Transmigrated as Cannon Fodder, Unable to Escape the Black Lotus Villain - Chapter 1

G City No. 1 High School

Despite its ordinary name, G City No. 1 High School was a bona fide elite private institution. Aside from a tiny minority of students who entered based on academic merit, the rest were almost entirely children of G City’s aristocracy. Rather than a school, it was more accurately described as a training ground for the upper-class social circles.

Today was the school’s annual opening ceremony.

While it was called a ceremony, for these young masters and ladies who had been immersed in social maneuvering by their elders since childhood, it was actually a prime opportunity to build connections.

In the banquet hall, where lights and shadows intertwined, elegantly dressed young heirs and heiresses conversed with one another. The entire hall was filled with the refined atmosphere of high society.

That is, except for one corner where two people sat. The area around them was desolate and quiet, looking entirely out of place amidst the rest of the gala.

“Xinxin, when can we leave? I’m bored to death.”

Huo Liuxue sat in her chair, complaining while simultaneously shooting a fierce glare at several boys who kept glancing in their direction. In the past, if they had dared to stare like that, she would have hit them long ago.

Huo Liuxue instinctively looked at the friend beside her, her eyes uncontrollably flickering with heartache.

Sitting next to her was a young girl in a white dress. Upon receiving Huo Liuxue’s complaint, she curled her lips into a smile and comforted her: “Sit a little longer. The banquet has just started; it wouldn’t be good to leave right now.”

Her eyes were beautiful, and her gaze always held an unintentional tenderness. The simple, unadorned dress accentuated her graceful curves, and combined with her unforgettable, exquisite face, she was someone people couldn’t help but lose themselves in.

However, the flaw in this perfection was the wheelchair beneath her, which told a silent truth.

She was a broken-winged angel.

“Fine, I’ll sit for a bit longer,” Huo Liuxue puffed out her cheeks and sat back down.

Actually, it wasn’t that she truly couldn’t sit still. It was just that the strange, scrutinizing looks directed at Mu Xin made her very uncomfortable and worried.

“Don’t worry, I’m fine. It’s not like it’s the first day,” Mu Xin said. Huo Liuxue’s thoughts were practically written on her face; how could Mu Xin not see them? But she had long since grown used to this.

“When you were healthy, these people spoke prettier words than anyone. Now… hmph,” Huo Liuxue grumbled.

In the past, these people never missed a chance to flatter Mu Xin at banquets. Now, seeing Mu Xin like this, every one of them was harboring crooked thoughts.

Huo Liuxue spoke with indignation, and suddenly thinking of a certain person, she became even angrier.

“Take that Ning Qi, for example. Before, she called you her ‘bestie’ and ‘sister.’ Heh, she’s better at kicking people when they’re down than anyone else.”

“Liuxue!”

Mu Xin interrupted Huo Liuxue before she could continue. A flash of darkness flickered in her eyes, though Huo Liuxue didn’t notice anything unusual.

“It’s all in the past,” Mu Xin pursed her lips, suppressing the emotions in her heart.

Ning Qi, the little princess of the Ning family in G City, was once Mu Xin’s best friend. The Mu and Ning families were long-time associates, and the two had grown up together. In terms of closeness, their relationship had been even deeper than the current bond between Huo Liuxue and Mu Xin.

However, after Mu Xin’s accident, Ning Qi became a different person. She was constantly cold and cynical toward Mu Xin, even mocking her several times for being in a wheelchair.

The two had eventually had a massive argument. Mu Xin had been heartbroken for days because of it, only for Ning Qi to go abroad for a vacation the very next day. Word was that Ning Qi intended to stay abroad for school.

“Mu Xin, so this is where you were! We’ve been looking for you for a long time.”

Just as Mu Xin was comforting the angry Huo Liuxue, a man’s voice filled with pleasant surprise called out. Soon, a man and a woman appeared in front of Mu Xin.

“Li Kan, what do you want with me?” Mu Xin nodded at the two, her eyes discreetly scanning the surroundings.

Upon noticing that many people were looking their way, her gaze flickered. It seemed that these two coming over was not going to be a good thing.

“It’s nothing, I just came to see you.”

Li Kan wore a warm smile, looking like a friendly neighborhood older brother. His eyes held an undisguised affection as he looked at Mu Xin.

“If you need any help at school in the future, you can always come to me. Don’t worry about being a bother, okay?”

Li Kan was indeed very handsome. Combined with his gentle tone and doting gaze, he was the Prince Charming in the hearts of many wealthy young ladies present.

Many of the girls’ gazes toward Mu Xin turned to jealousy and dissatisfaction. Meanwhile, the eyes of Huo Qingqing, standing next to Li Kan, were nearly spitting fire.

Why?

Why did Li Kan care so much about a cripple? She didn’t understand what was so good about Mu Xin.

