Because the next day was New Year's Eve, everyone went to bed early.
Chu Tingwu still took the morning to meet Jian Ling at the hotel to discuss custody and the lawsuit in person. When she returned, Aunt Mei stopped her:
"By the way, your friend with the codename 'System', is there any way to send it a New Year's gift? After all, it has been so caring to you."
Actually, it was yesterday when Teacher Zhang and Grandma Shuzhen were discussing it. The two elderly people, with the help of the younger folks (who were already in their forties or fifties) translating, tried to figure out who this "System" really was—because from Chu Tingwu's industry to her daily life, even her live-streaming method, it seemed inseparable from this System, yet no one had ever seen it.
Judging from the codename, it might enjoy reading novels and even had a bit of a "middle schooler" vibe.
If only they could meet in person to express their gratitude.
Chu Tingwu, on behalf of System, thanked them and then said, "It can't come, because its health is not good."
Aunt Mei sighed with emotion, assuming "System" had some condition like ultraviolet sensitivity that made it impossible to go out.
But Chu Tingwu wasn't lying: its health was indeed poor, because it didn't have a body at all.
System didn't think it needed a body either. Current social technology couldn't create a lifelike humanoid body, and in its mechanical eyes, humans had too many redundant organs and faces that didn't align with its aesthetics... If it needed anything, it could just control animal-shaped bionic machines to help the young one.
Birds could fly, useful.
Cats... cats were cats, very useful!
Chu Tingwu: "=v="
On New Year's Eve night, the guesthouse villa became even more lively, as neighbors kept coming to the door, bringing dishes.
It wasn't clear if this was a local custom in Che Bay or something else, but after delivering the food, they would eagerly wait for Chu Tingwu and the others to reciprocate—
“We haven't started yet, oh, this, this is for the cat... really don't mind it? Alright then.”
The only one minding was Ten Bucks, howling loudly.
Chu Tingwu: "You can't finish it anyway."
Originally, she had planned to make extra cat food and store it in the fridge.
It seemed that in Che Bay, delivering food on New Year's Eve was akin to sending blessings. However, since these were strangers they hadn't known for long, Chu Tingwu took an extra sniff:
"No poison."
Zhou Qiang: "=="
So, besides freshness, could she also detect poison just by smelling?
Perhaps her expression of distrust was too obvious, so Chu Tingwu grabbed the three-five-five, letting the cat smell it again, confirming: "Really no poison."
Three Five Five: "Meow?"
As the dinner hour approached, the neighbors had all come by once. After everyone indulged in the feast, they turned on the local TV station—according to Che Bay's tradition, there would be a small skiing performance directly broadcasted by the local TV station on New Year's Eve.
Everyone crowded on the sofa, each with a small animal assigned.
Chu Tingwu was biased, letting Sanwu rest on Zhou Qiang's lap, with its bottom and tail on her own lap, while she held the seagull bionic machine controlled by the System.
The program's background was chaotic, the night brightly illuminated by the lights, with people occasionally sliding by, crashing into side signs, or rolling into the snow. The host quickly finished the lines and handed the camera over to the drone.
Chu Tingwu noticed that the drone glimpsed in the main camera was actually a model produced by her company, which had already spread to this small town.
Perhaps little Cao Mengmeng from the neighbor's house would soon discover: why are UFOs everywhere, have aliens already taken over the planet?
With a whistle, the drone began to follow the skiing competition members downward.
Watching, the few people in front of the TV couldn't help but focus more attention on it, even feeling that the sound of fireworks outside had diminished—
The charm of sports seemed to be that when you watched it, even if you knew the sport was very difficult, you couldn't help but feel yearning due to the athletes' performance.
Chu Tingwu checked and found that the "Che Bay New Year's Race" was actually an amateur competition, requiring only pre-registration, after which the competition day would be randomly assigned. Without the pressure of a competition, it was essentially a play disguised as a race.
Until a contestant appeared, the background sound brought more commotion.
Perhaps because the entertainment nature was too strong, sometimes this competition would feature amateur skiers like grandfathers and grandmothers alongside world-class professional athletes—the latter only if they happened to be in Che Bay.
For example, Louise Rain is now appearing in the frame.
Louise smiled and waved at the camera, and Chu Tingwu noticed that not only was she very pale due to her ethnicity, but even her pupils were somewhat pale, and after pulling down her mask, her lips were slightly purple.
Zhou Qiang glanced down at her phone: "Louise Rain, she's had four surgeries for her heart condition."
In the shot, Louise had already put on all her equipment, looking no different from the other contestants, just more professional. The camera zoomed in, magnifying her expression, showing her focused gaze on the snowfield lit up by the lights, her eyes and brows carrying a hint of a smile.
