Substitute Alpha Gets Confessed to by Her Ex’s Aunt on a Survival Variety Show – Chapter 126
by Little PandaSweet Root Grass, Small-Faced Duck
Liu Yinxi figured if she was going to trade supplies, she’d trade — no need for all the rambling.
She asked Ying Luoling, “You trading or not?”
Ying Luoling twirled a strand of hair around her finger, her crystalline eyes darting before she broke into a smile. “I’ll trade. I’m counting on the fish you swap me to get me through the next few days.”
Liu Yinxi handled it the same way she’d done the exchange with Huang Heshan, setting the time and place. “Tomorrow at nine in the morning, right here.”
She turned to leave, but Ying Luoling quickly grabbed her arm.
Liu Yinxi jerked away like she’d been bitten by a venomous snake, leaping a full two meters back. “Talk with your mouth, not your hands. Don’t grab my clothes.”
Ying Luoling withdrew her hand, looking wrong-footed. “You’re the one who needs to calm down. What’s with the attitude? Yinxi, you never used to treat me like this.”
Liu Yinxi shot back, “Get a grip, will you? You weren’t saying that when you told me to fuck off, Drama Queen.”
Ying Luoling’s composure cracked. “You… you’ve got me all wrong. Everyone says things they don’t mean when they’re angry. Couples have friction — it’s normal.”
Liu Yinxi frowned. “What are you even talking about? Nine in the morning tomorrow. And don’t follow me.”
Annoying.
No sooner had she said “don’t follow” than Ying Luoling was right behind her, like a persistent little tail that wouldn’t shake off.
Liu Yinxi stopped after a few steps and spun around, irritated. “What do you want?”
Ying Luoling blinked her limpid eyes. “Yinxi, I’m scared on my own…”
Liu Yinxi made a move to pull the vine rope from her backpack. “Come here, come here — I’ll tie you to a tree. A wild boar will keep you company, then you won’t be scared anymore. Hahaha!”
Ying Luoling’s eyes went wide. “?”
She scrambled backward. “Liu Yinxi, what are you doing! Ah! Gross! What is that thing, it’s like a snake!”
Liu Yinxi held the vine rope in both hands, waving it in front of her face, sending Ying Luoling shrieking and fleeing.
Liu Yinxi kept up the scare tactics for a bit, then, while Ying Luoling was still running away, turned and bolted in the opposite direction.
Ying Luoling caught on fast and reversed course to chase her. “Liu Yinxi! You tricked me again! Stop right there!”
Liu Yinxi was too fast. Ying Luoling struggled to keep up, panting as she ran. “What is wrong with you? Can’t you just let me finish what I was saying?”
Liu Yinxi ran even faster.
Ying Luoling had no choice but to keep chasing, her voice turning placating. “Come back to my shelter with me now and get the milk powder. Remember where it is, then tomorrow you can bring the fish to my shelter.”
Liu Yinxi couldn’t hold it in anymore. “Hahahaha, you’re hilarious. You think this is food delivery?”
Ying Luoling pressed on, matter-of-fact. “I’m telling you to hear me out. It’s getting late, and I’m slow on foot — I can’t go far. You coming back with me to grab the powder makes sense. Same logic: I don’t have the stamina, so when you’re out hunting tomorrow, just drop the fish off at my place. Simple.”
Liu Yinxi wasn’t in the mood to argue. “Nine in the morning, right here. Take it or leave it.”
Ying Luoling raised her voice. “Hey, Liu Yinxi, you can’t take a compliment. I just said you’d learned to care about people, and here you are proving your EQ is still rock bottom. My aunt teams up with you to survive — she might not say it out loud, but I guarantee you’ve put her through a lot.”
Liu Yinxi stopped and turned her head. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Nan Huaixu had always been gentle with her. When she helped analyze social situations, she’d pointed out that Liu Yinxi didn’t always pick up on social cues.
So… could Nan Huaixu be harboring resentment beneath all that tolerance?
Ying Luoling finally caught her breath, bent over with her hands on her knees, voice uneven. “Didn’t you say you wanted to trade for the milk powder to give to my aunt? If you take it back to her today, isn’t that the perfect surprise? You know what a surprise is, right? If you wait until tomorrow to give it to her after dragging it home and talking it over tonight, that thrill — that joy — it’ll be gone.”
Liu Yinxi crossed her arms. “Oh please. You’re such an expert on surprises, but you never gave me any. You saved them all for other people.”
