The Heroine Fell Deeply For Her [Quick Transmigration] 106

Chapter 106: I Love Slacking Off Part 26

“…” Tao Ning thought the phrasing was a bit odd, as if she had just been released from prison.

Looking at the person before her, she couldn’t help but smile: “How big of a basket?”

Naturally, the bigger the basket, the better to express longing. It had only been two days, not enough time for Callista to fully grasp human units of measurement.

Learning the phrase “surprise” was already quite a feat for the Mermaid. An He had given up on correcting her pronunciation, figuring if she liked it, so be it.

Callista brought her hands together, forming a circle the size of a basketball: “About this big.”

Tao Ning: “This big?”

Seeming unsatisfied with the size, Callista expanded the circle, about the size of two basketballs: “I misremembered, it’s actually this big.”

Tao Ning feigned surprise: “This big?”

Callista, getting into it, swung her arms in a wide circle, like a compass: “No, no, I was wrong again, it’s actually this big.”

Tao Ning gasped dramatically: “That’s enough to drown me!”

An image flashed through Callista’s mind: Tao Ning submerged in a bathtub filled with pearls, the pearls like water, covering her body, her white, rounded shoulders peeking out from the surface.

She wasn’t thinking about indecent behavior, but seriously considering how many tears it would take.

And not just any Mermaid’s tears, they had to be her own to touch Tao Ning.

Tao Ning pinched her cheek: “What are you thinking about? Why are you spacing out?”

Callista’s composure finally broke, and she threw her arms around Tao Ning, burying her face in her embrace.

Smelling the familiar scent, the restless Mermaid, like a fish finding water, finally calmed down.

This was the longest they had been apart since meeting, and Callista, used to being alone, felt strangely uncomfortable.

During these two days, An He seemed to have noticed her low spirits and suggested going out for a walk.

But she refused, feeling that without Tao Ning, nothing would be enjoyable. She wasn’t interested in the human world anyway.

After a quiet embrace, Tao Ning felt tired. She hadn’t slept in two days, and even the strongest person would feel exhausted.

Just as she was about to suggest going inside, Callista lifted her head, her eyes reflecting Tao Ning’s face.

Callista said, “You seem to have lost weight.”

Tao Ning didn’t think so: “No, I’m still the same.”

Callista, thinking she didn’t believe her, stepped back and said seriously, “No, I know. Your waist was this big before, and now it’s this big. When I hug you…”

A muffled chuckle came from the group of female soldiers who were supposed to be guarding but were actually gossiping.

Tao Ning: “…”

Used to dealing with cunning humans, she had forgotten that Lita was a Mermaid who spoke her mind.

Tao Ning quickly grabbed her gesturing hands: “Alright, alright, I’ve lost weight. Did you come alone?”

“He-He said she’s having coffee outside, she’s thirsty.” Callista didn’t pull her hand back. “She also said she’ll definitely attend your trial…”

She leaned close to Tao Ning’s ear, whispering in Mermaid language, “Are we going back soon?”

Tao Ning: “Almost. What about you? Did you find the person you were looking for?”

Speaking of this, Callista’s expression turned subtle: “I sensed her, she’s definitely in Queen’s District, but…”

This entire floor had been cleared, the only occupants being Tao Ning and the four female soldiers. The military took this case very seriously, not allowing any disturbances.

An He sat at the end of the corridor, facing the large window overlooking the hotel garden.

Her eyes lowered, she held a coffee cup, concealing her sadness, not wanting to see the thriving plants below.

It was quiet here, with almost no disturbances.

She thought she should be feeling sad and lonely, but strangely, she felt more lost, as if something had disappeared completely.

Perhaps the countdown had begun when Zang Yuzhu woke up and looked at her with unfamiliar eyes.

In the hospital, Gu Yuan, unconscious for a long time, finally stirred.

He had to wake up. If he didn’t, the next time he opened his eyes, it would be to the ceiling of a prison cell in the First Star System.

No one expected this foolproof plan to end up like this.

Due to his “serious injuries,” no visitors were allowed, a good way to keep things secret.

This even stopped Song Man from visiting. The doctors, after much persuasion, managed to convince her to leave.

Then came the news of Song Man leaving the First Star System, which made Gu Yuan breathe a sigh of relief.

Only Mrs. Gu visited occasionally, whispering news from the outside world in his ear under the guise of caring for her son.

The news she brought last time wasn’t good.

She said the person who should be dead was not only alive and well, but also distant towards the Gu family, like a completely different person.

She also said that Gu Changfeng wanted to see Zang Yuzhu, but was refused.

While ostensibly wary of Zang Yuzhu, everyone in the First Star System knew it was actually Gu Changfeng they were wary of.

Gu Yuan, hooked up to various machines, sat up, and someone immediately approached: “Major General, Governor Gu said Zang Yuzhu probably won’t be able to visit. He wants to hold a press conference to address the recent rumors.”