She soon "flew" up.
Skiing was a sport that used human strength to control speed, where humans merely relied on the snow's cushioning to gain a sense of stimulation through the simplest means.
So Chu Tingwu also liked skiing—because every time she stood on the ski slope, she could feel her experience points of controlling her body increasing by +1+1, and this feeling of seeing small progress was very easy to get addicted to.
So she didn't deny that she loved it because she was good at it.
But even if you knew nothing, had never come into contact with it, and even if you had no reason, you could still love it.
Loving an unfamiliar sport, understanding and engaging with it, wouldn't make you seem ridiculous, only bring you joy—Chu Tingwu pulled her attention away from the competition and saw the feedback from the others in the group chat—because of their recommendation, Chu Xiao and Shao Lingwu had also found the broadcast of this small competition in a corner of the website.
Neither had any skiing experience, but from their words, it was clear they wanted to try it too.
Chu Tingwu poked Zhou Qiang: "If you register now, you should be able to compete within three days."
Zhou Qiang: "..."
Zhou Qiang pushed her approaching face away: "I'll think about it."
It would be a bit embarrassing to fall in front of the TV camera, but competing with people of similar skill levels made her a bit tempted.
Louise won the small competition of the night.
No one was surprised, but the second place, who was far behind, still regretfully clenched her fist.
Until the midnight bell rang, signaling the end of New Year's Eve and the beginning of the new year, everyone exchanged New Year's blessings and went back to their rooms.
Chu Tingwu stood by the window, seeing the snow still falling heavily, quickly covering the roads.
By tomorrow, these snows would be cleared away, the snowplow driving through, rolling up the thick blanket of snow, piling it up like a white rice cake roll at the door—she watched for a while, then rested her chin on her outstretched arm, and after this New Year, nominally, she would be seventeen years old.
Chu Tingwu: "Strange..."
System: "?"
Chu Tingwu: "Am I really seventeen years old?"
Just one day had passed, even though it was such a meaningful day as New Year's, she was seventeen, had she changed? Why didn't she feel any different from other days? She received many gifts and blessings, everyone stayed up together, and she got more red envelopes than last year, but feeling that she was about to become an "adult," it still felt a bit strange.
System also found it strange: "Don't mind it, human age is only significant in the different legal responsibilities one bears at different ages. If you don't break the law, age doesn't seem important."
Wasn't the young one always just three months old?
Chu Tingwu was speechless: "Forget it... take me to the Dream Classroom today."
System: "Oh!"
Do you want to spend the New Year's Eve with the little one?
Chu Tingwu: "I'll review my courses again, do two more sets of exercises, and you can explain the questions to me."
System: "Ah? ... Ah."
Why would you review on New Year's Eve!
-
Perhaps after watching many parenting courses, worried that the little one might study too hard and go crazy, the system, after much deliberation, decided to push the staff's deadlines forward frantically, forcing the employees, who were on the verge of cursing, to the extreme. Finally, a whole set of equipment was airlifted to Chu Tingwu.
The system eagerly said: "Go play... no, go test the company's product!"
Although this thing might, like the unmanned flying ball, only go into mass production after Chu Tingwu has used it for a long time.
Chu Tingwu: You are really a stumbling block on my path to learning.
Where are there parents who are so eager for their child to play rather than study.
She had used this set of equipment many times in her dreams, but Zhou Qiang and others were seeing it for the first time and were curious: "Did you buy new knee pads?"
Why is there also a pair of glasses, and they feel thicker than before.
Chu Tingwu: "Not exactly bought..."
Zhou Qiang: "Oh, is it your company's product?"
Not long ago, wasn't the system working on a knee pad brand? It had already completed the preliminary work for starting a company, and now the "Wu" brand was quite famous but had no products—many of Chu Tingwu's fans had poked her, saying they could pre-order her products to support her, as long as the price wasn't too outrageous, just like donating money to a cat.
But the product page hadn't even gone online, and the official website had already been set up, looking very flashy.
Chu Tingwu: "Sort of?"
But as knee pads, they are a bit too expensive.
And when Chu Tingwu started putting them on, seeing the slightly complicated method of wearing them, even Zhou Qiang's expression became a bit strange.
Chu Tingwu finally put on the glasses, shook her head left and right a few times to make sure they were fixed well, and then did a little warm-up to confirm that the equipment wouldn't affect her performance.
Then she frowned slightly.
Both Zhou Qiang and the system were concerned: "What's wrong?"
Chu Tingwu: "I'm wearing too many clothes."
