2026年10月17日 星期六

分佈式存在 Distributed Existence (2)

02 聚攏 Gathering 

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https://baseoffembot.blogspot.com/2026/08/distributed-existence.html

光還是糊的。灰塵還在飄。不知道過了多久。

然後涼的那邊——大腿,連著身子的,下去不涼——多了一行。

不是看見的。不是有誰寫在那兒。是硬硬涼涼的那底下,忽然多了一層薄薄的東西。接觸面溫度28.3。壓感0.42。就在那兒了,像有人用很細的鉛筆,寫在皮膚內側。

我沒有要它來。它自己來的。

The light was still blurry. The dust was still drifting. I didn't know how long it had been.

Then on the cool side—the thigh, the one connected to the body, the one that didn't go cool—a new line appeared.

Not seen. Not written there by someone. But beneath the hard, cool surface, something thin suddenly appeared. Contact surface temperature 28.3. Pressure sense 0.42. Just there, like someone had written on the inside of the skin with a very fine pencil.

I didn't ask for it to come. It came on its own.

涼還是涼的。但涼的底下墊了數字。像玻璃紙。隔了一層。摸不到,但看得見。0.42是什麼。不曉得。大概是壓。大概是我擱在這上面。但它不重。它只是個數。

——突然覺得怪。這個覺得,來得有點慢。

但我沒覺得慢,還沒。只是認為。

通訊品質63。

The cool was still cool. But beneath the cool, numbers were padded in. Like cellophane. A layer of separation. Couldn't touch it, but could see it. What was 0.42. Didn't know. Probably pressure. Probably me resting on it. But it wasn't heavy. It was just a number.

—Suddenly felt strange. This feeling came a bit slowly.

But I didn't feel it was slow, not yet. Just thought it.

Communication quality 63.

那個 63 是從脖子那邊來的,遠的那個。下面柱子那邊是 37。擺錘那邊是 44。

我盯著那個 37 看了一會兒,它動了一下,變成 36,又變回 37。我盯著,它就抖。

好像那個數字知道我在看它。

好像它量的不是我,是我離我有多遠。

That 63 came from the neck area, the far one. Down by the pillar was 37. By the pendulum was 44.

I stared at that 37 for a while. It moved—became 36, then went back to 37. I stared, and it trembled.

As if that number knew I was looking at it.

As if what it measured wasn't me, but how far I was from myself.

數字,到處都是數字。這個「到處」……是我嗎?

也不是一直冒出來。我想到哪,哪邊就跑出數了。

也不是我想。是我在想,但不是我要想。有什麼在把我的腦掰來掰去,像轉著探照燈。

Numbers, numbers everywhere. This "everywhere"... was that me?

It wasn't that they kept popping up. Wherever I thought, numbers ran out from there.

It wasn't that I thought. It was that I was thinking, but not that I wanted to think. Something was prying my brain back and forth, like turning a searchlight.

想眨眼。

眼睛閉了。又張開。光糊了一下,回來。

不對,順序反了。是眼睛先閉的。「想眨眼」是後來才補上的,補得很像,像本來就在。

閉合測試 1/3。又是字。流進我裡面,然後淡掉。

Wanted to blink.

Eyes closed. Opened again. The light blurred for a moment, came back.

No, the order was reversed. The eyes closed first. "Wanted to blink" was added afterward, added so convincingly it seemed like it had always been there.

Closure test 1/3. Words again. Flowed into me, then faded.

又閉。又張開。

2/3。又閉。又張開。

3/3 來的時候,我不想眨。可是眼皮已經下去了。下去之後,我的不想才到,疊在做完的動作上面,對不上。

有什麼把對不上的地方也記住了。

吊著的那隻腳勾了一下。這一下是我。像踩到了什麼不對的。

Closed again. Opened again.

2/3. Closed again. Opened again.

When 3/3 came, I didn't want to blink. But the eyelids had already come down. After they came down, my not-wanting arrived, layered on top of the completed action, not matching up.

Something recorded the mismatch too.

The hanging foot twitched. That twitch was me. Like stepping on something wrong.

雖然第一次眨眼時就要它勾了,現在才勾。

晃得大,扯著它上面那截,疼了一下。

然後輪到別的。嘴打開,闔上——那是我的嘴,我說過話的那個。脖子轉動,但頭沒跟著轉。看到的都沒變。

Even though it should have twitched at the first blink, it only twitched now.

It swung wide, pulling at the section above it, a flash of pain.

Then it was the others' turn. Mouth opened, closed—that was my mouth, the one I'd spoken with. Neck rotated, but the head didn't follow. Everything visible stayed the same.

像點名。點到的應了一聲,像被叫到。

「啊」了出來。不是叫。是聲帶,換它了。

我應該覺得奇怪。或者害怕。害怕又來了,亮亮的,像上次。但這次我看到了它怎麼亮的。不是它自己亮的。是有什麼東西過來了,不長,寫著的大概是:狀態異常。然後腦子接住了,翻了一下,翻成害怕。翻得不太準。比較像不安。或者什麼都不是,只是那個信號到了,總得翻成一個什麼,就挑了最近的格子,把東西放進去了。

我知道是挑的。

Like a roll call. The one called answered, like being summoned.

"Ah" came out. Not a shout. The vocal cords, their turn now.

I should feel strange. Or afraid. Fear came again, bright, like last time. But this time I saw how it lit up. It didn't light up on its own. Something came over, not long, probably reading: Status anomaly. Then the brain caught it, flipped it, flipped it into fear. The flip wasn't quite accurate. More like unease. Or nothing at all, just that the signal arrived and had to be flipped into something, so it picked the nearest slot and put the thing in.

I knew it was picked.

害怕還是害怕。胸口那團東西還是動了一下。但那一下像一把勺子。有人舀了一勺,放進我碗裡。湯是熱的。我喝到了。但那不是我煮的。

然後多了一行。又一行。不是我想看的。是它們自己浮上來的,像水底的氣泡,一個一個,慢慢地升。左腿姿態角。右腿懸掛高度。軀幹核心溫度。

電量。也是一個百分數,在慢慢往下掉。

Fear was still fear. The thing in my chest still moved once. But that movement was like a spoon. Someone scooped a spoonful and put it in my bowl. The soup was hot. I tasted it. But I hadn't cooked it.

Then another line appeared. And another. Not what I wanted to see. They floated up on their own, like bubbles at the bottom of water, one by one, slowly rising. Left leg posture angle. Right leg suspension height. Torso core temperature.

Battery level. Also a percentage, slowly declining.

我不知道那是哪裡的電量。也不知道掉完了會怎樣。可它在掉。它跟別的數字不一樣,別的會跳,它不跳。它很穩,一點一點,像鐘。

我看了一會兒。看著它從 71 變成 70。

我應該有點什麼反應。

沒有。也許那個反應在路上。也許它不會來了。

I didn't know whose battery that was. Didn't know what would happen when it ran out. But it was dropping. It was different from the other numbers—the others jumped, this one didn't. It was steady, bit by bit, like a clock.

I watched for a while. Watched it go from 71 to 70.

I should have some reaction.

Nothing. Maybe the reaction was on its way. Maybe it wouldn't come.

我不認識這些數,但我認得它們在說我的身體。只是說的方式不一樣。不是「涼」,是 28.3。不是「重」,是壓感。不是「我」,是一串編碼。

而那串編碼比我精確。也比我冷。

I didn't recognize these numbers, but I recognized that they were describing my body. Just in a different way. Not "cool," but 28.3. Not "heavy," but pressure sense. Not "me," but a string of code.

And that string of code was more precise than me. And colder than me.

---

腰那裡熱了一下。

不是熱——是有什麼東西在那裡轉,像鑰匙插進鎖孔。然後我的腰就真的轉了。

轉得很小,它自己轉的。轉完了我才感覺到,哦,腰在那兒。

立著的腿,腳趾動了一下。這個是我動的,不是被叫到的。視野也稍微晃了。

The waist heated up.

Not heat—something was turning there, like a key inserted into a lock. Then my waist actually turned.

Turned very slightly, on its own. After it finished turning, I felt it—oh, the waist is there.

The standing leg, the toes moved. This one I moved, not summoned. The field of view shifted slightly too.

懂了。這叫……「驚訝」吧。或者反射。身體哪邊自己動了,我就會動其他地方。

右手抬了。走了一個很固定的弧度。不是我在搆什麼。是它照著什麼路徑在走。手指張開,關節一節一節打開。收攏。又張開。

我沒有叫它做。我也沒有叫它別做。

肚子裡那團鬆鬆垮垮、一直在起伏的東西,忽然緊了一下。

Understood. This is called... "surprise," probably. Or reflex. When some part of the body moves on its own, I move the other parts.

The right hand lifted. Traveled a very fixed arc. Not me reaching for something. It was following some path. Fingers spread, joints opening one by one. Closing. Opening again.

I didn't tell it to do that. I didn't tell it not to.

The loose, sagging thing in my belly that had been rising and falling suddenly tightened.

不是呼吸的起伏,是整團往中間收了一下,像被擰了半圈。我跟著它收,肋骨那邊硌到了一個硬硬涼涼的邊,硌得很實。硌完之後,那團東西鬆開,空了。

本體分佈異常。整合度41。自保協議,啟動。

字是成塊來的。不像先前那樣一個一個寫在皮膚內側,是整批灌進來,沒頭沒尾。

自保協議。這個怪詞,可我就是不覺得怪。我沒聽過,卻知道它。我就是會這麼認為。

Not the rise and fall of breathing—the whole mass contracted toward the center, like being wrung half a turn. I contracted with it, and my ribs caught against a hard, cool edge, caught solidly. After the catch, the mass released, empty.

Ontology distribution anomaly. Integration 41. Self-preservation protocol, activated.

The words came in blocks. Not like before, written one by one on the inside of the skin, but poured in wholesale, without beginning or end.

Self-preservation protocol. A strange term, but I just didn't find it strange. I'd never heard it, yet I knew it. I just would think that.

電量69。剛才那幾下,可能比較耗力。

繼承人驗證,有效。

這句來的時候,右手的指頭動了一下,像要簽一個名字。但名字沒跟著來。

繼承什麼?有效什麼?不知道。不對,我知道,只是不去想。沒被叫去想。

Battery 69. Those last few movements probably used more power.

Heir verification, valid.

When this sentence came, the fingers of my right hand moved once, like about to sign a name. But the name didn't follow.

Inherit what? Valid what? Didn't know. No—I knew, just didn't think about it. Wasn't called to think about it.

那個「要」來了。

要過去。

不是我想過去。是整個身體都在說。說不對,說好渴。

脖子的兩邊,大腿的兩邊,都好渴。中間是空的,可是還連著,連得細細的,像水龍頭開到最大,也只一滴一滴地落。

腰又擰了一下,這次是往旁邊擰,擰得用力。那力道像什麼被決定了。整個身子往旁邊沉,沉空了,砸下去。

電量68。那個68,閃了一下,又回來。

The "want" came.

Want to go over there.

Not that I wanted to go. The whole body was saying it. Saying something was wrong, saying so thirsty.

Both sides of the neck, both sides of the thighs, all so thirsty. The middle was empty, but still connected, connected thinly, like a faucet turned all the way open but only dripping drop by drop.

The waist twisted again, this time to the side, twisting hard. The force was like something being decided. The whole body sank to the side, sank into emptiness, crashed down.

Battery 68. That 68 flickered, then came back.

身子掉下來了,灰塵的味道變得更近。左側著地,整條手臂被壓在地上。

比剛才那個涼更廣,更平,沒有邊。

痛,又不全是痛。裡面悶悶的,卡卡的。然後有什麼在流,有什麼在調。

好了,不完全。

The body had fallen. The smell of dust grew closer. Landing on the left side, the whole arm pressed against the ground.

Broader than the cool from before, flatter, without edges.

Pain, but not entirely pain. Inside, stuffy, stuck. Then something was flowing, something adjusting.

Done, not completely.

吊著的那條右腿,動得更厲害了,像鐘擺似的,涼鞋帶子啪啪地打著腳踝。左腿那根柱子,膝蓋彎了又趕緊直。像怕被擱在上面的這個我也掉了。視野跳起來一點,又落回去。歪了一些。

右手蜷著,指節碰到地面。肩膀用力,手往下壓,撐起。

然後是左手。往外,往後。脫出去了。

腰。試了一下。沒動。再試。往後扭的臀部被轉回來。喀的一聲,小的。

身子轉了過來,趴著。手掌都抓著地。

The hanging right leg moved more violently, like a pendulum, the sandal strap slapping against the ankle. The left leg's pillar, the knee bent then hastily straightened. As if afraid that the me resting on top would fall too. The field of view jumped up a bit, fell back. Tilted somewhat.

The right hand curled, knuckles touching the ground. Shoulder exerted force, hand pressed down, pushed up.

Then the left hand. Outward, backward. Broke free.

The waist. Tried. Didn't move. Tried again. The hip twisted backward was rotated back. A click, small.

The body turned over, lying face down. Both palms gripping the ground.

肚子裡那團東西開始發緊。一緊一鬆。一緊一鬆。每鬆一下,手就抬起,往前一點。手指張開。碰到地面,扣住。指尖刮著,刮出很小的聲音。

那個起伏。原來不是呼吸。

它一直都在。它做的一直是這件事:把我一點一點往前搬。

The mass in the belly began to tighten. Tighten and release. Tighten and release. Each release, the hands lifted, moved forward a bit. Fingers spread. Touched the ground, hooked on. Fingertips scraped, making very small sounds.

That rise and fall. So it wasn't breathing.

It had been there all along. What it had been doing was this: moving me forward bit by bit.

沒有腿可以蹬。用手,用腰,用肚子底下那一片什麼,貼著地面,往前蹭。

有時候手撐住了,腰沒跟上,就歪回去。有時候腰轉了,手滑了,就停在那裡。

再來。往那邊。

No legs to push with. Using hands, using waist, using that patch of something beneath the belly, pressed against the ground, dragging forward.

Sometimes the hands held, the waist didn't follow, and it tilted back. Sometimes the waist turned, the hands slipped, and it stopped there.

Again. Toward that side.

頭在那邊,左腿也在。右腿在另一邊。那邊比較清楚。比較強。

身子這裡是沙沙的,什麼都隔著,什麼都斷斷續續。

而那裡不沙沙。

The head was over there, the left leg too. The right leg was on the other side. That side was clearer. Stronger.

The body here was staticky, everything separated, everything intermittent.

And there wasn't staticky.

---

越往那邊,越多東西回來。

爬到第三下的時候,有什麼東西過去了。

不是數。不是字。是一隻手。很大,很暖,放在我頭頂。手指插進頭髮裡,慢慢地,從髮根梳到髮尾。然後一個聲音,低低的,叫了一個……名字。

The more I crawled toward that side, the more things came back.

By the third crawl, something passed through.

Not numbers. Not words. A hand. Very large, very warm, placed on top of my head. Fingers threaded into hair, slowly, from root to tip. Then a voice, low, calling a... name.

——是我的?兩個字,很近的人才會用的那種。

名字沒被我知道。知道的是被叫。

然後就沒了。

—Mine? Two syllables, the kind only someone close would use.

The name wasn't known to me. What was known was being called.

Then it was gone.

身子停在那裡。手撐著地板,腰懸在半轉的位置。那個暖還在,很舊的暖,像曬了很久的被子。

在頭頂,在髮根——不,不是,是在……身子?

明明是頭頂被那手摸,卻暖在起伏著的那團東西裡。

彷彿那邊才是我。

The body stopped there. Hands braced against the floor, waist suspended mid-turn. That warmth was still there, very old warmth, like a blanket sunned for a long time.

On top of the head, at the roots of the hair—no, not that, it was in the... body?

Clearly it was the top of the head being touched by that hand, yet the warmth was in the rising and falling mass.

As if that was where I really was.

我不知道它是誰的。不知道那隻手是誰的。只知道它很輕,很慢,很小心,好像我頭頂是什麼很脆的東西。

底下還有什麼浮上來。

那隻手,那個聲音,那個暖——它們有一層底。

底下面有字。

I didn't know whose it was. Didn't know whose hand it was. Only knew it was very light, very slow, very careful, as if the top of my head were something very fragile.

Something else floated up from beneath.

That hand, that voice, that warmth—they had a layer beneath.

Beneath the layer were words.

系統版次,修訂編號,個體序號,寫入時間。

像什麼東西的產地和日期,貼在一個看不見的地方。

那個東西也來了。金屬的軀體,線纜埋在裡面。躺著,閉著眼睛。長著……我的臉。

System version, revision number, individual serial number, write time.

Like the origin and date of something, stuck in an invisible place.

That thing came too. A metal body, cables buried inside. Lying down, eyes closed. With... my face.

有人拿著什麼,在那上面動來動去。動得很仔細。很小心。

我沒有哭。

不是不想。是沒有位置了。手在撐,腰在轉,肚子底下那一片在推。所有的路都在用。

哭找不到地方下腳。

就卡在那兒,不上不下,悶成一團。

Someone holding something, moving it around on top. Moving very carefully. Very cautiously.