Gu Changfeng was currently the governor of Kelei Star in the First Star System, his term about to end.

Forcing Gu Changfeng to make such a statement, wanting to take the initiative, meant the situation was more complicated than it appeared.

Gu Yuan regretted being injured and unconscious, but there was no use crying over spilled milk. The most important thing was the matter at hand.

The person continued, “Major General, the Chief said his reach is limited, and he can only find a breakthrough through you. He asked if you noticed anything unusual about Zang Yuzhu recently, like who she contacted or what she said?”

Gu Yuan thought about it. There were quite a few unusual things, so many that he couldn’t pinpoint a specific breakthrough.

The thought gave him a headache, and he prepared to get out of bed and get dressed.

Before the Gu family could announce Gu Yuan’s awakening and quell the rumors, military personnel in silver-gray uniforms arrived at their doorstep.

Due to Gu Yuan’s special status, he would be facing a military tribunal.

The leader said, “Major General Gu, someone has implicated you in the Silver Ship hijacking incident. Please come with us for investigation.”

He showed Gu Yuan his credentials, confirming he was indeed military personnel.

Gu Yuan: “I’ve never seen you before in the military, I won’t go with you.”

In that short sentence, he had already considered many possibilities.

The Federation military wasn’t so heartless as to demand a seriously injured person to come in for questioning instead of sending someone to gather information.

There had to be something more to this, and he had a feeling that leaving through this door wouldn’t end well.

The leader said coldly, “This is a military order, you have no choice. Take him.”

The last sentence was directed at his colleagues, who stepped forward, pushing aside those who tried to stop them, and grabbed Gu Yuan.

One on each side, they lifted the weakened Gu Yuan, who hadn’t walked in days, and placed him in a wheelchair.

It was quite humane of them, bringing a wheelchair, afraid he couldn’t walk, claiming he needed medical attention.

This was the consequence of feigning weakness for too long, he was now truly weak and being taken away.

Gu Yuan’s face darkened, his shoulders held down by two hands: “Even with a military order, you can’t treat a superior officer like this! Whose men are you?”

The three sneered, probably thinking: You’re not my superior.

It was always like this, these barbarians always looked down on him because of his youth.

No one answered his question, and the man being strapped to the medical equipment shouted, “This is barbaric! I’ll file a complaint against you!”

The leader said, “Forget it, take this one too.”

The struggling man’s eyes widened: “Why?! Why are you arresting me? What’s the charge? Just because I want to file a complaint against you, because I’ve hit a nerve?”

The leader waved his hand: “Obstructing justice, take him away.”

Another person strode over, grabbing the man by the neck like a chicken: “Stop talking, let’s go.”

Gu Yuan, his face grim, was wheeled out, forced to endure the surprised gazes of the medical staff, which was more unbearable than death.

Fortunately, this was within the hospital, they probably wouldn’t gossip.

But the people pushing his wheelchair looked like grim reapers, their chilling aura making people step aside.

A doctor couldn’t help but say, “Major General Gu… he hasn’t fully recovered yet, he needs to stay in the hospital, what are you…?”

One of the grim reapers: “It’s alright, our military has a cure for everything.”

Doctor: “…”

Gu Yuan: “…”

The military wasn’t a hospital, how could they have a cure for everything?

But no one dared to stop them, watching as the patient was taken away, leaving behind a trail of whispers.

Gu Yuan couldn’t help but say, “Don’t go through the main entrance, use the back door.”

Mrs. Gu had told him there were many people waiting at the front, and news of his arrest couldn’t be leaked, especially not in this state.

Grim Reaper No. 2, pushing his wheelchair: “You should have said so earlier, we would have parked the aircraft at the front entrance. Don’t worry, those reporters wouldn’t dare block us.”

Gu Yuan’s forehead throbbed: “That’s not what I meant.”

Grim Reaper No. 3 patted his shoulder: “Then what are you afraid of? A clear conscience fears no accusation.”

Gu Yuan, feeling like his bones were about to break: “…” Where did these barbarians come from? They’re so strong!

It wasn’t that he didn’t try to dodge, he simply couldn’t.

This hospital was renowned for its quiet and peaceful environment. Since the heroic Gu Yuan had been admitted, it had become lively.

The hospital also wanted to use this opportunity for publicity, turning a blind eye to the crowds as long as they didn’t cause trouble.

Gu Yuan had initially been pleased with this, but now he truly understood the meaning of “lifting a rock only to drop it on one’s own feet.”

The moment Gu Yuan appeared, surrounded by people, everyone was shocked.

This didn’t look like a normal discharge.

Gu Yuan suppressed the urge to cover his face, maintaining a calm and gentle expression, hoping that even if photographed, he wouldn’t look like a criminal.

It was all the adjutant’s fault for betraying him and dying too early, otherwise he wouldn’t be without any close confidants now.