She went to change into a slightly thinner jacket.
Although she didn't have fur, Chu Tingwu was actually quite resistant to the cold. Then, she took the seagull drone outdoors and started a live broadcast.
On New Year's Day, many people were still on their way to visit relatives. After watching Chu Tingwu's live broadcast, some fans who had already reached their destinations entered the chat room, first wishing the host a happy new year, and then noticing the host's stylish new glasses:
[Chu Mi, is this a custom snow goggles? They look pretty cool.]
Looking for a link.
Some fans also noticed that Chu Tingwu was wearing a bit too little, standing in the snow, and it really looked cold just watching her, prompting her to change into thicker clothes.
Chu Tingwu was waiting for the signal and replied: "It's fine... By the way, today's live broadcast is in double-camera mode."
[Oh, did you bring two drones?]
The screen was divided into two parts, and although fans were initially a bit unaccustomed, they soon realized that the other part was the UP's first-person perspective, understanding: there's a camera on those snow goggles.
In fact, it wasn't just that.
At this moment, in the distant America, most of the laboratory staff hadn't slept yet.
After initially completing the concept in the system's blueprint, they themselves wanted to try it out, but before they could test it a few times, a new task was issued, and the prototype product was shipped away directly.
Researchers: Why not take me along!
The new product had many modifications, and there were prototype machines in reality, which were common in AR experience halls, but until the equipment was completely transformed, everyone still couldn't help but feel a bit dazed—
They seemed to see social changes happening right here, right now, yet after completion, the surrounding air remained calm.
Perhaps every invention that affects the whole society is born on a calm day.
The head of the project, Andis, was particularly eager to know the effect and had applied several times. Finally, the higher-ups reluctantly agreed to leave one of the modified machines for them.
On this day, Andis received the notice and finally sat in the chair. In the darkness, at a certain moment, he felt his limbs no longer belonged to him, but the next second, the world lit up.
He didn't move, but found himself "walking."
Yes, slowly walking in a city with snow falling—the ground's snow had just been cleared, on the left, a big tortoiseshell cat with a fluffy tail was hopping over the wall, and on the right, a crow was flying up and down, occasionally diving into the snow, then picking up some trash from the snow, carrying a small metal piece, and landing on "his" shoulder.
Andis heard: "Give it to San Wu Wu, she likes it, don't give it to me."
The cat next to him let out a furious meow and swung a cat punch.
Andis: "..."
Wait, wait.
This language, he did learn some Chinese, but only a few simple everyday words, and this sentence was half-understood.
Tell him what it means!
Meanwhile, Chu Tingwu's fans noticed that two bullet comments had been pinned at the top of the screen.
[? Is this the new special effect of the website? Why do these bullet comments have gold borders and are pinned?]
“Oh,” Chu Tingwu said, “these are the viewers using the VR experience warehouse, also considered as internal testers.”
Besides Andis, the other one was actually You Zhenzhen.
You Zhenzhen had been in charge of the APP for so long that she was already an old hand at making peripheral cultural products. Since knee pads and other equipment couldn't find a suitable person in charge, and the system wanted to set up the company in the country, You Zhenzhen was still asked to temporarily take over.
There was also a VR experience warehouse for You Zhenzhen, but theoretically, she should be giving feedback. However, the "bullet comments" she sent were all meaningless "ah ah" sounds.
I rely on it, I rely on it, I rely on it, I rely on it!
Not only were they meaningless, but they also looked like they could easily get the live streaming room banned.
Chu Tingwu: "=="
Seeing the fans' curiosity, she had to explain what this new VR experience was. After hearing the explanation, more question marks floated in the bullet comments.
[Isn't this just a full-scale game where you can't control the main character!]
[No, no, not being able to control the character doesn't count as a game, and not being able to restore smell, taste, and touch, with only about 80% of vision and hearing restored, what kind of full-scale... forget it, I can't make it up anymore, let me play, let me play!]
[I've been fighting for the live broadcast room, following you for eighteen years, watching you grow up since I was little, Master Chu, send me a VR experience warehouse, I can also buy it!]
In fact, even classmates and friends who happened to open Chu Tingwu's live broadcast room wanted to ask: Could they experience it, just to feel what it’s like, please!
The current VR technology was already very advanced, otherwise, the system couldn't have gotten this set of equipment so quickly. But those VR technologies also had their own shortcomings: the map that could "freely" move around was definitely small, and the map that was large definitely had limited freedom. There was no sense of participation, and VR online games that could guarantee both the map and freedom definitely didn't have enough authenticity—to achieve all three requirements at the same time, the production cost would definitely be extremely high, and there was no result yet.
