Turns Out I’m the Villain They’re Supposed to Redeem? [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 21.1

After returning to her dorm to drop off her clothes and repack her laptop, Huo Yuwan jogged to the agreed-upon empty classroom, where several seniors from her department were already waiting.

This was the debate team’s first group discussion since forming. As the first speaker, Huo Yuwan naturally took the lead, sharing her understanding of the debate topic and showing the others, the argument outline she had prepared in advance.

Initially, the seniors had been somewhat resistant to having a freshman as the first speaker, but after reading her outline, their dissatisfaction completely vanished.

The draft was substantial, with each point well-reasoned and supported. Everyone actively shared their thoughts, while Huo Yuwan listened and took notes for additions.

Her breadth of knowledge was indeed impressive, her grasp of specialized legal knowledge even surpassed that of the third-year students.

The fox spirit observing from the sidelines found this unsurprising. Just like when she had watched Huo Yuwan write code at noon, this knowledge was essential for someone in the role of Shao Siming. Although they were fox spirits, their approach to learning kept pace with the times.

Back in the clan, the high priest had only provided Huo Yuwan with theoretical texts, so she had no prior practical experience.

After all, sometimes a single spell could achieve results more efficiently.

Now, without any magical abilities to rely on, this was Huo Yuwan’s first time putting theoretical knowledge from her mind into practice.

The group’s discussion was intense and lasted until nearly seven o’clock. One of the seniors, noticing the noise in the hallway, realized it was almost time for evening classes.

“Let’s call it a day. I have a class soon.”

Huo Yuwan was organizing her documents when she instinctively glanced at the time in the lower right corner of the screen.

She shot to her feet, hurriedly closing the laptop. “Oh no, I have Professor Wen’s class. Seniors, just let me know when you’ve decided on the next discussion time. I’ve got to run!”

This was a critical period, she couldn’t afford to upset Professor Wen again.

With that, she grabbed her computer, slung her backpack over her shoulder, and dashed out of the classroom.

Fortunately, her class was on the same floor. Huo Yuwan rushed as fast as she could, making it into the classroom just before the bell rang.

Zhao Lan had already saved her a seat in the front row by the side. When she saw Huo Yuwan enter, she waved to catch her attention.

Out of the corner of her eye, Huo Yuwan noticed Wen Jinyuan standing behind the podium, organizing her teaching materials. Instinctively, she quickened her pace and hurried to her seat, afraid of being marked late again.

Unbeknownst to her, Wen Jinyuan had already spotted her. Wen had arrived at the teaching building ten minutes earlier and, on her way to the classroom, had passed by the room where Huo Yuwan and the others were discussing. Out of a sense of responsibility, Wen stood at the back door and listened for a while. Their understanding of the debate topic was thorough, especially Huo Yuwan’s. Although she had been busy taking notes, every time she spoke, she hit the core of the issue, showing how well-prepared she was.

…

After the first class ended, Huo Yuwan checked the group chat. Several seniors suggested she take advantage of this class break to show Professor Wen the revised argument draft they had just discussed and get her feedback.

Pulling up the document, Huo Yuwan hesitated for a moment before getting up and walking to the podium.

Fortunately, Wen Jinyuan only glanced at her before focusing her attention on the computer. Her tone remained strict as she offered several guiding suggestions and recommended a few related books. Throughout the entire exchange, she never mentioned anything about having Huo Yuwan withdraw from the competition.

Huo Yuwan, who had been tense, finally relaxed.

“Coordinate with the others and see if they’re free to come to my office tomorrow. We can discuss everything together then,” Wen Jinyuan said, her tone softening slightly.

Huo Yuwan paused, then smiled ingratiatingly as she tried to negotiate. “Professor Wen, would the day after tomorrow work?”

“Why? Do you have something tomorrow?”

Hesitantly, Huo Yuwan nodded. She figured since Wen Jinyuan was Dr. Li’s aunt, it wouldn’t hurt to let her know. “I made plans to go shopping with Dr. Li tomorrow.”

At this, Wen Jinyuan lifted her gaze from the computer screen.

“You and Xuzhi are quite close,” she remarked, her tone carrying a note of certainty and softening slightly when she mentioned Li Xuzhi.

Scratching her head a little sheepishly, Huo Yuwan grinned and admitted, “Dr. Li and I are good friends.”

Wen Jinyuan didn’t comment on her response. After confirming that the team discussion would be scheduled for the weekend, she watched Huo Yuwan return to her seat. Only then did it dawn on her,tomorrow was Li Xuzhi’s birthday.

In her recollection, Li Xuzhi had never been particularly close to anyone since childhood. Huo Yuwan, it seemed, was an exception.

