Turns Out I’m the Villain They’re Supposed to Redeem? [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 10

Her casual remark successfully caught the attention of several coaches present.

How could the seeded athlete of Kaicheng University possibly have any issues with her abilities?

But there was no denying that Huo Yuwan had just beaten Qi Qiuyuan by a mere second, so her comment wasn’t entirely unfounded.

The coaches opened their mouths to speak but found themselves unable to refute her.

During the post-race discussion, one of the coaches had brought up this point, but Qi Qiuyuan flatly denied any wrongdoing. As the core member of the university team, the coaches naturally took her word for it. They knew very well who they could afford to offend and who they couldn’t.

“Thanks to the motivation from Student Huo, Qiuyuan also achieved a personal best this time,” the male coach said with a laugh, skillfully changing the subject. “Perhaps if you train together in the future, you can continue to bring out the best in each other.”

Although Qi Qiuyuan had lost to Huo Yuwan, her performance had genuinely improved. The coaches saw this as a positive development and, after some discussion, were even more determined to persuade Huo Yuwan to join the university team. Her ability to motivate Qi Qiuyuan alone was invaluable.

“Forget it. I don’t have time to be her training partner,” Huo Yuwan replied.

She wasn’t blind to the fact that the coaches were subtly defending Qi Qiuyuan. If she joined the team, who knew how much she’d end up losing out?

“How could it be just being a training partner? You’d be progressing together…” The coach looked displeased at her response.

“I’m really not interested in becoming an athlete. And as for my academic performance that you mentioned earlier…” Huo Yuwan pulled up a screenshot of her exam results and showed it to them. “Although one of my major course grades hasn’t been released yet, based on what’s here, I should be ranked first in my year.””

She raised an eyebrow and smiled nonchalantly. Even if her grades were poor, she had no interest in pursuing athletics. Forcing herself to do something she didn’t enjoy would only lead to unfavorable outcomes.

The long list of grades displayed on the screenshot showed “Rank 1 in Major” next to each subject.

The coaches were momentarily speechless.

This had been their most convincing argument to persuade her, and now it was gone.

…

The coaches left in low spirits, their enthusiasm thoroughly dampened.

Li Xuzhi, who had overheard the entire conversation, looked troubled. She had initially thought the collision was an accident, but now, considering how the coaches had rushed to defend Qi Qiuyuan and the fact that Qi Qiuyuan still hadn’t shown up to apologize…

“Dr. Li, you see it too, don’t you? Qi Qiuyuan isn’t just rude, she’s also narrow-minded,” Huo Yuwan said, carefully observing Li Xuzhi’s expression as she spoke ill of Qi Qiuyuan without any hesitation.

She was afraid that the kind-hearted and beautiful Dr. Li might be deceived.

Hearing this, Li Xuzhi snapped out of her thoughts and met Huo Yuwan’s cautious yet hopeful gaze. She smiled helplessly and nodded.

“Mm.”

“With grades like yours, you don’t necessarily have to take the path of an athlete,” Li Xuzhi said softly, reaching out to gently tuck a stray strand of hair behind Huo Yuwan’s ear. Worried that Huo Yuwan might feel pressured, she added reassuringly, “My aunt is a professor in your department. If you have any questions about your major course, you can consult her.”

As she spoke, Li Xuzhi took out her phone. “I’ll send you her contact info.”

Huo Yuwan grinned and made an exaggerated fist-pump, deliberately trying to lighten the mood and make her laugh.

“Since Dr. Li cares so much about my studies, I’ll have to work even harder!”

…

After returning to the dorm in the afternoon to shower and change, Huo Yuwan sent Huo Yuqing a message, inviting her to have dinner together that evening.

The two sisters sat facing each other in the cafeteria, and Huo Yuwan could tell that Huo Yuqing was in low spirits.

“What’s wrong, sis?”

Huo Yuqing shook her head, mustered her energy, and gave her younger sister a faint smile.

