C2 I Am a Nobody Who Only Likes Animalears Lady(2)

As the movie's progress bar hit the 44-minute mark, a prompt in his field of vision told Shen Xiang he was home. He paused the playback, slipped into his house shoes, and walked into the welcoming glow of the smart lights that flickered on with the push of the door.

"Next time, I should tweak the settings. Add a command to change into slippers upon arriving home. No, add another one: sit on the sofa."

Mumbling to himself, Shen Xiang plopped down on the couch, feeling as lazy as a sloth. It dawned on him that he should be nestled on his comfy sofa, and then he thought: I've got to turn on the TV.

Wait, there was something even more crucial.

"Automate dinner prep."

Mission Start

Feeling his body rise, Shen Xiang suddenly remembered he'd forgotten something. "Pause!" he mentally exclaimed.

Mission Paused

He bent over, grabbed his phone with his left hand, hit play, and then commanded, "Restart."

Mission Restarted

He had nearly forgotten to continue his show. That would have been dreadfully dull. He certainly couldn't sit there like an idiot watching "himself" cook.

Shen Xiang grumbled internally, noticing the movie's plot was ramping up again. He seized the moment, immersing himself fully once more.

Life couldn't get any better.

He'd autopilot through work by day, raking in a salary of seven or eight thousand a month, and enjoy his evenings at leisure—gaming or binge-watching to his heart's content, with a full twelve hours of sleep to look forward to. What about his body? Didn't it need rest too?

He relaxed every night in front of his computer, TV, or phone. No adverse effects for months, and thanks to features like "Automated Ab-Cruncher" and "Automated Running," his health was actually improving. Aside from the post-workout muscle soreness, getting abs was a breeze. He could exercise while binge-watching without missing a beat.

His muscles were practically a windfall.

"Ding-a-ling-dong!"

The sudden chime of his phone overpowered the media's sound, and the floating notification bar shattered Shen Xiang's immersion. He was too busy juggling a spatula and stir-frying vegetables to text back.

Yet, the message was from his workshop's director—the young lady director. Wasn't she just there for the experience? Why was she reaching out all of a sudden? Had he made a mistake at work?

"Pause."

Once he regained control of his body, Shen Xiang glanced at the dish simmering in the pot. The green pepper pork was nearly ready, so he decisively turned off the stove before checking his messages.

[An invite for late-night snacks? Concerned about the well-being of your subordinates, huh?]

[Generous.]

Shen Xiang was torn. He wasn't concerned about why someone wanted to see him; it was his happy time in the dead of night, and he had no desire to step outside. But this person was also his evaluator. What if it impacted his job? He recalled that last month's salary, which was nearly five figures, was released only after their signature—a sum most assembly line workers could only dream of.

Finding a factory that paid piece rates with decent earnings was tough. Most assembly line jobs offered a mere three to four thousand, including room and board. The difference between three thousand and seven or eight thousand was significant—it could mean the difference between affording in-game purchases or not!

Ah well, might as well mingle. Can't be too disconnected from society, can I?

Shen Xiang lamented his own laziness. Ever since his back surgery years ago, his drive had plummeted. If he could sit, he wouldn't stand; if he could stay indoors, he wouldn't venture out. Yet, avoiding social interaction didn't seem beneficial either. After all, he needed to make money—without it, he couldn't even afford a premium membership, let alone keep up with his favorite shows without spoilers for a whole week.

No more laziness, he resolved. Time for a slight change. That was the plan, anyway, but half an hour later, his laziness crept back in.

"Activate automatic chat mode."

Mission start.

"Shen Xiang, isn't your place just around the corner?" Liu Yixin, the young director who had just finished work, braved the January chill in a stylish dress. Her real intention wasn't the drink but to coax Shen Xiang out and gauge his interest.

"Mhm," Shen Xiang responded mechanically.

Socializing was exhausting, especially the obligatory heart-to-hearts. Dull and uninteresting. Luckily, an old movie playing on the restaurant's TV behind her caught his attention. It was surprisingly engaging—more so than the company.

"The company isn't too far from your place, right? The drive over seems pretty quick."

"Yes," Shen Xiang responded mechanically.

"You've been at the factory for a few months now, right? Are you settling into the routine okay?"

"Yes."

His responses were perfunctory: "Yeah," "Right," "Yes." He could handle almost any question as long as the other person kept talking.

The conversation unfolded just as Shen Xiang had anticipated—dull and roundabout, filled with pointless pleasantries like "How's work going? Are you adjusting to the company?" He didn't even seek an opportunity to engage; automatic replies sufficed.

What happened to his resolve for change?

"Actually, I have another question," Liu Yixin ventured, emboldened by Shen Xiang's apparent interest. He answered promptly, albeit briefly, but she sensed he was truly listening. His gaze was earnest, unwavering as he met her eyes, which gave her the courage to flirt with the idea of taking this handsome man home.

"Yes."

The automatic agent system responded.

"I actually think you're quite handsome," she said, her head bowed.

"Yes."

Automatic response.

Yes? What does that mean? She probed further, "So, do you think I'm nice?"

"Yes."

"Really? That's wonderful! There's a connection, right?"

Liu Yixin mused, If only you'd said something sooner, we could have been more forward. I was worried you weren't interested, all anxious for nothing.

Men today, she thought with a tsk, never make the first move. If I hadn't tested the waters, I might have missed out.

If you're interested, why don't you ever chat with me at work? Why not initiate a message?

Hmm... Maybe he thinks we're too different in status?

"That's correct." Shen Xiang kept his smile, answering her question. Yet his eyes weren't really on her; they drifted past, focusing instead on the television mounted on the wall.

"That, that, that..."

"Hmm."

"So, tonight we could..."

"Exactly."

"Huh? Tonight?" Liu Yixin, not quite catching his drift, suggested, "I was thinking, why not hit the dance floor after dinner? The night is young, after all."

"Yes... Wait, hold on." Shen Xiang had been absorbed in an old movie featuring the Sixth Princess on TV. How did the conversation suddenly veer towards clubbing? He quickly put a stop to his autopilot responses and tried to piece together the bits and pieces he had half-heard.

Wow! Have you evolved into a sophisticated system that's now setting me up with girlfriends on your own?

"Uh, I think there's been a misunderstanding, Director," Shen Xiang apologized, cursing the foolish system under his breath. "You're a stand-up guy, but I'm a hentai otaku."

He had only recently broken up with his last girlfriend and wasn't keen on being under the thumb of another woman so soon.

With a mischievous grin, he confessed, "My heart belongs to Animal-ears Lady."