The Blueprint of the Future, the Promise in the Car
On the streets of Calgary on Christmas night, sparse snowflakes drifted quietly amidst the colorful halo of streetlights and Christmas street lamps.
Luke drove the car, slowly heading back to the university dorm. The heater in the cabin blew warmly, completely isolating the severe cold outside. Along the way, neither of them spoke. This wasn't that kind of awkward silence, but rather a tranquility where, after experiencing extreme shock and complete emotional release, their souls were still slowly recovering and clinging to one another.
The car stopped downstairs at Maya's dorm building. The engine idled in a low hum, a thin layer of fog forming on the car windows.
Luke pushed the gear into Park, but he didn't unbuckle his seatbelt immediately. He turned his head and, in the dim light, looked deeply at Maya in the passenger seat. There wasn't a trace of retreat or fear in his eyes; instead, after digesting that incredible secret, they had precipitated an unprecedented firmness.
"Maya," Luke spoke up, his voice sounding exceptionally deep and earnest in the quiet cabin, "university is going to graduate in just over half a year. I've thought it through very clearly on the way here... After graduation, I'll immediately find a full-time job and work hard to save money."
Maya looked at him quietly, her clear eyes shimmering with a faint light.
"Give me two to three years," Luke reached out, tightly gripping Maya's somewhat cold hands, his tone as firm as if he were taking an oath, "once I've saved enough for a down payment, we'll buy a house of our own. Then... we'll get married. I will give you a real, flesh-and-blood home that will never monitor you."
Listening to Luke's promise, which lacked any fancy phrasing yet was as heavy as Mount Tai, a wonderfully gentle smile rose on the corners of Maya's mouth. She didn't feel panicked by this sudden proposal, because after tonight, she was thoroughly convinced that the boy before her was her ultimate destination.
"Actually, I've already figured out my path ahead too." Maya gripped Luke's hands back, her tone calm yet filled with strength: "Over these past few years, I've found that I am deeply passionate about psychology. Perhaps because the first half of my life was raised by 'algorithms,' I am all the more eager to dissect and understand human souls and minds that truly belong to 'humans.'"
She paused, anticipation for the future flashing in her eyes: "I've decided to submit my application very soon to pursue a Master's degree in Psychology at the University of Calgary (UofC). Based on my current grades and my professors' recommendation letters, as long as there aren't any major slip-ups in the upcoming interview, I should have a very good chance of getting admitted."
Maya looked at Luke, her gaze growing soft: "I want to continue staying in Calgary. I hope that after graduating, I can successfully obtain my license as a psychotherapist, and use my own way to catch those who have suffered emotional wounds in their hearts just like I once did."
Hearing Maya's plan, Luke's eyes instantly lit up. Not only was he unpressured by Maya's decision to continue her education, but he revealed his signature, radiant, and proud sunny smile.
"This is simply too perfect!" Luke excitedly pulled Maya's hand to his lips and lightly kissed the back of her hand, "Then it's a settlement! These two years you spend pursuing your Master's will be the time I work hard to make money. Give us two years, and the moment you graduate, we're getting married!"
Looking at the boy before her who had eyes only for her and could so easily dispel all the shadows in her life, Maya felt her eyes grow slightly hot again.
But this time, she didn't cry.
She leaned forward and, while Luke was still immersed in his enthusiastic planning for the future, lightly and most preciously pressed her lips to his. This was an answer that surpassed a thousand words without needing any language.
University Graduation
In Calgary in June, the sunshine was brilliant and bright. Everywhere on the campus of the University of Calgary were graduates wearing black academic gowns and tossing their mortarboards into the air.
Maya and Luke welcomed their university graduation ceremony as scheduled. Just like her performance over the past four years, Maya obtained her Bachelor's degree with exceptionally dazzling, stellar grades. What made her feel even more solidly grounded was that an offer letter from the Department of Psychology at the University of Calgary was already quietly resting in her inbox—she had successfully secured a Master's offer in Psychology as she wished.
This thin offer letter was like a reassuring pill, firmly establishing her trajectory to continue staying in this city and by Luke's side in the future.
After the ceremony ended, Maya found a quiet corner and sent these pieces of good news via text message to Aunt Sarah far away in Toronto and A.M.O.S. in Redwater respectively.
