Dream Guide

Bian Ziyuan has just finished a project meeting. He severely reprimanded the head of the development team at the meeting. The progress was too slow, there were too many bugs, and a lot of resources were taken up, but no satisfactory results were achieved.

What he couldn't tolerate the most was that the project manager actually regarded himself as an old man from Mei's laboratory. Relying on his early friendship with Professor Mei, he openly contradicted him at the meeting, saying that he was "young, aggressive, and lacked respect for science." .

Bian Ziyuan, who was no longer what he used to be, slapped the table on the spot. When it comes to awe of science, he believes that no one in the world can surpass him. After all, who would risk losing their life and losing mental control by installing a chip on their neck?

Of course, he will not publicize the sacrifices he has made for science like a gossip. What's there to say? Geniuses never show off their genius, and great men never show off their greatness.

Today, he can indeed describe "himself" as great, even though his mind has become a tenant's house and he can no longer live in it. But as soon as he thinks about the "great" career he is engaged in and the changes it will bring to the world, he becomes elated. The most ecstatic moment was undoubtedly when Mei Ziqing was leaning in his arms.

Sometimes, he also wondered whether he had become another person, just like those guys who were successfully parasitized by alien creatures. At this time, he will feel scared and lonely.

When he was scared and lonely, he would drink. The only person who can drink with him is Lao Yu in the reception room.

Lao Yu is probably the only person left in Mei's laboratory who has nothing to do with scientific research.

Since Bian Ziyuan started working in the laboratory, the laboratory has undergone several unmanned transformations in the past few years. Artificial intelligence has replaced most of the low-skilled labor, including security and cleaning.

Originally, Lao Yu was also on the list of people to be laid off. He should have been eliminated during the last unmanned transformation. But Mei Yiqiu advocated keeping him on the grounds that "it should retain the mark of an era and leave a bit of a human touch in the laboratory."

Most people didn't object, and the artificial intelligences didn't put forward any "opinions." Anyway, Lao Yu couldn't take away their jobs.

Bian Ziyuan was happy to stay, at least he would feel less lonely while drinking.

He walked out of the conference room angrily, leaving the slamming of the door behind him.

He decided to go for a drink, and when he left the laboratory door, he thought of Lao Yu.

He glanced at the special communication room where Lao Yu was. The reason why it is special is that that room is the only room in the entire building that has not been transformed by artificial intelligence. The circuits in the house are still the same as those from a few years ago, the computers have not been replaced, and there is even an old-fashioned TV. Nowadays, no one watches TV.

Lao Yu was not in the house. Bian Ziyuan was a little disappointed, but he quickly adjusted his mentality. After all, he is now a very important figure in the laboratory. After Mei Yiqiu became seriously ill and was hospitalized, Mei Ziqing became the actual person in charge of the laboratory, and he was undoubtedly the number two person. He couldn't let people discover his inner fragility, and he couldn't let people see him always going to the old man in the reception room to drink with him.

Old Yu was sweeping the floor in the corner of the courtyard outside the gate. The ground was not dirty. There were a few scattered fallen leaves. In the winter, the trees were already bare.

When Bian Ziyuan passed by Lao Yu, he glanced at the ubiquitous surveillance cameras, stood up straight, pulled on his straight suit, coughed lightly, and said like a leader: "Sweeping the floor should not be done automatically. Just let the cleaning robot do it.”

Lao Yu raised his head, but could not lift his rickety back. He stood there holding the broom, a head shorter than Bianzi.

He said: "It's okay, I just have a hard life and can't take any time off. When I'm free, I feel old and useless."

Bian Ziyuan said: "Well, that's good. It would be great if all the people working on projects in the company have this kind of consciousness. They procrastinate on their work and don't seek to make progress. Lao Yu, I think we should organize an all-round meeting tomorrow. At the general meeting, you go and tell everyone."

Lao Yu waved his hands quickly: "Oh, I can't do it. What can I say? I don't understand anything."

Bian Ziyuan said: "Tell me about your restless mentality. In this era, what is lacking is the energy and spirit of your older generation."

Lao Yu said: "Mr. Bian, please stop joking. These days, even sweeping the floor seems redundant for me. How can I give a speech to you great scientists!"

