After several days of careful care, Wanzi, who had been little more than skin and bones, finally had a bit of healthy padding over her ribs. Her temper had softened significantly as well. When she was with Xiao Dou, she even seemed to resonate with the bird, interacting in a strange, beastly way—tilting her head at the same angles and letting out low, rhythmic huffs that mirrored the chicken's own sounds.
But Jing Shu felt uneasy as she watched them from the porch. Wanzi was still human, after all. Even though the overconsumption of the crimson liquid had caused regression and mutation, robbing her of her reasoning and speech, deep down she was still a person. Jing Shu worried that if Wanzi spent too much time mimicking Xiao Dou, she might end up like a werewolf or an ape-man, lost forever to her animal instincts.
Right now, she didn't dare give Wanzi any more crimson liquid or black liquid. Those stimulants could change her in unpredictable ways. Until Jing Shu fully understood the chemical effects on a regressed human body, she couldn't plan her next steps.
So what to do? She had considered taking her home for a few days, but Grandma Jing couldn't bear to see a child in such a state. If the old woman got emotionally attached to her, it would be a big problem when it came time for Wanzi to leave.
As she was fretting over the situation, she saw Hao Yunlai standing by the villa gate. He looked as dazed as ever, his gaze fixed on the pitch-black sky with a blank, distant expression.
Jing An chuckled as he pulled the car to a stop. "These past few days, we have had Hao Yunlai to thank. I don't know what kind of weird luck this kid has. We ran into some strange things while you were gone, but somehow everything turned out fine. It should have been a disaster, but then nothing happened. It's weird, right?"
He scratched his head, thinking back on the incidents. It was true; things were strange. If Hao Yunlai hadn't shown up, maybe nothing would happen. But when he came around, something always did—and somehow, it never affected the family in the end. It was as if his presence absorbed the misfortune before it could land.
Jing Shu laughed softly. That was just his constitution, weird as it was. She had heard rumors that he had caused an entire family's death, and yet the spirits of that family supposedly clung to him. Sometimes he would even talk to the empty air as if someone were standing right there. She had never seen any of these ghostly tales herself, but right now, it felt a little creepy seeing him tilt his head as if he were chatting with multiple people all at once.
Hao Yunlai came over every so often, partly to receive the diluted Spirit Spring that eased his physical strain, and partly to help out with chores at the villa. Grandma Jing liked this big boy. He was always a bit spaced out, but he was obedient and hardworking every time he helped in the garden.
When the car stopped in front of him, the still-drowsy Hao Yunlai finally realized they had arrived. His eyes widened with surprise and a touch of grievance. "You are finally back. I have been feeling… off lately."
Jing Shu opened the door and nudged Xiao Dou out. "You are a grown-up chicken now, it's time to work." She started hauling down the packages from the trunk and asked, "What has been off with you?"
Had he somehow absorbed a bit of crimson energy too, causing some form of regression? She wondered for a second if he would turn into an ape, but he looked normal enough, just a bit disheveled.
Hao Yunlai blushed, looking embarrassed as he struggled to find the words. At that moment, Wanzi suddenly dashed over from the shadows of the porch. She wrapped her arms around his leg and refused to let go, burying her face in his trousers.
"What the hell?"
She sent her father to arrange the unloading while she turned to look closer. Wanzi had always been insecure and skittish. Ever since losing her reasoning, aside from being close to Jing Shu or Xiao Dou, she had never been affectionate toward anyone. During the entire trip, she had always bared her teeth at strangers. This sudden closeness was extreme.
Wanzi squeaked in what seemed like another language, a series of rapid, high-pitched vocalizations that even Jing Shu as a beast-tamer couldn't fully understand. However, it was clear she had found a profound sense of safety in Hao Yunlai.
Hao Yunlai was startled too, his body tensing up. But then his expression shifted to one of quiet surprise. He reached down and patted Wanzi's messy head. "She smells like me… she has used that energy too?"
Jing Shu nodded, watching them. "She overused it. That's why she lost her senses."
Hao Yunlai became serious. At that moment, his usual lazy aura vanished. His lifeless eyes cleared, and his curly hair, combined with his sudden focus, made him look unexpectedly handsome. "This could be regression. Lately, I have noticed some strange actions in myself too."
"Strange actions? What kind? Like what?" Jing Shu studied him from head to toe, looking for signs of fur or claws.
Hao Yunlai squirmed awkwardly, acting shy like a young girl, which made Jing Shu both anxious and curious. What kind of beastly behavior was this? Finally, he found a way to change the subject. "I think… she sees me as a mom."
Jing Shu blinked, the image of the tall, curly-haired man as a "mother" failing to compute.
"This kid, I named her Wanzi. She is a girl and an orphan. During her testing in the capital, she overused the energy and lost her reasoning. I saw those people treat her like a burden, trying to quietly get rid of her, so I saved her," Jing Shu explained.
"Wanzi, huh? She is adorable. It must have scared the hell out of her. So… what do you plan to do with her?" Hao Yunlai looked at her quietly, his eyes glinting with a rare clarity.
"I'm not sure yet," Jing Shu admitted.
"How about I take care of her?" Hao Yunlai said.
"You? A grown man… can you handle it?" Jing Shu asked skeptically.
"It's fine. Wanzi thinks of me as a mom. Even if I can't manage everything, I can ask my mom and my sister—they will help. They all like Wanzi already. She smells like me, and being with her might even ease my own condition. Don't worry. I will report back regularly and make sure she is well cared for."
Jing Shu had known Hao Yunlai for years, and this was the first time he had spoken so much and so seriously. She trusted his character. She was also struggling with how to handle Wanzi's human needs. If their powers were linked by that strange energy, the two of them were essentially the same kind of person now. It was better than being with her and Xiao Dou.
She ignored the part about him asking his mom for help; he always said silly things about his invisible family. "Alright, she can stay with you for a while. Let's see if it helps her."
Hao Yunlai walked off toward his own place with Wanzi. Technically, Wanzi clung to his leg like a little monkey clutching its mother, moving with him in total security. Jing Shu had given Hao Yunlai plenty of Wanzi's daily necessities: clothes, warm coats, food, and high-protein formula. The girl needed the nutrition to stabilize.
After sending them off and finishing the unloading, Jing Shu realized Xiao Dou had already brought her luggage back inside, seeking cuddles and comfort. Meanwhile, Xiao Guagua had disappeared from sight. The tiny bird was now nestled in Grandma Jing's arms, being called a "little darling" with every tiny bite of food it was offered.
Jing Shu rubbed her temple as she watched the tiny bird cuddle into the old woman's knitted sweater. "Grandma, Xiao Guagua is male."
Male. What did that even mean?