Did I Succeed in Redeeming the Villain Today? - Chapter 80

Chapter 80: “I Dreamed Of Kissing You”…

When those words fell into Lu Ning’s ears, she felt as if she had been struck by something.

A cat’s heart is so small; it throbbed inside her chest, thump-thump, thump-thump, layering a restless, sweltering heat over the quiet summer night.

In truth, Lu Ning hadn’t been that angry with Mu Qiuyu from the start; she was just frustrated that Mu Qiuyu didn’t cherish her own body. It wasn’t like she hadn’t experienced system punishments herself; anything described as “painful” by the system was no laughing matter.

Seeing Lu Ning remain silent for so long, a hint of bewilderment appeared in Mu Qiuyu’s eyes.

Did doing this not appease Lu Ning’s anger? Is she really this upset this time?

Mu Qiuyu was confused by Lu Ning’s current reaction. But she was even more confused by herself—that she was actually willing to go over and coax Lu Ning one more time…

The season of spring blossoms had passed, yet a faint floral fragrance still drifted in the air. Lu Ning quickly noticed the lips that had just kissed her leaning in again.

Whether out of feline alertness or human bashfulness, just as Mu Qiuyu was about to get closer, the kitten in her arms extended a paw. “Fine, I… I’m not angry anymore.”

Lu Ning spoke haltingly. Her fluffy tail swept over, covering her head and eyes. It was unclear if she was intentionally avoiding Mu Qiuyu or if she simply didn’t dare to look her in the eye.

“Host, who did you learn this habit from?”

After calming down alone for a while, Lu Ning asked inside Mu Qiuyu’s mind. Her voice was muffled, sounding as if it were buried deep within her big tail.

“No one taught me.” Mu Qiuyu looked at the “black sesame ball” in her arms, her finger tracing a small lake along the kitten’s fur.

Mu Qiuyu hadn’t actually defined her behavior as a “habit,” but as she lowered her eyes and thought deeply, she silently realized that perhaps she really did do this a bit too often in front of Lu Ling.

Why? She wanted to kiss the human Lu Ling, and she wanted to kiss the kitten Lu Ling.

Mu Qiuyu couldn’t figure it out. Hearing the sound of a heartbeat coming from her ear, she asked Lu Ning back, “Is this habit not good?”

Mu Qiuyu’s voice was calm and indifferent, as if the habit she was discussing was just some minor trifle of daily life. But that wasn’t the case. Hearing this, Lu Ning’s tension spiked to the maximum. “It’s not good!”

The kitten suddenly poked her face out from her tail, looking at Mu Qiuyu—who didn’t seem to take the matter to heart—and warned: “Minors cannot engage in such behavior! Has the Host forgotten what you promised me before?”

Lu Ning stared at Mu Qiuyu with a look of condemnation, as if she had truly forgotten.

But in reality, Mu Qiuyu had not forgotten. The girl looked out the window. The night sky back then had been exceptionally pale compared to tonight, and the stars were lonely. Yet, such a common scene was unforgettable to Mu Qiuyu.

A minor, huh… This was the first time Mu Qiuyu felt that time moved both incredibly fast and excruciatingly slow. In the blink of an eye, she and Lu Ning had known each other for over half a year, but there were still more than three months until her eighteenth birthday.

“Mm,” Mu Qiuyu responded softly to Lu Ning’s reminder. Then, she said somewhat ambiguously to the kitten in her arms, “Then wait until I’m an adult.”

These words were hazy, making it impossible for Lu Ning to see through Mu Qiuyu’s thoughts. But the word “wait” carried a sense of temporary restraint, which made Lu Ning instinctively think about the topic they had discussed.

Who is Mu Qiuyu going to kiss after she turns eighteen? She can’t just kiss anyone…

At that thought, Lu Ning’s heart, filled with possessiveness, suddenly sank. Yes, once Mu Qiuyu became an adult, Lu Ning’s prohibition against her dating while a minor would no longer hold. She was just an auxiliary system; how could she hinder her from finding a lover? Mu Qiuyu was slowly getting better; there was no longer any reason to stop her from having a romance in her future life.

But this is a good thing, so why does my heart feel so empty and incredibly sad?

