Deviant: No Longer Human

Going two years backwards in time...

March 2nd, 2024 – a date that marked the aftermath of Wang Xiao's death, a time when wounds were still fresh and emotions raw.

*Slap!*

The sound reverberated through the Fu household, a stark counterpoint to the somber mood that had settled since Wang Xiao's passing.

"You insolent child, how dare you tarnish the Fu family name! Explain these messages, and who is this Chuan Hao?" The anger in Fu Yuxin's father's voice was boiling, his disappointment a tangible force in the room.

"Dad, I…" Fu Yuxin's voice faltered, her eyes brimming with tears. She wanted to reveal the truth, to defend herself by confessing it was all Wang Xiao's doing.

But she remained silent, weighed down by the thought that speaking ill of the dead, even to clear her name, was an act of disrespect she could not commit.

Her father's face reddened with frustration. "No explanation, then? It was only by chance that your brother discovered these chats on your phone. We had no idea you were behaving so recklessly. How could you be so thoughtless, Yuxin, as to bring such shame upon our family?"

The accusation echoed, Fu Yuxin stood motionless, her heart aching. In her silence, she bore the brunt of her father's wrath, choosing to protect the memory of a man who had deceived her, a man whose actions continued to cast a long shadow over her life.

Fu Yuxin's emotions toward Wang Xiao were a tangled web, a mingling of resentment and an inexplicable void that his death had left behind.

She despised him at her very core, yet with his passing, she found herself grappling with a void, an emptiness that was as disorienting as it was profound.

The target of her fury had vanished, leaving her anger to dissipate like fog under the sun, replaced by a confusing amalgam of sentiments that defied articulation.

Determined not to be ensnared by these complex feelings, Fu Yuxin focused on moving forward. She left the Fu family home, seeking independence and a fresh start in a modest room closer to the university she would soon attend.

One year later...

The sky rumbled ominously overhead, a low growl that seemed to shake the very air around the park.

Boom! Crack!

The heavy downpour drummed on the roof of a park shed where two young women were deep in conversation.

The rain was never-ending, turning the world outside into a blurred watercolor of grays and blues.

Under the shelter of the shed, the grave expressions on Fu Yuxin and Chen Meili's faces spoke of serious matters at hand.

Brrrumble...

The prolonged roll of thunder reverberated through the shelter, as if nature itself was eavesdropping on their secrets. The two women barely flinched at the scene; they were too absorbed in their dialogue, too accustomed to the storms they had weathered in their lives.

Ka-Boom!

A particularly close strike illuminated their faces with a brief, stark light, casting deep shadows that flickered away as quickly as they appeared

Not far from them, shielded from the rain, a baby chair cradled an infant.

"Mmm....mm...." The infant stirred slightly in the baby chair, lulled back into slumber by the rhythmic pat-pat-pat of raindrops on the shed's roof, blissfully unaware of the tempest, both outside and within.

As the storm outside raged, the tension within the shed built with each rumble of thunder.

Fu Yuxin's head shake was a quiet storm of its own, her concern visible in the tight lines around her eyes. "T-Then what else can we do, Sister Meili? I really have no idea how to handle this situation," she admitted, her voice almost drowned out by the sound of the rain.

Chen Meili paused, her face a mask of contemplation as she considered their options, the silence between them stretching taut. "How about I register Zi'er under my surname and adopt her? This way, no one would question Zhenxi's origins," she proposed, her voice steady despite the turmoil brewing outside.

Fu Yuxin's reply was lost in thought, her gaze fixed on some distant point as she weighed the enormity of the decision. It was a moment heavy with the possibility of change when the brittle snap of twigs underfoot jolted them from their introspection.

Their bodies tensed, instantly alert. The storm's fury seemed to have crept closer, encroaching on the fragile safety of their shelter.

With hearts racing, they turned toward the sound, bracing for what might emerge from the veil of the downpour.

As the rain poured down, the figure emerging from the storm was none other than Fu Yuxin's brother, Fu Chao.

His eyes instantly fell on the child, and his expression darkened with suspicion and anger. He stepped forward, his movements quick and unyielding.

"Is that his child?! That Huang Chao you were sheltering for?" Fu Chao barked, his voice laced with contempt, not waiting for any confirmation.

Fu Yuxin, "Brother I—"

Fu Chao raised his hand, and before anyone could react, he struck Fu Yuxin across the face, startling everyone.

*Slap!*

"You shameless girl, carrying the child of some nobody! After everything our family has done for you!"

!!

Fu Yuxin, stunned from the shock and pain, struggled to compose herself, her face a mixture of hurt and disbelief. Tears began to fall silently, tracing paths down her cheeks.

"You're a disgrace!" Fu Chao continued, his words laced with venom. "I should tell Dad about this. Let's see how he deals with your... your mistake!"

In the midst of her tears, Fu Yuxin found her voice, strong despite her emotional turmoil. "Get out, Fu Chao!" she demanded, her voice quivering but firm. "Just leave!"

Fu Chao paused, seemingly taken aback by her resistance.

He clicked his tongue in disgust, his words cutting through the sound of the rain. "Tch, so this is why you left home, Yuxin!? It's good! Good! .... Never come back to the Fu household ever again with some bastard's child," he spat out before turning and disappearing back into the storm.

Once he had left, Chen Meili quickly moved to Fu Yuxin's side, enveloping her in a comforting embrace. "It's okay, Yuxin. I-I shouldn't ha—" she began, her voice a whisper, but Fu Yuxin cut her off.

"It's alright... I've been enduring this for far too long, sister," Fu Yuxin responded, leaning into the hug. Her sobs were muffled against Chen Meili's shoulder, finding comfort in the presence of someone who understood, who offered care without judgment.

That day marked a turning point for Fu Yuxin. She made the decisive choice to drop out of university and sever all ties with a family that had shown no inclination to seek the truth before passing judgment.