SWMSO – Chapter 29

Despite Jiang Yi’s claim that she didn’t sell smiles, when a big customer like Chu Ningning bought several large boxes of fruit salad, she couldn’t help but beam as she saw her off: “Take care, classmate. Enjoy your food.”

Perhaps her smile was too radiant, because Chu Ningning turned back with the fruit salad boxes in hand and said earnestly, “Jiang Yi, you look really pretty when you smile. You should smile more often.”

After Chu Ningning left, Jiang Yi touched her face, puzzled. Didn’t she smile every day? Why did it sound like she used to wear a perpetually gloomy expression?

Before long, Jin Duolai hurried back, and Jiang Yi immediately relinquished her spot, retreating to the back to resume her role as a “fruit ninja.”

Even though it was already early November, the sun still felt scorching to Jiang Yi. She had no intention of braving the heat to watch the competitions on the field, so she leisurely stayed under the shade of a tree, slicing fruit.

The 800-meter race was scheduled for the afternoon, and Jiang Yi heard Jiang Sixian’s name mentioned several times in the broadcast announcements. As she peeled a pear, she found herself distracted, listening more intently.

Soon, cheers erupted from the field, chanting Jiang Sixian’s name. Sure enough, the broadcast soon announced that Jiang Sixian had won first place in the 800-meter race.

Jiang Yi suddenly remembered that their class monitor had also signed up for the 800-meter race. A smirk tugged at her lips as she couldn’t help but feel amused.

Just as the broadcast ended, Jiang Yi saw Chen Wanzhou supporting their exhausted class monitor, who was panting heavily after the race, as they made their way back to the class base. Jiang Yi continued slicing papaya, teasing mockingly, “Tsk, what a useless alpha.”

The class monitor knew Jiang Yi was poking fun at her for losing to an Omega, but she wasn’t upset. Leaning on Chen Wanzhou, she made her way to the massage bed set up for athletes at the base and flopped onto it. Turning her head, she grinned at Jiang Yi and said, “You have to be kind to yourself. Last year, I came in third to last. This year, I managed second place, all thanks to my improved stamina.”

“I’m already satisfied. Comparing myself to someone like Jiang Sixian, who wins every year? No way, no way.”

The class monitor waved her hand dismissively, looking utterly serene as her classmates massaged her.

Jiang Yi chuckled. “You came in second? That’s not bad. Who was third?”

The class monitor turned her head and smirked. “Song Yi, heh. She was second last year, but I overtook her this time.”

Jiang Yi took in her smug “beating Song Yi feels amazing” expression and realized that Song Yi, the annoying brat, had become their benchmark for satisfaction. Outdoing her was more gratifying than winning first place.

Jiang Yi laughed. “That’s pretty good.”

At that moment, a group of Class A students swarmed around Jiang Sixian as she approached. Jiang Yi overheard them gushing, “Xianxian, you’re amazing!” and glanced up.

Jiang Sixian, dressed in a short-sleeved sports uniform with her hair tied back in a ponytail and a headband on, walked toward the Class A base surrounded by her classmates. Her stamina was clearly far better than the class monitor’s. Aside from her slightly flushed cheeks and the faint sheen of sweat on her fair skin, she looked completely unfazed—unlike the class monitor, who had needed support just to make it back.

Jiang Yi gave Jiang Sixian a quick once-over before lowering her head again to focus on slicing fruit.

As Jiang Sixian passed Class B’s area, she instinctively glanced in Jiang Yi’s direction. Seeing her preoccupied with the fruit, Jiang Sixian bit her lip, a hint of disappointment flashing in her eyes.

By around five o’clock, the final event of the day had concluded. As part of the logistics team, Jiang Yi had to help her classmates pack up.

By the time everything was cleared away, it was already 5:30. Jiang Yi returned to the classroom to grab her backpack and made a quick stop at the restroom.

The moment she stepped inside, she caught a faint but unmistakably sweet scent lingering in the air.

Jiang Yi was all too familiar with this smell—it was Jiang Sixian’s pheromones. After living together for two months, Jiang Yi had grown accustomed to catching whiffs of this fragrance every time Jiang Sixian’s heat approached.

Jiang Yi paused mid-step, forcing herself to ignore it as she headed into a stall.

When she came out and washed her hands, the sweet aroma hadn’t dissipated. If anything, it had grown stronger.

Jiang Yi’s mind raced. Following the scent, she stopped in front of one of the stalls and knocked lightly, her voice cool. “Did you forget your suppressants? Do you need me to get some from the infirmary?”

She didn’t say Jiang Sixian’s name, but the girl on the other side of the door recognized her voice immediately.

Jiang Sixian leaned against the door, gripping her own arm tightly as she bit her lip to suppress a moan. Her legs trembled as she struggled to reply, “No…”

Her voice was weak, strained as she fought back the rising heat. “I have them… in my bag…” She hesitated, embarrassment coloring her words. “There were too many people earlier… I…”

When Jiang Sixian had realized her heat was coming, her first instinct had been to reach for her suppressants. But the crowd had been overwhelming, and as a newly presented Omega, she hadn’t yet mastered composure in such situations. The delay had left her weak and unable to move.

Jiang Yi understood immediately, and it struck her anew that Jiang Sixian was just a teenage girl—shy, awkward, and struggling with her own biology.

