Turns Out I’m the Villain They’re Supposed to Redeem? [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 25

Huo Yuwan had been somewhat struck by Huo Yushuang mention last night about the school collecting fees under various pretexts. Early in the morning, she hopped onto her electric scooter and rode around town. The two nearby elementary and middle schools were ones she had attended before, so she still remembered their locations clearly.

She parked near a breakfast stall close to one of the schools and watched the elementary students, red scarves tied around their necks, coming and going. She followed them inside.

Elementary schools had a few more days before their break, so at this hour, the shop’s customers were mostly these students.

Ordering a bowl of soy milk and some steamed buns, Huo Yuwan ate while striking up a cheerful conversation with a mother and daughter sharing her table.

With her good looks and friendly smile, and chatting about the most ordinary school-related matters, she easily got the pair talking.

The little girl, in particular, seemed especially dissatisfied. Perhaps she’d watched too many TV dramas, by the end, she was so worked up she forgot to eat, crossing her arms and complaining disdainfully that their school principal kept finding ways to collect money and must have bought who-knows-how-many apartments in the city. She declared that when she grew up and became a prosecutor, the first thing she’d do was report the principal.

Hearing this, the girl’s mother poked her forehead and scolded her helplessly, “With your barely passing grades, you want to be a prosecutor? You’re in sixth grade and still can’t even recite the multiplication table.”

Though she chided her daughter, she didn’t correct the implication that the principal might be involved in embezzlement.

It seemed many parents were unhappy about the school’s various fee-collecting practices.

Huo Yuwan’s brow twitched slightly, and she smiled. “If it’s true, you don’t need to be a prosecutor to report it. As long as there’s evidence, the relevant authorities will investigate.”

Urged by her mother to leave, the reluctant little girl, backpack in tow, pouted and said indignantly, “Someone in our class already called to complain, but half a year later, they’re still collecting money the same way.”

After the mother and daughter left, Huo Yuwan, full and satisfied, got up, packed some breakfast to take back for her family, and rode off on her scooter.

This elementary school wasn’t the one her niece attended. Her eldest sister, Huo Yushuang, lived in a town in another district after getting married, but Mengmeng had been brought home for a visit these past couple of days because she wasn’t feeling well.

Clearly, however, the fee issue was a shared problem.

Both districts fell under the jurisdiction of the same city, so Huo Yuwan guessed this wasn’t an isolated case.

While Mengmeng was eating, Huo Yuwan brought up the topic again with her sister. Upon closer inquiry, she found that the fee standards at both schools were identical.

Of course, precisely because every school followed the same standards, these practices seemed all the more justified.

She also asked why Mengmeng found the school meals unappetizing. The daily lunch budget was nearly thirty yuan, which Huo Yuwanthought was even higher than the standard at her own university.

Kaicheng University, as a top-tier institution in a first-tier city, received state subsidies for its cafeteria, making meals very affordable. Yet, thirty yuan was enough to buy a decent lunch with meat and vegetables elsewhere.

Moreover, this wasn’t Kaicheng, it was a small, remote town within its jurisdiction.

Upon closer questioning, she found out that only one meat dish was provided each day for lunch, served with white rice and an egg. Not only was there no choice, but the taste was also poor.

The school had not built a dedicated cafeteria; instead, students ate in a room converted from the teachers’ conference room, and the cook was the vice principal’s elderly mother.

“……”

Looking at her little niece’s aggrieved and angry expression, Huo Yuwan suppressed the helpless smile that threatened to form at the sheer absurdity of the situation.

Goodness, the school had turned into a makeshift family workshop.

Returning to her room, Huo Yuwan recorded all this information in a document. She then looked up relevant policies and regulations online and created an analysis table based on the fixed weekly lunch menu provided by Mengmeng.

After calling the local pricing bureau for consultation, Huo Yuwan compiled the calculated price differences into the document. She then logged onto the city’s education bureau website and sent the complaint letter and document via email.

…

After spending a week at home, Huo Yuwan boarded the high-speed train back to Kaicheng.

As she exited the station, Li Xuzhi was waiting for her at the entrance. Huo Yuwan, carrying a backpack stuffed full by her mother, jogged over to her.

