The Beautiful, Strong, and Tragic Female Lead is Mine [Transmigration Into a Novel] - Chapter 65
Luo Yang stood at the door, carefully placing the half-book into her jacket before zipping it up.
She held the book tightly against her body with her arms. After lowering her head to check and making sure the book wouldn’t fall out, she pushed the front door open.
Luo Yang greeted naturally, “I’m back.”
Xie Zhitian’s voice came from the kitchen, “Hurry, I was just waiting for you.”
Luo Yang walked over with her bags, put the freshly bought groceries on the kitchen table, and said, “I’m going upstairs for a bit to grab some snacks.”
She glanced around and saw that Xiao Xiao’s cat food was already made and divided into several portions. One portion for today, and the rest could be put into the freezer after they cooled down, to be defrosted when needed.
The noodles had already been taken out of the fridge and were waiting for the water to boil before being cooked.
“Okay, you go ahead,” Xie Zhitian said without a hint of suspicion. She had placed many snacks in both her and Luo Yang’s rooms. “Don’t take too much, we’re about to eat.”
Luo Yang nodded and quickly went up the stairs.
The moment she closed the bedroom door, she turned around and leaned against it, letting out a small sigh of relief.
Luo Yang reached into her jacket and took out the book. Because it had been tucked against her chest, the pages were slightly warm.
She didn’t know what was wrong with her. Ever since she read the first few pages, she had been so eager to find out what happened next.
And it was just a book, so why was she acting like a thief, hiding it from Xie Zhitian? This wasn’t like her at all.
Xie Zhitian had even generously agreed to let her borrow it. But after she bought this book, she didn’t tell Xie Zhitian.
What was she feeling so guilty about?
Luo Yang couldn’t figure it out.
But she didn’t have time to think anymore. Xie Zhitian was waiting for her downstairs for dinner, and she had to be quick.
Luo Yang tried to push all the messy thoughts out of her mind, pulled open the cabinet drawer, and randomly grabbed two bags of chips to take downstairs.
She looked around the room, which was very clean, with all the items neatly arranged, clearly indicating it was regularly tidied.
The bedding she had folded away before leaving had been freshly made, probably by Xie Zhitian while she was out shopping.
Luo Yang thought for a moment, then tucked the book under the bedding, grabbed the chips, and went downstairs.
Wanting to share the supplies Xie Zhitian gave him with his family, Xiang Nan left with a large box of local specialties after cooking the noodles, leaving just her and Xie Zhitian at home again.
Before he left, he scooped some of the freshly made cat food into Xiao Xiao’s bowl. Xiao Xiao was as happy as if it were a holiday, engrossed in enjoying the delicious food in a corner of the living room, not even noticing when her owner came downstairs.
As Luo Yang entered the living room, Xie Zhitian was serving the noodles from the pot and placing them on the dining table.
Hearing the sound, she looked up, smiled at Luo Yang, and said, “You must be hungry. Come and eat.”
Luo Yang responded, pulled out a chair, and sat down at the table.
The aroma of the food instantly whetted her appetite. The noodles were topped with fried luncheon meat, and there were also green vegetables and a golden fried egg.
Xie Zhitian took two cans of fruit beer from the fridge and handed one to Luo Yang. “A little celebration for our first day back.”
She looked at the two bowls of noodles on the table and felt it wasn’t quite enough. “It’s a bit late today, we’ll make something better tomorrow.”
After dealing with the matters in District 7, they had a few pleasant days of vacation with Xia Fufeng and Tang Zhuoran in District 14 before rushing back. When her mother learned about their experiences, she was both distressed and relieved, and gave them another week off to recuperate.
Luo Yang sincerely replied, “It’s already very good.”
She picked up a mouthful of noodles, blew on them a couple of times, and put them in her mouth. The hot food was heartwarming, making her feel cozy from the inside out.
Xie Zhitian sat across from her, eating and chatting with her.
As they talked, the topic turned to business. “By the way, what do you think about what Xia Zheliu said before?”
After their talk a few days ago, Xia Zheliu had left the district in a hurry and hadn’t been in touch since. Just as they had agreed, he gave them plenty of time to consider, with no pressure at all.
Luo Yang’s hand, holding the chopsticks, paused. She asked back, “And what do you think, Tian Tian?”
The Queen appointing Ning Ximing as the District 7 leader had a huge impact on her. Before, the modified humans were more like weapons, charging into battle but rarely being promoted to important positions. Before Ning Ximing, no modified human had ever served as a district leader.
If the Queen’s rule was consolidated, the modified humans’ lives would likely be much better. But if the Commander’s side gained the upper hand, who knew what kind of future awaited them? So in Luo Yang’s heart, she was inclined to join the Queen’s camp and assist her.
But she wouldn’t tell Xie Zhitian these thoughts, because they were her considerations from a modified human’s perspective. After spending this time together, she realized that Xie Zhitian was an overly kind person, and if she voiced her concerns, Xie Zhitian would surely want to go with her.
But this path was so perilous. They had just barely escaped with their lives from District 7, and she really didn’t want to put Xie Zhitian in danger again. Xie Zhitian just needed to live her life peacefully. She didn’t want her to face life-or-death situations again.
