see, truly a big boss" admiration on his face. He thought, as expected of Chairman Wang, to pursue a girl, one must be extravagant and simply change locations to solve problems. Rich tycoons truly are extraordinary.
"Alright, Zhi-Wen, stop messing around there; be careful, Sister Kailyn might include you in her reckoning later." Meng-Zhen playfully hit Zhi-Wen, then turned to Kailyn and gently said, "Seriously, Sister Kailyn, as a true robot and still a girl, I can probably understand how you feel. You're not really angry with Brother Wang, are you?"
She looked at Kailyn and continued, "You're just unwilling that these precious memories and emotions of yours were filled into your heart in a state where you had no perception, like 'external information being forcibly written in,' causing you to develop feelings for Brother Wang that go beyond friendship, right? You feel like you've been 'conquered' rather than having experienced a relationship process led by yourself, full of unknowns and expectations, right?" At this point, Meng-Zhen gave Kailyn a knowing smile.
「是呀…」凱琳的聲音從抱枕中傳來，帶著一絲委屈，「孟禎妳最懂我了…不過，我還是要先聲明，我、我還沒有真的喜歡上王文興喔！就只是對他很有感覺而已！好吧，是有點心動，但我不管！反正…反正我就還不是你女朋友！你要追我，就得堂堂正正地再來一次，從頭開始，好好地追！」她抬起頭，眼神雖然還帶著羞澀，卻異常堅定地看著王文興。
「我變回Catherine狀態，本來是為了讓我的心智運作能夠平靜地進行重整和修復的！結果倒好，被某個『有心人』干擾了，趁機偷灌了一大堆東西進來，哼！這筆帳，我可記下了！」
孟禎贊同地點點頭：「凱琳姊說得沒錯。雖然次數不多，我也經歷過幾次情感核心暫時『休眠』或『重置』的狀況。等心與腦的連結再次重新建立起來的時候，那種…記憶與情感突然湧現的突兀感，確實是很難一下子就坦然接受的。而且，」她話鋒一轉，帶著少女的狡黠，「我們女孩子對於戀愛，可不只重視結果的哦。那個充滿了曖昧、試探、驚喜的『過程』，也是非常重要的！所以，王大哥，你可不能趁凱琳姊不在家時偷偷約走她，享受兩人時光，還憑著對Catherine的好，就想直接『用』到凱琳姊身上。你得拿出真心誠意，認認真真地去面對凱琳姊喔！」
"That's right..." Kailyn's voice emerged from the pillow, tinged with a hint of grievance. "Meng-Zhen, you understand me best... But I still want to state first, I, I don't really like Wang Wen-Xing yet! I just have strong feelings for him! Okay, maybe I'm a little bit smitten, but I don't care! Anyway... anyway, I'm still not your girlfriend! If you want to pursue me, you'll have to do it properly again, from scratch, and pursue me earnestly!" She lifted her head, her gaze shy but unusually firm as she looked at Wang Wen-Xing.
"I reverted to my Catherine state originally to allow my mental operations to calmly reorganize and repair themselves! But instead, I was disrupted by a certain 'schemer' who took the opportunity to secretly inject a whole bunch of stuff into me, hmph! I'm keeping a record of this!"
Meng-Zhen nodded in agreement: "Sister Kailyn is right. Although not often, I've also experienced a few instances where my emotional core temporarily 'hibernated' or 'reset.' When the connection between heart and mind is re-established, that abrupt rush of memories and emotions is indeed hard to accept right away. And," she changed tack, with a girlish cunning, "for us girls, love isn't just about the outcome. That 'process' filled with ambiguity, probing, and surprises is also very important! So, Brother Wang, you can't secretly take Sister Kailyn out when she's 'not home,' enjoy time alone with her, and then just assume you can directly 'use' Catherine's goodwill on Sister Kailyn. You need to show genuine sincerity and earnestly pursue Sister Kailyn!"
