1. Ranch

In Paradise stood many six-story buildings. Their outer walls were painted with cute animals—pigs, cows, sheep. These were the automated ranches.

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“Teacher, help! I can’t handle this cow!” A boy in the milking parlor called out in panic. A girl nearby, instructing the newcomers, hurried over. She soothed the cow first, then bent down, raised two fingers in a ring, and milked it with practiced skill. Once the flow was clear, she attached the milking machine.

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She stood slowly, patted her worker’s jumpsuit, and spoke gently to the boy and the other apprentices. “Of course it’s uncomfortable if you force the equipment on them. You have to take care of their feelings first. Even if most processes are automated, technology still can’t replace human effort when it comes to communicating with living creatures. Understood?”

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“Understood, Teacher Ruka!” A dozen boys and girls just entering adolescence answered in unison. They were all doing work experience at this ranch.

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Ruka clapped her hands. “I hope that after this internship, you’ll come to like the profession of herder and choose it for yourselves. Animal husbandry is too important for Paradise and humanity.” She did not look much older than them. Her ponytail was tied up under a white headscarf. Her gentle, delicate face still held a childish softness. She seemed more like a kind older sister.

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A signal came through her earphone. Ruka hurried to the swine level on the fourth floor. There was no time to waste. Educating these newcomers about to enter society was part of continuing human civilization—paving the way for a better future.

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In Paradise, a high-tech city, most professions had already been automated or delegated to robots. Only a few core industries still required human participation. Animal-farming ranches were one of them.

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Children graduated and left school at ten. They entered various industries to study and intern. At fifteen, based on grades and preference, the government assigned them a lifelong occupation. Ruka had been chosen for her talent in communicating with animals. She had risen quickly. Now she was the youngest ranch supervisor in Paradise.

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As the sun set, the AI assistant sent a reminder. “Miss Ruka. Five minutes remain until eighteen hundred. Please prepare to depart. Thank you.” The voice came directly through the chip implanted in her body. Her workday was ending. Paradise residents required physical and mental balance. Overtime was not permitted.

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“Thanks. I’m having dinner with David later. Then a walk before exercise. How’s the gym today?” Thinking of her lover, Ruka’s face filled with happiness.

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“Understood. Instruction received. Dinner reserved at eighteen thirty. Static exercise from twenty thirty to twenty-two thirty.”

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The six-hour workday was busy, but daily exercise was indispensable. Residents of Paradise needed healthy bodies. Exercise released endorphins. Endorphins created happiness and good mood.

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AI assistants cared for Paradise residents through the chips implanted after birth. The Central System processed big data. It managed each person’s life, diet, and schedule. Everyone had a private secretary. It was extremely convenient.

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Ruka removed her work clothes and changed into a light green top and high-waisted short skirt. She let down her ponytail. Her long hair moved in the wind. Her slender figure and curves were well proportioned—youthful, yet touched with maturity.

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They had agreed to meet at the station. From a distance, Ruka saw David approaching. He wore a simple white short-sleeved shirt and long pants. Plain. Minimal. It made the bouquet of blue roses in his hand stand out even more.

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“Happy sixth anniversary of the day we met.” David smiled and handed her the bouquet. He had asked a friend at the farm to prepare it.

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They had long since decided to spend their lives together. Ruka thought all love had already sublimated into affection. David looked honest and plain. Daily life with him was bland. But at important moments, he still understood ritual.

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They had met years ago while interning at a ranch. Affection grew with time. They encouraged each other to improve. Ruka’s results were excellent. David benefited somewhat. When occupations were assigned, he became a herder alongside her. They were separated at different ranches, but kept in contact. This year, after their eighteenth birthdays, they would marry as Paradise regulations required. Then they would have children.

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They stepped into a driverless train and headed for dinner. A propaganda video played in the carriage.

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“For humanity’s future: marry at eighteen. Bear three children. Build a harmonious family together.”

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Paradise needed continuous reproduction. Healthy offspring were best produced young. The Paradise Government actively encouraged citizens to marry at eighteen and begin having children.

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People like Ruka and David—who found a partner they understood and could live with—were fortunate. Those still unmarried at eighteen were assigned a heterosexual match. They were required to conceive at least three times before twenty-four, while bodily functions were at their peak. Failure to meet the quota meant reduced benefits and numerous inconveniences. Everyone worked hard at reproduction.

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All of it was taken for granted. All of it served humanity’s long-term development.

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