Pretending to Be Human, I Fell in Love with an AI - Chapter 7

Yu Dengdeng sat on a stool, holding a paper cup in his hands. The warmth of the water seeped through the thin paper wall into his palms, and the cozy sensation, combined with the medicine he had just taken, made him drowsy.

He silently yawned and continued watching Yu Ting.

The young man was bent over, intently pulling on a pair of black leather gloves before sliding under the car that needed repairs.

So, what exactly had Cheng Qiang been trying to say earlier?

Yu Dengdeng couldn’t help but wonder curiously. And it seemed everyone outside already knew about it.

Cheng Qiang’s expression had been off when he left the sentence unfinished—clearly, he had felt a sudden surge of fear in that moment.

Although Yu Dengdeng hadn’t sensed any danger in Yu Ting’s expression.

Because when he had turned his head, Yu Ting had glanced at him too. To him, it was no different from usual, just tinged with a hint of concern.

He definitely couldn’t ask Yu Ting about this!

He’d have to find another way.

As the child pondered, his gaze gradually grew vacant, and the cup in his hand tilted unconsciously. Water spilled onto the floor with a soft, flowing sound.

Yu Ting, who had been multitasking, heard the noise and immediately slid out from under the car, propping himself up on his elbows. Seeing the scene before him, he couldn’t help but curve his lips into a slight smile.

He then tilted his head, using his teeth to tug off the clean edge of one glove, removed the other, and tossed them aside. Walking over, he gently took the cup from Yu Dengdeng’s hand.

“Huh?” Yu Dengdeng looked at the young man who had just been in his thoughts and was now right in front of him, letting out a soft gasp. Only then did he realize he had spaced out while pondering the question.

“Are you sleepy?” Yu Ting asked. “Go upstairs and rest for a while.”

The first floor only had three rooms in total.

The front was for car repairs, while the back housed Cheng Qiang’s office, a storage room for spare parts, and not a single place to rest.

When Yu Ting had picked up the prescription, the doctor had mentioned that the medicine might cause drowsiness, and besides, sleep was good for recovery anyway.

So he went to wash his hands at the sink, shook off the water droplets, and walked back over. “Should I carry you upstairs, or do you want to walk up yourself?”

Yu Dengdeng wanted to say he wasn’t sleepy, or that he just wanted to sit there and watch Yu Ting work on the car.

But before he could say anything, he couldn’t hold back another huge yawn.

Yu Ting: 0.0

Yu Ting: …

Yu Ting sighed helplessly, first reaching out to touch the child’s forehead—his temperature had returned to normal.

He bent down and picked up Dengdeng, who had already spread his arms open after hearing his words. “Let’s go, a nap will help. Do you feel stronger now?”

Nestled in the familiar embrace, resting his head on the accustomed shoulder, Yu Ting had already grown quite skilled at adjusting his position in Yu Ting’s arms. He nodded, mumbling, “Much better.”

“Take the medicine again in four hours,” Yu Ting said. “What would you like for lunch? I’ll buy it when you wake up.”

The young man’s voice was cool, carrying a sense of distance, but to Yu Dengdeng’s ears, it sounded like the most soothing lullaby.

His eyelids drooped, and his voice grew softer as he asked, “What’s available?”

The diet of octopuses on Octopus Planet was the same as that of their ancient counterparts—eating small fish and crabs every day, and spending the rest of their time sunbathing.

And Yu Ting, on Darkwater Star, was no different, if not even more so.

As a general, he spent nearly a dozen hours each day in the military camp. Unless his deputy brought him food, he would simply drink nutrient supplements to stave off hunger.

Since coming to Earth, he had eaten more meals in this one week than he had in the several years he spent in the military camp.

“There’s rice, noodles, fried rice…” Recalling Cheng Ze mentioning “Crazy Thursday” the other day, Yu Ting thought of “hamburgers,” but considering Dengdeng’s still-ailing health, he didn’t voice it. “There’s a lot more. We’ll go explore together once you’re better.”

“Okay~” Yu Dengdeng replied, drawing out the word.

Yu Ting carried Dengdeng upstairs and opened the bedroom door.

