Did I Succeed in Redeeming the Villain Today? - Chapter 74

Chapter 74: Mu Qiuyu Leaned Forward And Kissed Lu Ning…

Ever since Lu Ning said yesterday that she could help her pass the preliminaries, a subtle restlessness had been stirring in Mu Qiuyu’s heart.

She did trust Lu Ning, but she was even more curious about how Lu Ning would allow her to pass the preliminaries without actually making an appearance. While systems are beings that transcend the dimensions of this world, they cannot change things that defy logic. Furthermore, her system was not a “system” in the traditional sense. How exactly was she going to help?

It was only after the doctor emphasized for the third time that Mu Qiuyu needed rest that the ward finally fell into total silence. The little hedgehog, lying on the medical tray, sneakily slipped back into Mu Qiuyu’s Inner World.

As the dim night sky was brushed with a layer of golden light by the rising sun, Mu Qiuyu looked out the window. She inexplicably thought of the person who had used her identity to enter the shooting range. That person looked so much like her that even a machine couldn’t tell the difference.

Had Lu Ning already found that person? Was Lu Ning afraid that she would be angry if she were helped by that individual, and thus kept it a secret? But if Lu Ning knew she would be angry, why perform such a redundant act?

As Mu Qiuyu thought of this, an indescribable emotion surged into her chest. One could call it anger; her pride and self-esteem would never allow someone who had provoked her to take her place on the field. She did want to complete this competition, but absolutely not in this manner.

Mu Qiuyu’s mood plummeted. It wasn’t just anger; there was also disappointment and pain. This feeling churned her slightly recovered stomach into even sharper agony. She never imagined that Lu Ning would take her trust and use it to seek help from someone she loathed.

How was this different from the original System? Why did Lu Ning never learn? Why did she fall into the System’s traps over and over again?

The more she thought, the more violent the pain in her stomach became. She remembered Pei Yinyue saying once that the stomach is an “emotional organ.” What kind of emotion was she feeling now?

Mu Qiuyu walked step by step from the dark corner of the corridor toward the person disguised as her. What she saw seemed to confirm her deduction. The feeling of suffocation in her chest seemed even more severe than in her previous life. After steadying herself for a long time, she finally spoke heavily to the other party: “Who are you?”

“When did she contact you?”

“What ‘she’?”

“Host, what are you talking about?”

Under Mu Qiuyu’s cold, low-voiced interrogation, the “other” she tilted her head in confusion. The girl’s usual elegance and stability were replaced by a dazed, lively expression. In that familiar voice, those two sentences sounded inexplicably innocent and even a bit spoiled.

Mu Qiuyu had been wrong.

She perhaps didn’t realize that Lu Ning always kept Mu Qiuyu’s likes and dislikes at the very top of her priority list. How could Lu Ning ever ask someone who had provoked her to compete in her stead? Even if Mu Qiuyu were to become aware of Wutong’s existence and chose not to erase her, Lu Ning would never let Wutong stand in for Mu Qiuyu.

Lu Ning had simply gone back to the Inner World to learn a few things from Wutong. Then, taking advantage of the fact that time flows faster in the Inner World than in the real world, she had molded a body for herself that could disguise her as Mu Qiuyu. To make the disguise perfect, Lu Ning had spent all the points she had painstakingly saved over the past few months.

Heaven knows how nervous Lu Ning was when she first started playing the role of Mu Qiuyu. She had barely managed to deceive the shooting club members and the referees, and she didn’t want the hard-won results to be disqualified just because two Mu Qiuyus appeared at once.

“Host, why did you come out?” Lu Ning looked nervously at the corridor where someone could appear at any moment. She hurriedly grabbed Mu Qiuyu’s hand and pulled her into a more deserted emergency exit.

“I…” Mu Qiuyu watched her own familiar body being controlled by Lu Ning, her consciousness momentarily speechless.

The moment she heard Lu Ning’s tone, all the accumulated emotions in her heart dissolved. That low, heavy resentment was crushed bit by bit by the girl’s footsteps, turning into a sense of peace. Mu Qiuyu realized how ridiculous her suspicion was. She had only remembered the practical reality and forgotten that, besides modifying the plot, the system had many other ways to help her complete the preliminaries.

