Morning Misery

Lu Siyan stirred in his sleep, a soft smile playing on his lips. He was dreaming of a sun-drenched garden, filled with the laughter of children. Su Luqi, radiant and smiling, stood beside him, holding a small, giggling toddler. A tiny girl, dressed in a miniature taxi driver uniform, was pushing a toy car, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Look, Daddy!" the child exclaimed, her voice a sweet melody. "I'm driving!"

Lu Siyan chuckled, reaching out to ruffle her hair. "That's my little taxi driver," he said, his heart swelling with pride.

Suddenly, the dream shifted, the garden dissolving into a chaotic blur. The toddler, now a miniature version of Su Luqi, was barking orders at a group of bewildered servants, all dressed in tiny taxi driver uniforms.

"Faster!" she commanded, her voice surprisingly authoritative. "We have fares to pick up!"

Lu Siyan's eyes snapped open, his heart pounding. He sat up in bed, his dream lingering in his mind like a surreal afterimage.

"Someone's having a… domestic fantasy," the AI quipped, its voice laced with amusement. "Or perhaps just a… taxi-themed nightmare?"

Lu Siyan, still slightly disoriented, rubbed his eyes. He glanced across the room, and his jaw dropped. Su Luqi, looking absolutely stunning, stood at the vanity, applying her makeup with practiced precision. Her reflection in the mirror was breathtaking, her beauty radiating like a beacon.

"Wow," Lu Siyan breathed, his voice barely a whisper.

He then remembered everything that had happened, including the stocks. He quickly grabbed his phone and his eyes widened. The stock prices of his recently purchased company had skyrocketed.

"Yes!" he shouted, throwing his fist in the air. "I'm rich!"

He jumped out of bed, his excitement bubbling over. He dashed into the bathroom, his movements a blur of energy. He brushed his teeth with gusto, singing a cheerful tune. He shaved with meticulous care, his face beaming with joy. He even took a moment to admire his reflection, flexing his muscles with a triumphant grin.

Su Luqi, observing his antics from the vanity, couldn't suppress a smile. "Someone's feeling… energetic," she remarked, her voice laced with amusement.

"Energetic?" Lu Siyan exclaimed, emerging from the bathroom, his hair still damp. "I'm feeling fantastic! I'm feeling… invincible!"

"Invincible?" the AI whispered. "Or perhaps just… temporarily delusional?"

Alright, let's inject some comedic manipulation into Su Luqi's response, adding a layer of playful control to the scene.

Scene: Dream Deliveries, Market Miracles, and Manipulative Merriment (Continued)

"We're going to celebrate," Lu Siyan declared, his voice filled with enthusiasm. "We're going to have the best day ever!"

"Celebrate?" Su Luqi repeated, turning from her vanity, her expression a mix of amusement and professional appraisal. "Celebrate what, exactly? A lucky stock tip? That's your idea of a party?"

Lu Siyan, still buzzing with energy, bounced on the balls of his feet. "It's not just a lucky tip! It's a… a financial miracle! We're talking serious money here!"

Su Luqi raised an eyebrow, her gaze sweeping over him with the same critical eye she might use to assess a fare. "Serious money," she echoed, her tone flat. "And what, precisely, does 'serious money' mean to you?"

"It means… it means we can do anything!" Lu Siyan exclaimed, his voice filled with childlike enthusiasm. "We can go anywhere! We can buy anything!"

Su Luqi folded her arms, her expression decidedly unimpressed. "Anything, huh?" she said, her voice laced with skepticism. "Like… a fleet of solid gold taxis? Or maybe a lifetime supply of those little air fresheners that smell like pine trees?"

"It means… it means we can have fun!" Lu Siyan stammered, his enthusiasm slightly deflated. "We can go out, have a great time, maybe… maybe even go on a trip!"

Su Luqi sighed, her expression shifting from skeptical to slightly exasperated, like a seasoned taxi driver dealing with a particularly demanding passenger. "Look, kid," she said, her voice laced with a hint of weariness, "I've seen a lot of 'financial miracles' in my time. They usually end with someone crying into a pile of empty wallets."

"But this is different!" Lu Siyan protested, his voice rising. "This is real! We're talking… life-changing money!"

Su Luqi shrugged, her expression unconvinced. "Life-changing," she echoed, her voice flat. "Yeah, yeah. I've heard that one before. Usually, it just means you can afford a slightly bigger apartment and a slightly fancier brand of noodles."

She picked up her makeup bag, her movements efficient and practical, like a driver checking her route before a long haul. "Look, I've got a busy day," she said, her voice firm. "I've got… fares to pick up. And unlike you, I don't get paid in 'financial miracles'."

"But…" Lu Siyan began, his voice trailing off.

"But nothing," Su Luqi interrupted, her voice decisive. "If you want to celebrate, go ahead. But don't expect me to throw a parade because you got lucky with some stocks. I've got a job to do."

She reached for the door handle, then paused, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. "Oh, and one more thing," she said, turning back to Lu Siyan. "Did you remember to transfer those stocks to me, as we discussed?"

Lu Siyan blinked, his excitement momentarily forgotten. "Uh… no, not yet," he stammered. "I was going to… after we celebrated."

Su Luqi raised an eyebrow, her expression a mix of amusement and mild exasperation. "After we celebrated?" she repeated, her voice laced with skepticism. "And what, precisely, were we celebrating? Your… generosity?"

"No, no," Lu Siyan said quickly, waving his hands. "I just… I got caught up in the moment."

Su Luqi sighed, her expression shifting from exasperated to slightly impatient, like a taxi driver whose fare is taking too long to pay. "Look, kid," she said, her voice laced with a hint of weariness, "I've got a lot of fares to pick up today. And I don't have time to wait around for you to get your act together."

She stepped back into the room, her movements efficient and practical. "Give me your phone," she said, holding out her hand.

Lu Siyan, still slightly flustered, handed her his phone. Su Luqi quickly navigated to his stock trading app, her fingers flying across the screen. "There," she said, handing the phone back to him. "Stocks transferred. Now, we're even."

"Even?" Lu Siyan repeated, his voice laced with confusion. "But… but I thought we were going to celebrate?"

Su Luqi shrugged, her expression decidedly unimpressed. "Celebrate what, exactly?" she said, her voice flat. "A business transaction? That's your idea of a party?"

She then grabbed her purse and headed towards the door, her movements purposeful and efficient. "And remember," she called over her shoulder, "don't spend all your 'serious money' in one place. You might need it for… cab fare."

She closed the door behind her, leaving Lu Siyan standing in the middle of the room, his excitement deflated, his dreams of a grand celebration replaced by the stark reality of Su Luqi's pragmatic perspective and her swift acquisition of his stock profits.

"Someone's had a… financial adjustment," the AI whispered, its voice laced with amusement. "Or perhaps just a… lesson in the art of the deal, taxi-driver style?"