Wen Er sat at his desk, looking at the cut and laminated illustration, feeling a little disappointed.
"I have read the incident report."
Pu Ying closed the journal and tidied up the desk: "It can be determined that this was a premeditated data theft."
He knew why Wen Er came.
The characterization of this incident not only affects the attribution of responsibility for the head of the general institute, but also the subsequent handling plan.
The nature of the data theft and damage is very serious. The Ministry of Science and the Security Department are investigating. The investigation team will not leave the main institute until a formal conclusion is reached.
If convicted of dereliction of duty, Wen Er would likely lose his positions as director and person in charge.
At this time, anyone would feel uneasy and nervous and try to use some more direct methods to get inside information in advance.
For example... taking the back door.
Pu Ying has met many people like this, so he was not surprised that Wen Er would come: "The investigation has not officially started yet. I don't have enough information to give you more answers."
“But please believe us, Director Wen, that we will maintain a sufficiently objective attitude in our ruling.”
Pu Ying: "According to regulations, we should not have private contact with the personnel of the main research institute. Please cooperate with us, Director Wen..."
Pu Ying stopped talking and said, "Director Wen?"
Wen Er turned around and raised his eyes.
Pu Ying: "What's the problem?"
Wen Er unconsciously squeezed his palm.
He couldn't even spare the energy, as he felt uncomfortable with Pu Ying's indifferent attitude towards official business as always.
He didn't pay any attention to what Pu Ying said, the photo kept flashing in front of his eyes.
It made him unable to calm down.
He was very familiar with the figure in the photo.
Even though Luo Ran is now almost completely different from the one in the photo, when Wen Er stood behind the monitor and monitored Luo Ran from a distance as he entered the electron storm countless times, he would still see the shadow of the original Luo Ran in the space and time distorted by the strong magnetic field.
…But why did Pu Ying deliberately save Luo Ran’s photo
Pu Ying knew Luo Ran? What was his relationship with Luo Ran? Did he know what he was doing with Luo Ran
Does Pu Ying know... how crazy she is doing to save him
Wen Er looked at the photo, the color hidden in his pupils kept changing.
“… Are you looking at this?”
Pu Ying noticed his gaze and asked, "Director Wen, do you know this person?"
The corner of Wen Er's eye twitched slightly.
He quickly controlled his emotions and smiled: "… just thinking about some things in the past."
"Do you remember? When we were little... you also liked taking pictures."
Wen Er said: "Aunt bought you a camera, and you hold it every day."
Pu Ying frowned slightly.
He didn't like Wen Er bringing up the past as if it was a matter of course.
All those past events were completely unfamiliar to him. No matter how others mentioned them, no matter how they tried to hint at them or get to the point, he had no relevant memories and could not recall any feelings.
He sometimes felt that he was just a shadow left after the original "Pu Ying" was stripped of all vitality and emotions. He actually knew what he was.
A cold, heartless monster.
"I don't know him." Pu Ying lowered his eyes, "I only know that the name he used to publish the photos was ST."
Pu Ying: "The journal says that the name comes from Strom."
Wen Er knew what the word meant.
He didn't know whether he was relieved or more nervous, so he didn't speak rashly and just nodded to cope with it.
storm, storm.
Luo Ran used to be a storm chaser who specialized in photographing extreme weather. He had published many of his photos in journals. The year they first met, Luo Ran excitedly showed them to him.
These journals always have a backlog of manuscripts, so it is not surprising that they have been delayed for several years. Perhaps it is just that there is a gap in this issue, so they have picked out the old manuscripts that are acceptable to fill the gap.
Pu Ying's mother is an artist and is very interested in photography... Pu Ying kept this photo, perhaps just by chance and wanted to find the photographer to ask if he had more works.
Wen Er convinced himself and felt a little relieved.
He regained his normal rationality and slowly thought about what Pu Ying had just said. He had already realized that Pu Ying did not like this kind of situation where personal relationships were mixed in with work.
Mentioning the data theft again would only backfire, not to mention... there was no need for Pu Ying to have a prejudice against him because of this incident.
Wen Er didn't want to make the atmosphere too awkward, so he looked at the closed journal and asked, "Are you interested in geography now?"
"Not bad." Pu Ying said.
"If you are interested, please tell me anytime and I can find out more."
Wen Er's tone was very calm: "... Pu Ying."
Pu Ying frowned imperceptibly.
