“Zhang Zhenyuan!” Mrs. Zhang exclaimed as she walked into the house, Dongyu following behind her. “You are in serious trouble!”
“Whoa, what’s going on?” Mr. Zhang who had just returned from his fishing trip and was now sitting in front of the television asked her. Zhenyuan was sitting on one of the couches in the living room away from his father.
“Your stupid son was having an affair with the boy Dongyu liked! I think this boy was two-timing Zhenyuan and Dongyu, and Zhenyuan knew that but he decided to ignore it!”
“Were you people dumb to not see that there was something going on between Zhenyuan and that boy?” Mr. Zhang asked.
Everyone looked at him curiously, including Zhenyuan who was looking down at his feet the whole time.
“Yeah,” Mr. Zhang continued. “First of all, he just brought this guy into the house and they were sharing a room. And didn’t you notice how they looked at each other?”
“Honey what is wrong with you?” Mrs. Zhang put her hands on her waist angrily. “So you let that happen and didn’t say anything? You didn’t consider the fact that Dongyu will be heartbroken?!”
“These kids are growing up, I thought they could handle it on their own. I guess not.” he shrugged.
“This is serious!” Mrs. Zhang looked back at Zhenyuan. “How could you do that to your sister!? If you’re gay, I don’t have a problem with that, but you don’t steal your sister’s potential boyfriend! It’s wrong!”
“Actually,” Zhenyuan finally spoke. “There’s something else I have to admit. I’m sorry for what I did to Dongyu but…there was really a misunderstanding. Please let me explain.” he turned to his sister. “Dongyu, please.”
“Fine.” she answered after a while.
Mrs. Zhang and Dongyu joined Mr. Zhang on the couch.
“Yaxuan…he isn’t human.” he started. “You noticed how much he looked like Xuan? Yeah I built him, and I wanted him to look that way.”
The rest of the family members looked at him with curiosity and surprise.
“He’s a robot. I wanted him to be like Xuan at first, but then…I decided to make him someone who could fall in love with Dongyu and love her forever, because I was sad every time I heard that someone broke her heart again. But there was a glitch, so he fell in love with me instead.” Tears filled Zhenyuan’s eyes. “And I couldn’t help it because he looked and acted so much like Xuan.”
“Zhenyuan,” Mrs. Zhang said after a while, once she had recollected herself. “It seems you had good intentions but…creating a replica of someone who died is almost like trying to create life. It’s morally wrong, so wrong. And Mr. and Mrs. Song would be so hurt if they heard that you’ve dishonored their son like that.”
“And you made me fall in love with a robot!? Are you sick!?” Dongyu screamed.
“I was trying to help.” Zhenyuan defended himself.
“By making me like a robot!? Robots don’t even feel emotions! And oh, the robot is an imitation of your best friend. You’re disgusting.” she got up from the couch.
“Dongyu calm down.” Mrs. Zhang told her, but Dongyu was already running towards the stairs to her room.
“I was really trying to help.” Zhenyuan said to his parents.
“Honey, I know. You’ve always wanted to find creative and technological results to issues.” Mrs. Zhang said to him. “I know you love your sister and you really did it for her, but not everyone thinks like you. But creating a humanlike robot is very wrong okay? Where is it?”
“I don’t know.” Zhenyuan shook his head.
“You have to find it, and find a way to shut it down. It shouldn’t exist,” Mrs. Zhang shook her head. “Please find it before Mr. and Mrs. Song find it.”
Zhenyuan looked at his mother painfully and nodded.