Bian Ziyuan stopped insisting, patted Lao Yu on the shoulder and said, "It's okay, work hard, the laboratory needs you." After that, he left with his hands behind his back without mentioning drinking.

Lao Yu called him from behind, "Mr. Bian, it's cold outside, why don't you put on a coat?"

Only then did Bian Ziyuan feel the cold wind blowing on his face like an ice knife. The temperature inside the experimental building is constant, and it always maintains spring-like warmth. It is a completely different world from the outside. When he came out, he was still affected by the meeting. He was still angry and his blood was so hot that he forgot about the cold.

He wanted to go back to the office to get his windbreaker, but in the end he didn't look back. He endured the uncontrollable shivering and tried to keep his body straight in the cold wind, slightly protruding his not-so-obvious beer belly, as if this could withstand the ice coming south from Siberia. The cold army is gone.

A driverless car drove over and stopped in front of Bian Ziyuan. He got in the car, and the moment the car door closed, he said, "It's so cold, let's go have a drink."

Old Yu held the broom and watched the car drive away like a ghost without anyone on the steering wheel, and laughed naively.

"Drinking, okay, drinking is good..." He swept the last few leaves to the corner and said to the automatic cleaning robot that looked like a barrel, "I'll leave it to you, I'm going to drink."

Lao Yu put down the broom, turned around, and walked away with his back bent. He didn't notice that a gust of wind blew and the gathered leaves were blown away again.

The robot that looked like a barrel quickly spun around on the ground, and all the leaves were collected into its belly. It returned to its original standing position and swayed twice, as if laughing at Lao Yu's clumsiness. Then there was a whirring sound like a hair dryer in his stomach, and he burped as if he was full, and then he stopped moving.

When Lao Yu arrived at the small restaurant, Bian Ziyuan was already sitting in the corner. There are four side dishes and a bottle of Erguotou on the table. This is their habit of drinking, and they are nicknamed the Four Olds - Lao Place, Lao Siyan, Lao Pingping, and Lao Yu.

Bian Ziyuan said: "I am redundant."

Lao Yu said: "That's because you are young and you are not old."

Bian Ziyuan said: "Yes, when I get old, I will become the five old people - the old place, the old four things, the old bottle, the old Yu and the old Bian."

Lao Yu said: "No, you are still the same as Old Four. Because when you grow old, I will no longer be there."

Bian Ziyuan felt inexplicably sad.

Only when he was drinking did he feel that he was the real Bian Ziyuan. Not a genius, not a scientist, not a leader, not even a parasite. He is Bian Ziyuan - the Bian Ziyuan who once had dreams and loved playing games.

He said: "Uncle Yu, you have lived a lifetime worth living."

Lao Yu said: "What's the point of me? I haven't accomplished anything in my life, unlike you, who have done all the big things."

Bian Ziyuan said: "No matter how big or small it is, at least you have lived a down-to-earth life. Maybe tomorrow the world will be gone, and when everyone opens their eyes, they will find that it was just a dream."

"How could it be!" Old Yu sipped his wine and squinted his eyes, "If it's a dream, don't I have to wake up too?"

"Then you at least had a complete dream!" Bian Ziyuan said.

Lao Yu said: "If it is really a dream, it is better to wake up early than to wake up late."

Bian Ziyuan said: "No matter if I wake up, I am afraid that I will fall from one dream to another."

Lao Yu said: "Never mind the dreams, just drink!"

Bian Ziyuan raised his glass and said, "Yes, let's drink."

After drinking a bottle of Erguotou, Bian Ziyuan stood up to leave.

Lao Yu asked: "Would you like some more drinks?"

Bian Ziyuan put on his coat, dusted off the dust on his shoulders, and returned to his leader's appearance. He held out his chest and belly and said, "People must abide by the rules."

Lao Yu didn't think the Four Elders were a rule. Just when he was about to say something, Bian Ziyuan suddenly asked him: "Are you also playing the Dream Guide game?"

Lao Yu nodded and said, "Yes, last year the professor gave me the old space box he used. He said that everyone in the laboratory has it and I can't be left alone. Hehe... Actually, I'm not very good at using it."

Bian Ziyuan patted him on the shoulder and said, "It's best if you don't know how to use it. Don't use it in the future."