Did I Succeed in Redeeming the Villain Today? - Chapter 34

Chapter 34: Lu Ning Circles Her in Her Arms

A gust of wind blew outside the window, splashing light into the shooting range. The silver-bright barrel of the gun pressed against the boy’s uneven forehead, tirelessly reminding him of what danger felt like.

This was Guanghua High School, a top-tier private school in the province. Everyone present knew that no one would be insane enough to commit murder here; they watched Lu Ning’s silhouette with something akin to admiration. Though Lu Ning’s stance was a bit amateurish, it didn’t stop her from exuding charisma.

Mu Qiuyu had molded this body with the most superior proportions. The denim fabric traced straight down Lu Ning’s parted long legs, drawing a sharp, elongated line in everyone’s sight. Sunlight filtered between the onlookers and Lu Ning, plating her profile in a brilliant layer of gold. Her brow was sharp, and her high, straight nose cast a small shadow that even the light couldn’t melt—cold, like a freshly drawn blade.

“I won’t ever do it again,” Gao Yuan said in despair. His dignity was already in tatters; he only wanted this ordeal to end.

As his voice fell, Lu Ning gave him a long, deep look. Her lowered gaze was like a branding iron, searing itself into Gao Yuan’s heart. It ensured that every time he thought of mocking Mu Qiuyu in the future, he would remember today, and that handgun—his own gun—that had almost blown his head off.

The System provided feedback in Lu Ning’s vision: “Gao Yuan will no longer verbally mock Mu Qiuyu.” Lu Ning let the matter drop, turned around, and placed the gun back in its original spot. By now, quite a few students had gathered in the range.

Facing the collective gaze, Lu Ning walked up to Mu Qiuyu.

“Let’s go. I’m hungry.” Her voice held a hint of helplessness and a touch of grievance. The person who had just radiated an overwhelming aura was now like an obedient puppy, wagging her tail at the girl standing by the door.

Mu Qiuyu looked at the shadow falling over her head, and the coldness in her pupils thawed slightly. She looked up at Pei Yinyue and requested leave: “We’re going to get some food. I’d like to request an hour’s leave.”

“Go ahead,” Pei Yinyue nodded warmly, choosing not to pursue Lu Ning’s earlier actions. Mu Qiuyu needed someone to stand up for her. Moreover, this person was her “sister.”

Once the morning rush hour passed, the foot traffic on the snack street thinned out. Steam continued to billow from the bun shop, thick mists drifting like clouds from the chimney, carrying various delicious scents. When the wind blew, the fragrance traveled for miles.

Lu Ning brought Mu Qiuyu to the shop. The moment she pushed the door open, the hot aroma of buns hit her, making her exclaim: “It smells so good! I’m going to have a feast!”

But just as Lu Ning made her grand declaration, she heard a familiar call: “Qiuyu!”

Lu Ning and Mu Qiuyu stopped in unison, their similar pupils turning toward the source of the voice. Seated behind a table stacked with several bamboo steamers was a girl waving enthusiastically at Mu Qiuyu, her eyes sparkling with laughter. Li Xiang, who was supposed to be at a club activity, was sitting there devouring buns.

“Li Xiang?” Perhaps too surprised, Lu Ning called out the name before Mu Qiuyu could.

Hearing a stranger call her name, Li Xiang froze. “Do you know me?”

Lu Ning froze as well. Her tongue had slipped; she forgot she wasn’t a kitten anymore—Li Xiang didn’t know her at all. Her brain whirred faster than ever as she explained: “I… I’ve heard Qiuyu mention you often.” She glanced at Mu Qiuyu beside her, forcing a calm smile. “You’re Qiuyu’s current desk-mate, Li Xiang, right?”

“Oh, so you’re Qiuyu’s friend!” Hearing the explanation, Li Xiang’s wariness vanished instantly. She even felt a sense of pride hearing that Mu Qiuyu talked about her.

“No, I’m her sister,” Lu Ning corrected, keeping her role in mind. She waved her hand. “I’m Qiuyu’s older cousin.”

Lu Ning did a good job this time—no slips, no suspicion. However, she didn’t notice Mu Qiuyu’s gaze pause slightly when she denied being her “friend.”

