The Beautiful, Strong, and Tragic Female Lead is Mine [Transmigration Into a Novel] - Chapter 35

The second day passed in peace and tranquility. Xia Fufeng said she had to accompany her superior to handle affairs in other parts of the district and told Xie Zhitian and Luo Yang to rest well at home.

With nothing to do, the two of them simply wandered around the district, relaxing their bodies and minds. They also took the opportunity to chat with the residents to see if they could find anything new.

District 14 was quite populous and lively. The shadow left by the aliens had faded, and people were more concerned with how many tokens they could earn and how much food they could acquire for the day. Crowds bustled through the streets, and everyone went about their business in an atmosphere of bustling activity.

As Xie Zhitian walked, she paid careful attention to her surroundings, but found nothing out of the ordinary. She also stopped and chatted with several different passersby. However, everyone’s reactions were friendly and enthusiastic, saying that the district had been peaceful lately and that there was nothing special going on.

At noon, the two of them went to a small restaurant for a meal.

The economy had not yet recovered, and everything seemed simple and makeshift. The restaurant was set up in the owner’s small courtyard, with folding tables and chairs of mismatched colors, giving it a piecemeal and cramped feel.

A canopy was set up overhead for shade, and bright sunlight streamed through the gaps, leaving faint bright marks on the tables and chairs. A menu was hung at the entrance of the canopy, with prices clearly marked in black and white on a white paper.

Xie Zhitian scanned the menu. It consisted of simple, everyday dishes, but because the prices were affordable, the place was quite popular. It wasn’t even noon yet, and half the seats were already taken.

Xie Zhitian and Luo Yang found a corner table. With few dishes to choose from, they ordered stir-fried tomato and eggs, and shredded pork with green peppers, along with two bowls of rice.

“Xia Fufeng said that Captain Tang will be free around seven o’clock tonight, and we’ll all have dinner together at home,” Xie Zhitian said in a low voice, expertly serving Luo Yang some food.

Luo Yang gave a quiet acknowledgment, her voice equally hushed. “Okay, we’ll talk later.”

The courtyard was cramped, and the tables were close together. Although the environment was noisy, Luo Yang was accustomed to being vigilant and was still worried about eavesdroppers.

Xie Zhitian nodded. “Got it.”

“Boss, two bottles of beer!”

A rough male voice came from behind, immediately attracting the attention of many diners.

Xie Zhitian turned her head to look. At the table behind them, a large, burly young man was leaning back in his chair, shouting loudly. A young woman sat across from him. Both were wearing a dark green uniform, the standard attire of the District 14 guard force.

She frowned slightly. Although the area was now peaceful and the number of alien appearances had drastically decreased, it seemed a bit much for a guard soldier, whose job was to protect the district, to be drinking in the middle of the day.

“Zhang Di, what are you doing? We still have work this afternoon. You can’t drink,” the young woman said, clearly thinking it was inappropriate. She tried to persuade him, “Besides, beer is so expensive now. Two bottles of beer could buy you two meals. You should be more thrifty.”

Zhang Di scoffed. “Guard force? That’s a good name. The aliens only show up once every ten or fifteen days now. We’re just ordinary security guards, nobody gives a damn about us. This crappy job is not worth keeping anyway.”

Xie Zhitian turned her gaze back. She exchanged a look with Luo Yang, and the two continued to eat, all the while paying attention to the sounds behind them.

In this country, the guard force was entirely composed of mutants. They were the frontline defense against the aliens, independent of other regular military forces.

The ecological changes brought about by the apocalypse had different effects on the human body, particularly on males and females. Women’s physical capabilities greatly improved, while men’s bodies suffered irreversible negative effects. Mutants were no exception; male mutants’ overall physical abilities were a step behind women’s, making them more marginalized and at the bottom of the guard force hierarchy.

Zhang Di seemed frustrated and full of resentment.

The young woman was only half a meter away from Xie Zhitian, sitting almost back-to-back with her. The man’s emotions were high and his voice wasn’t low, so their conversation was clearly audible to Xie Zhitian.

The woman said, “Can you stop being so emotional? Even if you’re unhappy with your job, you have to follow the rules. Besides, you have a record of drinking during work hours. If Captain Tang finds out, you’ll be punished again. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

After the dull thud of a beer bottle hitting the table, Zhang Di sneered, “Captain Tang? Speaking of her, it just makes me laugh. A woman who uses her looks to get ahead can become a chief captain. Isn’t that hilarious?”

Xie Zhitian’s movements paused slightly.

Captain Tang… was he talking about Tang Zhuoran? She looked up at Luo Yang, whose expression was equally puzzled.

Using her looks to get ahead… with whom?

“Alright, don’t spread baseless rumors,” the woman tried to stop him from continuing, lowering her voice. “Commander Xia hates backstabbing and slander. There are too many people here; aren’t you afraid it’ll get back to her?”

Zhang Di was unconcerned, his tone full of sarcasm and questions. “What rumors am I spreading? Who doesn’t know about Tang Zhuoran’s past? Honestly, everyone just gets along with her on the surface. How many people are actually willing to be close friends with her?”

He took a gulp of beer and smacked his lips. “For example, are you?”

Xie Zhitian waited for a response, but the woman remained silent, answering with her quietness.

