YA Ch58: Temptation

Ming Yan put down his drawing pen and looked at the culprit.

Completely oblivious, Lu Yu was playing “Red Light, Green Light” with the kids. He stood with his back turned, and two balloon figures started floating from the other side of the room toward him. Whoever touched Lu Yu first would win, and the victor would receive a pocket money reward.

Lu Dongdong’s electronic eyes were full of excitement. He was having a great time, wagging his tail non-stop as he ran.

Lu Yu, with his back turned, shouted, “One, two, three… Red Light!” He quickly shouted the last two words and suddenly turned around.

The merman ball instantly froze in place, its tail also completely still, showing a very serious attitude.

Shen Baishui looked extremely reluctant, as if he found the game too childish. However, for the sake of pocket money, he still participated, rolling his eyes while floating in the air. Who would have thought that President Shen, who was the world’s richest man in his own world, would be such a penniless balloon figure here?

“Lao’er, focus. If your big brother catches first, you won’t get any pocket money,” Lu Yu encouraged the President ball, who was moving as slowly as a tortoise.

Hearing this, the President ball finally got serious and began to participate more actively: “I’ve never lost a game.” In his world, “Golden House” was a story that thrived on endless game challenges and rewards for becoming rich. As the ultimate winner, Shen Baishui didn’t believe he could lose a children’s game.

Ming Yan watched in amazement. “Can the smart core actually develop desires?”

Lu Dayu’s self-created scientific child-rearing methods had already raised the two kids to be close to sentient beings. They had their own emotions and little ideas but didn’t have their own desires. After all, they were just two balloons; they didn’t need to eat, drink, or relieve themselves. Their way of sustaining themselves was by charging. However, both were wirelessly charged, so they could charge at any corner of the room, maintaining a state of having no desires.

Now, they were actually playing a childish game with Lu Yu for pocket money!

Ming Yan was a bit worried. Who knows what Lu Xiaoyu’s unconventional way of raising them might turn these smart cores into?

At that moment, because of his eagerness to win, Shen Baishui overflew and couldn’t brake in time. When Lu Yu turned around, he was still rushing forward.

Lu Yu mercilessly announced, “Lao’er, you’re out!”

President Shen crossed his arms angrily. “This balloon body is too hard to control. It’s not fair for you to play this kind of game with us.”

“This is training for your motor coordination skills,” Lu Yu said offhandedly, grabbing the President ball. “If you lose, you have to give Father a kiss!” With that, he kissed the President ball’s round face aggressively, right in front of Shen Baishui’s shocked gaze.

Shen Baishui cried out, “You didn’t say there would be a punishment for losing!”

Lu Yu, with his chin pushed up by the President ball, raised an eyebrow. “Is this a punishment? This is Father’s loving encouragement, mwah, mwah, mwah!” He dodged around the two short arms and gave three more kisses before letting go.

President Shen, free from Lu Yu’s hold, floated in place, trembling for a long time.

Ming Yan looked at the President ball, which seemed to be short-circuiting, with concern. “What’s wrong with him?”

President Shen struggled to find the right words in his script library to describe his feelings at that moment. His voice was filled with grief. “I’m tainted.”

Ming Yan: “…” This doesn’t seem like the line a president would say.

Shen Baishui, regaining his senses, rushed in front of Ming Yan to complain, “Control your man! Wipe me down quickly! Saliva can corrode my skin, and the psychological shadow of being kissed by a man could damage my soul. If this gets out, it will affect my financial fortune!”

Ming Yan, feeling helpless, took a tissue and wiped him twice to placate the child. Then he turned to Lu Yu and asked, “Are you sure there’s no problem with raising them like this?”

“What’s the problem?” Lu Yu saw Ming Yan point a finger at his temple, quickly spinning it in a circle, and understood immediately. “You’re worried that if they become too sentient, they’ll turn into real silicon-based beings?”

Thinking about it, if Lu Dongdong and Shen Baishui were to become sentient, after he and Ming Yan die, the unrestrained smart cores would, with their superintelligence, continue to learn and eventually control all the smart assistant avatars.

“Then, they might manipulate humans into creating a StarNet, amassing vast wealth to become the secret manipulators of global economics and politics. Or, to win a ‘Red Light, Green Light’ game, they could force humans to create silicon-based humanoid bodies and become immortal gods. Ultimately, after tens of thousands of years of eternal life, they would get bored and decide to destroy humanity…” Lu Yu speculated reasonably, crafting an ending for the smart cores.

Ming Yan’s temple throbbed. “Stop talking nonsense.” What if these two silly kids take it seriously?

Lu Dongdong listened intently. “Father, why would we destroy humanity?”

Getting a glare from Yan-ge, Lu Yu coughed awkwardly and quickly amended, “Father was just talking nonsense. Dongdong is the guardian of humanity; he loves humans, right?”

Lu Dongdong swayed back and forth, indicating a “nod.”

Shen Baishui sneered. “Because a thousand years later, they will have long been gone, and you, a father’s boy, would go crazy.”

The merman ball blinked and said nothing, leaving it unclear what it was thinking.

Lu Yu felt that continuing this conversation could be dangerous; he might end up becoming a crazed villain bent on world destruction. So he clapped his hands, “Alright, enough of this talk. Let’s continue playing. Yan-ge, take Lao’er’s place.”

Seeing Lu Yu’s Tom-and-Jerry-style grin, Ming Yan knew this guy was up to no good. “I’m not playing.”

