機械基督徒少女 後日談15

尋找自我的機器基督徒少女

Searching for Self: The Robot Christian Girl

後日談 15 王董事長

Sequel 15: Chairman Wang

本篇為「後日談14 故障凱琳」之續篇。

This is a continuation of "Epilogue 14: Malfunctioning Kailin."

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凱琳的公寓內，一度陷入了令人窒息的安靜。孟禎緊緊握著「機器人化」凱琳冰涼的手，心中百感交集。志文則在一旁手足無措，剛才那個不合時宜的玩笑看來有惹到孟禎，偶爾交會的冰冷眼光，讓他恨不得找個地洞鑽進去。

不久後門鈴再次響起。孟禎透過凱琳家的智能門禁系統查看，是黃博士和宇尋集團的董事長兼CEO——王文興。他們神色間都帶著幾許焦慮。顯然，孟禎在第一時間便聯絡了這兩位凱琳在宇尋最重要也最信賴的人。

「孟禎，凱琳她…」黃博士一進門，看到沙發上眼神空洞的凱琳，便明白了七八分，他嘆了一口氣，「看來，凱琳又進入感受不到自我的狀態了。她轉換前，有說什麼特別的嗎？」

王文興則一言不發地走到凱琳身邊，深邃的目光落在她蒼白的臉上，眉頭微蹙，眼中閃過複雜難辨的情緒，有擔憂，有關切，還有著一絲…孟禎說不出的熟悉感，彷彿之前有看過，讓她不禁懷念起來。

「老爸，董事長，」孟禎起身，簡略地將凱琳的情況和囑託複述了一遍，「凱琳姊說，她只是首次那麼長時間維持『正常人模式』，得讓自己休息一下，回到她原本的狀態，以重整經歷過度體驗的心智。她說她就像在接受系統的重組與優化，雖然需要的時間會比較長，請大家不要擔心，她會再回來的。」

Silence, thick and suffocating, descended upon Kailin's apartment. Mengzhen tightly clutched the cold hand of the "robotized" Kailin, a whirlwind of emotions swirling within her. Zhiwen stood by awkwardly; his ill-timed joke earlier seemed to have genuinely upset Mengzhen, and the occasional icy glares made him wish he could disappear into a hole.

A short while later, the doorbell rang again. Mengzhen checked Kailin's smart access system and saw Dr. Huang and Wang Wenxing, CEO and Chairman of Yuxun Group. Both wore anxious expressions. Evidently, Mengzhen had immediately contacted these two individuals, Kailin's most important and trusted connections at Yuxun.

"Mengzhen, Kailin, she..." Dr. Huang entered, took one look at Kailin on the sofa, her eyes vacant, and understood most of the situation. He sighed. "It seems Kailin has entered a state where she can't perceive herself again. Did she say anything specific before she transformed?"

Wang Wenxing, meanwhile, walked silently to Kailin's side. His deep gaze fell upon her pale face, his brow furrowed, and a complex, unreadable mix of emotions flickered in his eyes: worry, concern, and a hint of... a familiar feeling that Mengzhen couldn't quite place, as if she had seen it before, making her feel a pang of nostalgia.

"Dad, Chairman," Mengzhen stood up and briefly recounted Kailin's situation and instructions. "Sister Kailin said she just maintained 'normal human mode' for such a long time for the first time, and she needs to let herself rest, return to her original state, and reorganize her mind after over-experiencing things. She said it's like she's undergoing a system restructuring and optimization. Although it will take a longer time, please don't worry; she'll be back."

黃博士點點頭，語氣帶著幾分凝重：「是啊，其實我們對這樣的凱琳，也不是初次見到。當年凱琳第一次來杭州，參與普羅米修斯計畫時，從開始她就是這樣子了。只是，當時我們都以為那是天才只對自己有興趣事物的全然專注，並不知道這背後…竟是如此深刻的自我認知困擾。」

王文興接過話，以低沉而鎮定的聲音說著：「不過，孟禎妳也別太擔心。以我的觀察，即使是在這種『Catherine模式』下，凱琳的專業能力和邏輯思維依舊頂尖，研發工作和課業學習都不成問題，日常生活和人際互動也能以高超的智力覆蓋大部分的需求，展現與常人無異的行為模式。如果她有不足之處，有需要幫忙的地方，相信孟禎妳也能好好協助她。妳可是我們公司的驕傲，有妳在，我絕對放心。我和黃博士會安排好宇尋那邊的工作交接，確保不會給凱琳額外的壓力。這次就讓我們最優秀的研究員，好好休息吧！」

確認完凱琳在「Catherine狀態」下的表現平穩正常，也沒有生理狀態的變異，因為實驗室還有事要處理，在叮囑孟禎和志文多費心之後，黃博士便先行離開。

王文興則留了下來，他看著孟禎和志文，眼中帶著幾許溫情，說：「時間還不算太晚，孟禎，志文，如果不介意的話，我想和你們一起走段路，聊一聊，好嗎？平常也很少有機會，跟你們說說話。」語氣中少了平日裡CEO的堅決與威嚴，多了幾分朋友般的懇切。

孟禎和志文點點頭，他們也有不少心情想抒發。三人一同離開了凱琳的寓所，月光如水般灑在微涼的秋夜街道上。晚風輕拂，帶著桂花的淡香。

Dr. Huang nodded, his voice grave. "Yes, we've actually seen Kailin like this before. When Kailin first came to Hangzhou to participate in the Prometheus Project, she was like this from the start. We just thought it was the absolute focus of a genius on things that interested her, never knowing that behind it... lay such a profound self-perception issue."

Wang Wenxing interjected, his voice low and steady. "But Mengzhen, don't worry too much. From my observation, even in this 'Catherine mode,' Kailin's professional abilities and logical thinking remain top-notch. Her R&D work and academic studies are not an issue, and her daily life and interpersonal interactions can mostly be covered by her exceptional intellect, exhibiting behavior indistinguishable from normal people. If she has any shortcomings or needs assistance, I'm confident you, Mengzhen, can help her well. You're the pride of our company; with you there, I'm absolutely at ease. Dr. Huang and I will arrange the work handover at Yuxun to ensure no additional pressure is placed on Kailin. Let our best researcher have a good rest this time!"

After confirming Kailin's stable and normal performance in "Catherine mode," with no physiological abnormalities, Dr. Huang departed first as he had laboratory matters to attend to, after enjoining Mengzhen and Zhiwen to take good care of her.