“Cousin?” Li Xiang tilted her head, looking at the two standing together and speaking bluntly. “I thought Qiuyu looked older.”

“Really?” Lu Ning was indignant. She was a 25-year-old teacher from the 21st century; how could she look younger than Mu Qiuyu? To maintain her dignity, she stood closer to Mu Qiuyu and prompted Li Xiang: “Look closer.”

As she spoke, Mu Qiuyu felt a current of air lean toward her. The sun shone directly on Lu Ning’s figure; the light was dense and warm, and she carried a very pleasant scent.

“It’s the aura,” Li Xiang laughed, pulling Mu Qiuyu’s thoughts back before they could wander too deep. “Qiuyu’s aura is just too strong.”

“Well, she started school a year late. This child had poor health when she was young, and her mother felt bad for her. But a November birthday isn’t actually that ‘old’ in her grade,” Lu Ning replied with a smile, naturally reciting the details she remembered about Mu Qiuyu.

The daylight was gentle through a layer of mist, falling softly on Mu Qiuyu as the girl’s silhouette passed by. This was something Mu Qiuyu had never expected—that Lu Ning would be so familiar with her information. She knew Lu Ning was a System. But in her eyes, this System was quite unreliable. Yet the words just now were spoken so naturally.

It was as if she understood her deeply. Should she understand her this well? How well did she actually know her? The sun pressing against the window frame shone into Mu Qiuyu’s pupils, making her gaze appear obscure.

Lu Ning, however, paid no attention to Mu Qiuyu’s look; her eyes were fixed entirely on the buns on Li Xiang’s table. “Do you eat here often? Are these good?” The hunger pangs in her stomach were stirring.

“Delicious!” Li Xiang nodded vigorously. Sharing a foodie’s resonance, Li Xiang immediately pushed her steamers toward Lu Ning. “Try some! Their pure pork xiao long bao and crab-roe soup buns are amazing—freshly made and steamed!”

“Also the duck blood vermicelli soup! I saw them bring in fresh duck blood this morning. You have to add extra vinegar and pepper; it’s incredibly savory!”

“I’ll take one of everything!” Lu Ning felt shy about eating Li Xiang’s food directly, so she pulled out her phone and scanned the QR code to order.

Soon, fragrant xiao long bao, soup buns, and duck blood vermicelli soup were served. Lu Ning quickly gathered her hair into a small bun at the back of her head and eagerly began her first official meal in this world.

Mu Qiuyu truly hadn’t expected that a person’s eating habits could be described as “terrible.” She only blinked, and a bun that was in Lu Ning’s hand vanished, reappearing in her mouth. A bun that Mu Qiuyu would take four or five bites to finish was gone in just two bites for Lu Ning. Mu Qiuyu remembered she hadn’t set a “foodie” trait for Lu Ning; to her, food was just for survival, and appetite wasn’t important…

“Kid, devouring your food is the greatest respect you can pay to a meal. Don’t worry so much about your image; big bites taste better.”

A voice so old it was almost worn away by time rang abruptly in Mu Qiuyu’s ear. It was shrouded in white mist, flickering along with the ambient noise of the shop. She didn’t know who said it, but it carried a mysterious sense of familiarity.

At first, Mu Qiuyu thought it was Lu Ning speaking to her. But Lu Ning was busy eating one bun after another; she had no time for talking. The hot buns in Mu Qiuyu’s fingers slowly grew cold. She stared at Lu Ning’s face for a long time. This person was enjoying the food, but the hairstyle she had designed wasn’t very practical. A few stray strands on the side of her face wouldn’t stay up, falling down every few bites.

Whenever this happened, Lu Ning’s smooth face would wrinkle in a slight frown, and she would tuck the hair back with her hand, clearly not enjoying her meal to the fullest.

“…”

Silently, Lu Ning’s hair fell again. Just as Lu Ning prepared to wipe her hand to fix it for the fourth time, another hand took over. Cool fingertips brushed against her skin, easily pinning back the troublesome strands. Lu Ning’s movements paused as she turned her head sluggishly.

