Is Self-Redemption Really That Hard? [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 18

Moving into a house that had been empty for nearly a month naturally meant one thing—cleaning.

Lu Wuqi had no intention of letting her mother do any of the heavy lifting. So, she simply said they’d have fish and ribs for dinner, and sent her off to the market with a small foldable cart.

After taking off her orange jacket—the same one her girlfriend wore—Lu Wuqi set it on the sofa, then grabbed a large trash bag and began sorting through all the things related to Lu Fu. After running up and down the stairs twice, she dumped everything straight into the garbage bin.

Once the unnecessary things were gone, she started sweeping, mopping, and wiping down the furniture. The two-bedroom apartment wasn’t large, and with the clutter out of the way, the cleaning didn’t take long—barely half an hour later, everything was spotless.

Just as she was about to take a quick shower and change clothes, a steady knock came from the door.

Thinking it was her mother who had forgotten her keys, Lu Wuqi didn’t bother to tidy herself up. She just grabbed a couple of napkins, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and opened the door.

“Mom, you—” She froze mid-sentence when she saw Lan Xu and her mother standing outside. The greeting she’d prepared instantly stuck in her throat.

“Xuxu, hello, Mrs. Du.” Lu Wuqi quickly composed herself, greeting them politely. She balled up the napkins in her hand and hid them behind her back.

“Oh, it’s you, Lu. Doing some cleaning?” Mrs. Du asked, her eyes subtly scanning the surroundings. “Where’s your mother?”

“She went to the market to buy some groceries—she should be back soon. Please, come in, Mrs. Du, I’ll get you some water.” Lu Wuqi said, quickly moving to grab her jacket from the sofa, silently thanking herself for having finished cleaning before the surprise visit.

“I heard your mother went to the capital for a minor surgery, so I came to see how she’s doing. Is she recovering well?” Mrs. Du said, carrying a box of ginseng supplements, while Lan Xu followed behind her with two bags of fruit.

“She’s doing great. She was discharged a couple of weeks ago and can go out on her own now,” Lu Wuqi replied.

After a few polite exchanges, Mrs. Du sat down on the sofa—apparently planning to wait for Lu’s mother to return.

Lu Wuqi and Lan Xu exchanged a quick, knowing glance before she went to the kitchen to pour three cups of warm water.

“So, Lu, how are you adjusting to university life?” Mrs. Du asked as she touched the warm cup, slipping naturally into her teacherly tone.

“The atmosphere’s great. I’ve been learning a lot of new things every day,” Lu Wuqi said truthfully. She knew there was a difference between understanding programming and mastering it, and she wasn’t about to waste a single chance to improve.

“That’s good. College is very different from high school—no teachers keeping a close eye on you anymore. You have to take more initiative and learn more broadly,” Mrs. Du advised.

Though she deeply disliked Lu Fu, seeing how well-behaved and sensible Lu Wuqi was softened her tone.

After all, a student who’s diligent, polite, and responsible can easily win a teacher’s goodwill.

Mrs. Du didn’t want her daughter getting too close to Lu Wuqi, but she wasn’t the kind of person to take her resentment out on an innocent child.

A little while later, Lu’s mother returned with her grocery cart. When she saw Mrs. Du, the two women immediately exchanged pleasantries—one expressing concern for the other’s health, the other warmly insisting she stay for dinner.

Eventually, Mrs. Du couldn’t resist her host’s persistence and agreed to stay—on the condition that she help with cooking.

“Wuqi, I told my mom about your part-time job and the lottery win. You don’t mind, right?” Lan Xu asked as she moved closer on the sofa.

“Why would I mind?” Lu Wuqi blinked, a little surprised. “Isn’t that just proof of my luck and ability?”

“Exactly what I said.” Lan Xu’s lips curved slightly. “But my mom insists I can’t accept your profit share. She said I should just hold on to the money for you—you can take it anytime you need.”

“Hmm, then maybe we can save up and get a new computer later?” Lu Wuqi said, placing her hand over Lan Xu’s and gently pressing down on her knuckles. “I’ve been using yours for a lot of programming—it’s wearing out fast.”

“We’ll talk about that later. We don’t really need a new computer for our major just yet.” Lan Xu quickly shifted the topic. “Oh, right—the old class monitor messaged me. They’re planning a visit to our homeroom teacher on the third. Do you want to come?”

“Sure, let’s go together,” Lu Wuqi said without hesitation.

“Alright, we’ll bring a small gift too.”

Lan Xu was curious about how Lu Fu was doing now, but out of respect, she didn’t ask. She decided to keep pretending she knew nothing until Lu Wuqi chose to bring it up herself.

Dinner that evening was lively and pleasant. Both mothers were skilled home cooks, and the four dishes and one soup turned out delicious—enough to satisfy everyone at the table.

By the end of September, the sun set later than usual. After the meal, Mrs. Du didn’t linger for long and soon said her goodbyes.

Lan Xu, however, held onto Lu Wuqi’s hand, using the upcoming class reunion as an excuse to stay the night.

Mrs. Du gave her daughter a long, meaningful look but didn’t object—she only said, “Come home early.”

“Xuxu, does Mrs. Du not like me very much?” Lu Wuqi asked, sitting down in her desk chair.

“No, she just doesn’t like me staying out too late. Don’t overthink it,” Lan Xu said, tilting her head slightly as she looked at her. “Why? Did my mom say something to you?”

“No, nothing like that. It’s just during dinner, Mrs. Du seemed to keep watching me,” Lu Wuqi exhaled softly, then added, “Did she hear about Lu Fu?”

“Ah.” Lan Xu froze, not sure how to respond.

“It’s fine,” Lu Wuqi said lightly. “Lu Fu ran off with all the valuables from home—most of the neighbors know about it by now.” She shrugged, appearing unbothered.

“Xuxu, I’m not as fragile as you think. Him being gone isn’t a bad thing for me.” She leaned forward and took Lan Xu’s hand. “If you have any questions, you can ask me directly.”

Lan Xu coughed lightly. “Any question?”

“Mm, anything,” Lu Wuqi said, confident and open. There was nothing she couldn’t talk about now.

“When your dad left, did he contact you at all?” Lan Xu asked cautiously, worried the question might touch a sore spot.

“No. No calls, no messages, no word through anyone,” Lu Wuqi said calmly.

She had long since blocked his number. There would never be any calls or texts again—and as for someone passing along a message? No one wanted to be associated with a debt-ridden gambler.

“Weren’t you sad?” Lan Xu asked softly.

Lu Wuqi thought for a few seconds, then shook her head firmly. “No. He was already trapped by gambling. He lost my student loan and all our savings.”

“I know he’s still my father by blood, but if I could choose, I’d rather not have one like him. My mom is enough.”

Her eyes were clear and unwavering as she met Lan Xu’s gaze. “Xuxu, do you think that sounds too harsh?”

Lan Xu’s fingers lightly traced the edge of the bedsheet as she thought. “I’m not someone who believes in blind filial piety. If I were you, I’d probably feel the same.”

Lu Wuqi’s smile deepened. She stood up and leaned forward to hug Lan Xu. “Xuxu, thank you.”

“There’s nothing to thank me for,” Lan Xu said softly, patting her back. “It’s what any normal person would think. We’re not extensions of our parents—we’re our own people.”

“Mm, I—” Lu Wuqi began, but a sudden knock interrupted her. She turned toward the door just as it opened. Her mother stood there holding a fruit platter.

“I washed some fruit for you girls—would you like some?” she asked, freezing for a moment when she saw the two of them in each other’s arms. Then, as if nothing was amiss, she added calmly, “Would you like to try some?”