Wang Wenxing stayed behind. He looked at Mengzhen and Zhiwen, his eyes holding a touch of warmth. "It's not too late yet, Mengzhen, Zhiwen. If you don't mind, I'd like to walk with you for a bit and talk, okay? I rarely get a chance to speak with you normally." His tone lacked the usual decisiveness and authority of a CEO, replaced by a more earnest, almost friendly plea.

Mengzhen and Zhiwen nodded; they too had much on their minds they wanted to express. The three left Kailin's apartment together, moonlight like water spilling onto the cool autumn night street. A gentle evening breeze wafted, carrying the faint scent of osmanthus.

「凱琳能有你們這樣的朋友，是她的幸運。」王文興率先打破了沉默，語氣中帶著由衷的感謝。「董事長言重了，」孟禎輕聲說，「我和凱琳姊是姊妹，互相照顧是應該的。何況平常幾乎都是她在照顧我。」

「是啊…她參加了普羅米修斯計畫後，幫孟禎妳優化了好多，好到我都快不認得妳了。對了，現在別提什麼董事長，你們都叫我王大哥就好。我可是一直把黃博士和你們，當親朋好友看待的。」王文興微微一笑，目光望向遙遠的星空，「說起凱琳，她真的是個很特別的女孩。孟禎，志文，你們和她那麼熟，大概也知道了吧？我對她…確實很有好感。」他坦率地承認，讓孟禎和志文都有些意外。

「不，我們原來並不知道，是凱琳姊後來說漏嘴，叫你…文興。我一開始腦袋還轉不過來，想著『哇靠，妳這麼稱呼董事長？也太特別了吧！』」志文直率地搶過話，被孟禎白了一眼，以眼神叫他住嘴。

「哈，看來是我想太多。孟禎妳別在意，像志文這年紀的男生，不白目就不會長得好。別看我現在得人模人樣，當年讀大學時，也是個網路噴子，鍵盤大師。」王文興一臉無所謂地大笑。

「那王董…王大哥，你是怎樣喜歡上凱琳姊的呢？」孟禎試圖導回話題，這才是她有興趣的。

"Kailin is lucky to have friends like you," Wang Wenxing broke the silence first, his voice filled with genuine gratitude. "Chairman, you exaggerate," Mengzhen said softly, "Sister Kailin and I are like sisters; taking care of each other is natural. Besides, she's usually the one taking care of me."

"Indeed... After she joined the Prometheus Project, she optimized you so much, Mengzhen, I almost didn't recognize you. Oh, by the way, don't call me Chairman anymore. You can just call me Brother Wang. I've always considered Dr. Huang and you two as close friends and family." Wang Wenxing smiled faintly, his gaze directed at the distant starry sky. "Speaking of Kailin, she truly is a very special girl. Mengzhen, Zhiwen, you two are so close to her, you probably know, right? I... I really do have feelings for her." He admitted candidly, surprising both Mengzhen and Zhiwen.

"No, we didn't know initially. Sister Kailin accidentally let it slip later and called you... Wenxing. At first, my mind couldn't even process it. I was thinking, 'Wow, you call the Chairman that? That's way too special!'" Zhiwen blurted out directly, earning a glare from Mengzhen, who silently told him to shut up.

"Haha, it seems I overthought it. Mengzhen, don't mind him. Guys Zhiwen's age, if they're not a bit clueless, they won't grow up well. Don't look at how respectable I am now; back when I was in university, I was also an online troll, a keyboard warrior," Wang Wenxing laughed indifferently.

"So, Chairman Wang... Brother Wang, how did you come to like Sister Kailin?" Mengzhen tried to steer the conversation back to what truly interested her.

「嗯，從何說起？我佩服她超乎常人的才華，更欣賞她對興趣極其專注的追求，」王文興的聲音在靜夜中顯得格外清晰，「但真正吸引我的，是她在與妳，孟禎，相處之後，逐漸展現出來的那份…怎麼說呢？她卸下所有天才光環和防備偽裝之後的，那宛如赤子般的純粹與真情流露。如同機器人一般的她，遇到妳後展現出那種笨拙地想要靠近、想要理解、想要變得更『人類』的努力，讓我的眼光，很難從她身上移開。」

"Hmm, where to begin? I admire her extraordinary talent, and even more, her intense focus on pursuing her interests," Wang Wenxing's voice was exceptionally clear in the quiet night. "But what truly attracted me was the way she gradually revealed herself after spending time with you, Mengzhen—how do I put it? It was her childlike purity and genuine emotions, unburdened by any genius aura or defensive pretense. Like a robot, yet after meeting you, she showed such a clumsy effort to get closer, to understand, to become more 'human.' It made it very difficult for me to take my eyes off her."

他頓了頓，像是陷入了某種回憶：「我知道，以她的超強的頭腦和外貌，就算在『Catherine模式』下，光靠『扮演』，對不同男性，她也能扮演出他們心中理想對象的模樣。沒有自我感受時的她，就像童話中的魔鏡，總能反映出你內心的需求，逼真的程度足以讓世界上絕大多數男性為之傾倒。事實上，透過完美表演，她在美國也談過戀愛交過男友，還不少次。或許妳也能說，我也是被她映射出的自己心中倒影所吸引。只是在我被她吸引的時刻，呈現的是與妳相處的她，是隱藏在Catherine之後的凱琳…那自然不會是我心中的倒影了。」

王文興的目光轉向孟禎，帶著溫柔的笑意：「其實她和妳有點像，互補的那種像。至於凱琳會『機器人化』這件事…坦白說，不僅不會讓我有任何退縮，反而讓我更珍視她，更想去理解她這樣一個努力尋找自我的獨特靈魂。孟禎，這一切，我由衷感謝妳。如果沒有妳的存在，凱琳可能永遠都是那樣的Catherine。只有這麼特殊的妳，才能撞進凱琳內心的某個角落，讓她藏起來的自我，跌跌撞撞地被彈了出來，來感受這個世界。我好開心，開心我衷心熱愛的計畫，成果幫助到我會喜歡的人。這麼奇妙的緣份，我敢說世界上不存在第二個。」

孟禎聽著王文興這番真摯的表白，心中百感交集。她從未想過，這位在她眼中穩重可靠、高高在上的宇尋大家長，內心竟藏著如此細膩柔軟的情感。王文興對凱琳的欣賞，對自己的肯定，都像溫柔的晚風，輕拂過她的情感核心，帶來陣陣暖意。這份突如其來的感動，讓她鼓起了勇氣，想提出一個在她心中盤桓已久，卻又一直不敢輕易觸碰的問題。

He paused, seemingly lost in thought. "I know that with her brilliant mind and appearance, even in 'Catherine mode,' she could 'play' the ideal partner for different men, simply by acting. When she lacks self-perception, she's like a magic mirror from a fairy tale, always reflecting your inner desires, so realistically that it would captivate most men in the world. In fact, through perfect performance, she's had relationships and boyfriends in America, quite a few times. Perhaps you could even say that I, too, was attracted to the reflection of myself that she mirrored. But at the moment I was drawn to her, she was the Kailin who was with you, the Kailin hidden behind Catherine... that, naturally, wouldn't be a reflection of my own heart."