But remembering what Li Kan had said before they came over, she suppressed the envy in her heart and smiled: “That’s right, Sister Mu Xin. If you have any trouble in the future, you can look for me and Brother Li Kan. Don’t be shy!”

She spoke as if she truly cared for Mu Xin. However, her voice wasn’t quiet, and many people nearby heard her words. Instantly, the way people looked at Mu Xin became strange.

“Heh, she really knows how to play the victim. I never noticed she was such an actress before.”

“Who knows? I mean, she really is quite pathetic now. No one wants anything to do with her.”

“Hahaha, did you hear? She had a fight with that Ning girl a while ago. I don’t know where she gets the nerve—does she still think she’s the great Eldest Miss of the Mu family?”

“Shh, keep it down. Regardless, the Mu family still isn’t one to be provoked.”

“True, true…”

The waves of whispered discussion reached their ears. Li Kan acted as if he heard nothing, continuing to look at Mu Xin affectionately. Huo Qingqing hid the triumph in her eyes, her gaze toward Mu Xin filled with disdain.

Heh, you think you can compete with me for Brother Li Kan? Know your place!

“Huo Qingqing, what do you mean by that? Who needs your ‘care’? Stop pretending to be a good person!”

Mu Xin merely gave Huo Qingqing a faint glance without any reaction. But Huo Liuxue couldn’t take it. Hearing the whispers around them, she immediately fired back.

However, it was clear Huo Qingqing had been prepared for her. Facing the fierce Huo Liuxue, Huo Qingqing’s face turned pale as if she were frightened.

With red eyes, she said softly, “Cousin, you’ve misunderstood us. Brother Li Kan and I really just want to care for Mu Xin. How can you say that to me?”

After speaking, she grabbed Li Kan’s sleeve and continued, “Brother Li Kan, I knew Cousin and Sister Mu Xin didn’t like me. That’s why I said I shouldn’t come over, I…”

Huo Qingqing wiped away tears, looking extraordinarily pitiful. Li Kan hurried to pull Huo Qingqing close to comfort her.

“Alright, Qingqing. Your cousin didn’t mean it, and Mu Xin isn’t that kind of person either.”

Neither Huo Liuxue nor Huo Qingqing had lowered their voices. Their conversation carried clearly, and many people heard it. Combined with the weeping Huo Qingqing, the crowd’s perception of Huo Liuxue and Mu Xin worsened.

“What kind of people are they? Someone tries to be kind to them and they act like this? To think I actually felt sorry for her.”

“Exactly. Birds of a feather.”

“Truly the top socialites of G City; they sure put on quite the air.”

…

“No, I didn’t…”

Hearing the discussions, Huo Liuxue suddenly grew anxious. She hadn’t expected Huo Qingqing to be such an actress, which had instantly put her in a losing position and dragged Mu Xin down with her.

“Xinxin, it’s all my fault.”

Mu Xin shook her head. She looked at Li Kan and Huo Qingqing with a trace of coldness in her eyes that was hard to detect, but her face wore an apologetic smile.

“Thank you for your kindness. Liuxue was just worried about me, I hope you won’t take offense. As for help, I believe I can take care of myself.”

She directly rejected Li Kan’s show of goodwill. Ultimately, she didn’t believe Li Kan was truly being that kind. Furthermore, the undisguised gaze he gave her made her very uncomfortable.

“Mu Xin, you…”

Having his kindness rejected to his face, Li Kan’s expression faltered. Even his warm smile became a bit forced. He maintained his smile and wanted to say something more, but then a calm female voice came from behind him.

“Hello. You’re blocking me. Could you move a bit, please?”

Ning Qi looked with some impatience at Li Kan, who was blocking the path, and the weeping Huo Qingqing. Then, her gaze moved past the two and landed on Mu Xin, who was sitting in the wheelchair looking at her in surprise.

The girl’s gentle eyes were filled with shock, her mouth slightly agape. She was clearly stunned by Ning Qi’s appearance.

Ning Qi tilted her chin up slightly, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

So this is the villainess. She’s… actually kind of cute~

“Excuse me.”

Ning Qi reached out a slender arm and grabbed Huo Qingqing by the back of her collar.

“Ah! Let go of me! What are you doing?!”

As Ning Qi applied force, Huo Qingqing felt her body move backward uncontrollably. She immediately struggled violently, glaring fiercely at Ning Qi.

Ning Qi ignored the surprised looks from the crowd and Huo Qingqing’s shouting. She simply hauled Huo Qingqing to the side, then looked at Li Kan with a half-smile and said, “Do you need my help too?”

Ning Qi was tall. Wearing the No. 1 High School uniform, she stood with long legs. She was 170cm tall, but her aura felt like it was ten feet tall. With that slightly wicked smirk, she looked both rebellious and handsome.

“Ning… Ning Qi… what are you doing here?”

Li Kan felt unnerved being stared at by Ning Qi, and his speech became a bit stuttered. For some reason, he felt that Ning Qi seemed different.

