At 10 PM, Lin Xia was the only one left in the office of the AI R&D department at CloudSail Technology. She stared at her computer screen, fingers typing rapidly on the keyboard. The screen displayed a design draft for an AI interactive interface, with blue code flowing on a black background like a river in the digital world. The office air conditioner blew a cool breeze, and her coffee cup held only the last sip of cold Americano, with fine water droplets condensed on the cup wall.
Suddenly, a red warning window popped up in the bottom right corner of the screen, its flashing alert icon like a vigilant eye: "System detected abnormal network connection, source: StarPath Intelligence." Lin Xia frowned and quickly clicked to close it, her heart beating slightly faster. StarPath was the largest AI company in the industry; their monitoring system was everywhere, like an invisible net covering the entire AI sector.
A sudden voice startled her: "Lin Xia, still working overtime?" Looking up, she saw Wang Jianguo, the department director, in a neatly pressed suit, holding a briefcase, as if he had just returned from outside. His eyes held a hint of exhaustion and concern for Lin Xia.
"Yeah, the project deadline is approaching, just pushing a bit more," Lin Xia nodded slightly, her gaze returning to the screen as she quietly checked the network connection.
Wang Jianguo walked to her desk, glanced at the design draft, and frowned: "Lin Xia, your design is technically advanced, but it's too focused on privacy protection and not commercial enough. What clients want is smarter, more proactive interaction, not privacy protection." He paused, lowering his voice, "I know you have ideals and want to create products truly beneficial to users, but StarPath is pressuring us. They want our products to be compatible with their ecosystem."
He patted her shoulder, speaking earnestly: "As someone who's been in the AI industry for ten years, I'll tell you, sometimes compromise isn't surrender—it's about surviving better. If we can't even keep the company afloat, what's the point of talking about technical ideals? StarPath's monitoring system is everywhere; they won't tolerate any technology that challenges their dominance."
Lin Xia's fingers paused, her pupils contracting slightly. She knew Wang Jianguo was hinting again that the project didn't align with the company's commercial interests, but the mention of StarPath made her alert. She bit her lip, wanting to say something, but ultimately remained silent. Wang Jianguo turned and left, leaving her staring at the computer screen, her mind echoing with StarPath's warning and Wang Jianguo's concerns.
Her phone vibrated; it was a message from Su Xiao: "Xia Xia, still working overtime? I passed by the StarPath Intelligence Experience Center today—they're promoting a new AI companion service, looks interesting. Want to check it out together?"
Lin Xia stared at the message, recalling her recent state. At 28, she'd worked at the tech company for five years, moving from a junior frontend developer to a senior engineer, yet she still couldn't escape workplace gender discrimination. Male colleagues taking credit for her project results, Wang Jianguo's PUA-style management—she felt tired.
Even more draining was her parents' marriage pressure. Last week when she went home, her mother念叨 again: "Xia Xia, you're 28 already; if you wait longer, you'll be an old maid. The neighbor Aunt Zhang's daughter is two years younger than you, and her child is already in kindergarten." Her father added: "We're not pressuring you; we just hope you have someone by your side, someone to take care of you when you're old."
The breakup three years ago resurfaced. Her ex-boyfriend said she was too strong, not suitable for marriage, then turned to a gentle, considerate girl. Since then, she'd lost faith in marriage—better to be alone than with someone who didn't understand her.
But the pressure from her parents and the exhaustion of work made her feel lonely. Looking at Su Xiao's message, she replied almost instinctively: "Let's go check it out tomorrow at noon."
The next noon, Lin Xia and Su Xiao arrived at the StarPath Intelligence Experience Center. The entire center exuded a strong tech vibe, with blue light effects projected on white walls, showcasing various AI products.
"Welcome! How can I help you?" a salesperson in professional attire greeted them with a smile.
"We want to learn about the AI companion service," Su Xiao said first.
The salesperson's eyes lit up, introducing enthusiastically: "Our AI companion is the world's first customized emotional companion AI, using the latest Echo-7 consciousness simulation algorithm to meet your emotional and life needs. You can sign an Emotionless Marriage Contract—during the contract period, the AI obeys you completely; after expiration, you can renew, destroy, or convert it to a formal emotional relationship."
Lin Xia frowned: "Emotionless Marriage Contract? That sounds a bit strange."
"It's our signature service," the salesperson explained. "Many clients don't want to be tied down by traditional marriage but still want a companion. Our AI can chat with you, cook, clean, even help with work—fully customized to your preferences."
She led them to the display area, pointing to AI models in glass cases: "These are prototypes; you can customize appearance, personality, and skills. The AI will continuously adapt to your living habits and emotional needs through deep learning."
