“Jealousy” is a fascinating emotion because everyone can extract more information from it. Jealousy towards one person stems from resentment towards them, or affection for another.
Perhaps because the signs were there all along, Jiang Sixian accepted her emotions quickly, even somewhat calmly.
That afternoon, Jiang Yi, breaking character, carried Jiang Sixian’s backpack for her. She placed a handkerchief in Jiang Sixian’s palm and led her out of the school gate, holding her hand through the fabric.
Jiang Sixian followed behind, watching Jiang Yi’s ponytail sway before her eyes, her heart a tangled mess.
That night, Jiang Sixian didn’t go to the gym to exercise with Jiang Yi. After injecting herself with a suppressant, Jiang Sixian forced herself to sleep.
Perhaps due to physiological reasons, Jiang Sixian didn’t sleep well that night.
She had a dream. In the dream, she and Jiang Yi were running together in the gym. As they ran, she felt her whole body start to heat up. Jiang Yi walked over to her, asking with concern what was wrong.
Jiang Sixian reached out, pulled her close, and wrapped her arms around her waist. She felt Jiang Yi’s body was cool, so she held onto her tightly, refusing to let go. As she held her, the scene began to change.
She seemed to be pinning Jiang Yi down, sitting on top of her. Something even hotter captured her attention, making the heat in her body gradually subside. She held Jiang Yi for an unknown amount of time, then suddenly collapsed, resting her head on Jiang Yi’s shoulder.
Jiang Yi reached out, stroked her hair, and whispered coolly in her ear: “Being desired like this feels terrible.”
Jiang Sixian stiffened, gripping Jiang Yi’s shoulders tightly.
Jiang Yi wrapped an arm around her waist and sat up, looking at her coldly. “Don’t let it happen again.”
After speaking, Jiang Yi pressed down towards her, and Jiang Sixian gripped her shoulders even harder. At the end of the dream, what remained imprinted in her mind was Jiang Yi’s cold, proud face, terrifyingly heart-stopping.
Jiang Sixian dreamed all night. When she woke up, she realized the room was filled with the scent of her own pheromones.
Thinking about the dream, her entire face began to burn. Jiang Sixian hugged her quilt, curled up against the headboard, momentarily unable to process everything.
She buried her face in the quilt, taking a long while to calm her racing heart before throwing off the covers and walking into the bathroom. She showered for a long time, until the scent on her body dissipated, then came out.
By the time she changed into her school uniform and came downstairs, Jiang Yi had already finished breakfast and was changing her shoes at the entryway.
Jiang Yi was puzzled. Usually, Jiang Sixian woke up earlier than her, finished breakfast, and waited for her in the car. This time, it was her turn to wait for Jiang Sixian, which felt quite novel.
Jiang Yi, having changed her shoes, couldn’t resist looking up at Jiang Sixian, wondering if she wasn’t feeling well due to her cycle. But the moment their eyes met, Jiang Sixian immediately turned her head, looking towards the dining table.
Jiang Yi noticed her slightly red earlobes, feeling a little strange. But she didn’t dwell on it. After changing her shoes, she quickly left the house.
She waited in Sister Xiao Qin’s car for a short while before Jiang Sixian got in, carrying her backpack.
As usual, the two occupied opposite corners of the backseat, holding their backpacks and minding their own business, without conversation. Jiang Yi listened to music through her earbuds for a while, then couldn’t resist taking them off and turning to Jiang Sixian. “Did you skip breakfast today? How come you got in so quickly?”
Jiang Sixian was spacing out, seemingly surprised that Jiang Yi would initiate conversation. She looked at her blankly. “Hm?”
Jiang Yi felt a little helpless and asked again, “Did you skip breakfast? Aren’t you feeling unwell? Won’t skipping it make you feel worse?”
Her tone was still quite cool. Jiang Sixian looked at her face, but her mind conjured up the chaotic scenes from the dream. Jiang Sixian gripped her backpack tightly, forcing herself to remain calm. “I drank a bottle of yogurt. Besides, I was running late.”
Because she was almost late, she didn’t dare delay too long.
Jiang Yi said “Oh,” then told her, “Well, if you get hungry at school, eat something then.” After speaking, Jiang Yi put her earbuds back on and stopped talking to Jiang Sixian.
