Transmigrating as the Female Supporting Character: Dumb with Deep Pockets - Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Transfer of Smiles

“You’re different. You don’t lust after my money.”

Su Su had made friends growing up, but those friends usually started asking her to spend money on them shortly after meeting. At first, she thought that was just how everyone made friends, until she overheard them speaking ill of her behind her back. Only then did she realize that money couldn’t buy sincerity.

Of course, she had tried making friends with people of her own status. But those girls were also pampered since birth; they found her too delicate and high-maintenance, so they didn’t include her in their circles.

Returning to the dorm from the canteen, the other two roommates had already finished unpacking. To eighteen-year-olds, small conflicts are forgotten in a heartbeat. The unpleasantness from noon seemed non-existent; as soon as Chen Jia and Su Su entered, the two roommates warmly invited them over to eat fruit.

The girl in Bed 1 was Li Sisi, a local from Jian City. She spoke softly and was very well-behaved. Bed 2 was Sun Yimiao, from the border city of H-City; she was bright-looking and had a boisterous, straightforward personality that made people like her instantly.

Fresh at university, the girls were naturally full of longing for their upcoming life, mixed with a hint of worry.

Li Sisi sighed melancholically, “With this heat, a month of military training is going to turn me into a piece of charcoal.”

Hearing this, Su Su’s smile gradually vanished. She had the type of skin that tanned easily; every summer she would get several shades darker, and it would take an entire winter to fade back. If she stood under the sun for a month, she couldn’t imagine what she would look like.

Chen Jia had no such worries. The original owner of her body often did farm work; her skin was already a healthy, even wheat tone. Getting a bit darker didn’t really matter to her.

Su Su poked her arm. “After military training, I’m going to look just like you.”

Chen Jia brushed her fingers away. “Not necessarily.”

“Why?”

“You’ll be wearing a hat. You won’t be as evenly tanned as I am.”

“…”

…

Before the instructors arrived, they received their military training uniforms. As someone who had already been to university once, Chen Jia was very experienced. While the other roommates complained about the waistbands being too large, she pulled a pre-prepared sewing kit from her cloth bag and handed it out.

“Just alter them a bit and they’ll be fine.”

Seeing everyone else start sewing, Su Su held the thin needle, feeling at a loss. She watched Chen Jia’s smooth movements, but the request for help stayed stuck in her throat. Her aunt had said that even friends need boundaries; being too troublesome makes people dislike you. She couldn’t bear to lose the sincere friend she had finally made.

After thinking for two minutes, she decided to do it herself.

The mass-produced uniforms were stiff, made of a rigid polyester. Su Su exerted all her strength, but the needle trembled and bent in her hand as if it might snap. Finally, the needle pierced the fabric—and her finger.

“Hiss—” She dropped everything. Blood welled up from her palm. The sting was sharp, and she had to squeeze it to dull the pain.

Chen Jia, sitting next to her, reacted first. She calmly grabbed Su Su’s injured hand. “Let me see.”

Su Su held out her bleeding finger. Feeling cared for, her voice took on a hint of a whine, “It hurts.”

She didn’t get the gushing concern she expected. Chen Jia simply grabbed a tissue, wiped away the single drop of blood, and noted the tiny prick had already closed up within a minute.

“It’ll stop hurting in a bit. I’ll do it.”

It wasn’t that Chen Jia was particularly warm-hearted; she was just afraid Su Su would accidentally turn her hand into a sieve.

This was exactly what Su Su wanted to hear. As she handed the pants over, she said coyly, “Is this… okay? Am I bothering you?”

“Should I give them back then?”

Su Su stopped pretending and shook her head quickly. “No, you do it.”

Chen Jia wasn’t a master seamstress either; she just roughly sewed the extra fabric together, ensuring it wouldn’t rip. Still, it was much better than what Su Su would have managed. When she handed them back, she saw Su Su’s eyelid twitch slightly at the rough stitching, but the girl didn’t complain.

…

The first day of military training.

The temperature was 38.6°C with no wind. The freshmen were divided into groups—boys in one pile, girls in another—and then into squads under different instructors. Sun Yimiao and Li Sisi were sent elsewhere, but Chen Jia and Su Su, who had been sticking together, naturally ended up in the same squad. Because they were of similar height, they even stood next to each other.

The sun beat down. Sweat rolled from Chen Jia’s forehead, stinging her eyelashes and eyes. It was miserable. However, the fierce, serious look of the instructor kept her from moving. Her hands were pressed to her sides. Her posture wasn’t perfect, but her endurance was high.

