Did I Succeed in Redeeming the Villain Today? - Chapter 84

Chapter 84: “Didn’t We Just Kiss? Why Again…”

The dim light reduced the clarity of the scene, yet certain emotions became even more perceptible.

Mu Qiuyu had never seen Lu Ning like this. The girl looked at her with a tightly furrowed brow, as if something urgent had happened. At this thought, Mu Qiuyu took Lu Ning’s hand in return. Her slender fingers brushed over Lu Ning’s slightly cool back of the hand, as if trying to soothe her.

“What’s wrong?” Mu Qiuyu asked softly in the empty, quiet space.

But the more Mu Qiuyu acted this way, the more obvious Lu Ning’s insecurity became. She looked at those cool eyes that held a trace of warmth and couldn’t restrain herself from asking bluntly: “Have you ever thought about a family alliance marriage?”

Mu Qiuyu froze.

This was the urgent matter? She had thought something had happened to the system for Lu Ning to be so tense. She hadn’t expected Lu Ning to ask such a question.

Lu Ning’s eyes pierced through the gloom, clearly seeing Mu Qiuyu’s slight hesitation. She mustered her courage, even taking a step back in her identity as a system: “What, I can’t ask? As your system, it’s necessary for me to know if you intend to take a shortcut.”

She sounded righteous, but Mu Qiuyu could see the unease hidden beneath the words. Mu Qiuyu searched their shared memories to prove a point: “You know I didn’t have one in my previous life.”

“But you didn’t have a romantic storyline in your previous life either…” Lu Ning’s voice trailed off, sounding a bit sad. “What if… what if you want one now?”

Because they had only just begun, Lu Ning didn’t know which was more important to Mu Qiuyu: feelings or power. She knew Mu Qiuyu wasn’t like Su Qinghang, someone who would use feelings to achieve a goal. However, in the original text, she had seen Mu Qiuyu’s absolute rationality in many matters.

Her insecurity stemmed from never having been firmly chosen since childhood.

And Mu Qiuyu seemed to waver regarding Lu Ning’s question: “True. What if I want to now?” She spoke in a very soft voice, then looked up at Lu Ning: “Do you want to hear my choice of candidates? What do you think of—mph…”

Mu Qiuyu didn’t wait for Lu Ning to answer before revealing her “choice,” but Lu Ning didn’t wait for her to finish before blocking her mouth.

The voice-activated light in the distance flickered once, as if warning the silent pair that it was about to go out. Mu Qiuyu’s vision fell into total darkness as her lips and teeth were easily pried open.

This girl learns fast.

The moment the girl’s tongue grazed Mu Qiuyu’s teeth, an uncontrollable current surged up her spine. She hadn’t expected that the trap she deliberately set would catch herself; her mind was sparked into a blank slate.

Lu Ning’s kiss was a bit fierce, tirelessly grinding against Mu Qiuyu’s lips. It was as if she was worried Mu Qiuyu would run away; one hand pinned her neck, leaning her against the wall. The girl’s slender fingers followed the depth of the kiss, disappearing into Mu Qiuyu’s long hair.

Mu Qiuyu felt her blood stirring. Though her body was accustomed to being immersed in coldness year-round, it ignited rapidly now. She thought hazily that this was likely thanks to the person in front of her.

Come to think of it, Lu Ning was truly a “learning talent.” She had transformed from someone Mu Qiuyu initially dismissed as a useless extra into her current indispensable assistant system. Her kiss was no longer the awkward, coerced thing it was at the start; it invaded every inch of the mouth with perfectly balanced pressure.

Indulging in the darkness, Mu Qiuyu tilted her head back under Lu Ning’s predatory kiss. She knew Lu Ning was insecure, and she knew why, so she was willing to place herself on the platter and let her take what she wanted. Besides, she was enjoying it too, wasn’t she?

Unfortunately, Mu Qiuyu’s enjoyment didn’t last long before Lu Ning released her. Having vented her emotions, Lu Ning stared at Mu Qiuyu with reddened eyes: “Mu Qiuyu, I don’t know how people like you view feelings, but I only have one heart. Those who betray their true heart must swallow a thousand needles.”