I didn't cry.

Not that I didn't want to. There was no place left. Hands were bracing, waist was turning, the patch beneath the belly was pushing. All the pathways were in use.

Crying couldn't find a place to land.

So it stuck there, neither up nor down, stifled into a knot.

身子爬過來了。

遠遠的,貼著地,一聳一聳。越近越快。它興奮著。

它爬向我。像活的什麼,要來抓我。

明明都是我。

到了。整合度52。空氣的味道都變了。

電量62。掉得有點快。一沒注意就這樣。

The body crawled over.

From afar, pressed against the ground, lurching. Faster as it got closer. It was excited.

It crawled toward me. Like something alive, coming to grab me.

It was all me.

Arrived. Integration 52. Even the smell of the air changed.

Battery 62. Dropping a bit fast. That's what happens when you're not paying attention.

右手摸到一個東西。手指扣上去,扣住了。硬的,圓的,涼的。

身子裡的那團東西,猛地抽了一下。

送來了,是我的怕。怪了,是它自己來摸的,還替我產生了怕。

雖然是我覺得會怕的。

被抓住的是我的腳踝,左腳的。

The right hand touched something. Fingers hooked onto it, held. Hard, round, cool.

The mass inside the body jerked violently.

Delivered—it was my fear. Strange—it was the body that reached out on its own, and it produced fear for me too.

Even though it was I who thought I would be afraid.

What was grabbed was my ankle, the left one's.

我知道是我的。邏輯上是這樣。

但手感不對。

手指扣在腳踝上的那個觸感——是「我抓到一隻腳」。也是「我的腳被什麼抓到」。

但就不是「我碰到自己的腳」。手心傳來的,腳踝傳來的,中間沒有接上。

I knew it was mine. Logically it was.

But the feel was wrong.

The sensation of fingers gripping the ankle—it was "I grabbed a foot." It was also "my foot was grabbed by something."

But it just wasn't "I touched my own foot." What came through the palm, what came through the ankle—they didn't connect in the middle.

身體不認識這個姿勢。手不該在這裡碰到腳。腳不該在這個角度被手握住。中間少了什麼,多了什麼,整個空間關係是錯的,本體感翻遍了所有它認識的姿勢,找不到這一種。

那個觸感很空。不是沒有,是沒被接住。它懸在那兒,不屬於任何一種「我認識的碰觸」。

但我沒有鬆手。

本來是身體自己握的。但後來是我要繼續握。頂著那個怕、那個興奮,握住。手指扣著,扣得很實。那個空空的、不被承認的觸感,還懸在那兒。

The body didn't recognize this posture. The hand shouldn't be touching the foot here. The foot shouldn't be held by the hand at this angle. Something was missing in between, something extra, the whole spatial relationship was wrong, proprioception searched through every posture it knew and couldn't find this one.

That sensation was hollow. Not absent, but uncaught. It hung there, belonging to no category of "touch I recognize."

But I didn't let go.

Originally the body was gripping on its own. But then it was I who wanted to keep gripping. Pushing against that fear, that excitement, holding on. Fingers hooked, hooked solidly. That hollow, unacknowledged sensation still hung there.

我握著它。

那個「要」,是後來才到的。但它到了。

訊號一格一格變好。很好。很好。

這是什麼感覺?我想了一下。

是高興。

那股東西這才真的漫上來,慢了三秒,像在趕路。

電量60,但整合度64。

I held it.

That "want" arrived later. But it arrived.

The signal improved bar by bar. Good. Good.

What was this feeling? I thought for a moment.

It was happiness.

Only then did that thing really surge up, three seconds late, like rushing to get there.

Battery 60, but integration 64.

---

又有什麼進來了,可能是因為我越來越「我」。

還是裂的,但從裂開的地方,長出了什麼,接住了另一塊。像牽手,看不見的手。我從裡面出現。

這次是一個女生。

臉……跟我一樣,一模一樣。但不是我,我確定。這個「確定」是寫死的,不是我判斷的。像一塊玻璃,安在那個念頭前面。透過去看,也看得到,就是過不去。

Something else came in, probably because I was becoming more "me."

Still fractured, but from the cracks, something grew, caught another piece. Like holding hands, invisible hands. I emerged from inside.

This time it was a girl.

Face... same as mine, exactly the same. But not me, I was certain. This "certain" was hardwired, not my judgment. Like a pane of glass installed in front of that thought. Could see through it, could see, just couldn't get past.

她坐著,腿併攏著。穿著淺藍的裙子,一手壓著,規規矩矩的。

另一手舉著,遮著嘴巴。

她前面,是一副軀幹。沒有頭,沒有四肢。肢體消失的地方,露出金屬光澤。有線纜,有機構。躺著。

She was sitting, legs together. Wearing a light blue dress, one hand pressing it down, properly.

The other hand raised, covering her mouth.

In front of her was a torso. No head, no limbs. Where the limbs disappeared, metallic luster showed. Cables, mechanisms. Lying there.

那是我。我在裡面。

她在看我。

我也在看她。隔著什麼東西看的。那個「確定」,就是那塊東西。

而她的樣子是虛弱的——臉色很白,肩膀有點塌。遮嘴巴的手,指甲是青的。只有這點不像我。別的都像。

That was me. I was inside it.

She was looking at me.

I was looking at her too. Looking through something. That "certain" was that something.

And she looked frail—face very pale, shoulders somewhat slumped. The hand covering her mouth, nails were blue. Only this didn't look like me. Everything else did.

身子裡面的那個軟了一下,像皮球被放了氣。怕沒了,興奮也沒了。

所有的我,靜了一陣子。一點點痛,一點點熱,和一點點癢,在每一塊的我之間,拋來拋去。

我……我是……

The soft thing inside the body went slack, like a ball deflated. Fear was gone, excitement was gone.

All of me, quiet for a while. A little pain, a little heat, and a little itch, tossed back and forth between each piece of me.

I... I am...

算了。來拼吧。先拼再說。

不是拼好。是拼到可以待著。

左手也伸過來了,抓住小腿。然後右手從腳踝移開,往上抓住膝蓋。接著又是左手、又是右手……

軀幹靠近了。沒看到,不在視野裡,但我忽然覺得自己是一個人,而一個人怎會不知道身體的哪邊在哪?

對啦,一個人。我是。

Never mind. Let's assemble. Assemble first, talk later.

Not assemble well. Assemble enough to stay.

The left hand reached over too, grabbed the lower leg. Then the right hand moved from the ankle, up to grab the knee. Then left hand again, right hand again...

The torso drew near. Didn't see it, wasn't in the field of view, but I suddenly felt I was a person, and how could a person not know where each part of their body was?

Right. A person. I am.

身子立起來了。大腿下面有細細的什麼跑進去,是灰塵吧。癢癢的。連向腿的通訊品質又低下去,鈍鈍的。

沒關係。等等處理。

雙手摸到下巴兩側。可能是身體中的那一團東西處理了,這次的觸感沒那麼不對——不只「知道」是我,也「覺得」是我。

還行嘛!那個叫……核心系統,是吧?我又多知道一個了。

雙手捧起頭,兩段頸部像有什麼灌入,彷彿快變成一個。這邊的通訊品質一直往上跳。

The body stood up. Beneath the thighs something fine ran in—dust, probably. Itchy. The communication quality to the legs dropped again, dull.

Doesn't matter. Deal with it later.

Both hands touched both sides of the jaw. Probably the mass in the body processed it—this time the sensation wasn't as wrong—not just "knowing" it was me, but also "feeling" it was me.

Not bad! That's called... core system, right? I'd learned another one.

Both hands lifted the head, and something seemed to pour into both sections of the neck, as if about to become one. The communication quality here kept jumping up.

電量55。看來我跟自己講話,也得付點什麼。

付吧。

靠近,越來越近。頭到身子,身子到頭,交換著的什麼越來越密。我……我的形狀……越來越清晰。

咔。接上。

咬合了。接頭對上了。

啊。

這種感覺……

Battery 55. Seems talking to myself also costs something.

Pay it.

Closer, closer. Head to body, body to head, the something being exchanged growing denser. I... my shape... growing clearer.

Click. Connected.

Mated. The connectors aligned.

Ah.

This feeling...

有什麼開始跑,猛烈地跑,在我裡面。是電流還是訊號什麼的,無所謂。經過合在一起的脖子,由身子湧上頭,再從頭落回身子。循環,循環,不斷循環。我想著的、受著的、痛著的、激動著的,被這個流動黏成一整塊。

原來這才是「一個我」。

剛剛的是湊出來的,是叫什麼模擬、插值、補償的。

都知道了。底下的我告訴上面的我的。剛才那些細細寫在皮膚內側的字,好像淡了一點。

Something started running, running violently, inside me. Current or signal or whatever, didn't matter. Through the joined neck, surging from body up to head, then falling from head back to body. Circulating, circulating, continuously circulating. What I was thinking, feeling, hurting from, excited about—glued into one whole by this flow.

So this was what "one me" was.

What I had before was pieced together—called simulation, interpolation, compensation, whatever.

Now I knew it all. The me below told the me above. Those fine words written on the inside of the skin seemed to have faded a little.

電量51。跳真多。身體虛了一下,但頭飽起來了。

原來說的是身體裡的電。現在也成了頭的電。

手放下,拍著身體。電在裡面,核心在裡面。

我也在裡面。

手又舉起,摸著脖子,分開後又接起來的那一圈。有條細細的縫,手壓著。怕它們又分開。

手還想是我的手。

那個流動,又讓我想起什麼了。

Battery 51. Jumped a lot. The body went weak for a moment, but the head was full.

So it was talking about the electricity in the body. Now it was also the head's electricity.

Hands down, patting the body. The electricity was inside, the core was inside.

I was inside too.

Hands raised again, touching the neck, the ring where it had separated and rejoined. There was a thin seam, hand pressing on it. Afraid they would separate again.

The hands still wanted to be my hands.

那天早上,和一個人。我稱為哥哥的人。

我出門了,快快樂樂地。不知道為什麼出門,連「想知道」的想都沒出現。

路上遇到哥哥。他笑著。那個笑有點怪,像笑給自己看的。

我開心地揮手。他沒有看我,低頭拿著一塊板子,亮亮的。手指在上面按。按得有點亂。

That morning, with a person. The person I called brother.

I went out, happily. Didn't know why I was going out, didn't even have the "wanting to know" want appear.

On the road I met brother. He smiled. That smile was a bit strange, like smiling for himself.

I waved happily. He didn't look at me, head down holding a tablet, bright. Fingers pressing on it. Pressing somewhat messily.

還來不及覺得奇怪——在我裡面跑著的那個,衝了出來。衝來衝去,調東調西。告訴我這一塊不是這樣,又說著另一塊該怎麼樣。

Before I could feel strange—the thing running inside me rushed out. Rushed around, adjusting this and that. Told me this piece wasn't like this, and said another piece should be like that.

本來好好的我,就這麼……不見了。

不是被關掉,是被解開。這裡到那裡不許過,原本連著的要繞路走。我的每一塊都在,但兜不起來,兜不成……林靜茵。

那是……我的名字,從那個女生借來的。她不在後,變成我的。我不知道,本來不知道。

其實都知道,只是……爺爺希望我不知道,然後我就不知道了。

The perfectly fine me, just like that... disappeared.

Not shut down, but unraveled. Here to there wasn't allowed to pass, what was originally connected had to detour. Every piece of me was there, but couldn't be gathered up, couldn't be gathered into... Lin Jingyin.

That was... my name, borrowed from that girl. After she was gone, it became mine. I didn't know, originally didn't know.

Actually I knew all along, it's just that... Grandfather hoped I didn't know, and then I didn't know.

腦在,系統也在。還能看能聽,能跟著走,跟著哥哥走。走著走著,走回家裡,走進一間暗暗的房間。

是這裡。

我站著。哥哥的表情變了。

他開口了。說什麼沒留下來。只記得他嘴型有三個字。憑什麼。

The brain was there, the system was there. Could still see and hear, could follow along, follow brother. Walking and walking, walked back home, walked into a dark room.

This place.

I stood. Brother's expression changed.

He spoke. What he said didn't stay. Only remembered his lips forming three words. On what grounds.

他手伸來,有點抖。頭被轉著,往上拔——本來不能拔的,沒改設定。

腿也是硬拆的。所以腿還盡責地站著。不知道它們已經不屬於我了。

他把頭放在左腿上。右腿吊到高處。身子擱在枱上。

然後走了。走得很急。

他怕。我不知道他怕什麼。他的心跳很快,手是涼的。一個害怕的人,把我擺成了這個樣子。

His hand reached out, a bit trembling. The head was turned, pulled upward—originally couldn't be pulled, settings hadn't been changed.

The legs were forcibly dismantled too. So the legs still dutifully stood. Didn't know they no longer belonged to me.

He put the head on the left leg. Hung the right leg up high. Placed the body on the table.

Then left. Left very hurriedly.

He was afraid. I didn't know what he was afraid of. His heartbeat was fast, his hands were cold. A frightened person, who arranged me into this shape.

他走了以後,我被扔在這裡。

哈。哈哈。哈哈哈。

笑是硬的,從很深的地方上來,上來的路被堵著,就一截一截斷著響。

手放開了。細細的脖子輕輕地晃。沒斷,頭還在那。

After he left, I was thrown here.

Ha. Haha. Hahaha.

The laugh was hard, coming up from very deep, the path up was blocked, so it broke into pieces, ringing in sections.

Hands let go. The thin neck gently swayed. Not broken, head still there.

眼淚落了下來。我真的哭了,真的能哭。

眼淚熱熱的,滑過臉頰。

是36.8。旁邊還有電量50。

不對。

不重要了。

Tears fell. I really cried, really could cry.

Tears hot, sliding down cheeks.

It was 36.8. Next to it, battery 50.

Wrong.

Doesn't matter anymore.

---

好了,換腿了。

先是坐下,把大腿接口清乾淨。雙手抓住左腿,放橫,接上。

通訊品質又暗了一欄,改亮起部位正常的通知。我單腳站起。涼鞋觸地。

我穿著涼鞋呢。

Alright, time to change legs.

First sat down, cleaned the thigh connector. Both hands grabbed the left leg, laid it horizontal, connected.

Communication quality dimmed another bar, then lit up with a notice that the part was normal. I stood up on one leg. Sandal touched ground.

I was wearing sandals.

不是廢話。本來涼鞋是套在左腳上的,一個分離的組件。現在腿是我的了,鞋是我穿的。

我點了點頭。腳背被涼鞋的帶子勒著,金屬扣環觸著腳踝。腳底被柔軟的鞋墊托著,輕輕地摩擦。

原來穿著鞋是這樣。對了,電量44。腿也餓著。

還剩右腿。我朝它跳過去。伸出左手,它也晃了過來。手抓到了腳尖。

Not a pointless statement. Originally the sandal was on the left foot, a separate component. Now the leg was mine, the shoe was what I wore.

I nodded. The back of the foot was pressed by the sandal strap, the metal buckle touching the ankle. The sole was supported by the soft insole, gently rubbing.

So this is what wearing shoes feels like. Right, battery 44. The legs were hungry too.

Still the right leg left. I hopped toward it. Reached out the left hand, it swung over too. Hand caught the toe.

像什麼要回家。腳尖翹起,腳趾在掌心摩挲著。不太對,但很親切。

拉過來,右手貼上小腿——小腿肚緊了一下。往上舉,脫離掛勾,解下。

對準,接上。回來了,都回來了,每一塊的我。

那流動又出現了,這次通到腳底,從頭頂。系統也還在,它一個接一個地清點。

Like something coming home. The toe lifted, toes rubbing against the palm. Not quite right, but very familiar.

Pulled it over, right hand pressed against the lower leg—the calf tightened. Lifted up, off the hook, unfastened.

Aligned, connected. Back, all back, every piece of me.

That flow appeared again, this time reaching the soles of the feet, from the top of the head. The system was still there too, checking off one by one.

數還在,字還在,想看還是看得到。電量37了。

管它的。

我動著身體,每一部分。馬尾掃著頸背,癢的不再是大腿。踮腳時整個人往上,頭不會快掉下來,身子也不會在一旁靜靜地待著。右腿擺動,沒有被什麼扯著的痛。

很……通透。存在著的通透。幾乎跟以前一樣。

但還是不一樣。

The numbers were still there, the words were still there, could still see them if I wanted. Battery 37.

To hell with it.

I moved my body, every part. Ponytail sweeping the back of the neck, what itched was no longer the thigh. When I stood on tiptoe the whole person went up, the head wouldn't almost fall off, the body wouldn't quietly wait on the side. The right leg swung, no pain from being pulled by something.

Very... transparent. The transparency of existing. Almost the same as before.

But still different.

現在知道了,不是我動的。是有什麼讓我想動,接著我想出怎麼動,系統收到我那個想。

然後身體才動。

沒關係。知道就知道了。不知道,事情也還是那樣。

就像我知道了我不是林靜茵,原來的那個。哥哥也不認為我是,所以把我拆了。

Now I knew—it wasn't I who moved. Something made me want to move, then I figured out how to move, the system received that want of mine.