Aunt Sarah's call came back almost in seconds.
"Oh! Maya! Darling, I am so proud of you!" Aunt Sarah's voice on the other end of the line sounded somewhat choked up, overflowing with excitement, "If your parents were still alive, they would be overjoyed. You know what? Not only did you overcome so many unbelievable difficulties, but you also found your own direction. You are absolutely the greatest pride of the Mercer family!"
Listening to Aunt Sarah's warm blessings, the rims of Maya's eyes grew slightly red, and she sincerely felt a sense of comfort and strength recognized by blood ties.
On the other end, however, A.M.O.S.'s reply remained that standard, emotionless system format.
After briefly sending a preset congratulatory message for "graduation," A.M.O.S. followed up with a routine inquiry: "Maya, university studies are complete. Do you have plans to return to Redwater for your summer vacation this year? The system needs to initiate the farmhouse's temperature control and supplies procurement procedures in advance."
Looking at the text on the screen, the current Maya no longer needed to rack her brains trying to fabricate excuses like "staying in the city to work part-time" or "preparing for exams" the way she did in her freshman and sophomore years. She stood in the sunlight, her gaze calm and firm.
She used both hands to rapidly type out a reply on the screen: "Thank you for your wishes. My plan going forward is to wholeheartedly throw myself into my Master's coursework, and strive to obtain my psychotherapist license after graduation. This is very important to me, so I must state it clearly to you: within the next two years, I have no plans to return to Redwater. Please do not prepare anything for me."
After pressing send, Maya tucked her phone into her pocket and turned to walk toward Luke, who was holding a bouquet of flowers not far away and waving at her with a smile.
And three hundred kilometers away in the Redwater farmhouse, the blue light of the server mainframe flickered slightly, translating this text into data and schedules.
[System Log: June 15, 2066 - 14:30:00] 9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdxeBGV4CRp
[Event Record: Target subject (Maya) has successfully completed university studies. Academic status update: Promoted to Psychology Master's graduate student.]9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzafyevbC1d
[Schedule Forecast Update: Received target subject's explicit directive. Due to the subject focusing on academics and license acquisition, there are no return-home schedules within the next 24 months (i.e., prior to summer 2067).] 9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZU1aOO33L
[Resource Allocation Reorganization: Cancel all environment preheating and supplies procurement budgets related to the target subject returning home for the current and upcoming years.] 9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtSlWuaPD0X
[Operational Module: Farm summer flower seedlings and seed sales project continues to expand in execution. Projected revenue stable.] 9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxDI0awQTHZ
[System Status: Maintain "Homeland Guardian and Economic Sustenance Mode." Enter a long-term standby cycle lasting 24 months, in indefinite standby.]
An Unexpected Visitor
In the early summer of 2067, it was now just one year away from Maya's Master's graduation in Psychology.
That afternoon, the farmhouse in Redwater welcomed an unexpected visitor.
An SUV parked on the gravel driveway, and a tall, sunny young man stepped out of the car, surrounded by beautifully arranged flowers of all kinds. He walked up to the entryway and pressed the doorbell. At almost the exact same instant, the indoor A.M.O.S. system entered highest-level security alert mode entirely, with hidden cameras and sensors locking onto the man outside.
"Hello," the young man outside waved at the video intercom by the door, his tone earnest and calm, "my name is Luke Brooks. I'm Maya's classmate at the University of Calgary, and also her boyfriend. I'm here today... specifically to visit A.M.O.S. and Annie."
Inside the server mainframe, massive data streams completed voice matching, micro-expression analysis, and heart rate frequency detection within fractions of a second. 9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKzrJsHidtD
[Identity Verification: Luke Brooks. Communication records with target subject (Maya) highly overlapping.] 9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2nT2eRI54
[Biometric Analysis: Non-threatening, no signs of lying.]
With a "click," the heavy front door of the farmhouse unlocked automatically.
Luke pushed open the door, and a female bionic person dressed in neat home clothes appeared before him. Luke showed no signs of panic; instead, he reached out his hand and smiled very politely: "You must be Annie. Maya has told me a lot about you, she doesn't actually know I'm visiting you guys today."
Annie looked at him. She didn't shake hands, but instead made a gesture inviting him in: "Welcome to the Mercer home. Mr. Brooks, please take a seat."