The kitten’s tail rested on her owner’s arm, sweeping back and forth without much energy. For a moment, Lu Ning really wanted to tell Mu Qiuyu that she was a human playing the role of a system. However, just as that impulse reached Lu Ning’s throat, it was interrupted by the slight sound of a door being pushed open.

Who would come into her room at this hour? And without knocking?

Lu Ning and Mu Qiuyu shared a strange tacit understanding; they glanced at each other and immediately closed their eyes.

—Playing dead.

The villa was located in a high-end residential area of Wucheng, so the security was impeccable. As Lu Ning accessed the surveillance and projected the images into Mu Qiuyu’s mind, they simultaneously saw a slender and familiar shadow.

Mu Jingqin, for some reason, hadn’t slept yet and was tiptoeing into Mu Qiuyu’s bedroom. The night vision system clearly depicted the expression on the woman’s face: beneath the caution was a look of caring concern.

The bed sank slightly as Mu Jingqin sat by Mu Qiuyu’s side. The moonlight from the window illuminated Mu Qiuyu’s sleeping face for her. She sat there in silence, gazing at this child who carried her sister’s blood.

“Just how did you do it, child?” Mu Jingqin was still hung up on the fact that Mu Qiuyu had figured out Su Qinghang’s deeds in such a short time. She had originally prepared to face everything alone and take revenge for Mu Jingyi. She didn’t trust this child and didn’t want her involved in the grievances of the previous generation.

“Couldn’t you have waited for me to deal with him?” Mu Jingqin frowned. Though she sounded dissatisfied, there was a hint of relief in her voice. Perhaps because she had accepted Mu Qiuyu’s presence, she felt relaxed knowing someone could help her avenge her sister.

They were so closely linked by blood, with a singular goal. “Two people walking together is always easier than one.”

In the silence, Mu Jingyi’s voice echoed in Mu Jingqin’s mind. She still remembered that Mu Jingyi had said this shortly after she had first been brought to the Mu family.

“Don’t let me down,” Mu Jingqin said coldly. Their past way of interacting wasn’t so easy to change; Mu Jingqin was still cold toward Mu Qiuyu. However, before leaving, she tucked the covers in for her.

As Mu Jingqin was tidying the blanket, she suddenly noticed that Mu Qiuyu was sleeping while hugging a cat. The girl’s thin frame was embraced by the kitten’s soft fur. Seeing them snuggled together like that made Mu Jingqin laugh.

“What’s this? Still just a childish kid after all.” There was joy in Mu Jingqin’s voice, and her laughter was exceptionally refreshing. She thought that no matter how mature this child appeared, in reality, she was still a minor high school student who needed her care.

As long as she’s a high school student, it’s fine. There is a better future waiting for her.

Mu Jingqin thought to herself, her hand brushing over Mu Qiuyu’s face as she tucked her in. She couldn’t really say if the child’s face felt good to the touch; the moment she realized she was doing something so tender, she immediately withdrew her hand and turned to leave the bedroom without looking back.

The sound of the door closing took away the light from the hallway. Lu Ning poked her head out after the room fell back into darkness and sighed, “This is great, Host! You have family again. We don’t need that scumbag at all!”

Mu Qiuyu looked down at the jubilant kitten and remained silent for a long time. In the tasks given by the system, she seemed to have excluded herself. But Little Black had mentioned during the farewell that she and Lu Ning were “reunited.”

Mu Qiuyu felt a strange emotion fermenting in her heart, crowding her chest. Mu Jingqin’s actions just now had certainly softened her heart, but looking at this kitten who kept pushing her away, she couldn’t help but narrow her eyes slightly as displeasure began to spread.

“Ho—mph…”

As Lu Ning spoke, she felt Mu Qiuyu’s arms tightening around her. The warm breath and body heat of the summer night all fell upon her body. The kitten looked up at her owner, dazed and heart-fluttering.

She saw her owner leisurely pull her even tighter into her embrace, a lazy voice brushing past her ear: “Kitten, you are a dummy.”

The kitten, whose heart had just been racing, instantly collapsed into a lump of aggrieved “cat cake.” Mu Qiuyu had praised her for being a smart kitten not long ago; how did she become a dummy today? Did she say something wrong just now?

