Chapter 159: Awakening of Consciousness (16)

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

After a while, Jin Xiangdong let go of Lu Jia’er. She was embarrassed to find Jason here as well. “Jason!” She greeted him in a gentle voice.

“Professor Lu!” Jason replied with a smile.

“Let’s go back to my place. Jason, you take my car.” With that said, Jin Xiangdong tossed his car keys to Jason.

Jin Xiangdong put his arm around Lu Jia’er as they walked to her Cayenne while Jason turned around to drive Jin Xiangdong’s Maybach.

Up until they got into the car, Lu Jia’er hadn’t spoken at all. The shock was clearly still affecting her. Noticing her silence, Jin Xiangdong took her hand with his own. The warmth from his big hand spread to the back of her hand. Lu Jia’er turned to gaze at him. The expression in Jin Xiangdong’s eyes had calmed her down a bit.

Jin Xiangdong started the car and drove out of the parking lot.

It was quiet in the car. Lu Jia’er stared at Jin Xiangdong’s hand which was still over hers. A moment later, Lu Jia’er began to talk, “I am sorry that I made you worry!”

Jin Xiangdong, who had his eyes on the road, turned his head a bit and tightened his grip.

“Does Jason know about me?” Lu Jia’er inquired in a soft voice.

“Yes.” Jin Xiangdong nodded.

“Well... then you know that Su Han is like me?” Lu Jia’er mentioned.

“Yes.” Jin Xiangdong replied.

“Who else knows about this?” This was a follow-up question from Lu Jia’er.

“Only the two of us, as of now.” Jin Xiangdong stated.

“Nobody on your team has doubts or sensed anything?” Lu Jia’er wondered.

“It was baffling to them that you had quit all of a sudden. But they were more concerned about our relationship than anything else.” Jin Xiangdong stated.

Lu Jia’er could understand that. The team was made up of boys majoring in science and engineering. They were all quite practical doers and had been staying away from snooping into others’ business. Besides, though she would not go so far as to call people nowadays indifferent, people generally would only hoe their own potatoes.

The next second, Lu Jia’er felt a rush of more complicated emotions. “Will the two of you be in danger?”

“Jason and I will not be in danger according to the current situation.” Jin Xiangdong comforted her.

“Why is that?” Lu Jia’er was puzzled.

“I believe that Ian leaving so suddenly was because the team behind all this didn’t want him to reveal everything.” Jin Xiangdong shared his analysis.

“Why is that?” Lu Jia’er asked the same question again.

“They are afraid that he will interfere with the awakening of your consciousness.” Jin Xiangdong explained.

Lu Jia’er blinked. “Oh, I see!”

Jin Xiangdong turned towards her again. “Jia’er, I know that, deep inside, you have not accepted this fact completely. But no matter what happens, I will be by your side.”

Hearing this, Lu Jia’er glued her eyes on Jin Xiangdong. Then, she slowly moved over and rested her head on his shoulder.

“Don’t be afraid.” Jin Xiangdong consoled her in a gentle voice.

Lu Jia’er would be lying if she said she was not afraid. Finding out that she was an AI implied that she understood all her actions could be manipulated. She had to do whatever they wanted her to do and she would have no decision-making power. How terrible that was!

Lu Jia’er curled up her body a bit. “I don’t know how to face it!”

“I know.” Jin Xiangdong said in a low voice

“What will happen next?” Lu Jia’er was seized with confusion.

“Do you really want my advice?” Jin Xiangdong asked.

“Yeah.” Lu Jia’er responded.

“Cross that bridge when you come to it.” Jin Xiangdong used a simple saying.

Lu Jia’er looked up as Jin Xiangdong continued, “As a matter of fact, I am struggling inside as well.”

Lu Jia’er misinterpreted his words. “Anyone that has to deal with this will be struggling. After all, dating between a human and a robot is against ethics!”

“That is not what I am struggling with.” Jin Xiangdong explained.

“Then what is it?” Lu Jia’er was confused.

“On one hand, I want you to continue to be the person you are now. On the other hand, I look forward to when your consciousness can awaken!” Jin Xiangdong told her what was really on his mind.

Lu Jia’er was surprised. “Looking forward to it?”

“Once you achieve a breakthrough in your self-awareness, you will no longer be limited.” Jin Xiangdong said as he tried to spell out the pros and cons.

Hearing his words, Lu Jia’er added, “But it poses great danger at the same time.”

Jin Xiangdong could not deny how clever Lu Jia’er was. “Maybe, it is possible I am overthinking this.”

Lu Jia’er moved back to her seat. “No matter how unwilling I am, I will not run away. Just like you said, I will cross that bridge when I come to it.”

Jin Xiangdong cast another glance to Lu Jia’er and tightened his grip on her hand. “Don’t remember that I will be with you through everything.”

