Turns Out I’m the Villain They’re Supposed to Redeem? [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 27

Having contacted the journalist Liu, introduced by Wen Jinyuan, in advance and secured their agreement to cover the incident, Huo Yuwan boarded the high-speed train home on Saturday morning.

When she left, Li Xuzhi was still asleep. The consecutive days of overtime in the operating room had long taken a toll on her body, yet she endured it without a word of complaint. This time, Huo Yuwan insisted that Li Xuzhi not accompany her to the station.

Upon returning home, she eagerly began gathering evidence at various schools in the nearby towns. Since outsiders were not permitted to enter the schools freely, Huo Yuwan could only approach students during their morning and evening commutes, conducting her investigation while organizing the information she collected.

As she had anticipated, the situation was similar across the four primary and middle schools in the surrounding towns. Most primary schools lacked dedicated cafeterias, repurposing abandoned offices or storage rooms instead. Without exception, the cooks were relatives of the school administrators, and none of the cafeterias possessed the required food service permits.

The middle schools fared slightly better. As boarding institutions, they had designated cafeterias. However, since the previous year, they had abandoned the system of students topping up meal cards for purchases, switching instead to a mandatory fixed fee of 6,000 yuan per semester per student for standardized meals.

Some students reported that the ceilings and walls of the dormitories were riddled with cracks. On particularly windy days, one could even feel drafts blowing through the walls near the edges.

The investigation revealed a situation far more severe than Huo Yuwan had imagined.

She had initially planned to visit the schools near her home with the journalist for direct interviews. However, after her findings, she and the journalist decided to prioritize the middle school with the building safety concerns first.

Thanks to the journalist’s credentials and interview introduction letter, the group successfully entered the school.

While the other journalists headed to the cafeteria, Huo Yuwan and Liu did not immediately request to inspect the dormitories. Instead, they feigned interest and followed the school director on a tour of the teaching building.

As the director persistently urged Liu to take photos of students in class for promotional purposes, Huo Yuwan wandered around the building on her own.

It was just after class, and students were playing and chatting in the corridors. Watching them, Huo Yuwan’s mind drifted to memories of her own middle school days in this world.

It was at that moment the accident happened.

“Ah!”

A sharp, brief scream snapped her back to reality. Instinctively, she lunged forward and grabbed a young girl who was falling backward from the platform just steps away.

With a loud crash, the railing that had moments before stood intact between the wall and the floor of the stairwell platform now lay shattered on the stairs below.

Clutching the girl’s arm tightly, Huo Yuwan gritted her teeth. The momentum had pulled her partially over the edge, and she now relied entirely on the strength of her left hand, desperately gripping the platform’s edge.

The fallen railing had struck two students passing on the stairs below, who now lay on the ground, bleeding from head wounds.

Hanging halfway in the air and witnessing the scene unfold, Huo Yuwan’s face turned pale.

Soon, students alerted nearby teachers, and both Liu and the school director rushed over upon hearing the commotion.

The little girl was caught by the teacher from the lower stairs, while Huo Yuwan was pulled up from above by Reporter Liu and another teacher.

The two injured students were carried and rushed to a nearby hospital, as chaos erupted all around.

The railings, which had seemed stable and secure on the surface, had collapsed with just a slight push, nearly causing a more serious accident. Huo Yuwan glanced at the school principal, whose face had turned deathly pale in an instant, and said nothing more.

“You should go to the hospital to get treated too.”

Reporter Liu had already quickly taken photos of the scene. She looked at the scraped palm of Huo Yuwan’s left hand and reminded her.

“Relevant department officials will arrive soon. Don’t worry, this incident is serious, and no one will get away with it.”

Perhaps sensing Huo Yuwan’s concern, she spoke softly.

Reassured by these words, Huo Yuwan nodded and then turned to leave first.

…

Wen Jinyuan called while Huo Yuwan was still at the hospital. Her injury wasn’t serious, it just looked frightening but was merely superficial.

“Hello, Professor Wen.”

She answered the phone while silently wincing as the nurse disinfected her wound with alcohol.

“Yes, I just heard from Reporter Liu about what happened over there. It’s already involved the safety department and the construction unit, bringing you very close to your initial target of investigating suspected corruption.”

Huo Yuwan responded with a silent acknowledgment, unsure of what else to say. She hadn’t expected such severe safety hazards in the teaching building, let alone what the dormitories might be like.

Noticing Li Xuzhi’s worried gaze as he sensed the silence on the other end of the line, Wen Jinyuan smiled quietly to herself.

She was off duty today and had been invited by Li’s mother to have lunch at their home. Li Xuzhi had been called back as well.

The three of them chatted in the living room, while Li’s father remained upstairs in his study, not joining in.

During a break when Li’s mother went to prepare lunch, Wen Jinyuan and Li Xuzhi started talking about Huo Yuwan. She wanted to know how Li Xuzhi truly felt about Huo Yuwan, but before they could get far into the conversation, Wen Jinyuan received a call from Reporter Liu.

Now, witnessing Li Xuzhi’s unconcealed care and concern even over the phone, Wen Jinyuan felt she no longer needed to ask.

“Use the law as your weapon. As a lawyer, you shouldn’t be afraid when facing such matters, Huo Yuwan.”

Huo Yuwan pursed her lips slightly at Wen Jinyuan’s calm reminder over the phone. Gazing at her palm, which was being wrapped layer by layer with gauze, she replied softly, “I’m not afraid. I’m just wondering, with so many departments involved, can this really be resolved smoothly?”