She saw Mu Qiuyu had produced a clip from somewhere and was helping her secure her hair. Mu Qiuyu’s expression was calm, her gaze nonchalant. Yet Lu Ning’s heart stopped for a beat, then began racing like crazy. The girl’s fingers brushed past her ear, emitting a faint floral scent in the warm air. It was the warmth of another person—scalding, making the red on Lu Ning’s ear impossible to hide.

“Mind your image,” Mu Qiuyu reminded her softly.

“Ugh…” Lu Ning replied, but felt as if she were choking, unable to breathe. She quickly picked up the bowl of duck blood soup and took a massive gulp. But she still couldn’t catch her breath. It wasn’t because she was choking. It was because her heart was beating so hard it felt like it would pop out of her throat.

“Sister, will you and Qiuyu be free for the rest of the day?” Li Xiang asked, watching the slightly strange scene.

“Is something up?” Lu Ning hurried to use the distraction, looking up at Li Xiang. This girl was much easier to read than Mu Qiuyu; her eyes clearly said she needed something.

Li Xiang nodded and offered an invitation: “Our band has a performance tonight. Do you and Qiuyu want to come watch?”

“Sure!” Lu Ning nodded immediately. She loved these kinds of events. Plus, it would help Mu Qiuyu integrate into the group—why not?

“Great! I’ll save the best seats for you and Qiuyu!” Li Xiang was excited, her eyes shining. “Yinyue will be there too.”

Thinking of something, Li Xiang asked Lu Ning: “By the way, sister, do you know Yinyue? Pei Yinyue.”

“I know her. I just met her,” Lu Ning nodded, describing Pei Yinyue to Li Xiang. “Thin, tall, and a very beautiful girl.”

“Exactly!” Li Xiang nodded frantically in agreement.

“Your thoughts on her…” “Is your band performing in the small auditorium behind the school?”

Just as Li Xiang was about to pitch Pei Yinyue to Lu Ning, Mu Qiuyu’s voice rang out. The girl’s voice was cool and detached, yet she seemed quite interested. Having spent so many days together, Mu Qiuyu knew Li Xiang was easily distracted. True to form, Li Xiang immediately answered the question.

“Yes, yes!” Li Xiang wanted to promote her band to Mu Qiuyu. She exited the photo album she was about to open and played a band video instead, placing it between Lu Ning and Mu Qiuyu. “This is a video of our previous performance. The atmosphere was incredible.”

Amidst the crackling static, a burst of aggressive guitar strumming erupted from the phone. The speakers hummed; the opening was explosive. Lu Ning’s eyebrows shot up. She looked curiously at the center of the stage and realized the bass solo was being played by Li Xiang. The girl was wearing her school uniform but looked completely different from her usual self. A red-and-black bass hung from her shoulder as she manipulated the strings with abandon, confident and flamboyant.

It was hard to imagine the person who was just sitting here with her legs crossed eating xiao long bao was the same dazzling bassist on stage.

“Wow, students these days are something else,” Lu Ning said, having never seen such rich extracurricular activities in her original world. She looked at Li Xiang with surprise and delight.

“Cool, right?” Li Xiang smiled proudly.

“Very cool,” Lu Ning nodded. “This is really awesome. Have any others?”

“Of course!” Seeing Lu Ning’s interest, Li Xiang began recommending more of her videos. Energetic music played as the small area was once again dominated by metal.

Mu Qiuyu wasn’t very interested in the noisy music. She watched Lu Ning’s sparkling eyes for a moment, then stood up silently. They had only requested an hour’s leave, and time was almost up. She took her phone toward the cashier to pay. “Hello, check please, Table 4.”

“Certainly. Please show your QR code.” The server clicked the bill and pointed to the scanner.

Just as Mu Qiuyu was about to open her phone, a force pressed down from behind her. The sunlight streaming from the door dimmed slightly. Her gaze was dazed yet alert, and then she saw a slender, well-proportioned arm reach over from behind her, bracing firmly against the counter.

The sun shone on it, carrying a clean scent. Lu Ning circled Mu Qiuyu in her arms from behind and said to her with some dissatisfaction: “Hey, Mu Qiuyu, didn’t we agree that I would pay?”

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