Lu Jia’er must admit that she was touched by those words. In the meantime, she began to feel anxiety creeping up on her.

Back at Jin Xiangdong’s place.

Jin Xiangdong helped Lu Jia’er settle down and went into the study.

Jason was sitting in the study. The first words he said when he saw Jin Xiangdong come in were, “Have you come up with a good plan?”

“Do you have any advice?” While saying so, Jin Xiangdong walked to his desk and after he pulled out the chair, he sat down.

“Why did you bring Professor Lu here if you don’t have a plan?” Jason exclaimed.

“What else should I do?” Jin Xiangdong replied with a question.

“I see that you are deep in love!” Jason heaved a sigh with emotion.

Jin Xiangdong paid no attention to his comment as he continued speaking. “There is one thing I am sure of, she was a human being.”

“How do you know?” Jason asked with confusion. “Maybe, she was manufactured or a clone!”

Jin Xiangdong denied the idea. “There is no switch on her.”

historical

Jason stared at Jin Xiangdong. “Did you find out yourself or did Professor Lu tell you this?”

Jin Xiangdong knew that, while Jason liked to gossip, he would keep this matter strictly confidential even if he was told the truth on this front.

“I found that out myself.” Jin Xiangdong gave an honest reply.

Jason’s eyes flickered. “Did... did you and Professor Lu do that?”

Jin Xiangdong threw him a look. “Even if we did, that is my business alone.”

Those words almost made Jason fall out of his chair in shock. “You... you really did that with her?”

Jin Xiangdong turned a deaf ear and continued, “Based on Ian’s reaction, I think there is more to it than meets the eye. He is deeply attached to Jia’er and is very likely that he is her old boyfriend!”

“Wait a minute. Tell me the truth. Did you have sex with her?” Jason would not let this go.

“Do you have a problem with that?” Jin Xiangdong asked in reply.

Jason was surprised. “No, I don’t have a problem with it. But...”

Jin Xiangdong interrupted him. “Jason, that is my private life!”

“I know that this is your private life! But for now, I find it hard to accept!” Jason tried to defend himself.

Jin Xiangdong objected. “I am a man and she is a woman!”

Jason blinked. “Are you saying that Professor Lu is a combination of human being and machine?”

“It is possible!” Jin Xiangdong agreed.

“A combination of human being and machine! Isn’t this a story told by conspiracy theorists?” Jason stated.

“But I think this project is still under development.” Jin Xiangdong voiced his view.

“I do want to meet the team behind this and see how they are combining human beings and machines.” Jason said.

Jin Xiangdong cast a glance at him. “For now, I will let Jia’er live here. Can you help me with signal isolation?”

“Do you mean signal isolation around your house?” Jason asked, squinting.

“What do you think?” Jin Xiangdong asked.

“That is worth a try!” Jason supported Jin Xiangdong’s idea. “That being said, I don’t think it will be useful! If, like you said, Professor Lu is an advanced AI, then the matter now is to find the chip.”

There must be a chip that was running all the programs in AI. But that was exactly what was baffling Jin Xiangdong. There was nothing that stood out in Lu Jia’er’s past physical examinations.

“The chip.” Jin Xiangdong mumbled those two words.

Jason looked at him. “The chip is the critical point.”

“Jia’er did a brain CT a while back. Nothing stood out.” Jin Xiangdong said.

“Then what about the other places?” Jason wondered.

“She had a general physical check-up when she was in that car accident.” Jin Xiangdong replied.

“That is odd!” Jason squinted.

“Maybe, there is another possibility.” Jin Xiangdong said.

Jason looked into his eyes and sensed what Jin Xiangdong was thinking. “Are you saying that the system at the hospital was hacked when the exam was performed?”

“That is the only explanation that makes sense.” Jin Xiangdong said.

Jason threw up his arms. “If that is the case, then we cannot solve the problem, can we?”

Jin Xiangdong frowned. It would appear so. The background program had a clear grasp of all actions taken by Lu Jia’er. How to circumvent this problem was of utmost urgency.

“Let’s try signal isolation first!” Jin Xiangdong insisted.

“Okay. I will take care of it.” Jason accepted the responsibility.

“Thank you.” Jin Xiangdong said.

Jason smiled. “You are very welcome.”

Jin Xiangdong grinned. All of a sudden, Jason moved in close. “Well.... when you were together, did you feel like you were with a normal girl?”

Jin Xiangdong rolled his eyes at Jason’s question when he heard this.

Jason was unwilling to let the matter go even if Jin Xiangdong did honor that question with an answer. “Can you just let me know a little?”

Jin Xiangdong glared at him. Then, some unnatural rosy color crept onto that handsome face. Jason grinned a meaningful grin at this. “Are you telling me that this was your first time?”