"It doesn't matter if you believe it or not... I'm not here to build a relationship with you today."
Wen Er said: "I just haven't seen you for a long time, and I want to come and see you."
Pu Ying asked, "Look at me?"
Wen Er met his gaze, paused, and then returned to her natural expression: "If you're bothering me, I'll leave now."
Wen Er stood up and walked out the door by himself.
Pu Ying still sat there quietly until he reached out to open the office door, then she finally spoke: "Wait a moment."
Wen Er stopped at the door.
Pu Ying lowered his eyes and did not move.
His pupils reflected nothing; even the sunlight streaming in through the window could not bring out even the slightest warmth.
…Everyone told him that when he was a child, it was Wen Er who took the best care of him.
The Wen family and the Pu family are old friends. The two families take turns to helm the consortium, and there have been intermarriages from generation to generation. The family members have grown up together since childhood.
People of similar age and status usually settle down at a young age, go to school together, receive family training together, and decide their future paths together.
His grandfather told him that after he disappeared, he detected residual trace electronic pulses in the tree canopy where they played hide-and-seek.
Only people caught in an electronic storm would leave that kind of pulse after disappearing.
Since college, Wen Er has been madly immersed in the research of electronic storms.
It was also because Wen Er discovered in his research that each person has slight differences in the pulse frequency caused by being caught in an electronic storm that the Science Department was able to perfect the identification system specifically for finding people, allowing the Pu family to find him.
"After the Pu family found me, my grandfather didn't tell you immediately."
Pu Ying said: "It's because I don't remember anything, and I'm afraid you'll be disappointed and can't stand this kind of blow."
Wen Er knew that Pu Ying would explain this to him, and he was not surprised. He turned back to look at Pu Ying and said gently: "I know."
… Wen Er had indeed suffered a severe blow.
According to the Pu family's plan, they would first arrange for Pu Ying to join the Science Department, let Wen Er be notified through official documents, give him a psychological buffer, and then try to make Wen Er gradually accept the fact that "Pu Ying is completely different from the past."
No one thought that Pu Ying would also go to the banquet.
Even the Pu family themselves did not expect this, so they failed to make preparations in advance and had to meet in such a hurry at the banquet.
Wen Er went crazy.
"That day," Pu Ying asked, "what did you do after you left the party?"
Wen Er was about to speak, but was stopped by his question.
… He drank a lot of alcohol and went to find Luo Ran, treating him as Pu Ying to vent his anger.
Luo Ran wanted to escape from home, but he met the person he specially arranged to stop Luo's father and mother from greeting each other, and heard the conversation.
He pretended to have forgotten everything and went to pick up Luo Ran - from Luo Ran's perspective, he might have indeed forgotten everything. He had drunk and was not sober, so he did some stupid things, and he didn't remember them when he woke up, which was reasonable.
Luo Ran was easily coaxed into submission by him, and led the family home, becoming Pu Ying's substitute.
…
Pu Ying certainly wouldn't know these things.
Pu Ying knows nothing and cares about nothing... Now Pu Ying is just a heartless monster.
For a moment, Wen Er almost wanted to tell this matter out loud to see if Pu Ying would show even the slightest dissatisfaction or resistance.
Wen Er lowered his eyes, tried his best to suppress the crazy thoughts, and readjusted his expression.
"I drank a lot..." Wen Er said, "I drank a lot and did some things."
Wen Er asked: "What about you? What did you do after leaving the party?"
Pu Ying didn't say anything.
"I know you won't do anything."
Wen Er knew it a long time ago: "To you, it's just meeting an inexplicable stranger."
"Not exactly." Pu Ying said.
Wen Er smiled.
He knew that he should control his emotions, but Luo Ran's abnormal behavior and the derailment of things were constantly hurting his nerves. The photo of Luo Ran on Pu Ying's desk pushed him to the brink of losing control.
Wen Er's tone was filled with uncontrollable sarcasm: "Not entirely?"
Pu Ying was about to speak, but met Wen Er's gaze and paused slightly.
… After leaving the banquet, Pu Ying locked herself in the study and spent a day and a night reading the diaries, photos, and audio-visual materials that belonged to the original Pu Ying.
Pu Ying searched through every trace, trying to find his original self and return it to these people.
He just couldn't do it.
Pu Ying originally wanted to explain this matter to Wen Er, but he suddenly didn't want to talk about it anymore.