Her tone softened. “Hold on a little longer. I’ll be right back.”

Jiang Yi sprinted to Jiang Sixian’s classroom, scanned the seating chart, located her desk, yanked out her backpack, and rushed back to the restroom.

She dug out the suppressants and stood outside Jiang Sixian’s stall, knocking again. “Open up. I’ve got them.”

Jiang Sixian, leaning against the door, fumbled with the lock and cracked it open just enough to slip a hand through. “Thank you…”

Jiang Yi placed the suppressants in her palm.

Jiang Sixian took them and quickly shut the door again. Trembling, she pressed against the door as she administered the injection.

As the medication entered her system, Jiang Sixian tilted her head back, a pained whimper escaping her lips. “Nn…”

Jiang Yi stood outside, clutching the backpack awkwardly as she stared at the ceiling, trying to empty her mind.

After a while, once the suppressants had taken effect and Jiang Sixian’s discomfort had eased slightly, she pushed the door open unsteadily and stepped out.

Hearing the movement, Jiang Yi looked up just in time to see Jiang Sixian, her face flushed, swaying as she descended the steps—nearly missing one.

Afraid she’d fall, Jiang Yi instinctively stepped forward and caught her. “Careful…”

Jiang Sixian stumbled forward, collapsing into Jiang Yi’s arms. Jiang Yi reflexively wrapped an arm around her waist, staggering back a step from the impact.

The moment their bodies touched, Jiang Sixian felt Jiang Yi’s breath against her ear. Her hands clutched Jiang Yi’s shoulders, her ears burning red.

Jiang Yi, holding her by the waist, belatedly realized they were embracing. Her heart lurched, and she instinctively tried to push Jiang Sixian away.

But Jiang Sixian sensed the movement and reacted faster than thought—her arms tightened around Jiang Yi’s waist, pressing closer.

Jiang Yi froze, her hands hovering awkwardly over Jiang Sixian’s back.

Jiang Sixian was practically draped over her, overwhelmed by embarrassment. She buried her face in Jiang Yi’s shoulder, her voice trembling with a hint of a whimper. “My legs… they’re too weak…”

Jiang Sixian might have seemed aloof to outsiders, but she was actually quite skilled at acting spoiled. Jiang Yi had witnessed her sweet-talking Ning Wenying at home more than once—scenes so saccharine they could rot teeth.

Now, Jiang Yi felt her own knees might give out. She held Jiang Sixian stiffly, tilting her head back to stare at the ceiling as she screamed internally: Who could resist this?!

Certainly not Jiang Yi.

She couldn’t just shove Jiang Sixian away and tell her to lean against the door instead. Fine, whatever.

Resigned, Jiang Yi stiffened like a board, resigning herself to being a human prop. “Just lean on me, then. Let me know when you’re good.”

Jiang Sixian, indeed unable to stand on her own, nodded against her shoulder.

With every breath Jiang Sixian exhaled against her ear, Jiang Yi felt like a feather was brushing against her heartstrings, leaving her utterly unsettled.

Her mind flashed back to that day when Jiang Sixian had pinned her down, licking and biting—then jumped to far more explicit, unmentionable scenarios involving restroom stalls.

Like “Jiang Sixian clinging to her, legs wrapped around her waist as she sobbed” or “her repeatedly whimpering about her legs giving out”—

Oh, right. That was one of the novel’s fluffier, sugar-laden moments.

The thoughts left Jiang Yi’s mind in chaos. For some reason, she suddenly felt irritated.

How weird. Why am I getting mad? What kind of logic was that—getting emotionally invested in that kind of fiction?

Her thoughts were a tangled mess, and Jiang Sixian wasn’t faring much better. Listening to her own racing heartbeat, Jiang Sixian bit her lip. She pulled back slightly, summoning the courage to whisper, “Jiang Yi…”

Distracted, Jiang Yi hummed in response. “Hm?”

Jiang Sixian steadied herself, then asked cautiously, “If that day, I hadn’t…” done that to you, would you still hate me?

Before she could finish, a familiar figure stepped into the restroom.

Jiang Sixian looked up and froze at the sight of Chu Ningning standing there.

Chu Ningning, who had just entered, was equally stunned. Her eyes darted between Jiang Yi and Jiang Sixian locked in an embrace.

She took an involuntary step back, her voice shaky. “What… are you two doing?”

Jiang Yi turned at the sound and saw Chu Ningning staring at them. Flustered by the unexpected witness, she loosened her grip slightly, hands still on Jiang Sixian’s waist. “Uh… mutual aid among friends? What else?”

Jiang Sixian, equally embarrassed, glanced at Chu Ningning before murmuring to Jiang Yi, “Can you help me out of here?”

Jiang Yi met her eyes briefly, then hooked Jiang Sixian’s arm over her shoulder and guided her toward the exit.

As they passed Chu Ningning, Jiang Yi didn’t spare her a second glance. Jiang Sixian, however, turned her head slightly, meeting Chu Ningning’s gaze.

She saw Chu Ningning clench her fists, frustration burning in her eyes—a sight that felt eerily familiar.

That day, under the shade of the trees, Jiang Sixian had stood just like that, watching this bold girl, her own hands tightening around a water bottle.

It dawned on Jiang Sixian then. If she had to name this emotion, it could only be one thing:

Jealousy.