Did I Succeed in Redeeming the Villain Today? - Chapter 40

Chapter 40: Cat-cat Loves You the Most!

The noisy ten-minute break filled the corridors outside the classroom. Students passing by laughed and played, and no one paid much attention to the suddenly somber atmosphere in Grade 11, Class 13.

Hearing the class monitor’s words, the previously lively atmosphere sank instantly. The kitten put on a look of confusion, tilting its head to observe the expressions of the people around it; every face was filled with wails and reluctance. Only Mu Qiuyu remained indifferent, rhythmically flicking Lu Ning’s tail as it dangled in front of her hand.

“Host, aren’t you worried?” Lu Ning asked, looking at Mu Qiuyu playing with her tail.

“Why should I be worried?” Mu Qiuyu rested her chin on one hand, her eyes reflecting a cold detachment from the collective. “If you aren’t allowed to stay in the class, you can turn invisible or revert to a small ball to stay by my side.”

As she spoke, she seemed to remember something. She raised her gaze slightly, looking sharply at Lu Ning: “Do you think I am the same as them?”

Mu Qiuyu never felt like she belonged with her classmates. Especially regarding this kitten, she would never categorize herself as one of their kind. She tolerated Lu Ning acting cute to people other than herself, but from beginning to end, Lu Ning belonged only to her.

Bright spring sunlight streamed through the glass, hitting the discouraged faces of those nearby. Possessiveness spread silently in Mu Qiuyu’s gaze; she felt this was for the best. This way, Lu Ning would be hers alone.

“But don’t you think it’s a pity?” Lu Ning looked at the others, expressing a different view. “Don’t you find the current atmosphere quite beautiful?”

“Beautiful?”

The unfamiliar word traveled from Lu Ning’s mouth to Mu Qiuyu’s ears. She looked at the classmates with their varying expressions. The sun scorched her vision, causing a momentary trance. Belatedly, Mu Qiuyu realized she had somehow grown used to this liveliness; even with the noise, she didn’t find it particularly irritating.

However, if this liveliness vanished, it wouldn’t be a big deal. She had lived through it in her previous life; what was there to find unbearable? While Mu Qiuyu made a silent truce within herself, Lu Ning told her firmly: “I don’t think the homeroom teacher will kill the idea with one stroke. Perhaps this is a great opportunity.”

Having gone through so much together, it was finally Mu Qiuyu’s turn to feel confused, while Lu Ning wore a look of knowing insight. Mu Qiuyu fell silent, puzzled by Lu Ning’s words.

Amidst the low mood of the classroom, Cheng Juan walked in. One look at the scene in the back and she understood perfectly. Turning on her portable amplifier, she spoke: “Alright, back to your seats. I have something to tell you.”

Except for Shi Jin, who sat up straight with her head held high, everyone else was slumped in gloom. Some students couldn’t help but plead with Cheng Juan.

“Teacher, please don’t let cat-cat go.”

“Yeah, we know we were wrong.”

“We’ll definitely listen in class from now on and never slack off.”

“That’s right, we’ll study hard!”

One voice rose, and a hundred responded. Looking at the pleading eyes of the students, Cheng Juan snorted coldly: “Too late.”

“I ask you, have you been going a bit too far these past few days? Students come to school to study; you can’t lose track of priorities. A drop in weekly test scores is a serious matter!”

“Teacher, we really know we were wrong.” “It won’t happen again! Definitely not!” “I promise I’ll get a better score on the next test!”

Everyone pleaded and swore they would no longer be distracted by play. Seeing this, Lu Ning walked toward the podium with great human-like awareness, wagging her tail at Cheng Juan: “Meow~”

The kitten’s blue eyes flickered in the sunlight, and its pitiful cry seemed to scratch at one’s heartstrings. The students’ hearts melted at the sight. Even Cheng Juan, as the primary target of Lu Ning’s strategy, almost lost her composure and failed to resist the urge to pet the cat. She clenched her hands behind the podium, desperately maintaining her stern facade.

“Fine. Since you’ve said so, I’ll give you one chance. From now on, a new class rule: after every major exam, as long as the class average remains ‘excellent,’ the cat stays. Otherwise, the cat will be taken away by me for adoption. Do you hear me?”

“We hear you!”

The moment she said this, the gloom in the class reversed instantly, and every face was filled with fighting spirit. Only two people’s expressions changed. One was Shi Jin, who had been waiting for the announcement of Lu Ning’s expulsion. The other was Mu Qiuyu, sitting in the back, casually flipping through her textbook.

Mu Qiuyu had just reached the line “I heave a long sigh to brush away my tears” when she heard Cheng Juan’s words. Her eyes snapped up. This was her cat. Her homeroom teacher actually said she would put it up for adoption?

On the podium, Cheng Juan finally couldn’t resist petting the kitten. Lu Ning accepted the human’s affection, her face wearing a smug expression as things developed steadily under her control. As a former teacher, Lu Ning knew that being cold and unyielding to students was the worst strategy. Using things the students cared about to mobilize their initiative was the best. This method wouldn’t just improve the academic atmosphere; it would make the students understand collective honor and teamwork.