With these questions in mind, Lu Ning struggled to poke her head out from Mu Qiuyu’s arms. She wanted to argue with her and prove she was a smart kitten. But in the blink of an eye, Mu Qiuyu had already closed her eyes and fallen asleep. The girl’s even breathing drifted onto the kitten’s furry face, her light scent spreading freely.

Forget it, I’ll tell her tomorrow, Lu Ning thought as she rested her head back on Mu Qiuyu’s arm.

And that “tomorrow” was instantly forgotten by Lu Ning, who spent the night having a wonderful dream. In her dream, she leisurely had a delicious breakfast with Mu Qiuyu. Then, as Mu Qiuyu prepared to go to work, she stayed home as a “kept man,” idling about and waiting for death.

Lu Ning didn’t know why she had arranged such a role for herself in the dream. Anyway, by the time she finished clearing the dining table, Mu Qiuyu had already changed her shoes at the entrance. They really seemed like a very loving couple.

Mu Qiuyu was about to leave and opened her arms to Lu Ning: “I’m leaving.” Lu Ning trotted over: “Be careful on the road.”

The morning light that day was gentle and warm, bathing them in their embrace through the window at the entrance. But it seemed a hug wasn’t enough; Lu Ning gazed at Mu Qiuyu and then leaned down to kiss her.

Because she had once felt the temperature of Mu Qiuyu’s lips, the kiss in the dream felt exceptionally real. Lu Ning lightly rubbed against Mu Qiuyu’s lips, intentionally waiting for Mu Qiuyu’s cool and restrained response. The clock on the wall turned two full circles as Lu Ning held Mu Qiuyu’s hand, the two of them kissing back and forth…

“Lazy cat.”

“Lazy cat.”

As Lu Ning was smacking her lips under the covers, the sound of cicadas burst into her ears. The kitten heard someone calling her and opened her eyes with a sense of lingering longing.

The person who had just been kissing her in her dream was standing right in front of her. Her thin lips were slightly parted, and because she had just finished washing up, they still carried a layer of glistening moisture.

Instantly, all of Lu Ning’s alertness returned. She finally realized what kind of dream she had just had, and her fur almost stood on end from the shock.

Mu Qiuyu was puzzled: “What’s wrong? What did you dream about? Why are you smacking your lips one second and bristling the next?”

“No, nothing.” How could Lu Ning dare tell Mu Qiuyu, “I dreamed of kissing you”? Her little head shook like a rattle, and she jumped off the bed.

The morning light of midsummer was even more piercing than in Lu Ning’s dream, causing the image of Mu Qiuyu’s lips to float persistently in her mind. Lu Ning felt she urgently needed something to distract her, so she turned to Mu Qiuyu and asked, “Host, what are we doing today?”

Mu Qiuyu looked at the kitten, who was acting serious but moving with uncoordinated limbs; she sensed the cat was hiding something from her. But it probably wasn’t anything major—it likely had to do with the dream just now.

Naturally, Mu Qiuyu couldn’t imagine the kitten would dream of turning into a human and kissing her—the kind of kiss shared between lovers. She simply assumed Lu Ning had a wonderful dream that was both memorable and embarrassing to talk about. She felt no need to pry into such a dream, lest Lu Ning be too afraid to savor it later.

Thus, unknowingly, Mu Qiuyu missed the dream of herself kissing Lu Ning. She followed Lu Ning’s lead and said, “Today I need to deal with Su Qinghang’s matters. Help me find a few more study-related tasks. I need a large number of points to handle his situation.”

Saying this, Mu Qiuyu paused and laid her cards on the table with Lu Ning: “It’s not just today; I’ll be moving at this pace from now on. We’re going to be busy for a while.”

The girl’s gaze held a hint of apology toward the kitten, but nothing could stop her determination. Lu Ning then jumped onto Mu Qiuyu’s desk, her paw prints pressing onto the exercise book with Mu Qiuyu’s name on it: “I will always stay by the Host’s side!”

Just like all the senior year classes Lu Ning had been in, the days of the new semester passed exceptionally quickly. Moreover, with Mu Qiuyu having to handle Su Qinghang’s matters alongside Mu Jingqin, Lu Ning would lie on the classroom windowsill watching the lush green leaves outside. When she opened her eyes again, withered yellow leaves were being blown by the wind, suddenly covering the ground.