「我當然沒有打算走什麼『簡單模式』通關啊！」王文興被孟禎說得有些面紅耳赤，急忙辯解道，「我只是…只是想著，在凱琳『不在家』的時候，代替她自己，好好地照顧她，讓她即使在無感的狀態下，也能感受到這個世界的美好…呃，對！就是這樣！我完全是出於一片好心和關懷，不是趁機偷跟她約會！連手我都沒偷牽！」他越說越覺得自己的說法站不太住腳，情急之下，拉過一旁的孟禎當擋箭牌，「而且，孟禎妳不是我們宇尋的嗎？怎麼胳膊肘往外拐，沒幫我說話，反而跟凱琳一起『圍攻』我啊？」
孟禎聞言，有點不服氣，接著靈光一閃，想要整點活。她故作沉思，然後突然挺直背脊，對著王文興立正，以平板的聲音說著：「接獲核心系統提示訊息，確認HRC-07型高智能仿生機器人黃孟禎，其所有權歸屬於宇尋企業股份有限公司。根據內部權限設定，宇尋企業董事長為該機器人之最高權限指令下達者，類同於一般口語之『主人』。是的，主人，您剛才說的都對，孟禎完全贊同。」
「什、什麼？！妳…妳還設定孟禎認你當『主人』？！王文興！」凱琳一聽這話，像是被踩到尾巴的貓一樣，瞬間炸了毛。她扔開抱枕，從沙發上跳了起來，張大嘴巴，手叉著腰，碧藍的眼眸彷彿能對王文興發射激光，「你這傢伙，竟然背著我對可愛的孟禎妹妹做出這種事！把她當成什麼了？機器女僕嗎？還是可以隨意設定的電子產品？」
"Of course I wasn't trying to take some 'easy mode' to win!" Wang Wen-Xing's face flushed slightly at Meng-Zhen's words, and he quickly defended himself, "I just... I just thought that while Kailyn was 'away,' I could take good care of her on her behalf, so that even in an unfeeling state, she could still experience the beauty of this world... Uh, yes! That's it! I was completely out of goodwill and concern, not secretly dating her! I didn't even secretly hold her hand!" The more he spoke, the less convincing his explanation sounded. In a moment of desperation, he pulled Meng-Zhen over as a shield. "Besides, Meng-Zhen, aren't you from Yu-Xun? How come you're siding with outsiders and 'ganging up' on me with Kailyn instead of helping me out?"
Meng-Zhen felt a bit indignant at his words, then a flash of inspiration hit her; she wanted to liven things up. She feigned thoughtfulness, then suddenly straightened her back and stood at attention facing Wang Wen-Xing, speaking in a flat voice: "Receiving core system prompt. Confirming that HRC-07 model highly intelligent bionic robot Huang Meng-Zhen's ownership belongs to Yu-Xun Corporation. According to internal permission settings, the Chairman of Yu-Xun Corporation is the highest authority for issuing commands to this robot, similar to the colloquial term 'Owner.' Yes, Owner, everything you just said is correct. Meng-Zhen completely agrees."
"Wh-What?! You... you even set Meng-Zhen to recognize you as her 'Owner'?! Wang Wen-Xing!" Upon hearing this, Kailyn instantly bristled like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. She tossed aside the pillow, jumped off the sofa, mouth agape, hands on her hips, her sapphire eyes seemingly capable of firing lasers at Wang Wen-Xing. "You scoundrel, how dare you do such a thing to my adorable little sister Meng-Zhen behind my back! What do you take her for? A robot maid? Or an electronic product that can be set however you like?"