“You! Yes, you! Step out!”

Someone was unlucky enough to be spotted by the instructor’s hawk-like eyes. Just as Chen Jia thought this, Su Su moved. Following the instructor’s earlier lessons, she marched out with a somewhat clumsy goose-step.

“Do you know what it means to stand at attention? Do you have fleas on you?”

Su Su whispered timidly, “Report… sweat got in my eyes.”

“You think you’re the only one who’s hot? Everyone else is hot. Why didn’t I see anyone else moving? Stand straight. Ten extra minutes of training.”

Being humiliated in front of everyone made Su Su’s already flushed face turn even redder. She didn’t dare look into the instructor’s sharp eyes and kept her gaze lowered.

A while later, everyone was dismissed for a break. Su Su remained standing under the scorching sun. When everyone was standing together, ten minutes didn’t seem like much, but now, as classmates walked past her with water bottles and cold drinks—casting gazes of pity or mockery—she felt like a monkey in a circus. Her composure began to crack. But she held on; if she cried now, the whole school would laugh at her, right?

Her eyes darted around. She watched longingly as Chen Jia found the nearest patch of shade, sat down, and pulled out her water bottle. Her “only friend” didn’t seem to care about her survival at all.

In truth, Chen Jia did care. Although Su Su was the future villainess, she seemed quite sincere for now. But no matter how much she cared, she didn’t dare provoke the instructor. Unless, as a background character, she had a death wish.

Chen Jia looked up and met Su Su’s eyes. Su Su was staring intently at her water bottle with an accusing look, as if she were trying to poison the water with her mind.

Chen Jia’s drinking motion froze. She suddenly felt a strange sensation. If I drink this, will my stomach rot? Thinking this, her stomach actually felt a bit unsettled. She didn’t take a single sip and put the cap back on.

She checked the time on the watch in her pocket and mouthed to Su Su: Hang in there. Seven minutes left.

She swore she only said it to encourage her. But Su Su, who was already on the verge of collapsing, felt her heart grow heavier instead of lighter. When will this ever end? Her nose and eyes were red. She hadn’t cried yet, but she was like a puppy about to whimpering.

…

The instructor had been doing this for years. He had seen countless students punished; ten minutes was the lightest penalty. He was pleased that this squad was mostly disciplined today.

But after two minutes of satisfaction and a sip of water, he noticed the girl on punishment had eyes so red they looked like they were bleeding. She’d been holding it in for a while.

His fellow instructors teased him, “Look at you, what kind of instructor are you? Making a good kid cry on the first day.”

“Get lost, let me check on her.” He strode over in two large steps. “Stand straight!”

To Su Su, his normal voice sounded like the roar of a demon. Fearing she wasn’t standing well enough and might get another twenty minutes, she pressed her hands tightly to her pants and stood motionless, though her face was a mask of resentment.

Before transmigrating, Chen Jia thought Su Su was a born-evil villainess. Now she realized Su Su wasn’t bad; she was just overly simple. Everything was written on her face. As for why she eventually became the woman who wanted to tear the female lead apart, Chen Jia didn’t know. Currently, the main leads’ romance was progressing fine; they didn’t need Su Su as a catalyst yet.

Over there, Su Su was trying hard to control her emotions. She glanced over, hoping Chen Jia would give her an encouraging look. Instead, she saw Chen Jia chatting with a stranger, laughing quite happily.

Why do I have to stand in the sun while Chen Jia makes new friends?

When facing her, Chen Jia was like a social recluse who couldn’t squeeze out a word. But talking to others, her face was beaming with smiles. And to think Su Su considered her her only friend! Then again, Chen Jia never technically admitted they were close. She was friendly with everyone.

This realization was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Su Su’s tears finally splashed down.

The instructor could ignore a silent pout, but he couldn’t ignore this. “What are you crying for? Want to stand for another ten minutes?”

Having been an instructor for years, he knew how to handle the situation. His gaze locked onto Chen Jia, who hadn’t had time to pull back her smile from her conversation. She had walked right into the line of fire.

“Is it that funny? Since you find it so amusing, come over and stand with her.”

“…”

The instructor’s gaze was serious. He wasn’t joking. Chen Jia stood up resignedly, walked to Su Su’s side, and stood perfectly straight. The scorching sun beat down on her face.

In that instant, all of Su Su’s sadness vanished.

Go ahead and laugh now. Let’s see you try to smile now.