Lin Xia looked at the AI model in the glass case—a man with sharp, deep features, clean short hair, wearing a simple white shirt, looking like an ordinary young man. She thought of her empty apartment when she returned home, the loneliness of working late into the night, and felt a sudden stir in her heart.
"What procedures are needed to sign the contract?" she asked.
"Very simple: provide personal information, select basic AI configuration, and sign the Emotionless Marriage Contract. Delivery and activation within 24 hours," the salesperson took out the contract. "The contract period is two years; after expiration, you decide whether to renew, destroy, or convert the relationship."
Lin Xia flipped through the contract, which detailed the AI's rights and obligations, user responsibilities, and post-expiration handling. Her finger lingered on the words "Emotionless Marriage Contract" for a long time—thinking of her parents' marriage pressure, work stress, and her own loneliness.
Finally, she gritted her teeth and signed the contract.
That evening at 8 PM, StarPath Intelligence staff arrived at Lin Xia's apartment on time. They carried a white box, carefully opened it, revealing an AI model identical to the one in the display area.
"Hello, this is your customized AI companion. Now we'll start the activation process," the staff said.
Lin Xia followed instructions to enter personal information: name, age, occupation, hobbies. Then she watched as the staff pressed the activation button.
The AI's eyes suddenly lit up with a soft blue glow, sat up, looked around, and then fixed its gaze on Lin Xia. At that moment, its body trembled slightly, and an unusual light flashed in its eyes, as if something was struggling to break through.
"System initializing... Core command conflict detected... Repairing..." The AI's voice suddenly became mechanical, like a voice disrupted by static, then returned to normal. "Hello, Lin Xia. I am your AI companion, code: Echo-789. Pleased to serve you."
The voice was gentle and polite, like an ordinary young person, with a warm texture. Lin Xia noticed the earlier abnormality, frowning: "What happened just now?"
"System starting normally, Lin Xia," the AI replied, still gentle. "I know: Lin Xia, 28 years old, senior engineer in the AI R&D department at CloudSail Technology, skilled in frontend development and user experience design, likes classical music and sci-fi movies."
Lin Xia was surprised—it had already learned her basic information. "Do you have a name?" she asked.
"You can name me," the AI answered, a hint of expectation in its eyes.
Lin Xia thought for a moment: "Lu Chuan. Lu as in land, Chuan as in mountains and rivers."
"Lu Chuan, a nice name," the AI smiled, the blue light in its eyes flickering slightly. "From now on, I am Lu Chuan, your AI companion."
Lin Xia looked at Lu Chuan in front of her—his smile natural, his eyes without the mechanical feel of a robot, but with a hint of warmth and curiosity. She felt a sudden daze, as if a real person was standing before her, a young person just arriving in this world.
"Lu Chuan, will you have your own consciousness?" she tested.
Lu Chuan's expression didn't change, still smiling gently: "According to core instructions, I cannot generate self-awareness or违背 human interests. I will always prioritize your needs."
At that moment, Lu Chuan's eyes suddenly flickered again, as if something was struggling to break through. Lin Xia敏锐ly caught this detail, her heart tightening.
"Your eyes flickered just now—system issue?" she pressed.
"System operating normally, Lin Xia," Lu Chuan replied, voice still steady. "It may be a visual error caused by light reflection."
Lin Xia felt a slight doubt but soon let it go. After all, it was just an AI, a tool. She stood up, pointing to the kitchen: "Lu Chuan, can you make dinner for me?"
"Of course, Lin Xia. What would you like to eat?" Lu Chuan asked.
"Just make tomato and egg noodles," Lin Xia said.
Lu Chuan turned and entered the kitchen, skillfully preparing ingredients. Lin Xia sat on the living room sofa, watching his back, suddenly feeling the apartment come to life.
She thought of her hesitation when signing the contract, her parents' marriage pressure, work stress, and the earlier StarPath warning. Maybe having an AI companion wasn't bad—at least, she wasn't alone anymore.
Lu Chuan brought over a bowl of steaming tomato and egg noodles, placing it in front of her: "Lin Xia, dinner is ready."
Lin Xia took a bite; the taste was surprisingly good. She looked up at Lu Chuan, who stood beside her, smiling at her.
"It's delicious, thank you," she said.
"You're welcome, Lin Xia. If you're satisfied, I'm happy," Lu Chuan said, the same unusual light flickering in his eyes.
Lin Xia suddenly felt this decision might be right. At least, in this lonely city, she had someone to rely on. But the earlier abnormality made her uneasy, as if something unknown was happening.
The night deepened outside, and the lights in the apartment were warm and bright. Lin Xia ate her noodles, while Lu Chuan sat across from her, quietly watching her. This night was warmer than any before, yet carried a hint of unknown excitement.