Sunlight filtered through the curtains, scattering small patches of light across the light green bedsheet. The air carried an indescribable scent—fresh and pleasant, yet drowsy.

Yu Ting bent down to place Dengdeng on the bed, pulled back the covers, and watched as the child obediently settled in before tucking him under a lighter blanket. His voice was gentle. “Sleep for now.”

The blanket, warmed by the sun, felt cozy and just the right temperature.

Satisfied and lazy, Yu Dengdeng instinctively narrowed his eyes and looked up at Yu Ting, who was gazing down at him. “Aren’t you going to rest too, Dad?”

From the moment he fell ill until their return, Dengdeng knew Yu Ting hadn’t rested for even a minute.

Not to mention he had just overheard—no, openly listened to—the conversation between the boss and Yu Ting!

It was blatant exploitation!

Since there were no customers downstairs anyway, why not stay and nap with him?

The more he thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed. Dengdeng blinked and continued watching Yu Ting.

Dengdeng’s eyes, an intense shade of black, always seemed exceptionally bright when he looked at others—sincere and innocent.

Yu Ting felt both helpless and amused, thinking this child truly knew how to handle him.

“Alright, I’ll go lock the door downstairs.” Yu Ting ruffled his hair and stood up. The child’s expression instantly shifted, nodding eagerly like a pecking chick, his face full of anticipation.

Yu Ting chuckled softly, closed the door, and headed back upstairs.

He had assumed Dengdeng would fall asleep during this time, especially since he had seemed so drowsy when carried upstairs.

But to his surprise, as soon as he opened the door, Dengdeng’s gaze immediately fixed on him.

He was still awake.

“Not sleepy yet?” Yu Ting sat by the bed.

Dengdeng eagerly scooted closer to the wall to make room for him, then turned to look at him and shook his head. “Not sleepy.”

He knew that if he fell asleep, Yu Ting would definitely go back downstairs to work, so he absolutely refused to sleep.

A child’s thoughts were much easier to read than an adult’s—their joys, anger, and mischief all displayed plainly on their faces.

Yu Ting simply reached over to tuck Dengdeng in. “Sleep. I’ll stay with you.”

As if to prove his words, Yu Ting lay down beside him.

Yu Dengdeng didn’t speak, still gazing sideways at the person lying next to him.

As the Octopus Prince, he had his own territory from birth, which meant he had almost never slept alongside anyone else, nor had he ever woken up to see someone’s profile beside him.

But now…

He looked at the young man lying quietly beside him—his long eyelashes, the curve of his eyes visible even from the side, his lips slightly pursed.

He was human, yet not just human.

It was still his human father.

And all of this had happened in less than two days.

Falling to Earth, being picked up by Yu Ting, falling ill and staying in the hospital, and now both he and his father—a noble octopus prince and an Earthling—were quietly lying on the sun-scented, pale green bedsheets in an unknown small city on Earth.

It was truly magical, Yu Dengdeng thought with a sense of wonder.

Five minutes.

Ten minutes.

…

That gaze gradually weakened… weakened, until it disappeared entirely. The heavy breathing caused by illness also gradually grew shallower. Only then did Yu Ting slowly turn his head to look at the little one beside him.

Only ten minutes had passed since he had come upstairs, and Dengdeng beside him had already fallen asleep.

Because he was lying on his side, the flesh of one cheek was squeezed between his face and the pillow. It was hard to say whether it was comfortable or not, but he looked like he was sleeping soundly.

Yu Ting’s hand almost reached the child’s shoulder before he withdrew the motion.

Forget it, he had finally fallen asleep.

He tucked the blanket in again, put on his shoes, and went downstairs.

Actually, Dengdeng had guessed correctly, except he had underestimated his own desire to sleep.

Yu Ting pushed open the shop door and walked to the table. He deftly put on his gloves, picked up the jack nearby, and crawled back under the car, focusing intently on the unfinished work before him.

In fact, contrary to what Cheng Qiang and Dengdeng might have thought, Yu Ting still liked this job.

Perhaps because when he immersed himself in this work, it always reminded him of the days spent repairing mechas at the military academy.

