Did I Succeed in Redeeming the Villain Today? - Chapter 24

Chapter 24: “You are Human, Right?”

The night was silent, and warm beams of light enveloped the ward.

Black fur and mist seemed to coat Mu Qiuyu’s vision in a white haze, flickering in and out of focus with the kitten’s breath. Suddenly, it ignited a spark in Mu Qiuyu’s slightly lowered eyes.

Lu Ning’s move was unannounced; she caught Mu Qiuyu completely off guard. The kitten was covered in the scent of disinfectant, which rushed into Mu Qiuyu’s nostrils. Just as she was about to find the smell unpleasant, a lingering note of sun-baked warmth emerged. It struck Mu Qiuyu’s heart with precision. She felt as if a paw had reached in and given it a tug, causing her heart to skip a beat.

Mischief is the nature of a cat. Yet Mu Qiuyu had never felt like this before. She actually tolerated Lu Ning’s brash intimacy, simply staring into those crystalline blue eyes. That color, which she once despised so intensely, had walked right into her own pupils.

Mu Qiuyu felt that Lu Ning telling her “I’m back” was so human-like. She didn’t seem like a System at all.

Tinkle.

Suddenly, a faint sound rang out in the quiet space. The kitten’s ears twitched sensitively. Lu Ning withdrew her affection and looked down to find the source of the sound around her neck.

Unaware of the impact her actions had on Mu Qiuyu, Lu Ning was entirely distracted by the gold lock: “Host, isn’t this your gold lock?”

Hearing the question, Mu Qiuyu gave a very cold “Mm.” She composed her emotions and reached out to flick the safety lock on Lu Ning’s neck. “It was a bit short, but it fits you perfectly.”

Mu Qiuyu’s voice was casual, and her expression remained indifferent. Lu Ning looked up curiously, her gaze naturally landing on Mu Qiuyu’s neck. Having just survived a near-death experience, Mu Qiuyu was still wearing her school uniform. Her shirt collar was wide open where the buttons had been torn off by the man in the suit. The fluorescent lights cast a warm white glow over her slender neck.

The small gold lock hung loosely on the kitten’s neck. Lu Ning estimated the circumference of Mu Qiuyu’s neck and felt it wasn’t much thicker than her own chubby kitten neck. However, the fact that Mu Qiuyu gave her this—did it mean the distance between them had closed?

She had traded a near-death experience for this outcome. Not bad. I’d do it again, Lu Ning determined internally. She looked down at the lock that symbolized their deepening bond, feeling a happiness she hadn’t felt in a long time.

Recovering quickly, the kitten’s body felt incredibly light. Lu Ning paced around the small ward with her little gold lock, showing off to Mu Qiuyu: “Host, do I look good? Doesn’t this lock suit me perfectly?”

Did she look good? Mu Qiuyu found it hard to call it “good.” Although Lu Ning had repaired her body, the doctor’s treatments were still there. Her short front leg and tail were encased in casts, completely restricting her movements. The stiff, fixed look made her “showing off” appear quite hilarious.

Under the light, Mu Qiuyu leaned against the doorframe, watching Lu Ning boast. Her eyes were still cold, yet a smile slowly emerged—a smile that shouldn’t exist in a Host-System relationship. Or perhaps, in this second, Mu Qiuyu didn’t see the kitten as her System.

“Miss Mu, would you like to…”

Just as Lu Ning was flaunting her gold lock, the doctor pushed the door open. Seeing the scene, she stopped mid-sentence.

“The kitten is awake?” The doctor was overjoyed to see Lu Ning standing and walked over quickly.

“Yes,” Mu Qiuyu nodded. She regained her composure before the doctor approached, so even Lu Ning didn’t notice the change in her eyes. The Host remained as impassive as ever, lying: “She just woke up and is still a bit unsteady.”

Lu Ning took the hint immediately. Following Mu Qiuyu’s lead, she dragged her cast-bound leg, wobbled a few steps, and then collapsed back onto the padded floor, looking weak and exhausted.

“This is already amazing,” the doctor said, looking at the kitten and then at the monitor data. The miraculous numbers displayed a perfect recovery; all vitals were normal. Stunned, she called it: “This is nothing short of a medical miracle!”

Mu Qiuyu saw through Lu Ning’s over-performance, and Lu Ning sheepishly tucked her head in. The kitten’s “mighty” spirit deflated instantly, like a scorched caramel puff.

Mu Qiuyu sighed silently. What had happened couldn’t be changed, so she provided cover: “Perhaps it’s because she’s young, her recovery speed is fast. When I first found her, I felt she had a strong ability to heal.”

“That’s possible.” With a case to back it up, the doctor nodded slowly. After all, who would suspect the kitten wasn’t a real cat? In this situation, rationalization was the only path.

“I’ll do one more checkup to make sure she’s truly out of danger,” the doctor said, still worried it might be a temporary “rally” before death.

“Thank you,” Mu Qiuyu nodded, moving away from the door. As the monitors were removed and the kitten brushed past her owner, no one heard Mu Qiuyu whisper “Keep acting” to Lu Ning. No one saw Lu Ning wink back confidently. This was a secret shared between the two of them in the deep, sleepless night.

The lights in the exam room came on again. Lu Ning was placed on the table. She had modified the equipment data beforehand to show that while she wasn’t fully recovered, she was no longer in life-threatening danger.