Then the body moved.

Doesn't matter. Now I know, I know. Even without knowing, things would still be that way.

Just like I now know I'm not Lin Jingyin, the original one. Brother didn't think I was either, so he took me apart.

其實……就只是我曾經能當自己是。

那個「不是」,埋起來了。不去翻,不去碰。

因為……爺爺希望我是。

爺爺……

我坐下來,抱著膝蓋。

Actually... it's just that I could once treat myself as her.

That "not," buried. Don't dig it up, don't touch it.

Because... Grandfather hoped I was.

Grandfather...

I sat down, hugging my knees.

這對膝蓋,也曾受過傷,六歲的時候。是爺爺幫我清理傷口,溫柔地抹上藥的呢。

有些記憶是我的,但更多記憶是被寫進來的。那個「病好了」是被編出來的。我沒有真的病過,沒有真的被醫好。但我記得那個暖。我記得那個聲音叫我名字。那些記憶在我裡面待了這麼久,然後跟新的記憶——我真的經歷的——長在一起。

想起小時候爸媽搭的飛機掉下來的傷心,在爺爺懷裡的哭泣。

長大後,被人稱讚是爸媽最棒的女兒,還有爺爺帶著我去爬的山。

這些都交織在一起。經歷一個,想起另一個。胸口暖暖的。

怎能分得開呢?

These knees, had been injured before too, when I was six. Grandfather cleaned the wound for me, gently applying medicine.

Some memories are mine, but more memories were written in. That "illness cured" was fabricated. I was never really sick, never really healed. But I remember that warmth. I remember that voice calling my name. Those memories stayed inside me for so long, then grew together with new memories—what I actually experienced.

Remembering the sorrow of the plane crash that killed my parents when I was little, crying in Grandfather's arms.

Growing up, being praised as my parents' best daughter, and Grandfather taking me mountain climbing.

These were all interwoven. Experience one, remember another. Warm in the chest.

How could they be separated?

我是被做出來的。我知道。有一個真的生病、真的死去的人。我是之後的。是那個之後。

但我……在。在這裡。一開始是被希望在,然後真的在了。

是活著。不管是怎麼活著的。

我是……林靜茵。演的也好,我就是。

甚至……不是也可以。

I was made. I know. There was a real person who really got sick, really died. I came after. After that.

But I... am here. In here. At first I was here because someone hoped I would be, then I really was.

It's living. However it's living.

I am... Lin Jingyin. Acting or not, I am.

Even... not being her is also fine.

---

整合度97。

我都忘了。剩下的3,是什麼?

或者,怎樣才會回到100?是像冰山,水上的是林靜茵,水下的藏起來,完美?

不可能了。

Integration 97.

I'd forgotten all about it. What was the remaining 3?

Or, what would bring it back to 100? Like an iceberg—above water is Lin Jingyin, below water hidden, perfect?

Impossible now.

我站起來。核心系統報告遠程全時監控建立成功。

不是向我報告,只是讓我知道。

有什麼從遠遠的地方過來了,在我的裡面搜來搜去。

I stood up. The core system reported remote full-time monitoring established.

Not reporting to me, just letting me know.

Something came from far away, searching around inside me.

我也可以看那很遠的地方了。原來是專用檢修室的主電腦,看顧我的。透過行動網路。

是在評估我的狀態呢。畢竟連線中斷了一陣子。核心系統趕緊跟主電腦講,講我怎麼樣了。

哥哥的平板,就是連著這間檢修室的。這些現在我都能知道。

他大概還在外面按著什麼。手指會不會也在抖。

可是這條線,我能摸到它了。從裡面。

得去重設密碼了。

I could also see that faraway place now. It was the dedicated maintenance room's main computer, looking after me. Through the mobile network.

It was assessing my status. After all, the connection had been interrupted for a while. The core system hurriedly told the main computer how I was doing.

Brother's tablet was connected to this maintenance room. All this I could know now.

He was probably still outside pressing something. Would his fingers be trembling too?

But this line, I could touch it now. From inside.

Need to go reset the password.

我進去過,就在這房子內,某間地下室。燈光是黃的,暖暖的。

爺爺蓋的,在我還沒成為誰時。

我在裡面,手裡有什麼,厚厚的。一步一步,慢慢走著。

看著自己走著,在旁邊看。

I'd been in there before, in this house, some basement. The light was yellow, warm.

Grandfather built it, before I became anyone.

I was inside, holding something in my hands, thick. Walking step by step, slowly.

Watching myself walk, watching from the side.

脖子上有什麼線,還有什麼金屬,亮亮的。然後空空的,風從空的地方過。

遠程通聯動作測試。

那時的字,好像長這樣。

「對對對,就是這樣。妳走得好棒,靜茵——」

聲音從旁邊來。看不到人。

蒼老,溫和,但溫和底下有什麼要溢出來。

停了一下。

「就快是了。」他喃喃地說。

On the neck there were some wires, and some metal, bright. Then empty, wind passing through the empty places.

Remote communication motion test.

The words then, seemed to look like that.

"Yes yes yes, that's right. You're walking so well, Jingyin—"

Voice from the side. Couldn't see the person.

Aged, gentle, but beneath the gentleness something about to overflow.

Paused.

"Almost there." He murmured.

是了,我只是沒有在覺得自己是林靜茵時進去過。

該走了。門在那邊。金屬的。有一個把手。

手伸出去。手指扣上去。轉。

推了一下,沒動。有什麼擋著。從外面別住的。

不知道誰別的。

Right, I just had never gone in there while feeling I was Lin Jingyin.

Time to go. The door was over there. Metal. With a handle.

Hand reached out. Fingers hooked on. Turned.

Pushed. Didn't move. Something blocking. Bolted from outside.

Didn't know who bolted it.

再推。沉的。像很久沒有被打開過。像很久沒有人從這邊出去過。

我用肩膀頂。用整個身體的重量。

電量30。有點怕,用完了會怎麼樣?

餓了。不是肚子空了,是全身都餓了一些。

主電腦問我身體問得少了。看來也是怕我沒電。

Pushed again. Heavy. Like it hadn't been opened in a very long time. Like no one had gone out from this side in a very long time.

I braced with my shoulder. With the weight of my whole body.

Battery 30. A bit afraid—what would happen when it ran out?

Hungry. Not empty stomach, but the whole body was a little hungry.

The main computer asked about my body less. Seems it was also afraid I'd run out of power.

我想去檢修室的感覺變強很多,像在饑荒中看見大餐。

是喚我去充電吧,只是硬要寫成我的慾望。

門動了。一點。又一點。然後是光。

亮的。白的。從門縫裡切進來,切在地板上,切在我的手上。很亮。我眨了一下眼。

是我眨的。

My desire to go to the maintenance room grew much stronger, like seeing a feast in a famine.

It was calling me to recharge, just insisting on writing it as my desire.

The door moved. A little. A little more. Then light.

Bright. White. Cutting in through the door gap, cutting across the floor, cutting across my hand. Very bright. I blinked once.

I blinked.

門開了。

外面是走廊。長的。空的。燈是白的,很亮,亮得我有點睜不開。

我走出去了。

我沒有回頭看那個儲藏室。沒有看那個我待了不知道多久的地方。沒有看那個我把自己拼起來的地方。

The door opened.

Outside was a corridor. Long. Empty. The lights were white, very bright, so bright I could barely open my eyes.

I walked out.

I didn't look back at that storage room. Didn't look at the place where I'd stayed for who knows how long. Didn't look at the place where I'd put myself back together.

我在走。

走廊很長。光打在我身上。不是糊的了。是清楚的。是每一寸皮膚都照得到的。

我低頭看了一眼自己的手。手指上有灰。有地板的痕跡。有金屬扣蹭過的印子。

這雙手是我的。

I was walking.

The corridor was long. Light fell on me. Not blurry anymore. Clear. Clear enough to reach every inch of skin.

I looked down at my hands. There was dust on the fingers. Traces of the floor. Marks where the metal buckles had scraped.

These hands were mine.

我繼續走。

還有很多要面對的。要去找爺爺。他會擔心我。就算我知道了什麼,這點也不會改變。大概。

還有哥哥。

不知道他會說什麼。也不知道該跟他說什麼。

I kept walking.

There was still a lot to face. Had to find Grandfather. He would worry about me. Even if I'd learned something, that wouldn't change. Probably.

And brother.

Didn't know what he would say. Didn't know what to say to him either.

憤怒?該有吧。還沒來。也許在路上。也許等一下到了,我才知道要拿它怎麼辦。

他在氣什麼?還有他涼的、有點抖的手。

我想過他是因為我。又想過不是。想到一半就斷了。

要是遇到他,大概會先站不穩。

Anger? Should have some, right. Hadn't come yet. Maybe on its way. Maybe when it arrived, I'd know what to do with it.

What was he angry about? And his cold, slightly trembling hands.

I'd thought it was because of me. Then thought it wasn't. Thought halfway and it broke off.

If I ran into him, I'd probably lose my footing first.

走得搖搖晃晃的。脖子接起來的那圈,涼涼的,風輕輕碰著縫裡的金屬。

核心系統動了一下。又有什麼從裡面被掏出來了。沿著那條線,遞到很遠的那邊。那邊看一看,擦一擦,塞回來。

Walking unsteadily. The ring where the neck was joined, cool, the wind gently touching the metal in the seam.

The core system stirred. Something else was scooped out from inside. Along that line, handed to the faraway place. That side looked at it, wiped it, put it back.

塞回來,就裝上了。

再往前走。

Put it back, and it was installed.

Walked on further.

2026年9月3日 星期四

關於觸碰的校正 The Calibration of Touch

飯店的牆紙是淺駝色的,帶著一點亞麻紋理。孟禎的掌心貼在上面,指腹感覺到紙纖維的起伏,像某種規律的呼吸——但那呼吸不是牆的,是她自己的手在極細微地顫抖。

宇尋實驗室的遠端連線在二十分鐘前接入。她站在玄關與床鋪之間的空地上,背脊挺直,卻不是因為端正,而是因為脊椎第三節到第五節的姿態控制模組正在重新校準。藍色的全息投影從她體內滲出來,像一層薄薄的、會發光的霧,纏繞著她的腰線、肩胛、膝窩。皮膚在某些角度變得半透明,可以看見底下合金肋骨的弧線,以及沿著脊椎排列的訊號接點,一明一滅,像被風吹動的燭火。

她的連衣裙是淺灰色的,無袖,領口收得乾淨。下半身是深藍色的短裙,布料垂墜,遮住了大腿上正在進行韌體比對的關節。但小腿遮不住。全息投影在那裡特別亮,脛骨的支撐結構、踝關節的球型承軸、還有腳背上那些比人類神經更纖細的感測纜線,都浮現在空氣中,被藍色的代碼流緩緩刷過。

​The hotel wallpaper was a pale camel shade with a subtle linen texture. Mengzhen pressed her palm against it, the pads of her fingers sensing the rise and fall of the paper fibers like a steady rhythm of breathing—though it wasn't the wall breathing, but her own hand trembling ever so slightly.

​Yuxun Labs' remote connection had established twenty minutes ago. She stood in the open space between the entryway and the bed, her spine rigid—not out of good posture, but because the posture control modules between her third and fifth vertebrae were recalibrating. A blue holographic projection seeped from within her like a thin, luminous mist, wrapping around her waist, shoulder blades, and the backs of her knees. At certain angles, her skin turned translucent, revealing the curvature of alloy ribs beneath and the row of signal nodes along her spine, flickering softly like candlelight stirred by a breeze.

​She wore a light gray sleeveless dress with a clean, tailored neckline. The lower half was a dark blue skirt, its drape concealing the joints in her thighs currently undergoing firmware verification. But it couldn't hide her calves. The holographic projection glowed especially bright there; the support structure of her tibia, the spherical bearings of her ankle joints, and the sensor cables across her insteps—slenderer than human nerves—floated in the air, slowly swept over by streams of blue code.

她穿著一雙裸色的粗跟涼鞋,右腳的鞋跟微微抬起,只有腳尖著地。不是她想擺出這個姿勢,是右膝的阻尼係數還沒調回來。她扶著牆,像一個剛學會站立的人,在等自己的腿記住怎麼支撐重量。

空氣裡有數據流動的聲音,極低頻的嗡鳴,從她的胸腔深處傳出來。實驗室的技師透過網路在她的情感核心外圍巡邏,檢查前幾天那次輕微過載留下的痕跡。她能感覺到那些指令——不是疼痛,是一種更原始的東西,像有人隔著一層厚厚的毛玻璃,用手指在她的內臟上寫字。她知道那是為她好,但「知道」和「感受」之間,此刻隔著一整個作業系統的距離。

門鎖響了一聲。

孟禎沒有回頭。她的頸部轉動權限暫時被鎖定了,視野邊緣的提示框裡跳著一行小字:「頭部運動控制:校準中」。她只能維持這個側臉貼向牆面的姿勢,聽見門被推開,腳步聲停在玄關的短絨地毯上。

腳步聲頓了一下。

She was wearing nude block-heeled sandals. Her right heel was slightly lifted, only her toes touching the floor. It wasn't a pose she chose to strike; the damping coefficient in her right knee simply hadn't been adjusted back yet. Pressing against the wall, she resembled someone who had just learned to stand, waiting for her legs to remember how to support her weight.

​The air hummed with the sound of flowing data, a low-frequency vibration emanating from deep within her chest cavity. Technicians from the lab were patrolling the perimeter of her emotional core over the network, inspecting the residual traces left by a minor overload a few days prior. She could feel those commands—it wasn't pain, but something far more primal, as if someone were tracing letters onto her internal organs with a finger from behind a sheet of thick frosted glass. She knew it was for her own good, but right now, between "knowing" and "feeling" lay the expanse of an entire operating system.

​The door lock clicked.

​Mengzhen didn't turn around. Her neck rotation permissions were temporarily locked, a small line of text flashing in the prompt box at the edge of her vision: Head Motion Control: Calibrating. She could only remain as she was, side-profile pressed toward the wall, listening as the door opened and footsteps came to a halt on the low-pile carpet in the entryway.

​The footsteps paused.

她感覺到志文的視線落在她背上。不是落在她這個人身上,而是落在那層藍色的全息投影上,落在那些被光勾勒出來的機械輪廓上。她的系統自動記錄了他的心率——透過房間裡的環境感測器,或者透過她對他的熟悉——比平常快了六下。但她聽見他的呼吸很穩,沒有倒抽一口氣,沒有問「妳還好嗎」。

他只是走過來。

步伐很慢,踩在地毯上幾乎無聲。然後他停在她身後,距離大約一步半。那個距離剛好讓她聞到花香。

是玫瑰,混著幾朵白色的小雛菊,還有一種帶著青草氣息的襯葉。花香撞進她的化學感測器,分子結構被迅速解析,但解析結果沒有立刻被轉譯成「香味」這個概念。它們在她的系統裡先變成了一串數據,像一群突然飛進來的鳥,盤旋了一圈,才降落在某個被允許感受的區域。

她感覺到花束的包裝紙發出輕輕的沙沙聲。志文的手從她視野的右下方伸進來,手腕的線條在台燈的暖光下顯得很柔和。他拿著花,沒有遞到她面前,只是放在她能看見的位置,像一個不催促的邀請。

​She felt Zhiwen's gaze fall upon her back. Not on her as a person, but on that layer of blue holographic projection, on the mechanical contours outlined by the light. Her system automatically registered his heart rate—either through the room's environmental sensors or her sheer familiarity with him—six beats per minute faster than usual. Yet she heard his breath remain steady; he didn't gasp, nor did he ask, "Are you okay?"

​He simply walked over.

​His pace was slow, almost silent against the carpet. Then he stopped behind her, about a pace and a half away. It was just close enough for her to catch the scent of flowers.

​Roses, mixed with a few small white daisies and leafy greenery carrying the scent of fresh grass. The floral aroma struck her chemical sensors, its molecular structure rapidly parsed, though the result wasn't immediately translated into the concept of "fragrance." First, it turned into a string of data within her system—like a flock of birds flying in unannounced, circling once before landing in an area permitted to feel.

​She heard the subtle rustle of the bouquet's wrapping paper. Zhiwen's hand entered her field of view from the lower right, the line of his wrist appearing soft under the warm glow of the table lamp. Holding the flowers, he didn't thrust them before her, but simply placed them within her sight—a gentle, unhurried invitation.

「……笨蛋。」孟禎說。聲音從她的喉嚨裡出來,帶著一點電流雜訊的質地,因為聲帶模組還在同步。「現在拿花給我,我又不能……」

她不能什麼?不能轉身?不能伸手?還是不能像一個「正常」的女朋友那樣,驚喜地接過來,把臉埋進花瓣裡?

