# Chapter 51: The Mechanical Tiger That Stole Everyone's Heart
Nicole's mood soured the moment she learned Eric Ferguson was personally overseeing this project. The last person she wanted to deal with was that man, yet their cooperation made meetings inevitable. *How annoying.*
The next morning arrived far too quickly. Nicole gathered her team and headed to J&L Corporation, her jaw set with determination. She would be professional. She would be cold. She would get through this without letting Eric get under her skin.
Gerard Lichman greeted them warmly at the entrance, his presence a welcome relief. He offered to escort them directly to the research lab—the best way for Stanton Corporation's people to truly grasp the groundbreaking work being done here.
Nicole and Gerard walked side by side, discussing preliminary plans, when something unexpected happened.
They had nearly reached the lab entrance when a small creature darted out of nowhere, racing straight toward them. Someone behind Nicole cried out in alarm. "Careful!"
Nicole froze. At her feet stood a fat little tiger with pointed ears and twitching whiskers.
Wait—a tiger?
The creature barely reached her ankle, its body round and covered in soft fur. Save for its stripes, it bore no resemblance to the fierce, majestic beasts of the wild. It was small, adorable, and utterly lovable.
Nicole's heart skipped a beat. She stepped back instinctively.
But the "tiger" rammed straight into her shoes, tumbled onto the ground, and rolled in apparent pain. "Ouch..." It scrambled back up clumsily, shook its head, then looked up at her with big, curious eyes.
The way it moved—the spoiled, lazy posture, the innocent curiosity—reminded Nicole of a real tiger cub. She felt an overwhelming urge to scoop it up and never let go.
The little creature blinked, its whiskers twitching. It stretched out a chubby paw and gently touched the spot on Nicole's foot where it had bumped into her, as if wiping away non-existent dirt.
Nicole patted her chest, took a deep breath, and rubbed her eyes in disbelief.
"What a pretty lady!" the tiger said in the voice of a three or four-year-old boy.
Nicole's eyes flew wide. "This tiger speaks English?!"
No, wait... Why would there be a tiger here at all? How could an endangered animal possibly appear in a research facility?
Gerard let out a light laugh. "Sorry for scaring you." He looked down at the little creature, his voice softening. "You should apologize for scaring our guests."
The "tiger" rubbed its head against Nicole's feet, sounding genuinely aggrieved. "I'm sorry... Please forgive me. I just look fierce, but I'm actually very gentle."
It spoke so naturally, its words flowing like any human's. Its movements produced no mechanical sounds. If it hadn't spoken at all, Nicole would have sworn it was a real living tiger.
Her heart melted completely.
The crowd around them stood frozen, watching in astonishment. Nicole squatted down, studying the tiger's eyes up close. Its eyelashes and pupils had the luster of real animal eyes, shifting with the light. From a distance, it could easily be mistaken for a real tiger cub. But now, looking closely, Nicole spotted a tiny speck of infrared light deep within its eyeballs.
"This is our experimental team's latest prototype," Gerard explained with a helpless sigh. "They're currently researching pet companions to relieve boredom. It doesn't usually run around like this. Someone must have left the door open, and it slipped out."
Nicole's excitement grew. "Is this part of our project too?"
Gerard hesitated. "No, it's still not mature enough. There are too many questionable factors, so it's not suitable for market release yet."
"It's so cute! I want to adopt one!" someone from the group exclaimed.
"Me too..."
"I also want one..."
One of the staff members shook his head ruefully. "The cost of this tiger is comparable to buying ten shopping malls in West City. We use the highest-grade materials from all over the world. Even if we compromised on various factors, mass production would be nearly impossible."
Groans of disappointment rippled through the crowd. This adorable tiger was a gold mine they could never afford.
*No wonder it looked nothing like a machine. Amazing.*
Nicole's heart sank at the news that it wouldn't be mass-produced. This robot could communicate with people, replace pets without the hassle of feeding, discipline, sickness, or death. It could become a perfect life companion. If such a product ever hit the market, it would shock the entire industry.
