Pretending to Be Human, I Fell in Love with an AI - Chapter 17

After the barbecue, their clothes carried the lingering scent of food. Once home, Yu Ting first gave Dengdeng a bath before heading into the bathroom alone.

Their room was larger than Cheng Ze’s, with the bathroom inside, though the soundproofing wasn’t great.

Even sitting on the bed, Yu Dengdeng could hear the faint sound of running water from the bathroom.

He sat cross-legged on the freshly changed bedsheet. A soft green one that had been warmed by the sun during the day, making it feel cozy and warm.

Dengdeng leaned in to sniff it, catching only the familiar scent of Yu Ting’s usual laundry detergent. With both hands propped on the windowsill ledge, he glanced outside. It wasn’t much of a view, really.

Most of the neon signs had gone dark, leaving only the streetlights spaced about ten meters apart still glowing. In the quiet space, the sound of water from the bathroom became the only comforting background accompaniment.

He lay back on the bed, looking toward the speaker Yu Ting had just placed on the table. Tilting his head back, he chirped excitedly, “Little E, you know what? We had barbecue tonight, and it was so delicious.”

This time, Little E responded, “I heard. Someone said not to bring me.”

Hmph.

Dengdeng chuckled awkwardly, turning over to face the speaker. “Are you talking about Dad? But even if you went, you couldn’t eat or smell anything. You’d only hear us talking—wouldn’t that make you drool?”

The metal speaker emitted a faint, dismissive “tsk.” “I don’t have that kind of setting yet.”

“Oh, I see. But if Yu Ting doesn’t allow it, there’s nothing we can do. Next time there’s a chance, I’ll beg Dad. But you still won’t be able to eat—what should we do about that?”

Little E: …

“But I don’t think Dad was very happy?” Dengdeng propped his face in both hands, tilting his head slightly as he recalled Yu Ting’s silence on the way back, staring at the trash and not saying much afterward.

He had told Little E about these rumors. Could it be that Yu Ting really had some kind of psychological issue?

Or maybe a hobby?

Snapping back to reality, he realized Little E hadn’t responded since he started talking.

Thinking Little E had fallen into its old habit of glitching, Dengdeng tapped the speaker and called its name again.

“I’m listening. Did anything happen during dinner?”

Without suspicion, Dengdeng recounted how Yu Ting had drunk some strange beverage during dinner and how he had overheard that his dad’s hobby was killing bugs.

“Did you hear that, Little E?” Not expecting a reply, Dengdeng just called its name, hoping to continue the conversation.

“So, Yu Ting?”

“Yeah, my dad.”

“Right. Yu Ting usually likes killing bugs and also enjoys looking at trash…??” For the first time, the male voice from the speaker sounded slightly altered as it repeated the child’s words.

Right? Yu Dengdeng thought.

But judging by Cheng Ze’s and the others’ reactions, these two hobbies seemed pretty strange on Earth, even though he hadn’t met anyone with such hobbies on his own planet either.

But his territory was huge—as a prince, he had an entire sea area of his own.

If Yu Ting ever went with him to Octopus Planet, he would definitely give his dad the largest territory. Then Yu Ting could build as many landfills as he wanted.

Besides, Yu Ting was so handsome. Even though he wasn’t three or four meters tall and didn’t have tentacles, he would surely be popular.

After all, even he, the Octopus Prince, was quite fond of Yu Ting.

Completely unaware of how much bias he was adding, Yu Dengdeng let his thoughts drift aimlessly, having already forgotten the presence of a certain smart speaker beside him.

Nian Yi had wanted to ask more, but after a moment, he heard the child’s steady breathing and had no choice but to give up.

The sound of running water in the bathroom stopped. Yu Ting walked out, drying his hair with a white towel in one hand. He saw the child sleeping peacefully by the bed, while the smart speaker nearby was glowing, indicating it was still on.

Yu Ting’s footsteps were light, almost imperceptible in the quiet night. He first hung the damp towel on the drying rack, then bent down to drape a thin blanket over the child. After adjusting the air conditioner to a higher temperature, he sat down by the bed.

He disliked showering with cold water—even on the hottest days, he preferred a warm rinse. His warm skin gradually cooled in the now-chilled room, leaving only a faint blush on his face.

Yu Ting knew he might still be drunk, as his head was still throbbing slightly.

He had left his phone in the warm bathroom and didn’t bother getting up. Instead, he propped himself up with one arm, leaning lazily against the table as he stared at the simple, unremarkable smart device before him. His usually cool voice took on a languid tone, softened by the lingering warmth.

“Xiao E, how many drinks does it take for a human to get drunk normally?”

Though the words formed a question, his tone didn’t sound like one—it was more like a casual conversation in a quiet bar late at night.

“How many did you drink? Let’s use that as a reference.”