Luo Yang wanted to join the Queen’s camp alone, while Xie Zhitian could continue to be the young lady in the district.
However, the next moment, Xie Zhitian spoke, saying something that went against Luo Yang’s innermost thoughts.
“Luo Yang, I want to go.”
Luo Yang was stunned and tried to stop her. “But, that’s, that’s very dangerous. You should reconsider…”
Her heart started beating uncontrollably fast. Subconsciously, she seemed to have a vague premonition of this outcome, but when it actually happened, her heart was instantly filled with an indescribable, complex emotion that made her a little incoherent.
“I’ve made up my mind.” Xie Zhitian looked at her, her smile as warm as ever. “Let’s rest for a few days, and when our vacation is over, we’ll contact Xia Zheliu.”
Although Xie Zhitian had no great ambitions and was completely uninterested in achieving great deeds, now that she knew this struggle involved the interests of all the women in the country, she couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.
Girls should bloom like flowers in the sun, vibrant and beautiful, their fragrance spreading freely in the breeze; they shouldn’t be trapped in a cage called a family, slowly rotting away.
As for Luo Yang’s answer, Xie Zhitian had already guessed it before she even asked.
Luo Yang would definitely go, just as she had unhesitatingly joined the volunteers to become a modified human back then.
Luo Yang stared at her blankly, and there seemed to be a glimmer of watery light flickering in her clear, pure eyes.
She said softly, “But what if you get hurt? What if you…”
Seeing Luo Yang’s eyes turn red, Xie Zhitian’s heart was suddenly filled with a pang of sorrow. She realized she had been like this lately. When Luo Yang was happy, she couldn’t help but smile along; when Luo Yang was sad, she felt even worse.
She didn’t have time to think about why this was. She reached out and took Luo Yang’s hand on the table.
That hand was so soft, delicate, and warm. It trembled slightly in her palm, making her feel incredibly sorry for her.
“It’s okay, Luo Yang.” Xie Zhitian held her hand and said seriously, “When we’re together, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”
Luo Yang sat leaning against the headboard of the bed. The light from the lamp on the bedside cabinet was dim, illuminating a corner of the floor.
She had just had dinner with Xie Zhitian, and they had chatted for a while before returning to their respective bedrooms. By the time she had showered and gotten into bed, it was already past ten p.m.
Luo Yang pushed aside a few strands of her semi-dry long hair and looked down at the book in her hands.
She was holding the book she had just bought from the street stall, “The Self-Cultivation of a Cold and Beautiful 1,” and had turned to the page where she left off. But she was slow to continue reading.
Luo Yang found that her state seemed to be off. She couldn’t focus at all. A page she would normally finish quickly had taken her a long time to read tonight, and she still hadn’t turned the page.
The reason she couldn’t focus was actually very simple—Xie Zhitian not being by her side made her feel very uneasy.
Over the past ten-plus days, no matter where they were, she had slept in the same bed as Xie Zhitian every night. She had grown used to having a little chat before bed, saying goodnight to each other, and then falling asleep.
But before, they slept together due to limited accommodation. Now that they were back home, it seemed there was no reason for her to continue clinging to her.
Thinking of this, Luo Yang felt a little flustered.
She tucked the book back under the bedding, then walked barefoot to the window, pulled back the curtains, and pressed her fingers against the glass, looking outside.
If only it would rain. If it rained, Xie Zhitian would worry that she was scared and come over to sleep with her.
But outside, the night was thick, and a silver moon hung high in the deep blue sky. There wasn’t even a cloud in sight, and it didn’t look like it was going to rain at all.
Luo Yang pursed her lips, her expression a little dejected.
According to her usual routine, she should have been in bed and nearly asleep by this time. But now, she was wide awake, her mind wandering uncontrollably.
Luo Yang simply turned off the light, put on a jacket, and pushed open her bedroom door.
The hallway was pitch black. She tiptoed forward and soon arrived at Xie Zhitian’s door.
Luo Yang hesitated for just a moment, then raised her hand and gently knocked.
Xie Zhitian’s voice immediately came from inside. “Luo Yang?”
“It’s me,” Luo Yang replied.
She felt a little panicked, her fingers clutching her jacket tightening.
The door opened, and the soft light from the room illuminated the empty space at her feet.
“You came. I was just about to look for you.”
Xie Zhitian smiled at her and pulled her inside. She didn’t ask why she was there. Instead, she took another set of bedding from the cabinet and placed it on the empty half of the bed.
Then she turned her head to look at her, the light outlining the soft contours of her profile. “After living together for so long, I’m not used to you not being here.”
After hearing this, Luo Yang felt happy, and then inexplicably a little wronged.
She didn’t know where she got the courage, but she took a step forward and hugged Xie Zhitian.
“Tian Tian, when you’re not here, I miss you so much.”
She rested her chin on Xie Zhitian’s shoulder, her voice a little hoarse. “From now on, can we sleep together every day?”
The person in her arms was stunned for a moment, but quickly hugged her back tightly. “Okay, whatever you want.”