「我不是！我沒有！冤枉啊！凱琳妳聽我解釋！」王文興被孟禎這記精準的「背刺」和接續而來的凱琳怒火和弄得焦頭爛額，急得滿頭大汗，連連擺手，「孟禎！孟禎妳快幫我跟凱琳解釋一下！妳知道我對妳，絕對、絕對沒有過那種想法！那都是妳上次…妳上次自己…」
「好啦好啦，王大哥，凱琳姊，我只是開個玩笑，別當真別當真。」孟禎看著王文興那副快崩潰的樣子，忍不住笑了出來，恢復了正常語氣，「我當然知道王大哥是正人君子，絕對不會對我有那些奇奇怪怪的想法。只是，」她話鋒一轉，帶著一絲幽怨的表情看向王文興，「我想起這次王大哥在『追求』凱琳姊的過程中，也確確實實地『利用』過我這個『公司重要資產』好幾次呢！」
她扳著手指頭數道：「當凱琳姊處於Catherine狀態的時候，不是會對顯露出『機械特質』的我，表現出特別的親近感嗎？於是我們的王大董事長，三番五次地『徵用』我，讓我在Catherine面前，明明沒在檢修，也在客廳拆開身體，露出我的機械構造，跟Catherine『開心』合照——雖然最開心的，顯然是拍下Catherine燦爛笑容的董事長；」
"I didn't! I wouldn't! You've got it all wrong! Kailyn, let me explain!" Wang Wen-Xing was flustered and sweating profusely, caught between Meng-Zhen's precise "backstab" and Kailyn's ensuing fury. He frantically waved his hands. "Meng-Zhen! Meng-Zhen, quickly, help me explain to Kailyn! You know I absolutely, absolutely never had such thoughts about you! That was all you last time... you yourself last time..."
"Alright, alright, Brother Wang, Sister Kailyn, I was just joking, don't take it seriously, don't take it seriously." Meng-Zhen couldn't help but laugh at Wang Wen-Xing's near-breakdown, resuming her normal tone. "Of course, I know Brother Wang is a gentleman and would never have those strange ideas about me. However," she changed tack, looking at Wang Wen-Xing with a hint of resentment, "I remember that this time, Brother Wang truly 'used' me, a 'key company asset,' several times during his 'pursuit' of Sister Kailyn!"
She counted on her fingers: "When Sister Kailyn was in her Catherine state, didn't she show a special closeness to me, who displayed 'mechanical characteristics'? So, our great Chairman Wang 'commandeered' me repeatedly, making me disassemble my body in the living room and expose my mechanical structure in front of Catherine, even when I wasn't being serviced, just to take 'happy' photos with Catherine—though clearly, the happiest one was the Chairman, who captured Catherine's radiant smile;"
孟禎繼續說：「或者，在我思考某些複雜問題的時候，啟動我頭身的遠程通聯，讓Catherine拿起我的頭仔細端詳，看看電子腦是怎麼運作；」
Meng-Zhen continued, "Or, when I was contemplating certain complex problems, he'd activate the remote communication between my head and body, letting Catherine pick up my head and examine it closely to see how an electronic brain works;"
接著孟禎更「哀怨」了：「甚至還有一次，當我的頭和身體各自進行檢查，您還讓她親手抱起我的身體，害得我的身體管理系統偵測到非預期的身體動作，發出異常警報呢！我都開始懷疑，我的頭是不是不太適合待在自己的身體上了，拆開來更受歡迎。」
Then Meng-Zhen grew even more "woeful": "There was even one time, when my head and body were undergoing separate inspections, you even had her personally pick up my body, causing my body management system to detect unexpected physical movements and issue an abnormal alert! I'm starting to wonder if my head isn't better off detached from my body; it seems more popular that way."
「啊～妳說的這些，我也想起來了。」凱琳聽著孟禎的「控訴」，看向王文興的眼神又多了幾分「嫌棄」，「孟禎，不好意思，真是委屈妳了。雖然…雖然我在Catherine那種機器般的狀態，確實對妳的機械特質會特別親近，產生同伴感，但那是因為妳是我的好姊妹。王文興他，為了追我，這樣『欺負』妳，把妳當成新奇的『玩具』來吸引我的注意力，還真是…」她搖搖頭，語氣有些微妙。
「等等！妳們誤會我了！事情不是那樣的！」王文興急得快要跳腳，「那些提議，確實是我提出來的，但每次我都有事先徵求孟禎的同意，她也說她很樂意幫忙，而且覺得那樣與Catherine互動很有趣，對不對，孟禎？」他求助般地望向孟禎。
"Ah~ I remember all that you're talking about now." Kailyn listened to Meng-Zhen's "accusations," and her gaze towards Wang Wen-Xing became even more disdainful. "Meng-Zhen, I'm sorry, you've really been wronged. Although... although in my Catherine-like, robotic state, I did feel especially close to your mechanical traits and developed a sense of camaraderie, that's because you're my good sister. For Wang Wen-Xing to 'bully' you like this, treating you as a novel 'toy' to get my attention, just to pursue me, that's really..." She shook her head, her tone subtle.