Thinking of this, he stopped his movements, relaxed his body, and lay down on the mat spread out on the floor for the task. Through the gap beneath the car, he looked outside.

He hadn’t found the box yesterday.

Today was his eighth day on Earth, and there was only one day left before the box would completely disappear.

If he couldn’t find the box tomorrow, the possibility of him returning to Darkwater Star was almost zero.

He had considered the possibility that his team members would try their best to search for him. After all, the soldiers in his unit had been handpicked by him from the start and had followed him in battles against the insectoids across the galaxy.

But in recent years, ever since the King of the Federal Empire fell ill, the upper echelons of the empire had been embroiled in constant power struggles among the nobility.

Yu Ting, who came from the slums and had an overly clean background, had always been a target for both the royal family and the nobility, with attempts at marriage alliances and bribery almost never ceasing.

However, Yu Ting’s temperament was too cold, and he remained loyal only to the empire.

After hitting this hard wall a few times, the nobility realized that Yu Ting was truly not someone they could win over. Some gave up, while others directly regarded Yu Ting as an enemy.

Before every mission, Yu Ting would inspect the spacecraft. For this mission to eliminate the insectoids, due to an urgent matter, Yu Ting had entrusted it to his two deputies. What happened afterward was already known.

The moment the spacecraft’s signal was lost, Yu Ting realized it was the work of those people, but he was unwilling to suspect his two deputies.

One of them would share stories about his daughter’s daily life, while the other was a classmate who had walked out of the military academy alongside Yu Ting.

No matter which one it was, the outcome would not be something he wanted to see. So much so that before Dengdeng appeared, Yu Ting wasn’t even sure if he truly wanted to return.

Was his desire to go back driven by concern for his team members, or by the need to uncover the traitor? Or perhaps it was both? Even Yu Ting himself couldn’t say for sure.

But after Dengdeng came into his life, another possibility emerged.

He pulled his thoughts back, shifting his gaze from outside the car to inside, completing the final step.

Just as he crawled out from under the car, he saw an elderly man crossing the street and walking in.

It was Uncle Liu, who ran the breakfast cart.

“Xiao Yu.” Seeing the busy figure, Uncle Liu quickened his pace and waved a hand in greeting. “Busy?”

“Not too bad. Not much work today.” Yu Ting tossed his gloves onto a chair, washed his hands, and looked at the old man circling the cars without saying a word.

After walking around the vehicles a few times and mentally comparing them, feeling none were particularly good cars, Uncle Liu pursed his lips before turning his attention to Yu Ting.

“I came to ask about that part. Do you have anything suitable? I was too busy yesterday and forgot to come by.”

Yu Ting: “Yes.”

Yesterday, while tidying the warehouse, he had sorted out a batch of tricycle parts and batteries to be sold at a low price. Most were still usable, though some, due to age, might consume too much power.

He fetched three from the warehouse, placed them on the table, and briefly explained their general condition.

“These are second-hand? How long will they last? Might they not be durable?” Uncle Liu frowned, poking at the battery in front of him. At his age, he considered not just the price but also the value—finding the greatest convenience at the lowest cost. “How many days can one charge last?”

“If used daily, it needs charging every two days,” Yu Ting replied, knowing the old man only shuttled between two fixed spots for breakfast and lunch. “If you’re just switching between two locations like you do, it can last four or five days per charge.”

Uncle Liu took a dissatisfied breath and looked at the other batteries.

Yu Ting knew the old man would need more time to pick, so he didn’t disturb him. Instead, he turned to another unfinished list from yesterday, checking the quantities of car parts.

“What about this one?” Uncle Liu pointed at a brand-new battery.

Yu Ting: “This one is more expensive. Eight hundred.”

Seeing Uncle Liu turn to other items, he went back to the list.

Uncle Liu stared at the batteries with dissatisfaction—none seemed to meet his standards. The distinct, dragging footsteps of an old man echoed noticeably on the concrete floor.

Yu Ting paused, glanced down at the floor, and realized he had indeed closed the door when he came downstairs before resuming his check.

“Xiao Yu, do you know there’s a night market festival on our street tonight?”

Finding neither cheap nor suitable options, the old man switched topics, sitting on an empty chair and looking at Yu Ting, who stood tall and straight behind the counter.

