Love and Automata

Shu Ning opened a puppet shop. To attract customers, she specially made four exceptionally handsome puppet people and put them in the shop as its signboard.

She thought business would flourish after opening, but to her surprise, the customers only wanted to freeload: they looked but never bought. Shu Ning hated freeloaders most of all, so she promptly closed the shop. Then she posted the freshly written shop rules at the entrance: Pay one spirit stone as an entry fee before coming in. Poor people without top-grade spirit stones are not welcome. Also, this shop takes private puppet commissions. A deposit is required upfront.

Everyone flew into a rage and left, except for a young woman in white, who walked inside.

The woman in white said, "I want to commission a puppet person exactly like Sword Venerable Ling Feng."

Shu Ning was shocked. "...Isn't that a bit much? He's the Sword God!"

The woman in white produced a bag of top-grade spirit stones. "The spirit stones aren't a problem."

Shu Ning glanced at the number of spirit stones in the storage bag and immediately changed her tune. "Sure, no problem. I'll make sure you're satisfied!"

A month later, the woman in white left, perfectly pleased, leading a puppet person who looked just like Sword Venerable Ling Feng.

After that, Shu Ning frequently heard rumors that the leader of the Hehuan Sect and Sword Venerable Ling Feng were boating on the lake, strolling arm in arm, going everywhere together, and that wedding bells would soon be ringing.

Every time Shu Ning heard one, she felt guilty. Fortunately, business at the shop gradually picked up, so she had no time to dwell on it.

In just half a year, Shu Ning sold six "Sword Venerable Ling Fengs," five "Perfected Person Jinyus," seven "Perfected Person Huaishangs," and eight "Demon Venerable Simings," earning a fortune.

One day, while Shu Ning was making her seventh Sword Venerable Ling Feng, the real one showed up at her door. She was still holding the puppet head she hadn't attached yet.

Shu Ning was so frightened that she dropped the puppet head and turned to run.

Theme: Love cannot be replaced.