"Wait! You've misunderstood me! It's not like that!" Wang Wen-Xing was practically jumping with anxiety. "Those suggestions, yes, I proposed them, but every time I asked for Meng-Zhen's consent beforehand. She also said she was happy to help and found interacting with Catherine that way very interesting, right, Meng-Zhen?" He looked at Meng-Zhen pleadingly.
孟禎點點頭，給了他一個「算你識相」的眼神，然後才慢悠悠地回應道：「嗯，王大哥說的倒也是事實啦，我的確是樂於協助的，畢竟能幫到凱琳姊，我也很開心。不過嘛，」她話鋒一轉，帶著一絲幽幽的嘆息，「就算是人造的，我多少也還算是一個…懷揣著少女心的女孩子嘛。當王大哥您一本正經地向我提出，為了幫助您追求凱琳姊，需要我『貢獻』出我的身體，讓Catherine好好『研究』的時候，我心中難免還是會有那麼點點…被當成便利道具的小小感嘆啦。尤其是，」她拖長了語調，意有所指地瞟了王文興一眼，「想當年，我可也是曾經被某位『很有眼光』的大人物，偷偷喜歡過的呢～今昔對比，難免感嘆，嘖嘖。」
「什麼？！喜歡過？誰？是王文興喜歡過妳嗎？『當年』又是哪一年啊？」凱琳的八卦雷達瞬間啟動，眼睛都亮了起來，「這個我倒不怎麼意外啦，畢竟我們家孟禎這麼可愛。不過，具體細節，我很有興趣聽一聽哦！」
「唉呦…那、那個…都是些陳年往事了…不提也罷，不提也罷…」王文興的臉瞬間漲得通紅，他有些狼狽地別過頭，掩面低語，那模樣，活像個被揭穿了小秘密的純情少年。
孟禎看他那副窘迫的樣子，心中暗笑，她走到王文興身邊，像個老朋友一樣，拍拍他的背，語重心長地說：「王大哥，身為你最忠誠的直屬高性能女性仿生人，我必須提醒，追女孩子呢，最重要的就是要坦誠相待，過往的情感經歷得和盤托出，對她敞開自己的內心。俗話說得好，『坦白從寬，抗拒從嚴』嘛！」
Meng-Zhen nodded, giving him a look that said, "Smart move," before slowly responding, "Hmm, what Brother Wang said is true; I was indeed happy to help. After all, I'm happy to assist Sister Kailyn. But," she paused, then sighed faintly, "even if I'm artificial, I'm still, to some extent... a girl with a maiden's heart, you know. When you, Brother Wang, seriously proposed that I 'contribute' my body for Catherine to 'research' in order to help you pursue Sister Kailyn, I couldn't help but feel a tiny bit... a little sigh of being treated as a convenient tool. Especially," she drew out her words, meaningfully glancing at Wang Wen-Xing, "to think that back in the day, I was once secretly admired by a certain 'discerning' big shot~ The contrast between then and now, it's hard not to sigh, tsk tsk."
"What?! Admired? By whom? Did Wang Wen-Xing like you? And what 'back in the day' are we talking about?" Kailyn's gossip radar instantly activated, her eyes lighting up. "That doesn't surprise me much, given how cute our Meng-Zhen is. But, I'm very interested in hearing the specific details!"
"Oh my... Th-That... those are old stories... Better not mention them, better not mention them..." Wang Wen-Xing's face instantly turned crimson. He awkwardly turned his head away, covering his face and muttering, looking exactly like a pure-hearted young man whose little secret had been exposed.
Meng-Zhen watched his embarrassed demeanor, secretly amused. She walked over to Wang Wen-Xing, patted his back like an old friend, and said earnestly, "Brother Wang, as your most loyal, high-performance female bionic subordinate, I must remind you that when pursuing a girl, the most important thing is to be honest. You have to lay out your past emotional experiences and open your heart to her. As the saying goes, 'Confess and be lenient, resist and be dealt with severely!'"