When class ended, Huo Yuwan was called back by Wen Jinyuan at the podium. Zhao Lan assumed the professor wanted to discuss debate-related matters, so she waited outside the classroom with her backpack.

Huo Yuwan thought the same, but to her surprise, after all the other students had left, Professor Wen asked her a question entirely unrelated to the debate.

“Did you know tomorrow is Xuzhi’s birthday?”

Huo Yuwan froze, then shook her head in confusion.

A gentle, knowing smile flickered across Wen Jinyuan’s face. Having given that hint, she said nothing more, picked up her bag, and left.

An ordinary friend wouldn’t be enough to make Li Xuzhi, who had always lived under family control, devoid of desires, start making changes.

First, she had unusually asked Wen to look out for Huo Yuwan in class, and now she had specifically invited her out shopping on her birthday.

A stagnant life had found a glimmer of hope. As the aunt who had lovingly watched Li Xuzhi grow up, Wen Jinyuan understood her pain all too well. So now, she was genuinely glad to see Li Xuzhi making these changes.

She also hoped that Huo Yuwan was someone worthy of inspiring such transformation.

…

On the way back to the dormitory, Huo Yuwan seemed distracted. Her companion, Zhao Lan, noticing her state, assumed she was mulling over the debate competition and didn’t disturb her.

Late into the night, Huo Yuwan tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. She kept scrolling through the promotional page of a certain cake shop on her phone until exhaustion finally overtook her. Fighting off drowsiness, she set an alarm for 7 a.m. and slowly drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, Huo Yuwan woke before the alarm went off. Glancing at the time, 6:30 a.m., she canceled the alarm, then quietly got out of bed and went to the balcony to freshen up.

The night before, she had contacted the cake shop owner and, through the simple and direct method of paying extra, convinced them to open an hour earlier that morning.

She waited by the shop entrance for about twenty minutes before the owner finally arrived, running a bit late.

“You’re here so early,” the owner remarked, a young woman who looked about Huo Yuwan’s age, yawning as she unlocked the door.

Huo Yuwan followed her inside and showed her a picture she had found online the night before. “How long would it take to make something like this?”

The owner took the phone, glanced at the image, and her lips twitched involuntarily.

I shouldn’t have been so busy gaming last night that I forgot to ask what the customer actually wanted.

“Do you want a 3D version or a flat design?” she asked, trying to keep her tone neutral.

The picture on the phone was a lifelike, realistic fox, not a cartoon or a chibi version. She couldn’t help but suspect this customer was here to cause trouble.

Huo Yuwan gave her a puzzled look and replied matter-of-factly, “Of course, a 3D one.”

“Two days,” the owner said after a moment of restraint.

“That won’t do,” Huo Yuwan replied firmly.

Who eats a birthday cake after the birthday has passed?

She had anticipated some difficulty, which was why she’d come an hour early to place the order, but she hadn’t expected it to be this challenging.

Sensing the owner’s hesitation, Huo Yuwan recalled the tutorial videos she had watched on her phone the night before.

It didn’t seem that hard.

Half an hour later, the owner watched skeptically as Huo Yuwan eagerly picked up a piping bag.

To her surprise, Huo Yuwan handled everything from securing the structure with wires to layering and assembling the cake layers with surprising skill.

“Have you done this before?” the owner asked, unable to hide her astonishment.

Otherwise, how could a beginner manage so well on their first try?

“Yeah,” Huo Yuwan replied absentmindedly, her focus entirely on the cake.

The night before, unable to sleep, she had spent three hours watching detailed step-by-step tutorials. If that counted as learning, then yes.

After two hours of meticulous work, Huo Yuwan finally created a fox-shaped cake she was satisfied with, transitioning from cautious movements to confident strokes.

But…

Why did the fox’s face look so familiar?

“My lady, why did you draw yourself?” the fox spirit asked, staring at the little white fox made of cream, utterly confused.

Finally realizing what felt off, Huo Yuwan felt a wave of embarrassment.

She had intended to recreate the little white fox that Dr. Li kept, but in her focus, she had inadvertently ended up making it look like herself.

“It’s fine, they’re all foxes anyway, Dr. Li probably won’t notice the difference.”

Two eyes, one nose, who would examine it that closely? Huo Yuwan comforted herself.

The fox spirit in her mind hesitated to speak its thoughts. Still… why did it have to be a fox-shaped cake? Could it be that the Shao Siming Lord has some secret little quirk?

Like… enjoying watching others eat a cake that looks just like her?

By the time the cake was packaged, it was almost nine o’clock. Huo Yuwan carefully cradled her fox-shaped cake and hurried back to campus.

…

After spending two hours in the cake shop, her clothes had absorbed the sweet, creamy scent. Huo Yuwan planned to return to her dorm first to change, but when she reached the dormitory building, she realized Li Xuzhi was already waiting for her.