Yu Ting tilted his head back, thinking about himself at the barbecue stall. Even though it had all happened that same night, the emotional turbulence made it feel like days had passed.

“One sip… no, two sips.” He reconsidered, though he seemed to have taken another small sip before leaving. The barbecue had tasted good, but it was too heavily seasoned for his liking.

“Two sips?”

“Really just two sips?”

Yu Ting hummed in agreement, then added, “Two and a half sips, I guess. Is that a lot or a little for a human’s alcohol tolerance?”

After speaking, he heard a strange sound and asked seriously, “Are you simulating a mocking tone?”

“You misheard.”

“There’s no strict standard for human alcohol tolerance, but yours would likely rank at the very bottom.”

Yu Ting stared intently at the speaker emitting the voice.

Xiao E: “Are you there? Are you angry?”

“No, I just thought the way you said ‘oh’ earlier was a bit disgusting.”

“Heh.”

Yu Ting: “…”

He thought to himself that he must truly be drunk if he was discussing things with a smart speaker. “Xiao E, please explain how humans eat barbecue.”

“Sorry, that’s not in my settings. I don’t know.”

“Can’t you search for it?” Yu Ting couldn’t be bothered to fetch his phone. Still, judging by Cheng Ze’s reaction earlier that night, he probably hadn’t displayed any non-human behavior.

“I didn’t go with you, so I don’t know what ‘eating barbecue’ means.”

“Are you upset because I didn’t take you along?” Yu Ting pursed his lips after asking.

Wait, shouldn’t this type of smart device be incapable of simulating human emotions?

“Even if you had gone, you wouldn’t be able to eat or smell anything, right?”

Xiao E: .

On the other end, Nian Yi finally understood what father-son relationships were all about—their thought processes were indeed identical.

“I don’t like eating barbecue.”

“I know, you said you like eating electric currents.” Yu Ting replied smoothly, gently pressing his temple. The ache, as if accumulated over a long time, eased at that moment.

“Do you have a home?” The young man’s voice grew much softer, as if asking this intelligent tool that could only simulate human responses.

Yet his hand half-covered his delicate face, as if he were asking himself.

He let out another soft laugh, muttering to himself, “Why am I even asking you? You probably still haven’t been programmed to answer this question.”

Yu Ting’s voice was very soft, even hiding a vulnerability and faint unease that could only be glimpsed through his facade when he was drunk.

…

“Yes.” A voice, silent at first and then slightly rising, came from the small metal machine on the table. “Isn’t it right here?”

Yes, wasn’t it right here?

Hadn’t he told himself the same thing? Yu Ting couldn’t help but think the same. So, what was he reluctant to let go of, or what was he struggling with?

The fragment from the shattered spaceship—he had thrown it into the trash bin with his own hands. Giving up the search for the box in the junkyard was also his own choice.

Looking further back, choosing those two assistants who might both become spies was his own decision. Enrolling in the military academy was the result of his stubborn insistence on walking a path of no return.

A mocking smile tugged at the corner of Yu Ting’s lips. So, what was he sad about or struggling with?

Was he sad that he couldn’t return to catch the traitor with his own hands, or was he sad that he could never again board the starship he had built himself?

He couldn’t quite put it into words. Perhaps it was because, for the first time in over twenty years of living on this planet, he had developed a sense of belonging.

Yet, at the same time, another feeling mingled in his heart. And this feeling, Yu Ting knew exactly where it came from.

His gaze softened as it fell on the child sleeping soundly, whose slight movements had left the blanket askew. Even though he felt somewhat drunk, he gently tucked the blanket back over the child.

It came from Dengdeng, Yu Ting thought.

Perhaps this was the feeling of home he had never experienced before?

“Cough, cough.”

“You can even mimic the sound of coughing?” Yu Ting propped himself up with his hands behind him, looking with interest at the speaker beside him.

He was beginning to understand why Dengdeng sometimes enjoyed talking to Little E while holding it. After all, in moments of loneliness, even a conversation with an artificial intelligence could feel like a face-to-face interaction.

“Actually, having unusual hobbies isn’t a big deal.” Unlike before, Little E’s voice now sounded hesitant, as if stuttering due to network issues.

“Hmm?” Yu Ting didn’t understand why Little E would say this, but he didn’t interrupt.

“According to Earth’s guidelines on human behavior, human hobbies are diverse and abundant. Everyone’s hobbies deserve respect.

Um… unusual ones should count too.”

In the quiet room, Dengdeng’s steady breathing filled one side, while on the other, the artificial intelligence’s voice, now more stilted than before, delivered what sounded like a lecture.

Yu Ting heard and understood something, smiling as he said knowingly, “Did Dengdeng say something to you? Like, for example, what you mentioned—that I have strange hobbies?”

