"The term "uncanny valley" was proposed by Ernst-Jentsch in his 1906 paper "The Psychology of the Uncanny Valley", and his views were elaborated in Freud's 1919 paper "The Uncanny Valley", thus becoming a famous theory "Jiang Chen flipped through the introduction quickly with some irritation, and then searched for the key words in the tadpole-sized words.
"Because we are afraid of death, because we are afraid of disease, because the empathy mechanism is disordered, and because we cannot empathize with robots." Jiang Chen muttered, and the hand holding the book trembled slightly.
What's going on with this feeling
Forcibly suppressing the restlessness in his heart, Jiang Chen searched for answers in this old robot magazine.
The library of Wanghai No. 6 Middle School is very large. The jungle-like bookshelves are arranged in the lobby on the first floor, although few students visit the first floor where the books are stored. All books can be downloaded from the campus network, and all materials can be searched on the terminal. Rather than being so much paper backups of data, it would be better to say that the books here are stored as "exhibits." Only large libraries at the municipal and district levels will store paper papers or books that record academic materials. Those are "data" in the true sense, not "exhibits."
Times are progressing, and paper has gradually faded out of people's sight. Although there are people like Tao Tingting who have a soft spot for paper books, such people are as rare as rare animals.
Just like the goddess in Jiang Chen's heart - Tao Tingting.
However. As a tribute to the old times, libraries often retain some older books and periodicals as a reference to history.
at the same time. Jiang Chen always felt that these papers could bring him more inspiration. No matter how he consulted the artificial intelligence campus elf, the glib guy couldn't give him a sudden explanation. He just kept directing his psychological problems in the direction of fatigue, study pressure, etc.
Or misleading
No matter how much he searched on the terminal, he couldn't get the answer he wanted. As if being covered up, the intelligent search assistant unexpectedly "failed". After listening to his description, all the search results given seemed to bring the problem to a more complicated level.
So when school was over. He came to this library full of paper books, where no one could mislead him. Some kind of intuition seemed to tell him that the answer he longed for was hidden on a certain bookshelf.
He wants to find out what that unnatural feeling is
The book "Robot Magazine Issue 21 - About the Incoordination between Humans and Robots" in Jiang Chen's hand was taken from this bookshelf that smelled of pine wood. Judging from the publication date in 2021, this can be regarded as an old historical publication.
certainly. The printing is new.
"The higher the simulation level of a humanoid toy or robot, the more favorable it is for people. But when it reaches a critical point, this favorable impression will suddenly decrease. The more human-like a toy or robot is, the more disgusting and fearful it will be, until it reaches the bottom. Even if it is a small unnatural behavior , will appear unusually stiff and scary. So that’s what it is. In other words, the cleaning robot I met in the morning looked at me. Did it trigger the uncanny valley effect?" Jiang Chen frowned and thought.
There was an inexplicable throbbing in his heart, and something similar to a sense of déjà vu was beating on his heart.
The oppressive feeling like having cotton stuffed in your throat became more and more intense.
It was as if something had been forgotten.
But what exactly was forgotten
Suddenly, he subconsciously looked at the stairs leading to the second floor.
But at this moment—
"Jiang Chen?"
The thin and soft voice touched his eardrums. Jiang Chen turned around in surprise and saw Tao Tingting standing on the other side of the bookshelf.
By the way, I seem to want to invite her to watch a movie. Damn it, in order to deal with these boring illusions, I almost forgot about the real thing!
Jiang Chen cursed secretly in his heart. He blushed and looked at the girl as beautiful as a princess, but couldn't say a word.
Tao Tingting stood there quietly. As if waiting for something.
Unable to speak, Jiang Chen opened and closed his mouth half-way. However, the sentence "Are you free tomorrow?" seemed to be stuck in my throat and I couldn't say it.
Suddenly, the beautiful face smiled, and the bright eyes like moon buds flashed with a heart-stopping brilliance.
"Want to come to my house?"
Jiang Chen was stunned.
invite me? Go to her house? But why
However, Tao Tingting didn't give him any time to think and had already turned around and walked out the door. Jiang Chen hesitated for a moment, gritted his teeth, and finally mustered up the courage to follow.
