Chapter 1: The Gift of Friendship

Ling watched as her mother, Mdm Ng, entered the living room with a large box in her arms. The sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the room in a warm glow. Ling’s heart raced with anticipation.

“Close your eyes, Ling!” Mdm Ng instructed, a playful tone in her voice.
Ling obeyed, her tiny hands clenching with excitement. “Is it a puppy, Mom?” she asked, hoping for the best. The thought of a real dog made her heart flutter, but she knew better than to expect it.

“Open!” Mdm Ng said.

Ling opened her eyes and gasped. Inside the box was Oreo, the voice-activated A.I. robot dog, gleaming under the light. Its shiny black and white body looked almost lifelike.

“Wow! Oreo!” Ling exclaimed, her shyness momentarily forgotten.
Mdm Ng smiled, watching her daughter’s reaction. “You can teach him to do tricks. Just use this remote.”

Ling took the remote, her fingers trembling slightly. “What can he do?”
“Bark, sit, run—just say the commands,” Mdm Ng explained.

“Let’s try!” Ling shouted, her voice bubbling with joy.

“Sit, Oreo!” she commanded.

Oreo responded with a mechanical bark, “Woof!” and promptly sat down.
Ling giggled, “He’s amazing!”

“Just like a real dog, but without the mess,” Mdm Ng added with a wink.

Ling’s heart swelled with happiness. “Thanks, Mom! I’ll take care of him.”

“Just remember, he’s not a real dog. He can’t replace a pet,” Mdm Ng cautioned gently.

“I know, but I’ll make him my best friend!” Ling declared, her eyes sparkling with determination.

In that moment, Ling felt a connection to Oreo, a promise of adventure and companionship. Little did she know that their journey would soon take an unexpected turn.

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Chapter 2: A New Routine

After dinner, Ling couldn’t contain her excitement. She raced to her room, clutching the remote. “Oreo, are you ready for some fun?” she asked, her voice bubbling with enthusiasm.

“Woof! Ready!” Oreo replied, its mechanical voice echoing through the room.

Ling commanded, “Run, Oreo!” The robot dog zipped across the floor, its little legs moving swiftly. “This is so cool!” she squealed, clapping her hands.

“Ling, don’t forget your tuition!” Mdm Ng called from the hallway.

“Just a few more minutes, Mom!” Ling shouted back, her smile wide as she watched Oreo perform flips and spins.

“Can he do more tricks?” she wondered aloud.

“Woof! I can bark, sit, and fetch!” Oreo announced proudly.

“Fetch? Let me see!” Ling tossed a small ball, her heart racing. Oreo dashed after it, returning with a swift “Woof!”

“Good boy, Oreo!” Ling cheered, her laughter filling the room.

“Bye-bye, Oreo! See you later!” she said, hugging the robot dog before heading out.

As she skipped down the street to tuition, she hummed a cheerful tune.

“La la la! I can’t wait to show Lily!” she sang, dreaming of the fun they would have together. Little did she know, trouble was waiting at home.

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Chapter 3: A Tornado of Trouble

Ling skipped up the walkway, her heart light with excitement. “Oreo, here I come!” she sang, opening the door. But her joyful melody faded when she saw the chaos inside. Toys were scattered everywhere, and the cushions were tossed around like leaves in a storm.

“What happened here?” Ling gasped, her eyes wide.

Lily, her four-year-old sister, stood in the middle of the mess, her face flushed. “I… I was playing,” she stammered, her big eyes innocent yet guilty.

“Did you make this mess?” Ling asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
“No, no! I didn’t!” Lily insisted, crossing her arms defiantly.

“Okay…” Ling narrowed her eyes, scanning the room. “Who else could have done this? Oreo?” she mused aloud, scratching her head. “But he’s just a robot dog!”

Lily giggled, “Oreo can’t make messes. He’s a good dog!”

Ling sighed, “Yeah, but someone made this mess. It’s like a tornado hit!”

“Maybe it was the wind!” Lily suggested, her voice brightening.

Ling rolled her eyes playfully, “The wind doesn’t play with toys, Lily.”

As Ling began to clean, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. Who, or what, had really created this disaster?

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Chapter 4: The Mystery Unveiled

Ling knelt on the floor, picking up toys as Lily helped, her small hands clumsily tossing items into a pile. “We have to figure out who made this mess, Lily,” Ling said, her brow furrowed.

“Maybe it was a ghost!” Lily gasped, eyes wide with awe.

Ling chuckled, “A ghost? Really? In our house?”

“But I saw a shadow!” Lily exclaimed, pointing to the corner of the room.
Ling glanced over her shoulder, her heart racing. “A shadow? Where?”

“Right there!” Lily insisted, her finger still aimed.

Ling took a deep breath. “Oreo, come here!” she called. The robot dog wheeled over, its sensors blinking.

“Woof! What’s wrong?” Oreo asked, tilting its head.

“Did you see anything strange while we were gone?” Ling questioned, her voice tense.

“Affirmative! I detected movement,” Oreo replied.

“Movement? From who?” Ling pressed, curiosity piqued.

“Lily was the only one here.”

Ling turned to her sister, “Did you play with Oreo while I was gone?”

Lily nodded, “He was fun! We ran and jumped!”

Ling’s eyes widened. “Oh no! Did you accidentally change his settings?”

Realization dawned. “I think Oreo was just having too much fun!” They both laughed, relieved. “Next time, let’s play together!”