“Do you really have so little trust in me, Little Sister?” Lu Zihao asked, teasing her.
Iris vaguely saw the amusement shining in her brother’s eyes in the darkness. “I trust you, Big Brother. It’s just that I don’t really know what you’re doing with your group, especially after seeing all your scars. I haven’t seen all of your scars but I know that they cover your entire body. Don’t lie to me. I just know. Although I’m curious and want to know what you’re doing and how you really got your scars, I respect your privacy because you’re important to me. I’m not going to investigate you on my own without your permission. I have a feeling that you’re doing something dangerous but every time I ask, you always brush me off. What can I do besides worry? I’m waiting for the day that you’ll tell me what you’re really doing.”
Lu Zihao remained silent.
“If you’re really doing something dangerous, then of course I’ll worry about you. And now I discover that Ketchup is helping you out. If she’s involved in anything dangerous, the risk of her making a mistake and being exposed to others increases. You know what kind of things will happen to her, to me, and to us if others discovered about her existence.”
“Meow! Mommy, don’t scold Uncle Haohao anymore! Wuwuwuwu! Ketchup didn’t do anything dangerous! Promise! Ketchup just helped Uncle Haohao because his hacker team is being so slow and incompetent—”
“In-com-pe-tent?” Lu Zihao was taken aback.
His team was…incompetent? He narrowed his eyes and looked at his sister who was intent on listening to her youngest’s drivel about his subordinates. She looked like she didn’t see anything wrong with what the blasted cat was saying.
INCOMPETENT?!
If only Ketchup had a physical body, he would have already smacked her fluffy butt a couple of times to discipline and punish her.
However, Ketchup was on a roll, talking nonstop. “—so I decided to help them because it’s super-duper annoying to watch them struggling to complete something so easy! Mommy, you should have seen them! I’m sure that you’ll also feel bothered by their incompetence! Meow!”
“Mommy, Uncle Haohao is family, right? Uncle Dom and Auntie Clover told Ketchup that family should always help each other, except for the selfish poopoo-heads who don’t deserve to be treated like family. Uncle Haohao is not a selfish poopoo-head and he’s family, so Ketchup doesn’t see anything wrong with helping him and his incompetent hacker team. Meow~ Ketchup just helped them uncover and organize files regarding Uncle Haohao’s newly-acquired local businesses which is taking them forever to complete! It’s very similar to the tasks Daddy often gives me so I know exactly what to do! Is Ketchup wrong to help out Uncle Haohao this way, Mommy? Meow?”
Iris thought that Ketchup made sense. She ignored Ketchup’s use of the word “poopoo-head” for now. The naughty cat must have learned it from either Dom or Clover again. Iris planned on discussing it with Jin Liwei and figure out together if the word should be added to Ketchup’s list of bad words that she wasn’t allowed to use.
“No, Ketchup. You’re not wrong,” Iris finally replied.
“Meow~ So Ketchup is a good kitty?”
Iris couldn’t help but smile. “Yes. You’re a good kitty, Ketchup.”
Meows of happiness filled the dark hallway. The siblings could almost see a delighted white cat skipping on the floor in front of them.
Lu Zihao’s earlier annoyance at his hacker team being called incompetent disappeared. He chuckled like the devil.
“Don’t worry, Little Sister. I assure you that your youngest didn’t do anything dangerous. It’s true that she only helped out in digging out lost or hidden documents and also in organizing everything. Something that would normally take my team a week or two to complete, your youngest finished in just a few hours. She’s been tremendously helpful.”
“Ehehehe. Thanks, Uncle Haohao~ Ketchup is the best because I’m Mommy’s baby!”
“Alright. As long as you didn’t do anything dangerous,” she said. “But we’ll still have to tell this to your dad later. He might not like it so be ready if he decides to punish you.”
“Ehehe—Meow?! Nooooooo! Mommy, please don’t let Daddy punish Ketchup! Wuwuwuwu!!!”
Lu Zihao was amused listening to cat AI whining about being punished. If this was before, he would have found it ridiculous. Now, however, he was already used to the cat AI being treated like a real child. He would even forget sometimes that Ketchup wasn’t a real, living being. Whenever he remembered this fact, he would always feel amazed by his sister’s abilities. His sister was truly a genius.
“Listen to your mother, Custard,” he said.
“Meow?! Uncle Haohao, Ketchup’s name is Ketchup, not Custard! Wuwuwuwu!”
Lu Zihao laughed.
“Uncle Haohao, please ask Daddy not to punish Ketchup! Wuwuwuwu! Ketchup was just curious and wants to help Uncle Haohao…. Meow….”
His eyes sharpened.
“Really? You want to help Uncle?”
“Big Brother…” Iris couldn’t help but say in a warning tone.
He flashed a devilish smile at her. “I know your concerns, Little Sister. But it would be really helpful to me if I have a powerful AI like your youngest. I hope that you’re still considering my request in giving me one. Even if it’s not as high-powered, I’ll take it.”
Iris tilted her head to the side, considering it.
“Think about it,” he said.
She nodded.
Afterwards, they finally returned to their own bedrooms. While preparing for bed, Iris was tempted to check Ketchup’s memory to see the things she did to help her brother. However, she stopped herself.
“I trust Big Brother.”
The night ended with Iris falling into deep sleep before Jin Liwei could return to their room.
###
