Deviant: No Longer Human

She couldn\'t help but wonder what Wang Xiao had in mind this time.

Her gaze remained locked on him as he picked up the bowl of soup and handed it to her.

With a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips, he instructed her, "Drink it."

Wang Mei hesitated for a moment, her surprise evident in her bewildered expression. "But it\'s for you—"

Wang Xiao interrupted her with a playful tone, raising an eyebrow, "What if you\'ve mixed in poison? Now taste it first."

Her lips pressed together in reluctant compliance, and she cautiously sipped from the spoon, all the while keeping her eyes fixed on Wang Xiao\'s gaze.

His scrutiny, however, shifted momentarily to her attire, and he squinted in slight surprise. "Where did you get this shirt?"

Wang Mei blinked in response, her eyes narrowing slightly as she recalled the source. "... You gave me," she replied, her voice soft but unwavering.

"Ah, right," Wang Xiao nodded, a flicker of remembrance crossing his features.

Indeed, there had been an incident when he noticed Wang Mei\'s lingering gaze on a few shirts he had lying in wardrobe. Those garments had become old and no longer fit him, so he had shared them with both her and Wang Xueying.

"What are you waiting for? Your brother is injured. Isn\'t it time you help and feed him?" Wang Xiao\'s voice took on a slightly dramatic flair, teasing and playful.

In the ebb and flow of his emotions, there was a pattern: frustration was followed by moments of cheerfulness. It was as if the storm inside him found a peaceful shore after raging within, allowing him to step into a lighter, more playful demeanor.

The contrast between his earlier frustration and his current desire to engage with Wang Mei was stark.

Despite the weight of the revelations about human fragility and mortality, there was a resilience in him that allowed for a shift into a more joyful state.

The desire to amuse himself and share light-hearted moments with her was a evidence to it.

Wang Mei\'s face remained a portrait of speechlessness, her eyes wide with a mix of surprise and speechlessness.

She hesitated for a moment, then picked up the spoon using her hand, extending it towards Wang Xiao\'s mouth, her fingers trembling ever so slightly.

In a moment of quiet satisfaction, Wang Xiao accepted the gesture and drank from the spoon. He gestured for another spoonful, and she obliged.

Spoon after spoon, the initial tremor in her fingers began to subside, replaced by a growing sense of confidence. The bowl was emptied, and a peculiar calm settled in the room.

Yet, beyond this ordinary act of kindness and care, Wang Xiao didn\'t knew that the storm in his life was far from subsiding.

____________

On a brisk Sunday evening, the last day of December 2023, Wang Xiao found himself drawn back to a familiar haunt.

The worn paths seemed to guide his steps as he approached the establishment, despite the fog clouding his vision.

He could feel the freezing cold air brushing against his body, knowing he was about to stick his nose somewhere it doesn\'t belong.

As he neared the entrance, the door creaked open, revealing Chen Meili. She emerged, startled by his return. "Back again?!" she exclaimed, her surprise evident in her widened eyes and slightly agape mouth.

A resignation flickered across her face as she continued, "She\'s inside her room; go and find her for yourself."

Wang Xiao remained unmoved, standing rooted to the same spot, a faint smile gracing his features. "I didn\'t come for Lin Xue today... But for you!"

Chen Meili raised a skeptical eyebrow, narrowing her gaze at him. "I am not for sale," she promptly asserted.

An orphan working there for extra money, she held steadfast to her principles and wanted no part in the sordid affairs that occasionally tainted the establishment.

Undeterred, Wang Xiao persisted, "I can increase the price."

She sighed, "Look at your head. How can you even think of this while already injured!? Have a sense of measure already."

She was oblivious to Wang Xiao\'s motives, but she knew she was not interested, regardless of the circumstances.

From the outset, Chen Meili had been but an unassuming beauty with her brunette locks. Rarely did anyone choose to involve her in their pursuits, especially when the establishment filled with alluring and bewitching women.

In this modern era, patrons sought solace there to release their inner turmoil. They yearned for someone mature and understanding, not a juvenile distraction. They were not in search of a mistress or lover, but rather a release for their pent-up desires.

Wang Xiao clarified, "You\'re misunderstanding me. I don\'t want to sleep with you; I\'m merely seeking information. Of course, if you wish to engage in such endeavors, the offer remains open. However, I won\'t pay extra for that—"

"Enough, what do you want to know?" Chen Meili interrupted, catching his words before they could escalate into further absurdity, mindful of the prying eyes around them.

She then firmly gripped his arm, leading him into the dimly lit room tucked away in the back.

Onlookers were taken aback, their expressions a mixture of surprise and curiosity, as if they had just witnessed an unexpected twist in a suspenseful play.

Could this be the moment Chen Meili had been waiting for, her first client finally stepping into the shadows?

Even the whores working here, accustomed to the rhythm of the establishment, were taken by surprise.

They had assumed Chen Meili had never been sought after, never having the chance to entertain a client.

In the midst of their silent judgments, Chen Meili swiftly closed the creaking door, fixing a piercing gaze on Wang Xiao. "Now I know why Lin Xue always vents her frustrations after everytime you leave."

"She complains every time I go?" Wang Xiao, caught off guard, chuckled in disbelief.

Chen Meili narrowed her eyes, realizing she had inadvertently disclosed something personal. However, the revelation had already been made. "Yes, she does. Always going on about how you manage to irritate her," she admitted, her voice tinged with annoyance.

If he had wanted information, he could have been straightforward from the start. But Wang Xiao seemed to take pleasure in dancing around ambiguity, deliberately toying with her.

Chen Meili couldn\'t suppress the urge to reprimand him; today was the day he needed a lesson in discipline.