The kitten always felt as if summer had only just ended, but in the blink of an eye, winter had arrived. Mid-November had just passed, and Mu Qiuyu’s eighteenth birthday was approaching.

“Sister Mu, happy birthday in advance!”

“I hope you get to eat a delicious cake!”

“Sister Mu, don’t forget to post on your Moments; I want to see!”

“Happy eighteen! See you on Monday, Sister Mu!”

Mu Qiuyu was still packing her schoolbag as a wave of blessings gathered from all corners of the classroom. Since her birthday was this Saturday, many people came to wish her a happy birthday early on Friday. When school let out, the blessings were too many to count.

Mu Qiuyu still remembered her birthday in her previous life—lonely and desolate. As soon as school ended, she had packed her bag and left, completely ignoring the only birthday wish Li Xiang had given her.

“Qiuyu, what are your plans for tomorrow?”

The birthday wish Mu Qiuyu had ignored in her previous life was caught by her this time. Li Xiang slung her bag casually over her shoulder and, together with Pei Yinyue, began to envision the wonderful life Mu Qiuyu would have after turning eighteen.

However, in the eyes of Mu Qiuyu—who had been through this before—being eighteen didn’t represent much. Life went on just the same; there was never a qualitative change that occurred simply by crossing an age threshold. Still, there was no harm in listening to such innocent imaginings. Li Xiang was like that—always full of passion for the future.

Just as Mu Qiuyu heard Li Xiang planning to take her out for a “last supper” as a minor, she looked up and saw Mu Jingqin’s red sports car parked prominently on the road by the school gate.

Because of their previous interaction at the police station, Li Xiang recognized Mu Jingqin’s car at a glance. She immediately realized Mu Qiuyu’s aunt had come to celebrate her birthday. Sensibly dropping her own plans, she nudged Pei Yinyue: “Qiuyu’s aunt is here. It looks like someone is going to have an unforgettable birthday today.”

Pei Yinyue joined in the teasing: “Looks like it! We’ll just have to eat steamed buns by the roadside.”

“You guys.” Being teased like this made Mu Qiuyu a bit embarrassed. It was mainly because she didn’t know how to handle “tender moments” that others could see at a glance.

“Host, I think Mu Jingqin has prepared a birthday gift for you. Let’s go over quickly,” Lu Ning speculated excitedly, providing Mu Qiuyu with a reasonable way to face the situation.

“Mu Qiuyu.”

At that moment, Mu Jingqin pushed the door open and stepped out of the car. Her way of addressing Mu Qiuyu was still somewhat distant. She leaned against the car door and waved at her.

Mu Qiuyu looked at the woman’s movements, her eyes reflecting a sense of realization. She thought that her past self would never have dared to imagine someone celebrating her birthday, especially such an important one as her eighteenth. Although she had already lived once, Mu Qiuyu felt that today was the day she would truly welcome her eighteenth year.

She suddenly stopped her pace and habitually scooped up the cat walking beside her. Then she stepped forward. As Lu Ning had said, she walked toward the car Mu Jingqin had driven to welcome her eighteenth birthday.

The evening glow filled the sky as the sunset chased behind the SUV. Wucheng was a coastal city; the deep blue sea reflected the afterglow of the setting sun, making the world look entirely different.

Mu Qiuyu didn’t particularly like the sea, and in the past, she never had time to visit such places. Sea breezes kept pouring into the car throughout the journey. Seeing the kitten in her arms being blown out of shape by the wind, she couldn’t help but want to laugh. “Do you really like it here that much?”

“It’s the wind! The wind makes a cat free!” Lu Ning looked back at Mu Qiuyu, her mental voice also filled with the sea breeze.

Mu Qiuyu thought this kitten really was a fellow who loved freedom. So, does keeping her by my side count as forcing her? But then she remembered the vows and promises Lu Ning had repeated to her in the past, and her lowered eyes lifted again.

She is the one who chose to stay. No one can forcibly imprison a free soul.

Suddenly, Mu Qiuyu also felt the charm of the sea breeze. Like Lu Ning, she looked out, letting the wind toss her hair and turn her fair little face red.

After winding through several turns, Mu Jingqin drove the car to a seaside villa. It was a private villa, hidden among groves of palm trees. The winter twilight carried a chill, but the villa was brightly lit, as if welcoming a weary traveler back home.