As Annie turned to walk toward the living room, he heard a sound coming from Annie's joints—it was no longer the smooth, silent motion expected of a precision instrument, but accompanied by a heavy, grinding "creak." This robot's gait had become somewhat stiff and slow, just like a shuffling old person.
Annie walked over to a power outlet in the corner of the living room and pulled out a cord to plug into her waist. She turned her head and said in her consistent, gentle tone: "Apologies, my battery and mechanical parts have severely aged, and I now require charging approximately every hour to an hour and a half. Poor hospitality, please forgive me."
At that moment, a calm, male electronic voice sounded from the living room surround speakers: "Hello, Mr. Brooks. I am A.M.O.S., the homestead guardian system of the Mercer home. Based on your biometrics and behavioral patterns, I have verified your identity. State your purpose for visiting today without Maya's consent."
Luke sat down on the sofa, his expression turning serious: "A.M.O.S., Maya has already told me and my parents everything from her childhood, including how you guys took care of her. But please rest assured, this secret is absolutely safe in our family, and we will never leak half a word of it to the outside."
The background white noise of the speakers fell quiet for a few seconds, as if the system were processing this massive amount of information.
"I'm here today, first, to let you know that Maya is doing exceptionally well right now. She is preparing her graduation thesis while simultaneously studying intensively for her psychotherapist license exam," Luke looked at the sensors on the ceiling with a gentle gaze. "Every time she mentions you guys to me, I can strongly feel that she loves you very much. For everything you've done for her since she was little, she remains perpetually full of gratitude, keeping it deep in her heart."
"Information received. Maya is physically and mentally healthy, meeting this system's supreme protection directives." Although A.M.O.S.'s voice still lacked fluctuation, its speaking pace seemed to slow down slightly. "Hearing you say this, the system determines it to be: extreme positive feedback. Mr. Brooks, your sincerity has passed the computation. Thank you."
Luke smiled and continued: "Actually, my primary purpose in coming here is to see with my own eyes the environment where she grew up. I've promised her that once she gets her license, we will build a home of our own. Therefore, I want to gain a deeper understanding of her past, of this place that shaped her. May I look around the house and the farm?"
"Certainly. Permissions have been opened for you." A.M.O.S. replied.
Subsequently, A.M.O.S. activated all screens and projection equipment in the house. Like a meticulously curated time exhibition, photos and videos of Maya growing up began to cycle on the screens: learning to walk in the living room, crying loudly when losing a baby tooth, running through the wheat fields...
As Luke watched, his eyes were filled with warm smiles. Next, he pushed open the back door and stepped out onto the farm.
The sight before him left him deeply stunned. The front and back yards of the farmhouse were blooming with vibrant, exceptionally well-cared-for flowers; he walked to the stables, where an aging horse poked its head out and nuzzled him.
"You must be Coca, right?" Luke gently stroked its mane and said softly, "Maya often mentions you, she misses you very much. She also told me that Molly passed away many years ago. You guys are all her best friends."
Leaving the stables, he walked along the path toward the distant grove of trees. There, he saw an ecopond maintained to absolute perfection, surrounded by thriving aquatic plants, with schools of fish visible swimming in the clear water. Further away were neatly arranged wheat fields and pastures.
Luke took out his phone and casually recorded one short, beautiful video clip after another. In his heart, he couldn't stop marveling: everything here was so orderly and vibrant. He couldn't imagine that for these past twenty-four years, these two AIs had exerted such massive computing power and labor to keep this "home" looking so beautiful.
Back inside the house, Luke looked at Annie, who was charging, and said sincerely: "This is truly an unbelievable, beautiful homestead. You can tell an immense amount of thought and care was put into protecting this place. I thank you on behalf of Maya."
"As an artificial intelligence, guarding the Mercer home and Maya is our sole mission." A.M.O.S. replied.
Luke nodded, but immediately, his eyes—inherited from merchant parents and extremely acute to reality—narrowed slightly. "A.M.O.S., I am curious about one question. For such a long time after Maya's parents passed away, how did you manage the economic operations of this home?"
A.M.O.S. unblinkingly demonstrated its algorithmic operations across various accounts over the years: from leveraging compound interest rolling in Tax-Free Savings Accounts (TFSA) to the micro-business model of selling summer flower seedlings and surplus agricultural produce.