Dressed in a white belted gown that exposed her fair arms, with smooth long hair cascading over her shoulders and back, Li Xuzhi looked delicate and graceful.

Standing beside a black car, Li Xuzhi waved at her with a soft smile, her dimples faintly visible.

“Happy birthday, Dr. Li.”

Abandoning the idea of going back to her dorm, Huo Yuwan protectively held the cake box in her arms and jogged over to her, smiling warmly with focused, sincere eyes.

Surprised, Li Xuzhi gazed at the exquisitely crafted little fox cake inside the transparent packaging.

“I only found out from Professor Wen yesterday that it’s your birthday today. It was a bit rushed, so I only had time to prepare this cake…” Huo Yuwan explained softly, her cheeks flushed and a little nervous.

“Thank you, Yuwan. I really like it.” Li Xuzhi’s heart felt both tender and slightly achy as she replied softly.

She hadn’t actually planned to celebrate her birthday. In previous years, her parents would always invite unrelated friends over, introducing her to men and women her age for socializing, not to celebrate her birthday, but for networking.

Today was the first time Li Xuzhi had rejected her parents’ arrangements and slipped out alone to spend time with Huo Yuwan.

She hadn’t intended to tell Huo Yuwan it was her birthday. Just being able to spend the entire day alone with her, no matter what they did, would have been enough for Li Xuzhi.

But the surprise gift from Huo Yuwan still made her unavoidably happy.

Placing the cake in the back seat, Li Xuzhi drove Huo Yuwan to a nearby mall. Having never been on a date before, she simply followed her heart and chose the most ordinary, conservative activities, shopping and watching a movie.

In the quiet, enclosed car, the scent of cream gradually spread.

Her nose twitching slightly, Li Xuzhi glanced at the source of the sweet fragrance beside her, then thought of the fox cake in the back seat, forming a guess in her heart.

“Did you make the cake yourself, Yuwan?”

Huo Yuwan, who had long noticed the overly sweet scent clinging to her, felt a bit embarrassed. “Making it myself… felt more meaningful.”

A smile curling her lips, Li Xuzhi turned on the car stereo, and a soothing English love song began to flow softly.

…

The mall was near the school, and being a Saturday, it was crowded.

The two wandered from floor to floor, and Huo Yuwan even bought two cups of warm milk tea.

Having previously idly reread the entire plotline the fox spirit had dug up, she had memorized every detail about Li Xuzhi.

Dr. Li was physically weak, with a sensitive stomach and spleen, she couldn’t eat anything raw or cold. Huo Yuwan felt she should take good care of her today.

After strolling for about half an hour, just as she was beginning to worry whether Li Xuzhi might be tired from walking so long, a gentle voice beside her spoke first.

“Let’s take a look in this store.”

Huo Yuwan turned her head following the direction of her gaze, a women’s suit boutique.

“Alright.”

Without overthinking why Li Xuzhi wanted to enter this particular store, after all, when shopping, any place was fair game, Huo Yuwan noticed the resting sofa inside and nodded with a smile.

They could sit there later if they got tired.

Li Xuzhi’s fingers closed around Huo Yuwan’s hand, and she led her into the store.

Following her lead, Huo Yuwan belatedly looked down at the pale fingers clasped in her palm.

“These are the new spring and summer arrivals.”

A shop assistant approached to introduce the latest collection as soon as they entered.

Browsing while holding Huo Yuwan’s hand, Li Xuzhi examined the items and picked out a black double-breasted suit jacket. Turning slightly, she asked softly, “Would you like to try this on?”

Huo Yuwan looked surprised.

With a gentle smile, Li Xuzhi explained, “Aren’t you participating in the debate competition next month? You gave me a handmade cake, surely you won’t refuse a gift from me now?”

“But…” Huo Yuwan hesitated. It wasn’t customary to give a return gift for a birthday present.

Yet, under Li Xuzhi’s tender and expectant gaze, she couldn’t help but nod. “Alright.”

After selecting a black suit jacket and trousers, Li Xuzhi helped her pick out a matching white shirt.

The boutique offered a complete range of clothing, shoes, and accessories, all designed for professional women.

“For the debate competition, heels around three to four centimeters should be suitable. Try this outfit on first.”

Choosing a pair of high heels, Li Xuzhi gently guided Huo Yuwan into the fitting room and handed her the selected clothes.

Adhering to her principle of making Dr. Li happy today, Huo Yuwan accepted them with a resigned smile.

She was currently wearing a light blue denim jumpsuit and black combat boots. Suddenly changing into a fitted suit and high heels, something she had never worn before, Huo Yuwan nearly stumbled as she took a step.

“Yuwan, what’s wrong?”

Hearing the noise from outside, Li Xuzhi asked with concern.