Her sharp eyes seemed to threaten Mu Qiuyu, yet the drooping corners of her eyes seemed to beg her not to leave.

Mu Qiuyu locked eyes with Lu Ning, raised a hand to brush her cheek, and finished the sentence she had started: “What do you think… of a system?”

This answer was clearly not what Lu Ning had imagined. The person who had been fierce just a second ago froze. Seeing this reaction, a natural smile appeared in Mu Qiuyu’s eyes. She realized she knew this person better than she thought.

“I don’t particularly like swallowing needles either,” she added.

The girl’s voice rubbed against Lu Ning’s ear—warm, moist, and full of heart-racing heat. Lu Ning was still digesting the farce driven by her own insecurity; before shame could set in, she was pressed by the neck and kissed again by Mu Qiuyu.

To be honest, the previous kiss was good in every way, except for having to tilt her head up. Mu Qiuyu didn’t like tilting her head. She preferred the submission of others.

The end of the dark corridor swallowed the girls’ shadows and the sound of kissing. The voice-activated light came on a few times, but no one cared what was happening in the dark. The episode ended with Lu Ning’s cheeks flushed a deep red.

Guests circulated at the banquet. No one would associate a server with a guest. Lu Ning tidied her appearance and walked into the hall with a tray. Mu Qiuyu, holding her hem, walked over with effortless grace and took a glass of wine Lu Ning had just poured, smiling at her: “Thank you.”

At the banquet, the scent of perfume and the silhouettes of gowns created a diverse brilliance. But looking at Mu Qiuyu, Lu Ning felt she could see only her. The indigo hem swayed with her steps, glowing brilliantly. Mu Qiuyu was like a priceless gem, or the most elegant poppy in the garden.

Lu Ning watched her from afar, unable to stop herself from biting her lower lip and stealing a silly smile.

“The Mu daughters are prettier than the last.”

“Otherwise, how could they coax men into marrying into the family so devotedly?”

“But the Mu family is just an empty shell now. Who would marry in?”

“She can be like her father. Her mother’s beauty, plus her father’s humble ability to serve people—a perfect match.”

“Old Xing, those words are quite unpleasant.”

“Rough but true. Why do you think Mu Jingqin brought her here today? I heard the kid just turned eighteen.”

Just as Lu Ning was admiring her “flower,” these unpleasant discussions drifted into her ears. It was a group of men nearest to her, all dressed in suits and looking like “gentlemen,” but their gossiping about a young girl was foul.

The man leading them even let out a meaningful smirk. Perhaps his behavior was too obvious; the people around him didn’t dare agree with his train of thought and quickly shifted the topic to everyone’s attire.

Lu Ning watched the man start bragging about his suit again, her expression gradually darkening: “Seeking death.”

Muttering under her breath, Lu Ning placed several glasses of champagne on her tray and walked toward them.

“My Qianqian flew specifically to Italy to get this for me—” The man was still talking incessantly when he turned and collided with Lu Ning, the server.

This was a standard path for a server. “Suddenly attacked” by the man, Lu Ning lost her footing, and the wine on the tray spilled entirely over him. The haute couture suit he had been using as bragging capital was instantly soaked and visibly ruined.

“Do you have any idea how much this suit cost!” The man panicked immediately, shouting at Lu Ning. “What is wrong with you? Can’t you see people are standing here?!”

“I’m so sorry. I really didn’t see any people here,” Lu Ning said with an apologetic look, pointedly emphasizing the word “people.”

The man’s sensitive ego immediately caught Lu Ning’s intentional jab. “What did you say!” Not content with just verbal questioning, he raised his hand to strike her.

“Uncle Xing.”

Just as Lu Ning was about to dodge, Mu Qiuyu’s voice came from the distance. Seeing Mu Qiuyu approach, the man’s hand stopped. He looked at the strikingly beautiful Mu Qiuyu with a gaze meant for appraising an object, smiling greasily: “Isn’t this the Miss of the Mu family? What brings you over here?”

“You misunderstand. I’m not interested.” Like Lu Ning, Mu Qiuyu was perfectly polite, yet gave the man no face whatsoever. She set down her glass and pulled Lu Ning behind her: “I’m here for a ‘heroine saves the beauty’ moment.”

