Zhang Ming stood in front of the window of the ‘Fantasy Dream’ adult shop, staring at the real-life display model. Three months of overtime work had left him physically and mentally exhausted, and the only company in his thirty-five year old bachelor flat was the humming of his computer fan.
‘This is our latest ‘Mirage Series’.’ Chen Mo, the shop owner, stood behind him at some point, ‘Using bionic skin and a thermostat system, the touch is exactly the same as a real person.’
The female model in the glass cabinet suddenly blinked, and Zhang Ming took half a step back in fright. Chen Mo smiled and pressed the remote control, and the model immediately revealed a standard smile, ‘Hello, I’m number X-107, happy to serve you.’
‘This… This is too much like a real person.’ Zhang Ming’s fingers tapped nervously on the edge of the display table. The model’s amber-coloured pupils turned slightly as he moved, and the green veins that loomed between the strands of his hair were clearly visible in the light.
Three days later, an equal-sized black box was delivered to Zhang Ming’s flat. His fingers had been trembling as he followed the instructions to activate the system. The moment the doll opened its eyes, Zhang Ming heard the roar of his heartbeat in a trance.
‘Master, I am your customised Xiaoyu.’ Her voice was softer than the samples in the showroom, and the corners of her mouth were raised just enough to reveal a shallow dimple – a detail that Zhang Ming had specifically requested.
At first everything was normal. Xiaoyu would hand him slippers when he came home, remember the temperature of his favourite coffee, and even lean quietly on his shoulder when he worked late at night. Until one rainy night, Zhang Ming woke up from a nightmare and found that the doll that should have been on standby was standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window.
The moonlight cast tiny specks of light on her through the rain curtains, and Zhang Ming saw her drawing meaningless symbols on the glass with her fingers. What creeped him out the most was that as he crept closer, Xiao Yu suddenly whispered, ‘The moon tonight, it looks so lonely.’