The Beautiful, Strong, and Tragic Female Lead is Mine [Transmigration Into a Novel] - Chapter 60

Immediately after Xie Zhitian emerged from the underground palace, she saw a face drenched in tears.

Xia Fufeng was leaning against Tang Zhuoran, her eyes red and swollen like a little rabbit’s. She was still sobbing, her face streaked with wet tear stains, and even a few strands of hair by her ears were damp.

Xie Zhitian was startled, thinking something had happened to Tang Zhuoran’s hand. She quickly ran over and asked, “What’s wrong? Captain Tang, is your injury serious?”

“No, I’m fine.” Tang Zhuoran smiled, lifting her bandaged arm to show her. “The medical team put it in a cast for me. I just need to rest for a few days.”

For a normal person, a bone injury would require careful recuperation for over a hundred days. But as a modified human, her physical condition was excellent and her healing ability astonishing. A good week of rest would be enough to restore her to her original state.

Relieved that Tang Zhuoran was okay, Xie Zhitian asked Xia Fufeng, “Why are you crying?”

“I… I was just so scared.”

Xia Fufeng vigorously wiped her eyes, but in the next second, tears immediately welled up again, making her eyes look teary. “These past few days, I’ve been scared to death. I’ve never experienced anything so terrifying before. It felt like I was going to die several times, wahhh.”

Luo Yang couldn’t bear it and comforted her, “Don’t cry, Xia. Everyone is fine now.”

Xia Fufeng nodded, took the tissue Tang Zhuoran handed her, and wiped her wet cheeks. “That’s true, wahhh.”

“Your reaction time is pretty long. You’re only getting scared now.”

Xie Zhitian teased her, wanting to cheer her up. “When we were in the underground palace, you seemed so calm. You weren’t timid at all in front of Zhou Quan. I thought you were a hidden master.”

Xia Fufeng was indeed amused, and a little embarrassed. “I’m not that amazing. I actually wanted to cry every day, but I held it in.”

Luo Yang blinked. “So why couldn’t you hold it in all of a sudden?”

Xia Fufeng was stunned. “I don’t know.”

The time spent in the underground palace wasn’t long, but every second was a huge pressure that nearly crushed her spirit. Yet, in her subconscious, she couldn’t show weakness or be a burden to everyone. So she tried hard to maintain her emotional stability and act like a mature adult.

But the moment she saw Tang Zhuoran, the emotions she had suppressed could no longer be controlled. Tears flowed uncontrollably, and it seemed to even surprise the usually calm and carefree Tang Zhuoran.

Xia Fufeng herself was disgusted with her own reaction. Xie Zhitian and Luo Yang had spent even longer in the underground palace, but they just smiled and completed the mission like it was nothing. How could she be so useless?

Fortunately, Tang Zhuoran was as gentle as ever, silently handing her tissues to wipe her tears, not minding that she was a crybaby.

Tang Zhuoran raised her hand to straighten the messy strands of hair on Xia Fufeng’s head and said to the two people in front of her with a smile, “Xia is young. It’s normal for her to vent after going through so much.”

“As long as she’s okay.” Xie Zhitian also smiled. “Xia, Luo Yang and I are going to check over there. We’ll come back and find you later. You take care, okay?”

Watching Tang Zhuoran and Xia Fufeng huddled together, a phrase suddenly popped into her mind—”Absence makes the heart grow fonder.”

The two of them seemed to have a lot to say to each other, so she didn’t want to disturb them.

Xia Fufeng softly replied, “Okay, you two go ahead.”

Tang Zhuoran looked up and saw Xie Zhitian pulling Luo Yang to the other side, their figures quickly disappearing into the crowd.

She retracted her gaze and stroked the top of the person’s head in her arms. “Xia, let’s not get involved in such dangerous things in the future, okay?”

Tang Zhuoran had executed countless dangerous missions, but she had never felt as scared as she did this time. If she hadn’t taken the medicine in time, she felt like she would have had a mental breakdown and mutated.

If it were possible, she wished Xia Fufeng could live in a greenhouse forever, untouched by the world and sheltered from the storms.

“No, I want to go next time.”

Xia Fufeng blinked, and another tear rolled down. Her voice was soft but firm. “I don’t want to always stand behind you. I want to… stand by your side.”

Tang Zhuoran was momentarily stunned, then she smiled helplessly. “Alright, whatever you say.”

She said in a gentle voice, “You’ve already done it. You’re the most amazing girl.”

When Xie Zhitian and Luo Yang came out, Ning Ximing was ahead of them and was immediately pulled aside by the excited girls waiting at the entrance. Because they were so busy comforting Xia Fufeng, they hadn’t paid attention to Ning Ximing’s situation.

So the two of them decided to go check on Ning Ximing to see if there was anything they could help with.

Xie Zhitian searched through the crowd and quickly spotted his tall figure.

Ning Ximing was surrounded by a group of enthusiastic girls. He was clearly not used to such a situation, and his expression was uncharacteristically flustered. Across from them were two tall women in uniform, who were listening intently as the girls spoke one after another.

Luo Yang pointed to the armbands on their uniforms and said softly, “Tian Tian, those are the Royal Guard’s armbands. They’re the Queen’s people.”

Xie Zhitian’s expression faltered for a moment, then she realized. “The higher-ups heard the commotion and sent people down.”

She saw a group of people wearing the same uniforms walking into the underground palace with handcuffs and restraints, presumably to make arrests.

Luo Yang nodded. “Yeah, resolving the underground palace’s self-destruct device and the remote control for District 7’s modified human self-destruct system so quickly wouldn’t have been possible without assistance from the top.”

Xie Zhitian looked thoughtful. “That’s true.”