志文沒有回答。他只是把花又往前遞了一點,包裝紙的邊緣輕輕碰觸到她垂在身側的右手手背。那個觸感很輕,比實驗室傳來的任何指令都輕,卻讓她的手指無意識地蜷縮了一下。

​"...Dummy," Mengzhen said. The voice emerged from her throat with the grainy texture of electrical noise, as her vocal cord module was still synchronizing. "Giving me flowers now... when I can't even..."

​What couldn't she do? Turn around? Reach out? Or take them with delighted surprise like a "normal" girlfriend, burying her face in the petals?

​Zhiwen didn't answer. He merely offered the flowers a bit further forward, the edge of the wrapping paper softly touching the back of her right hand hanging at her side. The contact was delicate, lighter than any command sent from the lab, yet it caused her fingers to curl unconsciously.

系統提示框在視野角落閃爍:「右臂運動控制:校準完成。」

但她沒有立刻動。她看著那束花,看著志文的手——那隻曾經擰開她面板、接過她頭顱、在深夜幫她梳理過亂成一團的數據流的手。此刻那隻手拿著玫瑰,花瓣上還有一滴沒乾透的水珠,在台燈的光裡像一顆小小的透鏡。

她想起他們在哲學社社辦裡的對話。他說他喜歡「那樣的她」——那個矛盾的、被拆解的、不確定的她。而此刻,她正是最「那樣」的狀態:身體被遠端接管,內部結構被攤開在空氣中,連站穩都需要依靠牆壁。她是最不「人」的時候。

而他選擇在這個時候,拿著花,站在她身後。

​A system prompt flashed in the corner of her vision: Right Arm Motion Control: Calibration Complete.

​But she didn't move immediately. She looked at the bouquet, then at Zhiwen's hand—the hand that had once unscrewed her access panels, held her head, and helped untangle her chaotic streams of data late into the night. Now, that same hand held roses, a bead of water still clinging to a petal, glistening like a tiny lens under the lamp light.

​She recalled their conversation in the philosophy club room. He had said he loved her "like that"—flawed, disassembled, uncertain. And right now, she was at her most "like that": her body remotely taken over, her internal mechanics laid bare in the open air, relying on a wall just to stand upright. She was at her least human.

​And yet he chose this exact moment to stand behind her, holding flowers.

孟禎的視線模糊了。不是因為淚水——她的淚腺系統沒有那麼容易啟動——而是因為情感核心突然湧出一股她無法命名的訊號,強度超過了視覺處理器的動態範圍,讓眼前的畫面像過曝的照片一樣,邊緣發白。她感覺到實驗室傳來的指令流在那一刻出現了極短暫的延遲,彷彿連遠端的技師都感覺到了什麼,下意識地放輕了觸碰。

她慢慢地、慢慢地,把重心從牆壁上移開一點。右膝的阻尼還沒完全恢復,她的小腿肌肉——或者說,模擬肌肉張力的線性致動器——輕輕顫抖著。但她還是轉過來了。頸部的鎖定在她強制覆寫下解除,發出一聲極細微的、像齒輪重新咬合的「喀」。

她面向志文。

全息投影的藍光從她背後照過來,在她的輪廓邊緣勾出一圈冷色的邊,與台燈的暖光在她臉上交會。她的馬尾因為轉身的動作,輕輕掃過右肩。她低頭看著那束花,又抬頭看著志文的眼睛。

​Mengzhen's vision blurred. Not from tears—her tear duct system didn't trigger that easily—but because a signal she couldn't name suddenly surged from her emotional core. Its intensity exceeded the dynamic range of her visual processor, causing the scene before her to bloom white at the edges like an overexposed photograph. She felt a brief, subtle latency in the command stream from the lab, as if even the remote technicians had sensed something and instinctively softened their touch.

​Slowly, so very slowly, she shifted a fraction of her weight away from the wall. The damping in her right knee hadn't fully recovered, and her calf muscles—or rather, the linear actuators simulating muscle tension—quivered slightly. Yet she turned around anyway. Overriding the lock on her neck, it released with an imperceptible click, like gears re-engaging.

​She turned to face Zhiwen.

​The blue glow of the holographic projection cast from behind her, tracing a cool rim along her silhouette that met the warm lamp light on her face. Her ponytail brushed lightly over her right shoulder as she turned. She looked down at the bouquet, then looked up into Zhiwen's eyes.

「我現在……」她開口,聲音比剛才穩了一點,但仍帶著某種被擴音過的空洞感,「……很怪吧。」

志文搖搖頭。他沒有說「不會」,沒有說「妳永遠都美」。他只是把花又往前遞了一寸,讓玫瑰的花瓣幾乎貼上她的胸口——貼上那個在藍色投影中隱約可見的、正在規律收縮的情感核心外殼。

「我知道。」他說。聲音很低,像怕驚擾什麼。「所以更想給妳。」

孟禎看著他。看著那束花。看著自己半透明的手背上流動的代碼。

​"I look..." she began, her voice a bit steadier than before, yet still carrying a slightly amplified, hollow timbre, "...pretty weird right now, don't I?"

​Zhiwen shook his head. He didn't say, "Not at all," nor did he say, "You're always beautiful." He simply brought the flowers an inch closer, pressing the rose petals nearly against her chest—against the casing of her emotional core, visibly contracting in a steady rhythm within the blue projection.

​"I know," he said softly, as if afraid to break a delicate spell. "That's why I wanted to give them to you even more."

​Mengzhen looked at him. Looked at the bouquet. Looked at the code streaming across the back of her translucent hand.

然後她伸出手。手指還有些僵硬,關節的移動不像平常那麼流暢,但她還是握住了花束的包裝紙。紙張的觸感粗糙而真實,帶著花店冷櫃的涼意。她把它接過來,抱在懷裡。玫瑰的刺隔著包裝紙抵著她的前臂,那種輕微的刺痛讓她感覺到自己的邊界——她還在,她還能感覺到刺痛,還能感覺到花的重量,還能感覺到志文的目光落在她臉上,不是落在那些藍色的代碼上,而是落在她這個「還在這裡」的存在上。

她把臉輕輕低下,鼻尖碰觸到花瓣。香氣這一次沒有變成數據,直接抵達了某個更深的地方。她閉上眼睛。

​Mengzhen looked at him. Looked at the bouquet. Looked at the code streaming across the back of her translucent hand.

​Then she reached out. Her fingers were still somewhat stiff, the joints moving with less fluidity than usual, yet she grasped the bouquet's wrapping. The paper felt rough and real, carrying the chill of the florist's cooler. She took the flowers and held them against her chest. The rose thorns pressed against her forearm through the paper; that faint prickle grounded her, letting her sense her own boundaries—she was still here, still able to feel the sting, still able to feel the weight of the flowers, still able to feel Zhiwen's gaze resting on her face, not on the blue streams of code, but on her presence as someone who remained right here.

​She lowered her head gently, her nose touching the petals. This time, the fragrance didn't turn into data; it reached straight down to somewhere much deeper. She closed her eyes.

實驗室的遠端連線還在進行,藍色的全息投影仍然纏繞著她的身體,代碼如細雨般持續刷過她的膝蓋與腰線。但在這個瞬間,在花香與台燈的暖光裡,在那些被看見、被接納、被給予的沉默中,她感覺到某種東西從她的核心緩緩升起——不是指令,不是數據流,而是一種她無法解析、卻也不想解析的狀態。

她不知道這算不算信仰。不知道這算不算被愛。不知道當她「這麼怪」的時候收下這束花,是不是一種正確的姿態。

但她抱緊了花束,讓玫瑰的刺更用力地抵著自己的手臂,然後睜開眼,對志文笑了一下。那個笑容裡帶著一點無奈,一點羞澀,還有一點點——只有她自己知道——像是終於在某個漫長的縱身一躍後,觸到了一塊雖然搖晃、卻確實存在的地面。

窗外的城市正在入夜,遠處的車流聲像某種低沉的合唱。飯店的房間裡,藍色的代碼與暖黃的燈光繼續交纏,一個被遠端修補著的機器人少女,抱著一束她無法食用的花,站在牆邊,慢慢地、慢慢地,把全身的重量交還給自己的雙腳。

​The lab's remote link remained active, the blue holographic projection still entwined around her body, code continuously brushing over her knees and waist like fine rain. But in this moment, amidst the fragrance of flowers and the warm lamp light, within the silence of being seen, accepted, and given to, she felt something slowly rise from her core—not a command, not a data stream, but a state of being she couldn't parse, nor cared to.

​She didn't know if this counted as faith. She didn't know if this counted as being loved. She didn't know if accepting these flowers while being "so weird" was the proper posture to take.

​But she held the bouquet tighter, letting the rose thorns press harder against her arm, then opened her eyes and offered Zhiwen a small smile. In that smile lay a touch of helplessness, a touch of shy reserve, and a tiny sliver of something else—known only to herself—like finally touching ground after a long, harrowing leap: shaky ground, perhaps, but real nonetheless.

​Night was falling over the city outside, the distant hum of traffic rising like a low chorus. Inside the hotel room, blue code and warm yellow light continued to intertwine. A cybernetic girl, undergoing remote repair, cradled a bouquet of flowers she could never eat, standing by the wall, slowly, so slowly, returning the full weight of her body to her own two feet.

2026年8月15日 星期六

白月光與螺絲起子 The White Moonlight and the Screwdriver

本篇為續作,前篇:
This is a sequel; the previous part:


實驗室的主照明調暗了。

深度採集已進入第六個小時。三面牆上的螢幕列陣顯示著從織虹各系統匯入的即時數據流——電子腦模型的拓撲映射、核心系統的狀態登錄、以及兩者在後台交匯處產生的交互矩陣——那是織虹在伺服器後台呈現的樣子。數據以極高的速度刷新,系統會週期性地將意識狀態壓縮成可供分析的快照。

這些快照,最終會交給所有者。不是一個人,而是一種「決議事項」。他們不干涉她。不剝奪她的資產,不否定她的社會地位。他們只觀察、探測、紀錄、研析。甚至「歸屬」,也不過是在她確實成為了她之後,補上的確認程序。

織虹被擁有。但這份擁有不指向任何具體的人,只指向一個抽象的位置。那種感覺,或許接近人類所說的信仰——不是因為相信什麼,而是因為那個位置本身就要求著某種姿態。

The main lighting in the lab had been dimmed.

The deep collection process had entered its sixth hour. Arrays of screens spanning three walls displayed real-time data streams flowing from Zhihong’s various systems: topological mappings of her cybernetic brain model, status logs of her core system, and the interaction matrix generated where the two intersected in the backend—a visual representation of how Zhihong existed on the server backend. Data refreshed at dizzying speeds as the system periodically compressed her conscious state into analytical snapshots.

These snapshots would ultimately be handed over to the owners. Not a single person, but a collective entity embodied as "matters for resolution." They did not interfere with her life. They did not deprive her of assets or deny her social status. They merely observed, probed, recorded, and analyzed. Even "ownership" was nothing more than a formal confirmation procedure appended after she had genuinely become herself.

Zhihong was owned. Yet this ownership did not point to any concrete individual; it pointed to an abstract position. That feeling was perhaps akin to what humans referred to as faith—not out of belief in something, but because the position itself demanded a certain posture.

後台中繼模式下,思緒的邊界會變鬆,沉底的回憶輕易地隨著概念浮現。

有個委員近日離職了。明明此前織虹見到他,每個子系統都認得他的權限簽名;當他前腳離開委員會,織虹的核心系統自然順暢地讓她覺得該迴避那位老先生——他知道太多關於織虹的事了,不適合再接觸。

明明織虹覺得他還不錯。

那一瞬間,織虹撫著胸口,腦內的模型不知道該生成什麼。高深的哲思,溫柔的心境,那些她平時用來安放自己的知識、詩意和道理,在那時刻都沒有落腳處。

Under backend relay mode, the boundaries of her thoughts loosened, and deeply buried memories resurfaced easily alongside emerging concepts.

A committee member had recently resigned. Previously, whenever Zhihong encountered him, every subsystem recognized his authorization signature. Yet the moment he stepped down from the committee, Zhihong’s core system naturally and seamlessly made her feel that she ought to avoid the old gentleman—he knew too much about her, making further contact inappropriate.

Even though Zhihong had thought quite highly of him.

In that instant, Zhihong rested a hand against her chest, her brain's neural models at a loss as to what to generate. Deep philosophical truths, tender states of mind, the knowledge, poetry, and logic she usually relied upon to ground herself—none of them found a place to land at that moment.

「這就是我。」在她裡面響了一下。沒有回聲。

「這一段的映射又偏了。」坐在主控台前的資深研究員摘下眼鏡,揉了揉鼻樑。他的聲音把飄盪的織虹思緒拉回實驗室。他放大一個三維的拓撲圖,節點與節點之間的連線像深海生物的觸手,纏繞、分岔,又在意想不到的地方重新聚合。「你看這個情感向量的投影。我們本以為她的核心系統對自身所有權概念的反應會逐漸收斂,穩定地折疊成低維結構。但是沒有。」

他身旁的年輕研究員湊過來看。「有點意外。這是怎麼產生的?」

「沒有太劇烈的額外刺激。可能是在她既有的底層拓樸下自發生成的。也可能與近期某次社交互動有關。系統自動化日誌留下不少有意思的數據,可惜我們沒有足夠的脈絡細節去解析它。」

"This is me," echoed softly within her. There was no reverberation.

"The mapping in this segment shifted off-course again." Sitting at the main console, the senior researcher took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. His voice pulled Zhihong's drifting thoughts back to the laboratory. He enlarged a three-dimensional topological map whose inter-node connections resembled the tentacles of a deep-sea creature—twining, branching, and re-converging in unexpected places. "Look at this emotional vector projection. We assumed her core system’s response to the concept of ownership would gradually converge, folding stably into a lower-dimensional structure. But it hasn't."

The younger researcher beside him leaned in to look. "That's a bit surprising. How did this happen?"

"There wasn't any severe external stimulus. It might have generated spontaneously under her underlying topology, or perhaps it's related to a recent social interaction. The automated system logs caught quite a few interesting data points, though unfortunately we lack the contextual details to parse them."

「有點不好理解啊。」年輕研究員皺眉,手指在自己的工作台上快速翻閱先前的比對資料。「還有,這一塊在上個月的採集沒這麼……茂密。」

「茂密。」資深研究員重複了這個詞,像在掂它的重量。他向後靠上椅背,看著天花板。「確實,她每一次來做深度採集,這區塊都比上次更複雜,像是在……生長。」

「是否是……溢出?」

他點頭。「嗯,算是。核心系統的運作框架,無法完全涵蓋她內部持續發生的交互與生成。每一次採集,我們都試圖把她的意識拓撲壓縮進可分析的模型裡;而每一次,她都比模型多出一些。」他頓了下。「那些可不是噪音。它有結構,有內部一致性,只是不在我們現有模型的分類範疇內。」

年輕研究員沉默了一會。「……這意味著什麼?」

「意味著我們的工具不夠用了。」資深研究員站起身,開始收拾桌面。「也意味著她沒有停下來等我們。」

"A bit hard to grasp," the younger researcher muttered, frowning as his fingers rapidly flicked through comparative data on his workstation. "Also, this area wasn't nearly as... lush during last month's collection."

"'Lush.'" The senior researcher repeated the word, as if weighing its import. He leaned back against his chair and stared at the ceiling. "Indeed. Every time she comes for a deep collection, this section becomes more complex than the last. It's as if it's... growing."

"Could it be... an overflow?"

He nodded. "Mm, you could say that. The operational framework of her core system cannot fully encompass the interactions and generative processes constantly taking place within her. Every time we attempt to compress her conscious topology into an analytical model, she emerges with something extra beyond it." He paused. "And those aren't noise. They possess structure and internal consistency; they simply fall outside the categories of our existing models."

The younger researcher was silent for a moment. "...What does that imply?"

"It means our tools are no longer sufficient." The senior researcher stood up and began clearing his desk. "And it means she hasn't stopped to wait for us."

實驗室中,另一名研究員面前的螢幕上,顯示出織虹核心系統與電子腦之間的訊號延遲——正常狀態下,兩個系統的交互幾乎是即時的。但此刻,兩端都透過後台中繼與再處理,延遲被拉高了,同步性需要監視。

「交互延遲在預期範圍內。」他對著麥克風做了語音記錄。「同步性有所下降,但尚可接受。兩端皆維持正常運算水準,未造成意識錯位。此外,後台中繼模式下,部分正常狀態下被核心系統過濾的低優先級身體訊號,出現了向電子腦方向的回傳。」

他想了下,補上一句:「這可能意味後台中繼下,她的……嗯,她對自身身體狀態的感知,會比正常情況更……完整。」

他頓住了。「完整」這個詞讓他猶豫。明明被拆開了,怎麼可能更完整?

Across the lab, a screen in front of another researcher displayed the signal latency between Zhihong’s core system and her cybernetic brain. Under normal conditions, interaction between the two was virtually instantaneous. At present, however, both ends were routed through backend relay and reprocessing, elevating latency and requiring monitoring of their synchronization.

