Deviant: No Longer Human

A troubled expression clouded her youthful face as she absorbed the sudden change in her environment.

"What do you think your punishment should be? What would you do if you were in my place?" Wang Xiao posed the question, observing the little girl closely.

His approach to discipline was unconventional.

"..."

Zhenxi\'s eyes, large and luminescent, blinked slowly, her gaze shifting between the ice cream cones cradled in her tiny hands.

A moment of hesitation danced across her features, her lips parting slightly as if to speak, yet no words came.

Finally, with a tentative grace, she extended her right hand, offering the vanilla cone to Wang Xiao—an act of sharing, her small face a canvas of sincerity and hope.

"..."

Wang Xiao\'s features twitched with a suppressed smile as he accepted the cone, his demeanor teasing yet touched by her gesture. "Very good. Bribing already and not even ten!"

Grumble...

"Huh?"

At that moment, the quaint silence between them was broken by the innocent grumble of Zhenxi\'s stomach, causing her cheeks to flush with a soft pink, the color of spring peonies.

The embarrassment was evident in her small frame, giving a endearing blossom to her cheeks.

Seeing her discomfort, Wang Xiao\'s demeanor softened further. He gently handed the ice cream back to her, ensuring her tiny fingers gripped it securely.

The imposing shadow faded, replaced by a light-hearted chuckle.

"Since you have already decided on your punishment with food, I suppose I\'ll have to feed you until you can\'t eat anymore," he declared with mock severity, lifting her into his arms with a careful ease.

He dusted off her lavender dress, the fabric whispering against his hands like the rustle of autumn leaves.

Wang Xiao shook his head wryly, a faint smile touching his lips as he observed the girl in his arms, seemingly devoid of any instinct for self-preservation.

"This girl has negative survival instincts..." he mused quietly, somewhat amused by how effortlessly she had been tamed, making no attempt to escape his embrace.

He contemplated taking her to Xianthera, his thoughts not sinister—he appreciated fresh meals, not the raw ones.

It was Wang Xiao\'s nature to act on his whims.

Desiring to take her along, he resolved that he would, regardless of the customs of the mortal world where such actions were disdainfully labeled as \'kidnapping.\'

The fierce Eighth Prince, now oddly entangled in such a trivial accusation, led her to a nearby restaurant named Lost Heaven.

The establishment was still cloaked in the quiet of the morning, its doors yet to open until ten.

Wang Xiao, treating the closed door as mere air, entered with the grace of a specter.

Inside, he placed Zhenxi delicately on a wooden bench, as if she were the finest porcelain. He then drew a chair opposite hers, settling into it with a fluid ease.

As Zhenxi finished her ice cream, the faint trace of a struggle flickered across her delicate features, her inability to see lending her an air of innocence. "Such a skill issue..." Wang Xiao pondered with a hint of mockery, yet a twinge of unintended concern crept into his heart.

He couldn\'t quite take this ethereal creature seriously, her fragile form invoking an involuntary protectiveness.

Lightly, he tapped her forehead with his finger, causing her to lift her gaze, her eyes wide with bewilderment.

"Huh?"

"Do you want to see again?" Wang Xiao asked, the words escaping him before he could grasp their full weight, his voice softer than intended.

Zhenxi, unfazed by her blindness, shook her head gently. "Mommy said not seeing is a blessing," she whispered, her voice soft and ethereal.

Wang Xiao, intrigued, arched an eyebrow. "A blessing indeed, but doesn\'t it make you bump into walls?" he inquired with a half-smile.

"How do you know that?" Zhenxi\'s voice rose slightly in surprise, her delicate features crinkling in confusion.

He noticed the subtle hardness of her forehead, evidence of her unseen struggles, but chose not to share this observation. "I know magic," Wang Xiao whispered, a mysterious lilt coloring his words.

"Really?" Zhenxi\'s eyes widened, the sparkle of wonder replacing her initial hesitation.

"Really, really. Do you want to learn?" he asked, his voice low and enticing.

Zhenxi bit her lip, pondering. "But...Mom said magic is dangerous," she confessed, a trace of fear threading through her words.

"Who is your mother? She sounds quite jealous," Wang Xiao said, his tone light, teasing a smile from Zhenxi.

"She is always jealous of Zi\'er~!" she chuckled, her laughter like the tinkling of silver bells.

"So, what is your name, little Zi\'er?" he continued, gently wiping her fingers with a tissue as she finished her ice cream, treating her with the care one might use with the most delicate jade.

Zhenxi murmured, her guilt evident in her hesitant voice, "Can\'t talk to strangers..."

Realization dawned on her.

Though she had shared more than intended, her innocent mind reasoned that since this man didn\'t seem bad, perhaps it was okay to talk.

In the world of children, trust is absolute; it is either freely given or completely withheld, shaping their delicate perceptions of the world around them.

"Where is... Squishy?" Zhenxi suddenly asked, her small face turning from side to side, her unseeing eyes searching the air around her.

"Squishy?" Wang Xiao echoed, his confusion evident.

His gaze then fell on the two dragon cubs perched comfortably on his shoulders. "You mean these two?" He gently lifted them and placed them into her waiting hands.

The dragon cubs, rather than stirring, continued their peaceful slumber.

Zhenxi\'s face brightened with a joy that lit up the room, even though she could not see them.

Wang Xiao, touched by her delight, took her tiny hand in his and guided it to the black dragon cub. "This one isn\'t Squishy; her name is Lanmei," he explained softly, and then moved her hand to rest on the white dragon cub. "And this is Baixue."

"Squeee!"

Lanmei gave a soft squeal as if in greeting, while Baixue remained serenely indifferent.

Wang Xiao watched, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth, as Zhenxi\'s fingers gently explored the tiny creatures, her face alight with wonder and a smile that spoke of pure, unadulterated happiness.

Wang Xiao spoke with a tender tone tinged with regret, his voice a soft murmur, "You can\'t keep them."

Zhenxi\'s small face fell, a shadow of disappointment flickering across her delicate features.

"Why?" she asked, her voice a soft echo of hope.

"They are gifts for my daughters," Wang Xiao explained.

He shrugged slightly, his expression conveying that his hands were tied.

But Zhenxi, quick-witted and not easily deterred, her lips quivering as she mulled over her next words, suddenly brightened.

"Then... then Zi\'er will also be your daughter!" she declared boldly, her cheeks puffed in defiance, unwilling to part with the two creatures she had swiftly grown fond of.