Even the investigation into meal standards had already revealed that several schools were complicit in an unspoken agreement. Now, with the building safety hazards coming to light, could this just be the tip of the iceberg?

“Have faith in Kaicheng’s government departments,” Wen Jinyuan reassured her.

Huo Yuwan murmured in agreement, but an inexplicable unease still lingered in her heart.

“By the way, I heard you were injured. Is it serious?”

Finally addressing the question Li Xuzhi was most concerned about, Wen Jinyuan watched as he bit his lip nervously and leaned closer to the phone, as if afraid he might miss Huo Yuwan’s response.

“It’s nothing serious, just a few scratches.”

Subconsciously glancing down at her tightly bandaged left hand, Huo Yuwan gave a helpless smile.

Since the injuries were evenly distributed with abrasions on all five fingers and the palm, the nurse had wrapped her entire hand in bandages.

“Well, if there’s nothing else, you should return to campus. If you take any more leave, someone might just come down with lovesickness. Reporter Liu will handle the remaining matters. He’ll report all the problematic schools you investigated to the higher-ups. After this incident, the authorities will take it seriously.”

The teaching building had been renovated just two years ago with sufficient funds allocated from above. Yet, an unexpected accident occurred in such a short time, clearly indicating issues with the project’s inspection and acceptance. Major safety loopholes often point to embezzlement of funds, this was a classic case of one small incident triggering a chain reaction.

Hearing this, Huo Yuwan scratched her head somewhat sheepishly, momentarily at a loss for words.

She had been so busy during her days back home that she had rarely initiated contact with Dr. Li. She wondered if Dr. Li might be upset with her.

Meanwhile, Li Xuzhi, being teased by her aunt, flushed bright red. Her eyelashes fluttered slightly, yet her gaze involuntarily drifted toward the still-connected phone.

“Alright, I’ll return tomorrow.”

With the relevant authorities now involved, it was beyond Huo Yuwan’s capacity to intervene further. As an undergraduate student, she had done all she could.

…

After hanging up the phone, Li Xuzhi’s expression softened, a faint smile on her cheeks betraying her inner joy. Just as Wen Jinyuan was about to tease her, the sound of footsteps approached from behind.

Following closely was the slightly stern voice of Li’s father.

“This Huo Yuwan, she’s from the Law School?”

Her body stiffened slightly, and the smile vanished from her face. Li Xuzhi hadn’t expected her father to overhear the recent phone call.

Wen Jinyuan, sitting beside her, patted her arm reassuringly. “Yes, she’s a student I teach,” she interjected proactively.

“How are her grades?”

Li’s father continued his questioning, his tone more akin to interrogating a suspect than engaging in family conversation.

Wen Jinyuan took a resigned sip of tea. Even after all these years, she still disliked her sister’s husband.

“If I recall correctly, she ranked first in her grade in both exams last semester.” Answering each question one by one was the extent of her patience with him.

Living in such a stifling and oppressive educational environment day in and day out, it was no wonder Li Xuzhi had developed such a sensitive and timid personality. Wen Jinyuan shook her head inwardly.

“What do her parents do, Xuzhi?”

Not missing the tension in her posture and expression since he began inquiring about Huo Yuwan, Li’s father curled his lips into an expressionless smile.

Clenching and unclenching her palms on her knees, Li Xuzhi took a deep breath before meeting his gaze calmly. “What is the purpose of these questions?”

Perhaps taken aback by her unexpected boldness to counter-question, Li’s father paused briefly before stepping closer and settling onto the sofa.

“I’ve told you before, anyone you associate with must be vetted by me.”

“In other words, I need to know if she’s worthy of you.”

Her brow furrowed tightly, Li Xuzhi retorted with a hint of sarcasm, “I don’t believe I’m so exceptional as to warrant the use of terms like ‘worthy’ or ‘unworthy.'”

In her father’s eyes, she was nothing more than a priced commodity, waiting to be exchanged for what he deemed a suitable buyer.

As if unaware or perhaps simply indifferent, Father Li took a sip of tea from the table and shook his head. “No, of course you have a choice. Next year’s professional title evaluation, you must become the youngest associate chief physician in the hospital.”

At this, Father Li frowned, still unsatisfied.

If it weren’t for Li Xuzhi’s willful decision to waste her time at the university clinic, she would have already earned that qualification long ago.

Her lips pressed tightly together, Li Xuzhi lowered her head, her thoughts in turmoil.

She knew that whatever her father demanded, she had to accomplish.

It had always been this way, ever since she was a child.

This obedience, ingrained over more than twenty years, was a deeply rooted habit she found impossible to change.

But only she knew how much she despised becoming a doctor.

She disliked writing medical papers, disliked stepping into the operating room, disliked having her hands stained with blood, and disliked everything her father forced her to do.

Yet, at the same time, she was torn, despising herself while striving to meet every demand.

She truly was the most cowardly person in the world.

Li Xuzhi’s fingertips trembled slightly, her emotions teetering on the brink of collapse.

“Alright then, I’ll give you three years. Let this Huo Yuwan grow to a level where she can match you. When that time comes, I won’t stand in your way.”

Noticing Li’s mother approaching from the kitchen, he leisurely stood up and spoke.

From Li Xuzhi’s reaction, he had already guessed that Huo Yuwan’s family background must be poor. But as someone who had also climbed up from the bottom, Father Li considered himself rather generous, allowing them a few extra years.

His presumptuous words completely shattered Li Xuzhi’s usual composure and obedience. Lifting her gaze to meet his, her voice trembled with unresolved emotion.

“Don’t impose your standards on her. The person I love, you have no right to judge her.”