Turns Out I’m the Villain They’re Supposed to Redeem? [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 31.2

After Huo Yuwan returned home, Li Xuzhi’s life settled back into its previous monotonous routine.

However, thanks to Huo Yuwan sending her messages and video calls every day, Li Xuzhi found some relief during her exhausting work breaks.

On New Year’s Eve, she was on duty at the hospital. When Huo Yuwan found out, she felt heartbroken and started sending messages every few minutes, photos of her meals, fireworks from outside, her own ramblings, and even complaints about the Spring Festival Gala. By the time Li Xuzhi had a moment to check her phone, the chat was flooded with 99+ messages.

She scrolled through them one by one, replying thoughtfully to each one. When she saw Huo Yuwan’s latest message, her fingers paused, and she immediately initiated a video call.

“Sis, Happy New Year.”

Just as the countdown chimes rang out on TV, Huo Yuwan, wearing a cheerful red fluffy beanie, smiled at her with crinkled eyes.

“Happy New Year, Yuwan.”

Li Xuzhi’s thumb unconsciously stroked Huo Yuwan’s cheek through the screen. It had only been two days, but she already missed her terribly.

Perhaps the longing in Li Xuzhi’s eyes was too overwhelming, Huo Yuwan, who was sitting in the living room with her family watching TV, blushed faintly, then grabbed her phone and hurried upstairs.

Huo Yuqing, munching on sunflower seeds beside her, glanced over and remarked to their mother, “Yuwan must be going upstairs to call her girlfriend. Her face is as red as can be.”

Huo Yuqing’s acceptance into the graduate program at the Foreign Affairs College was already settled, and she was just waiting to graduate next year.

Hearing this, Mother Huo shifted her gaze from the TV. “Yuwan mentioned that Dr. Li is already working. I was thinking, since she’s several years older and must have more life experience, plus she works at such a prestigious hospital in the city—how could she possibly be interested in our little lazybones?”

“What if she ends up getting tricked?”

Mother Huo’s words were filled with worry, and she no longer had the heart to watch TV.

The second daughter’s last relationship, which ended without any clear reason, had already given her a lot of worry. She blamed herself for not paying enough attention to Huo Yuqing’s romantic situation, which led her to get involved with someone like Qi Qiuyuan, a scumbag who ended up deceiving her. So, when she heard that Huo Yuwan was also in a relationship, she secretly resolved early on to carefully vet her daughter’s partner this time.

Hearing this, Huo Yuqing slowed down the pace of cracking sunflower seeds. Hesitantly, she said, “It probably won’t happen again. I know Dr. Li, she’s a good person, very caring and considerate toward Yuwan.”

At her side, the corners of Mother Huo’s lips twitched slightly.

She wanted to say that Huo Yuqing had spoken just as highly of Qi Qiuyuan last time, and in the end, she had still misjudged her.

Huo Yuqing, who understood her mother well, could tell exactly what she meant just by looking at her expression. The blatant skepticism in her eyes made Huo Yuqing feel embarrassed.

“Then… why don’t you ask Yuwan to bring her over sometime so you can see for yourself?” Huo Yuqing suggested casually.

“That’s a good idea. I’ll talk to Yuwan about it later.”

Picking up a glass of juice from the table and taking a sip, Huo Yuqing shook her head slightly.

In her opinion, Huo Yuwan probably wouldn’t be coming downstairs tonight.

When young couples get caught up in long phone calls, it’s bound to last the whole night.

…

Upstairs, Huo Yuwan had no idea that so much concern was being devoted to her. Lying on her bed, she was on the phone with Li Xuzhi, discussing where they should go for their date.

But every few sentences, a patient would come to Li Xuzhi’s side, and the video call would be cut off. Huo Yuwan didn’t mind and continued enthusiastically searching for ideas online.

Li Xuzhi was on duty all night, so Huo Yuwan stayed up with her the entire time.

Lying on her stomach, Huo Yuwan gazed intently at Li Xuzhi’s sleeping profile. After returning home from the hospital, Li Xuzhi had been so exhausted that she collapsed onto the bed. One moment she was still talking to Huo Yuwan on the phone, and the next, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

A faint, bittersweet smile touched Huo Yuwan’s lips as she rested her head on her arm, studying Li Xuzhi’s face inch by inch, from her delicate brows to her thin lips.

Just as a vaguely familiar image seemed to flash through her mind, Huo Yuwan was overcome by drowsiness before she could grasp it, and she too drifted off to sleep.

…

By the time she woke up, it was already noon on New Year’s Day. After washing up, Huo Yuwan went downstairs.

She wasn’t particularly tired, having slept from around 8 a.m. to noon, she felt quite refreshed. But Li Xuzhi was probably still asleep, as she hadn’t replied to the messages Huo Yuwan had sent earlier.

After lunch, Huo Yuwan went out with Huo Yuqing for a leisurely stroll around the town. Everywhere was decorated with lanterns and streamers, bustling and lively, filled with the festive atmosphere of the New Year.

Around 4 p.m., Li Xuzhi woke up. By the time she opened her eyes, the sky had already darkened. Rubbing her slightly groggy head, she sat up.

Her phone, lying beside the pillow, had run out of battery. Remembering the scene from earlier that morning when she had drowsily called Huo Yuwan, she lowered her gaze and smiled.

She took her phone to the bedside table to charge it, then went to the bathroom to freshen up. The thought of having to go home later weighed heavily on her heart.

The day before, while she was on duty, her father had specifically come to her office to remind her to come home for the family reunion dinner that evening, saying he had something to discuss with her.