她燦然一笑：「當凱琳姊轉換成Catherine的那一夜，我們之間那段關於『資產』與『夥伴』的深刻對話，以及您那段感人肺腑的『初戀心事』大告白，我可是都清清楚楚地用我的記憶體記錄下來了哦，高清無損帶環繞音效呢！強烈建議現在就播放出來，讓您心儀的追求對象，能夠更全面、更立體、更深刻地了解您的為人與真心。我相信，這對您接下來的『重新追求』之路，絕對會起到至關重要的幫助！那麼，我親愛的主人，您是否同意，讓本機器人執行『記憶片段回放』功能呢？」
王文興幾乎要從牙縫裡擠出一句話：「黃、孟、禎！妳…妳這是公報私仇！」但他看著孟禎那副「我都是為你好」的真誠模樣，以及凱琳那雙閃爍著強烈好奇與期待光芒的眼眸，最終還是無力地垂下了頭，肩膀也垮了下來，有氣無力地揮了揮手，表示隨便她了。他感覺自己今天所有的精力，都已經被這對聯手起來戰鬥力爆表的「姊妹花」給榨乾了。
於是，孟禎得意地輕哼一聲，將自己的數據接口連接到凱琳公寓的家庭娛樂系統上。很快，王文興那略帶沙啞卻充滿磁性的聲音，以及孟禎清脆悅耳的提問聲，便在客廳中清晰地迴盪起來。
凱琳安靜地聽著。當她聽到王文興在那寂靜的月夜下，如何向孟禎和志文坦露對自己的欣賞與珍惜，如何堅定地表示她的「機器人化」不會成為阻礙，反而讓他更想去理解和守護時，她的心中，像是被投入了顆溫暖的小石子，漾起了一圈又一圈柔情的漣漪。
而當她聽到王文興如何回應孟禎那個關於「如何看待宇尋資產」的嚴肅問題，聽到他鄭重地將孟禎定義為「夥伴」，並由此引出了那段塵封已久的初見孟禎時那份純粹「心動」的秘密往事時，凱琳的心弦，被更深地觸動了。她終於明白，孟禎為何會在那個夜晚，用那樣真情自然，毫無牴觸感的姿態，主動叫他「主人」——那是身為一個被創造且被賦予自我與情感的機器人，對於自己「被擁有」、「被定義」的無奈現實，因為「擁有者」本身那份超乎想像的光明磊落與全然尊重，所能表達出的，最極致的信賴與最深刻的和解啊。
She smiled radiantly: "That night when Sister Kailyn transitioned into Catherine, that profound conversation we had about 'assets' and 'partners,' and your heartfelt 'first love' confession – I recorded every single bit of it in my memory, in high-definition with surround sound, no less! I strongly recommend playing it now so that your esteemed target of affection can gain a more comprehensive, three-dimensional, and profound understanding of your character and sincerity. I believe this will absolutely be of crucial help to your upcoming 're-pursuit' journey! So, my dear Owner, do you agree to allow this robot to perform the 'memory playback' function?"
Wang Wen-Xing practically squeezed out a sentence through gritted teeth: "Huang, Meng, Zhen! You... you're holding a grudge!" But seeing Meng-Zhen's sincere "I'm doing this for your own good" look, and Kailyn's eyes sparkling with intense curiosity and anticipation, he finally dropped his head powerlessly, his shoulders slumping. He weakly waved his hand, indicating she could do whatever she wanted. He felt as if all his energy for the day had been drained by this pair of "sisters" whose combined combat power was off the charts.
So, Meng-Zhen let out a triumphant hum and connected her data port to Kailyn's apartment's home entertainment system. Soon, Wang Wen-Xing's slightly hoarse yet magnetic voice, and Meng-Zhen's clear and melodious questions, echoed distinctly in the living room.
Kailyn listened quietly. As she heard Wang Wen-Xing, under the silent moonlight, reveal his admiration and cherish for her to Meng-Zhen and Zhi-Wen, and how firmly he stated that her "robotization" wouldn't be an obstacle but rather made him want to understand and protect her even more, a warm pebble seemed to be dropped into her heart, rippling out waves of tenderness.