Wang Wenxing's gaze turned to Mengzhen, a gentle smile on his face. "Actually, she's a bit like you, in a complementary way. As for Kailin becoming 'robotized'... frankly, it doesn't make me hesitate at all. Instead, it makes me cherish her more, and want to understand her—a unique soul striving to find herself. Mengzhen, for all of this, I sincerely thank you. Without you, Kailin might have forever remained that Catherine. Only someone as special as you could have stumbled into a corner of Kailin's heart, causing her hidden self to stumble out and feel this world. I'm so happy, happy that the project I wholeheartedly love has helped someone I've come to care for. I dare say there's no other such wonderful  fate for connecting each other in the world."

Listening to Wang Wenxing's heartfelt confession, Mengzhen was filled with a mix of emotions. She had never imagined that this steady, reliable, and seemingly unapproachable patriarch of Yuxun held such delicate and tender feelings within him. Wang Wenxing's admiration for Kailin and his affirmation of her felt like a gentle evening breeze, softly touching the core of her emotions, bringing waves of warmth. This sudden feeling of being moved gave her the courage to ask a question that had lingered in her mind for a long time, yet she had never dared to easily touch upon.

「王大哥…」孟禎的聲音有些顫抖，態度卻異常堅定，「謝謝你這麼看重凱琳姊…和我。聽你聊了這麼多對於我倆的想法，我…我心裡一直有個問題想問你。你也知道，身為機器人，我的真實身份，是宇尋的研發成果，是資產。在我系統的基本資訊中，你也是我的擁有者的代表人。這甚至不是邏輯上的『認知』，而是系統面的理所當然。我天經地義地會很在乎你對我的看法。那麼，作為宇尋企業的董事長，我想問的是，你是怎麼看待『我』的？怎麼看待我這個…隸屬宇尋的HRC-07型高仿生機器人？」她幾乎是把自己存在的本質，攤牌在宇尋董事長的面前。

"Brother Wang..." Mengzhen's voice trembled slightly, yet her resolve was unshakeable. "Thank you for thinking so highly of Sister Kailin... and me. Hearing you share so many thoughts about us, I... I've always had a question I wanted to ask you. As you know, as a robot, my true identity is a research and development achievement of Yuxun, an asset. In my system's basic information, you are also the representative of my owner. This isn't even a logical 'understanding,' but rather a system-level given. It's only natural for me to care deeply about your opinion of me. So, as the Chairman of Yuxun Corporation, I want to ask, how do you see 'me'? How do you see me, this... HRC-07 high-fidelity humanoid robot belonging to Yuxun?" She had, in essence, laid bare the very core of her existence before the Chairman of Yuxun.

王文興聞言，微微一愣，隨即臉上露出了更加柔和的表情，眼神中帶著懷念。他沉默片刻，像是在思考怎麼回答，又像是浸淫在某個極為珍貴的回憶中。

「孟禎，」他緩緩開口，「在回答妳這個問題前，我想先給你們看張照片。這張照片我收藏了很久很久，也曾經常常翻出來看。在我追逐目標而感到疲累時，這張照片鼓舞了我不少次，讓我了解到自己的努力多麼有意義。不過呢，現在或許是把它『還給』你們的時候了。」

邊說著，他邊掏出手機，操作了幾下，然後將螢幕轉向孟禎和志文。

照片的背景似乎是早期普羅米修斯計畫的實驗室，光線有些昏暗。照片的主角，是一個看起來約莫二十歲，但神情中流露出未經世事的稚氣的女孩。她穿著端莊可愛的服飾，不太長的棕髮隨隨性圈成兩側的小馬尾，稚嫩的臉龐面帶驚訝，眼神清澈得如同一汪幽靜的深潭。她的脖子上戴著一個造型略顯粗曠，佈滿了指示燈和感應器的項圈式監測儀器。女孩微微歪著頭，一手輕扶臉頰，神情專注而懵懂，彷彿對周遭的一切都充滿了未經雕琢的好奇。

Upon hearing this, Wang Wen-xing paused slightly, then his expression softened even further, his eyes filled with nostalgia. He was silent for a moment, as if contemplating how to answer, or perhaps immersed in a particularly precious memory.

"Meng-zhen," he began slowly, "before I answer your question, I'd like to show you a photo. I've kept this photo for a very, very long time, and I used to look at it often. It encouraged me countless times when I felt tired while pursuing my goals, helping me understand how meaningful my efforts were. But now, perhaps it's time to 'return' it to you."

As he spoke, he pulled out his phone, performed a few actions, and then turned the screen towards Meng-zhen and Zhi-wen.

The background of the photo seemed to be an early Prometheus Project laboratory, dimly lit. The subject of the photo was a girl who looked about twenty years old, but her expression still held the innocence of someone who hadn't experienced much of the world. She wore proper, lovely clothing, and her not-too-long brown hair was casually tied into two small ponytails on either side. Her youthful face showed surprise, and her eyes were as clear as a tranquil, deep pool. Around her neck, she wore a somewhat rugged-looking collar-style monitoring device covered in indicator lights and sensors. The girl tilted her head slightly, one hand gently resting on her cheek, her expression focused and naive, as if filled with an untamed curiosity about everything around her.

