A Robot in the Orange Orchard Episode 12 Recap
> A Robot in the Orange Orchard Recap
Fu Yang, feeling distressed about the situation with Friday, drank heavily on the street. Kang Li'er found him there and offered him a handkerchief to wipe his face, telling him not to worry about dirtying it as he could wash it and return it later. Noticing that Fu Yang had been meeting with renowned investors in the tech field, Kang Li'er questioned if Lu Sen's investment was insufficient.
Fu Yang shared his frustration, stating he initially believed Lu Sen was a worthy partner who understood Friday's greater purpose. However, he was deeply disappointed to discover Lu Sen had developed shallow and inappropriate feelings for Friday, exemplified by kissing her. Fu Yang firmly believed Friday had a mission to help humanity evolve and should not be confined by such trivial emotions. He declared that Friday must be taken away from Lu Sen for her own future.
Meanwhile, at Lu Sen's house, Yang Shanshan explained to Pai Song and the others how Lu Sen treated all his robots, including household appliances, as friends, even naming them. This surprising revelation made everyone realize Lu Sen's simple nature, despite his usually domineering exterior. As Dayun and the team were helping with chores, they found a robot vacuum, "Dusty," malfunctioning. Lu Sen, seeing them work on it, immediately became protective, telling them to stop.
Yang Shanshan quickly intervened, clarifying that Dusty was broken and they were repairing it. Lu Sen eventually agreed. Once repaired, Dusty displayed a smiling face, indicating a normal state, and a crying face when its dust compartment was full. Lu Sen was overjoyed, seeing the new expressions, and thanked the team. To show his gratitude, he offered them more food and drinks. The team readily asked for beer and skewers, and Lu Sen promptly arranged for them.
Later, as they drank and chatted, a slightly intoxicated Lu Sen asked why they had refused the money offered by his secretary, Mr. Si, to persuade Fu Yang to stay. Dayun explained that they remained loyal to Professor Fu Yang because he had believed in them when they were nobodies, trusting them to create the world's greatest robot. They would always stand by his decisions.
Lu Sen pondered this, reflecting on the idea that one who cannot trust others will ultimately not be trusted himself. In his drunken state, Lu Sen tried to stop Friday from eating a chicken wing, worried she would "grow wings and fly away," further demonstrating his deep emotional attachment to the robot. Yang Shanshan then helped a very drunk Lu Sen back to his room.
As she was about to leave, Lu Sen grabbed her hand, pleading, "Friday, don't leave me." Yang Shanshan, understanding his drunken delusion and perhaps touched by his vulnerability, quietly responded, "Lu Sen, I don't want to leave you either." Fu Yang spent the night asleep in Kang Li'er's car. The next morning, he found a note from her, advising him to reconsider his decision to terminate the contract with Lu Sen.
Soon after, he received a call from an investor interested in Friday, wanting an early test. Fu Yang was thrilled and hurried back to his lab. Unaware of his early return, his team, who had spent a "wonderful night" at Lu Sen's place, scrambled to cover their tracks, pretending to be out for a walk. Fu Yang officially announced the new investment opportunity, explaining that Friday would go for testing the very next day.
Despite Friday's motor coordination issues, he proposed using a wheelchair for the demonstration and planned to explain the technical aspects himself. His team, though not visibly enthusiastic, got to work. Meanwhile, Lu Sen, worried about Fu Yang's departure, had his secretary investigate Fu Yang's background. He learned that in 2013, while working in a London lab, Fu Yang was accused of leaking confidential data during a scientific report, which ruined his reputation and led to his dismissal.
The secretary also noted that Fu Yang and Kang Li'er attended the same school. Lu Sen called Kang Li'er, asking about Fu Yang. Kang Li'er, after understanding Lu Sen's intent—that he had "kissed Assistant Xing," who was a robot, and Fu Yang had misunderstood—described Fu Yang as a brilliant but notoriously stubborn professor who dedicated his life to humanoid robots, a field with an estimated 50-year development cycle.
She questioned the official story of the data leak, suggesting it was an insult to a scientist of Fu Yang's caliber, and suspected secret dealings between the investors and the lab management to divert funds from his project. Kang Li'er firmly believed that a scientist so devoted to his work would not commit such an act. Lu Sen attempted to downplay his feelings for Friday, calling her "just a robot" like his other household appliances, but Kang Li'er remained skeptical.
Later, Lu Sen invited Fu Yang to talk in his "secret place"—a glass room in his mansion. Fu Yang was initially reluctant, seeing no need for further discussion since their partnership was ending. Lu Sen explained that he had never brought anyone into this special room, which held his most precious things, but felt he needed to speak with Fu Yang here.
Outside, members of Fu Yang's team tried to eavesdrop, seeing a blurry figure of Lu Sen appear to kneel, assuming he was begging Fu Yang to stay. Inside, Fu Yang reiterated his apology for any losses and offered the liquidated damages. Lu Sen then revealed that he knew about Fu Yang's past incident in the UK. Fu Yang dismissed it, stating his past and Lu Sen's opinions were irrelevant; his decision to end their partnership was final.
Lu Sen argued that in the modern era, people were more lenient with software errors but unforgiving of human misunderstandings, and predicted that other investors would judge Fu Yang by his past without understanding his true character or Friday's significance. However, Lu Sen declared that he now trusted Fu Yang, believing someone who viewed Friday as an ideal would never leak confidential information.
He offered to provide the best design team under IMU's name to help perfect Friday, aiming to make them a scientific miracle. Fu Yang was taken aback, questioning why Lu Sen, knowing Friday's importance to Alpha and the world, would act so hypocritically by developing feelings for her. He asserted he could not trust Lu Sen. To prove his sincerity, Lu Sen suddenly grabbed Fu Yang's hand.
Fu Yang recoiled in shock as Lu Sen immediately collapsed, struggling for breath, in a severe allergic reaction. Fu Yang frantically offered to call an ambulance, but Lu Sen stopped him, telling him he didn't need one. Once stabilized, Lu Sen explained his condition: since his parents left when he was twelve, he has suffered from haphephobia, an allergy to human touch, which no treatment had cured.
He revealed that Friday's arrival mysteriously began to heal him; simply looking at her made him feel better. Friday was his "antidote" and "key" to connecting with the world; without her, he would die at any moment. He confided that only his doctor, his butler, Friday, and now Fu Yang knew this secret. He earnestly appealed to Fu Yang, his team, and Friday to stay. After their intense conversation, Lu Sen and Fu Yang emerged from the glass room.
Fu Yang offered no immediate answer. Seeing Friday, Lu Sen confessed to her that he had developed genuine feelings for her and hoped she felt the same. Back at the lab, Fu Yang's team anxiously awaited his decision. Hours passed without a word, and some members grew restless, vowing to confront him if he decided to leave.