The latter was especially important for Mu Qiuyu.

“Host, do you see? This is the charm of a cat,” Lu Ning’s voice came from Mu Qiuyu’s ear, tinged with pride.

Mu Qiuyu asked Lu Ning expressionlessly, “This is the ‘opportunity’ you mentioned?”

A chill wind blew toward Lu Ning, making the kitten freeze for a moment. She knew Mu Qiuyu wouldn’t understand teaching techniques. Mu Qiuyu’s concern was likely the “adoption” part Cheng Juan mentioned. This person seemed to have a persistent obsession with the idea of Lu Ning “belonging” to someone else.

Lu Ning remembered how Mu Qiuyu got incredibly angry when she flattered Pei Yinyue; if Cheng Juan really sent her away, Mu Qiuyu might turn “dark” on the spot. Although Lu Ning didn’t think she was important enough to cause Mu Qiuyu to black out, she knew she would feel even worse than last time if Mu Qiuyu started ignoring her again.

On this journey, Mu Qiuyu had lost too much. Perhaps because she had lost so much, she cared this deeply.

Lu Ning’s expression dimmed for a second, then she looked at Mu Qiuyu even more intensely: “No way! Even if the classmates can’t keep me and I’m sent for adoption, I would find my way back to you. I am wholeheartedly yours, and yours alone.”

The kitten’s tail was like a thick bunch of grass, shaking off countless beams of light in the sun. Mu Qiuyu withdrew her gaze in satisfaction and lifted a hand in the air, signaling Lu Ning to come to her.

Lu Ning left Cheng Juan’s petting without a shred of nostalgia, wagging her tail and hopping off the podium. The sturdy kitten jumped back onto Mu Qiuyu’s lap, rubbing its small head against Mu Qiuyu’s hand: “Meow~ (Cat-cat loves you the most!)”

Lu Ning’s voice was soft and sweet, stepping right onto Mu Qiuyu’s heart. Mu Qiuyu reached out and played with the kitten’s ears, letting out an ambiguous laugh: “Little cat, do you even know what love is?”

“Of course.” Lu Ning tilted her head, stating her “love” proudly but insincerely to Mu Qiuyu: “Love is: ‘The system shall satisfy all requirements of the host.'”

Hearing this, the smile in Mu Qiuyu’s eyes deepened. She knew. She wasn’t a system.

The teaching building remained lazy and loud during the break, but the atmosphere in Class 13 was exceptionally tense. The “Cat Defense War” began that morning, and a countdown was started after Cheng Juan announced the new rule. With the midterm exams sixteen days away, many students were working hard to catch up on missed material.

Lu Ning hadn’t expected to trigger such fiery determination. Standing on the windowsill watching the students study at their desks, she thought they looked incredibly cute. As the one being protected, Lu Ning was extra considerate, delivering “kitten warmth” to the students. Whenever she saw a student take a break, she would hop onto their desk, offering comfort with her big tail and small head.

By the end of the break, Lu Ning felt her fur had been petted so much it was losing its luster. The kitten dragged its tired body back, only to see Li Xiang biting her ballpoint pen and staring at a physics problem as if it were a mortal enemy.

Lu Ning felt a flash of disappointment. She had thought that by the time she finished her rounds, Li Xiang would have solved most of it, and she could offer her comfort then. Li Xiang, if you can’t solve it, just ask for help.

Lu Ning looked at the distressed Li Xiang with a worried face. Perhaps feeling the cat’s sorrow, Li Xiang gripped her notebook and finally looked at Mu Qiuyu. She asked cautiously: “Um, Qiuyu, are you free? Can you explain this problem to me?”

“Which one? Give it to—”

“You’d be better off asking me than her.”

Mu Qiuyu wasn’t actually sleeping. She had just chosen this “out of sight, out of mind” method when Lu Ning said she was going to comfort the classmates. But just as she sat up to reach for Li Xiang’s book, Shi Jin’s mockery rang out.

Shi Jin appeared out of nowhere, hands on her hips. Relying on being first in the grade for physics, she looked down at Li Xiang: “Li Xiang, I’m the only one in the class who can solve this. Beg me, and I’ll explain it to you.”

“No need. Please move, you’re blocking the light.” Li Xiang didn’t want to deal with Shi Jin and waved her away.

Shi Jin didn’t budge. “One shouldn’t lead others astray with poor teaching.”

Shi Jin’s arrogance meant nothing to Mu Qiuyu. While Shi Jin tilted her head defiantly, Mu Qiuyu simply gave her a cold glance and calmly took Li Xiang’s workbook: “You can listen too.”

Shi Jin was infuriated by Mu Qiuyu’s disdain. Her eyes darted around, and she shouted to the class: “Is there anyone who can’t do the last physics problem? Mu Qiuyu is starting a small class to explain it. Come and listen if you’re stuck!”

“Who? Mu Qiuyu?”