If Lu Ning could protect her back then by using truth serum to cause infighting among Cen Qin’s group, why couldn’t she use items from the System Mall for a preliminary match? The mall had so many items.

It seemed that rooted in Mu Qiuyu’s very bones was an insecurity; her distrust always returned in cycles. The more she wanted to hold on to something, the heavier her anxiety became. But why was this happening specifically with Lu Ning?

The dim green emergency exit sign barely illuminated a corner of the landing. Mu Qiuyu’s gaze was obscure and unreadable as she silently watched the back of the person who looked exactly like her as they merged into the darkness.

She belonged to her, yet did not. She was her, yet was not.

“Were you worried about who I found to impersonate you?”

As Mu Qiuyu was thinking, the person in front of her who looked exactly like her let out a long sigh. Her demeanor when she left the range just now had almost fooled even herself, but the moment she opened her mouth, the act slipped.

Recalling Mu Qiuyu’s coldness when she first appeared, Lu Ning figured she had probably misunderstood. As soon as she stopped walking, she began to explain.

“How could I possibly find someone else to impersonate you? This is our secret, isn’t it? I know you wouldn’t want to tell a second person about this.”

Even though they shared the same face, the Mu Qiuyu played by Lu Ning was more lively than the real one. That natural and confident manner was something Mu Qiuyu had seen on Lu Ning’s face when she played a cat, a hedgehog, and even a human. Her directness and sincerity complemented each other, making one feel inferior in comparison.

Mu Qiuyu realized she could now be completely at ease. The person standing before her was “Lu Ling.” She could trust her unconditionally. From this moment on.

Now that the situation was proven to be a misunderstanding, the sharp, mocking words Mu Qiuyu had once used to pierce her own heart were spoken out as a half-joke: “I thought you had found some actor with superb skills.”

“Where would I get that kind of connection? I was literally scared to death just now!” Lu Ning, still wearing Mu Qiuyu’s cold and distant face, leaned against the wall without any regard for her image.

Walking calmly out of the shooting range under everyone’s gaze had been Lu Ning’s limit. She clutched her pounding heart and recounted her inner journey to Mu Qiuyu: “Did you see my score? When I hit a 10.6, I was stunned. I thought, ‘Oh my god, I gave you a solemn guarantee, I can’t let it collapse like this, can I?'”

The score just now wasn’t a masterclass in acting or a fake portrayal of lingering illness. That was her actual skill level. For a shooting amateur like her, making it into the finals was a miracle she should be thanking heaven for. She also had to thank Mu Qiuyu’s “character aura.”

Thinking this, Lu Ning covered her face with both hands, looking utterly exhausted. “This is simply more than a human heart can bear. I feel like I’m going to get stomach pain myself.”

However, this expression didn’t last long. As soon as she said that, Mu Qiuyu’s hand reached over from across her. “Don’t make that kind of expression while wearing my face.”

“Oh.” Lu Ning nodded obediently and lowered her hands as Mu Qiuyu moved.

The dim light seemed to blur the line known as “boundaries.” Lu Ning then composed her face into a cold mask and looked seriously at Mu Qiuyu: “It should be like this, right?”

Perhaps because they had been together so long, they could mimic each other’s habits with ease. As Lu Ning imitated Mu Qiuyu, the distant look in her eyes was indeed quite similar; it was no wonder Mu Qiuyu hadn’t recognized her at first. But this exquisite performance lasted only a few seconds before the coldness at the corners of Lu Ning’s eyes and lips gave way to an uncontrollable smile.

Looking at Lu Ning, Mu Qiuyu felt a bit worried: “Were you holding back smiles like this just now too?”

“No,” Lu Ning shook her head. Her shoulder was still propped against the wall, giving her a bit of a cynical look. “I only fail to hold it back when I’m in front of you.”

Coming from her, these words sounded so natural they didn’t seem like a deliberate attempt at a “cheesy line.” However, the dim light always influences things. Mu Qiuyu watched Lu Ning’s smiling eyes; the deep blackness held a hint of ambiguity.

She said “only.” If it weren’t for today’s misunderstanding, would Mu Qiuyu ever have seen how superb Lu Ning’s acting could be?

“Blessings and misfortunes come together,” Mu Qiuyu whispered four words, her voice carrying a trace of a dazed smile.

