Deviant: No Longer Human

"It's been more than seven years, huh…" Wang Xiao sighed and smiled wryly, thinking back on how much had changed.

Afterall, he spent his whole life fighting for it...

As he entered the Phoenix Care Medical Center, where his sister worked, the world seemed to move around him as though nothing was out of place.

People glanced at him but quickly turned their attention away, unaware of the power that walked among them.

Wang Xiao's steps were slow and deliberate, his mind drifting between thoughts as he made his way through the hospital's corridors.

It was time to see what his sister had been wanting to tell him all this time.

____

One hour later…

"Uh... I should go see who's calling me."

At the canteen table, Wang Jiarong, dressed in a white coat, leaned back as she heard someone calling her from a distance. She excused herself, leaving the table in an awkward silence with only three people remaining.

One of them was Wang Xiao, casually slurping his free noodles, completely unfazed. The other two, however, were caught in a painfully awkward situation.

One was Wu Shenji, a colleague of Wang Jiarong who, despite everything, still hadn't fully abandoned his feelings for her. In truth, he had tried to give up, but by then it was too late—they had already ended up working at the same hospital.

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How did Wang Xiao know all this?

Because sitting across from them was Feng Xiyi—the same woman who once blackmailed Wang Jiarong. Wu Shenji had been involved in that scandal, which happened seven years ago during a school trip where a group had tried to kill Wang Xiao. Although Wu Shenji hadn't meant to harm him, the sight of Wang Xiao alive now left him visibly uneasy.

As for Feng Xiyi, the woman who had blackmailed Wang Jiarong, Wang Xiao couldn't care less. She avoided his gaze too, and there was a trace of fear in her eyes.

With his experience, Wang Xiao could easily piece together what had happened between them. He didn't need to ask. Feng Xiyi had blackmailed Wang Jiarong because the man she liked—Wu Shenji—was infatuated with Jiarong, creating a tangled mess of emotions.

But after Wang Jiarong decisively rejected Wu Shenji, Feng Xiyi somehow managed to win him over.

It was obvious now. Though Feng Xiyi didn't work at the hospital, she had come to bring Wu Shenji food, a gesture of affection that made their recent relationship clear.

"Hey, man... how've you been?" Wu Shenji awkwardly tried to strike up a conversation with Wang Xiao.

He had no idea Wang Xiao wasn't just alive but that fate would bring them face to face today, of all days. And now, with Jiarong gone, the atmosphere had become unbearably awkward.

Wu Shenji cleared his throat, glancing nervously at Wang Xiao, who was still calmly eating his noodles.

"Look, Wang Xiao," Wu Shenji started, his voice hesitant, "I know things were… bad back then. Really bad." His fingers fidgeted with the edge of his coat. "I didn't mean for any of it to happen. I never wanted to hurt you."

Wang Xiao paused, the noodles hanging off his chopsticks as he looked up, his eyes cold and unreadable. "Didn't mean to?" His tone was calm, almost indifferent,"That's a strange way to put it..."

Wu Shenji's face tightened with guilt.

He glanced at Feng Xiyi, who was sitting quietly, avoiding both their eyes. He knew there was no escaping this conversation. "I was a fool back then. Caught up in things I shouldn't have been. But I'm not the same person I was seven years ago."

Wang Xiao leaned back in his chair, placing his chopsticks down. "Really? And what's changed?" His gaze sharpened, cutting through the fragile sincerity Wu Shenji was trying to muster.

Wu Shenji clenched his fists, forcing himself to look Wang Xiao in the eyes. "I did," he admitted, voice thick with regret. "I chose wrong. And I've regretted it ever since. I can't undo what I did, but I can own up to it. I'm...

sorry, Wang Xiao. For everything."

Wang Xiao studied him for a moment, his expression unreadable.

Wu Shenji's face fell. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, Feng Xiyi, who had been silent this whole time, finally spoke up. Her voice was quiet, almost trembling. "Wang Xiao, he's telling the truth... he's not the same as before. We both made mistakes back then."

Wang Xiao's gaze flicked to her, cold and distant. "Mistakes?" he echoed. "You tried to destroy my sister's life just because of a childish grudge."