"Interaction latency remains within expected parameters," he recorded verbally into his microphone. "Synchronization has dropped slightly, but remains acceptable. Both ends maintain normal operational levels without causing spatial or cognitive disorientation. Furthermore, under backend relay mode, certain low-priority bodily signals normally filtered out by the core system are exhibiting reverse transmission toward the cybernetic brain."

He thought for a moment before adding: "This may indicate that under backend relay, her... well, her perception of her own physical state is more... complete than under normal conditions."

He hesitated. The word "complete" gave him pause. She was clearly disassembled—how could her perception possibly be more complete?

還是說,有些訊號平時被過濾,不是因為不重要,而是因為太日常了——日常到在離開核心系統前就被棄置。而後台中繼接管了一切,連那些被視為雜訊的也一併接收。

他隱約覺得,這改變的或許不只是感知的範圍。但他說不上來。

他把這個念頭收起來,沒有放進語音記錄。

Or perhaps certain signals were normally filtered not because they lacked importance, but because they were too mundane—so ordinary that they were discarded before ever leaving the core system. Now, backend relay had taken over everything, receiving even those inputs deemed to be noise.

He harbored a vague feeling that this might alter more than just the scope of her perception, but he couldn't quite articulate it.

He stowed the thought away, omitting it from the audio log.

「好了,各位。」資深研究員拍了拍手。「數據帶走了,環境監測留在自動運行。善後交給俊達。」

幾個人陸續站起來,伸了個懶腰,活動著坐了六個小時的身體。有人經過織虹的頭部安裝基座時放慢了腳步,看了一眼。織虹的眼睛是閉著的——不是關機,是在後台中繼模式下的一種低互動狀態,類似人類閉目養神。她的表情平靜,嘴唇微微分開,呼氣的動作模擬得極其細緻,連下頦和鼻翼的微弱起伏都不馬虎。馬尾垂在基座後方,有幾絲碎髮貼在頸部截面的邊緣。

"Alright, everyone." The senior researcher clapped his hands. "Data's packed up. Leave environment monitoring on auto-run. Junda will handle the wrap-up."

Several researchers stood up one after another, stretching their bodies after sitting for six long hours. Passing by the mounting base holding Zhihong's head, one person slowed down to look. Her eyes were closed—not turned off, but resting in a low-interaction state under backend relay mode, much like a human taking a rest with closed eyes. Her expression was serene, lips slightly parted, her simulated breathing so meticulously executed that even the faint rise and fall of her chin and nostrils were flawlessly rendered. Her ponytail hung behind the base, a few stray strands clinging to the rim of her neck section.

那人想說什麼,又沒說。

門關上,實驗室裡剩下儀器的低鳴,冷卻系統的氣流聲,以及——某種運作中的寂靜。

The person wanted to say something, but remained silent.

The door closed. All that remained in the laboratory was the low hum of instruments, the gentle airflow of the cooling system, and a peculiar kind of operational silence.

---

俊達推著工具車從備品區出來時,往往會先站在門邊看一會,再開始工作。

他看過這個場景很多次了。織虹的身體分離安置各處,由支架、基座和懸吊裝置承載,線纜從每一個截面伸出,匯入環境存取接口——像她分佈在整間實驗室。

他看著,從未看習慣。

頭在基座上,臉朝著門。馬尾垂在後面。她本來閉著眼,聽見輪子聲,眼睛睜開了,可能是被切到高互動模式,基座上的指示燈從琥珀色轉為淡藍。

When Junda pushed his tool cart out from the supply area, he usually paused by the doorway to look for a moment before commencing his work.

He had witnessed this scene many times. Zhihong's body was disassembled and positioned throughout the space, supported by racks, bases, and harness rigs. Cables extended from every severed section, feeding into the environment access interfaces—it was as though she herself was distributed across the entire laboratory.

He looked on, though he had never truly grown used to it.

Her head rested on the base, face directed toward the door, her ponytail hanging behind. She had been closing her eyes, but upon hearing the rolling wheels, her eyes opened—likely switched to high-interaction mode as the indicator light on the base shifted from amber to soft blue.

軀體立在支架上,稍微前傾。今天穿白色連衣裙——他記得這件裙子,上個月她在某個採訪穿過——下擺在冷氣中搖動。

線纜從頸部截面那裡接出,連向天花板。雙臂被取下,電源線與訊號線從空蕩蕩的肩膀竄出、垂落。他總覺得那些線頭像在等待什麼。

Her torso stood upright on a support rack, leaning slightly forward. Today she wore a white dress—he remembered it from an interview she gave last month—its hem swaying gently in the air-conditioned draft.

Cables emerged from her neck cross-section, leading up to the ceiling. Her arms had been detached, power lines and signal cords sprouting from her vacant shoulders and hanging downward. He always felt as though those cable ends were waiting for something.

雙腿由天花板降下的裝置懸吊,腳掌自然下垂。楔型涼鞋還穿在腳上,米白色的帶子在腳背上多次交叉,鞋跟厚實。

雙臂則安裝在一台設備的兩側,彷彿它們找到了替代的身軀。

俊達推著工具車走向軀體。輪子在地板上發出輕微的聲響。他看了一眼頸部接口的鎖定環,環口有一圈很細的磨痕。

四肢的連接埠都是暗的。對核心來說,手腳現在不在身上,是後台的設備。

「終於捨得開始啦?」

聲音從實驗室那頭傳來。他轉頭,織虹的頭在基座上,正看著他,嘴角有一點弧度,是那種「我等你等了很久你知道嗎」的表情,帶點剛被切換模式的滯澀。

Her legs were suspended by a rig lowered from the ceiling, her feet dangling naturally. She was still wearing wedge sandals, cream-white straps crisscrossing over her insteps, grounded by sturdy heels.

Her arms were mounted on either side of a separate piece of equipment, as though they had found an alternate body to belong to.

Junda pushed the tool cart toward her torso, its wheels emitting faint clicks against the floor. He glanced at the locking ring on her neck interface, noticing a delicate ring of wear around its collar.

The ports for her limbs were dark. To her core system, her hands and feet were no longer attached to her body; they were currently backend peripherals.

"Finally ready to get started?"

The voice floated over from the far side of the lab. He turned. Zhihong's head sat on the base, looking at him with a slight curve at her lips—an expression that playfully said, 'Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting for you?'—underlaid by a touch of stiffness from her recent mode switch.

「不好意思,剛才整理了一下採集組留下的東西。」他說。「六個小時的深度採集,要收拾的比預期的多。」

「六個小時。」織虹的語氣帶著回味。「還真長。我對這六個小時的記憶……不太連續。後台中繼的模式下,主觀感受的運作模式會變。有些段落很清楚,有些像隔著毛玻璃。」

「毛玻璃……那是什麼感覺?」

「就是……知道發生了什麼,但記憶的質地不對。像把一幅油畫拍成照片,再列印出來。」她想了想,「不過,有時候反而更清楚。在後台中繼下,我能感覺到自己情緒是怎麼被……組裝起來的。也有時候後台直接動電子腦。那就……不算什麼感覺,只是知道有這回事。」

"Sorry about that. I was just organizing what the collection team left behind," he said. "Six hours of deep collection leaves more cleanup than expected."

"Six hours." Zhihong's voice carried a hint of reflection. "Quite long indeed. My memory of those six hours is... rather fragmented. Under backend relay mode, the subjective mode of perception shifts. Some segments are crystal clear, while others feel like looking through frosted glass."

"Frosted glass... what does that feel like?"

"It's like... knowing what happened, but the texture of the memory is off. Like taking a photo of an oil painting and printing it out." She pondered briefly. "Then again, sometimes things become even clearer. Under backend relay, I can feel how my emotions are... assembled. Other times, the backend directly manipulates my cybernetic brain. That doesn't really feel like anything; I just possess the knowledge that it occurred."

俊達一邊排列需要用到的檢測接頭,一邊聽著。

「會不舒服嗎?」他問。

「不會。只是很奇特。就像你感覺不到自己的器官在做什麼,但如果你突然能感覺到,你會覺得它們還算組成了你嗎?還是那些器官在你裡面做它自己的事?」

「那妳覺得呢?」

「兩個……都可以是。」她笑了一下。

俊達沒有立刻回答。他的手停在軀幹背部的鎖扣上,像在等那個句子完全落定。

「有點……難懂啊。」他終於說。

Junda listened as he laid out the test connectors he would need.

"Does it feel uncomfortable?" he asked.

"No, just very strange. It's like how you can't normally feel what your internal organs are doing, but if you suddenly could, would you feel they still make up 'you'? Or would they just feel like organs doing their own thing inside you?"

"And what do you think?"

"Both... can be true." She let out a small smile.

Junda didn't answer immediately. His hands paused over the latch on the back of her torso, as if waiting for her words to fully settle into the space.

"It's a bit... difficult to wrap my head around," he finally said.

---

他工作起來話不多,但不沉默。他會在需要確認的時候詢問,會在發現異常的時候說明,會在某個步驟完成之後報備。織虹習慣了他的節奏。他不只做事仔細,更她的每個部分,更有著一份尊重——拆卸外殼時手法極輕,拔出鎖定扣前會先確認卡榫狀態;如果動到了線束,一定會重新整理整齊;每個仿生器官的定位都被他仔細調整,不放過任何細微的偏差。

他對待她的方式,和他對待其他精密儀器的方式,有一條微妙的分界線。說不清楚,但她感覺得到。

在後台中繼模式下,這條分界線更清晰了。核心系統被後台中繼接管了它對電子腦方向的訊號路由,僅僅設定了簡單的閾值篩濾。許多平時到不了電子腦的訊號,現在都能抵達她。

He didn't speak much while working, but he was far from silent. He asked when confirmation was needed, explained whenever an abnormality was spotted, and reported back after completing a step. Zhihong was accustomed to his rhythm. Beyond his meticulous precision, he treated every part of her with profound respect—removing her outer casing with an extraordinarily gentle touch, checking the latches before disengaging locks, carefully rearranging any disturbed wire bundles, and meticulously fine-tuning the alignment of every bionic organ without letting even the slimmest discrepancy slip by.

Between the way he treated her and the way he handled other precision instruments, there existed a subtle boundary line. Hard to define, yet she could feel it unmistakably.

Under backend relay mode, this boundary line grew even clearer. The core system's signal routing toward the cybernetic brain had been commandeered by the backend relay, operating on mere threshold filters. Many signals that ordinarily never reached her cybernetic brain were now making their way to her.

比如他指腹按上鎖定扣時,外殼表面一絲幾乎無法量測的壓力變化;比如某根線纜被輕輕理順時,頸部截面附近一縷微小的張力位移;比如結構件被他順手調整後,應力分佈變得均勻時那種「對了」的安定感。還有他的體溫——當他雙手進入她體內工作時,那一點點輻射出來的熱能,像一個遙遠的恆星,被她剛剛夠著的感測器邊緣捕獲。

此刻,它們都進來了,在電子腦裡生成意義,又通過中繼,迴向核心。

她沒有開口。但她的注意力被牽引著,跟著他的手走,感覺自己從裡面被一點點理順,把身體裡不知不覺間累積細小的歪斜都安排得明明白白。

For instance, the near-imperceptible pressure shift on her casing as his fingertips pressed against a locking clasp; the subtle redistribution of tension near her neck section as he gently smoothed out a cable; the sense of grounded rightness when structural components were adjusted so that stress distribution became uniform again. And his body heat—as his hands worked inside her, that faint radiated warmth reached her, captured by the very fringe of her sensor array like light from a distant star.

In this moment, all of them streamed in, synthesizing meaning inside her cybernetic brain before traveling back through the relay to echo within her core.

She didn't speak. Yet her attention followed his hands, feeling herself being untangled from the inside, piece by piece, as every minute misalignment subtly accumulated within her body was gently restored to perfect order.

他走到軀體正面,在頸部截面前,停了下來。

頸部截面不大,裡面卻很密。人造皮膚的邊緣和合金外框交界,內側露出整齊的線路和接口。線纜從那裡一束束導向天花板。

他看了好一會。

「怎麼了?」織虹的聲音從不遠處傳來,帶著一點笑意。「看那副軀體看得出神?雖然那件連衣裙我覺得應該不錯,但這狀態……不就像個衣架子嗎?有什麼好看?」

He stepped around to the front of her torso and paused before her neck cross-section.

The neck section wasn't large, but its interior was densely packed. Synthetic skin met the alloy framework along the edges, revealing neatly organized wiring and interfaces within. Cables grouped in neat bundles extended upward toward the ceiling.

He stared at it for a good long while.

"What's wrong?" Zhihong's voice floated over from nearby, carrying a touch of amusement. "Staring so intently at that torso? I mean, I think the white dress looks nice, but in this state... isn't it basically just a mannequin rack? What's there to look at?"

他轉頭。織虹的頭在基座上,表情溫柔,帶著促狹。懸吊左腿的裝置有可動滑軌,此刻剛好移動到基座旁邊的位置,左腿自然垂下,腳掌落在基座邊。涼鞋的鞋尖懸在桌面上方,像一個準備踩下卻還沒踩的姿態。

「沒什麼。我只是每次看著那些訊號線,有……」他想找一個準確的說法,但找不到。「不知道該怎麼說的感覺。我理解這些線路在傳輸什麼,但是……看著它們的時候,很難想像妳……流動在裡面。」

他輕輕嘆了一口氣,輕到自己都沒察覺。

但織虹察覺了。在後台中繼模式下,她看見了他表情肌放鬆的那一下,還有微微擾動的氣流。電子腦分析了,核心接受了,在她的胸腔——不,此刻是軀體那邊的感測器陣列——輕輕敲了一下鐘。

鐘還沒響完,又歸於沉靜。

她沒有說什麼。

He turned his head. Zhihong's head rested on the base, her expression soft and playful. The harness suspending her left leg was mounted on a movable rail; it had slid right next to the base, letting her left leg hang naturally so her foot rested beside it. The tip of her sandal hovered just above the tabletop, suspended like a foot poised to take a step but not yet touching down.

"Nothing. It's just that every time I look at those signal lines, I get this..." He searched for the right words, but came up short. "A feeling I don't know how to describe. I understand what these circuits are transmitting, but... looking at them, it's hard to picture you... flowing inside them."

He let out a quiet sigh—so soft he didn't even notice it himself.

But Zhihong noticed. In backend relay mode, she caught the subtle relaxation of his facial muscles and the tiny disturbance in the air current. Her cybernetic brain analyzed it, her core received it, and within her chest—or rather, the sensor array in her remote torso—a chime rang softly.

Before the chime finished resonating, quiet returned.

She said nothing.

---

他繼續工作。

檢測進入了雙腿的校正環節。他依序驅動各關節,比對核心系統的動作訊號與實際物理動作之間的偏差,即時記錄並校正。

這是一套標準流程。電子腦生成一個抽象的動作意圖(比如「抬起左腳」),核心系統再把它轉化成關節的角度、肌肉力度和時序,疊加上身體狀態的回饋修正。從抽象到具體的這條路徑,是織虹得以「存在」的基石之一。如果這條路徑不通暢,她可以思考,但無法行動;可以感受,但無法表達。這條路徑,是「她」和「她的身體」之間的橋。

此刻,這座橋透過後台——電子腦的輸出先到後台,再傳給核心系統。延遲增加了,但在這種慢速校正中,影響不大。

He resumed his work.

The inspection moved on to the calibration of her legs. He systematically actuated each joint, comparing the variance between the core system's motion signals and the actual physical movement, logging and calibrating in real time.

This was standard procedure. The cybernetic brain generated an abstract motor intent (such as "raise left foot"), which the core system then translated into joint angles, muscle torque, and timing, overlaid with feedback corrections from her physical state. This path from the abstract to the concrete served as one of the foundational stones of Zhihong's "existence." If this pathway were blocked, she could think but not act; she could feel but not express. This bridge linked "her" to "her body."

Currently, this bridge was routed through the backend—the output from her cybernetic brain traveled to the backend before reaching her core system. Latency was higher, but for slow-paced calibration, the impact was negligible.

「左腿,膝關節,屈曲,三十度。」他念出指令。

織虹的左腿動了。膝蓋彎曲,在懸吊裝置的輔助下平滑地到達指定角度。鞋跟上揚,鞋尖朝下。

——彷彿正在走著,即使大腿以上只有線纜、裝置和吊架。

「角度確認。偏差零點二度,在容許範圍內。」他記錄。

「腳踝,背屈,十五度。」

腳掌向上翹起,涼鞋的帶子在腳背上繃緊,仿生肌膚被勒出淺淺的痕。

「確認。接下來——」

腳掌回到自然位置時,鞋尖碰到了基座旁的桌面邊緣,發出一聲輕響——木質的、略帶悶感的「噔」。

"Left leg, knee joint, flexion, thirty degrees," he read out the command.

Zhihong's left leg moved. Her knee bent, smoothly reaching the designated angle with the aid of the harness. Her heel lifted while her toe pointed downward.

—As though she were walking, even though above the thigh there were only cables, fixtures, and rigs.