Pu Ying was very familiar with Wen Er's gaze.
"Do you also think that I'm an incomplete and defective product?" Pu Ying asked.
Wen Er choked.
Wen Er's expression changed slightly. He had always thought that he had hidden this thought very well and never thought that Pu Ying could see it: "I—"
Pu Ying nodded: "I think so too."
"I owe you." Pu Ying said, "Before I came this time, my grandfather told me about the two of us. If there hadn't been an accident, according to the agreement between the two families, we should have legally formed a marriage relationship when we were of appropriate age."
"… Pu Ying."
Wen Er was stunned for a moment, then calmed down and said, "You don't have to be like this."
Wen Er didn't want to talk about defective products anymore. He was eager to get over the topic and spoke a little faster than usual.
"I didn't control my emotions during the banquet... I won't do that again."
Wen Er: "Don't worry, I won't force you. I know this is hard for you—"
Pu Ying: "This is my duty to fulfill."
Wen Er: “…”
"If you want, we can go get the certificate after this investigation is over, no matter what the result is."
Pu Ying: "I will learn the rules of the family and how to get along with my spouse."
"I will learn... about human emotions."
Pu Ying asked: "Do you want to?"
Wen Er's light gray pupils shrank slightly.
Pu Ying looked at him quietly.
…
After a long while, Pu Ying nodded: "I understand."
"Pu Ying." Wen Er turned around suddenly and walked back quickly, "Listen to me."
It's not surprising that Pu Ying said these words, he only thinks logically. For Pu Ying, marrying someone is just like transferring to a department or accepting a job, it's just something to do.
But Pu Ying's expression suddenly made him feel unprecedentedly uneasy.
"It's not that I don't want to, don't get me wrong."
"I just don't want to use our childhood relationship to force you to make a choice when you haven't recovered yet."
Wen Er stretched out his hand and held Pu Ying's arm, and shuddered slightly at the coldness of his palm.
"I have to heal you first." Wen Er said, "Believe me, I will find a way soon. I can heal you."
Wen Er spoke very quickly, with a strange, almost paranoid excitement in his eyes: "The research has made some progress. Just wait a little longer, and I will definitely make you become what you were supposed to be..."
Pu Ying repeated in a low voice: "This is what I was supposed to be."
Wen Er tightly grasped his arm and nodded: "Yes, you—"
Pu Ying: "Is it you who decides?"
Wen Er was stunned.
He never thought Pu Ying would ask this question. He looked at Pu Ying with some disbelief in his eyes: "... What did you say?"
Pu Ying lowered his eyes and looked at the photo on the table.
The real Pu Ying disappeared at the age of six. Twenty years later, he, an incomplete and defective product, was left to the Pu family and Wen Er.
If Pu Ying had not been caught up in the electronic storm, what would he look like when he grew up
Pu Ying couldn't get the answer, nor did he have the desire to get it. He just received a copy of World Geography magazine that had been delivered to the wrong place when he arrived at the office this morning.
The deliveryman was careless and dropped the magazine on the ground. He picked it up and happened to see the page that was turned over.
…
Pu Ying withdrew his gaze from the photo.
"That's fine." Pu Ying said.
Wen Er's face was still a little pale. He didn't recover and asked in a low voice, "What?"
Pu Ying didn't say anything else.
When he was a child, it was Wen Er who was responsible for taking care of him. When he came out of the electronic storm, it was Wen Er's research that allowed him to return to the family smoothly.
It’s up to Wen Er to decide what he should become, and that’s fine too.
Pu Ying stood up, pulled his arm out of Wen Er's hand, politely gestured for him to leave, carefully put away the plastic-wrapped photo, and started reading the book "World Geography" that he had not had time to finish.
They had already discussed everything that needed to be discussed, and he didn't want to talk to Wen Er anymore.
In the sea of consciousness, Yu Tang turned off the screen of the online live broadcast.
At the end of the surveillance footage, Wen Er did not actually leave the office immediately.
He had already sensed the uneasiness and tried several times to reconnect with Pu Ying and explain himself clearly, but he was unsuccessful.
For Pu Ying, the conversation was over and that was it.
"Host, Pu Ying had clearly agreed to marry Wen Er just now, why didn't Wen Er agree?"
The system didn't quite understand: "Wen Er doesn't like Pu Ying?"
Yu Tang: “I like it.”
The system was flashing a small red light and floating beside him.