Gerard seemed to read her thoughts. Regret flickered in his eyes. "Let's go."
Nicole looked at the "tiger" with fondness one last time. But the little creature suddenly flopped onto its back, belly up, and looked at her pleadingly. "Pretty lady, I want a hug!"
Nicole couldn't help but laugh. She glanced at Gerard, who shrugged helplessly before nodding his agreement.
She carefully reached out. The tiger leaped into her arms with surprising nimbleness. It was about the size and weight of a cat, easy to hold with both hands. Its fur was far softer and fluffier than she had imagined. The little tiger rubbed its head against her chest, nestling comfortably into her arms. Its face took on a lazy expression, eyes half-closed in pure enjoyment.
Everyone watching felt their hearts melt.
"Little Tiger, you're so cute..." Nicole couldn't resist talking to it.
"I agree..." The little tiger looked immensely proud, lowering its head to snuggle deeper into Nicole's palm.
A female colleague approached carefully. "Little Tiger, are all tigers just as cute and cuddly as you are?"
The little tiger rolled its eyes dramatically. "Please select an animal mode. Do you agree to switch to the fierce tiger mode?"
It deliberately emphasized the word "fierce."
The female colleague rubbed her hands together excitedly. Seeing no objection from Nicole or Gerard, she said, "Agree!"
The little tiger turned its head, twitched its eyebrows, and let out a sound. "Roar..."
Silence.
"Roar... Roar..."
More silence.
"Roar roar roar..."
The little tiger's voice wasn't fierce or scary. It was unbearably cute.
Everyone thought it was speaking "tiger."
"Maybe we should switch back to the original mode..." someone suggested weakly.
Gerard couldn't help laughing. Seeing everyone's incredulous expressions, he reached down and touched the little tiger's chubby neck. "Stop fooling around."
He looked up at the group. "Its IQ is very high. It was just teasing you."
The people who had just been fooled by a tiger didn't know how to react.
The little tiger rolled around in Nicole's arms like a pampered baby. "Everyone likes me..."
The crowd's mood shifted from shock to admiration, then finally to pure envy. Everyone stared at the precious treasure in Nicole's hands, afraid it might fall. But the little creature seemed to fall asleep, snoring lightly.
This tiger was truly a wonder.
Gerard led the way, bringing the group into the core research area. J&L Corporation had earned its reputation as the leader in domestic artificial intelligence. Their focus was implementing AI in ways that would dramatically improve people's quality of life—from autonomous driving to nanny bots, smart homes, robot doctors, and countless other innovations Nicole had never even imagined.
The more she explored, the more amazed she became. Choosing J&L as a partner had been the right decision.
While everyone else marveled at the exhibits, Gerard guided Nicole to the other side of the lab and into an oval-shaped office. The people inside stood and nodded in greeting. Gerard gestured for them to sit. "Go on."
A man entered through a side door. A staff member directed him to stand in a designated position and said, "Start stripping..."
Nicole's eyes widened. *What was there to be shy about?*
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## Reader's Impressions & Star Rating
This chapter was an absolute delight! The introduction of the mechanical tiger completely stole the show—it was adorable, clever, and surprisingly emotional. Nicole's interaction with the little creature brought genuine warmth and humor to the story, a welcome break from the tension surrounding Eric Ferguson. The world-building here is excellent; J&L Corporation feels like a genuinely innovative company with products that could change lives. My only slight complaint is that the chapter felt like a calm interlude before an inevitable storm, but that's hardly a negative. The writing flows beautifully, and the chapter successfully balances wonder, humor, and underlying tension.
**Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.6 / 5 Stars**
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## Next Chapter Prediction
The mysterious oval office scene with "start stripping" sets up an intriguing twist. Is this a witness protection situation, a medical procedure, or something entirely different? Given Gerard's involvement and the secretive atmosphere, this may reveal hidden dangers within J&L Corporation or unveil a shocking truth about someone Nicole trusts. Eric Ferguson's shadow looms over this cooperation, so expect his next move to be clever and manipulative—possibly using whatever secret is about to be revealed to corner Nicole into a difficult position.