He also blamed Mrs. Gu for always missing the point, not warning him about this, making him face this the moment he woke up.

Saying Zang Yuzhu seemed different, he knew that, he was the one who told his father, what was the use of repeating it?

Finally, he blamed Zang Yuzhu for not dying during the attack.

He had personally searched for her, worried she hadn’t died and might be rescued, and his meticulous planning had brought him this calamity.

If he had known, he would never have brought the dying Zang Yuzhu, whose psychic sea was destroyed, back to the ship, letting her die on that deserted planet.

Wait… when he found Zang Yuzhu, her psychic sea was clearly destroyed, how did she recover?

A loud voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

“No photos! No photos! This is a military investigation, no leaking classified information!”

One of the grim reapers had spoken, silencing the onlookers.

Gu Yuan’s hand gripped his thigh, the smile on his face faltering, his pretense stripped away.

These words only fueled the crowd’s excitement, like dogs sensing a bone.

“Investigation? What investigation?”

“Is it about the Silver Ship hijacking? Is Major General Gu here as a witness to identify the culprit?”

“I heard there are doubts surrounding the Silver Ship incident, Major General Gu, can you comment?”

“Your cousin, Zang Yuzhu, accused you of leaking the coordinates and framed her for betraying the Federation, is this true?”

Hearing this, Gu Yuan’s face paled, which, considering he was already pale, was quite alarming.

He quickly recovered, adjusting his expression, and said sternly, “Did she put you up to this? To slander me?”

This wasn’t the reaction of an innocent person, but rather… a forced bravado.

The reporters fell silent, looking at the one who asked the question.

The female reporter: “So you do know about this? You just woke up, how did you know? Can you explain yourself?”

Gu Yuan stared at the reporter for a moment, as if trying to memorize her face.

“Please answer me, Gu Yuan,” the female reporter pressed.

Gu Yuan: “Yuzhu grew up in our family, and due to her poor health, she rarely went out. She must have been tricked. I’m deeply saddened by this.”

He hadn’t seen the live stream of Tao Ning being surrounded at the spaceport, but his excuse was identical to Mrs. Gu’s, a true mother-son connection.

Female Reporter: “So you’re admitting that the rumors are true, that the Gu family adopted her with ulterior motives, which is why she’s now unable to distinguish right from wrong?”

Gu Yuan’s tone turned harsh: “You’re twisting my words! Stop slandering a Federal officer!”

The female reporter didn’t back down: “Then who do you think tricked Zang Yuzhu?”

Gu Yuan finally realized that anything he said would be wrong, so he remained silent.

But it was too late. The reporters, who had been waiting for days, wouldn’t let him go, bombarding him with questions, a scene even more difficult than when Zang Yuzhu returned.

Grim Reaper: “Alright, this isn’t a press conference, move aside.”

Gu Yuan, suppressing his anger, was pushed into the aircraft, thinking: It’s alright, I still have my father.

He would be released eventually.

But when they arrived at the detention center, the person sitting inside was Gu Changfeng, the one he had placed his hopes on.

Gu Yuan was truly shocked: “Dad? Why are you here?”

Gu Changfeng looked much older than just a few hours ago, his usually neat hair disheveled, his glasses missing. He said, “That ungrateful Zang Yuzhu, she accused you of leaking the coordinates.”

Gu Yuan immediately said, “Impossible!”

“You say it’s impossible, I also say it’s impossible.” Gu Changfeng’s voice was low. “The investigation is ongoing, and the military keeps saying we’re politicians, that we don’t get along. If I had known, I wouldn’t have…”

Only those involved knew what he wouldn’t have done.

Father and son looked at each other, their minds heavy with unspoken thoughts.

The “impossible” they spoke of wasn’t “I didn’t betray the Federation,” but rather “all those who knew are dead, only you and I know the truth.”

This was why they were so baffled.

A faint sound came from outside, footsteps approaching. The door opened, and a figure walked in.

Gu Yuan was shocked: “Mom? What are you doing here?”

Gu Changfeng was also shocked: “How did you get in?” He had been taken directly from a meeting, his secretary in the next room, and he hadn’t had time to say anything.

Mrs. Gu’s face was pale: “They… they said I’m suspected of poisoning and brought me here for investigation.”

Gu Changfeng and Gu Yuan said in unison, “Poisoning?!”

Mrs. Gu gritted her teeth: “Yes, they said it was that ungrateful wretch who accused me! Changfeng, you have to do something!”

Gu Changfeng, trapped here himself, could do nothing but sit there silently, racking his brains for a solution.

But he didn’t know how much evidence Zang Yuzhu had, or what charges she had brought, afraid that speaking rashly would only make things worse.

Having committed too many wrongdoings, he didn’t even know which crime he was being accused of.

The three looked at each other, then looked away, their expressions unreadable.

Now, the whole family was reunited in prison, a truly joyous occasion.