"Wen'er's favorability towards Pu Ying has remained above 95 for more than three years."
Yu Tang brought up the light screen: "Very high."
…it’s even abnormally high.
Even ordinary lovers may have their affection affected by quarrels, misunderstandings, and estrangements.
Sometimes, even when nothing happens, the favorability will slowly decline without you noticing simply because time passes by.
But Wen'er's favorability towards Pu Ying has never been lower than 95.
Yu Tang still had some impressions, and he opened the historical records: "During the ten minutes at the banquet, when Wen Er and Pu Ying, who had lost her memory, had a conflict, his favorability towards Pu Ying soared to 100... It should be that the upper limit of the value that the system can detect is only 100."
After the banquet, Yu Tang was knocked to the ground by the drunk Wen Er. He was even so upset that Wen Er's favorability overflowed so much that even his energy bar as a substitute tool man fluctuated briefly.
The system racked up the data: "…The favorability detector is broken again?"
Yu Tang smiled, took out the snack gift package he had just bought from the mall, and distributed it to the system and the little red card.
Of course the favorability detector will not break.
Wen Er is not satisfied with Luo Ran, nor is he satisfied with the current Pu Ying, but he does have an almost paranoid strong liking for "Pu Ying".
"If I'm not mistaken."
Yu Tang said: "Wen Er is obsessed to the point of being pathological. The one whose favorability is always above 95 is the 'Pu Ying' that he constructed himself."
The system was stunned: "He even thought of a partner for himself?!"
Yu Tang: “…Don’t always talk like Luo Ran.”
system:"… "
Yu Tang was actually just speculating.
He has been reading "Human Behavior" these two days. If he guessed correctly, Wen Er should have used his obsession over the years and his memory to outline what "Pu Ying" should look like when he grows up.
Wen Er is almost paranoid about this fictional Pu Ying. He first asks Luo Ran to become like this, and then hopes that the current Pu Ying can also become like this.
In the original storyline, Pu Ying had not yet developed any real emotions, and had not even had time to notice any resistance, before she was drawn into Wen Er's logic.
"The consciousness that has been lost in the electronic storm for too long has lost its instinct as a 'human'. Initial guidance is crucial."
Yu Tang said: "They learn whatever others teach them."
The system peeled a lollipop and held it in its mouth, unable to resist being curious: "Host, have you ever encountered other lost consciousnesses?"
Yu Tang didn't answer. He looked at the little red card with no hands or feet and looked at it eagerly, then he took out an orange-flavored lollipop, peeled off the candy wrapper and put it in.
The system hesitated for a while, and then changed the question: "Host gave the World Geography magazine to Pu Ying, is it to get ahead of Wen Er and guide him?"
Yu Tang nodded: "Yes."
After all, the first main task this time is to make Pu Ying develop feelings.
Both the Pu family and Wen Er have tried this countless times.
They showed Pu Ying the video records of the past, took him to places he had been to, and asked the old servants to tell him about the young master's past.
Those pictures and videos pieced together a picture of a quiet, steady, and carefully trained family heir who behaved very properly.
The system flashed a small red light: "That's indeed the case."
The genre classification of this book is a bit old-fashioned. The system helps Yu Tang organize the plot. After reading Pu Ying's genius personality when she was a child, "Pu Ying has been receiving tutoring from a family teacher. She could play the piano at the age of three, play Go at the age of four, and do calculus at the age of five..."
Yu Tang nodded: "Then why was he in that two-story tree behind the villa when he disappeared?"
The system was stunned for a long time and couldn't answer.
Yu Tang opened the mall interface and looked at Luo Ran's cards.
Luo Ran is the part that was separated from Pu Ying - this part did not come out of thin air.
The little Pu Ying who had not accidentally fallen into the electronic storm back then would never be just like the family elders remembered, mature, well-behaved, steady, and never causing trouble or making trouble.
Pu Ying was six years old when he fell into the electronic storm. According to records, not counting Luo Ran who was accidentally separated from him, he stayed in the space distorted by the electronic storm for nearly twenty years.
It’s not very long, not long enough to completely wipe out all obsessions.
If there is anything that can wake Pu Ying up, it must be Luo Ran. In the original novel, Pu Ying didn't even have the chance to see Luo Ran, or to learn of his existence. By the time he knew about it, Luo Ran had already disappeared forever in the storm.