Zhang Di seemed to have expected this outcome. He sneered. “What a shame. She’s just lucky. The moment she arrived, she latched onto Xia Fufeng. Even Commander Xia likes her. Otherwise, how could this captain position have gone to her? What are you talking about, rumors? The thing between her and Xia Fufeng has already spread through the team. If they really wanted to investigate, could they even catch everyone?”

The woman finally seemed to lose her patience, her voice tinged with anger. “Alright, alright, I’m full. You can eat slowly.”

A scraping sound of chairs and tables indicated that the woman had stood up and left first.

Zhang Di sneered, drank the entire bottle of beer in one go, and let out a long sigh.

His tone was sinister. “Go on, all of you go. Who doesn’t want to leave?”

Xie Zhitian held her chopsticks, her heart in turmoil.

According to Zhang Di’s words, Tang Zhuoran had some unsavory past, and she had used an improper relationship with Xia Fufeng to get her position as captain, causing a lot of gossip within the guard force.

But Xie Zhitian thought it was impossible. Her mother had said that Commander Xia was an excellent leader. If even someone like Zhang Di could see that something was off about Tang Zhuoran, how could Commander Xia be completely oblivious?

Xie Zhitian found it more and more unbelievable. Leaving Tang Zhuoran aside, would someone as innocent and kind as Xia Fufeng really try to get ahead using such methods? She simply couldn’t believe it.

She held her breath, listening for more movement behind her, but after the woman left, Zhang Di had no one to talk to. Aside from the occasional long sigh, he didn’t say anything else useful.

About half an hour later, Zhang Di got up, paid, and left.

Xie Zhitian and Luo Yang were about to leave when they heard someone behind them say, “Hey, who forgot something? How careless…”

Xie Zhitian turned around and saw the waiter who was cleaning the table standing where Zhang Di had been sitting, holding a folded piece of paper.

Her heart fluttered. She immediately said, “Give it to me, I know Zhang Di. I’ll take it to him later.”

The waiter was relieved. “That’s great, thank you so much.”

After leaving the restaurant, Xie Zhitian opened the paper.

The handwriting on it was crooked, and the first line read three words: APPLICATION FORM.

That evening, Xie Zhitian finally saw Tang Zhuoran in person.

She was a woman of peerless grace and charm, with a graceful figure and seductive eyes. Her natural allure was stunning and impossible to look away from. Even in a simple black uniform, she managed to exude a hint of charm and elegance.

In a subtle contrast, Tang Zhuoran’s gaze was very distant when she looked at people, as if everything in the world was just a light breeze passing over water, unable to create a single ripple.

Xie Zhitian smiled politely. “Hello, Captain Tang.”

Tang Zhuoran stood ramrod straight, a head taller than Xia Fufeng beside her. Her long, curled hair was tied up, the ends hanging down to her slender waist.

She greeted the two of them, then asked, “I heard from Xiao Xia that Miss Xie has something to ask me?”

Her smile was flawless, and she casually rested her arm on Xia Fufeng’s shoulder, with a touch of playful laziness.

Xie Zhitian nodded. “Yes, regarding things in the district.”

Tang Zhuoran and Xia Fufeng seemed very familiar with each other, which made her think of the rumors from earlier today. But now was not the time for gossip; it was better to discuss the important matters first.

“What’s the rush? Come on, everyone, have a seat. Zhuoran has been busy all day and hasn’t had dinner yet,” Xia Fufeng said, warmly gesturing to everyone. Her eyes were curved in a smile, and she seemed to be in a very good mood. She said to Tang Zhuoran, “I had them make your favorite braised shrimp with oil today. It’ll be ready in a minute.”

Tang Zhuoran didn’t stand on ceremony, her thin lips curving into a slight smile. “Great, I’ll have a few more then.”

As she spoke, she looked at the two people across from her. She saw that before Xie Zhitian sat down, she first pulled a chair out for Luo Yang, and then poured her a glass of water. The entire process was so natural, as if it had been done countless times.

Luo Yang didn’t seem surprised, and didn’t even say thank you. She simply reached out and removed a tiny piece of fluff from Xie Zhitian’s hair.

The daughter of the district commander, and she’s this close with a mutant…

Tang Zhuoran thought, unexpectedly, Xie Zhitian is an odd one too.

Luo Yang noticed her gaze and looked up. “Captain Tang, is something wrong?”

Tang Zhuoran’s expression was calm. “Nothing, I just think you two have a very good relationship.”

Xie Zhitian admitted candidly, “Luo Yang is my good friend.”

Tang Zhuoran smiled faintly. “Miss Luo Yang is very lucky. She has a benefactor in her life.”

Luo Yang nodded and smiled, agreeing with Tang Zhuoran’s words, but feeling a little bittersweet inside.

She had been friends with Xie Zhitian for a while now, and everyone thought of Xie Zhitian as her benefactor. She had heard phrases like “good luck,” “found a mentor,” and “benefactor’s help” countless times.

But what was she to Xie Zhitian?

Luo Yang didn’t care what others thought; she only wanted to know what Xie Zhitian thought.

If possible, she hoped that in the young miss’s heart, she was also someone who could bring her happiness.

If she was, she would feel satisfied from the bottom of her heart.

“No, I’m the lucky one. Having Luo Yang makes me happy every day.”

The person beside her suddenly spoke, interrupting her thoughts.

Luo Yang was slightly stunned and looked over.

Xie Zhitian was smiling, but her tone was serious. “Sometimes I even worry that meeting such a wonderful person like Luo Yang means I’ve used up all my good luck.”

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