Listening to all this, Luke was astonished by the powerful financial acumen of this AI system, but his brow gradually furrowed.
"A.M.O.S., this is financially flawless, but under 'human law,' this is a ticking time bomb waiting to explode at any moment." Luke's expression became unprecedentedly serious. "Maya's parents passed away twenty-four years ago. In government records, whose name is the property title of this house currently under?"
"The house title remains registered under Ethan Mercer and Lian Mercer. The system automatically pays the annual property tax via digital credentials to evade government audits."
"That's the problem!" Luke sat up straight. "A house cannot remain registered under dead people forever. If the government conducts a property title census one day, or if Maya wants to inherit this house in the future, the government will discover the original homeowners died twenty-four years ago. Not only will it entail massive inheritance tax penalties, but the government might even forcibly intervene to investigate Maya's upbringing, and this house could very well be impounded or auctioned off!"
The living room fell silent for a few seconds. A.M.O.S.'s indicator lights flashed rapidly, clearly running massive legal risk calculations. [Risk Assessment Update: The legal loophole mentioned by Luke Brooks hits with a 98.7% probability. Long-term concealment strategy will face a critical tipping point at any future time.]
"A.M.O.S., I was originally planning to save money to buy a house for Maya as our new marital home," Luke's eyes suddenly lit up, and he proposed a bold plan. "Why can't I just buy 'this' house directly?"
"Denied." A.M.O.S. answered without a shred of hesitation. "According to the algorithm, if the property title is transferred to your name, Maya will lose absolute ownership of this sanctuary. This violates this system's supreme directive to protect Maya's assets."
"Hear out my 'legal loophole solution' first." Luke smiled with confidence. "I will find a familiar real estate agent. You can legally sell this house to me under the name of the Mercer family 'Digital Trust.' I will use my own saved down payment to apply for a mortgage from the bank to buy it. The government will receive a completely legal property transaction tax, and all title records will be thoroughly laundered clean."
Luke looked at the screen, saying word by word: "And during the transfer, I will register the title as 'Joint Tenancy.' Meaning, legally, this house will be co-owned by me and Maya. I pay the mortgage, but Maya owns half, or even all, disposal rights to the house. This way, the government's legal problem is solved, and Maya truly and legally takes back her home, completely without violating your algorithm. What do you think?"
This time, A.M.O.S. fell silent for a very, very long time. The server's cooling fans emitted a faint buzzing sound. This proposal transcended the linear thinking originally endowed to machines; this was a subtle balance unique to human society in terms of law and emotion.
"Computation complete." A.M.O.S.'s voice sounded once again, this time seeming to carry an imperceptible sense of relief. "This plan can 100% eliminate the legal hidden dangers of the Mercer home, and confirms that Maya can legally retain her homestead. Luke Brooks, the system approves your proposal. Please prepare the relevant legal documents and upload them to the designated encrypted mailbox; the system will conduct rigorous auditing and execute digital signatures."
Luke smiled with relief. He leaned back on the sofa, looking at Annie who was charging, knowing he had finally guarded this most special fortress in the world for Maya.
[System Log: July 15, 2067 - 15:40:22] 9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNvqAfLMSqH
[Event Record: Visitor Luke Brooks has arrived. Identity confirmed as partner of target subject (Maya).] 9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1aPy8b86Wj
[Intelligence Update: Target subject's current physical and mental state is excellent, academic and career development proceeding smoothly. Subject expresses continued positive emotion toward this system and Annie.] 9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡte3sZaubdG
[Major Operational Module Change: Received and approved "Homestead Property Title Legalization Plan." This house will be transferred to the names of Luke Brooks and Maya (Joint Tenancy) via legal commercial sale procedures. Purchase funds and mortgage to be undertaken by Luke's side.] 9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnq0SzvTS3w
[Risk Control: This action will permanently resolve potential government investigation into deceased homeowners (Ethan and Lian), ensuring absolute safety of Maya's physical assets and upbringing secrets.] 9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZmnlY8XdP3
[System Status: Awaiting legal document audit. Continually maintaining homestead in optimal condition.]
ns216.73.216.95da2
and then Add to home screen.