So, if Chu Tingwu's VR experience really could—
Run in any map, feel the touch of the wind on the face and the sensation of movement, almost perfectly restoring all the scenery. Except for not being able to control the main character, that is, Chu Tingwu herself, everything else was almost exactly the same as the Blue Star online. Then this... the UP master had quietly given them another big news!
Chu Tingwu hadn't explained yet, and You Zhenzhen had already helped send a bullet comment, and Andis also sent some English mixed with a few simple Chinese words.
You Zhenzhen said:
【“Yes, it feels very real, almost like I'm experiencing it through Chu Tingwu's perspective. And I can see the live comments, like they're projected on a system screen within the VR, adding an AR element—it feels just like playing a game!”】
【“The sense of movement is also very strong. I just asked the staff, and they said I didn't move at all, my muscles were mostly relaxed, but I still felt like I was walking around. It's like there's an extra layer, but it's just right!”】
【“I haven't been to Chewan before, so there might be some color differences, but they're not noticeable. The only downside is that I wanted to pet Sanwuu—oh, I didn't get the feel of actually petting a cat, it was more like petting something soft through a glove.”】
This was feedback for Chu Tingwu. When she mentioned wanting to pet Sanwuu, Chu Tingwu went ahead and did it.
Sanwuu looked a bit puzzled but seeing the little one reaching out, it just lay down on the spot.
[Damn...]
[Jealousy is burning...]
[It's just Chewan City, huh? I'll buy a ticket right now. I can go see the snow and ski too, wuuu... But I really want to try the VR experience! When is this thing going on sale?]
[UP, can you please hype this more? I'm sold, but where's the product? Where is it?]
The product is still in testing.
As one of the comments mentioned, traveling is something anyone can do if they save up, but traveling from home with UP leading you through a "VR cloud tour" is a completely different experience.
In VR, not only can you see the scenery, but you can also interact with the audience in real-time, creating a lively sense of togetherness. Plus, you avoid all the negative aspects of traveling, like getting motion sickness and lying in the hotel all day, being too cold to go outside, being too socially anxious to interact with locals, or even getting scammed.
Moreover, this UP is a—
A passionate extreme sports enthusiast and parkour athlete.
Chu Tingwu leaped into the air, and ordinary viewers could see through the dual cameras how she landed in a snowbank on a one-meter-high platform with a feline leap.
The picture was clear, the sound was well-captured, and the camera didn't shake. But...
【“Ah!”】
【“Ohhhhh”】
Wait, why are there foreigners here?! I’ve been holding back from calling out this guy speaking English for a while now!
Andis didn't care about the comments. With so many words flying across the screen, he glanced at them and then ignored them, fully immersing himself in the pure and relaxed experience of the new VR device.
He knew the main character was a girl, and "she" had started doing parkour.
In this snow-covered city.
Andis had never experienced parkour before. In his student days, he was a member of the football team, and he regularly worked out, but parkour was still an unfamiliar sport—
You couldn't understand the appeal of jumping between different platforms, railings, or even rolling on the ground to quickly move from point A to point B... let alone how the sport had evolved to focus more on technical moves rather than just speed when people filmed videos.
But now, sitting in the experience pod, Andis couldn't stop exclaiming, "Wow!"
He could feel his own "nervousness," even though he wasn't the one participating; he was just an observer with the same sensations as the participant.
All the images in front of him were flying by, and he experienced the same sensations.
His feet sinking into the snow, the "crunch" sound, the footprints left in the snow, the height constantly increasing, the wind blowing through his hair—
It felt like flying.
Parkour was like flying on flat ground, Andis suddenly realized.
Some people used tools to gain wings and fly, while others used their own physical strength to experience the feeling of "flying"... And this girl, the one controlling the device and showing him the thrill of parkour, seemed to want it all!
Andis heard her laughter. She suddenly stopped and turned around.
"They" were now standing on the top of the clock tower in the center of Chewan City. Turning their head, they could see the trail of footprints and handprints in the snow below, and above them, a drone like a bird of prey swooped down, as if transmitting the scene to another group of "viewers."
In this quiet moment, it seemed like an invisible person had stepped by step, using parkour, reached this height.
Andis's heart was racing.
They could only see the footprints, the girl's first-person perspective, and the process. But he, under her guidance, could truly experience the joy of this sport and perform movements he could never do in reality.
And all of this was thanks to the VR experience pod. On this peaceful afternoon, the times were truly changing. He was at the center of the vortex, but he eagerly awaited the changes to come.
What a blessing.
To live in this era.
How fortunate.