Li Xuzhi wasn’t particularly curious about what he wanted to talk about, it was likely just hospital matters, like promotions or something similar. Aside from scheduling surgeries and writing research papers, there was nothing else for the father and daughter to discuss.

After showering and changing, her phone was fully charged. Li Xuzhi first replied to Huo Yuwan’s message before heading downstairs to drive back to the Li family home.

On the way, she bought a latte from the coffee shop downstairs. The exhaustion from pulling an all-nighter weighed heavily on her body and mind, and caffeine offered some slight relief, another reason she disliked being a doctor.

Her physical constitution simply couldn’t handle such high intensity work every day.

By the time she drove into the Li family courtyard, small red rashes had already begun to appear on her arms. Pressing her lips together, she pulled her sleeves back down and took an allergy pill from the storage compartment.

…

The atmosphere at the family reunion dinner for the three of them was solemn and chilly. Aside from Li’s mother bustling about, serving Li Xuzhi more dishes, the other two didn’t utter a single word.

But Li’s mother seemed accustomed to such an atmosphere. She ladled a bowl of soup for Li Xuzhi, muttering as she did, “You look thinner, and your complexion isn’t great. Is work too demanding? Xiao Xu, living alone, you have to take good care of yourself…”

Her constant chatter was filled with a mother’s concern, but Li Xuzhi no longer felt the same emotional resonance as before. “I know,” she said softly, gently stirring the soup in her bowl.

“She’s not living alone,” the father, seated at the head of the table, suddenly spoke.

His words stunned both of them.

“Our daughter has a girlfriend. I saw them together at the hospital a while ago.”

Li’s mother first looked at her husband in confusion, then turned to Li Xuzhi with surprise and delight. “Xiao Xu, is what your father said true? That’s wonderful news! Why didn’t you tell me? Who is she? Is it Qiu Yuan?”

The porcelain spoon clinked softly against the bowl as Li Xuzhi quietly pushed the soup away. “No,” she said, lifting her gaze to meet her father’s faintly mocking eyes. “You’ve met her before. Her name is Huo Yuwan.”

“Huo Yuwan?”

“Oh, I remember now—the child who fought with Qiu Yuan that time…” Li’s mother’s voice trailed off as she clearly recalled Huo Yuwan’s other identity: the younger sister of Qiu Yuan’s ex-girlfriend.

A girl from an ordinary family.

Hesitantly glancing between her daughter and husband, Li’s mother wasn’t sure whether to persuade her husband not to pressure their daughter or to advise her daughter not to defy him.

“She’s a good kid. I heard she’s been interning at your sister’s place lately and has helped with several cases,” the father said, slowly sipping his soup as if oblivious to his wife’s troubled expression.

“Really? I’ll have to ask Jin Yuan about it in a few days,” Li’s mother replied, relieved that her husband seemed to approve of Huo Yuwan.

“And she’s serious about relationships. Though she’s young, she’s quite responsible, said she’s willing to marry Xuzhi after graduation,” the father continued.

“Really? Then…”

“You went to see her privately?” The chair screeched against the floor as Li Xuzhi stood up, her brow furrowed as she stared at her father.

Li’s mother looked on, bewildered.

“Is that any way to speak to your father?” Setting down his chopsticks deliberately, the father slowly raised his eyes, his expressionless face radiating intimidation. “It wasn’t private. I just happened to run into her at the hospital.”

With a faint glance in her direction, Father Li took a napkin to wipe his mouth.

“It’s good that you listened this time and informed her of my requirements in advance. Since this girl is willing to study abroad for your sake, I’ll give you both a chance. If she can fulfill what she promised in three years, I will certainly agree to your marriage…”

He continued speaking, his words conveying satisfaction with Huo Yuwan’s compliance. To be with Li Xuzhi, someone of her ordinary background ought to put in a hundred or even a thousand times more effort.

At the same time, her father also felt sorry for her. If Huo Yuwan had been born into a family like Qi Qiuyuan’s, he wouldn’t have pressured her so much. Even if she were ordinary or even completely unremarkable, her father would have agreed to let her be with Li Xuzhi.

He said a lot more, but Li Xuzhi no longer heard any of it.

Her mind was completely filled with the words “studying abroad”…

Huo Yuwan was going to study abroad…

She was being forced by her own father to study abroad for her sake…

Unable to maintain her composure any longer, Li Xuzhi turned and walked out.

The sound of a car starting soon echoed in the courtyard. Her mother chased after her to the door, trying to call her back, but as the car passed by, she only caught a glimpse of the tears glistening on Li Xuzhi’s face through the car window.

…

As the car drove along the road, Li Xuzhi didn’t even know where she was heading. Her mind was in chaos, and the sorrow and guilt in her heart threatened to overwhelm her.

She wasn’t sad because Huo Yuwan was going to study abroad, but because of the sacrifices Huo Yuwan had made for her.

Having the opportunity to study on a broader platform was undoubtedly a great chance, but it should be a willing choice, not like this, forced by someone behind the scenes, agreeing to something incredibly difficult and bearing immense pressure just to study abroad.

Moreover, Li Xuzhi knew that with Huo Yuwan’s abilities, even if she only studied domestically, she could still achieve great success in the future.

Yet she had still chosen to go abroad. Li Xuzhi didn’t know how much pressure her father had exerted to make Huo Yuwan feel so desperate and without alternatives.

And Huo Yuwan hadn’t told her any of this.

The car came to a stop by the roadside. Li Xuzhi lifted her gaze and looked out the window at the brightly lit building.

It was the high-speed rail station.

She pushed the car door open and stepped out.