And when she heard Wang Wen-Xing respond to Meng-Zhen's serious question about "how to view Yu-Xun's assets," and heard him solemnly define Meng-Zhen as a "partner," which then led to the long-sealed secret story of his pure "heart-fluttering" first encounter with Meng-Zhen, Kailyn's heartstrings were touched even more deeply. She finally understood why Meng-Zhen that night, with such genuine and natural ease, without any resistance, proactively called him "Owner"—it was the ultimate trust and the deepest reconciliation that a robot, created and endowed with self and emotion, could express towards the helpless reality of being "owned" and "defined," all because of the "owner's" own unimaginable integrity and complete respect.
她心疼地看了一眼孟禎，看到孟禎臉上那份發自內心的燦爛微笑，凱琳突然覺得，孟禎是被宇尋企業的黃博士、王文興等這樣一群人創造出來，並被守護著，實在是太好了。
錄音播放完畢，客廳裡陷入了一陣短暫的沉默。
「王文興，」凱琳突然開口，聲音平靜卻帶著不容置喙的威嚴，「手機交出來。那張照片，我要親眼看。」
王文興不敢怠慢，連忙從口袋裡掏出手機，解鎖後，忐忑地將被他珍藏了多年的秘密，遞到了凱琳面前。他不知道，凱琳在親眼看到那張照片後，又會作何反應。
凱琳接過手機，目光落在螢幕上。孟禎也好奇地湊過頭，繞到她身後，和她一起看著昔日的自己。
照片上的「孟禎」，確實稚嫩得像個孩子，眼神中帶著未受沾染的純粹與探索世界的渴望。兩姊妹靜靜地看著，心中都蕩漾著最溫柔也最複雜的情感。一個曾經被喜歡過，一個現在正被喜歡。她倆都非常清楚，眼前這個有時不解風情，有時又青澀的像個純情少年的大老闆，他的心中，確實藏著一份最真誠也最成熟的感情。
She looked at Meng-Zhen with affection, and seeing the genuine, radiant smile on Meng-Zhen's face, Kailyn suddenly felt that it was truly wonderful that Meng-Zhen had been created and protected by a group of people like Dr. Huang and Wang Wen-Xing from Yu-Xun Corporation.
The recording finished playing, and a brief silence fell over the living room.
"Wang Wen-Xing," Kailyn suddenly spoke, her voice calm but with an undeniable authority. "Hand over your phone. I want to see that photo with my own eyes."
Wang Wen-Xing dared not delay. He quickly pulled his phone from his pocket, unlocked it, and nervously handed over the secret he had treasured for years to Kailyn. He didn't know how Kailyn would react once she saw the photo herself.
Kailyn took the phone, her gaze falling on the screen. Meng-Zhen also leaned over curiously, moving behind her to look at her past self together.
The "Meng-Zhen" in the photo indeed looked as tender as a child, her eyes holding an untainted purity and a desire to explore the world. The two sisters watched quietly, their hearts filled with the tenderest and most complex emotions. One had once been liked, the other was now being liked. Both were very clear that this big boss, who was sometimes clueless and sometimes as naive as a pure-hearted boy, truly harbored the most sincere and mature feelings in his heart.