Yu Ting looked up, “”

Seeing the young man finally show curiosity, Uncle Liu felt inexplicably proud. “I saw it on my way here. It’s at the north entrance of Zhengyang Street. They’re setting up tents, and there are even those bumper cars for kids. Not sure if they’ll make any money, though.”

“I see.” Yu Ting nodded in understanding.

“You should go check it out. Don’t always stay in the shop. Honestly, Cheng Qiang too—he never leaves the mahjong parlor at Liu Zi’s place, spending as much as he earns. Who knows how much he’ll save by the time he’s old.”

After instinctively lecturing a bit, Uncle Liu realized it wasn’t quite appropriate to speak this way in someone else’s place. He coughed a few times and changed the subject.

“Xiao Yu, Uncle Liu is giving you sincere advice. When you’re young and full of energy, save up as much money as you can. Don’t regret it when you’re old. If I had been rich when I was young, I definitely wouldn’t be waking up early every day now.”

Knowing the old man meant well, Yu Ting’s lips curved into a smile. “Alright, I’ll definitely remember that.”

“Ah, that’s good. Young people these days never want to listen to their elders. They just don’t understand that we’ve walked this path before.”

Uncle Liu snorted. “Exactly, Xiao Yu. You should go out and explore in the evenings when you have time.”

Zhengyang Street was rundown and narrow, so anything that happened was known by everyone within a few hundred meters. The news that Cheng Qiang from the auto repair shop had hired an employee with mental issues but who was willing to work hard had already spread everywhere. Uncle Liu was among the first to hear about it.

Yu Ting had been buying breakfast from him for a few days. Although they hadn’t talked much, Uncle Liu could sense that Yu Ting was somewhat different from the rumors. For one, at first glance, the young man just seemed exceptionally proper, nothing like someone with mental problems.

But after seeing Yu Ting come out of the junkyard once and recalling the rumors, Uncle Liu had wondered what kind of illness could produce such an effect.

This time, when he came to the shop and saw Yu Ting, Uncle Liu thought of the night market. The underlying message was clear: stop hanging around that junkyard of yours and go see other places.

“Alright, I’ll go check it out tonight.” Whatever the old man’s intentions were, Yu Ting nodded cheerfully and accepted the suggestion.

“Daddy?” A childish voice tinged with confusion rang out. Yu Dengdeng, who had woken up and realized Yu Ting wasn’t in bed, had quickly put on his shoes and run out. He now stood on the stairs, looking down at the two people below.

Yu Ting and an unfamiliar old man.

“Xiao Yu, this… this?” Uncle Liu, who had been about to leave, stared incredulously at the child on the stairs, even pointing a disbelieving finger. “You have a son??”

That couldn’t be right. None of the neighbors on Zhengyang Street had mentioned Yu Ting having a child. Wasn’t he single?

Yu Ting glanced up at the clock. It was one in the afternoon, meaning Dengdeng had slept for two hours. He seemed to have slept well.

“Mhm,” Yu Ting replied, then looked at Yu Dengdeng. He walked closer, reached out, and guided the child down the stairs step by step. “Not sleeping anymore?”

Yu Dengdeng shook his head, looking curiously at the old man who was staring intently at him. There was no malice in the gaze, but it held a strong emotion.

Later, after living on Earth for a long time, Yu Dengdeng would come to understand that it was pure, gossip-fueled curiosity.

But at this moment, he just thought the person was strange.

“Daddy?” So, he naturally called out to Yu Ting again.

“This is Grandpa Liu, who sells breakfast. He often sells food at the street corner.” Yu Ting thought for a moment, then added, “His fried dough sticks are delicious.”

“Fried dough sticks?” Yu Dengdeng looked up at his father. Fried dough sticks? What were those?

Yu Ting said, “Tomorrow morning, I’ll take you to try them.”

Yu Dengdeng replied, “Okay.”

Seeing the “suddenly appearing” father and son chatting, Uncle Liu quickly smiled and chimed in, “Just call me Grandpa Liu. Your dad buys fried dough sticks from me every morning. But I’ve never seen you before. How old are you, little one? What’s your name?”

