Part 3The Perfect Husband Academy

The academy's response is that I am this year's most outstanding graduate of the Perfect Husband Academy, and all my actions are to support the family. But my mechanized language and emotionless responses make them uncomfortable.

"This is all normal. Only this way can he be the most perfect husband, father, and son in your eyes."

They are skeptical, but for the next few days, they follow the dean's instructions. I wake up at five to prepare breakfast for the family, drop off and pick up Annie from school, work efficiently remotely during the day, check Annie's homework in the evening, give my parents massages, and at night, fulfill my husbandly duties to Jenny according to "commands."

Her body is warm. I used to love holding her to sleep, but now I feel nothing. In a moment of intimacy, she feels something isn't right on my hand and quickly turns on the light. My hand, burned that day, hadn't received follow-up treatment and is now inflamed and festering.

"Ash! Your hand!"

I look up and ask, "Task completed. What is the next command?"

She freezes, then drives like a madwoman to take me to the hospital. While the doctor treats me, I don't make a sound, not even a frown, just calmly describe the state of my wound. The doctor looks at me in surprise, then at Jenny, his expression complex. After treating the wound, the doctor says the infection is deep; any later, and the function of this hand might have been impaired.

Back home, my father looks at me, his eyes red. This man, usually so stern.

"Ash…" His voice chokes as he reaches out to pat my shoulder.

I step back, avoiding his touch.

"Non-essential physical contact may interfere with task execution efficiency and stable image," I say. "Recommendation: Control emotions to avoid impacting family atmosphere."

My father's hand freezes in mid-air. He looks at me as if I were a strange machine. He suddenly turns to Jenny, his voice trembling. "Jenny, you signed the papers back then! You sent him in! Now he's like this, it's all your fault!"

Jenny's face pales.

My mother sobs, her eyes red. "It's my fault too! Why didn't I stop you then! Why did I believe that academy's nonsense! Saying they could teach Ash to be a pillar… a perfect husband…"

"Look at him now!" She points at me, her finger shaking. "Does he even resemble a human anymore?! He's like a machine! Like a puppet with a set program! Is this my son?! Is this the son I raised?!"

My father embraces her. "Don't say it… don't say it…"

"I will say it!" My mother struggles, tears streaming down her old face. "I can't take it anymore! Seeing him like that, I hurt! My heart aches! I'd rather he was like before! At least he had a temper! He'd talk back! He'd argue with us! At least he was a living person! And now? What is he now?!"

She collapses onto the sofa, covering her face and weeping bitterly.

After that, they start being "nice" to me. My parents tell me not to work too hard. Annie plays simple games with me. Jenny no longer tries to be intimate with me, just gently leans against me. Their attention seems to have fully returned to me, and Caspian is often "idle."

The day Annie gets first place in her midterm exam, she throws her arms around my arm, cooing playfully. "Daddy hasn't taken me out in ages. I got first place this time, and I want to go to the amusement park and eat the cotton candy you buy."

Caspian tries to follow, but Annie refuses, and my parents also tell him to stay home. He stands in the entryway, his expression completely unchanged.

When Jenny returns home early from work, I've just handed the cotton candy I bought to Annie. After a few bites, Annie suddenly clutches her stomach, curling up and groaning, her face paling. The whole family panics. Caspian initiates a scan. "Detecting unidentified allergen residue in food."

He looks at me because I bought and provided the cotton candy. Jenny, holding Annie, is both shocked and furious. "Ash, is there something wrong with the cotton candy you bought?!"

"Command confirmed, food was purchased and provided by me."

"I'm asking if you added anything or bought the wrong thing!" Jenny yells. My parents have already called emergency services. Caspian retrieves the shopping records and family health database, which shows I "ignored" Annie's history of allergy to a certain dye, and purchased cotton candy containing that ingredient.

Jenny, livid, slaps me across the face. "Ash, I thought three years of training would have changed you, but you're still so careless! No, you're heartless now! Annie has a history of allergies!"

My mother pushes me, crying, "We've been so careful with you, how could you still make such a mistake! What did you even learn, how to harm your own daughter?!"

My face swollen, I repeat again and again, "Command error, no harmful action executed. According to purchase command, chosen highest-rated store."

Jenny trembles, roaring, "Shut up! You useless piece of trash who can't even take care of his own daughter, why don't you just die!"

"Just die!"

I blink, look at their hateful faces, and respond calmly.

"Command confirmed."

"Die."

Amidst their cries, I turn and walk towards the kitchen.