“I gave you so many bags! Have you forgotten already?”
“All fakes, and you have the nerve to bring it up.”
Ying Luoling choked, stammered for a moment, then said, “Impossible. It must have been one of my store employees cutting corners. I’ll launch a full investigation when I get back.”
Liu Yinxi watched her perform.
But she thought it over. She was going to trade for the milk powder anyway — getting it today or tomorrow, sooner was better, wasn’t it?
And if she got lucky, and the camellia chicken laid another egg tomorrow morning, she could make Teacher Nan breakfast with eggs and milk. How good would that be?
Teacher Nan would be happy.
Liu Yinxi said to Ying Luoling, “Changed my mind. I’ll take the milk powder now. Lead the way.”
Ying Luoling’s face lit up. “See? Taking it back early is way better. This way. I didn’t even mention that you could take the powder first and then stiff me on the fish.”
“Heh. Might be an option. Since you’re volunteering your weakness, I can help myself to a zero-yuan purchase1. But honestly, your broke-ass setup probably doesn’t have anything worth taking.”
“You’d steal from me?” Ying Luoling whipped around to glare at her. “I thought this was an honest trade?”
Liu Yinxi swung her trekking pole forward. “Just walk already.”
Liu Yinxi followed Ying Luoling to her shelter north of the lake. The whole way there, Ying Luoling stopped to rest constantly, picking fruit and plucking leaves along the way. Liu Yinxi felt like she’d signed up for free bodyguard duty, but at least she got to scout the terrain northwest of the lake along the way. She had a good read on the area’s layout and resources now — not a total loss.
They reached a wide bank along a stream. Between two large trees stood a raised slanted shelter, with a big umbrella made of wood and palm leaves set up outside. Two smooth, round stones and a simple wooden table completed the setup.
So this was Ying Luoling and Xue Yunshao’s shelter.
She had to admit, Xue Yunshao’s shelter-building skills had come a long way from those early days of rigging up fertilizer bags on the beach.
Ying Luoling set her backpack on the wooden table under the big umbrella and smiled at Liu Yinxi. “Yinxi, have a seat and rest. I’ll pour you some water.”
Liu Yinxi’s brow furrowed. She was getting the VIP treatment at Ying Luoling’s place? How ironic.
“Give me the milk powder. Hurry up, don’t waste time.” Liu Yinxi held out her hand.
Ying Luoling’s smile didn’t waver. “Don’t rush. You might not be thirsty, but I am. Let me drink some water first.”
She pulled a bottle of water from the airdrop crate and took a few slow sips. When she turned around and saw Liu Yinxi standing under the big umbrella enjoying the shade, she said, “Nice umbrella, isn’t it? Yunshao made it specially for me. I can sit here and cool off, and when it rains, I don’t get wet. She put a lot of work into this umbrella. I told her she didn’t need to go to all that trouble, but she wouldn’t listen — she insisted on doing it for me… What about you? Does your shelter have a place to relax? My aunt’s getting older — her skin loses elasticity easily, she needs to be extra careful about sun protection. You two should be more mindful of skincare out in the wild.”
Liu Yinxi yawned, unconcerned. “Teacher Nan and I live just fine, thanks. Two stories, a yard with a shaded awning, bamboo table and chairs, mosquito nets for sleeping, a vine fan for cooling off, a solar-powered mini fridge with cold drinks to beat the heat, and several kinds of homemade herbal skincare products for Teacher Nan to choose from. Teacher Nan’s not like you — she’s naturally beautiful, with perfect bone structure and skin so good there’s no words for it. She doesn’t tan. Someone like you couldn’t possibly imagine what a born beauty like her looks like.”
Ying Luoling’s face darkened with every word. She sat down inside the shelter, her smile losing all its confidence. “Right. My aunt is a big star. She’s way prettier than me. I’d never compare myself to her, and I wouldn’t even think of it. She’s my aunt. My elder. I’m just a younger family member showing concern for my elder. You’re an outsider — you have no right to interrupt.”
Liu Yinxi shrugged. “Can’t handle the truth?”
Ying Luoling’s tone turned haughty. “Liu Yinxi, don’t think just because I can’t see your shelter you can make up whatever you want. A two-story shelter is already ridiculous enough. A yard? Skincare products? Stop showing off in front of me. I know exactly what you’re capable of. You grew up in a mountain village down south, so you’re familiar with tropical plants and animals in a similar climate — I’ll give you credit for that. But a delicate little sickly thing like you? Competing with the other alpha guests? Don’t puff yourself up like a fat man slapping his face swollen2. Careful you don’t pop from all that hot air.”