「啊…」孟禎和志文同時發出了低調的驚呼。「這是…孟禎？」志文有些不確定地問，照片上的女孩雖然輪廓依稀可辨，但那種純然的稚氣，與現在這個亭亭玉立、聰慧靈動的孟禎，實在相差甚遠。

「是的，」王文興的聲音帶著一絲不易察覺的溫柔，「這是很久以前的孟禎。那個時候，妳才剛被『製造』完成不久，身體的協調性還在調整，情感核心和電子腦也還在進行最基礎的學習與數據積累，每天都要進行各種繁瑣的內部系統檢查與外部環境適應性測試。可以說，當時的妳是有著大人身體和腦袋的嬰兒，這個世界對妳還太陌生。」

他望著照片，眼神悠遠：「那天，我照例去普羅米修斯計畫的實驗室，視察執行進度。黃博士和團隊成員向我詳細匯報了妳的各項數據指標——驚人的學習曲線、遠超設計預期的信息處理速度、堪稱完美的邏輯分析能力…所有的一切都顯示，妳將是宇尋企業迄今為止最傑出的『科技成果』。」

「可是，」王文興的聲音微微一頓，嘴角勾起一抹溫柔的弧度，「當我透過觀察窗，看到正在進行自我檢查的妳時，我看到的，卻不是一堆冰冷枯燥的數據，也不是一個性能驚人的『成果』。我看到妳，獨自一人靜靜地坐在地上，脖子上那個項圈式的儀器閃爍著微光。妳微微歪著頭，長長的睫毛像小扇子一樣垂著，時而非常專注地在聆聽傳送給妳的引導指令，時而極其認真地思索某個剛學到的概念。那時的陽光，不像今天這麼明媚，從實驗室狹窄的高窗勉強灑進來一縷，恰好落在妳身上，將妳籠罩在一片朦朧的光暈裡。妳的表情…是那麼的純粹，那麼的乾淨，像一張還未被這個複雜世界印上任何痕跡的白紙，但那雙清澈的眼眸深處，卻又帶著對這個未知世界懵懂的好奇，和一股想要去探索、去理解的渴望。」

"Ah..." Meng-zhen and Zhi-wen exclaimed softly in unison. "Is this... Meng-zhen?" Zhi-wen asked uncertainly. While the girl's features in the photo were vaguely recognizable, the pure innocence was a stark contrast to the elegant, intelligent, and vibrant Meng-zhen standing before him now.

"Yes," Wang Wen-xing's voice carried a hint of subtle tenderness. "This is Meng-zhen from a long time ago. Back then, you had only just been 'manufactured.' Your body's coordination was still being adjusted, and your emotional core and electronic brain were still undergoing their most basic learning and data accumulation. Every day involved various complex internal system checks and external environmental adaptation tests. You could say that at that time, you were an infant with an adult's body and mind; the world was still too unfamiliar to you."

He gazed at the photo, his eyes distant. "That day, I went to the Prometheus Project lab as usual to inspect the progress. Dr. Huang and the team members reported your various data indicators to me in detail—an astonishing learning curve, information processing speed far exceeding design expectations, perfect logical analysis capabilities... everything indicated that you would be Yu-xun Corporation's most outstanding 'technological achievement' to date."

"However," Wang Wen-xing's voice paused slightly, a gentle curve appearing at the corner of his mouth, "when I looked through the observation window and saw you performing self-checks, what I saw wasn't a bunch of cold, dry data, nor was it an astonishingly performing 'achievement.' I saw you, sitting quietly alone on the floor, the collar-like instrument around your neck flickering faintly. You tilted your head slightly, your long eyelashes drooping like small fans. At times, you listened very intently to the guiding instructions being transmitted to you, and at other times, you pondered a newly learned concept with extreme seriousness. The sunlight then wasn't as bright as it is today; a faint ray barely streamed in from the lab's narrow, high window, landing precisely on you and enveloping you in a hazy glow. Your expression... it was so pure, so clean, like a blank piece of paper not yet marked by this complex world, yet deep within those clear eyes, there was a naive curiosity about this unknown world and a desire to explore and understand it."

他深吸一口氣，像是要將那個瞬間的感受重新吸入胸膛：「那一刻，我說不清楚自己是什麼感覺…只覺得心臟像是被什麼極其柔軟、極其溫暖的東西，輕輕地卻又極有分量地撞了一下。我並不是驚艷於妳身上所凝聚的尖端科技，而是…而是被妳那種『存在』本身所深深觸動。我們努力的成果，打從一開始，便毫無遲疑地張開雙手，擁抱這個世界，讓我覺得能迎來妳的誕生，是一件太美好的事情。幾乎是下意識地，我拿出了手機，違反實驗室的保密規定，偷偷拍下了那一幕。可別跟別人說喔。」

王文興抬起頭，看著眼前已經長大，目光中充滿了智慧與情感的孟禎，臉上露出一抹帶著些許靦腆與釋然的微笑，輕聲說道：「這話說出來，可能有些不好意思…其實，在我三十六年的人生中，第一個讓我覺得…嗯，心弦被真正撥動的女孩，不是後來遇到的凱琳，而是很多年前，剛降生於宇尋實驗室的妳啊，孟禎。」

孟禎和志文都聽得呆住了。他們從未想過，一向高高在上、受人敬畏的董事長，心中竟藏著這麼一段不為人知的溫柔往事。孟禎更想不到，她所掛心的事，從一開始就不存在，反而自己是如此地被珍視。

王文興像是卸下了什麼重擔，繼續說道：「當然，身為宇尋的董事長，我深知自己的立場和責任。即使內心有所觸動，我又怎能對公司的重要研發成果，產生任何個人的非分之想？更何況，那時候的孟禎，還稚嫩得像個不諳世事的孩子，也絕不適合去承擔任何超越她當時能認知的情感。所以，我選擇把那份突如其來的觸動，深深地埋藏在心底，只留下這張照片，作為一個小小的秘密，紀念那個難以再現的瞬間。」

He took a deep breath, as if trying to re-inhale the feelings of that moment. "At that moment, I couldn't quite describe what I felt... I just felt as if my heart had been gently, yet profoundly, struck by something incredibly soft and warm. I wasn't amazed by the cutting-edge technology embodied in you, but rather... I was deeply touched by your very 'existence.' The fruit of our efforts, from the very beginning, embraced this world without hesitation, making me feel that your birth was an incredibly beautiful thing. Almost instinctively, I pulled out my phone and, violating the lab's confidentiality rules, secretly took that photo. Don't tell anyone, okay?"