This was the eighteenth birthday gift Mu Jingqin wanted to give Mu Qiuyu.

“A seaside villa—a birthday gift your grandfather gave your mother and me.” Mu Jingqin stepped out of the car briskly and introduced the villa to Mu Qiuyu. “The year your mother, Mu Jingyi, turned fifteen, she became obsessed with going to the beach with me. Back then, we would stay here for half the day at a time. Your grandfather felt bad for your mother—and for me too, of course—so he built a villa here. He gave it to us as a gift on our sixteenth birthday.”

Just a few short sentences outlined the image of a vivid young girl. Mu Qiuyu stepped out of the car holding Lu Ning, almost able to see her mother as a teenager, running barefoot on the beach. Mu Qiuyu had seen photos of Mu Jingyi from high school; the innocent girl’s smile was exceptionally gentle and far more radiant than after she became a mother.

If only Mu Jingyi had never met Su Qinghang. Mu Qiuyu gazed at this building that was unfamiliar yet didn’t make her feel like a stranger, her eyes shifting with dark complexity.

Just then, a shiny silver key appeared before her eyes. Mu Jingqin pulled the key to the villa from her pocket and said, “Now it belongs to you.”

Hearing this, Lu Ning the cat became excited. she ran joyfully into this giant natural litter box, meowing: “The ocean! The beach! Host! I’m so happy!”

Mu Qiuyu looked at Lu Ning’s undignified behavior and couldn’t help but feel a bit helpless. However, she wasn’t led astray by Lu Ning. Hearing Mu Jingqin say this, she was quite surprised. “Why?”

Mu Jingqin knew Mu Qiuyu would ask that and produced the excuse she had prepared early on: “I don’t come here often anyway; it would just sit empty. Now that you’re an adult, you’ll have friends or partners you need to entertain. This place is perfect.”

“I see.” Mu Qiuyu looked at the key in her hand. Its familiar shape was exactly like the key Mu Jingqin had once mailed to her in her memories.

“That’s it,” Mu Jingqin repeated, leaning casually against the car. “The list you gave me was very useful. Su Qinghang’s company has suffered heavy losses recently.” Having said that, Mu Jingqin worried Mu Qiuyu might underestimate the enemy. “However, I heard Su Qinghang hasn’t been mentally stable lately, acting all superstitious and mutter-y all day. We should still avoid him.”

“Mm, I know.” Mu Qiuyu nodded, her gaze turning toward Lu Ning, who was wagging her tail at her.

“This is karma! The kittens have had their revenge.” Lu Ning was incredibly proud of her handiwork; her tail was practically pointing to the sky.

“By the way, it seems the higher-ups are going to B City this month to carry out an anti-organized crime operation. This time it’s mainly to uproot the ‘protective umbrellas.’ ” Mu Jingqin lowered her voice, sharing the news darkly with Mu Qiuyu. “Su Qinghang’s father-in-law used to be in B City. I don’t know what kind of dumb luck we’ve stumbled into.”

As soon as these words were spoken, both Mu Qiuyu and Lu Ning understood. The kitten cocked her tail and affectionately approached Mu Qiuyu: “This is, of course, because of my resourceful Host!”

No one could refuse a kitten’s flattery. Mu Qiuyu then crouched down and scratched Lu Ning’s head. “So happy?”

“Of course.” Lu Ning nodded without hesitation, but then she leaned into Mu Qiuyu’s palm and spoke her true thoughts: “But I’m also happy because before long, you won’t have to harm your own body anymore.”

Yes, only Lu Ning knew how Mu Qiuyu had gotten through these days. At nightfall, the kitten would lie on Mu Qiuyu’s lap, guarding the girl as she touched upon the system rules.

It was truly strange. Even though it was such a grueling ordeal, with Lu Ning’s presence, Mu Qiuyu didn’t feel much pain. In the past, Mu Qiuyu thought that enduring was the way to forget pain. But now, she didn’t need to do that at all.

Times had changed, and Mu Qiuyu and Lu Ning had unknowingly become important partners to each other. Or perhaps even more. At this thought, a soft smile appeared in Mu Qiuyu’s eyes. She then said the same thing to Mu Jingqin that Lu Ning had just said: “This is karma.”