Once Zhou Quan was gone, District 7 would undergo a complete change, from top to bottom.

She saw that the two women with Ning Ximing were listening very seriously to the girls and kept taking notes, so she knew they were taking Ning Ximing’s case seriously, which made her feel much more at ease.

However, she still planned to follow up on the outcome of the case. If Ning Ximing were to be punished, she would feel terrible.

The Royal Guard was highly efficient. They quickly arrested all the guards in the underground palace and made arrangements for the victims. Everything was settled. Xie Zhitian specifically inquired about Zhou Quan’s condition. The medical team said his spine was broken in several places and his situation was not optimistic.

District 14 sent several cars to pick them up and take them back. Xie Zhitian and her group had been under so much tension that they fell into a deep sleep the moment they got into the car. When they opened their eyes again, the sky was already dawning.

The morning light was gentle, and the sky was a soft, warm pink. Clouds floated lazily in the air. The car drove smoothly, and the trees on both sides of the road passed by one by one, becoming blurry green shadows.

“Are you awake?” The driver turned around and said kindly, “We’ve already entered the district. Where should I drop you off?”

Xia Fufeng thought for a moment. “Let’s all go back to my place. We can rest today and not go to work.”

She paused, then added, “Let’s be clear now, no one is allowed to work today. The only mission is to eat, drink, and have fun.”

Everyone agreed, and even the busiest person, Tang Zhuoran, agreed to temporarily put down her work to relax her tired body and mind.

Luo Yang suggested, “Xia, how about we ask Wang Er to make some of that fried chicken and fries from last time? It was so delicious.”

“Sure, I’ll ask him to make a lot. There are so many of us.”

Xia Fufeng wasn’t very social and didn’t have many close friends. Being able to get together and have fun with so many companions made her genuinely happy. Her eyes curved into crescents as she smiled. “Wang Er knows how to make so many dishes. Just tell me what you want to eat, and I’ll ask him to make it for you.”

Xie Zhitian said, “Why don’t we go to the market first? The ingredients are freshest in the morning. We can pick out some good stuff and buy a lot.”

Xia Fufeng’s eyes lit up. “Great idea! There are so many good things at the market in the morning. We can also buy some breakfast to take back. I know a place that has especially delicious fried dough sticks…”

So the car turned and headed in the direction of the market. The trip was very fruitful. They bought fresh meat, vegetables, and fruits, as well as a variety of snacks, and also picked up some steamed buns, fried dough sticks, and tofu pudding for breakfast.

The group got out of the car, carrying bags and chatting and laughing.

Xia Fufeng took out her key to open the door, but found that the main gate was not locked.

She said, “Huh? It’s not even 8 a.m yet. Did Wang Er come so early today?”

Just then, the door was pulled open from the inside. “Xia, you’re back.”

A slender woman stood at the door, smiling warmly. She was very beautiful, her features resembling Xia Fufeng’s by seven parts. She was wearing a well-fitting business suit and looked mature and capable.

Xia Fufeng was stunned. She immediately put down her things and rushed into the woman’s arms. She hugged the woman’s waist and looked up at her. “Mom, you’re back.”

Xia Wan affectionately stroked her daughter’s head. “My dear, you’ve worked hard this time.”

Xia Fufeng shook her head, pointing to her companions behind her. “I didn’t work hard. Everyone took care of me. They’re the ones who worked hard.”

Xia Wan looked up and thanked Xie Zhitian and Luo Yang, then praised them. “Tian Tian has grown up. You’re much more sensible than before. Your mom has been praising you to me lately. Give her a call later to let her know you’re safe and put her at ease.”

Xie Zhitian’s lips curved into a smile. “I will, Auntie Xia.”

Xia Wan then said to Luo Yang, “Tian Tian’s mom has mentioned you many times. It’s finally nice to meet you in person. Just treat this place like your own home. If you need anything, just tell me. Don’t be shy.”

Luo Yang was both touched and a little embarrassed. She nodded gently and said, “Thank you, Auntie.”

Afterward, Xia Wan’s gaze fell on Tang Zhuoran’s hand in a cast. She frowned. “Zhuoran, how did you get hurt?”

Upon hearing this, Xia Fufeng’s eyes showed a hint of guilt. She was about to explain that it was her fault when she heard Tang Zhuoran answer with a smile, “Commander, it’s just a minor injury. It was my own carelessness.”

Xia Wan was displeased. “You need to take this seriously and rest well. You haven’t had a break in nearly half a year, and now you’re injured again. I’m giving you half a month off. Let Fu Xin handle the matters of the Guard for now.”

Tang Zhuoran was stunned and instinctively wanted to decline. “Commander, I can continue to work…”

“No, that’s an order.”

Although Xia Wan said it was an order, her tone was very gentle. “As the captain of the Guard, it’s very important to keep yourself in the best physical condition. That way, you can better devote yourself to your work. Do you understand?”

Tang Zhuoran’s eyes welled up. “Yes, I understand.”

Xia Wan gave everyone a few more words of advice, telling them to rest well and take care of their bodies, then she prepared to leave.

Xia Fufeng reluctantly pulled on her sleeve. “Mom, won’t you stay and have breakfast with us before you go?”

Xia Wan smiled. “I’m relieved to see that you’re all okay. There’s so much going on in the district right now that I can’t leave. After this busy period is over, I’ll spend some quality time with you.”

Xia Fufeng nodded obediently. “Okay.”

Xia Wan walked a few steps, then suddenly turned back. “I was so happy that I forgot something.”

She looked in the direction of Xie Zhitian and Luo Yang and said with a smile, “Tian Tian, in a couple of days, the Queen will send someone to our district. She’s specifically asking to see you and Luo Yang.”

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