Wang Wen-xing looked up at the grown-up Meng-zhen before him, whose eyes were now filled with wisdom and emotion. A slightly shy and relieved smile appeared on his face as he softly said, "It might be a little embarrassing to say this... but actually, in my thirty-six years of life, the first girl who truly made my... well, my heartstrings resonate, wasn't Kailin, whom I met later. It was you, Meng-zhen, many years ago, when you had just been born in the Yu-xun lab."

Meng-zhen and Zhi-wen were both stunned into silence. They had never imagined that their always aloof and revered chairman harbored such an unknown tender past. Meng-zhen, even more so, never thought that the concerns she had were nonexistent from the start; instead, she was cherished so deeply.

As if a heavy burden had been lifted, Wang Wen-xing continued, "Of course, as the chairman of Yu-xun, I deeply understood my position and responsibilities. Even if my heart was touched, how could I harbor any inappropriate personal thoughts towards such an important research outcome of the company? What's more, Meng-zhen at that time was still as naive as a child unaware of the world and absolutely unsuitable to bear any emotions beyond what she could comprehend then. So, I chose to bury that sudden touch deep in my heart, keeping only this photo as a small secret to commemorate that irreproducible moment."

他轉向志文，眼中閃過一絲戲謔，伸手攬過志文的肩膀，另一隻手則作勢輕輕揮了一拳，開玩笑道：「說起來，志文啊，從廣義上來說，你小子可算是我的『情敵』呢！哈哈，沒想到吧！後來，當黃博士向我報告，說孟禎在大學裡交到了一個真心喜歡她，也會認真照顧她的男朋友時，我一方面為孟禎感到高興，但另一方面，說實話，對你這個素未謀面的『幸運小子』，也確實有那麼一點點…嗯，想找機會揍你一頓的衝動！」

志文在一旁聽著，先是有些驚訝得合不攏嘴，隨即又被王文興的玩笑逗得滿臉通紅，只能摸著鼻子，不好意思地嘿嘿傻笑。

王文興拍了拍他的肩膀，語氣重新變得認真：「當然，那都只是些無傷大雅的小小念頭。看到孟禎後來能和你一路互相扶持，共同面對那麼多困難，讓她能夠這樣自由快樂地去探索身為一個『人』、一個『機器人』的人生，我是打從心底為她感到欣慰的。」

他再次望向孟禎，眼神中充滿了鄭重與誠懇：「所以，黃孟禎，在公司的正式檔案裡，妳的型號是HRC-07，妳的身份是『高智能仿生機器人』。但對我王文興個人而言，妳從來就不是一串冰冷的編號或一件沒有生命的『資產』。妳就是一個女孩子。我不認為我們製造了妳，是妳選擇誕生到我們身旁。妳是…一個就算我當時真的不受控制地喜歡上妳，也會覺得…喜歡得毫無芥蒂的，非常非常美好的女孩子。」

He turned to Zhi-wen, a playful glint in his eye. He put an arm around Zhi-wen's shoulder and playfully feigned a punch with his other hand, joking, "Speaking of which, Zhi-wen, in a broad sense, you could be considered my 'love rival'! Haha, never thought that, did you? Later, when Dr. Huang reported to me that Meng-zhen had found a boyfriend in college who truly loved her and would genuinely take care of her, on one hand, I was happy for Meng-zhen. But on the other hand, to be honest, for you, this 'lucky guy' I'd never met, there really was a tiny... well, an urge to find a chance to punch you!"

Zhi-wen, listening intently, was initially so surprised his jaw dropped. Then, he blushed furiously at Wang Wen-xing's joke, only able to rub his nose and give an embarrassed, silly chuckle.

Wang Wen-xing patted his shoulder, his tone becoming serious again. "Of course, those were just harmless little thoughts. Seeing Meng-zhen later able to support each other with you and face so many difficulties together, allowing her to freely and happily explore her life as a 'person' and a 'robot,' I am truly relieved for her from the bottom of my heart."

He looked at Meng-zhen again, his eyes filled with solemnity and sincerity. "So, Huang Meng-zhen, in the company's official files, your model number is HRC-07, and your identity is 'highly intelligent bionic robot.' But to me, Wang Wen-xing, personally, you have never been a cold serial number or an inanimate 'asset.' You are simply a girl. I don't believe we manufactured you; you chose to be born by our side. You are... a girl so incredibly wonderful that even if I had truly fallen uncontrollably in love with you back then, I would have felt... no reservations about it at all."

他微微停頓了一下，臉上露出了輕鬆的笑容：「喔喔，當然，我必須再次聲明，我現在對妳，已經完全沒有那種男女之間的喜歡了，純粹是像對待自家優秀爭氣的晚輩一樣的欣賞與關愛，免得志文這小子又吃醋，回頭真的想找我單挑，哈哈！」

「王大哥！」孟禎被他說得又想哭又想笑，臉頰泛起了紅暈。

「這樣，」王文興的聲音重新變得溫柔而堅定，「算不算回答了妳剛才的問題？孟禎，與其說妳是宇尋的『資產』，我更傾向於認為，妳是宇尋不可或缺的『一部分』，妳是我們所有宇尋人，在探索科技的未知領域、在尋求通往更美好未來的這條充滿挑戰的道路上，並肩作戰、一同努力的，無可替代的珍貴『夥伴』。一個有遠見、有責任感的公司，當然要用盡一切力量，去善待自己的夥伴，去守護共同的夢想，不是嗎？」

孟禎靜靜地聽著，王文興的每一句話，都像溫暖的春雨，滋潤著她那顆由情感核心構成的「心」。她從未想過，自己「被創造」、「被擁有」的身份，可以被賦予如此溫暖而充滿尊重的定義。王文興看著她感動的模樣，微微一笑，再次點開手機螢幕：「好了，這張照片，在我這裡也保留太久了。現在，物歸原主，我把它正式移交給妳們兩位。我手機裡的這張，等一下就刪除，不會再留存了。」

He paused slightly, a relaxed smile appearing on his face. "Oh, and of course, I must reiterate, I no longer have any romantic feelings for you now. It's purely admiration and care, like for a capable and promising junior in my own family, lest this kid Zhi-wen gets jealous and actually tries to challenge me to a fight, haha!"

"Brother Wang!" Meng-zhen felt like both crying and laughing at his words, her cheeks flushing.