Hearing Mu Qiuyu’s intent, the man’s face couldn’t hold up anymore. “A heroine saves the beauty, eh?” he muttered mockingly. “Doesn’t that depend on whether one has the actual capability?”

He took a step forward. Facing such a scene of the strong bullying the weak, several stray glances from the crowd noticed. But regarding the Xing and Mu families, everyone was weighing who carried more weight; ridiculously, not a single person stepped forward to stop him from bullying a young girl.

However, the bullying didn’t happen.

“Aiyoo!”

The man had barely taken a step when he somehow lost his balance and fell flat on his back. The loud cry of pain was so ringing that everyone who had been avoiding the scene looked over. He tried to stagger up from the wine-soaked floor, only to slip again with a splat.

The glass shards he had prevented from being cleaned were still on the floor. With this fall, several shards poked right into his backside, shredding his suit into tatters.

While there was concern for such a scene, the man’s posture was so hilarious that muffled laughter soon broke out around the room. Lu Ning, protected behind Mu Qiuyu, also laughed—though her voice was full of schadenfreude.

Mu Qiuyu looked at the man’s unlucky streak, which seemed like a curse, and turned to Lu Ning. Her silent gaze asked: Did you do this?

Lu Ning admitted it, whispering in Mu Qiuyu’s ear: “I put a Bad Luck Charm on him. Five points per card, ten minutes each, stackable. I gave him three.”

Mu Qiuyu quietly held Lu Ning’s three extended fingers in her palm and asked: “Just because he bumped into you?” She had her doubts: “You aren’t usually this careless.”

Lu Ning had to confess: “I let him bump into me on purpose. Who told him to talk bad about you first? He thought he could say whatever he wanted without responsibility just because he thought you couldn’t hear.”

Mu Qiuyu understood. Her gaze toward Lu Ning deepened: “You are my second set of eyes, ears, and nose.”

Under the expensive crystal chandeliers, Lu Ning’s ordinary server vest formed a sharp contrast with the crowd. She was dressed simply, with a plain face, yet she sparkled in Mu Qiuyu’s eyes. The clear distinction between love and hate in this girl’s eyes was more precious than gold.

Mu Qiuyu thought she must be crazy. Even though Lu Ning’s actions had disrupted a rare social occasion, she found her precious and cute.

— “Mom, why aren’t you angry?”

— “Because Mom loves our Xiao Tong. Even though Xiao Tong broke Mom’s favorite cup, Mom only cares if Xiao Tong is hurt.”

A childhood conversation with her mother suddenly surfaced. Back then, she only remembered that the crystal swan she broke was invaluable; she couldn’t understand her mother’s reasoning. But time carries one forward until they experience something personally and feel the same way.

The mystery that the young Mu Qiuyu couldn’t solve was finally understood today. Loving someone really is like this: with the greatest tolerance and care, you give yourself to them unreservedly.

Amidst the man’s wails, the banquet ended early with a broken pelvis.

Back home, Lu Ning and Mu Qiuyu reached a tacit agreement: for future occasions, it was better for Lu Ning to stay home as a kitten and wait for Mu Qiuyu to return.

The suggestion was mutual, but the reasons were different. Lu Ning worried that if she heard more rumors, she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from ruining a perfectly good social event. Mu Qiuyu needed these connections now; she couldn’t hold her back. As a system, she could work remotely anyway.

Mu Qiuyu, watching Lu Ning’s serious analysis, teased her instead, saying she wouldn’t dare take her again—carrying such a big “vinegar jar” (jealous person) on her back was too heavy. Lu Ning didn’t know if she was mad at being called “vinegar” or “heavy,” so she turned her back and ignored Mu Qiuyu all night.

Late at night, Mu Qiuyu watched the cat beside her by the moonlight. The kitten was hugging its tail tightly, looking exactly like a black vinegar jar. Mu Qiuyu quietly pulled Lu Ning closer, watching the moonlight trace the snowy shadows on the cat’s fur.

Snow falls and melts. It gathers into clouds and falls again.

As the year-end approached, banquets came one after another. The Mu family showed signs of resurgence, so many invitations arrived. One day, Mu Qiuyu had to go to another banquet. Winter felines are always lazy; Lu Ning wagged her tail to see Mu Qiuyu and Mu Jingqin off, then ruthlessly dove through her small door and returned to the room.

