The Beautiful, Strong, and Tragic Female Lead is Mine [Transmigration Into a Novel] - Chapter 94

An early winter morning. The biting cold was raw.

It was still early, the sky a faint gray. Inside the bedroom, the electric heater was on, but the tendrils of warmth that seeped into the icy air quickly vanished without a trace.

Xie Zhitian rolled over, groggily pulling the blanket higher. The cozy heat from the quilt billowed onto her face, and she contentedly squinted her eyes.

If it had been the former Miss, in this season, she probably would have had a dozen heaters running to make every corner of the house toasty warm. But Xie Zhitian wasn’t wasteful. After surviving the apocalypse, she’d learned to cherish resources even more. While things were getting better and electricity wasn’t a luxury, she still believed in conserving it. The district’s power allocation was fixed, and she wouldn’t take special privileges just because she was the daughter of the district commander. If she used too much, it would affect others.

Besides, she had someone to keep her warm.

A warm arm reached over and gently pulled her into a hug. A soft kiss landed on her cheek, and a warm body nestled close, cheek-to-cheek.

“Tiantian, I have to get up.”

The voice was a low whisper. “I’ll make you breakfast before I go. Remember to eat when you get up.”

“Mmm… so early?”

Sleep had yet to fully dissipate. Xie Zhitian instinctively reached out to hold her, her voice slightly hoarse. “It’s still early, let’s sleep a little longer.”

“I can’t. I have a lot to do today, so I have to leave early,” Luo Yang said, lowering her head to kiss Xie Zhitian’s forehead. “I might be a bit late coming back tonight, too.”

Xie Zhitian pressed her face against Luo Yang’s, her fingers tangling in her soft, long hair. “Then don’t make breakfast. Go get something to eat on your way.”

Luo Yang chuckled. “It’s fine, I have enough time. I’ll just boil some congee.” She reluctantly let go of Xia Zhitian. “You rest well. Yesterday was too much.”

Seeing that she insisted, Xia Zhitian didn’t press the matter, simply humming in agreement and telling her to dress warmly since the temperature had dropped. She then felt a gap open in the quilt as a sliver of icy air rushed in, only to be replaced by warmth again.

Even though their district was in a subtropical zone and the coldest temperatures barely dipped below freezing, it still took great courage to climb out of a warm bed and face the cold. But Luo Yang never hesitated. She maintained her military habits, getting up on time without any fuss.

A rustling sound followed, then soft footsteps headed for the door. But they quickly turned back and stopped at the foot of the bed.

Xie Zhitian half-opened her eyes and saw Luo Yang leaning down. She tilted her head up slightly, cooperatively accepting her good morning kiss.

“Go back to sleep. You’ve got a rare day off.”

Luo Yang smiled, then paused and added in a low voice, “Tiantian, you have to remember to miss me.”

Xie Zhitian couldn’t help but smile. She reached up and wrapped her arms around Luo Yang’s neck, giving her a light kiss on the lips. “Of course. I miss you every day.”

Luo Yang smiled back, gently tucked her in, and then finally left.

Xie Zhitian closed her eyes, once again enveloped by a wave of fatigue. Yesterday, an emergency mission had come up, and she and her staff had worked from morning until the wee hours of the night. They were completely drained when they finally returned. So Ren Meng had been merciful and given her an extra day off. With the upcoming weekend, she had a total of three days of holiday.

But whenever Luo Yang wasn’t around, Xie Zhitian didn’t sleep very soundly. Today was no different. Although she was aching and still felt exhausted, she felt an emptiness inside. She was awake again not long after.

She stretched languidly, intending to stay in bed a little longer, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw a white fluffball zoom through the half-open door and onto the bed. Xiaoxiao happily pounced on her, stomping all over her quilt and leaving two rows of deep and shallow paw-shaped dents. Xie

Zhitian winced, accepting her fate. She scooped the cat up and cradled it in her arms, tapping its forehead with her finger. “Do you even know how heavy you are now? You’re not a kitten anymore.”

Xiaoxiao “meowed” innocently, rubbing its head against her palm to remind its owner that it was breakfast time.

Sighing, Zhitian threw on a jacket and got up to open a can of food for the little monarch.

She stroked Xiaoxiao’s soft fur and headed downstairs. Since returning from District 33, life had gotten back on track. For their excellent performance in District 7 and District 33, the Queen had given her and Luo Yang a very generous bonus—roughly five years of their combined salaries.

The two of them already had more than enough money, so they decided to use the surplus to establish a relief center in the district under the name of the Guardians. The center provided a hundred simple meals a day to registered people in need, helping them through difficult times.

The initiative was well-received and widely praised, instantly elevating the image of the Guardians. More and more cyborg soldiers came to donate, replenishing the fund and creating a positive cycle. The relationship between the public and the Guardians was strengthened. Most ordinary people no longer kept their distance out of fear that the cyborgs might turn rogue and harm them.

