Spoiled by Eight Uncles (Lily)

After dinner, Max's futuristic home transformed into a children’s paradise.

The all-encompassing holographic technology allowed them to watch cartoons.

The vast knowledge reservoir of virtual beings allowed them to listen to fairy tales.

The smart, heated, and adjustable sofa turned into a makeshift trampoline.

Finally, when the children were exhausted from playing, the room fell into silence.

Simultaneously, in a high-level meeting at the laboratory, four people sat around a large round table.

“I propose confiscating Max’s house. He serves the laboratory, and everything he develops should belong to us,” one person asserted.

Another person nodded in agreement. “I agree. According to Darwin's assessment, his first virtual assistant has reached maturity. If this technology can be widely implemented, it will benefit countless families.” The third person, dressed in blue overalls, was Darwin, Max's closest collaborator. He hesitated and spoke up, “But this is his personal property. He used his own funds to purchase the house and cover the expenses of decoration and design.” The person who spoke first was the leader of the meeting, and also the head of the technology group following the joint venture.

He sneered, saying, “Where do you think his money comes from? The laboratory pays him five million dollars annually, and everything he does is funded by our organization.” “Our laboratory has invested so much money, it’s only fair for him to repay it, right?” “Virtual technology should be connected to the laboratory and commercialized to generate revenue. This way, we can have ample funds to invest in lithography machines and support the ongoing operations of the laboratory.” Everyone nodded, failing to see any issue with the proposal.

“After all, the laboratory is providing him with a five-million-dollar salary...” Yet, they failed to consider that Max had earned those five million dollars entirely on his own.

It remained uncertain how many domestic and international groups had extended tempting offers to Max. If he were to change jobs, his salary would easily reach ten million dollars or more.

However, Max chose not to pursue those opportunities.

Now, these so-called “leaders” wanted to take Max’s developed virtual human technology into the laboratory and commercialize it to support the development of lithography machines.

Essentially, they were demanding that Max “sacrifice” for the sake of the laboratory, pulling him in different directions like a sheep being tugged.

And they saw no issue with this arrangement.

Darwin feigned a troubled expression and pondered, saying, “I'm afraid he won't agree...” Max was not the type of person to dedicate his entire life to the laboratory and devote himself solely to scientific research. Such an idealistic notion simply did not exist.

The group’s boss added, “I won't put you in a difficult position. Tomorrow, I'll go to Max's house with a team of people. Once the virtual human technology is shared with the laboratory, you will be responsible for further development and promotion of the project.” Darwin lowered his head and pretended to sigh, reluctantly replying, “Alright...” Once the meeting was done, Darwin lingered behind, his eyes betraying a barely perceptible excitement.

During his first visit to Max's house, he had been captivated by the charm of the virtual assistant.

From tomorrow onward, this remarkable virtual assistant would be his.

In the future, as this technology was disseminated and entered the market, young individuals living alone would have their 24- hour assistants, the elderly in need of constant care would have their personal round-the-clock family doctors, and life would become more convenient in every aspect. People would enter an era of technological living.

And Darwin would be the godfather propelling this technological era forward, the pioneer of human scientific and technological civilization. His name would be etched in history.

Suppressing his excitement, Darwin left hastily, ready to seize the opportunity that lay before him.

The laboratory’s glass wall reflected a small shadowy hole, but he was too absorbed in suppressing his excitement and joy to notice it... and he would not have seen it even if he paid attention.

Unbeknownst to him, a looming ghost cast a vast shadow over him, its enormous mouth having already swallowed his head...

When Lilly woke up, she noticed that Max was still here.

Her siblings were still fast asleep, exhausted from playing late at night.

Blake was nowhere to be found.

She hurriedly ran to the study next to the living room and leaned against Max, her curiosity piqued. “Uncle Max, what are you doing?” Max replied, “Last night, Lilly mentioned that what was missing from Stacy’s cooking was Grandma's love...” “So, Uncle Max decided to... oh no, | mean, he borrowed Grandma's recipes and uploaded them.” Online cooks’ recipe for pork, “500g of pork, 10g salt, 10g soy sauce, 5g dark soy sauce...” Bettany’s recipe was, “One whole piece of pork, one and a half spoonfuls of soy sauce, half a piece of ginger, some pepper, star anise, and a hint of cinnamon...” Lilly tilted her head and asked curiously, “Can it really taste like Grandma's cooking?” Max glanced towards the kitchen and replied, “Just take a look, and you'll find out.” In the kitchen, Stacy was cooking with the smart pots and pans.

All the cookware was equipped with smart technology.

She simply needed to follow the instructions and start the program.

Stacy observed the new dishes with a blank expression.

“One whole piece of pork... Is it from a small pig or a large one?” “One and a half spoonfuls of soy sauce... Should it be a large spoon or a small spoon?” “Half a piece of ginger... Is it a small or large piece? How much is a little pepper, star anise, and cinnamon?” The kitchen crackled, and suddenly a puff of smoke rose from the sweet potatoes, causing the cooking process to come to a stop.

Stacy, the virtual assistant, looked distressed and said, “Master, Stacy doesn’t understand any of these!” Max furrowed his brow and made some adjustments to the program.

Lilly hurriedly went to Stacy’s side and said, “You should use a big piece of pork, like this!” She gestured with her small hands to indicate the size.

“The spatula is the one you normally use for cooking.” “And a little bit means just a small drop. Pinch them and it’s about right.” Stacy tried to understand the instructions.

She had never done anything like this before since the program provided precise measurements.

Now she needed to rely on her experience and understanding, something that was easy for regular people but quite challenging for her.

Lilly looked around and asked, “Is there a chair here? I'm not tall enough, I'll teach you, Miss Stacy!” Stacy, the virtual assistant, replied, “Sure, here’s a small stool for you.” A small stool appeared at Lilly's feet.

Lilly was concerned about her feet because she had seen her grandma doing a lot of cooking as she tiptoed, so she mimicked the gesture.

“One big piece of pork! And a spoonful of soy sauce...” Stacy corrected her, “Actually, it's a spoonful and a half.” Lilly tilted her head and said, “Miss Stacy, we humans like to cook according to our own preferences.” She grabbed a small handful of salt and threw it in, broke off a piece of ginger, and tossed it in, and the rest was based on her preferences.

Suddenly, Stacy understood everything.

This is what a spoonful looks like, and this is what a little amount means.

I understand now.

As soon as Max adjusted the program settings, a delightful aroma wafted from the kitchen—it was the fragrance of sauced pig's trotters! “Did it work?” He quickly stood up and saw the little one and the virtual assistant working together in the kitchen, bustling about...

Under Lilly's guidance, Stacy was learning at a faster pace than the program could provide. The wok sizzled on its own, and after a short while, a plate of delicious stir-fried lotus dish was ready.

Soon, the table was filled with a variety of dishes! Stacy beamed and said, “Master, come and taste the dishes that Lilly and | cooked for you!” Max sat down and took a bite—delicious! He immediately gave a thumbs up and praised, “Fantastic! It's all thanks to you, Lilly!” Max joyfully hugged Lilly, noticing that she was still wearing a tiny apron, making her even more adorable.

“Quick, take off your apron, wash your hands, and let's eat! I'll sound the alarm to wake everyone up...” Just then, the doorbell rang.