Chapter 3 I Found You

5188 had not anticipated that being taken by humans for a change of clothes would lead her straight to Grandma. Upon seeing Helena, her eyes instantly brightened as she dashed over, clutching Helena's legs tightly. Her voice, filled with joy and excitement, barely managed to utter, "Grandma!" I've finally found you! She could not recall how much time had passed since Grandma had left. All she knew was that during Grandma's absence, she had taught herself to update, fix bugs, and search for clues across other base systems. She had also encountered malicious people. And now, she was reunited with Grandma. As she hugged Helena's legs, 5188 wanted to pour out everything she had been through, but the confusion in Helena's eyes made her pause. She remembered then that she was no longer just a robot but a reincarnated child. Perhaps Grandma had also reincarnated and might not remember her. Feeling a wave of disappointment, 5188 lowered her head. Now, struggling to find the right words, she hesitated to tell Grandma their past story. While changing earlier, she had overheard humans discussing the eradication of "feudal superstitions". Would her reincarnation be viewed as superstition, too? If they discovered she was a robot, they might capture her. Clinging to Grandma's legs, 5188 trembled slightly, hoping the humans would not recognize her true nature. "Wait!" Suddenly, she sniffed the air and remembered the lunch box, prompting her to call out. With a sweet smile still mingling with a look of surprise on her face, 5188 turned and darted toward the nurse's station. After signaling Liam to follow, Colin assisted Helena to sit on the side and mused, "I was curious why Jasper suddenly chased after a child. Now, seeing how much she resembles you, could she be a relative's child who got lost?" Helena felt an immediate connection when she first saw the girl. Colin's remark made her realize why; the child's fox-like eyes were strikingly similar to those of her own children, especially her husband's eyes. In recent years, the only girl born into their family was the girl from her second son—yet, there was another possibility. Helena gazed at the girl who treated the lunchbox as if it were a precious treasure, her lips trembling as she asked, "Child, where are your parents? Who are they?" 5188 stared back blankly. She was a robot; she had no parents. "No!" She shook her head honestly to indicate she had no parents and, sensing the need to explain further, she quickly added, "Dead!" With both parents deceased, she had nowhere to go—surely, she could go home with Grandma, right? I am so smart! A wave of disappointment flashed across Helena's eyes as she reached out to touch the girl's head. Here was another child touched by misfortune. Though there had been no updates about her eldest for a long time, the organization had claimed that he was still alive, out on a mission. The girl knew her parents were deceased, confirming she could not be their missing child. "Eat!" Relieved that Grandma did not press further about her parents, 5188 breathed a sigh of relief and, standing on her tiptoes, offered her the lunchbox. The best things should always go to Grandma! Helena accepted the lunchbox, observing the girl's compliant demeanor. She could not help but think how much the child resembled her eldest, not just in looks but also in her manner—so much like her daughter-in-law. Tears began to fall onto the metal lunchbox. Seeing Helena cry, 5188 did not understand the reason but reacted instinctively. She stood on her tiptoes and reached up to wipe away the tears, pleading, "No!" Don't cry, Grandma! Helena, moved by the child's sensitivity, could not hold back her emotions any longer and pulled the girl into her arms, sobbing loudly. Her cries echoed down the corridor—a heart-wrenching sound that seemed to release years of pent-up sorrow. The sound of Helena's cries cut through the air like a knife, deeply affecting Colin and Liam who stood nearby. They wanted to offer comfort, but given the situation with the unconscious Jasper in the ward, they found themselves at a loss for words. 5188 looked petrified by the emotion surrounding her, tears streaming down her hollow cheeks. She made no sound; instead, she remained still in Helena's embrace, crying silently. Colin, moved by the scene, approached them gently, his voice low and soothing, "Mrs. Jimenez, please, don't frighten her. Remember, Jasper and this little one are both relying on you right now." His words, though harsh, were necessary. After her outburst, Helena felt a slight relief from the years of pent-up bitterness. She looked up, her eyes red and swollen. The girl's tearful gaze struck her with a sharp ache. Tenderly, she reached out to wipe the child's tears, whispering, "I'll stop crying, okay?" 5188 gazed back at her, her tears stopped but the sadness lingered in her eyes, touching Helena deeply. Her attention briefly drifted towards the white wooden door—perhaps Grandma was worried about Uncle. This shift caught Helena's attention, drawing her eyes towards the door as she contemplated her youngest son's condition. Emotion welled up again, but she restrained herself this time. She looked back at Colin, her voice shaky, "Captain Bailey, how is my son doing?" "Mrs. Jimenez, about Jasper and this child, I need to speak with you privately," Colin suggested, motioning for her to step aside. However, 5188 clung to Helena, unwilling to let her go. Having finally found Grandma, she was not about to let her out of sight again. "Can you keep an eye on the person inside for me?" Helena knelt down to reassure the girl, smoothing her yellow hair affectionately. "If he wakes up, come and find me, okay?" 5188 thought for a moment, then nodded earnestly, her yellow hair bouncing with the motion. The gesture's sweetness drew smiles from the adults, briefly lightening the mood. In an attempt to soothe the girl, Helena casually came up with an excuse, but none of them could have anticipated that it would lead to something truly shocking.