Jiang Sixian glanced at her, wanting to say something but hesitating. Finally, she just nodded and replied softly, “Mm.”
The 1500-meter race was scheduled for that morning. After arriving at school, Jiang Yi helped her logistics team buddies set up their stall again, then went aside with the PE committee member to warm up.
After the warm-up, the little monitor gathered everyone, leading her and the PE committee member to the track to prepare.
Before the race, the little monitor even made Jiang Yi drink a cup of glucose water. While Jiang Yi was drinking, the little monitor eagerly massaged her shoulders and neck, fawning over her. “Big Sis Yi, just run normally later, finish the race, that’s all. Don’t push yourself. After you finish, our class will give you a banner.”
“Placing doesn’t matter, let Little Zhang fight for our class’s honor.”
Jiang Yi was exasperated. “Can’t you have a little faith in me? I’ve trained before, you know.”
The little monitor chuckled. “Aiya, aren’t we worried about your hand? Besides, our class motto has always been: Friendship first, competition second. Participation is key, participation is key.”
Jiang Yi was speechless.
Seeing the race was about to start, Jiang Yi took her number card and stood in lane three. Once on the track, Jiang Yi realized Jiang Sixian was in lane one, and the person standing in lane four was that annoying Song Yi.
Song Yi truly lived up to her annoying reputation. As soon as she got on the track, she started taunting Jiang Sixian. “Just an Omega, humph.”
Jiang Yi felt utterly exasperated and shot a sideways glance at Song Yi next to her. “What are you humming about? Didn’t you come in third yesterday, losing to an Omega?”
Hearing Jiang Yi mock her, Song Yi retorted defiantly, “I’ll win it back today!”
Jiang Yi couldn’t be bothered with her. “Oh, what does that have to do with me?”
Song Yi was infuriated by her attitude. “You!”
At this point, Jiang Yi ignored her completely, getting into her starting position, waiting for the referee’s command.
Jiang Sixian in lane one glanced at Jiang Yi’s back, then silently bent down, assuming her starting position.
Soon, the referee raised the starting pistol and blew the whistle. “On your marks!”
The eight participants on the track got into position, eyes fixed ahead, focused on the track.
“Set!”
The athletes raised their hips, waiting silently for the referee’s signal.
“Go!”
With the sound of the starting gun, everyone on the track shot forward like arrows released from a bow. Jiang Sixian in the first lane ran towards Jiang Yi’s back.
Instantly, the track erupted in cheers.
“Jiang Sixian! Jiang Sixian!”
Class A students ran alongside the track, spontaneously chanting Jiang Sixian’s name. Amidst such fervent cheering, Jiang Sixian gradually closed the distance between herself and Jiang Yi.
Soon, by the second lap when they could change lanes, Jiang Sixian and Jiang Yi were running side-by-side, holding the third and fourth positions in the group.
The field was a sea of cheers, all chanting Jiang Sixian’s name. Jiang Sixian turned her head, her peripheral vision catching Jiang Yi.
Amidst the intense exertion, Jiang Sixian heard Jiang Yi’s steady, powerful, rapid breathing over the pounding footsteps. Jiang Sixian turned her head, catching sight of Jiang Yi’s flushed profile, her sweat-slicked cheek and neck. For some reason, her mind wandered.
She felt unsettled, her thoughts filled with last night’s dream. In the dream, Jiang Yi’s cheeks were also tinged with red, covered in a thin layer of sweat, her cool, proud eyes filled with an indescribable emotion.
Jiang Sixian’s heart was in turmoil, causing her breathing to become disordered.
Jiang Yi, running beside her, clearly noticed her unusual state and glanced at her strangely.
Meeting her gaze, Jiang Sixian felt embarrassed and quickly looked away, refocusing on running forward.
Seven hundred meters, eight hundred meters, nine hundred meters… Soon it was the thousand-meter mark, the stage where everyone geared up for the final sprint.
After rounding a bend, Jiang Yi suddenly lengthened her stride, picked up speed, and surged forward.
With her long legs, she quickly overtook Jiang Sixian, running against the wind. The little monitor, running alongside, saw Jiang Yi accelerate and yelled at the top of her lungs, “Jiang Yi! Jiang Yi! Go!”