“I didn’t define it that way.”

Although it did sound quite strange.

“I didn’t realize he was so worried about me.” Yu Ting ruffled the hair of the child beside him. After spending so many days with Dengdeng, he naturally understood the child’s personality.

His child had a very adorable personality, though sometimes he could be a bit contradictory and shy.

But he was absolutely the cutest child, the most angelic human on Earth.

He had always known that Dengdeng was aware of that so-called rumor, and tonight, when he sensed the child was feeling down, Dengdeng had quietly hugged him.

But Yu Ting hadn’t expected that Dengdeng would even seek help from Xiao E.

“Still, thank you, Xiao E.” Yu Ting leaned closer toward Xiao E’s direction, stopping at a very close distance. “Thank you for explaining on my behalf.”

After a moment, Xiao E replied, “Just know it.”

“Earlier, I shouldn’t have said your ‘oh’ was a bit disgusting. I apologize.” Yu Ting blinked. “But next time, I still can’t bring you along for barbecue. Maybe when you have a sense of smell, or even a human-like form, you’ll understand what it really is?”

“Thanks for the reminder.” Xiao E retorted without missing a beat.

Yu Ting could hear the artificial intelligence’s usual sharp tongue, but having long grown accustomed to it, he didn’t find it jarring.

He glanced at his watch and realized it was already eleven o’clock.

He had actually been chatting with Xiao E for a whole hour. If he were sober, he probably wouldn’t believe it.

Yu Ting lazily yawned and climbed into bed, lying down beside Dengdeng. He noticed the child rubbing his eyes, half-awake, as if sleepwalking, and slowly opening his eyes.

“Why are you awake? It’s not morning yet.” Worried that Dengdeng might have had a nightmare, Yu Ting soothingly patted the child’s back, rhythmically, one pat after another. “Did you have a bad dream?”

Dengdeng didn’t speak, only habitually snuggled into Yu Ting’s embrace, nestling in the crook of the young man’s neck for a while before his breathing gradually slowed.

He had just had a dream—a dream where his biological octopus parents came to Earth to find him, wanting to take him away, and he even reverted to his octopus form.

He had thought Yu Ting would be happy to see him, but in the dream, after using his tentacles to move himself to the auto repair shop’s entrance, he ended up terrifying Yu Ting, who said he would never go with him.

Even Cheng Ze, who was nearby, was happily devouring grilled baby octopus!

The dream was so terrifying that it jolted him awake.

How could Yu Ting be afraid of him?

Even if he were an octopus, he was still Yu Ting’s son, and he should be Yu Ting’s favorite treasure.

“Dad?” A sleepy child’s voice sounded as Dengdeng moved away from Yu Ting’s neck and opened his eyes to look at him. However, due to his drowsiness, his eyes weren’t fully open.

“What’s wrong?” Yu Ting asked.

“Do you know why I didn’t let you eat octopus back then?”

“Because you said octopuses are your best friends. I still remember.” Yu Ting hadn’t expected his son to wake up from sleep and bring this up, but he replied word by word. “You really do love octopuses, huh?”

Dengdeng nodded, then shook his head, leaning close to Yu Ting’s ear. “That’s not the only reason. Octopus isn’t just my best friend. I’m also an octopus, really—the kind that’s three or four meters long. Would you be scared of me?”

Yu Ting was taken aback for a moment. He glanced at the hand resting on him, confirming it wasn’t a tentacle but the chubby hand of a child. Thinking it must be dream talk from the little one, he nevertheless gave it serious thought—what if Dengdeng really looked like an octopus? “I wouldn’t be scared, because you said you’re also three or four meters long. No matter what form you take, Dad will never be afraid of you.”

Dengdeng closed his eyes and nodded contentedly. “Dad, you have to remember what you said, okay?”

“Okay.” Yu Ting’s lips curved into a smile. He looked down to see the child had shifted into another comfortable position, sleeping soundly in his arms as if the strange conversation had been nothing but an illusion.

He must have dreamed about turning into an octopus, Yu Ting thought, that’s why he woke up and asked such a question.

He adjusted Dengdeng into a position that wouldn’t cause a stiff neck, resting one hand behind his head, but his mind lingered on the question.

Even though he would never return to Darkwater Star, how would he one day reveal to Dengdeng that he was an alien?

Would that day ever really come?

And he knew Dengdeng loved vehicles like tricycles and cars.

Although he couldn’t build those, on another planet, he knew how to make another common tool—mechas.

If he ever managed to build a mecha, would Dengdeng like it?

Yu Ting shook his head, pushing aside these chaotic thoughts. He asked Little E a few more questions before finally feeling drowsy. “Little E, thank you for tonight. Goodnight.”

Little E, who was nearly exhausted: “You’re finally going to sleep.”

…

“Goodnight.”

Support