Feng Xiyi lowered her head, her hands trembling slightly in her lap. "I know… I was wrong. I was jealous, and I took it out on her. I—"

"It's not about your jealousy," Wang Xiao interrupted, his voice hard. "It's about how far you were willing to go. You blackmailed her. You almost ruined her life."

Feng Xiyi flinched, tears welling up in her eyes, while Wu Shenji sat there, silent, unable to refute any of it.

Wang Xiao's eyes narrowed as he continued. "You know, apologies are cheap. Regret is easy when the consequences are behind you. But for me, for my sister, those scars haven't faded."

Wu Shenji's hands trembled, and he clenched them into fists, summoning the courage to speak again. "I know we can't make up for what happened, Wang Xiao, but I want to try. I've changed, and I'll do whatever it takes to make things right."

Wang Xiao let out a bitter chuckle. "You can stop trying. I'll tell Jiarong to forgive you."

"!"

Wu Shenji was stunned, his heart skipping a beat. How did Wang Xiao know what he truly desired? Even after working in the same place for years, Wang Jiarong had never fully let go of her grudge against him. That lingering resentment haunted him, stealing his peace of mind.

Across the table, Feng Xiyi's hands clenched tightly. She bit her lip, her heart sinking. No matter what she did, no matter how much she tried, she could never erase Wang Jiarong's shadow from Wu Shenji's mind. The realization filling her with a sudden, crushing sadness.

Wang Xiao grinned inwardly, pleased with the turmoil his words had caused. He knew his sister well. She could forgive Wu Shenji in time. As for himself? Wang Xiao had long since forgotten about that incident. Now that he thought about it, he should pay Hao Zemin a visit.

That bastard might piss himself once he saw Wang Xiao again.

As for Feng Xiyi, he sneered to himself. Her sins were beyond forgiveness.

"Hey, everyone, what's going on?" Wang Jiarong suddenly returned, her cheeks flushed from the cold wind as she sat back down.

Following her was another man, who also took a seat with them. After a quick introduction, Wang Xiao learned his name was Dr. Chen, one of Jiarong's seniors. To be frank, calling him her "senior's senior" would be more accurate.

Dr. Chen immediately tried to assert himself, launching into a monologue about his many achievements. Wang Xiao cringed inwardly, feeling second-hand embarrassment.

"Ah, you must be Wang Xiao, Jiarong's younger brother," Dr. Chen said, his voice booming with confidence. "I've heard quite a bit about you." He leaned back in his chair, smiling proudly. "But you know, it's not easy keeping up with a family of overachievers like yours. I myself have been leading several groundbreaking surgeries lately.

Just last month, I performed a particularly difficult one—saved a man's life when everyone else had already given up."

Wang Xiao raised an eyebrow but said nothing, letting the man continue.

"Of course," Dr. Chen added, puffing out his chest, "that's what comes with being one of the top surgeons in the province. My name's well-known in these circles. Even international conferences have invited me to speak." He shot a glance at Wang Jiarong, as if waiting for her to confirm his words.

Wang Xiao barely suppressed a sigh. He gave his sister a quick glance, noticing the subtle regret in her eyes. She must've realized by now that bringing Dr. Chen had been a mistake.

But Dr. Chen wasn't finished yet.

"Speaking of conferences," Dr. Chen continued, his tone becoming more animated, "I was just recently honored for my research on minimally invasive techniques. Groundbreaking stuff, really. We're talking about transforming modern surgery as we know it." He glanced at Wang Xiao, clearly expecting some kind of admiration or awe.

Wang Xiao couldn't help but smirk inwardly. Transforming modern surgery? Brother, one of my techniques could transform your entire trajectory of life.

Wu Shenji and Feng Xiyi exchanged uncomfortable glances, shifting in their seats as Dr. Chen continued to sing his own praises.

"But enough about me," Dr. Chen said, though his tone suggested otherwise. "Wang Xiao, what about you? I'm sure you must have your own accomplishments. Jiarong mentioned you were... what was it again?" His voice had the faintest hint of condescension, as though he assumed Wang Xiao couldn't match up to his achievements.