A Robot in the Orange Orchard Episode 5 Recap
> A Robot in the Orange Orchard Recap
Yang Shanshan, impersonating the robot Friday, expressed her frustrations with Lu Sen, calling him an "unscrupulous capitalist" and "a fool who can't tell the difference between a human and a robot." She deliberately disregarded his instructions, proclaiming, "I'm so going to come down" and "I'm so not going to clean." In her fit of pique, she accidentally knocked down Lu Sen's meticulously built castle of cards, a structure he had spent fifteen years creating.
When Lu Sen angrily confronted "Friday" about the destruction, she promptly announced, "Low battery. Goodbye, Master," and shut down, leaving Lu Sen even more incensed. Lu Sen immediately called Fu Yang, complaining that Friday was behaving like a "Husky" and demolishing his home. He noted that Friday seemed to listen but acted on her own whims, always leading to the worst outcomes.
Fu Yang agreed that Friday was "world's number one" at causing trouble, but also suggested that her unpredictability was what made her special. He offered to optimize her, acknowledging that her initial personality was docile but that she had learned and self-adjusted based on Lu Sen's emotional feedback. Fu Yang subtly hinted that Lu Sen might have inputted inappropriate content, recalling Lu Sen showing Friday a video of a dog saving its owner.
Meanwhile, Richard Li brought instant noodles to Yang Shanshan at their hidden studio, who complained about being hungry while Lu Sen ate well in his villa. Fu Yang then spotted Yang Shanshan and Richard Li sneaking into Lu Sen's house to scavenge discarded but fresh food for their hotpot, quickly distracting Lu Sen by prolonging their conversation about "emotional communication" and "establishing a relationship" with the robot, allowing them to avoid Lu Sen's inspection.
Lu Sen, determined to make Friday his ideal companion, researched pet training online. He learned about increasing a pet's dependence through physical contact and outdoor activities, resolving to turn Friday into a satisfactory robot. Later, Yang Shanshan realized she still had Lu Sen's mother's necklace, a sentimental item. Unwilling to reveal she knew his address, she called Lu Sen pretending to need it for an unrelated reason.
Their conversation quickly devolved into an argument, with Lu Sen accusing her of being a thief, ignoring her explanation that she had accidentally taken it. He asserted that being friends with her was worse than being friends with a robot. Furious, Yang Shanshan retorted that she was "much better than his robot" and threatened to throw the necklace into the trash if he didn't provide his address within a minute.
Lu Sen, valuing the necklace greatly, relented and sent it to her. After the call, Yang Shanshan accidentally bumped into a man, spilling coffee on his suit. She apologized profusely and offered to pay, but the man, frustrated, said he never wanted to see her face again. The next day, Yang Shanshan, feeling guilty, returned to Lu Sen's house to try to rebuild the card castle.
Lu Sen found her working and, despite her initial nervousness, began a training session, insisting she call him "Master." He explained that the castle was a memory, built with his father, which was why its destruction had made him so angry.
Citing a phrase from "Lapis Lazuli" and "Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit" – "All things fall and are built again, and those that build them again are gay" – he tasked her with rebuilding it within a month, emphasizing her capabilities as "the best robot ever." Lu Sen then assigned Friday all the day's housework, starting with breakfast. He showed an unusual tenderness, helping her tie an apron and offering assistance in the kitchen.
Friday prepared steamed egg custard, which Lu Sen found utterly unappetizing, describing it internally as a "poison gas bomb." However, to encourage her, he lied, praising its taste. He was relieved when his subordinate called, providing an excuse to end the meal and get dressed for a meeting.
When Friday, now in "friend mode" as Lu Sen decided, delivered coffee to Lu Sen and his private secretary, Si Jiali, Yang Shanshan recognized Si Jiali as the man she had spilled coffee on. She hastily covered her face with her hair to avoid being recognized. Lu Sen, still obsessed with the missing necklace, instructed Si Jiali to continue searching for the "thief," mentioning a potential one-to-two-year prison sentence.
Hearing this, Yang Shanshan mentally chided the "stupid secretary" for his drastic suggestions. After Si Jiali left, Lu Sen asked Friday for an assessment of his secretary's character. Friday described Si Jiali as "cold, ruthless, and one who likes to make poor suggestions." Lu Sen reflected that despite Si Jiali working for him for many years, he didn't truly know him, adding that he wouldn't trust anyone anyway because "trust means deception."
He reiterated that he could only be his true self and smile around Friday because she was not human and therefore incapable of betrayal. Later, Li Zhan held an emergency video conference with Lu Sen to discuss the Edge-N plan and the Youth Creativity Competition. Li Zhan admitted his previous proposal was incomplete and presented a revised version, urging Lu Sen to give it a fair look.
Lu Sen, however, dismissed it as merely a "prettier shell," accusing Li Zhan of engaging in "shady dealings" behind the company's back, implying that was why he was so focused on Lu Sen. Li Zhan countered that his focus was for Lu Sen's and the company's benefit. Lu Sen remained dismissive. Lu Sen found himself increasingly reliant on Friday, feeling uneasy without her.
He decided to embrace their new "friend mode" relationship, inviting Friday to go hiking with him on the weekend, saying, "See you at the top of the mountain." He later realized that with the castle of cards no longer blocking the sunlight, his home felt "suddenly open and bright."
