Chapter 30: Princess Carry

Seeing Shen Han arrive, both Su Mi and Ren Yue were momentarily stunned. Ren Yue, who had been leaning softly against Su Mi, stiffened and instinctively placed her hand between them, creating some distance.

The situation was indeed awkward. Su Mi thought despairingly about how Shen Han had once again caught her in a damsel-in-distress scenario. This was the second time in just a few months that Shen Han had seen her rescuing an Omega.

In this world, Omegas were not rare, so Beta-Omega pairings were common. This made her seem like a Beta with ulterior motives toward Omegas.

And the current position was indeed a bit strange, not very proper.

Su Mi awkwardly made a sound, trying to stand up without getting more of her clothes wet. She had been kneeling on the riverbed, supporting herself on the stones, using her core muscles—wait, she had almost no core strength. Plus, her legs were still weak from climbing the mountain earlier.

Failing to support herself, she nearly fell back onto Ren Yue. Suddenly, a hand wrapped around her waist.

Before Su Mi could exclaim, she was lifted from behind, a hand supporting her waist, bringing her to a standing position.

She turned her head in surprise, seeing Shen Han’s face still cold and detached. Shen Han untied her shirt and draped it around Su Mi’s waist, covering her wet skirt.

Su Mi, dazed, said, “Sister.”

Shen Han paused, then said, “Legs gave out? Can’t even stand in such a small space.”

Su Mi interpreted this as Shen Han accusing her of trying to take advantage of another Omega.

She replied sheepishly, “A little…”

Before she could finish, Shen Han sighed. She tied the sleeves of her shirt around Su Mi’s waist, then bent down, her hands sliding under Su Mi’s knees and waist, and effortlessly lifted her into a bridal carry.

Su Mi: ??????????!!!!!

As her body was lifted off the ground, Su Mi’s eyes widened in disbelief. The villain… was carrying her?

Her mind went blank, forgetting the people sprawled around, Ren Yue in the creek, and Li Zhao watching the show.

Shen Han began walking forward, saying to Li Zhao as they passed, “Li Zhao, take care of Ren Yue.”

Li Zhao responded with a drawn-out “Ohhh!!!” filled with amusement.

Li Zhao’s voice finally brought Su Mi back to her senses. She glanced at Li Zhao, who was already heading towards the creek where Ren Yue, now standing and soaking wet, looked pale.

Li Zhao, being a doctor, should be able to check if Ren Yue was injured. As for herself…

Su Mi’s face slowly turned red. Wait? This… this…

This was her first time being carried like a princess, or rather, in her two lifetimes, the first time being carried like a princess.

Once she realized this, Su Mi didn’t know where to put herself. Shen Han’s arm was under her knees, the other around her shoulders, holding her securely.

Su Mi cautiously looked up, only able to see Shen Han’s calm jawline. Carrying someone so calmly uphill… was this the power of an Alpha?

So, she was now a Beta who failed to rescue someone and ended up being carried by an Alpha…

Su Mi shook her head: No, no, what was she thinking?

This atmosphere was too strange. Su Mi nervously clenched her hands, following Shen Han’s steady pace up the steps. She finally whispered, “Sister, I can walk by myself…”

Shen Han looked down at her. Before responding, she frowned and said, “Let go of your hands.”

Su Mi: “Huh? Oh, okay.”

She obediently let go, her hands showing the injuries. Shen Han’s frown deepened as she sighed again.

“Your hands are bleeding, didn’t you notice?”

Su Mi looked down, seeing the blood on her hands. She hadn’t felt the pain until now. The sight made the pain hit her, and she hissed, biting her lip.

When she had fallen with Ren Yue, her left hand had hit the riverbed, and her right hand, holding Ren Yue, had also been scraped. Now, she truly didn’t dare touch anything, awkwardly holding her hands in front of her chest.

By now, most students were gathered at the bonfire, so Shen Han and Su Mi encountered no one on the trail. The surroundings grew quieter, the sounds of the stream and the forest filling the silence.

But what stood out to Su Mi was the steady heartbeat she could hear from Shen Han.

Thump-thump—thump-thump—thump-thump—

It seemed to sync with Su Mi’s own heartbeat, echoing loudly in her ears.

Even the system noticed.

System: “Host, your heart rate is too fast.”

Su Mi: “… Is it?”

Straining her last few functioning brain cells, she thought, “It’s my first time being carried like a princess…”

Even if Ren Yue carried her, her heart would race.

The system hesitated: “Really?”

Su Mi, pitifully: “It’s understandable, right?”

System: “… Yes.”

The site of the incident wasn’t far from the top. After about ten minutes, they reached the medical room at the club. Shen Han’s face was stern as she found a staff member to lead them there.

Su Mi sat at a table while the doctor cleaned her wounds and used a treatment device.

The blue light from the device was warm, causing a tingling sensation.

The doctor chatted to distract her, “You fell, student?”

Su Mi: “Yeah… fell into the creek, got cut by stones.”

The doctor smiled, “Both hands, huh? You must have had an interesting fall. Just don’t wear your optical brain until it heals.”

The cuts needed a few days to heal fully, the doctor advised. After getting bandaged up, Su Mi rejoined Shen Han outside.

Shen Han, now in just a vest, had a damp spot on her waist where Su Mi had been.

Su Mi glanced at her and quickly looked away, reporting the doctor’s advice about not using her optical brain.

Shen Han took her optical brain, handing her a pair of black trousers.

“Change into these.”

Su Mi, holding the trousers, hesitated: “These are?”

Shen Han, fiddling with the optical brain, said, “Provided by the staff.”

Naturally, Su Mi obeyed, taking the trousers to the bathroom to change.

Returning to the campsite, they passed the bonfire, which was crowded.

Su Mi tiptoed, looking for Xu Nanqiao, but couldn’t find her.

Thinking she might have forgotten where Xu Nanqiao was sitting, Su Mi pulled Shen Han’s sleeve: “Sister, can you see Xu Nanqiao?”

Shen Han glanced over. “No.”

She answered so quickly that Su Mi hesitated, asking, “Really?”

Shen Han calmly said, “Li Zhao probably called her to help Ren Yue change clothes. It’s inconvenient for an Alpha.”

It made too much sense, and Su Mi believed it. Given her own mishap with Ren Yue, it was logical not to send her.

Having lived as a Beta in this world, Su Mi often forgot the significance of secondary genders. She viewed things through the lens of male and female distinctions from her original world.

But in this world, Alpha, Beta, and Omega defined social roles and mate selection.

Thinking about it, Su Mi realized her actions might have seemed like a Beta pursuing an Omega.

Wait.

Ren Yue hugging her?

Su Mi’s face heated. She didn’t mean anything by it, but did Ren Yue? After all, Ren Yue was a native.

She quickly dismissed the thought, doubting she had the charm to attract an Omega she barely knew.

Lost in thought, Su Mi followed Shen Han down a side path.

A few steps down, Su Mi asked, “Where are we going?”

Shen Han replied, “To watch the sunset. The staff said this path offers a better view.”

“But my legs are weak…” Su Mi spoke half-heartedly, knowing she felt better after the treatment.

But after being carried like a princess, she suddenly felt awkward being alone with Shen Han.

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Author’s Note:
Does the new cover look good? OVO

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