“I’ve got it; it’s really heavy. My mom packed a lot of local specialties for me to share with you.”

With a bright smile, Huo Yuwan dodged Li Xuzhi’s attempt to take her suitcase and playfully moved to the other side of her.

Li Xuzhi felt both flustered and touched by the gesture; she hadn’t expected Huo Yuwan to mention her to her family.

“Your mother knows about me?”

Subconsciously lowering her gaze and biting her lip, Li Xuzhi’s ears tinged with a faint blush.

“Of course. My sister posted the group photo from the last competition on her social media, and my mom has been curious about the girl standing next to me for a while now.”

Huo Yuwan’s eyes were clear and bright, sparkling with laughter. When she turned to meet Li Xuzhi’s gaze, her eyes reflected the other’s image vividly.

Pursing her lips, Li Xuzhi’s eyelashes fluttered nervously. “What did you tell her?”

“I told her the truth, of course. Dr. Li is a beautiful woman who treats me exceptionally well and often takes me out to eat.”

Pushing her suitcase as she walked backward in front of Li Xuzhi, Huo Yuwan laughed and tilted her head, winking at her.

Feeling her cheeks grow warm, Li Xuzhi shot her a look that was half-annoyed, half-shy, then quickened her pace to escape Huo Yuwan’s teasing gaze.

“Yuwan came back from home a little mischievous.”

She even knew how to tease her now. Li Xuzhi felt a mix of embarrassment and frustration.

How could she be so charming without even realizing her own effect? Little troublemaker.

Watching Li Xuzhi’s slender retreating figure, Huo Yuwan, still lost in that lingering glance, suddenly snapped back to reality. As her ears warmed, her heartbeat quickened unconsciously.

Quickly catching up with her suitcase in tow, she gently grasped Li Xuzhi’s wrist. “I meant every word,” she whispered softly, as if afraid Li Xuzhi might think she was lying.

Her fingers curling slightly, Li Xuzhi responded with a soft hum, her lowered eyes softening like spring water.

Once they were in the car, Li Xuzhi didn’t start the engine immediately. Instead, she turned to look at Huo Yuwan, who was fastening her seatbelt.

“Did you know your aunt’s law firm is very far from the school?”

Huo Yuwan looked up in confusion. “Professor Wen hasn’t told me the internship address yet…” She only knew it was somewhere in Kaicheng but had no idea about the exact location.

“You can ask her now.”

Her palms tightening on the steering wheel, Li Xuzhi bit her lip and softly reminded.

Taking out her phone to send Wen Jinyuan a message saying she had returned to school, Huo Yuwan quickly received a reply.

Wen Jinyuan arranged for her to report to the firm at nine o’clock the day after tomorrow and immediately followed up with a navigation link to the firm’s address.

Opening it for a glance, Huo Yuwan saw it was about nine kilometers from Kaicheng University, requiring two subway transfers and taking nearly an hour.

After replying to the message, Huo Yuwan casually remarked, “It does seem a bit far, but nine o’clock…”

She wanted to say that if work started at nine, leaving at eight wouldn’t be too early, but before she could finish, she heard Li Xuzhi’s gentle voice.

“I’ll be starting work at the hospital soon too, and it’s quite close to the firm. Yuwan, why not stay at my place for this period? I can drive you to and from work.”

Li Xuzhi had mentioned resigning from the university hospital before the break, so Huo Yuwan wasn’t surprised by this. Instead, her cheeks flushed slightly as she replied, “Okay… sure.”

After all, she had stayed over at Dr. Li’s place several times before, there was nothing to be shy about.

Calming her racing heartbeat, Huo Yuwan reassured herself.

Seeing her agreement, Li Xuzhi curved her lips into a radiant smile, the dimples on her cheeks making Huo Yuwan’s heart soften.

…

After returning to the university to pack some clothes, the two drove straight to Li Xuzhi’s apartment.

Perhaps anticipating that Huo Yuwan wouldn’t refuse her, Li Xuzhi had already gone grocery shopping earlier. Dinner was, as usual, prepared by her, with Huo Yuwan assisting by her side. Together, they created a lavish meal.

As Huo Yuwan arranged the dishes on the table, she belatedly realized that the meals Li Xuzhi cooked were always predominantly made up of her favorite dishes.

