Deviant: No Longer Human

This was no ordinary reception.

The girls before her seemed too perfect, too refined, for such a simple task as meeting them at the airport.

But there was no turning back now.

"Good evening, Madam Xinyue," Xiao Yue began, her tone both professional and friendly, yet sweet, like a ripe fruit. "I'm Xiao Yue, CEO of Frost & Flames Events International. This is our first event here in Frostgard, and I wanted to personally ensure that everything is perfect."

She gestured to the girl beside her, hesitating for a brief moment. "This is my sister, Xiao Xi. She doesn't talk much, but she's here to help..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

The air around them seemed to still as the seconds stretched into silence.

Xiao Xi stood there, her cold expression making her look like a statue carved from ice.

The chill in the atmosphere only heightened the tension, as if the frost around them was seeping into the air.

But then, in the biting cold, Wenxi's cheeks flushed a soft pink, and her icy demeanor slowly morphed into a small smile.

It was a smile that, though subtle, was like a refreshing cold breeze on a hot day—satisfying and pleasant.

The smile was delicate, almost shy, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

Other than a polite nod, she remained silent, her gaze drifting over the group, her eyes sharp and curious as they scanned the crowd with a hint of caution.

"Wenxi..." Xiao Yue's voice crackled slightly, her expression twitching with exasperation.

She couldn't help but scold her cold sister internally.

Would it hurt her to once grace these mortals with her voice?

Yue was really helpless when it came to Wenxi.

Her sister's interest in anyone other than Wang Xiao was almost nonexistent—not even worth her words.

Yet, at this moment, Yue was unsure of the identities of the people before them.

She knew they were related to Wang Xiao, and that alone meant she had to give some face.

Xinyue Zhilan quickly picked up on the tension and, with a practiced ease, stepped in to smooth over the awkwardness. "Thank you, Miss Xiao Yue. It's a pleasure to meet you both. I appreciate the personal attention," she said, her tone warm and polite.

But even as she spoke, Xinyue Zhilan couldn't shake the uncomfortable feeling of being scrutinized.

She glanced over at Wenxi, who was staring directly at her son with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine.

Wenxi's eyes were like daggers, piercing with a frosty sharpness that made Zhilan uneasy.

"Could we please proceed to the designated accommodation?" Xinyue Zhilan quickly added, her voice taking on a slightly nervous edge. "My daughters and son aren't used to this cold weather, and we might as well become popsicles if we stay out here much longer."

She ended with a charming laugh, attempting to ease the tension.

"Hm." Yue nodded as she caught sight of two more figures emerging from the plane ramp in the distance.

Her sharp eyes, trained to see with remarkable clarity, recognized the familiar faces instantly.

"Ummm... Wenxi, guide the guests to the cars. I need to go and greet Dad—uh?" She started to instruct her sister, but when she turned around, she found that Wenxi had already taken off.

All Yue could see were the back of Wenxi's legs, walking briskly with small, subtle steps that hinted at an unusual joy.

"..."

Yue didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

The only time she had ever seen Wenxi this excited was when Wang Xiao was nearby.

That thought alone made her glance quickly at the man who had been pretending to be her father.

Earlier, she had been suspicious, but now she was certain—this wasn't him.

But then, if the real Wang Xiao was just now coming out of the plane, who was this imposter?

'Who is this cheapskate imposter?' she wondered, her mind already working to piece together the puzzle.

The others standing nearby were more surprised, having witnessed Wenxi's sudden change in demeanor firsthand.

However, Yue's words quickly cleared up their confusion, and all eyes turned in unison toward the plane, straining to see the figures that Yue had mentioned.

Most of them couldn't make out the details with their naked eyes, except for one.

The imposter Wang Xiao stood there, his eyes wide and his face drained of all color.

His expression was one of pure disbelief and growing dread.

He seemed frozen in place, as if the ground beneath him had suddenly become unstable.

And then, something even more bizarre happened.

A charming flight attendant, recognizable by her fluttering platinum blonde hair, leaped from the plane ramp with a wide, joyful grin.

"Hehe~!"

Her jump was high and effortless, covering several meters in a single bound.

Gasp!

Xinyue Zhilan covered her mouth in surprise as she watched the flight attendant soar through the air, her expression one of pure shock.

"Wohoo~!" the woman cheered, her voice filled with excitement. She landed gracefully just a few meters away, her arms immediately wrapping around the neck of the man who had stepped out of the plane before her.

(⁠-⁠_⁠-⁠メ⁠), Yue groaned, grabbing her head and covering her eyes as if trying to shield herself from the embarrassment.

She pointed weakly in the direction of the spectacle. "That's... our mom. Please don't mind her," she mumbled, wishing the ground would open up and swallow her whole.

"We for sure don't..." Wang Xueying spoke up, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Ah?" Yue's ears perked up at Xueying's words, but before she could react, Wang Jiarong grabbed Xueying's hand hard, causing her to wince in pain.

"Ow! What was that for?" Xueying complained, rubbing her hand.

But Jiarong's expression was dead serious.

Yue, however, was more curious than embarrassed now. "When did Mom return from the mines?" she wondered aloud, her curiosity piqued.

"Mines?"

"Mines?"

Multiple surprised glances were cast toward Yue.

The idea of owning a company was one thing, but owning a mine?

That was a whole different level of wealth.

One could go bankrupt with a failing business, but a mine could feed generations.

Yue didn't bother to clarify, though.

She knew the truth—that her father indeed owned multiple mines across the world.

But explaining the details wasn't necessary. Instead, she turned and started walking toward Anran and Wang Xiao, who were now the center of attention.

It was true; Anran had been sent to work at one of those mines.

After leaving Xianthera, thier mother had been causing too much trouble, so Wang Xiao had dispatched Anran to a mine in Africa with a daunting task—to harvest an entire mountain.

Yue had been surprised, perhaps even impressed, when Anran had managed to do it in under a month.

It made her realize that, despite her mother's eccentricities, she was indeed capable!

But as Yue approached them, her cheeks flushed with shame.

Anran had not released Wang Xiao's neck; instead, she had somehow managed to keep her grip while spinning her body around in a circular motion, as if using her Wang Xiao as a human carousel.

"Embarrassing..." Yue muttered under her breath, feeling the overwhelming urge to hide her face and disappear.

The sight of her mother treating their father like a joyride was mortifying, to say the least.

Wang Xiao's eyes were closed in subtle annoyance, his expression one of long-suffering patience as Anran swung around him, completely oblivious to the spectacle she was creating.

It was clear he was used to her, but that didn't make it any less irritating.

Wenxi stood nearby, her usual composure shaken as she hesitated, her lips opening and closing as if trying to find the right words.

She awkwardly shifted her position, carefully avoiding Anran's spinning form to prevent getting hit.