But this time, because his relationship with his son had eased, Luo's father finally plucked up the courage to send the photo to World Geographic.
When this photo was taken, the proud little red-haired boy had not yet turned into a little red card.
Luo Ran took great pains and finally waited for the most suitable weather. He found a fixed spot to set up the tripod, set it to automatic continuous shooting mode, and selected the most handsome one from more than 300 photos.
After the photos were developed, Luo Ran was so excited that he couldn't sleep all night. He calmly walked into the study and pretended to accidentally drop the photos on the desks of Luo's father and mother.
…
Yu Tang didn't believe that he couldn't hit Pu Ying.
"Start real-time monitoring of Wen Er."
Yu Tang said: "The fifteen-day holiday is over. I have to go detect the electronic storm tomorrow... Wen Er is being investigated. If he wants to complete the database, all his hopes are on Luo Ran. He will definitely go to the scene in person."
The system was a little worried: "Will the host be in danger?"
Yu Tang moved his wrists twice in his sea of consciousness.
The system's concerns are not without reason.
The electronic storm will not harm him, but the same may not be true for Wen Er.
Wen Er can't allow anything around him to get out of control.
These past few days, everything has been off track again and again, coupled with Pu Ying's subtle abnormality this time, which should have stimulated Wen Er to a certain critical point, and there is no guarantee that he will not do something unexpected.
"It doesn't matter."
Yu Tang made up his mind: "We will continue to use magic to defeat magic."
Yu Tang reached out to cover the little red card so that Luo Ran wouldn't hear: "Have you sorted out the PUA quotes?"
System: “…OK.”
"Please prepare a set of clothes for me."
Yu Tang said: "Strictly follow the style of the heir of the Pu family... According to Wen Er's imagination, the style that Pu Ying would wear."
System: “OK.”
The system asked: "Does the host want to completely play Pu Ying?"
"Yes." Yu Tang said, "He wanted to turn Luo Ran into Pu Ying, so I gave him a Pu Ying."
What Wen Er is chasing after is an illusion that does not exist at all. He is crazy about this illusion, self-absorbed, and unscrupulous. Everyone will be dragged in by him and torn to pieces.
He asked Luo Ran to become what he imagined Pu Ying should be like. Luo Ran was destroyed by him, and he suddenly came to his senses.
Pu Ying would go to Luo Ran's parents and ask to be their son in place of Luo Ran. This would not just be a solution he came up with through logical deduction.
Yu Tang looked at Pu Ying's solo storyline.
Wen Er doesn't love anyone, doesn't love anything he can get, he only falls in love with illusions. He got Pu Ying, so the illusion of Pu Ying was no longer important - until Luo Ran died, the illusion completely became Luo Ran.
Everyone was ruined by him.
Wen Er seemed to be standing on a commanding height, affectionate, sacrificial, and desperate.
…
There is no such good thing.
Yu Tang turned off the screen, let go of the little red card that was covering his head and making him dizzy, peeled a lychee-flavored lollipop, and put it in his mouth.
The efficiency of the mall has always been very high. Within a few minutes, the ordered goods were gathered in the form of data and all piled up in the system warehouse of the sea of consciousness.
Yu Tang bit the lollipop and unwrapped it one by one.
In order to make Wen Er's efforts completely in vain and make him pay the price for what he has done, he must take the lead in enlightening Pu Ying.
Yu Tang was sure of this, and he had already prepared a complete and thorough plan.
The system was curious, so it pulled the little red card and peeked through the warehouse door: "Host, host, what did you buy?"
Yu Tang: "Abnormal Psychology."
system:"… "
"No." Yu Tang patted it. "Pu Ying is very opposed to all psychology books. We have to use a roundabout way."
The system asked: "What's the roundabout way?"
Yu Tang: "Teach you photography in 10 days", "Photography from entry to mastery", "Battle-proof photography skills", "Photography major college entrance examination tutorial"... "
Yu Tang flipped through the shopping cart: "A medium format high-end professional digital SLR camera."
System: “…Host.”
Yu Tang knew that his next move was a failure, so he reflected in advance: "The camera was too expensive, I should have picked a cheaper one."
"It doesn't matter, we can go and cheat for experience points again."
The system's little red light flashed rapidly, trying its best to keep up with the host's thoughts: "But how do we give these things to Pu Ying?"
Yu Tang: “…”
system:"… "
"Wait a moment." Yu Tang said, "I'll go create a temporary sack."