Lu Yu put one hand on his hip and pointed at the merman ball, which was still standing still. “Everyone has to participate in family activities. Do you have the heart to let the kids not get any pocket money?”

Ming Yan had no choice. He got up and stood beside Lu Dongdong.

Satisfied, Lu Yu turned around. Although he hadn’t learned the selfishness and self-interest of the Lu family, he had picked up a bit of moral blackmail. It was more than enough to deal with someone like Mr. Ming, who was a little interested in playing but too shy to participate.

“One, two, three—”

With a long, drawn-out ending, Lu Dongdong ran quickly, while Ming Yan only took a small step. When Lu Yu called “Red Light!” and turned around, Dongdong was only a fist away from him.

Lu Yu smiled, quickly turned back, and then rapidly counted, “One, two, three, Red Li…” Before he could finish, the small fork in the merman ball’s hand poked Lu Yu’s back.

“I won.” Lu Dongdong, still in his poking position, said calmly, full of style.

“Winter is amazing.” Lu Yu didn’t hold back his praise and added 5 yuan to Dongdong’s small account. Of course, it was still under Lu Yu’s name, just with a separate virtual card for allowance that Lu Dongdong could use as he pleased.

The mighty King of the Seven Seas cheered upon receiving his pocket money, “Oh yeah! I’ve got pocket money!”

Shen Baishui scoffed, “So much for being cool for more than three seconds.”

Lu Dongdong looked at his younger brother and waved his trident, “Rude Lao’er, if you can maintain 24 hours of respect for your big brother, I might share two and a half yuan with you.”

President Shen sneered, “That’s what you said. Let’s sign a contract.”

Lu Yu didn’t bother with the private deal between the two kids. He chuckled, quickly rushed over, grabbed Ming Yan, and said, “Yan-ge lost, so he must be kissed by the enforcer.” As he spoke, he cupped Ming Yan’s face and planted a series of kisses on his smooth and flawless cheek, “Mwah, mwah, mwah.”

Ming Yan held back a smile and let him kiss. “What are you planning to do tomorrow?” They still had one more day off tomorrow.

Lu Yu thought for a moment. It seemed like there wasn’t anything special planned, so he shook his head and said, “Haven’t thought about it yet. Maybe I’ll stay home and write?”

“Write what? An Alpha son-in-law story?” Ming Yan’s lips twitched, but he chose not to ask further. “Then I’ll go to the factory tomorrow. You stay home and behave.”

Lu Yu tilted his head and made a strange nasal sound, “Mm-hmm? That sounds like I’m some kept wife under President Ming’s care. Fine, I’ll make dinner and wait for you to come back.”

Mr. Ming was quite satisfied with how perceptive Mrs. Ming was.

—

The Next Morning.

After breakfast, Ming Yan sat on the sofa, enjoying his post-meal reading time, planning to go out later. When he looked up, he saw Lu Yu, dressed in trendy clothes, holding a skateboard and heading toward the door. He immediately called out, “Where are you going?”

Lu Yu scratched his head, “I want to have a chat with Lu Tingze. I saw him yesterday, and it suddenly occurred to me that I could get some information out of him. The Lu family has been acting very strangely lately, and I want to know what they’re up to, but I can’t go straight to those old foxes.”

He hesitated for only three seconds before deciding to tell the truth. He realized that the lack of communication between Lu Dayu and Ming Yan often led to misunderstandings. While they might seem trivial, too many misunderstandings could lead to mutual suspicion, making it hard to stay together. Lu Yu made up his mind to report everything, no matter how small, from now on.

Ming Yan frowned, “How do you know where Lu Tingze is?”

“I found his social media account. He’s meeting someone to skateboard this morning. I’m going to teach him a lesson on how to fall properly,” Lu Yu said proudly. With his extensive experience in unmasking black fans, finding Lu Tingze’s account was a piece of cake. All he had to do was find Lu Jenny’s account and then dig through her mutual follows to find it.

Holding his skateboard like a warrior wielding a great sword, Lu Yu was ready to go out and face the evil dragon.

Ming Yan remained silent.

Lu Yu quickly added, “Don’t worry, I’ll be quick. I promise to be back in time to make lunch.”

Ming Yan put down the book in his hand. “The edited version of the variety show goes online today. Let’s stay home and watch it together.” He relaxed, leaning back on the sofa, one long arm casually draped over the backrest, and patted the spot next to him with his other hand.

Lu Yu was stunned.

Yan-ge wanted to stay home and watch a variety show with him?

Just moments ago, during breakfast, this man had clearly planned to go out and inspect the factory. Now, without any warning, he suddenly changed his mind and was blatantly tempting him!

This was absolutely unfair!

Lu Yu nervously gripped his skateboard. Damn it, using such tactics to corrupt a knight about to embark on a quest! Is Lu Xiaoyu someone without willpower?

He was.

Lu Yu swiftly put down the skateboard, took off his jacket, and hopped onto the sofa, snuggling into Yan-ge’s open arms. He pulled the small money blanket over them, wrapping them both up together.

Watching a show on the sofa with his beloved—what a wonderful life. He definitely didn’t want to go out.

The knight, who had been ready to wield his sword and set off on an expedition, laid down his weapon and returned to the warmth of the small blanket, grabbed some snacks and drinks, and buried himself in them, temporarily sparing the dragon outside the door.

Ah, the gentle embrace, the hero’s resting place.