Everything went smoothly until the end, when Lu Ning was carried out by the doctor looking utterly dejected.

“Meow~ (Host).” Lu Ning went limp in the doctor’s arms and gave Mu Qiuyu a listless look.

Mu Qiuyu tightened up, thinking something had gone wrong: “Is there an issue with the exam?”

The doctor smiled and shook her head. “No.” She lifted Lu Ning to show Mu Qiuyu the kitten’s belly. “To do the exam, we had to shave her belly fur. She wasn’t cooperating, so I gave her a little anesthesia.”

“Meow~”

As the human spoke, Lu Ning let out a weak, matching cry. She truly couldn’t accept this reality. Even in the arms of the fragrant doctor, her big tail kept curling toward her belly. She struggled to hide her now-bald tummy.

To protect her fur, Lu Ning had been dodging the clippers, only to be ambushed by a gas mask. She had lost all resistance. Heaven knows how desperate it felt to lie on that cold table, watching the razor shave her belly while being too weak to fight.

She wasn’t a real cat—that was her precious belly! Her privacy! Without her fur, Lu Ning felt the air was cold, and her confidence had vanished. How was she supposed to capture hearts for Mu Qiuyu now?

“Ugh…” Lu Ning felt she had sacrificed too much for this career. She wanted cat treats! Dried fish! Wait, no—she was a human! She wanted ten cups of milk tea to heal her wounded soul!

The anesthesia numbed her guard. In her daze, she didn’t hear the amusement in Mu Qiuyu’s voice.

“So that’s it,” Mu Qiuyu said. She found Lu Ning’s resistance to shaving funny, but she also found her own earlier tension amusing. Even if the truth came out and she was taken away for study, Mu Qiuyu might even make some money out of it. When did I become so afraid of losing her?

Just then, a faint call came from her ear. The kitten in the doctor’s arms reached out, seemingly desperate to return to her.

“Oh my, you really can’t wait, can you?” The doctor petted Lu Ning gently and handed her over.

Still under the influence of anesthesia, Lu Ning’s actions followed her emotions. Feeling herself moved from the doctor’s arms to Mu Qiuyu’s, she caught that familiar floral scent and relaxed naturally against her. Then, clutching her bald belly, she continued her “self-isolation.”

The tiny kitten curled into a ball of soft, black fluff. Mu Qiuyu held her familiarly, her fingers once again entangled by the kitten’s tail. The feeling was even stronger than it had been at the factory.

Mu Qiuyu realized Lu Zero was entirely dependent on her. She was needed by her System. She no longer had to worry about her System leaving her.

“She really is clingy with you,” the doctor smiled at the scene.

“Yes, very clingy,” Mu Qiuyu replied calmly, with a hint of a smile.

“In that case, take her home,” the doctor declared, holding the report. “The exam shows she is out of danger. There’s no need for hospitalization. Small animals heal better in familiar environments. Just watch the wounds; she should recover her energy soon.”

“Alright, thank you.” Mu Qiuyu nodded, then added: “Could you please print the itemized bill? I will settle the balance within three days.”

The doctor blinked. “Balance?” She pulled out the receipt. “Your aunt already settled the bill and pre-paid 10,000 yuan. It’s more than enough for the exams and medicine.”

Mu Jingqin’s action was entirely unexpected. Mu Qiuyu looked down at the sulking Lu Ning in her arms and understood. This guy achieved her goal.

After a long night, this was a great result. Mu Qiuyu nodded to the doctor, her voice neutral. “Thank you.”

Mu Qiuyu walked out of the hospital with the kitten. On the horizon, a sliver of sunlight broke through, and the dim world began to wake up. The world was waking, but the one in her arms…

Mu Qiuyu looked down and tapped the curled-up Lu Ning. “Lu Zero, how long do you plan to stay like this?”

The cold wind was blocked by the thick fur, and Lu Ning pressed her head harder against Mu Qiuyu’s chest. Still loopy from the anesthesia, she burrowed into Mu Qiuyu’s arms and mumbled through the telepathic link: “I’m staying like this until my belly fur grows back…”

“Aren’t you a System? You can grow it back whenever you want.” Mu Qiuyu was helpless, kindly reminding the drugged Lu Ning.

“Ugh… who told you I’m a System?” Lu Ning was dazed, thinking Mu Qiuyu was tricking her. “I’m not a System!”

“You’re not a System?” Mu Qiuyu stared at the “ball” in her arms, her voice rising slightly.

“Hmph!” Lu Ning looked up with a bit of pride. The anesthesia limited her brain to one thought. Lu Ning remembered how Mu Qiuyu was usually the one with all the secrets; she was thrilled to finally have Mu Qiuyu confused. “And I bet you’ll never guess what I am!”

Mu Qiuyu, seeing the kitten’s smug face, suddenly felt playful. Her cold voice sounded like a kind warning: “Lu Zero, you’ve already lost to me once.”

“Again!” Lu Ning felt her previous loss was a fluke. Reminded of it, her desire to bet grew stronger.

The Mu Qiuyu of her previous life had never seen such rich emotions in a System. She looked at the kitten—or rather, the System—her dark eyes deep and sharp, as if she had already dissected the creature.

“You are human, right?”

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