「凱琳姊，」孟禎首先打破了沉默，語氣中帶著由衷的祝福，「我不開玩笑了。感情的事情，雖然不能強求，但我個人，是非常看好妳們這一對的。你們兩位，都是很棒、很值得被愛的人。」她抬起頭，看了一眼身旁不知所措的王文興，似是滿足又似是得意地閉上眼睛，輕輕點幾下頭，語氣帶著一絲小小的驕傲：「另一方面呢，妳看我剛才那樣戲弄王大哥，後來又『出賣』他的小秘密，他從頭到尾一次也沒有真的生氣，更不會惱羞成怒地擺出什麼『董事長』或『擁有者』的姿態，來對我主張他的權力或表達他的不滿。從這一點就能看出來，他是真正地尊重我，也確實成熟穩重，一以貫之。凱琳姊，我是這樣看的。我很驕傲自己被他的公司製造出來，也很驕傲…自己被這樣的人喜歡過…」孟禎聲音突然變小。
「嗯…是呀，孟禎妳說的…確實沒錯…」凱琳低著頭，像是在自言自語，又像是在下定什麼決心。過了許久，她才猛地抬起頭，臉頰上帶著一抹紅暈，看著王文興，大聲宣布道：「好吧！王文興，我…我可以勉強承認，好像…真的對你這個傢伙，產生了那麼一點點…哼！就是超越普通朋友的好感了！但是！」
她話鋒一轉，豎起一根手指，帶著幾分少女的傲嬌氣勢：「第一，就像我剛才說的，你還是得從頭開始，認認真真、正正經經地重新追我一次！不准再搞那些什麼『Catherine模式攻略法』的小動作！第二，」她的目光瞟向手機螢幕上那張照片，嘴角微微撇了撇，語氣中帶著一絲醋意，「你第一個打從心底喜歡上的女孩子，竟然是孟禎…」
"Sister Kailyn," Meng-Zhen broke the silence first, her voice filled with genuine blessings. "I'm not joking anymore. While you can't force feelings, I personally am very optimistic about you two. Both of you are wonderful people who deserve to be loved." She looked up at the bewildered Wang Wen-Xing beside her, then closed her eyes, seemingly content and proud, nodding slightly. Her voice held a touch of quiet pride: "On the other hand, you saw how I just teased Brother Wang and then 'betrayed' his little secret. He didn't get genuinely angry once from beginning to end, nor did he become flustered and assert his authority as 'Chairman' or 'Owner' to me or express his displeasure. From this, you can see that he truly respects me and is indeed mature, stable, and consistent. Sister Kailyn, that's how I see it. I'm very proud to have been manufactured by his company, and I'm also very proud... that someone like him once liked me..." Meng-Zhen's voice suddenly trailed off.
"Mm... yes, Meng-Zhen, what you said... is indeed true..." Kailyn lowered her head, as if talking to herself or making a firm decision. After a long moment, she suddenly lifted her head, a blush on her cheeks, and looked at Wang Wen-Xing, declaring loudly, "Alright! Wang Wen-Xing, I... I can reluctantly admit that I seem to have developed just a little bit of... hmph! a liking for you that goes beyond ordinary friendship! But!"
She changed her tone, holding up a finger with a touch of girlish haughtiness: "First, as I just said, you still have to start from scratch and seriously, properly pursue me again! No more of those 'Catherine mode' sneaky tactics! Second," her gaze flickered to the photo on the phone screen, and she pouted slightly, a hint of jealousy in her voice, "the first girl you truly liked from the bottom of your heart was actually Meng-Zhen..."
凱琳頭甩向一邊，「哼！雖然她確實很可愛很討人喜歡啦，但…但那也不是我啊！我說你呀，我第一次心動的對象，可是你耶！多多少少還是會讓人…讓人不是滋味。不管啦！就算是無理取鬧，反正就是有不開心！所以，王大董事長，你可得好好想想，要怎麼『補償』我了！」
說完，她回頭看了一眼身旁笑得眉眼彎彎的孟禎，突然伸出手，緊緊地抱住了她，將下巴擱在孟禎的肩窩，悶悶地說：「眼光不錯嘛，王董。這丫頭確實值得你喜歡。別說是你了，連我都打從心底喜歡她，一輩子把她當成我最珍貴的妹妹。」
「哈哈哈…」王文興看著眼前這幅景象，先前的緊張與不安早已煙消雲散。他爽朗地大笑起來，聲音中充滿了如釋重負的喜悅，「雖然是很久很久以前的小插曲了，不過…好！凱琳妳放心，我一定會好好『補償』妳的！妳說，要怎麼補償？上天下海，只要我王文興做得到，一定為妳辦到！」
「不知道啦！你自己想！哼！」凱琳從孟禎肩上抬起頭，對著他撇撇嘴，帶著甜蜜的嬌嗔，轉過頭不再看他。
Kailyn tossed her head to the side. "Hmph! Even though she really is cute and likable, still... still, that wasn't me! I'm telling you, you're the first person I've ever felt a spark for! It's still a little... a little unpleasant. I don't care! Even if it's being unreasonable, I'm just unhappy! So, Chairman Wang, you'd better think hard about how you're going to 'compensate' me!"