Thoughtfully placing a bowl of rice in front of Huo Yuwan, Li Xuzhi then took juice from the fridge and poured a full glass.

“You must be tired after such a long drive. Rest well in your room after dinner. If you need anything, we can go shopping tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Dr. Li.”

Their glasses clinked gently. Gazing at Li Xuzhi’s tender expression, Huo Yuwan felt her heart melt entirely.

Dr. Li was so good to her, she must repay her kindness in the future.

Silently making up her mind, Huo Yuwan declared firmly, “I will protect you, Dr. Li.”

Slightly taken aback, Li Xuzhi didn’t quite understand why Huo Yuwan would suddenly say something so earnest, yet slightly out of context.

Suppressing a smile, she looked into the other’s earnest eyes and said, “Alright, let’s eat first.”

Seeing that Dr. Li didn’t seem to pay much attention to her words, Huo Yuwan didn’t elaborate. Instead, she quietly piled food into Li Xuzhi’s bowl. “Dr. Li, you’re too thin, you should eat more.”

“And…”

Meeting Li Xuzhi’s slightly puzzled gaze, Huo Yuwan continued softly, “If you ever feel unhappy, you can talk to me. Even though I might not be capable of much right now, at the very least… at least I can help share some of your burdens.”

She would strive to grow stronger, strong enough to help Dr. Li break free from her family’s control.

Li Xuzhi gazed at her, taking in the girl’s lovely face, which held an unconcealed expression of care and concern for her. She lowered her eyes, a faint smile curving her lips, as threads of joy and tenderness unfurled within her heart.

“Alright,” she replied softly.

The sunset had already faded from the horizon, and from the balcony, the occasional chirps of passing birds could still be heard. The little cat was curled up on the recliner in the corner, lazily watching the two humans who, even while eating, would occasionally exchange soft smiles.

After dinner, Huo Yuwan took charge of washing the dishes. Li Xuzhi, worried she might be too tired, was gently shooed out of the kitchen by Huo Yuwan. “It won’t take long. Dr. Li, why don’t you go play with the kitten for now?”

With a helpless smile, Li Xuzhi picked up the gradually plumping little fox, her expression gentle and serene.

“She just said she wants to protect me from now on. Did you hear that?”

Whether or not the little white fox could understand human words, it nestled into her arms and rubbed against her. Li Xuzhi pressed her lips together, the lingering joy in her heart refusing to fade.

After washing up, Huo Yuwan wasn’t sleepy. She sat on the sofa watching TV, and the previously bored little cat curled up on her lap, its fluffy tail swishing gently back and forth.

As Huo Yuwan stroked its chin and browsed through programs, a breeze from the balcony stirred her hair. She tucked a stray strand behind her ear with her fingertip. Li Xuzhi poured two glasses of water and settled beside her.

Her light mint-green nightgown draped gracefully to her knees, revealing a glimpse of her delicate, pale calves.

“The kitten is growing more attached to you,” Li Xuzhi remarked softly, watching the little white fox, which couldn’t be bothered to move even with its owner nearby. She gently tapped its head.

“Maybe we share the same taste, we both like sticking close to a beautiful older sister. The kitten loves clinging to me, and I love clinging to Dr. Li.”

Completely unaware of how ambiguous her words sounded to the other person, Huo Yuwan continued to smile brightly as she interacted with the little fox. “Isn’t that right, kitty?”

“Mm…” The kitten let out a soft murmur, licking Huo Yuwan’s palm as if in agreement.

Shooting her a reproachful glance, Li Xuzhi sighed softly. “Teasing me again.”

Hugging the kitten, Huo Yuwan leaned against Li Xuzhi’s arm, pretending to be hurt. “And here I am telling the truth, yet you don’t believe me…”

The smooth strands of hair cascading down Li Xuzhi’s back were gently lifted by an evening breeze, drifting over to brush against Huo Yuwan’s cheek.

The familiar, faint fragrance enveloped Huo Yuwan’s senses. She closed her eyes slightly, her gaze fixed on Li Xuzhi’s face, which seemed even more tender and beautiful under the soft light. Unconsciously, she lost herself in the moment, the words she had meant to say slipping from her mind.