Cracking the door open and peeking out, Huo Yuwan felt as though she had reverted to the first time she had walked on two legs in human form,

just as unsteady.

“Dr. Li, I think I’ve forgotten how to walk…”

Frowning, her voice unconsciously carried a hint of helplessness and a trace of coquettishness she hadn’t even realized.

Pulling the door open and stepping inside, Li Xuzhi stood before her, holding both of Huo Yuwan’s hands.

“Take it slow. Start with small steps.”

Huo Yuwan instinctively gripped her hands tightly but was mindful not to use too much force, remembering Dr. Li’s delicate health.

After walking back and forth a couple of times in small steps, perhaps because she had support, Huo Yuwan gradually grew steadier. Soon, she no longer needed to hold Li Xuzhi’s hand and could walk steadily in the high heels on her own.

Leading her out of the fitting room, Li Xuzhi adjusted the collar of Huo Yuwan’s shirt.

She was already slightly shorter than Huo Yuwan, and with the added height from the heels, the difference between them became even more noticeable.

Blinking lightly, Huo Yuwan stood obediently as Li Xuzhi adjusted her clothes. Casually lifting her gaze, she caught sight of the full-length mirror facing them from the side.

For some inexplicable reason, a thought crossed her mind, and Huo Yuwan’s cheeks flushed faintly.

After smoothing the slightly curled strands of hair on Huo Yuwan’s shoulder, Li Xuzhi also glanced at the mirror in front of them.

In the reflection, the two stood very close, Huo Yuwan in a white gown, Li Xuzhi in a black suit, their styles complementing each other perfectly.

Feeling the soft figure leaning against her arm, Huo Yuwan averted her gaze, her earlobes burning. “It fits perfectly. Dr. Li has excellent taste.”

The shop assistant, who had initially assumed they were a couple and was about to compliment them accordingly, hesitated upon hearing Huo Yuwan’s formal address. Deciding it was better to say less than risk saying too much, she pressed her lips together and remained silent.

“Let’s wear this outfit for the rest of the day,” Li Xuzhi suggested. “You’re still getting used to high heels, so it’s good practice before the competition.”

Seeing Huo Yuwan’s slightly dazed expression, Li Xuzhi couldn’t help but laugh. “Just kidding. Wearing high heels for too long isn’t comfortable. Go change out of them.”

Huo Yuwan nodded eagerly. “Yes, yes, I’ve already got the hang of these shoes.”

Walking all day in heels would be nothing short of torture for a little fox.

Watching her retreating figure, Li Xuzhi lowered her gaze and smiled faintly.

While Huo Yuwan was changing, Li Xuzhi went to settle the bill. The entire outfit, including the shoes, came to nearly thirty thousand yuan, yet she didn’t bat an eye.

Huo Yuwan had checked the price tags while changing and knew the amount was extravagant for an ordinary college student like herself. But this was Dr. Li’s gesture of kindness, something she couldn’t refuse or take lightly.

She quietly resolved to find a way to earn some money herself.

Glancing at her phone, she noted that Qi Qiuyuan had been silent since contacting Ding Sheng the day before. Huo Yuwan guessed he was busy plotting how to get her removed from the school team, with concrete action likely to unfold the following week.

She almost hoped he would act sooner, that way, she could focus on her new plans.

…

After leaving their shopping bags at the store, the two continued their stroll.

Huo Yuwan glanced down at Li Xuzhi’s high heels and suddenly asked, “Dr. Li, aren’t your feet tired in those heels?”

During their previous meetings, whether at school or at home, Li Xuzhi had always worn flats, presumably for comfort and practicality. But today, out shopping, flats would have been more convenient.

Puzzled by the intricacies of a woman’s mind, Huo Yuwan couldn’t help but wonder.

Stopping in her tracks, Li Xuzhi seemed to read the confusion in Huo Yuwan’s eyes.

A helpless smile touched her lips as she replied softly, “High heels are prettier.”

The long, slender heels accentuated her graceful posture. Beneath the hem of her dress, her pale, delicate instep was exposed, and the elegant curve from her slender ankles to her calves was both fluid and lovely, as if one could hold it in the palm of their hand.

They were indeed beautiful.

“Then let me buy you a pair of high heels too,” Huo Yuwan said, lifting her gaze, her eyes sparkling as she smiled.

Women love beautiful things, and Dr. Li was no exception.

Huo Yuwan had already felt that a cake alone wasn’t enough for a birthday gift. Now, she knew exactly what else to give.

Before Li Xuzhi could respond, Huo Yuwan led her into a brand store specializing in high heels.

She had checked her savings earlier, she had enough to buy a pair of high-end high heels. Money was something she could always earn back after spending it.

“Yuwan, there’s no need. I already have plenty of high heels.”