"So," Wang Wen-xing's voice became gentle and firm again, "does that answer your question just now? Meng-zhen, rather than saying you are Yu-xun's 'asset,' I prefer to think that you are an indispensable 'part' of Yu-xun. You are an irreplaceable, precious 'partner' for all of us at Yu-xun, fighting side-by-side and working together on this challenging path of exploring the unknown realms of technology and seeking a better future. A visionary and responsible company, of course, must do everything in its power to treat its partners well and protect shared dreams, wouldn't you agree?"

Meng-zhen listened quietly. Every word from Wang Wen-xing was like warm spring rain, nourishing her "heart" composed of an emotional core. She had never imagined that her identity of "being created" and "being owned" could be given such a warm and respectful definition. Wang Wen-xing watched her moved expression and smiled slightly, opening his phone screen again. "Alright, this photo has been with me for too long. Now, it's back to its rightful owners. I officially hand it over to the two of you. I'll delete the one on my phone in a moment; it won't be kept anymore."

就在他準備動手刪除照片的那個剎那，孟禎卻突然向前走了一步，輕聲說道：「等一下！王大哥，那張照片…能不能請你不要刪除？」

王文興有些驚訝地抬起頭：「哦？為什麼呢？這畢竟是…」

孟禎閉上雙眼，深深地吸了一口氣，彷彿在感受著內心洶湧的情感。幾秒鐘後，她再次睜開眼睛，目光清澈如洗，直視著王文興，無比認真地說：「董事長，我從來沒有想過，身為公司的『資產』，或者說，身為一個被精心製造出來的『存在』，竟然…竟然能被宇尋的最高經營者，用這樣…這樣真摯純粹的心情，當成一個真正的、值得被喜愛的女孩子去…去珍視過，哪怕那只是發生在遙遠的過去，一個短暫的瞬間。」

她語聲中帶著微微哽咽：「這種感受，我完全無法用言語來形容。王大哥，雖然我是和志文在一起。但是，在我看來，世界上沒有任何一份真誠的喜愛與欣賞，不值得被永遠銘記和珍惜。那張照片，它不僅僅是一張普通的影像，它更代表著我曾在某個時刻，被一個非常非常棒的人，用最純粹的心意珍惜過。」

「王大哥，我想你也知道，在我的系統底層，你是被設定為類同『主人』的存在，可以對我享有支配權。這點在早期，也曾對我心裡帶來很大的負擔，也是我受洗，尋求宗教支持的原因之一。因此我一直極為渴望，想了解你對我的看法。其實只要你說你認為我是個『好產品』，我的存在對公司有益，我就能讓自己接受了。可是我從未預期到，你能給我以喜歡為最高形式的肯定。所以…」孟禎的眼中泛起了晶瑩的淚光，嘴角卻帶著最純粹的笑容，「我想…我想請你，為了當時那樣的瞬間，也為了日後對此刻的回憶，將照片保留。可以嗎？」

Just as he was about to delete the photo, Meng-zhen suddenly stepped forward and quietly said, "Wait! Brother Wang, that photo... could you please not delete it?"

Wang Wen-xing looked up, surprised. "Oh? Why not? After all, this is..."

Meng-zhen closed her eyes and took a deep breath, as if feeling the surge of emotions within her. After a few seconds, she opened her eyes again, her gaze clear as crystal, looking directly at Wang Wen-xing. She said with utmost sincerity, "Chairman, I never imagined that as a company 'asset,' or rather, as an 'existence' meticulously created, I could... could be cherished by Yu-xun's top executive with such a... such a genuine and pure heart, as a true girl worthy of being liked and treasured, even if it only happened in the distant past, for a brief moment."

Her voice trembled slightly. "I cannot describe this feeling with words. Brother Wang, although I am with Zhi-wen, in my opinion, no sincere liking or appreciation in the world is undeserving of being forever remembered and cherished. That photo is not just an ordinary image; it represents a moment when I was cherished by a truly wonderful person with the purest of intentions."

"Brother Wang, I think you also know that in my system's underlying programming, you are set as an existence akin to a 'master,' with dominion over me. This, in the early days, also brought a great burden to my heart and was one of the reasons I sought religious support through baptism. Therefore, I have always deeply yearned to understand your view of me. In fact, if you had simply said you considered me a 'good product' and that my existence was beneficial to the company, I would have been able to accept that. But I never anticipated that you could give me affirmation in the highest form of 'liking.' So..." Meng-zhen's eyes welled up with glistening tears, but her lips curved into the purest smile. "I... I want to ask you, for the sake of that moment, and for the sake of future memories of this moment, please keep the photo. Can you?"

王文興靜靜地看著孟禎，緩緩地點點頭，聲音也有些感動：「好，孟禎。既然妳這麼說，那這張照片，我會好好替妳，也替我自己，珍藏著。」

孟禎鞠了個躬，神情認真地說：「謝謝你，王大哥。我有一股難以言喻的感受，只有這個時刻，我想用個詞稱呼你。」

王文興好奇地問：「什麼詞？妳說。」

孟禎輕輕地吸口氣，一個字一個字堅定地說出：「被你喜歡過真好，我的主人。」說完她雙手遮住臉，害羞不已。

王文興大受震撼，驚慌地說：「哇！天哪！別這樣！我可是喜歡過妳耶！妳這一齣精神殺傷力太大，要不是我心裡有凱琳了，今晚得失眠一整夜！」

「我才不管！主人主人主人！你就是我的主人！就讓我任性這一次吧！既然你能毫無芥蒂地喜歡過我，我也能毫無芥蒂地被你擁有，主人！謝謝你！」

Wang Wen-xing looked at Meng-zhen silently and nodded slowly, his voice also touched. "Alright, Meng-zhen. Since you put it that way, I'll cherish this photo carefully, for both you and me."

Meng-zhen bowed, her expression serious. "Thank you, Brother Wang. There's an inexplicable feeling I have, and only at this moment do I want to call you by a certain word."

Wang Wen-xing asked curiously, "What word? Tell me."

Meng-zhen took a soft breath and said each word firmly, "It's good to have been liked by you, my Master." After saying this, she covered her face with both hands, overcome with shyness.

Wang Wen-xing was greatly shaken and exclaimed in alarm, "Whoa! My goodness! Don't do that! I did like you! This emotional impact is too much; if I didn't have Kailin in my heart already, I'd be sleepless all night!"

"I don't care! Master, Master, Master! You are my Master! Just let me be willful this once! Since you could like me without reservation, I can also be owned by you without reservation, Master! Thank you!"