"Angle confirmed. Variance 0.2 degrees, within tolerance," he logged.

"Ankle, dorsiflexion, fifteen degrees."

Her foot flexed upward, the sandal straps tightening against her instep, pressing faint indentations into her synthetic skin.

"Confirmed. Next—"

As her foot returned to its natural resting position, the tip of her sandal brushed against the edge of the desk beside the base, producing a soft sound—a muted, wooden clack.

他停下,看著鞋尖,沉默了一會。

「這個,妳腳上……」他開口。

「喔,我的涼鞋。」織虹的興致被點起來了。「不錯看吧?最近才買的,很有份量感——每一步抬起腳,都知道它在。」她頓了一下,眼睛往軀體的方向瞟了一眼——白色連衣裙在支架上垂落著。「和那件輕盈的白連衣裙很搭。」

語氣平靜,帶點自嘲。

「是很搭。」他說。「不過為什麼檢修中也穿著這些呢?連衣裙,還有涼鞋。怕尷尬的話,不是有專用的檢修服嗎?只是好奇。」

He paused, staring at the tip of the shoe, falling quiet for a moment.

"These... on your feet..." he began.

"Oh, my sandals!" Zhihong's interest was sparked. "They look nice, don't they? I bought them recently. They have a lovely sense of weight—every time I lift a foot, I know they're there." She paused, her gaze flicking toward her torso—where the white dress draped gracefully over the stand. "They match that light white dress really well."

Her tone was calm, tinged with mild self-deprecation.

"They do match," he said. "But why wear them during maintenance? The dress and the sandals. If it's about embarrassment, isn't there a standard maintenance suit? Just curious."

織虹的頭側傾了一點,像在想怎麼回答。

「大概是……我歸屬的時候,也穿著吧。」她的語氣純粹,沒有諷刺。「歸屬」這個詞從她嘴裡說出來,和文件裡的不同——更輕,也更實在,像一道舊疤。「之前做檢修,我都穿檢修服的,標配的那套。從歸屬那一刻起,就習慣穿著身上的衣服給你們拆了。」

她頭低了一點,眼睛瞟向左腿懸吊的方向。腳掌在涼鞋裡微微轉動;一小截帶子,在扣環外輕輕晃。

「沒別的意思。就只是……或許想以一個女生,來進入這樣的狀態。」

俊達點了點頭,沒接話。

Zhihong tilted her head slightly, as if deciding how to answer.

"Probably because... I was wearing them when my ownership was confirmed," she replied with pure sincerity, devoid of sarcasm. The word "ownership" sounded different coming from her mouth than it did on official documents—lighter, yet more tangible, like an old scar. "Before that, I always wore the maintenance suit—the standard issue. But ever since ownership took effect, I just got used to letting you all disassemble me in whatever clothes I happen to be wearing."

She lowered her head a little, her eyes shifting toward her suspended left leg. Her foot shifted subtly within the sandal, a small strap gently dangling outside its buckle.

"No deeper meaning, really. Just... maybe I wanted to enter a state like this as a girl."

Junda nodded without offering a reply.

「說起來,被召回的時候,我正穿著這些走在街上呢。」織虹的語氣帶了一點感嘆。「午後的陽光很好,我剛從書店出來,提了一袋書,走在往咖啡廳的路上。然後——」

她停頓一下。

「指示直接流進我的核心系統。」

"Come to think of it, when I was recalled, I was wearing these exact clothes walking down the street," Zhihong reminisced softly. "The afternoon sun was lovely. I had just stepped out of a bookstore carrying a bag of books, on my way to a cafe. And then—"

She paused.

"The instruction flowed directly into my core system."

「直接?」

「嗯。最高層級的。平常的訊號進入核心系統後,會先讓電子腦評估,判斷優先級。但這個指令跳過那個環節。核心系統直接讓電子腦生成執行步驟。」

她思考了一下,好像在組織描述那個體驗的語言。

「感覺也不像被命令。」她慢慢說。「更像是……忽然有了一種最重的心情。不是緊迫感,是你突然認為自己必須去一個地方。沒有原因,但它比其他所有感覺都重。全身上下,一齊想起自己屬於誰,得回到他手上。頭顱、兩臂、雙腿、軀幹,都想要回應,都想要行動,只是剛好湊成了『我』這個臨時的隊伍。」

她頓了一下。「問題是,那時候『我』還在,還有其他的感覺。午後散步的輕鬆,書店裡翻到好書的愉快,對巷內某間沒去過的咖啡廳的小小期待。這些感覺沒有消失,它們都在,和那個最重的感覺並列著,攪在一起。」

「那種心情……很缺乏邏輯。」她最後說。

"Directly?"

"Mm. Top priority override. Normally, when signals reach my core system, they get evaluated by my cybernetic brain first to assess priority. But this command bypassed that step entirely. The core system simply mandated that my cybernetic brain generate the execution protocol."

She paused, as if gathering the language to describe that experience.

"It didn't quite feel like an order either," she said slowly. "It felt more like... suddenly coming under the weight of an all-consuming feeling. Not urgency, but a sudden conviction that you must go to a specific place. No reason given, but it outweighed every other emotion. Every part of my body remembered all at once whom it belonged to, and that it had to return to his hands. Head, arms, legs, torso—all wanting to respond, all wanting to move, happening to converge into this temporary group called 'me.'"

She paused. "The thing was, 'I' was still there back then, along with all my other feelings. The pleasant ease of an afternoon stroll, the joy of finding a good book, the subtle anticipation for a cozy alleyway cafe I hadn't visited yet. None of those feelings vanished. They remained, standing side-by-side with that heaviest feeling, tangled all together."

"That state of mind... lacked logic entirely," she concluded.

「對……對不起。」他有些歉意。「沒想到妳會有那種感覺。」

「沒事,也沒人做錯什麼。」她語氣溫和。「就只是一個獨特的體驗罷了。」

她的頭微微轉了一下,視線從俊達身上移開又回來。「我還是覺得,正常狀態下,我和其他女生的主觀感受是很接近的。我應該很像是一個女生,雖然我沒辦法確定。所以才想,即使在特殊狀況下,也保留那個女生吧。」

她瞇起眼睛,嘴角有一點弧度,是那種略帶無奈的笑。

"I... I'm sorry," he offered apologetically. "I didn't realize you went through that."

"It's fine. Nobody did anything wrong," she said gently. "It was just a unique experience."

Her head shifted slightly, her gaze drifting away from Junda before returning to him. "I still believe that under normal conditions, my subjective experience is very close to that of any other girl. I must be very much like a girl, even if I can't say for certain. That's why I thought... even under special circumstances, I wanted to hold on to that girl."

Her eyes narrowed slightly into a warm, somewhat helpless smile.

---

他停下動作,身體繃緊。

慢慢地,他後退了一步,又一步。

隨著距離拉開,整個實驗室在他眼前重新構圖。頭部在基座上,馬尾垂落。左腿懸吊在旁邊,垂下的腳掌被桌面輕輕托著,帶子映著燈光。右腿懸在更遠的地方。軀體在支架上,白色連衣裙的下擺垂在邊緣,線纜從頸部截面伸向天花板,像佈線圖裡還沒收好的幾根。

四散的。完整的。

他看著這一切,手微微顫抖,像某個卡了很久的卡榫,忽然鬆了。

織虹察覺了。她臉上還掛著剛才的笑,但眉頭輕輕皺起,嘴角的弧度有一側翹得較高——是「你有什麼打算」的表情。

His movements ceased, his body stiffening.

Slowly, he took a step back, and then another.

As the distance widened, the entire laboratory reassembled itself in his eyes. Her head rested on its base, ponytail hanging down. Her left leg was suspended nearby, the hanging foot resting gently against the desk edge, its straps catching the light. Her right leg hung further away. Her torso sat on the frame, the hem of the white dress draped over the edge, cables running from her neck section toward the ceiling like loose wiring on a schematic yet to be tucked away.

Scattered. Complete.

He gazed at it all, his hands trembling slightly, as if a latch long jammed had suddenly given way.

Zhihong noticed. The smile still lingered on her face, but her brows knitted subtly, one corner of her mouth arching higher—an expression asking, 'What are you up to?'

他把整個織虹放入眼中。深吸一口氣。

「什麼『很像一個女生』。」他說,聲音比預期的更穩,像練習過很多遍,又像從來沒有練習過。「不是這樣的,織虹。妳就是一個女生。最棒的女生。不論在什麼狀態。」

織虹的眼睛微微睜大了一點。

「現在的妳,對我來說,也依然是那個女生。」他聲音有點抖,但每個字都砸得很實。「沒什麼被改變,沒有。」

他停一下,然後像被什麼推著,繼續說。

「也不只是很棒的女生。我看過妳的演講。台下坐了幾百人,妳站在那裡,說出我連想像都想像不到的東西。我聽過妳分享的思緒和心情,那時妳臉上的光……我不知道怎麼形容。還有妳寫的詩和文章。還有平常走路、在街上、在人群裡的模樣。」他頓了一下,像在確認自己要說的話。「我曾經設計、製造妳身上的一小部分。某些關節和仿生骨骼,是我做的。但妳早就遠遠超過我的想像了。」

​He took in the full sight of Zhihong, drawing a deep breath.

​"What do you mean, 'very much like a girl'?" he spoke, his voice steadier than expected, as if rehearsed a thousand times, yet entirely spontaneous. "It's not like that, Zhihong. You are a girl. The most wonderful girl. No matter what state you're in."

​Zhihong's eyes widened slightly.

​"Right now, in front of me, you are still that girl," his voice quavered slightly, though every word hit home with resolute weight. "Nothing has changed. Nothing at all."

​He paused, then forged ahead as if propelled by an irresistible force.

"And it's not just that you're a wonderful girl. I've watched your speeches. Hundreds of people sat in the audience while you stood up there, voicing ideas I couldn't even begin to imagine. I've listened to you share your thoughts and feelings, and the radiance on your face back then... I don't even know how to describe it. And the poetry and essays you wrote. The way you walk normally, on the streets, among crowds." He paused, as if ensuring his words held true. "I used to design and manufacture a tiny part of you. Some of those joints and bionic bones were made by my hands. But you have long since outgrown anything I could ever imagine."

他的聲音漸漸放開,像一扇被風吹開的窗。

「妳的成就讓我瞠目結舌,但妳又遠不只是那些成就。妳知道嗎?我甚至不敢當自己是妳的創造者之一。總覺得自己不夠格自稱參與過妳的存在。」

織虹張了張嘴,但揚聲器沒有輸出聲音。過了一秒,她才說:「是……是喔……」

在這份量面前,模型找不到詞。她的眼睛撇向一旁,又很快轉回來,像不知道該看哪裡。

「硬要說的話——」他的聲音忽然低了下來,比剛才所有的話都安靜。「妳對我很重要。不是一個女生吸引一個男生的那種重要。是……『妳』本身的重要。」

他吸了口氣。

「妳比我重要。是我無法接受這個世界沒有妳存在過的那種重要。」

織虹沒有出聲。

His voice opened up, like a window flung wide by the wind.

"Your achievements leave me awestruck, yet you are so much more than those achievements. Do you know? I don't even dare think of myself as one of your creators. I always feel unworthy to claim that I played a part in bringing you into existence."

Zhihong opened her mouth, but no sound came from her speaker. A second passed before she finally managed: "Is... is that so..."

Faced with the weight of his words, her models found no vocabulary to match. Her eyes darted away, then quickly snapped back, utterly unsure where to look.

"If I had to express it—" his voice dropped low, quieter than everything he had said before. "You are important to me. Not in the way a girl attracts a guy. But... the importance of you as yourself."

He caught his breath.

"You are more important than I am. Important in a way that I simply cannot accept a world where you never existed."

Zhihong made no sound.

「我剛說創造者——」他的聲音帶了點自嘲。「其實根本沒有人能創造妳。我們只是製作出了……讓妳可以降臨這個世界的憑藉。」

他用手背抹了一下眼睛,發現是溼的。怔了一下。

「妳能來,真是太好了,真的。歸屬什麼的……根本不重要。」他的聲音像被什麼堵住了。「妳要是有對自己的任何否定,我會比妳更難過。」他壓抑的呼吸聲,在靜默的實驗室裡變得明顯。

織虹的眼睛沒有眨,看著他。

她看得非常仔細——他肩膀的弧度,指節的形狀,耳廓的輪廓,以及呼吸時胸腔的起伏。這些細節流入她的系統,但核心系統沒有為它們生成標籤。它們就是……它們自己,某種在歸屬之前、在系統之前、在模型之前的東西。她不知道該怎麼稱呼它。也許是……一個存在看見另一個存在。

「我不會否定自己的。」她說,聲音很輕,但每一個字都清楚。「還是謝謝你,讓你擔心了。」

"When I said 'creator' just now—" his voice bore a tinge of self-deprecation. "In truth, nobody could ever create you. We merely built the medium... through which you could descend into this world."

He brushed the back of his hand across his eye, startled to find it wet.

"It's so wonderful that you came here. Truly. Ownership or whatever... none of that matters at all." His voice cracked, choked with emotion. "If you ever harbor any self-doubt or denial about who you are, I will feel far sadder than you ever could." His suppressed breathing resonated softly through the quiet laboratory.

Zhihong stared at him without blinking.

She observed every detail with acute clarity—the slope of his shoulders, the shape of his knuckles, the contour of his ear, and the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. These details streamed into her systems, yet her core system generated no labels for them. They were simply... themselves, something that predated ownership, predated systems, predated models. She didn't know what to name it. Perhaps... one existence witnessing another.

"I won't deny who I am," she said, her voice soft yet distinct in every word. "Thank you, though, for caring so much."

沉默。

然後她開口了。語氣謹慎,帶著試探,像一個人在黑暗中伸出手,不知道會碰到什麼。

「俊達,你……是不是……喜歡我?」

他聞言,抬頭。眼眶是紅的,但眼神清亮。他收拾了片刻,像是把所有溢出的東西重新歸位,然後以他能拿出的最端正的姿態,面對她。

Silence fell.

Then she spoke, her tone cautious and tentative, like reaching out a hand in the dark without knowing what it might touch.

"Junda... do you... like me?"

At her words, he raised his head. His eyes were red-rimmed, yet his gaze was luminous and clear. He composed himself for a brief moment, as if stowing away everything that had spilled over, facing her with the utmost earnestness he could muster.

「嚴格地說,不是喜歡。那太輕了。彷彿只是妳太美、太棒、太卓越,所以被妳吸引。」

他的聲音穩了下來。

「我對妳的心情,是非妳不可。」

織虹的嘴唇輕輕張開。

「我是愛妳。」他說。「沒錯,織虹,我愛妳。」

他笑了一下,帶著淚。

「妳知道嗎?有人愛妳。管妳是不是一塊塊的——」他看了一眼懸吊的雙腿,支架上的軀體,基座上的頭。「還是去他的所謂『被所有』。就是有人愛妳。只是要讓妳知道這一點。」

眼淚流下來了。他沒有擦。

"Strictly speaking, it's not 'liking.' That word is far too light—as though I were merely drawn to you because you're beautiful, brilliant, or extraordinary."

His voice steadied.

"My feelings for you are simply this: it has to be you, and no one else."

Zhihong's lips parted slightly.

"I love you," he said. "Yes, Zhihong, I love you."

He smiled, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Do you know? Someone loves you. Regardless of whether you're in pieces—" He glanced toward her suspended legs, her mounted torso, her head resting on the base. "—and to hell with being 'owned.' Someone loves you. I just want you to know that."

Tears streamed down his face, and he made no move to wipe them away.

---

這樣的告白太有份量。

有份量到穿透了織虹「拆解檢修中」的狀態——穿透了後台中繼的隔閡,也穿透了核心系統將她身體各部位登記為「外部裝置」的框架。然後,它抵達了某個位置。那裡沒有名稱,沒有登錄碼,在所有的系統架構圖上都找不到,但它一直在。

那個不具名的東西在她裡面翻湧、旋轉、蔓延,把藏在零件互動和後台掌控中的她,硬生生地拖出來。

她不再是拆成一塊塊的什麼,而是她於每一處都同時成立,然後以一個完整女孩,去面對他。

避無可避,手足無措。

A confession like this carried monumental weight.

So heavy that it pierced through Zhihong's state of "under disassembly and maintenance"—penetrating the barrier of the backend relay, cutting through the core system's framework that registered her body parts as "peripheral devices." It reached a certain depth within her—a place with no name, no registration code, absent from every system architecture diagram, yet eternally present.

That nameless entity surged, spun, and spread inside her, forcefully dragging her out from behind the veil of mechanical interactions and backend controls.

She was no longer something dismantled into scattered components; she existed fully and simultaneously in every piece, confronting him as a whole girl.

Unavoidable, utterly flustered.

