Cyber Era Witch
Chapter 861 - 702: Is a Family Needed?

Chapter 861: Chapter 702: Is a Family Needed?

Nidelade handed a stack of original light novels and illustration collections of "Vierre" to Xu Cheng.

"Guaye..." Xu Cheng looked down at the text description and then looked up at this Synthetic Human created.

"Bringing Vierre into reality, I’ve thought about it too; many people have. Vierre’s performance in the drama is absolutely beautiful; she and the male protagonist who loves her are together, but just being together, living a wonderful life, ah... it’s so beautiful. This is a fantasy work that touches people’s hearts." Nidelade said, obsessed.

"Wow..." This was the most interesting part for Xu Cheng; she turned to look at Xu Yang, "I’ve also made the small animals in the animated series into Synthetic Animals and brought them to reality!"

"Why not real animals?" Xu Yang didn’t understand.

"Guaya..." Xu Cheng tried to explain.

"As long as you can handle it, it’s fine." Xu Yang chose to comply.

"Bu bu!" Xu Cheng had evolved from a child to a young girl, in an excited and energetic state, wanting to try everything, almost making it possible to see her becoming a real Witch in a few years.

"How does it feel to have animal companions play with you?" Xu Yang asked.

"Qua!" Xu Cheng said happily.

Nidelade just now realized who the young girl brought by Xu Yang was.

"What, she’s actually Little Fool?" Nidelade’s impression of her was still stuck in an earlier phase, the child who crawled around, like a small animal, who stared blankly at people without averting her gaze and didn’t speak. Now it seemed like the rehabilitation therapy had succeeded, at least she was able to converse flexibly with people.

"Little child, it’s magical, isn’t it... Have you ever thought about having children? Like Li Xiaomin whose children can even fetch soy sauce now," Xu Yang said.

"I don’t really have a problem; now many companies offer services to send me a 0-year-old child with no congenital defects, and I can choose the gender and skin color, all of them are unfortunate children from war-torn areas. I really don’t want to start a real family." Nidelade nodded.

"Does raising children not feel... nerve-wracking?" Xu Yang said.

He himself was very concerned about whether Xu Cheng could grow up healthy.

"You’re worried about the girl you’re raising. If I were to raise one, it’d be adopting a boy, who’d just grow up on his own without needing a family. Later just add some money, send him to some security company or quasi-military organization to become a soldier, I think military is the cheapest way to mold a child, and afterward, he’s more or less a strong ordinary man, directly fit for the current cost-effective profession—security guard," Nidelade said lightly.

Even being single, Nidelade had ways to solve life’s difficulties.

"’Family’ as a concept is also becoming increasingly weakened," Xu Yang mused.

"Yes, nowadays who even gets married. Living alone with your own 30 square meters is plenty, with convenient services everywhere. If raising a family, even 100 square meters seems small, and you’d need to buy a 4-seater Shuttle Machine. Fortunately, most of our generation already has the capacity to enjoy solitude," Nidelade said casually.

This era, social diversity tends toward the extreme; individual disorder reaches its peak, Xu Yang thought. Each person has a unique appearance and extremely complex background.

The differences between people really seem to skyrocket, no longer able to find someone similar to "partner up with for life."

Dating is like navigating a minefield. Everyone has countless flaws and problems of their own, and potential partners are likely to have layers of quirks and troubles just the same. With individuals’ decreasing ability to tolerate risks, people prefer to stick to their own, relying on Synthetic Human companions to meet social needs.

So Nestor Corporation made so much money selling Synthetic Humans...

"Like Nestor Corporation, the marriage rate among internal members is also very low," Xu Yang mentioned to Nidelade about the situation in the Northern Archipelago, "Our company now has 3.5 million members, with a marriage rate of only 0.1%, less than 10,000 people in substantive marital relationships. Yet the population is still growing rapidly, with many newborns. Because nurseries are specifically established, they don’t need to worry about family; just have the children, and the company will take care of them."

"I’m not quite following? If they’re not married, how do they get pregnant—oh! Oh—oh..." Nidelade paused slightly in respect, "You guys really know how to have fun."

After coming out from Nidelade’s place, it was already 3 PM. Seeking Shadow stood at the clean, tidy intersection, with a posture indistinguishable from humans, looking exceptionally serene, newly made armor donned, ready to return to tasks of punishing the wicked and eradicating evil.

"How does it feel?" Xu Yang asked Seeking Shadow, "This kind of Nidelade?"

"Any human’s psychological activities and personality traits are extremely complex, much more complex than a synthesized mind; today I have witnessed it," Seeking Shadow said.

"And this society is composed of nearly ten billion humans; it’s an extremely vast and complex world," Xu Yang sighed.

Every time he thought about this, Xu Yang felt the value of human civilization.

Especially the vibrant online world, with so many active accounts, so many interesting comments—do these users actually exist offline? What incredible lives are they living?

Compared to the top internet celebrities, stars, and opinion leaders, Xu Yang was more curious about the tens of millions of ordinary people who support them into fame; their lives are also complex and extremely meaningful.

"As a Synthetic Human like me, it’s too difficult to understand ’human’ psychology, so my mental version has not been able to upgrade for a long time," Seeking Shadow bowed to Xu Yang, "Thank you for your continuous support, I am returning to work in the Northern Archipelago. I will continue to expand the Bureau of Secrets."

"Take Xu Cheng back too," Xu Yang planned to send Xu Cheng back to Shangjing.