“It’s nothing.”

Qi Qiuyuan hadn’t replied to her messages all day and didn’t answer her calls. After finishing her part-time job in the afternoon, Huo Yuqing rushed straight to Qi Qiuyuan’s dorm, only to be told that she had packed her things and gone home.

“It’s because of your girlfriend, isn’t it?”

Huo Yuwan knew exactly what was going on.

Her second sister spent her days either studying or working part-time, who else could affect her mood besides Qi Qiuyuan?

“You know, sis, I broke two school sports meet records today. Even your girlfriend lost to me.”

Wiping her mouth with a tissue, Huo Yuwan proudly shared the news without a hint of modesty.

Huo Yuqing, who had been slowly sipping her porridge, paused in surprise.

In her memory, her younger sister was someone who hated exercise, always adhering to the principle of sitting if she could avoid standing and lying down if she could avoid sitting.

When she saw Huo Yuwan playing soccer on the field yesterday, she thought it was just a passing whim. But now her sister claimed to have beaten Qi Qiuyuan at the sports meet?

Huo Yuqing could hardly believe it.

“You…” She was too stunned to speak.

“And I ranked first in the midterm exams this time.”

Kindly placing the spoon back into Huo Yuqing’s bowl, Huo Yuwan casually dropped another bombshell.

“I was just too lazy to study before. And I only recently discovered that I actually have quite a talent for sports.”

Huo Yuwan explained with a perfectly serious, almost boastful tone.

The original host had decent potential. If she were truly hopeless academically, no amount of tutoring from Huo Yuqing would have gotten her into a prestigious university like Kaicheng University.

Even last semester’s exams, barely passing without failing, could be considered a skill in its own right.

“Don’t worry, sis. I’ve made up my mind to study hard from now on.”

Snapping out of her daze, Huo Yuqing nodded along. “I’m glad you’ve come around.”

In her heart, she had always believed her younger sister wasn’t stupid.

Smiling at the response, Huo Yuwan changed the subject. “But you’re about to be a senior in college. What are your plans after graduation? Graduate school or an internship?”

Given Huo Yuqing’s grades, she could easily get into a graduate program without even taking the entrance exam.

“I… I haven’t decided yet.”

Huo Yuqing averted her gaze.

A while ago, her department advisor had contacted her, reminding her that if she wanted to apply for a recommended graduate program, she needed to start preparing now.

With her academic record over the past few years, she could practically choose any university in the country.

Huo Yuqing had her heart set on one particular school, but it wasn’t in Kaicheng.

When she shared her thoughts with Qi Qiuyuan, Qi Qiuyuan objected to a long-distance relationship, bluntly stating that if Huo Yuqing went to study in another province, they would break up.

Huo Yuqing immediately dropped the idea.

She had been with Qi Qiuyuan since high school graduation, and if she were honest, she had even imagined what their wedding would be like.

Seeing her like this, Huo Yuwan began to understand.

According to the plotline uncovered by the fox spirit, after breaking up with Qi Qiuyuan, Huo Yuqing failed her postgraduate entrance exam. After working for a year, she chose to retake the exam but still didn’t succeed. Her family urged her to continue, but she gave up on her own, saying she didn’t have the ability.

It wasn’t until much later, during a casual chat between the sisters, when Huo Yuqing was drunk and silently shed tears while watching a news broadcast on TV, that she finally opened up.

It turned out she had actually made it to the interview round for the postgraduate exam back then. However, one of the professors bluntly stated that Huo Yuqing had behaved improperly during her university years, even causing harm to a fellow student, which resulted in that student missing the chance to compete internationally and win glory for the country.

Huo Yuqing was at a loss for words, her eyes red as she tried to defend herself.

But it was useless. The interviewers, like the students and teachers at her university, didn’t believe her.

An institution like the Foreign Affairs University, which specializes in cultivating talent for the nation, would never accept a student with questionable character.