The magazine was left on his desk.
Watching the two people leave, the librarian sitting expressionlessly at the front desk suddenly stood up and silently walked to the chair where Jiang Chen was sitting.
After staring at the old magazine for a long time, she silently picked it up from the table.
But she didn't put it back on the shelf.
Instead, he tore it apart and threw it into the wastebasket—
"Wait a minute, why did you invite me to your home?" Jiang Chen chased out of the library and walked behind Tao Tingting. After hesitating for a moment, he asked this question.
Suddenly, Tao Tingting stopped, her milky white skirt swaying gently in the breeze.
The lilies blooming under the halo of the setting sun are so beautiful.
As a result, Jiang Chen couldn't help but feel a little crazy when he saw it.
The goddess that he had been thinking about day and night was biting her lower lip, with a shy look on her face as she nodded slightly and opened her red lips.
"Because I want to get to know you."
learn
Is this a confession to me? Jiang Chen's face was immediately covered with redness, his lips opened and closed stiffly, and he couldn't say a word.
My heart was pounding, as if it was about to jump out of my chest.
It turns out she likes me too!
At this moment, Jiang Chen's brain was completely filled with chaotic joy. He had completely lost the ability to think, and just looked at the goddess that haunted him.
Tao Tingting smiled and walked towards the school gate.
Jiang Chen swallowed and spit. He raised his stiff steps and followed.
However, at this time, he inadvertently caught a glimpse of the unnatural anomaly with his peripheral vision.
An inexplicable feeling of worry crept into my heart.
The empty eyes were staring at him.
Are there cleaning robots here too
That's right, this thing should be available everywhere. Jiang Chen muttered in his heart, leaving the unnatural feeling behind.
The robot seemed to have lost interest in him and looked straight in another direction—
The door opened, and Tao Tingting led Jiang Chen to her rented apartment.
A one-bedroom apartment with a very simple structure. This type of house is easy to rent near the school. Not too expensive either. It seemed that Tao Tingting, like him, came to Wanghai City from other places.
The room smelled of jasmine. Clean and tidy light flaxen wallpaper covers every wall in the living room. Very simple coffee table and tablecloth, as well as the beige sofa.
"Sit down wherever you want. Do you want me to get you a glass of water?" Tao Tingting turned around and smiled at Jiang Chen.
"Ah. Uh, okay." Jiang Chen nodded with a flustered expression, and then sat on the sofa.
Looking at Tao Tingting's back standing by the cupboard, smelling the goddess's fragrance in the air, Jiang Chen couldn't help but have a silly smile on his face.
Although I felt a little unnatural, I was so happy that it didn't matter. As if it was forcibly filled, the lack of reality in my heart disappeared unconsciously.
Soon. Tao Tingting gently returned to the living room with two glasses of water, then smiled at Jiang Chen and placed the water glasses in front of Jiang Chen.
"Give."
"Ah. Thank you." As if to cover up his embarrassment, Jiang Chen quickly held the cup and took a sip of the cold boiled water.
Tao Tingting sat down next to Jiang Chen, minding her own business, and then looked at Jiang Chen's side face with a smile.
"Uh, is there something on my face?"
"No." Tao Tingting shook her head with a smile, her soft long hair swaying like willow silk.
"Well" Jiang Chen was speechless and buried his eyes in the cup. Staring at his reflection in the water.
"I want to get to know you, can you talk to me?"
It was like being hit in the heart with a heavy hammer. Jiang Chen's heart throbbed violently at this moment.
"Eh? Why, why do you want to know me?" Jiang Chen's Adam's apple moved, and he stammered because he was at a loss.
In fact, the answer is already clear.
"Because I like you." Tao Tingting stared into Jiang Chen's eyes and said with a smile.
I always feel an inexplicable discomfort, and I always feel that something is wrong.
However, this confusion is quickly filled by an explosion of joy. Dopamine can make people forget to think.
"I, I like you too." Jiang Chen finally plucked up the courage to pour out all the thoughts he had accumulated over time.
