Iris finally finished her last interview of the day, but that wasn't the end of her busy schedule. She still needed to attend a rehearsal with Jin Chonglin afterwards to perfect their live performances for their upcoming next single which would be released soon this month. After the rehearsal, she also planned on dropping by Orchidia Beauty to work for maybe an hour or two.
These were not all, however. She still hada scheduled lesson with Professor Kalisha Schwarz via video call. She was, after all, still an active student of Cross Academy. Both of her language instructors demanded perfection and she couldn't achieve that with just her natural talent alone. She still needed to study and train hard.
While on their way to the dance studio where she would rehearsing with Jin Chonglin, Iris was listening to Ketchup's latest reports inside the executive van. Dom was the only one left accompanying Iris by this time. Tang Yiyi needed to accompany the Pandemonium boys for a gig, so the manager left by taxi earlier.
"Mommy, Ketchup led the Slippers Army and the rest of the Black Stars to defeat all those poopoo-heads who are saying bad things about you online! Was Ketchup a good kitty, Mommy? Was I, was I? Meow~"
Iris smiled at the adorable white cat fishing for praise.
"Yes, Ketchup. Good kitty."
"Meow! Ketchup will continue being a good kitty! I love you, Mommy!"
"Uwah! Baby Ketchup is so cute!" Dom exclaimed. "Ehehehe."
"Ehehehe. Thank you, Uncle Dom~ I love you, Uncle Dom! Meow~"
"Aaaaaw! So cute! I love you too, Baby Ketchup!"
The last time Iris checked Ketchup's systems was last night. The cat AI was like a completely different specimen compared to when she first successfully developed its cat form and added a highly colourful and adaptable personality a few months ago.
Ketchup had changed so much since then!
The change wasn't something as simple as watching a seed grow into a seedling, then a small plant, and finally into a tree.
No. It was more like watching a grain of sand turn into an island, then into a city, a country, and then into a huge continent. At this rate, it would become a world on its own…maybe even a universe, if that was possible.
As the one who created this highly advanced AI in the form of an adorable white cat, Iris felt very excited yet also a little scared of its rapid growth. Fortunately, Ketchup seemed to be behaving really well since her two-week grounding period.
Jin Liwei was also helping to keep the naughty white cat in check. He constantly kept Ketchup occupied, asking her to assist him with this and that while working at Jin Corporation. Ketchup loved helping out her daddy, especially whenever he praised her for being a good kitty.
Despite his efforts, Iris was well aware that it was virtually impossible to keep the cat AI completely occupied. The full capacity of Ketchup's system was something that even she couldn't exactly calculate anymore because the cat AI was growing so rapidly. Ketchup was able to multitask at a rate that would make any human dizzy.
Iris already explained this to Jin Liwei but he still insisted on keeping Ketchup occupied.
"She's a highly-advanced AI, yes, but she's also our kid. As her father, I want to influence my child to develop into the right direction," he reasoned.
Although Ketchup's overall system was highly advanced, her hacking skills was still not up to Iris' standards. There was still a lot of room for improvement. Against god-level hackers like her and the old guys, Ketchup was too predictable. This was the reason why Iris was so worried. Once Ketchup made a mistake, she risked her existence being discovered by others. The consequences of that possibility were too dangerous, not only for Ketchup but also for Iris as the creator and her loved ones, like Jin Liwei.
'Continue being a good kitty, Ketchup,' Iris wished in her heart.
###
Dragon Palace Home #10.
Later that evening, heavy and windy rain buffeted against the windows of the mansion. Fortunately, the palatial mansion was like a fortress. It stood strong, completely unbothered by the storm outside. In addition, the mansion was also soundproofed. The people inside could only see the powerful wind and rain but couldn't hear their frightening sounds as they battered the huge glass windows.
Iris just finished her online class with Professor Schwarz. She was at her shared home office with Jin Liwei. Her office was located at a mezzanine above Jin Liwei's original study where he used to store business books and documents. He converted it into her own office when she moved in to live at the mansion. The large home office was separate to the mansion's library which was comparable to the size of a university library with four freaking floors. Jin Liwei's library was even more impressive than Iris' library at the penthouse.
After turning off her computer and tidying up her desk, Iris headed down the stairs. Ice Cream and Popcorn followed her. But before they could go down, the lazy Ice Cream patted Iris' leg with her paws. The fat (again) grey cat looked up at Iris with her adorable eyes, silently asking her to be carried.
"No, Ice Cream. Your Uncle Dom was scolded by the vet again because of your weight. You need to walk on your own this time," Iris said in a firm tone.
However, Ice Cream only needed to continue looking up at her mommy with her cute, pitiful eyes before Iris' heart melted.