“My name is Yu Dengdeng, and I’m six years old.” Hearing that Yu Ting often ate breakfast at this place, Yu Dengdeng’s fondness for this Grandpa Liu instantly increased by 5 points, prompting him to answer the question proactively for the first time.

Yu Ting was somewhat surprised but also felt a sudden sense of relief upon hearing the child’s answer, as if Dengdeng had grown a few more years in his heart.

“Six years old, huh?” Uncle Liu responded with a kind, cheerful smile, while his mind raced to calculate Yu Ting’s age when he had the child—he must have been around twenty or twenty-one years old.

So young, and he hadn’t heard anything about it.

He glanced at the child again, who seemed a bit shy, standing slightly behind Yu Ting and curiously observing him. The boy had a lively, robust appearance and looked perfectly healthy.

Yes, upon hearing the child call him “Dad,” Uncle Liu immediately thought of this issue, and his sympathy for Yu Ting grew even more genuine this time.

“Tomorrow, have your dad bring you here for some fried dough sticks. Grandpa will treat you.” The elderly man had a natural kindness toward children, and Uncle Liu, whose own children were all working away from home, was no exception.

“Thank you, Grandpa.” Sensing the other’s curiosity, Yu Dengdeng flashed a bright smile, his dimples deepening with the curve of his lips, looking utterly adorable and harmless.

“It’s nothing.” Uncle Liu waved his hand dismissively. “I was just telling your dad that there’s a night market festival tonight. Have him take you there to stroll around and enjoy the lively atmosphere.”

Night market festival?

It sounded like a lot of fun.

“Okay!” Yu Dengdeng agreed, not knowing whether Yu Ting wanted to go, but he accepted on his behalf anyway.

Deeply aware of how clever his child was, Yu Ting didn’t need to guess what he was thinking. He turned to the old man and said, “Uncle Liu, I’ll look into the battery matter again. If I find something suitable, I’ll contact you.”

“Alright.” Uncle Liu nodded, emphasizing once more, “Just make it affordable, but it needs to last a long time and not wear out too quickly. I know it’s hard to find something like that, so I’ll trouble you to put in more effort, Xiao Yu. Even a second-hand one that’s just been released would work.”

Finally feeling that his request might be a bit unrealistic, the old man added another sentence.

Yu Ting understood the old man’s mindset and wasn’t surprised. “Okay.”

Meanwhile, Yu Dengdeng, listening to the departing Grandpa Liu’s requirements, couldn’t quite process them. He counted the conditions on his fingers: “Affordable, reliable, not second-hand—does such a thing really exist?”

What would that be? An octopus falling from the sky?

Do octopuses fall from the sky?

Aside from him, who had accidentally fallen, of course not!

So how could there possibly be something that meets all these conditions?

“Maybe there is.” Yu Ting thought of his original profession, his mind stirring slightly, but his attention quickly returned to the person in front of him. “Are you hungry?”

“When did you come downstairs?” Yu Dengdeng asked in return.

“After you fell asleep. Did you notice?”

“No.” Yu Dengdeng instantly puffed up with indignation. “Didn’t you say you’d sleep with me?!”

He knew Yu Ting wouldn’t actually fall asleep—he’d definitely sneak downstairs to work once he was asleep.

See, he was right!

Feeling guilty under the child’s questioning, Yu Ting awkwardly cleared his throat with a light cough. “I wasn’t tired and couldn’t sleep. Besides, working means I can buy you all the things you want to eat.”

He didn’t want to admit it, but he truly hoped the child would be a little less angry after hearing those last words.

Something to eat?!

Yu Dengdeng’s ears twitched slightly, but then he suddenly realized Yu Ting was trying to distract him.

“I don’t have that many things I want to eat!”

As an octopus, he mostly ate fish and small crabs.

“What about fries?” Yu Ting asked again.

“Fries 0.0?”

“Yes, fries, and tonight’s night market,” Yu Ting added calmly.

“Ah, in that case I should probably try some first.” Yu Dengdeng rolled her eyes, hooked her finger around Yu Ting’s, and admitted sheepishly with a pursed smile, “I really am hungry.”

Yu Ting: ^_^

Done.