Xie Zhitian could feel a subtle shift. Not just in their district, but the entire country and even the world were slowly recovering and regaining vitality. As the situation stabilized, her and Luo Yang’s work wasn’t as hectic, and their overtime hours were significantly reduced.

The faint scent of food still lingered in the kitchen. Xie Zhitian lifted the lid of the clay pot on the stove to find the mushroom and chicken congee Luo Yang had prepared—exactly what she had casually mentioned she wanted to eat yesterday.

She curved her lips into a smile, ladled out a bowl for herself, and sat at the table to eat slowly. The congee was cooked to a velvety softness, its savory aroma filling her mouth.

She had finished about half a bowl when her eyes fell on the calendar hanging on the wall. She paused.

Xie Zhitian realized something.

Today was the 30th, her and Luo Yang’s one-month anniversary.

A surge of warmth suddenly welled up inside her. Her appetite disappeared, and the spoon in her hand slipped, clinking softly against the bowl.

While Xie Zhitian had no prior dating experience, the concept of romance had been widely marketed in her old world. She might not have eaten the pork, but she’d certainly seen the pig run. Since it was their anniversary, she had to prepare a gift for Luo Yang.

Her first thought was a ring. She had plenty of jewelry in her portable space, but she didn’t know Luo Yang’s ring size. Besides, since she had the time today, simply pulling a few pieces of jewelry from her space felt a little impersonal. In her subconscious, she already considered Luo Yang as part of her future. All those supplies were their shared property anyway, so they couldn’t really be called a gift.

She rested her chin in her hand, thinking for a moment, and her eyes suddenly lit up as a certain memory came to mind.

When she and Luo Yang were in District 14, Xia Fufeng had misunderstood their relationship and specially decorated a very romantic bedroom for them. Luo Yang had been so happy at the time, which proved that she was a girl who loved romance and traditions. So Xie Zhitian decided to use today to decorate their home and give Luo Yang a surprise.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door. It was Xiang Nan, who had come to clean and restock the groceries.

“You’ve come at the perfect time,” Xie Zhitian said, greeting him. “Come with me to buy some things.”

“Of course, Miss,” Xiang Nan replied, first carefully putting the groceries into the refrigerator one by one before asking, “What else do you need, Miss? Just tell me, and I’ll go buy it.”

Xie Zhitian shook her head. “No, I want to pick them out myself.” She didn’t intend to hide her purpose and told him directly, “Today is my and Luo Yang’s one-month anniversary.”

Xiang Nan came almost every day and interacted with them often, so he couldn’t have been kept in the dark about their relationship even if they had wanted to. But Xie Zhitian and Luo Yang hadn’t tried to hide it; all their close friends knew.

Xiang Nan was stunned for a moment, then said with a serious expression, “Congratulations, Miss. I wish you a hundred years of happiness together.”

Xie Zhitian was amused. “You sound like you’re giving a wedding toast.”

Xiang Nan was quick with his reply. “So what? It’s going to happen sooner or later.”

Xie Zhitian laughed, feeling very happy. “You know what to say.”

With a helper, the plan progressed smoothly. About two hours later, they returned with bags full of purchases. Xie Zhitian had bought ribbons, balloons, and paper garlands for decoration. While there wasn’t a huge variety of these things available, with the trinkets and stickers from her space, she could still create a great effect. She had also carefully selected many colorful flowers and, of course, a large bouquet of red roses to add a romantic atmosphere to the anniversary.

Xiang Nan carried a cake and a few small desserts, as well as a variety of fresh fruits—all things Luo Yang liked.

“First, you clean downstairs. Then hang the ribbons here and here, put the light pink balloons on this wall, and leave the roses here for now…”

Xie Zhitian gave Xiang Nan a detailed rundown of the decorating plan, then went upstairs herself to prepare their bedroom. Before entering, she paused and then turned to go into Luo Yang’s room. Lately, they had been sleeping in her bedroom, so Luo Yang hadn’t been back to her own room for a while. Zhitian decided it was a good time to pack up the bedding.

The bed was neatly made, but there were a few white tufts of cat fur and two small paw prints on top—evidence of the cat’s mischief. With the owner away, the little cat had claimed the room as its own.

Xie Zhitian chuckled, reaching out to fold the quilt into a roll.

With a soft thud, something slipped from the bedding and fell to the floor at her feet.

Xie Zhitian froze for a moment, then bent down to pick it up.

It was a book.

The moment she saw the cover, she felt a rush of blood to her head.

The Self-Cultivation of a Cold and Seductive Top… Why was this here?

The book had no cover, and its texture felt completely different in her hands, so it couldn’t have been the original novel from her space. This meant that this book actually existed in this world! And why was it in Luo Yang’s bed?

Xie Zhitian’s eyes widened in disbelief. She opened the book, hoping against hope that Luo Yang hadn’t had time to read it.

But the next second, her fantasy was shattered. On the flyleaf of the book, in Luo Yang’s elegant handwriting, was a note:

“Good read, worth rereading.”

Support