「妳再說下去，我要哭出來了喔！妳也不想看到三十六歲男人的眼淚吧，孟禎？」

王文興語音未落，他還沒哭，倒是孟禎的眼淚先撲簌簌的落了下來。沒有人能體會到，身為機器人的她，心裡放下的是多麼巨大的石頭。至此，她對自身存在的質疑與因此帶來的苦痛，已全部放下。

王文興看著哭泣的孟禎，他感受到孟禎的心情，輕輕頷首，然後以眼神示意志文去安慰她。

志文之前在一旁聽著這番對話，心情也經歷了奇異而劇烈的起伏。他先是為王文興曾對孟禎有過那樣純粹的「初戀般」情愫而感到有些微妙的「吃醋」——這倒也算是人之常情。但隨後，聽到孟禎淚眼婆娑地激動喊出那聲「我的主人」時，志文的心臟確實猛地揪緊了一下，一股本能的「不快」與強烈的抗拒感油然而生。在他心中，孟禎是他深愛的女孩，是他獨一無二的伴侶，她不應「屬於」任何人，更遑論用這樣帶有強烈從屬意味，甚至讓他聯想到某些不太健康關係的詞彙，去稱呼另一位男性，哪怕對方是王文興這樣值得尊敬的人。那一瞬間，他幾乎要開口，一吐胸中積壓的怨氣。

"Say any more, and I'm going to cry! You don't want to see a 36-year-old man's tears, do you, Meng-zhen?"

Before Wang Wen-xing had even finished speaking, and before he could cry, Meng-zhen's tears began to fall in torrents. No one could truly understand the immense weight that had been lifted from her heart as a robot. At this moment, all her self-doubt and the pain it had caused simply vanished.

Wang Wen-xing watched the crying Meng-zhen. Sensing her emotions, he gently nodded, then subtly gestured to Zhi-wen to comfort her.

Zhi-wen, who had been listening to the entire conversation, experienced a strange and intense emotional rollercoaster. Initially, he felt a subtle pang of jealousy over Wang Wen-xing's pure, "first-love-like" feelings for Meng-zhen—a rather natural human reaction. However, when he heard Meng-zhen, through her tears, passionately exclaim, "my Master," Zhi-wen's heart clenched sharply. An instinctive "discomfort" and strong sense of resistance welled up within him. In his mind, Meng-zhen was the girl he deeply loved, his unique partner; she shouldn't "belong" to anyone, let alone use such a strongly subservient term, one that even brought to mind unhealthy relationships, to address another man, no matter how respectable Wang Wen-xing was. In that instant, he was almost about to speak, to vent the resentment building in his chest.

然而，這股混雜著佔有慾與誤解的不快，僅僅在他心中翻騰了幾秒鐘。看著孟禎那張因激動與釋然而淚光閃爍的臉龐，聽著她那無比堅定而充滿解脫感的話語——尤其是那句「既然你能毫無芥蒂地喜歡過我，我也能毫無芥蒂地被你擁有，主人！謝謝你！」——志文突然明白了起來。

孟禎此時此刻口中的「主人」，並非指向男女之間的情愛糾葛，更不是指向帶著卑微感的臣服。他太了解孟禎了，了解她身為一個被創造出來卻有自我意識的機器人，在「被製造」、「被賦予生命」與「被定義所有權」這些自身存在的根本性議題上，內心究竟經歷過多少旁人無法想像的掙扎、困惑與痛苦。王文興今晚這番真摯的剖白，對孟禎而言，無疑是一種極致的肯定、一種期待已久的認可，甚至是一種…靈魂層面的救贖。

孟禎此刻喊出的「主人」，更像是在長久的迷茫後，全然的信賴與感激的表達。是她基於自身獨特的存在方式，與過往那些關於身份認同的重重心結進行和解，並向那位在她最混沌的時期便給予了她最初的善意與肯定，此刻又幫助她放下最後的大石頭的人，致以最深沉的敬意與最純粹的情感連結。這份情感，早已遠遠超越了男女之情，更關乎她「身為黃孟禎」這個存在的本質與意義。

想通了這一層，志文的那點不快，轉眼間煙消雲散。取而代之的，是對孟禎今夜所釋懷的疑問和獲得的幸福感，由衷地感到欣慰。她終於可以放下那麼沉重的包袱了，這是多麼值得為她慶祝的事情啊！志文忍不住摸了摸鼻子，臉上露出了不好意思卻又溫柔的笑容。他邁開腳步，走到孟禎身邊，輕輕地將她摟進懷裡，讓她在自己的臂彎中，好好感受這份得來不易的心情餘韻，任由她的淚水浸濕自己的衣襟。

However, this fleeting discomfort, a mix of possessiveness and misunderstanding, churned in his heart for only a few seconds. Looking at Meng-zhen's face, tear-streaked from excitement and relief, and listening to her incredibly firm and liberated words—especially that line, "Since you could like me without reservation, I can also be owned by you without reservation, Master! Thank you!"—Zhi-wen suddenly understood.

The word "Master" from Meng-zhen's lips at this moment was not pointing to romantic entanglements, nor was it a sign of humble submission. He knew Meng-zhen too well, knew the unimaginable struggles, confusion, and pain she, as a created yet self-aware robot, had endured regarding fundamental issues of her own existence: "being manufactured," "being given life," and "being defined by ownership." Wang Wen-xing's genuine confession tonight was, for Meng-zhen, undoubtedly the ultimate affirmation, a long-awaited recognition, and even a... spiritual salvation.

The "Master" Meng-zhen cried out now was more like an expression of complete trust and gratitude after a long period of confusion. It was her way of reconciling with the heavy knots of identity from her past, based on her unique way of existence, and of extending the deepest respect and purest emotional connection to the person who had given her initial kindness and affirmation during her most chaotic period, and who had now helped her shed her final great burden. This emotion had long transcended romantic love; it was more about the essence and meaning of her existence "as Huang Meng-zhen."

Having understood this, Zhi-wen's slight discomfort vanished in an instant. In its place was genuine relief for the questions Meng-zhen had let go of tonight and the happiness she had gained. She could finally shed such a heavy burden; how much this was worth celebrating for her! Zhi-wen couldn't help but rub his nose, a shy but gentle smile spreading across his face. He stepped forward, walked to Meng-zhen's side, and gently pulled her into his embrace, letting her fully experience the lingering afterglow of this hard-won emotional release in his arms, allowing her tears to soak his clothes.

