Chapter 13: Beast, or Worse Than a Beast?
The moment Wu Yifan stepped into Infinity KTV, he sensed something was off. The air hummed with tension—hostesses glanced at him, their whispers trailing off as he passed, their eyes wide with a mix of shock and judgment. He frowned, scanning the room. *What did I do this time?*
"Wu Yifan! Get up here!"
Ye Xiwen's voice cut through the murmur, sharp with anger. He looked up to find her at the top of the stairs, arms crossed, her pretty face flushed with irritation. That stare—cold, accusing—sent a chill down his spine.
He climbed the stairs slowly, aware of every eye on him. The hostesses' whispers grew louder:
"Disgusting… using a kid like that."
"Beast! No wonder they call him that behind his back."
"Poor girl… sixteen, and already—"
Wu's confusion deepened. *Kid? What kid?*
"Explain yourself," Ye snapped, stepping aside to let him pass.
"Explain what?" he asked, but his voice faltered when he saw the figure in his security booth.
There she was—the teenage girl from the alley.
Same messy ponytail, same sharp eyes, same stubborn set to her jaw. But today, her cheeks were streaked with tears, her eyes red and puffy. She looked like a kicked puppy.
"What are you doing here?" Wu blurted, too stunned to think.
The girl launched herself at him, sobbing. "Brother Fan! I'm pregnant with your child! What am I gonna do?"
*Silence.*
Wu froze. Ye's gaze bored into him, so hot he half-expected to burst into flames. The hostesses gasped, their hands flying to their mouths.
"N-no," Wu stammered, stepping back. "We met *once*. You can't—"
"Once?" The girl wailed, clutching her stomach. "What do you mean 'once'? Don't you remember that night? I gave you everything… and now you won't even look at me! Am I that repulsive?"
Wu stared at her midsection. Sure enough, her shirt stretched slightly—like there was something underneath. *Pregnant?* This had to be a joke. A very, very bad joke.
"Ye, she's lying," he said, but his voice shook. "I've been at the KTV every night—"
"Lying?" Ye's laugh was bitter. "Why would a kid lie about something like this? Her reputation? Her future? You're a monster, Wu Yifan."
"I'm not!" He turned to the girl. "What's your name? Why are you doing this?"
"M沐小夭 (Mu Xiaoyao)," she sniffled. "And I'm not lying! We love each other—"
"Love?" Wu scoffed. "You're sixteen! I'm a stranger!"
"Stranger? You called me beautiful that night! You said—"
"Enough!" Ye held up a hand. She marched over to Mu Xiaoyao, her fingers prodding gently at the girl's stomach. "That's not a baby bump. What is it?"
Mu Xiaoyao paled. Ye's eyes narrowed, and with one quick tug, she pulled up the girl's shirt—revealing a folded sweatshirt stuffed under the fabric.
*Click.*
Everything made sense.
Ye dropped the shirt, her lips pressed into a thin line. "You think this is funny? Lying about something like this? In my KTV?"
Mu Xiaoyao's lower lip trembled. "I… I just wanted to see him. He ran away, and I—"
"Ran away?" Wu exploded. "You followed me! You lied about being pregnant! What's wrong with you?"
"I need to learn from you!" she shouted back, tears spilling again. "My dad… he owes gangsters money. They're gonna hurt him. I saw how strong you are—you could help! I didn't know what else to do!"
Silence again. This time, it was softer—tinged with pity.
Ye sighed, rubbing her temples. "Gangsters? That's what this is about?"
Mu Xiaoyao nodded, sniffling. "They want 50,000 yuan by next week. I thought… if you liked me, you'd help. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset anyone."
Wu stared at her, a mix of anger and sympathy churning in his gut. Stupid? Yes. Desperate? Definitely. But… he got it. When you're backed into a corner, you do crazy things.
Ye crossed her arms, but her tone softened. "You can't go around lying like that, kid. It's not a game." She glanced at Wu. "And you—stop running from people. It makes you look guilty."
Wu grunted. *Easy for you to say.*
Mu Xiaoyao hung her head. "I'm sorry, Brother Fan. I'm sorry, Sister Ye. I'll leave."
"Wait." Wu found himself speaking before he could think. "50,000 yuan? That's all?"
Her head shot up. "Y-yeah. But it's a lot, I know—"
"I'll help," he said.
Ye raised an eyebrow. "You will? How? You don't have that kind of money."
Wu shrugged. "I know people. Maybe. But you—" He pointed at Mu Xiaoyao. "No more lies. Deal?"
She nodded, a tiny smile breaking through the tears. "Deal."
Ye sighed, but there was a hint of amusement in her eyes. "Fine. But if you pull something like this again, I'm calling the cops. Both of you."
Mu Xiaoyao nodded, wiping her face. "Thank you. Both of you."
As she left, the hostesses dispersed, their whispers now laced with relief. Wu collapsed into his chair, exhaustion washing over him.
Ye leaned against the doorframe, watching him. "You're a weird guy, Wu Yifan."
"Good weird or bad weird?"
She smiled. "We'll see. But for now? Not *beast* weird. That's a start."
Wu laughed, the first genuine laugh in hours.
Maybe, just maybe, things were starting to look up.
Outside, the sun peeked through the clouds, casting a warm glow over the KTV. Mu Xiaoyao skipped down the street, her mission half-accomplished.
And Wu Yifan? He leaned back, staring at his watch. 1 enhancement point left.
Enough, for now.
Whatever came next—gangsters, lies, or Ye's stupid gathering—he'd handle it.
One step at a time.