Let alone allow her to become a translator for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In the original plotline, Huo Yuqing forever lost the chance to realize her dream.

It was true that Qi Qiuyuan’s foot injury was related to Huo Yuqing, but she wasn’t entirely to blame.

In the original plotline, the two had argued and broken up. During the struggle, Qi Qiuyuan twisted her ankle. Huo Yuqing wanted to take her to the campus clinic, but Qi Qiuyuan coldly refused, saying they were no longer involved.

Coincidentally, a provincial team coach came to the school to select a substitute player. Despite the pain in her ankle, Qi Qiuyuan insisted on participating.

While running, her injury worsened, and she collapsed, unable to move.

As Qi Qiuyuan was already a prominent figure at the school, the incident quickly spiraled into rumors that Huo Yuqing had repeatedly confessed her feelings to Qi Qiuyuan without success, harbored resentment, and deliberately harassed her, causing the injury that prevented her from competing.

Few people knew about their relationship, and as the rumors spread, those who had seen them together began to reinterpret those moments as Huo Yuqing pestering Qi Qiuyuan, rallying to defend the injured Qi Qiuyuan.

At the time, Huo Yuqing, who still had feelings for Qi Qiuyuan after the breakup, blamed herself entirely and offered no defense.

But she never imagined that this incident would directly affect her postgraduate interview later on.

…

Learning the truth, Huo Yuwan felt both helpless and furious. With Huo Yuqing’s academic record, she could have easily been recommended for admission to the Foreign Affairs University. If she hadn’t missed that opportunity, so many regrets could have been avoided.

“Sis, I saw a news clip the other day. The translators at those international conferences look so impressive! Do you have to major in foreign languages to become like them?” Huo Yuwan pretended not to know and probed cautiously.

Hearing this, Huo Yuqing’s heart stirred. She looked at her sister’s admiring expression and explained gently, “Studying foreign languages is just the first step. Becoming a translator for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requires a lot of hard work… Most of our country’s translators are selected from graduates of the Foreign Affairs University…”

She spoke eloquently, clearly having done extensive research in advance.

“Then why don’t you give it a try, sis? Getting into the Foreign Affairs University and becoming a translator would be so cool. Mom, Dad, and I could even see you on TV someday. Just thinking about it makes me proud. Huo Yuwan shook her head playfully, coaxing and encouraging her with a spoiled tone.

She could tell Huo Yuqing still had reservations; otherwise, given their almost-no-secrets relationship, Huo Yuqing would have already shared her plans with her younger sister instead of hesitating like this.

In that case, she would give her a push.

“Anyway, Sis, your grades are so good, why not give it a try?”

Huo Yuqing was swayed by her sister’s persistence, but she still couldn’t quite let go of Qi Qiuyuan.

“To be honest with you, Sis, the reason I’ve started putting effort into studying now is all because of you as my role model. If you don’t agree, I’ll just go back to slacking off, let whoever wants to study, study.”

Huo Yuwan fully leveraged her spoiled, favored position in the family.

Hearing this, Huo Yuqing didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

“What if I apply to a different school? Would that not work either?”

Blinking, Huo Yuwan immediately sensed an opportunity.

She feigned a sigh of regret, “Another school isn’t completely out of the question, but it’s just not as good as the Foreign Affairs College. Only when you become an interpreter and appear on TV can I show off to others…”

In no time, Huo Yuwan had crafted a new persona for herself, a little sister who was both ambitious for her sister and loved to boast.

“Let me think about it.”

Although she knew her sister’s words were mostly in jest, Huo Yuqing couldn’t help but feel her resolve waver.

She had dreamed of becoming an interpreter for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since her sophomore year, and all her hard work over the years had been in pursuit of that goal.

Now, faced with the decision, should she really give up her dream for Qi Qiuyuan?

Huo Yuqing wrestled with the difficult choice in her heart.