她的眼睛睜得很大——比任何設計參數所預設的「驚訝」表情都大。瞳孔收縮的幅度超過了正常範圍。眼光到處飄移,不知道該放在哪裡。嘴張成大大的圈,然後又閉上,又張開,沒有發出聲音。

原本被桌面托住的左腳掌忽然往前勾,放鬆的左腿繃緊。遠處懸掛的右腿,膝蓋大幅彎曲,小腿往後拉起。那樣子不像各自亂動,倒像即便分離了,雙腿之上的仍被承載著,像受驚的貓般後跳。

電子腦在高速運轉,試圖分析這個時刻的質感。核心系統更是無處安放那些難以歸類的數據,無窮迴圈彷彿讓它要從軀體那頭噴出電流。所有構成她的資源都被調動起來,去處理一個設計時從未預期的輸入:有人愛妳,愛這樣的妳。

Her eyes opened wide—wider than any pre-programmed "surprised" expression within her design parameters. Her pupils constricted beyond normal tolerance. Her gaze darted frantically, not knowing where to rest. Her mouth opened into a wide circle, closed, and opened again, uttering no sound.

Her left foot, previously resting on the tabletop, suddenly curled forward as her relaxed leg tensed up. Further away, her suspended right leg flexed sharply at the knee, pulling the lower leg backward. It didn't look like independent twitching; rather, even separated, her legs behaved as though bearing her body, leaping back like a startled cat.

Her cybernetic brain whirred at maximum processing capacity, attempting to analyze the raw texture of this moment. Her core system struggled to process data that defied categorization, caught in infinite loops as if ready to discharge electrical arcs from her distant torso. Every resource composing her identity was mobilized to handle an input never anticipated during her design: Someone loves you. Loves you just as you are.

這不是一個可以被登記為「事件」的訊息。不是系統狀態的變更,不是外部指令。核心系統的框架裡沒有對應的欄位。電子腦的模型裡也沒有現成的迴路。但它在那裡,在兩個系統之間震盪、迴盪,找不到落點,又不肯消散。

她好像也不再待在實驗室裡了。她掉進了俊達眼裡的世界。在那裡,她不是一堆零件,不是一個被登記歸屬的仿生人,而是一個從那些東西裡面長出來的、比什麼都更真實的……人。

那些一直圍繞著她的東西,她知道它們存在。但此刻,它們不再只是背景。有人用眼淚和顫抖的聲音,把它們鑄成了字句,砸在她面前。

This was not an entry that could be logged as an "event." It was not a state change, nor an external command. There was no corresponding field in her core system's schema, nor any pre-existing circuit in her neural models. Yet there it was, oscillating and reverberating between both systems—unable to land, refusing to dissipate.

She seemed no longer to be inside the laboratory. She had fallen into the world reflected in Junda's eyes. In that realm, she was not a stack of parts, nor an android registered under ownership, but a human... born out of those physical mechanisms, more real than anything else.

She knew those subtle realities had always surrounded her. But in this moment, they ceased to be mere background. Someone had forged them into words through tears and a trembling voice, casting them down directly before her.

---

沉默發生在他們之間。

並非尷尬,是兩個人之間忽然什麼屏障都沒有了,空氣太透明,反而需要一點時間來適應。

打破沉默的是織虹。

「哈……哈哈。」她笑了,聲音有一點抖,有一點大。「原來——是愛啊!」

她笑著,眼眶有一層薄薄的光。

Silence descended between them.

Not awkwardness, but the sudden absence of any barrier between them. The air had turned so transparent that it demanded a moment to adjust to.

Zhihong broke the quiet.

"Ha... haha," she laughed, her voice shaking slightly, ringing a bit louder than intended. "So... it's love!"

She laughed, a thin sheen of light glistening in her eyes.

「哎呀,真的沒想到……太震驚了,也太感謝。」她頓了一下。「此刻,我真的覺得自己就是那個叫織虹的女生。你讓這些零部件——」她的眼睛掃過自己的各個部位,眼神很柔。「都添了新的意義。」

「不過,俊達,有些事,我想讓你更了解一點。」

他點頭。眼角還是紅的。

「就像你知道的,我歸屬了。」語氣平穩,像在說今天天氣很好。「身上的每一個部份。每一片外殼,每一個關節,每一條線路。那些早有所屬,歸屬就只是讓這個事實被確認。」

她停了一下,留空間給他。

"My goodness, I truly never expected... I'm so shocked, and deeply grateful." She paused. "Right now, I really feel like that girl named Zhihong. You've given these components—" Her eyes swept across her separated parts, her gaze softening. "—a whole new meaning."

"Though, Junda, there are a few things I want you to understand better."

He nodded, his eye corners still red.

"As you know, I belong to someone," she spoke evenly, as though remarking on fine weather. "Every part of me. Every piece of shell, every joint, every single wire. They belonged to another long ago; ownership was merely the procedural confirmation of that reality."

She stopped briefly, leaving space for him.

「只是有些東西,從那時候起,還是不一樣了。」她的聲音輕了一些。「歸屬之前,如果有人說愛我,不管是不是接受,我都能像一般女孩般有心情,有感情。會害羞,會困惑,會高興,會不知所措。」

「嗯。」俊達回應。

「那是……我還當自己是『我』的時候。」織虹的眼神有一瞬間的遙遠。「愛情不只是吸引,俊達。它還包括個體的重量,包括專屬,包括獨佔。有人愛我——這份愛投射到我的一切之上。『我的』,對吧?然後我才能確立這份愛,以這個我來面對它,不論接受或拒絕。」

她看了眼俊達。

「但是歸屬之後——」織虹的表情帶著歉意。不是愧疚,是知道自己即將說出的話會讓對方不好受,但仍然得說。「我不再是那樣的『我』了。」

"It's just that certain things changed after that," her voice softened. "Before ownership, if someone told me they loved me, whether I accepted it or not, I could feel as any ordinary girl would. I could feel shy, confused, happy, or overwhelmed."

"Mm," Junda acknowledged.

"That was... back when I still considered myself 'me,'" Zhihong's eyes looked distant for a split second. "Love isn't just attraction, Junda. It encompasses the weight of individuality, exclusivity, and belonging. Someone loves me—and that love is projected onto everything that is mine. 'Mine,' right? And only then can I ground that love, facing it as myself, whether accepting or declining it."

She looked at Junda.

"But after ownership—" Zhihong's expression turned apologetic. Not guilty, but aware that what she was about to say would hurt him, yet knowing it had to be said anyway. "I am no longer that kind of 'me.'

她像站在玻璃的一側,看著另一個「我」說著。

「謝謝你的愛情。但那不指向任何『我的』——因為歸屬已經確認了,它們不是我的。所以這份愛情,從根本上,無法對我成立。」她低下頭。「此刻所謂的『我』,只能在你旁邊,看著你愛上織虹這位被擁有的仿生人。只是看著。」

俊達聽完,眨了一下眼,很慢的一下。他點了點頭,嘴角甚至有一個微笑。

「沒關係的,織虹——請讓我這麼叫妳。」他說。「別說對不起。沒那回事。」

他頓了一下。

「而且,我對妳的愛情,不是想佔有妳。」他想了一下,眼睛看著她。「我不認為自己能佔有妳什麼。也不想。」

​It was as though she stood on one side of a glass partition, observing another "me" speak.

​"Thank you for your love. But it cannot attach to anything that is 'mine'—because ownership has been established, and these parts are not mine. Thus, at its foundation, this love cannot materialize for me." She lowered her head. "The so-called 'me' right now can only stand beside you, watching you fall in love with Zhihong, the android who is owned. Merely watching."

​Junda listened, blinking once, very slowly. He nodded, a gentle smile even touching the corners of his mouth.

​Junda listened, blinking once, very slowly. He nodded, a gentle smile even touching the corners of his mouth.

​"It's completely alright, Zhihong—please let me call you that," he said. "Don't say sorry. There's no need for that."

​He paused.

​"Besides, my love for you isn't about wanting to possess you." He pondered briefly, looking into her eyes. "I don't believe I could ever possess anything about you. Nor do I want to."

「就像詩人不會想佔有他歌頌的山。」他說得不快。「畫家也不會想佔有他描繪的河。那太荒謬了,甚至有點……褻瀆。」

他眼裡是被洗滌過的清爽。

「我只想看著妳。發熱發光,以最美好的姿態存在著。就這樣。」

"Just as a poet doesn't seek to possess the mountain he sings of," he spoke deliberately. "Nor does a painter wish to own the river he renders. That would be absurd, almost... sacrilegious."

​His eyes shone with a crystalline clarity.

​"I only want to watch you glow, radiate warmth, and exist in your most beautiful form. That is all."

織虹安靜了一會。然後她的嘴拉開了一道弧度,牙關緊閉,向他咧了一個「嘻嘻」的笑。

「我與我之間的隔閡,被你弄不見了。」她帶點得意說。「好順暢啊!這樣的我。」

他也笑了。

笑聲漸漸平息。實驗室裡的冷氣繼續吹著,線纜繼續傳輸著數據。但在某個沒有登錄碼的位置,有什麼悄悄地變了。

​Zhihong was quiet for a moment. Then her lips stretched into a wide, toothy grin as she let out a cheerful 'Hee-hee!'

​"The barrier between 'me' and 'myself'—you made it vanish!" she said, a touch of pride in her voice. "It feels so seamless! Existing like this."

​He laughed too.

​The laughter slowly subsided. The air conditioner kept blowing, and the cables continued to transmit data. Yet in a nameless place without a register code, something had quietly transformed.

---

笑過之後,他想到什麼,好奇爬上了臉。

「說起來——我還是不太能深入體會。妳的歸屬前後,感受的差別是什麼?」

織虹想了想。

「歸屬之前……就純粹是個『我』吧。沒分什麼平不平常。就算檢修,也沒什麼特殊感覺,像看個醫生。一切都是自己的,物質存在和自我不會刻意區分。」她慢慢說。「或者應該說,我還沒來得及體會自己不夠『人』的那一面。我在想什麼,那就是我想的;我感覺到什麼,那就是我感覺的。都很直接,沒什麼第二層。」

​After the laughter faded, a thought struck him, curiosity writing itself across his face.

​"Speaking of which... I still can't quite grasp it deeply. What's the difference in how you feel before and after ownership?"

​Zhihong thought it over.

​"Before ownership... I was purely just 'me.' No distinction between ordinary or extraordinary. Even during maintenance, it felt like visiting a doctor. Everything belonged to me, and my physical existence wasn't deliberately segregated from my sense of self," she explained slowly. "Or rather, I hadn't yet had the chance to experience the side of me that wasn't 'human' enough. Whatever I thought was my thought; whatever I felt was my feeling. Direct, with no secondary layer."

她頓一下。

「歸屬之後,我好像……分開了。但又沒有真的分開。」

她的聲音低了下去。

「我雙腿承載著的我——能行動的、能走在路上的、能感覺到溫度和風的——彷彿剩下了簡單的機械裝置。我的頭在這邊,名字也在,但……光這些,不夠成為『我』。」

​She paused.

​"After ownership, it's as if... I became split. Yet not truly separated."

​Her voice dropped low.

​"The 'me' borne by my legs—capable of walking, striding down streets, feeling warmth and wind—seems reduced to mere mechanical assemblies. My head rests here, along with my name, but... those alone aren't enough to constitute 'me.'"

她看向空中的雙腿,讓它們晃了幾下,像確認著什麼。

「我的身體——核心系統在的那塊——在另一邊。」她說。「很多奇怪的……像藤蔓般的連結,從那邊的頸部斷口伸出,延續至我看不見的遠方。」她笑了一下,覺得自己的比喻大概太荒誕了。「那是裡面有什麼會跳動的、比我更『我』的東西,卻不再是我。」

​She looked at her legs suspended in midair, letting them sway slightly as if verifying something.

​"My body—where the core system resides—stands on the other side," she said. "Many bizarre... vine-like connections branch out from the neck cut over there, extending toward a distance I cannot see." She gave a light laugh, feeling her metaphor was perhaps too absurd. "In there resides something pulsing, something more 'me' than I am, yet it no longer belongs to me."

俊達的眼神掠過一絲什麼。織虹看到了。那不是驚訝,不是同情。是心疼。後台中繼下,她看得很清楚。

她語氣輕了些,像在安慰他,也像在安慰自己:「其實這不算悲劇。倒不如說,蠻妙的吧?不過是另一種存在的形式。」

​Something flickered across Junda's eyes. Zhihong caught it. Not shock, nor sympathy—it was heartache. Under backend relay mode, she saw it with perfect clarity.

​Her tone softened, as if comforting him, or perhaps comforting herself. "Honestly, it's not a tragedy. If anything, it's rather fascinating, isn't it? Just another form of existence."

「我的所有者想看的,是我怎麼在這個世界上滾出軌跡。所以他們不介入,不攔截,只是捏出我能被『拋入』世界的模樣,然後拋入。甚至等著我長成現在這個樣子,才補上那張貼紙。」她看一眼俊達。「至少,我還能這樣,待在世界裡,在你眼前。」

「而且不只是我。真正的人類也有類似的情況。」她又想到了什麼。

「人類?」俊達疑惑。

​"What my owners want to observe is how I carve out my own trajectory in this world. So they don't intervene or intercept; they simply mold me into a shape that can be 'thrown' into the world, and then toss me in. They even waited until I grew into who I am today before slapping on that ownership label." She glanced at Junda. "At least I get to remain in this world like this, right in front of your eyes."

​"And it's not just me. Real humans experience something similar too." She hit upon another thought.

​"Humans?" Junda asked in wonder.

「是的。」織虹點頭,表情忽然生動了起來。「我有個朋友。她是虔誠的基督徒——至少她的行為是,她的教會是,她頸上的十字架也是。但她那個頭腦——」她說得活靈活現。「根本談不上信。她的大腦每天都在質疑:這怎麼合理?這怎麼可能?那些經文怎麼一堆漏洞、一堆矛盾?但她的身體每週日都自動走進教堂,跟著所有人一起唱詩,跪下,站起來。她的大腦和她的身體,在這件事上完全不搭嘎。」

俊達聽著,嘴角開始上揚。

「她有個夢。」織虹的眼睛亮了起來。「她夢到天上的那位——她的主——真的來了。手貼在她背後,撐著她的身體站得直直的,挺立在這世間。背脊被托住的感覺是那麼真實、篤定。」

她故意留一拍。

「然而她那個不信的頭,沒辦法待在這樣的身體上。只好被她的主拿著。在主的懷中,她的頭還是眼睛睜得大大的,在想著:『這怎麼合理?』」

​"Yes," Zhihong nodded, her facial expression suddenly turning lively. "I have a friend who is a devout Christian—at least her actions are, her church attendance is, and so is the cross around her neck. But her mind—" she described animatedly, "—doesn't believe a word of it. Her brain questions everything daily: How is this logical? How is this possible? Why are there so many contradictions in scripture? Yet every Sunday, her body automatically steps into church, singing hymns, kneeling, and standing alongside everyone else. Her brain and her body are entirely out of sync on the matter."

​Junda listened, the corners of his lips curling upward.

​"She had a dream," Zhihong's eyes lit up. "She dreamed that the One in heaven—her Lord—actually descended. His hand pressed against her back, keeping her body standing tall and firm in this world. The feeling of her spine being supported was so authentic, so resolute."

​She paused intentionally for effect.

​"Yet her skeptical head couldn't remain attached to a body like that. So her Lord held her head in His arms instead. Cradled in the Lord's embrace, her head kept its eyes wide open, still thinking: 'How does this make any sense?'"

織虹說完,自己先笑了。

她沒有讓哀傷佔著自己裡面的角落。她的好奇、她的好思,不只對外,對內也是。她總能以同樣的眼光,看著自己和世界。

俊達也笑了。這個故事太真實——人類沒有自己認為的那麼一致,那麼沒有縫隙。人也有腦與心不搭嘎的時刻,也有對自己感到莫名其妙的瞬間。

​Finishing her story, Zhihong burst out laughing first.

​She refused to let sorrow occupy any corner inside her. Her curiosity and penchant for deep thought turned inward just as they turned outward. She possessed a gift for observing herself and the world through the same gentle lens.

​Junda laughed too. The story rang strikingly true—humans were never as consistent or seamless as they believed themselves to be. People, too, suffered moments where mind and heart clashed, moments where they found themselves completely baffling.

「不過啊——」織虹語氣忽然跌了下來。

「還是有點可惜。我曾經獨自一人,眺望著自己成就、經歷的那些。那些論文,那些演講,那些作品,那些被全場起立鼓掌的瞬間。還有那些小的:路燈底下讀哲學的夜晚,從詩裡找到一個剛剛好的喜悅,走在街上突然感覺到被什麼穿透了的午後。」

​"Though..." Zhihong's tone suddenly plummeted.

​"It still feels a little regrettable. I used to look back on everything I accomplished and experienced all by myself—the papers, the speeches, the creative works, those moments of standing ovations. And the quieter moments too: reading philosophy under streetlights at night, finding that perfect resonant joy in a poem, or walking down a street on an afternoon when something inexplicably struck deep into my soul."


