Deviant: No Longer Human

Mei Leiyan, contemplating the implications, remained silent.

"That\'s not reassuring..." she finally added.

Wang Xiao shrugged, "It is what it is." The transient nature of public interest didn\'t bother him, and he seemed unfazed by the prospect of lingering judgments.

As they continued their meal, the atmosphere between them shifted. Wang Xiao, now more relaxed, spoke, "You\'ll get used to it. "Remember, what matters is how you perceive it, not how others do. People will always have something to say; you can\'t control that. What you can control is how much it affects you."

Mei Leiyan, absorbing his words, nodded in acknowledgment.

_____

As the day waned, Wang Xiao found himself immersed in Mei Leiyan\'s company, the passage of time slipping away unnoticed in the time of their shared moments.

The evening sun painted the sky with hues of amber as they eventually made their way back to the residence.

Upon entering, Wang Xiao was met by the arresting presence of Bing Xueli.

She occupied the couch with an ethereal grace, her snow-like hair cascading around her like a delicate veil.

The room itself seemed to hold its breath as the two locked eyes – Wang Xiao momentarily pausing in his steps, caught in the pull of Bing Xueli\'s gaze.

The air between them crackled with an unspoken tension, the cool and pristine ambiance of the residence contrasting with the complexities brewing beneath the surface.

Wang Xiao resumed his stride, moving with a deliberate nonchalance as he took a seat beside Bing Xueli.

"How was your day?" Bing Xueli\'s asked softly, a delicate inquiry echoing in the pristine ambiance of the residence.

Wang Xiao, in a seemingly casual display, crossed his legs and reclined horizontally on the couch. His head rested on her lap, legs casually dangling over the edge. "Didn\'t you see everything for yourself? Why are you still asking?" he retorted with a nonchalant tone.

Bing Xueli\'s eyes blinked, an almost imperceptible hesitation marring her normally composed demeanor.

"Not everything..." She muttered.

!?

Wang Xiao couldn\'t help but wonder if the biting cold had momentarily affected her, causing a lapse in her typically sharp senses.

The only time she might have been unable to observe was when he was with Mei Leiyan last night.

Why did she want to see that anyways?

Wang Xiao, maintaining an air of tranquility, kept his eyes closed and breathed evenly as he continued, "Don\'t you find it rude, constantly spying on people\'s privacy?"

Bing Xueli fell silent briefly before breaking the ice, her words carrying an indifferent tone, "You are quite rude yourself," she muttered while running her hand through his hair with an almost absent-minded gesture.

Wang Xiao\'s eyes opened, suspicion coloring his expression. "I am rude?" he asked, seeking clarification.

Bing Xueli raised her hands, gesturing towards his legs and then his head. "You just came and lay over me, without even asking. That is quite rude as well, I think." Her words were devoid of emotion, as if merely stating objective facts.

There was neither anger nor joy, just a straightforward acknowledgment of the situation.

Wang Xiao frowned, "So I need permission for that now?"

Bing Xueli didn\'t reply to his question. Instead, after a brief silence, she posed another inquiry, "When are you going outside?"

Wang Xiao responded with a touch of nonchalance, "Is that even important?"

Bing Xueli, unfazed by his casual demeanor, pressed on, "You already have Amelia, so what are your plans now — for Victoria?"

Closing his eyes in thoughtful repose, Wang Xiao remarked, "I would leave Victoria alone for now. She won\'t find any man with her attitude anyways."

A faint smile danced on Bing Xueli\'s lips, a subtle playfulness emerging. With an air of mystery, she divulged, "...Do you want to know something about her?"

Wang Xiao regarded her with suspicion, "Something about Victoria...?"

Bing Xueli\'s gaze drifted downward, her smile hinting at a mischievous undertone. It was an unexpected departure from her usual serious demeanor, leaving Wang Xiao intrigued.

In a moment of subtle amusement, she affirmed, "Do you know of the condition Victoria has?"

Wang Xiao nodded ever so slightly, "Yes, anyway, whoever manages to come to her before sunlight, she would teach them."

Bing Xueli probed, "Why do you think she does that?"

Wang Xiao speculated, "... She is sadistic and likes to beat children?"

A fleeting twitch graced Bing Xueli\'s lips before she adopted a serious expression, "No..."

Wang Xiao, exploring an improbable angle, ventured, "... She likes to teach?"

Bing Xueli shook her head, and Wang Xiao nodded, already knowing that the woman had no such noble motives.

Bing Xueli finally unraveled the mystery, "... She is trying to find a person who can beat her."

"Beat her...?" Wang Xiao expressed perplexity, "Isn\'t there a lot of people already? There is you, and then there is that Temple guardian..."

Bing Xueli shook her head, her gaze serious, "You don\'t understand. If you want to have her, you have to suppress her, do what you did with Amelia."

Wang Xiao fell into a contemplative silence, the weight of Bing Xueli\'s words sinking in.

Bing Xueli smiled faintly, her lips withholding further explanation.

Yin Yue\'s voice resonated in Wang Xiao\'s thoughts, [I was trying to say the same for years.]

"Are you going for Victoria tomorrow then?" Bing Xueli probed, her voice cutting through the quiet air of the room.

Wang Xiao, growing slightly suspicious and annoyed, furrowed his brows at the persistent questioning. "No," he responded curtly, his tone hinting at a desire to end the discussion.

Bing Xueli\'s smile faltered momentarily, a subtle ripple in the composed facade she usually wore. However, she quickly regained her composure, the gleam returning to her eyes. "Then... Shall I keep an eye on her until you are ready to take her?"

Wang Xiao couldn\'t help but open one eye, a hint of skepticism in his gaze. "Have you been drinking lately?" he questioned, probing for an explanation for her unusual behavior.

Bing Xueli shook her head in denial, her features returning to their usual calm.

Wang Xiao, genuinely curious now, observed a nuanced change in her demeanor. "Whose side are you exactly on, Eleanor?"

"Side?" Eleanor blinked, her expression betraying a momentary confusion.

Wang Xiao clarified, his words carrying a weight of significance, "Yes, side. If I were to stand tomorrow against whoever you know up until now—the village, Amelia, Victoria—then whose side would you take?"