“Yes.” Mu Jingqin nodded. Realizing she had finally reached a familial understanding with the child, she lowered her head and gave a faint smile.

The sun sank beneath the sea in the blink of an eye. The two people by the shore simultaneously withdrew their gazes from the water. Mu Jingqin checked the time and said to Mu Qiuyu, “Are you staying here and inviting your two friends over tomorrow, or are you coming home with me? It’s late; I need to go home and sleep.”

Mu Jingqin had been staying up late a lot lately and was worried about the new wrinkles on her face. Even though her relationship with Mu Qiuyu had softened, she still didn’t put Mu Qiuyu before herself. Beauty sleep was more important than staying for the birthday.

Mu Qiuyu felt the same way. Between going home and staying here, she chose the latter. “Aunt, you go ahead. I’ll stay here for the night.”

“Alright then.” Mu Jingqin was decisive. She opened the car door. “I had someone clean the place last month; it has everything. Call me if you need anything.”

“Okay, goodbye Aunt.” Mu Qiuyu responded politely. They didn’t say much more and then went their separate ways.

“But it’s only an hour until midnight.” Lu Ning stopped beside Mu Qiuyu, feeling a bit of regret over Mu Jingqin’s departure.

Mu Qiuyu didn’t care. She found a comfortable, sheltered spot to sit with Lu Ning and asked softly, “Did you prepare a cake for me?”

Lu Ning had no other answer for this question and blurted out, “Of course!”

As she spoke, a cake decorated with hawthorn berries appeared before Mu Qiuyu. Two candles in the shape of the number eighteen flickered and burned in the sea breeze, showing no sign of being blown out.

“Windproof candles! They’ll never be blown out!” The kitten nudged the cake, promising Mu Qiuyu faithfully.

Hearing this, Mu Qiuyu couldn’t help but frown slightly. “Windproof?”

“Yeah, isn’t the sea breeze strong here?” Lu Ning still hadn’t realized where the problem lay; her words were perfectly logical. But she had overlooked one thing—

“If I don’t blow out the candles, how can my wish come true?” Mu Qiuyu asked softly, looking at the flames that stood firm no matter how the wind battered them.

“…” The waves washed over the shore, making a rhythmic sound. Lu Ning leaned against Mu Qiuyu, the entire cat frozen in place.

“Um, how about I go change the candles?” Lu Ning suggested awkwardly. Mu Qiuyu asked back: “Won’t they be blown out by the wind before I even make a wish?” “Is this my birthday wish, or the ocean’s?”

The girl’s voice was calm yet sharp. Lu Ning’s brain went into emergency mode in the cold wind and finally thought of a reasonable plan: “Haha, it’s nothing! Whatever wish the Host has, just tell me and I’ll help you realize it! We don’t need candles!”

Hearing this, Mu Qiuyu looked up at the kitten in front of her. She seemed to have thought of something and confirmed with Lu Ning again in a low voice: “A promise is a promise?”

“A promise is a promise!” Lu Ning nodded. She looked at the clock nearing midnight and made a certain promise to Mu Qiuyu: “I am a system; I will definitely help the Host fulfill her wish.”

“Good.” Mu Qiuyu nodded and spoke her first wish to Lu Ning: “I want you to turn into a human.”

Lu Ning froze at the wish. The Schrödinger’s cat between her and Mu Qiuyu was once again restlessly testing the boundaries. Lu Ning didn’t think this was a good opportunity to be honest with Mu Qiuyu. Looking at it from another perspective, the matter was actually simple.

Shortly after Mu Qiuyu finished speaking, Lu Ning’s eyes darted around, and then she redeemed her points, changing from her kitten form into a human. This unreliable fake genie was triumphant as she appeared before Mu Qiuyu with her familiar face.

Lu Ning felt she had her “vest” (identity) firmly in place. Her bright eyes looked eagerly at Mu Qiuyu as she asked again, “The second one, Mu Qiuyu—what is your second wish?”

But a fake genie is always a fake. How could she compete with human desire?

Mu Qiuyu leaned back slightly. The sea breeze tossed her long hair, embracing her. She gazed at Lu Ning, her thin lips lightly pursed, as she said unhurriedly into her ear: “Can you give me one last kiss?”

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