Liu Yinxi barely lifted her eyelids.
She hadn’t even mentioned the field and the chicken coop. Didn’t want to attract thieves.
She held out her hand. “Milk powder. Now.”
“Fine, fine. Stop rushing me.” Ying Luoling opened the airdrop crate and rummaged around, then tossed her a crumpled package.
Liu Yinxi caught the small bag cleanly. “High-calcium whole milk powder. Nice. Split it into two servings — one for Teacher Nan’s breakfast, one for her to drink at night. Helps with sleep.”
Ying Luoling listened, her brows knitting together. “Teacher Nan, Teacher Nan. Everything you say is Teacher Nan. You used to stare at her posters all day, buy every product she endorsed. Now you’ve finally gotten what you wanted — you get to be with the real person every day. Liu Yinxi, you were just using me to meet her from the start, weren’t you.”
Liu Yinxi was thinking about how to store the opened milk powder. She looked up. “Huh?”
Ying Luoling turned her face away. “I said your fan crush came true. You’re obsessed with my aunt.”
Liu Yinxi grinned wide. “Heh. Yeah.”
That’s right.
The original host was a die-hard fan3 of Nan Huaixu.
The original host really liked Nan Huaixu.
And Liu Yinxi thought Teacher Nan was wonderful too. She was happy to be a Huai fan4.
“Tch!” Ying Luoling let out a cold snort and leaned back into the shelter. “Liu Yinxi. Bring the fish to me tomorrow.”
Liu Yinxi was already several steps away, not bothering to look back. “Nine in the morning at the spot I said. You come get them yourself.”
Ying Luoling shot upright. “We agreed you’d deliver them!”
Liu Yinxi smirked. “I only said I’d come get the milk powder. Tomorrow you come to the lake and pick up the fish yourself. Don’t want them? Your loss.”
Ying Luoling scrambled after her, furious. “Liu Yinxi! That’s too much! You’re such a cheat!”
Liu Yinxi had already put a lot of distance between them. She glanced back with a faint smile. “Oh, and one more thing. Out of respect for you being Teacher Nan’s niece, a friendly tip: don’t follow me. If you really piss me off, I’ll throw you in the lake to feed the crocodiles~”
Ying Luoling froze in her tracks, caught between anger and fear as she watched her go.
A long moment passed. Ying Luoling sat back down in the shelter, staring blankly in the direction Liu Yinxi had disappeared.
So strange… Liu Yinxi wasn’t the same as before.
Still just as annoying, but…
There was something strong and interesting about her now.
Evening. The setting sun stained the lake red.
“Teacher Nan! I’m back!”
Liu Yinxi vaulted across the stream in one leap.
Nan Huaixu caught her on the other side. “Take it easy.”
Liu Yinxi grinned and showed Nan Huaixu what she’d brought back. “A little wild duck.”
Nan Huaixu lifted the cage in surprise. Inside was a small-faced duck, already dead. “Incredible. You actually caught a duck.”
“Mm!”
Liu Yinxi pulled a bundle of grass that looked like reeds from her backpack. “And this. You’re going to love it.”
Nan Huaixu took it in her hands. “What is it?”
“Sweet root grass. It’s in the sugarcane genus — the juice is sweet, a bit like cogongrass root. We can boil it to make sweet water.”
At the mention of sweet water, Nan Huaixu’s eyes lit up. “I want to drink it tonight.”
Nan Huaixu held the duck in her left hand and the sweet grass in her right, her face glowing with the joy of a bountiful harvest.
Liu Yinxi beamed. “Ahem. There’s one more good thing.”
Nan Huaixu lifted her chin, her eyes bright. “Oh? Let me see, then.”
Liu Yinxi presented a small bag with both hands. “Here. Isn’t this what you wanted?”
The moment Nan Huaixu saw the milk powder in her hands, her sunny expression clouded over.
“You went to see her again. Behind my back.”
Footnotes
- 'Zero-Yuan Purchase' — modern internet slang for stealing or getting something for free.
- A Chinese idiom meaning to pretend to be something one is not, often by putting up a false front.
- 'Die-hard fan' — a very loyal, devoted fan of a celebrity.
- 'Huai Fan' — a fan of Nan Huaixu, using the 'Huai' character from her name.
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