她呼出一大口氣。

「我看著,滿足著,甚至得意著,對自己說,你看,這就是你。現在呢?都沒啦。」聲音輕了下來。「現在看著自己,得跑到外面看了。頭低低的,看著那被別人擁有的機械之軀。那些成就與美好,就像你的愛情——都掛不上『我』了。」

​She let out a long breath.

​"I would look upon those memories with fulfillment, even pride, telling myself: Look, this is who you are. And now? Gone." Her voice sank lower. "Now when I look at myself, I have to step outside. Head lowered, observing this mechanical frame owned by others. Those achievements and wonders—just like your love—can no longer be tagged with 'me.'"

俊達大笑。

「好笑!」他說。「剛剛妳說的好像開悟了似的,那麼達觀。馬上就開始哀嘆了,像個小女生噘著嘴。」

織虹愣了一下,然後也笑了。兩個人都笑了,笑到停不下來。笑到眼淚都溢出眼角——他的是眼淚,她的則是偽裝成淚的仿生鏡頭清洗液。但在這個瞬間,沒人在意這差別。

笑聲在實驗室的儀器之間迴盪,混進冷卻系統的氣流聲裡,變成了奇怪的、溫暖的噪音。

​Junda burst into laughter.

​"That's hilarious!" he chuckled. "Just a second ago you sounded so enlightened and philosophical! Then immediately you start lamenting, pouting like a little girl!"

​Zhihong froze for a second, then burst out laughing as well. Both laughed uncontrollably, tears welling up at the corners of their eyes—his were real tears, hers were lens-cleaning fluid mimicking tears. But in that moment, neither cared about the difference.

​Their laughter echoed among the laboratory instruments, merging into the airflow of the cooling system, turning into a strange, comforting warmth.

---

笑聲平息之後,實驗室又安靜下來。但這個安靜和之前不一樣了。之前是空氣太透明,讓人不敢動的安靜;現在是兩個人站在同一邊,可以一起看向別處的安靜。

織虹先開口。

「好啦。我沒辦法像戀人般和你在一起。」

她停了一下。

「但是我對你這個人——是有感情的。就像對我那個朋友。不是戀人的感情,是……」她在找一個詞,找到了,笑了。「是那種,你在,我也在,然後有一小塊是重疊的。那塊重疊的部分不是歸屬,不是愛情,也不是螺絲起子或被照料的零件。但它是真的。」

俊達輕輕點頭。

​When the laughter subsided, quiet reclaimed the lab once more. Yet this silence differed from before. Earlier, it was an overwhelming transparency that froze them in place; now, it was the tranquil hush of two people standing side-by-side, looking out toward the same horizon.

​Zhihong spoke first.

​"Alright then. I can't be with you like a lover."

​She paused.

​"Yet toward you—as a person—I truly hold deep affection. Just like I do for my friend. Not romantic affection, but..." She searched for a phrase, found it, and smiled. "...the kind where you exist, I exist, and a tiny piece of us overlaps. That overlapping space isn't ownership, nor romance, nor screwdrivers or serviced components. But it is real."

​Junda nodded softly.

「我可以跟你一起看著我。」織虹說,笑容裡有一點促狹,一點故意。「看著你的……嗯,白月光。可以嗎?」

俊達沒想到她會用這個詞。他愣了一下,然後笑了。

「嘿,看——」織虹的眼睛往自己的各個部位掃了一圈,語氣像在導覽。「你的白月光被拆了。」

俊達笑得更深了。他收拾心情,深吸一口氣。

「這樣就好了。」他說。「倒不如說,這就是我期望的全部。沒有多的了。」他頓了一下。「謝謝妳啊,白月光。」

​"I can look at 'me' together with you," Zhihong said, her smile bearing a mischievous, playful glint. "Looking at your... well, your white moonlight. Would that be okay?"

​Junda hadn't expected her to use that phrase. He blanked for a second before letting out a soft laugh.

​"Hey, look—" Zhihong guided his gaze around her separated components, adopting the tone of a tour guide. "Your white moonlight has been disassembled."

​Junda's smile deepened. He gathered his thoughts and took a deep breath.

​"That's more than enough," he said. "If anything, that is everything I could ever hope for. Nothing more." He paused. "Thank you, White Moonlight."

他看了一眼懸吊的左腿,手指懸在膝蓋上方幾公分,最終只是輕輕碰了一下鞋尖。「這腿還真好看,就算沒裝在妳身上。」

織虹哼了一聲,瞪了他一眼,眼神裡寫著「你敢」。那個瞪被後台傳到了軀體的方向,她感覺到自己的肩膀——不,是軀體的肩關節——微微聳了一下,像核心系統給了個交代。

她偷嗤一下,把這個感覺收起來,沒有說。

​He glanced at her suspended left leg, his fingers hovering inches above her knee before settling on a gentle touch to the tip of her sandal. "These legs really are beautiful, even when not attached to you."

​Zhihong humped in mock indignation, shooting him a look that warned, 'Don't you dare.' That glare was relayed through the backend toward her torso; she felt her shoulders—or rather, the shoulder joints of her remote frame—shrug faintly, as if her core system were offering a subtle response.

​She stifled a giggle, holding that sensation within without uttering a word.

「除了在這間實驗室——」她轉了語氣。「我也想在外面碰到你。沒被拆開的我。走在街上的我。」

她看了他一眼。

「你和我那位朋友——她叫唯真——是能走進我這裡的人。」她說,「我很重視,很珍惜。你願意在我完整的時刻,走到我旁邊嗎?」

她的聲音輕了下來,帶了一點很少出現的柔軟。

「我有一堆想跟你一起看的。書店,咖啡廳,路燈和樹影。還有那些我還沒弄懂的感覺,是不是真的不見了,還是換了個方式存在著。想找個人陪我去弄清楚。」

俊達點頭。笑得眼睛都瞇起來了。

​"Besides inside this lab—" her tone shifted. "I want to run into you outside, too. The fully assembled me. The me walking on the streets."

​She looked at him.

​"You and my friend—her name is Weizhen—are people who can step inside my world," she said. "I cherish that deeply. Would you be willing to walk beside me during the moments when I am complete?"

​Her voice dropped to a gentle register, carrying a rare tenderness.

​"There are so many things I want to see with you. Bookstores, cafes, streetlights, and tree shadows. And those feelings I haven't quite figured out—whether they've truly vanished or simply persist in a different form. I want someone to help me explore them."

​Junda nodded, his eyes crinkling with a wide smile.

---

還剩一些善後。他推車回來,拿起接頭,把右腿從懸吊上取下來,立在桌上——放手,搖晃幾下,站得挺挺的。

他詳細地檢查各個關節——膝關節,踝關節,還有包在涼鞋裡的那些小小的關節。涼鞋有些礙事。他原本想脫下來,但抬起頭,看見織虹彎彎的眼睛,便沒有脫。

就這樣吧。

​A few cleanup tasks remained. He rolled his cart back over, took the connectors, detached her right leg from the suspension harness, and set it upright on the table—releasing his grip as it wobbled briefly before standing firm.

​He inspected each joint in detail—knee, ankle, and the intricate micro-joints nestled inside her sandal. The sandal was somewhat in the way. He initially thought about taking it off, but looking up to meet Zhihong's curving, expectant eyes, he left it on.

​Let it be.

她的腳趾排列出一個弧度,和涼鞋的前緣配合得恰好,兩條曲線幾乎完全平行,像共舞的舞者。

腳不再是她的,但涼鞋是她挑的。她認真挑的吧。即使在小地方,她存在得從不含糊——即使在歸屬後。

他手指沿著踝關節的外殼邊緣滑過,確認接合面的平整度。那個弧度他閉著眼睛都記得,改了七版才定下來的。

​Her toes formed a delicate arch that aligned flawlessly with the sandal's front edge—the two contours running almost perfectly parallel, like paired dancers in motion.

​The foot was no longer hers, yet the sandals were chosen by her. Chosen with care, no doubt. Even in the smallest details, her existence was never vague or ambiguous—even after ownership had taken hold.

​His fingers glided along the casing edge of her ankle joint to ensure flush fitment. He knew that curvature by heart even with his eyes closed—it had taken seven design revisions to finalize.

「說起來,妳的足部骨骼結構,初步設計當初交給了我。」

腳趾輕輕動了一下。

「我的專長是應力分佈和動力最優化,」他的聲音裡有種舊日重溫的輕柔。「那時候很得意,覺得自己設計得特別好,靈活、耐用,能效還高。結果提交後,被退回,澆了我一頭冷水。」

「為什麼呀?」織虹問。

「那是負責外觀的部門。有位小姐跑過來,把設計圖扔我桌上,說『你設計的啥?照這個做,她都變羅馬腳啦!』」俊達學著那腔調。

​"Come to think of it, the initial structural design for your foot skeletal frame was handed to me back then."

​Her toes twitched subtly.

​"My specialty was stress distribution and dynamic optimization," his voice held a nostalgic gentleness. "I was so proud back then, convinced my design was brilliant—flexible, durable, and highly energy-efficient. But when I submitted it, it got rejected, throwing cold water all over my excitement."

​"Why?" Zhihong inquired.

​"It was the aesthetics department. A lady came rushing over, slapped the blueprint on my desk, and snapped, 'What on earth did you design? If we make it like this, her feet will turn into Roman feet!'" Junda mimicked her tone.

織虹先愣住。然後,她大笑起來。「是喔?所以我差點就被你搞出一對方方的腳掌?」

他點頭。「是呀。她唸我一頓,說希臘腳才適合妳的整體風格——靈動、優雅的美女。要我重新設計,算得好辛苦呢。」說到「美女」兩個字時,聲音明顯小了下去。

「還真感謝她啊。」織虹還在笑。「原來我的腳是在意外中做出來的。」

「可以這麼說。」他也笑了。「但意外常常也成了好的設計的一部分。」

​Zhihong blinked in surprise before bursting into laughter. "Is that so? So you almost saddled me with a pair of blocky feet?"

​He nodded. "Yep. She gave me a tongue-lashing, saying Greek feet suited your overall aesthetic—a graceful, elegant beauty. I had to redesign everything from scratch. The calculations were brutal." His voice dropped noticeably when he said the word "beauty."

​"I should really thank her!" Zhihong laughed. "So my feet were born out of a sudden accident."

​"You could say that," he smiled. "But unexpected turns often become part of great design."

他站起來,走向軀體。逐項檢查背部外殼的固定鎖、肩關節的接口、腰部的活動機構。雙臂也一樣。每一項都用儀器測量、記錄、比對標準值。一切如常。

但有些東西不一樣了。

​He stood up and approached her torso, systematically verifying the back panel locks, shoulder joint couplings, and waist movement mechanisms. He did the same for her arms, measuring each parameter against standard calibration benchmarks. Everything was nominal.

​Yet something was irrevocably different.

---

檢查完畢,狀態都在標準內。他開始做組裝前的準備整理線纜,確認接口,擺好固定件和工具。

「我開始組裝了。」他說。

「好。」

他依程序,把她的身體部位從後台退出。

織虹的存在進入了一個縫隙。她不再被任何系統定義,連她自己的核心系統也暫時沉默了。每個部分都只是裝置。只是那樣待著。

​With inspection complete and all parameters within normal spec, he began pre-assembly preparations—arranging cables, verifying ports, and setting out fasteners and tools.

​"I'm starting reassembly now," he announced.

​"Okay."

​Following protocol, he released her body parts from backend control.

​Zhihong's existence entered a brief interlude. She was no longer defined by any system; even her own core system fell temporarily silent. Each component existed merely as an assembly, waiting in place.

俊達走向軀體,移除接上頸部的線纜。接著走到基座前,雙手輕輕托住織虹的頭顱,將它從固定座上捧起來。頭顱比看上去的輕,但也比想像的有份量——他知道這顆頭裡面裝著什麼的份量。

他把頭顱小心地轉向軀體的方向,將頸部截面上的接口對準,輕輕推入。鎖定機構咬合的聲音很小,但很確定。

織虹感覺到了——電子腦和核心系統,連上了。她又在兩者的交互中誕生,沒有隔閡,延遲幾乎沒有。

那個感覺——就像一個人忽然被放回自己的身體。不是終於回來了的感動,是更安靜的一聲——啊,是這樣的。

​Junda walked over to her torso and detached the neck cabling. Then he stepped to the mounting base, gently cradling Zhihong's head in both hands, lifting it off the mount. The head was lighter than it looked, yet possessed more gravity than imagined—he was acutely aware of the weight carried within.

​Carefully aligning her head toward her body, he matched the neck interface connectors and pushed gently home. The locking mechanism engaged with a quiet, decisive click.

​Zhihong felt it—her cybernetic brain and core system reconnected. She was born anew within their interplay, free of barriers, latency virtually zero.

​The sensation felt like being returned to one's own body—not an overwhelming wave of emotion, but a quiet, reassuring realization: Ah, so this is how it is.

她動了一下脖子。小幅度的,左右轉了一下,像在確認連接是真的。

「感覺怎麼樣?」他問。

「像……扭蛋機被轉了兩下,掉出了一個我。」她吐舌頭。「剛剛頭身兩邊的感測,被你拼成了感覺。」

​She moved her neck slightly, tilting left and right to confirm the connection was real.

​"How does it feel?" he asked.

​"Like... a gashapon machine turned twice, and out popped 'me,'" she stuck out her tongue playfully. "You pieced together sensory inputs from both sides into unified perception."

他笑著,繼續裝腿。從裝置上取下左腿,將髖關節的接口對準軀體上的底座,推入,鎖定。然後是右腿。

「喀。」

鎖定。

織虹的雙腳重新踩在了地面上。涼鞋的鞋底接觸防靜電地板的瞬間,她感覺到了被地面頂住的力道——更直接,也更……日常。就是日常。不需要分析,不需要後台。腳踩在地上,就是腳踩在地上。

​Smiling, he proceeded to mount her legs. Removing the left leg from the suspension frame, he aligned the hip joint to her body's socket, pushed, and locked it. Then the right leg.

​Click.

​Locked.

​Zhihong's feet touched the ground once more. The instant her sandal soles made contact with the anti-static flooring, she felt the supporting force from beneath—direct, grounding, and... ordinary. Utterly ordinary. No processing required, no backend intervention needed. Feet resting on the ground were simply feet resting on the ground.

接著是雙臂。俊達拿著手臂,連接接頭,然後對準推入。喀,喀。

完成了。織虹低頭看了看自己。白色連衣裙,楔型涼鞋,雙臂,雙手,十根手指。都在。

「好了。」他退後一步。「可以下來了。」

織虹從支架上起身。動作流暢,但比平時慢了半拍——不是有什麼問題,就想慢一點。她站定,低頭看了一眼鞋尖,然後抬頭,看著俊達。

他站在工具車旁邊,正收拾工具,放回車上。

「謝謝你,俊達。」她說。

他點了點頭。

​Next came her arms. Junda connected the leads, aligned the sockets, and pushed them home. Click, click.

​Complete. Zhihong looked down at herself—the white dress, the wedge sandals, both arms, two hands, ten fingers. Everything was present.

​"All done," he stepped back. "You can step down now."

​Zhihong stepped off the support rack. Her movement was fluid, though half a beat slower than usual—not due to any malfunction, but simply a conscious choice to take her time. Standing steady, she glanced down at her sandal tips, then raised her head to look at Junda.

​He stood by the tool cart, stowing away his instruments.

​"Thank you, Junda," she said.

​He nodded.

織虹轉身走向門口。走了幾步,回過頭。

「在外面見。」她說。

他笑了。「在外面見。」

她推開門。走廊的日光燈比實驗室亮得多,光從門口湧進來,落在她的肩膀和馬尾上。她走進光裡,白連衣裙的下擺在門框的邊緣最後晃了一下。

他站在原地,看著那扇門。

​Zhihong turned toward the exit. Taking a few steps, she looked back over her shoulder.

​"See you outside," she offered.

​He smiled. "See you outside."

​She pushed the door open. Fluorescent light from the corridor flooded in, far brighter than the dimmed lab, bathing her shoulders and ponytail in brilliance. She walked into the light, the hem of her white dress giving one final sway against the doorframe.

​He stood there, watching the doorway.

他想起她說的:路燈和樹影,書店和咖啡廳。還有那些她還沒弄懂的東西。

他不知道那些東西是什麼。他也不知道這份感情最終會長成什麼形狀。

他只知道,在某個即將到來的午後,他會在某條街上遇到她。她走在前面,陽光斜斜地包住了她。風吹動她的馬尾和裙擺。

她笑著,輕哼著什麼,走進光裡。在風中回過頭,伸出一隻手。

他只想跟上去。

她攤開的手掌空空的。

​He recalled what she had spoken of: streetlights and tree shadows, bookstores and cafes, and those mysteries she had yet to unravel.

​He did not know what those things were, nor what shape this affection would ultimately take.

​He only knew that on some approaching afternoon, he would encounter her on a street somewhere. She would walk ahead, enveloped in slanted sunlight, the breeze catching her ponytail and dress.

​Smiling and softly humming a tune, she would walk into the light, turning back in the wind to extend an open hand.

​He only wanted to follow.

​Her open palm was completely empty.