“Jiang Yi! You’re so cool!”
The little monitor’s voice was sharp and piercing. As soon as she shouted, the entire field echoed with her voice. Jiang Yi turned her head, glanced at her, raised a long eyebrow, and gave a super smug smile.
As she smiled, Jiang Sixian, running beside her, quickly noticed. Jiang Sixian suddenly felt breathless, abruptly speeding up and cutting towards Jiang Yi’s lane.
Soon, Jiang Sixian drew close to Jiang Yi.
Just then, Song Yi, who had been behind them, surged forward. At the curve, she suddenly cut in from the outer lane, trying to overtake Jiang Yi. But her speed was too fast, and she directly collided with Jiang Sixian beside Jiang Yi.
Jiang Sixian, already distracted, was knocked off balance by the impact. Losing control of her speed, she stumbled forward.
Thump! Jiang Sixian lost her balance, tripped on flat ground, and sprawled onto the track.
A heart-wrenching cry suddenly erupted from the field: “Jiang Sixian!”
The staff running alongside the track quickly rushed over, surrounding Jiang Sixian, trying to help her up.
Jiang Sixian’s mind went blank. She just subconsciously fixed her gaze forward, staring straight at Jiang Yi’s back.
Jiang Yi, running in first place, heard the commotion behind her, abruptly turned her head, and looked back. She saw Song Yi running towards her, muttering viciously, “An Omega is just an Omega. Jiang Sixian is nothing special.”
Hearing this, Jiang Yi’s gaze skipped over Song Yi and landed on Jiang Sixian on the ground.
By then, the staff had already helped Jiang Sixian up.
Jiang Sixian stood up with the help of her classmates. Amidst a flurry of concerned inquiries, she pushed everyone away, looked down at her scraped knee, endured the pain, and said stubbornly, “I can finish.”
There were only three hundred meters left; she had to continue no matter what.
Jiang Yi watched her stubborn expression and, for some reason, slowly stopped running, standing there waiting for Jiang Sixian to approach.
As the last runner passed Jiang Yi, Jiang Sixian, dragging her scraped knee, limped over to Jiang Yi’s side.
Jiang Yi didn’t know why she had stopped. Her instincts told her that abandoning Jiang Sixian now would be a despicable act.
Even the little monitor beside her, urging Jiang Yi to keep running, fell silent when she saw Jiang Sixian approach.
The little monitor and Chen Wanzhou stood outside the line, whispering to Jiang Yi, “Jiang Yi… help her…”
Chen Wanzhou also pushed her glasses up. “Quick, help her…”
Perhaps spurred on by the others, and remembering Jiang Sixian was still in her heat cycle—she’d held her yesterday, surely helping her today was acceptable—Jiang Yi sighed, reached out her hand to Jiang Sixian, and said, “Come here, I’ll walk you.”
Jiang Sixian came to her side and, without hesitation, placed her hand in hers. Jiang Yi grasped her hand, draped it over her own shoulder, put an arm around her waist, and half-carried her through the remaining three hundred meters.
As she supported Jiang Sixian for a few steps, a loud cheer erupted from the field: “Jiang Sixian… Go! Jiang Sixian! Go!”
Jiang Yi was shaken by the excited shouts. She held Jiang Sixian and walked forward, complaining as she went, “You’re really quite popular.”
Jiang Sixian turned her head, looking at the beautiful line of Jiang Yi’s jaw, saying nothing.
Jiang Yi didn’t look at her, seemingly making excuses. “For Auntie Ning’s sake, I can tolerate it today. Don’t let it happen again, Jiang Sixian.”
Jiang Sixian nodded, replying with a soft “Mm.”
Jiang Sixian felt this was probably the most humiliating moment of her youth. Yet, years later, thinking back, she couldn’t recall her own embarrassment at all.
Because that morning, what was etched into her mind was the scorching heat of Jiang Yi’s palm pressed against her waist, like fire, and Jiang Yi’s youthful scent mingled with sunshine.
She felt she might never forget it for the rest of her life.
Author’s Note: Jiang Yi: Damn Song Yi
Damn, Song Yi