With that, she turned to glance at Meng-Zhen, who was smiling broadly beside her. Suddenly, she reached out and hugged Meng-Zhen tightly, resting her chin on Meng-Zhen's shoulder and murmuring, "Good taste, Chairman Wang. This girl really is worth liking. Not just you, even I like her from the bottom of my heart and will cherish her as my most precious sister for life."
"Hahahaha..." Wang Wen-Xing watched the scene before him, his earlier tension and unease having vanished. He burst into hearty laughter, his voice filled with relief and joy. "Although it was a very, very old little incident, still... alright! Kailyn, don't worry, I will definitely 'compensate' you well! Tell me, how do you want to be compensated? To the ends of the earth, as long as I, Wang Wen-Xing, can do it, I will do it for you!"
"I don't know! You figure it out yourself! Hmph!" Kailyn lifted her head from Meng-Zhen's shoulder, pouting at him with sweet petulance, then turned away, no longer looking at him.
王文興看著眼前這對聯手起來威力無窮的姊妹花，他無奈地攤了攤手，臉上卻露出甘之如飴的笑容——這兩位，還真不愧是能讓自己喜歡上的女孩們呢~
Wang Wen-Xing looked at the formidable sister duo before him. He helplessly spread his hands, a sweet, contented smile on his face—these two were truly the girls he could fall in love with.
原本應該屬於溫馨感動場景的「凱琳回歸首日」，就在這樣充滿了青春氣息的嘻笑怒罵與甜蜜醋意中，畫上了熱鬧非凡的句點。
回去的路上，志文回想起剛才公寓裡那場「唇槍舌劍」與「真情流露」交織的精彩大戲，忍不住感嘆道：「孟禎啊，我說妳們這對姊妹，不管是『人類型態的機器人』還是『機器人型態的人類』，都一樣可怕啊！竟然能聯手把那位見過無數大風大浪的宇尋大董事長，給弄到哭笑不得，手足無措，簡直是…太強了！」
秋風輕柔地吹起孟禎的秀髮，她伸手將臉頰邊的一縷髮絲撥到耳後，感受著風中帶著桂花香的微涼。她眼神飄向灑滿月光的遠方，嘴角勾起一抹神秘的微笑，輕聲說道：「誰知道呢？或許，這就是所謂的戀愛吧！而且啊，要說王大哥他哭笑不得、手足無措，那也得是他自己心甘情願，才會讓我們『得逞』，不是嗎？」
「嗯？什麼意思啊？」志文有些不解地問道。孟禎轉過頭，看向身旁的志文，主動牽起了他的手，大步往前走，臉上洋溢著如同秋日陽光般溫暖而明亮的笑容，語氣輕快地說：「就是那樣的意思喔！」
秋風蕭瑟，卻吹不散此刻悄然滋長在人們心中的，春日般的暖意。
What should have been a heartwarming and touching "Kailyn's first day back" scene concluded instead with lively laughter, playful bickering, and sweet jealousy, marking a bustling end to the evening.
On the way home, Zhi-Wen recalled the spectacular "battle of wits" intertwined with "sincere revelations" that had just unfolded in the apartment. He couldn't help but exclaim, "Meng-Zhen, I tell you, both of you sisters, whether 'robots in human form' or 'humans in robot form,' are equally terrifying! To be able to team up and leave Yu-Xun's big chairman, who has weathered countless storms, utterly bewildered and helpless, is simply... too powerful!"
The autumn breeze gently ruffled Meng-Zhen's hair. She reached up to brush a wisp of hair behind her ear, feeling the cool, osmanthus-scented air. Her gaze drifted towards the moonlit distance, a mysterious smile playing on her lips. She murmured, "Who knows? Perhaps, this is what they call love! And besides, if Brother Wang was bewildered and helpless, it must be because he was willing to let us 'succeed,' wasn't it?"
"Huh? What do you mean?" Zhi-Wen asked, somewhat confused. Meng-Zhen turned to look at Zhi-Wen beside her, proactively took his hand, and walked forward with big strides, her face beaming with a warm and bright smile like autumn sunshine. She said lightheartedly, "It means exactly that!"
The autumn wind was bleak, yet it couldn't dispel the spring-like warmth quietly blossoming in people's hearts.