“Can she do it?”

“I haven’t solved it yet…”

“Whatever, let’s just listen. Maybe her logic is right.”

In the past, the international class Mu Qiuyu belonged to was full of heirs going abroad who didn’t care about grades, so their academic standing was generally considered poor by students in the regular classes. Hearing Shi Jin claim Mu Qiuyu was going to teach, the class looked over with skepticism.

Faced with these doubts, Shi Jin looked at Mu Qiuyu with a triumphant smile. Mu Qiuyu said nothing, took the workbook, looked at Shi Jin, and walked toward the podium.

Faced with that look, Shi Jin mouthed the words “Show off” with disdain. Perhaps her status as number one gave her courage; she tilted her head, waiting for Mu Qiuyu to make a fool of herself. The eyes of the class held everything except trust.

Lu Ning hopped off the desk and followed Mu Qiuyu to support her: “That’s right, Host! Let’s slap her face hard. I’ve found five ways to solve this; you can write them all, or we can pick the one with the most ‘status.'”

Hearing this, Mu Qiuyu’s gaze dropped slightly. She looked at the kitten and commanded softly: “Do me a favor.”

“Name it.” Lu Ning was ready to transmit the five solution documents.

Mu Qiuyu: “Mobilize the physics teacher. Make her arrive early for the self-study period.”

“Huh?” Lu Ning’s transmission paused.

Mu Qiuyu didn’t wait for her question. She picked a piece of chalk from the box. Tap. The white chalk marks struck the dark blackboard with crisp precision.

Shi Jin was waiting for a joke, but she saw Mu Qiuyu draw the correct diagram with a sweep of her hand. “First, the force analysis shouldn’t be drawn like this; that’s an inertia trap. The problem states there is also friction here.” Mu Qiuyu’s voice was calm and steady as she explained to the watching eyes.

A few students who were good at physics realized immediately that Mu Qiuyu was right. Belatedly, the sound of flipping workbooks filled the room. Mu Qiuyu waited for them for a moment before completing the force analysis. She swept her gaze over the class, and seeing that the top students had caught up to her logic, she began writing formulas.

The sunlight outlined the girl’s thin back. Her handwriting was sharp and decisive. Lu Ning, watching Mu Qiuyu on stage, finally realized how shallow she had been. She had treated this simply as a “slap in the face” plot from a novel, wanting to assist Mu Qiuyu’s comeback, forgetting that she should simply believe in her. Mu Qiuyu was capable.

More and more students returned to the class as the white chalk covered nearly half the board. Mu Qiuyu explained and calculated simultaneously, finally tapping a clear answer on the board. Li Xiang was writing furiously to keep up; meanwhile, Shi Jin’s face grew increasingly pale.

“Mu Qiuyu got it right.”

“I don’t know why, but seeing her diagram makes it make sense.”

“Hiss—my brain is tingly.”

Listening to the discussion, Shi Jin’s face reached a peak of ugliness. Her pride was struck by Mu Qiuyu’s answer, creating a network of fine cracks.

“Oh? Who wrote this? the steps are very clear.”

At that moment, the physics teacher arrived for the self-study period with his mug. He looked at the board with a smile, then at his prize pupil, Shi Jin: “Xiao Jin, was it you? You didn’t understand the logic I taught you before, but now you’ve found an even simpler way?”

“Teacher, Shi Jin still can’t do it! Mu Qiuyu solved this!” Li Xiang stood up abruptly, her voice reaching the podium from the back of the room.

A flash of disbelief crossed the teacher’s eyes. Shi Jin’s expression broke through a new threshold of misery.

“Host, how did I do?” The kitten circled back from the corridor to Mu Qiuyu’s side to claim credit.

“I’ll buy you starch sausages after school,” Mu Qiuyu smiled.

“I also want stir-fried yogurt and bowl pudding!” Lu Ning pushed her luck.

“Alright,” Mu Qiuyu agreed to everything, her gentle voice momentarily overlapping with the version of her from the Inner World.

However, that “un-Mu-Qiuyu-like” gentleness didn’t last long. As she walked toward Shi Jin, the smile meant only for Lu Ning turned into a sneer. Mu Qiuyu stood before Shi Jin and spoke as if being friendly: “If you want to get rid of the kitten, I have an idea. I just don’t know if you’re willing to do it.”

“What do you want?” Shi Jin stepped back warily.

“On the day of the exam, you can turn in a blank paper. That will drag down the class average and get the cat kicked out.”

Mu Qiuyu leaned down and picked up Lu Ning, whom Shi Jin had called a “stray.” She gently and slowly rubbed the kitten’s head, saying with a smile to Shi Jin: “I just wonder… will your father scold you then?”

Silently, Mu Qiuyu mouthed a word to Shi Jin. It was a name Shi Jin had heard countless times in years past. Nightmares loomed like dark clouds over the sun in Shi Jin’s peripheral vision. In that moment, Shi Jin felt her worthless pride utterly crushed by Mu Qiuyu.

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