Seeing him standing stupidly in the middle of the path like a pole, Ning Qi frowned.

These protagonists are so troublesome, Ning Qi muttered to herself. Then she reached out her hand.

In the next second, Li Kan received the same treatment as Huo Qingqing. He was moved to stand in a neat row right next to her.

Now that the obstacles were cleared, Ning Qi nodded in satisfaction. She looked up at Mu Xin, who still had her pink lips slightly parted. Ning Qi smiled as well.

Ning Qi walked up to Mu Xin and carefully observed her “bestie.” She had to admit, she was truly beautiful. Having lived in a post-apocalyptic world for over twenty years, Ning Qi had never seen someone so good-looking.

While Ning Qi was observing Mu Xin, Mu Xin’s heart was in turmoil. Why was Ning Qi here? Shouldn’t she be abroad? Moreover, looking at her just now, she had clearly been helping Mu Xin out of a jam. Even if the method was…

Mu Xin glanced at Li Kan and Huo Qingqing, who were glaring indignantly at Ning Qi’s back. She instinctively wanted to smile, but at the thought of it being Ning Qi, the smile quickly vanished. Her gaze toward Ning Qi became serious.

She didn’t know what kind of trick Ning Qi was playing this time. On the surface, Mu Xin remained calm, but she was inwardly on guard.

“Ning Qi! What do you want?”

Huo Liuxue stood up to block the space between Ning Qi and Mu Xin, looking at Ning Qi nervously. As Mu Xin’s good friend, Huo Liuxue’s heart had jumped into her throat the moment she saw Ning Qi. In her mind, Ning Qi was just as hateful as Huo Qingqing—perhaps even more so. After all, Mu Xin had once trusted her so much.

Upset that she couldn’t see the beauty anymore, Ning Qi slowly retracted her gaze and looked at the person blocking her. She suddenly found it amusing.

Tsk, so this is the villainess’s most loyal lackey from the book. She doesn’t seem as difficult as the book described; she actually seems a bit silly.

“You only know how to act tough with me. Why couldn’t you say a word to those two just now?”

Ning Qi gestured meaningfully behind her. Her words nearly made Huo Liuxue explode with anger.

“You…!”

Being outmaneuvered by Huo Qingqing earlier had indeed made Huo Liuxue feel embarrassed. But she couldn’t stand this “traitor” Ning Qi bossing her around. In her exasperation, she hopped up, ready to have a go at Ning Qi, but Mu Xin was quick to grab her.

“When did you get back?” Mu Xin asked Ning Qi while holding back Huo Liuxue. Her expression had returned to normal, her tone flat with a hint of a smile, like an old friend asking a question.

Ning Qi found it a bit strange. Mu Xin seemed a bit too calm. She wasn’t angry at all.

However, Ning Qi didn’t overthink it. Since Mu Xin wasn’t dwelling on it, Ning Qi certainly wouldn’t bring up those unpleasant past events. After all, she wasn’t the one who had actually done those things.

She stepped past Huo Liuxue and crouched down in front of Mu Xin. Looking at Mu Xin’s smooth, dark hair, her fingers twitched. Ultimately, she couldn’t resist and reached out, letting her hand rest on top of Mu Xin’s head.

“I came straight here from the airport. Not happy to see me?”

The texture is so nice, Ning Qi thought, lightly stroking the hair.

However, her joy lasted only a few seconds before a sharp pain hit the back of her hand, and her hand was slapped away. She retracted her hand somewhat regretfully. Catching the embarrassed and annoyed look in Mu Xin’s eyes, she quickly hid her hand behind her back and gave a sheepish, dry laugh.

Oops, couldn’t help myself. I forgot my character persona.

Mu Xin’s lips twitched. It took a lot of effort to keep her face steady so that, aside from a slight blush, she appeared normal.

“I’m happy. But why didn’t you tell me in advance that you were coming back?” she said with a smile.

Ning Qi had been watching Mu Xin’s expression closely. Seeing that she didn’t have a huge reaction, Ning Qi breathed a sigh of relief.

Good, she didn’t blow up. Otherwise, it would be a shame if she couldn’t see such a cute villainess in the future.

Looking at Mu Xin sitting there quietly with a gentle expression, Ning Qi once again cursed the original owner of her body in her mind. The girl must have had mush for brains. Why else would she throw away such a good best friend and plot against her with that scumbag man and treacherous woman? What was the point?

Ning Qi cleared her thoughts, straightened her collar, and smilingly reached out her hand toward Mu Xin.

“No need. I came specifically to pick you up.”

Ning Qi’s voice was lighter than she had ever heard it. Her expression was filled with an unprecedented tenderness. Her eyes, accompanied by her smile, seemed to carry a light within them.

This scene caused Mu Xin to lose herself for a moment. So much so that even decades later, she would still clearly remember this day.

The best person in the world, with the brilliant lights at her back, reached out a hand to her. It was also on this day that she caught hold of her own light.