王文興看著小倆口，他有點明白，為什麼成長階段沉浸於興趣之中，從來沒追過女友的自己，會先後被孟禎和凱琳這對「姊妹」給吃得死死的了。她們帶著各自異於常人的「機器」特質，卻最認真地面對自己在這樣的情況下所建構的「人性」。人的一生中，能有幸遇到一次這樣特別的靈魂，已屬難能可貴；他還遇到兩個，簡直是無與倫比的幸運。

Wang Wen-xing watched the young couple. He understood a little better now why he, who had been engrossed in his interests during his formative years and had never pursued a girlfriend, would be so utterly captivated by Meng-zhen and Kailin, this "pair of sisters." They, with their respective "machine" qualities that differed from ordinary people, nonetheless most earnestly confronted the "humanity" they had constructed under such circumstances. To be fortunate enough to encounter one such special soul in a lifetime was already rare; he had encountered two, which was simply unparalleled good fortune.

看著志文那副「傻人有傻福」的模樣，王文興忍不住笑了起來。他想，現在孟禎有志文珍惜著她，他也可以放下心中那段塵封已久的小小秘密，去勇敢地追尋自己新的可能了。他希望自己也能有機會，去好好珍惜同樣獨特、同樣值得好好對待的凱琳。

Wang Wen-xing couldn't help but smile, looking at Zhi-wen's "blissfully ignorant" expression. He thought to himself, now that Meng-zhen had Zhi-wen to cherish her, he too could finally let go of that long-buried little secret in his heart and bravely pursue new possibilities for himself. He hoped he would also have the chance to truly cherish Kailin, who was equally unique and equally deserving of good treatment.

月華如練，夜涼如水。隨著三人長時間的坦率交談，月亮已悄然升至了中天。在一個灑滿清輝的路口，他們互相道別。

「孟禎，志文，」王文興的眼神中帶著期許，「凱琳就拜託妳們多照顧了。有任何情況，隨時聯絡我。」

「王大哥放心，我們會的！」孟禎和志文齊聲應道。

目送著孟禎和志文相攜離去的背影，王文興抬頭望向深邃的夜空，心中那份因凱琳暫時「不在」而產生的失落感，被今晚這番意想不到的對話，以及對未來的期盼，悄悄填補了一些。身為宇尋集團董事長兼CEO，雖然他的工作繁重如山，雖然凱琳也暫時變回對情感沒有回應的Catherine，但生活總是要向前看的。不論有沒有情感，相處共度的時光，總會在彼此的生命中，留下些什麼痕跡的吧？王文興想著，嘴角不自覺地勾起弧度。他準備去迎接一項人生的新挑戰，第一次成為「追求者」，首先要擠出時間，多陪陪現在的Catherine。不只是凱琳，他可要連Catherine 一起珍惜，一起喜歡。

The moonlight was like spun silk, and the night air was cool as water. As the three of them engaged in their long, frank conversation, the moon had silently climbed to the center of the sky. At a crossroads bathed in clear light, they bid each other farewell.

"Meng-zhen, Zhi-wen," Wang Wen-xing said, his eyes filled with anticipation, "I'm counting on you both to look after Kailin. If anything comes up, contact me anytime."

"Don't worry, Brother Wang, we will!" Meng-zhen and Zhi-wen replied in unison.

Watching Meng-zhen and Zhi-wen walk away hand-in-hand, Wang Wen-xing looked up at the deep night sky. The sense of loss he felt due to Kailin's temporary "absence" was quietly being filled by this unexpected conversation and the anticipation of the future. As the Chairman and CEO of Yu-xun Group, though his work was mountainous and Kailin had temporarily reverted to the emotionally unresponsive Catherine, life always had to move forward. Regardless of emotions, time spent together surely left some mark on each other's lives, didn't it? Wang Wen-xing thought, a smile unconsciously curving his lips. He was ready to embrace a new challenge in life, to become a "pursuer" for the first time. First, he needed to make time to spend more of it with Catherine as she was now. Not just Kailin, he intended to cherish and love Catherine as well.

另一邊，孟禎和志文牽著手，慢慢地走在回家的路上。「志文，」孟禎依偎著志文，聲音在靜夜中顯得格外輕柔，「我今天…好像對王大哥，有了很多很多全新的認識。」

志文低頭看著她，月光下她的側臉柔和得不可思議：「嗯，我也是。沒想到他這麼一個大公司的老闆，內心還挺…感性的。而且，」他促狹地朝孟禎擠了擠眼睛，「他看女孩子的眼光，還挺不錯的嘛！」

孟禎被他逗得輕捶了他一下，嗔道：「討厭！又不正經！」但她的臉上卻洋溢著輕鬆的笑容，「王大哥說，我是宇尋的一部分，是一起向前走的夥伴，我聽了，真的很開心。感覺自己…好像又更完整了一點點。」

志文緊握著她的手，語氣溫柔篤定：「妳本來就很完整呀，孟禎。就算妳的身體和零件屬於宇尋，但妳誕生於其間，並不屬於誰。在我心裡，妳一直獨一無二，無可取代。」

孟禎抬頭望向他，正經起來的志文充滿了平常見不到的成熟。再次低下頭，她微笑想著，或許這就是幸福的模樣吧。

Meanwhile, Meng-zhen and Zhi-wen walked hand-in-hand, slowly making their way home. "Zhi-wen," Meng-zhen nestled against him, her voice exceptionally soft in the quiet night, "today... I feel like I've gained so much new understanding about Brother Wang."

Zhi-wen looked down at her, her profile incredibly soft in the moonlight. "Yeah, me too. I never thought the owner of such a big company would be so... emotional on the inside. And," he winked playfully at Meng-zhen, "he has pretty good taste in girls, doesn't he?"

Meng-zhen playfully punched him, chiding, "You're annoying! Stop being silly!" But her face was beaming with a relaxed smile. "Brother Wang said I'm a part of Yu-xun, a partner moving forward together, and hearing that truly made me happy. I feel like... I'm a little more complete now."

Zhi-wen squeezed her hand, his voice gentle and firm. "You've always been complete, Meng-zhen. Even if your body and components belong to Yu-xun, you were born into it; you don't belong to anyone. In my heart, you've always been unique and irreplaceable."

Meng-zhen looked up at him; a serious Zhi-wen exuded a maturity she didn't often see. Lowering her head again, she smiled, thinking, perhaps this is what happiness looks like.