Lu Ning didn’t understand why Mu Qiuyu suddenly said that. She was about to speak when the sound of music from the stadium drifted through the wall behind her. It was an activity played while waiting for the match to start. It was unknown who was at the control console, but in such a nerve-wracking situation, they hadn’t chosen soul-stirring rock music, but a gentle, lyrical violin piece.

“This is the second movement of Vivaldi’s Concerto in G minor,” Mu Qiuyu said flatly as she listened.

Hearing Mu Qiuyu’s precise identification, Lu Ning asked, “You’ve practiced it?”

“Mhm.” Mu Qiuyu nodded, looking at Lu Ning’s eyes thoughtfully. The violin’s timbre was utilized to its fullest in this piece, and Lu Ning found it beautiful. She wondered if she would ever get to hear Mu Qiuyu play it in this lifetime.

In this atmosphere, the surroundings were silent for about two seconds. Then, as if reaching a decision, Mu Qiuyu reached out her hand and said to Lu Ning, “Want to dance?”

Lu Ning hesitated at the invitation. “I don’t know how to dance.”

“This is my body. She can,” Mu Qiuyu said. Then, ignoring Lu Ning’s hesitation, she reached out and took Lu Ning’s hand.

The sound of the bow crossing the strings vibrated slightly in the air, weaving a melodious and elegant tune. Lu Ning took a step following the guidance of Mu Qiuyu’s hand. She was nervous, her footing unsteady. But Mu Qiuyu supported her from across, and their similar silhouettes overlapped on the wall, gradually merging into one with the melody.

Perhaps because she was using Mu Qiuyu’s body, Lu Ning slowly felt she could keep up with Mu Qiuyu’s steps. When Mu Qiuyu moved forward, she retreated; when Mu Qiuyu retreated, she moved forward. Lu Ning had never felt that Mu Qiuyu’s hand was so good to hold; their slender fingers were interlaced, and those equally cool palms gradually gained warmth during the interaction.

The dim light hid the two similar girls, and it also hid their gaze from the world. Lu Ning was focused entirely on the dance Mu Qiuyu was leading, failing to notice a gaze that had been fixed on her from the side of her face.

The dim green light wasn’t particularly good, but Mu Qiuyu used it to look through her own features at Lu Ning. She thought she had seen more expressions on “Lu Ling’s” face today than she had seen in her entire previous life. Lu Ning was using her shell, but the soul still belonged to her. Always bright. Always radiant.

Beneath thick eyelashes identical to her own was a look of curiosity and focus that this person could offer to any unknown thing. It was the breath of life.

Inexplicably, yet as if it had been accumulating for a long time, Mu Qiuyu found herself feeling a sense of longing toward Lu Ning. She touched her waist, held her hand, and guided her steps. The performer plucked the strings, emitting a few lingering vibratos. Mu Qiuyu held Lu Ning’s hand lightly, wanting even more to claim her entirely for herself.

The girl kept her thoughts hidden, calmly restraining herself from thinking further. She thought she was the hunter, but like Lu Ning, she failed to notice the shadow hidden in the darkness.

Another “she” stood at the corner, watching Lu Ning dance secretly with her in the dim light. She wore clothes similar to Lu Ning’s, her long hair draped down and somewhat messy, as if she had traveled a long distance through wind and dust to appear in this place. The lonely light didn’t even give her a shadow, allowing her to witness such a scene upon her hurried arrival.

“Lu Ling.”

As she watched, she heard Mu Qiuyu call out a name that wasn’t Lu Ning’s. Wutong’s expression froze; she felt her heart rate accelerating for no reason. Just as she was developing a sense of resistance toward this feeling, the solo violin music in the range stopped.

The dance between Mu Qiuyu and Lu Ning also reached its end. Lu Ning was about to let go of Mu Qiuyu’s hand, but Mu Qiuyu did not allow it.

“Wha— mmm…!”

Lu Ning’s confused words were muffled in her mouth. Wutong’s heart rate also reached its peak. This time, she wasn’t hiding in the Inner World, guessing what was happening through Mu Qiuyu’s monotonous emotional feedback. She saw the scene in the dim light clearly.

Mu Qiuyu leaned forward and kissed Lu Ning.

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