"I know." Tao Tingting looked at Jiang Chen's courageous look with a smile, "I have been paying attention to you for a long time."
"I know." "I've been paying attention to you for a long time." These two sentences were like a magic spell, happily swirling in his mind.
"Can you tell me your story?" Like a curious girlfriend, Tao Tingting looked into Jiang Chen's eyes and blinked her long eyelashes.
"I, I don't have any stories to tell." Jiang Chen looked away embarrassedly, but Tao Tingting came closer reluctantly.
"You can talk about anything."
"Okay then." Jiang Chen spoke hesitantly.
To his surprise, he originally thought that Tao Tingting was the kind of literary girl who was not good at talking, but at this moment she gave Jiang Chen the feeling that she was very talkative.
Starting from what happened when I was a child, we talked about those memories that were almost covered with a layer of white mist. The two chatted happily. Although they didn't usually have much interaction, Jiang Chen was always watching her secretly. However, at this moment, Tao Tingting gave him the illusion that they had known each other for a long time.
It was getting late, so that it was completely dark outside.
"How about I treat you to a meal?" Tao Tingting said with a genuine smile.
Jiang Chen almost nodded.
Dinner was held in a very relaxed atmosphere. Scrambled eggs with tomatoes, shredded pork with green peppers, and seaweed egg soup are all home-cooked dishes. It was obvious that Tao Tingting was surprisingly a girl who was very good at running a house. Thinking of this, Jiang Chen couldn't help but feel a little excited.
At his age, the so-called love is eternal.
The food was delicious. He secretly observed Tao Tingting sitting across the table. Chewing the cherry gently with small mouth
She seems to like tomatoes? Are you the kind of person who likes sour food? And green peppers? Well, why only eat these two things
Jiang Chen observed her carefully and secretly wrote down her taste.
Speaking of which, she said she likes me, so she should be considered my girlfriend now
But you haven’t made it clear yet, are you waiting for me to take the initiative
Thinking of this, he swallowed softly and then looked away unnaturally.
The opening song of the popular TV series "Empire of Ashes" was playing on the holographic screen, and it was already eight o'clock before I knew it.
"Is it delicious?" Tao Tingting looked at Jiang Chen with a smile.
"Ah, ah! It's delicious." Jiang Chen smiled in a panic, then dug a few mouthfuls of rice to hide the embarrassed expression on his face.
"I heard there is a ghost in the school library, have you seen it?"
"You, ghost? It's a lie, that kind of pseudoscience." Jiang Chen smiled with a weird expression.
"Are you satisfied?" However, Tao Tingting's next sentence changed the topic somewhat inconsistently.
"Satisfied?" Jiang Chen asked in confusion, then looked away as if something suddenly occurred to him. He scratched his slightly red ears sheepishly, and nodded stiffly, "Of course I'm satisfied."
For an adolescent boy, is there anything more blissful than being invited to her home by the goddess he misses day and night
"Don't choke when you eat. Come on, have a drink of water." Tao Tingting smiled and handed over the cup, which was the water cup that Jiang Chen took a sip from just now.
"Yeah!" Jiang Chen took the cup with his cheeks slightly hot, and filled his mouth with water in silence as if to hide his embarrassment.
By the way, isn’t there soup? why water
The follow-up plot of "Empire of Ashes" was shown on the screen. Ryan fell in a pool of blood and stopped breathing. An unexpected ending? It always felt indescribably hasty, as if I had explained a lot at the beginning, but in the end, I just dropped it without explaining anything clearly.
The ending song is followed by the word "bloody" at the end.
Looking at Jiang Chen who was lying drowsily on the dining table, Tao Tingting's pure and peaceful face showed a smile.
That smile was weird and hollow.
So sleepy, so exhausted, and really want to take a nap.
Through his low and hazy vision, he only vaguely caught a glimpse of what seemed to be a pure white floral dress that fell to the floor.
That pure white color was approaching him with faint steps.
The back of his head was surrounded by gentle touches, and his consciousness gradually fell into the abyss. ()<End of chapter-->