Lu Ning felt Mu Qiuyu’s room was the warmest place in the house, and Mu Qiuyu’s clothes provided the greatest sense of security. The kitten curled up comfortably on Mu Qiuyu’s clothes, opened a real-time monitoring thread, and fell asleep.

Creak.

Lu Ning was sleeping dizzily when she heard the door open. Her ears twitched in the air, and she opened her eyes to see a figure walking in. Her tail recognized the returnee before her brain did, wagging back and forth.

“Tongtong, you’re back.” Lu Ning stretched drowsily from her nest.

“Yes.” Mu Qiuyu looked at the cat’s arched back and stroked her tail. Despite having just come from outside, Mu Qiuyu wasn’t cold. Her warm hand brushed over the cat’s body, making Lu Ning lie back down comfortably and expose her belly.

Just as she was about to use her “kitten charm” to captivate her host, she heard Mu Qiuyu say: “Can you change into your human form?”

Lu Ning had no objection; she also liked being with Mu Qiuyu as a human. But why the consultative tone? A sliver of doubt crossed her mind, yet she transformed in an instant.

The cat’s spot couldn’t accommodate an adult human, so Lu Ning ended up kneeling awkwardly on Mu Qiuyu’s clothes. “How is it?”

The loose white hoodie barely covered her frame, her long legs folded in Mu Qiuyu’s line of sight. Mu Qiuyu’s cool gaze seemed glued to her. She murmured “getting more practiced,” but didn’t look away.

“Of course, m—”

Lu Ning was about to accept the praise proudly when a substantial reward—a kiss—arrived as she spoke.

It was a very gentle kiss. Lu Ning tilted her head slightly, her face cupped by Mu Qiuyu. Mu Qiuyu pecked at her lips slowly, as if tasting a rare delicacy. Electric currents simmered in the warm room. Having just woken up, Lu Ning’s mind wasn’t clear; she was about to sink into the kiss.

Suddenly, a flash of light, like a car parking, reflected off the window glass. The kiss lingering on Lu Ning’s lips paused. Before Lu Ning was satisfied, Mu Qiuyu stopped abruptly. She brushed Lu Ning’s face and said: “Go back to sleep. I’m going down to take a shower.”

Her voice sounded lingering, every word rubbing against Lu Ning’s ear. Lu Ning was already sleepy, so she nodded dazedly: “Okay.” She lay back in bed as instructed, waiting for Mu Qiuyu to return from her shower.

After an unknown amount of time, a draft from the hallway rushed in as the door opened. The scent of alcohol suddenly hit Lu Ning, making her nose wrinkle.

Mu Qiuyu saw the figure sleeping on her bed and closed the door before Mu Jingqin could come up. “You’ve turned human?”

Lu Ning felt the question was redundant, but she nodded: “Yeah.”

Lu Ning likely didn’t know how seductive it was for a lover to be sleeping in one’s bed. She rolled over, her fair legs swaying without guard in Mu Qiuyu’s sight. She was half-asleep with messy hair, looking like a giant kitten.

Mu Qiuyu couldn’t help but curl her lips: “Cute.”

As she said this, she tilted Lu Ning’s chin. Breath laced with alcohol filled the girl’s nose as Mu Qiuyu leaned down for a kiss, easily prying open her unguarded lips.

Wait.

Mu Qiuyu sucked gently on Lu Ning’s lips, but the faint moist sensation made her gaze freeze. She kissed Lu Ning even harder. Her tongue swept over Lu Ning’s teeth and the walls of her mouth like a predator, scouring for every trace of taste inside.

This was completely different from any time Lu Ning had kissed Mu Qiuyu before. But the sharp scent of alcohol made her lose herself even more. Lu Ning only frowned slightly, her wrist pressing weakly against the person leaning over her: “Didn’t we just kiss? Why again? And you’re so fierce…”

Mu Qiuyu’s eyes snapped wide. Her hand gripping Lu Ning’s chin tightened with suppressed fury as she asked in a low, heavy voice: “Lu Ning, what did you say?”

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