Chapter 37 — The Arrival of the Assistants
The three robots all opened their eyes at once, a bright blue light flickering in their pupils.
"System initialization complete," they said together, their voices mechanical yet harmonious. Moments later, their eyes returned to normal — now calm and human-like.
Bai Xia immediately turned away, her face burning red. She had seen a man's naked body before, but that didn't stop the wave of embarrassment that rushed over her. "Where is she when you need her?" she muttered, calling out for Stella several times before the AI finally appeared.
"Take them to the Everything Mall and get them some clothes," Bai Xia ordered.
Stella nodded and took the three robots away. Before long, they returned — all neatly dressed. The two men wore fitted black suits that enhanced their tall, commanding builds, while the woman wore a professional dark-blue gown that made her look elegant and capable.
"You," Bai Xia said, pointing to the Chinese man, "will be called Li Wei. The foreign man — Steven. And the woman — An Yu."
"Do you all have identities prepared for the outside world?" she asked.
"Yes," they all replied in perfect unison.
"What are your identities?" Bai Xia continued.
Li Wei stepped forward first. "My name is Li Wei. I recently graduated from Harvard with a master's degree in Business Management. I've just returned to China to find a job and settle down."
Next, the foreign man spoke. "My name is Steven. I also graduated from Harvard with a master's degree in Business Management. I came to China with my friend to find work and start a new life."
Finally, the woman bowed slightly. "My name is An Yu. I've lived in the city for years, working as a caregiver for the elderly. My husband passed away some time ago, leaving me with no children or relatives. Now, I'm looking for a stable household to serve."
Bai Xia nodded in approval. Their responses were perfect — human-like and believable. "Good. Stay here until I return."
She left her space and flopped down onto her large princess bed. The soft mattress embraced her tired body, and within moments, she drifted into a deep sleep.
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The next morning, Bai Xia woke up at 7:00 a.m. She didn't feel like going to school, but next week was the mock exam for the college entrance test, so skipping wasn't an option.
She began to get ready. She put on her school uniform, letting her silky hair flow freely down her back. A red hairband — matching the color of her school skirt — pushed her fringe neatly aside. She added a delicate necklace with red crystal beads, a small red-dot earring, a matching bracelet, and a Seiko red-faced watch on her wrist.
Downstairs, the smell of breakfast greeted her. Her mother and elder sister were already seated at the table, while her younger siblings played in another room. Bai Xia greeted them softly, sat down, and ate quietly before packing some food for lunch.
When she heard the taxi honk at the gate, she quickly finished and left for school.
Today, the moment she stepped into the classroom, more students than ever came up to her — congratulating her on the lottery win. Some had admiring gazes, others couldn't hide their envy.
By the end of the day, Bai Xia was exhausted. Everyone wanted to talk to her, to ask how she'd managed to win. She bolted out of the school gates and hailed a taxi home.
It was already 2:00 p.m. when she arrived. She changed out of her uniform into a white cropped shirt and a short skirt three inches above her knees. Tying her hair into a high ponytail, she put on a pair of simple earrings and minimal jewelry before heading downstairs.
Chu Sun and Bai Xuan were already preparing to go shopping, so Bai Xia joined them. They took a taxi to a large shopping mall and bought some daily necessities. Bai Xia watched silently, unimpressed by the small pile of items — mostly utensils and clothes. Her mother was being cautious, unwilling to spend freely despite their new wealth.
Once they finished, Bai Xia told her mother and sister she had something to do and would return home later. They said their goodbyes, and the moment their car disappeared from sight, Bai Xia walked into a dark alley where no one could see her.
There, she entered her space. The three robots stood exactly where she had left them. "All of you, come with me — including you, Stella," she commanded.
Inside the Everything Mall, she typed on the glowing keyboard: "Moving trucks."
In an instant, the entire mall transformed into a car dealer's showroom. Rows of large trucks shimmered into view. Bai Xia pointed at one. "Steven, drive that one out."
Once he did, she typed again: "Household electrical appliances." The mall shifted once more. Bai Xia began touching items one by one while the robots loaded them carefully into the truck.
Next, she typed "Kitchen utensils." The space shimmered again. She repeated the process, choosing the finest items until the truck was full.
Then she entered another command: "All clothing types for men and women of all ages." The mall transformed again — racks of clothes, shelves of shoes, bags, and accessories appearing everywhere. Bai Xia selected everything from casual wear to luxurious pieces, including jewelry, sleepwear, and elegant suits.
Satisfied, she told Li Wei and Steven to take the truck out. The moment they disappeared into the real world, Bai Xia exited the alley with An Yu beside her, hailing a taxi home.
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When they arrived, Chu Sun panicked at the sight of a large truck in front of the house and two men unloading goods. "Xia'er! What are all these things? They must have cost a fortune! Why did you waste money like this?"
Bai Xia smiled softly and soothed her mother with a few calm words until she relaxed. Then Chu Sun noticed the unfamiliar woman behind her daughter. "And who is this lady?"
"She's our new housekeeper," Bai Xia said simply.
"What? We don't need a housekeeper!" Chu Sun whispered sharply, pulling her daughter aside. "We can handle the house ourselves."
"Mom," Bai Xia said gently but firmly, "she's really good. She can cook, clean, and take care of everything. I've already paid her deposit for ten years, so she'll be staying with us for quite some time. Please, just accept it."
Chu Sun sighed, feeling her daughter was becoming quite the spendthrift. But when she looked at An Yu again, the woman's composed, gentle demeanor eased her worry.
An Yu gave a small bow. "Hello, Madam. My name is An Yu. I'm forty-five years old and a widow with no children. I used to work at a home for the elderly. Now, I'll be serving as your butler and housekeeper. I promise to take care of this family as if it were my own."
Chu Sun smiled awkwardly but politely. "Then I'll be counting on you in the future."
They shook hands, and An Yu began helping unload the truck. After nearly two hours, everything was carried inside.
Bai Yang, Bai Xia, and Bai Xuan opened the packages excitedly. Among the items were—
2 Color Televisions – Changhong
1 Refrigerator – Hisense
2 Washing Machines – Haier
2 Electric Fans – Aucma
2 Rice Cookers – Supor
3 Electric Kettles – Midea
2 Cassette Players – Sony
2 VCD Players – Shinco
12 Air Conditioners – Haier
4 Electric Irons – Haier
2 Microwave Ovens – Panasonic
2 Vacuum Cleaners – Panasonic
2 Electric Cookers / Hot Plates – Midea
2 Fluorescent Lamps – NVC Lighting
1 Telephone – Panda
1 Personal Computer – Lenovo
There were also several luxury kitchen utensils and appliances:
Zojirushi rice warmer,
Toshiba electric oven,
Corelle dinnerware set,
Reed & Barton silver cutlery,
CorningWare cookware, and
Sharp blender.
Li Wei and Steven helped install every appliance, including the telephone and the computer. By the time they were done, it was already 7:00 p.m.
An Yu cleaned the house until it was spotless. Chu Sun showed her to a spare room to rest, but An Yu chose to help with dinner preparations while they waited for Bai Sung and Bai Yang's return.
Li Wei and Steven took the truck to the alley, stored it back into Bai Xia's space, then returned quietly to the house. They were waiting to meet Bai Sung and serve as his assistants for the new company — just as Bai Xia had instructed.
As they waited, the aroma of freshly cooked food filled the villa. Then, from outside the gates, came the sound of car horns echoing in the evening air, who was it .....