Unexpectedly, Xu Cheng’s face changed dramatically, and she hugged her father tightly, unwilling to let go.

"Bu bu..." Xu Cheng said pitifully.

"Um... then you go first, Seeking Shadow," Xu Yang bid farewell to Seeking Shadow.

After Seeing Shadow went far, Xu Cheng slowly hopped back to the ground.

"Don’t want to go home?" Xu Yang touched Xu Cheng’s hair.

"Miss daddy..." Xu Cheng whispered lowly.

Xu Yang was slightly moved.

Xu Cheng’s eyes were already red, and tears began to fall. Once again separating from Dad, the feeling was unbearably painful. Living alone is undesirable. Xu Cheng didn’t want to be far from Xu Yang no matter what.

"Then... just follow me for now. The people we met today were interesting, weren’t they? One looked like just an ordinary geek, but he’s a tech expert helping everyone rebuild their lives; another looked like a cold-hearted Director of the Bureau of Secrets, but is actually a complicated Synthetic Human..." Xu Yang picked up Xu Cheng, letting her lean on his shoulder, all the way back to Kanako’s office building.

"Guabu..." Xu Cheng dared not speak. She was caught in a highly conflicreplicad inner conflict. She was old enough not to cling to her dad, but she couldn’t help it, she just missed him too much.

Faced with this predicament, she had no choice but to cry.

In the office building, several floors were specially prepared for Kanako and Chishiki. At this moment, Kanako was wearing dark gold pajamas, sitting on the sofa, feeding Chishiki with a bottle. Kanako’s own milk was far from enough; relying solely on her would leave Chishiki starving.

After Chishiki was full, he wriggled around in his swaddle.

"Ah... Xu Cheng?" Kanako looked up to see Xu Cheng had turned into a little sobbing bundle, as she tried to hold back tears while more streamed down.

"I don’t know how to take care of children," Xu Yang confessed to Kanako.

"Guaya..." Hearing this, Xu Cheng was completely stunned. Wasn’t it Dad who had raised her so well and obediently? But now Dad was saying he didn’t know how to take care of children, which was baffling.

"What a cute child..." Kanako reached out and took Xu Cheng from him.

Xu Cheng was terrified. She suddenly realized that Dad was about to leave her with Kanako, to grow up with Chishiki.

Kanako was a wealthy mom, Chishiki was a cute baby, she could grow up well here, but, but...

She looked sadly at Xu Yang. Xu Cheng thought she was ready to part from her dad, but she wasn’t, this was all too much for an 8-year-old.

Does Dad really not like Xu Cheng that much?

Xu Yang’s thoughts had indeed been completely guessed by Xu Cheng; he had indeed planned to leave Xu Cheng with Kanako, and then make his immediate escape.

The aversion to "establishing a family" from many years ago surged up; he had always refused to have kids because he was afraid of this kind of situation. Xu Yang wanted an unfettered life.

At this moment, facing Xu Cheng’s pitiful look, Xu Yang realized that his actions would cause her irreparable harm.

So Xu Yang stopped in his tracks.

Kanako sharply sensed that Little Fool’s presence could keep Xu Yang at Jialong Slope, and she would not miss this opportunity.

"You’re already 31—" Kanako said softly, "—just stay and take care of Little Fool, how hard can it be?"

"Um..." Xu Yang pondered.

"I will be obedient, I will be a good child, a useful child," Xu Cheng said quickly, her voice tinged with panic.

What she feared most was Xu Yang leaving.

She was just not grown up yet. Xu Yang consoled himself. She was just not grown up yet, just a few more years, once Little Fool becomes a grown-up Witch, she would surely be able to live independently.

"Alright, just be a healthy and safe child..." Xu Yang sat beside Xu Cheng.

"Guaye!" With Xu Yang returned, Xu Cheng’s racing heart gradually calmed down, her eyes immediately became clear and bright, and she stopped crying.

"Where did you originally plan to go?" Kanako sized up Xu Yang.

"To explore the Hot Tree Continent..." Xu Yang planned to let loose in unfamiliar locales.

"There’s no need for that," Kanako said softly. "Stay at Jialong Slope, dear, just stay."

"Um..." Xu Yang muttered.

"Yeyeyeye!" Xu Cheng happily walked around, picked Chishiki up from the stroller and shook him.

"?" Chishiki struggled vigorously.

Kanako loved Xu Yang too much, and she didn’t want Xu Yang to leave Jialong Slope for any other place.

This was thanks to Farosa, Kanako thought to herself. It was Farosa who inadvertently brought Little Fool to Jialong Slope.

Now everything was wonderful, with Little Fool here, Xu Yang wouldn’t leave.

Kanako believed this was the best outcome for Xu Yang. After so many fearful battles, didn’t this man deserve to stay in a warm place and enjoy life itself?

"We will build a very beautiful family here," Kanako said softly. "Trust me, I won’t let you down, don’t you like family? Here’s me, and Chishiki, and Little Fool, what else are you missing? Lila will also come to be with you. Sometimes I just don’t understand you, why can’t you just peacefully enjoy life? Day after day, calm and interesting daily life, as long as you stay at Jialong Slope, I can provide that for you, dear... I love you."

"..." Xu Yang did not retort, he didn’t want to abandon anyone at this time.

Being here and peacefully accompanying family was also part of life.

So-called "family man"...

But the more this was the case, the more intense was Xu Yang’s fighting spirit. His heart was filled with roaring wildness, overflowing with a desire for freedom. He wanted to venture out, to ignite a towering blaze!

He needed to find another way.