Substitute Alpha Gets Confessed to by Her Ex’s Aunt on a Survival Variety Show – Chapter 151
by Little PandaGentle Knife
Liu Yinxi’s gaze converged on Nan Huaixu’s fingers as they touched her brow.
Watching Nan Huaixu slowly withdraw her hand, Liu Yinxi gradually surfaced from the light, floating trance. She hesitated for two seconds, then smiled and replied, “Yeah. Go back and get a good night’s sleep.”
Nan Huaixu returned her smile. “Do you think I’ll still be able to sleep this well after I go back?”
She could sleep well now because Liu Yinxi’s pheromones were soothing, combined with the large amount of daily exercise that made her drowsy, and the simple life in the rainforest, free from worldly distractions.
Liu Yinxi thought for a moment and answered, “Once your biological clock is set, it’ll hold as long as you don’t deliberately disrupt it. So, Teacher Nan, try not to stay up late after you go home, and don’t overexert yourself. It’ll get better.”
Nan Huaixu smiled and nodded. “I should replace those sleep-aid aromatherapy blends I have at home.”
“Classic Teacher Nan, so refined. What kinds of aromatherapy did you use before?”
“Lavender, bergamot, thyme—things like that.”
“You could try medicinal incense. Some old apothecaries carry professional incense blends that work quite well.”
Nan Huaixu shifted to a more comfortable position and looked at her. “Medicinal incense? Do you have any recommendations?”
Liu Yinxi thought for a moment and said, “For example, Ningchen Qingxin Powder1. It’s made from agarwood, dahurian angelica, Atractylodes, mugwort, and jujube seed, ground into powder. You can use it to fill sachets or pillow inserts—it’s excellent for both.”
Nan Huaixu propped her cheek on one hand. “You know Chinese medicine too?”
Liu Yinxi shook her head quickly. “I don’t, really. I just know a bit about the properties and effects of those plants. When I was little, our village would make sachets during Duanwu2—these are all common medicinal incense ingredients. Some repel insects, some calm the mind.”
She asked Nan Huaixu, “Teacher Nan, when you were little, didn’t you wrap zongzi3 and salted eggs, or wash with mugwort and make sachets?”
Nan Huaixu paused briefly, then lowered her eyes and asked softly, “Is… is that something everyone does when they’re little? Is it strange if you don’t?”
“No, no, I was just asking casually.” Liu Yinxi quickly explained, “I just meant that if you’ve made Duanwu sachets before, or prepared incense, you wouldn’t think blending incense is anything mysterious. It’s not hard—with a little familiarity, you can make the scents you like.”
Nan Huaixu lay flat on her back, gazing up at the river of stars. “My dad was always busy with work and rarely came home. My mommy was busy with family matters too. I think… I grew up without ever being a proper child. I don’t know what kids with parents always around do during different holidays, and I get nervous talking about these things with people, because I don’t want anyone to realize I can’t do things everyone else can.”
Liu Yinxi heard the loneliness in Nan Huaixu’s voice, and her own heart sank slowly with it. She tried to ease Nan Huaixu’s melancholy. “It’s not like you have to know everything others know, or experience everything others have experienced. Nowadays you can buy anything you want—you don’t have to make it yourself. If you didn’t get to be a proper child, then grow up and make up for it. Play with toys, eat snacks, go to every place your parents failed to take you. On your birthday, make a whole pile of wishes, and save the biggest cherry on the cake for yourself.”
Nan Huaixu listened quietly. Many images she thought she’d long forgotten flashed before her—Mommy checking her backpack and desk every night, confiscating the toys she’d secretly asked classmates to buy for her; Mommy telling the nanny to pour out the milk tea she’d bought on the way home from school; Mommy suddenly canceling a trip the day before they were supposed to leave, saying she had to attend some CEO’s wife’s tea party; Mommy, at her birthday party, in front of all her classmates and friends, giving her favorite gift to Nan Lingxuan, simply because Nan Lingxuan remarked that the hibiscus glazed cup was nice…
Mommy always told her: Manman, your dad values your older sister. You need to yield to her. What you want, you must earn yourself.
Yield? What yielding? It was simply that Nan Lingxuan’s mommy was powerful and influential. Even after the divorce, Dad, for the family’s development, still handed most of the Nan family’s resources to Nan Lingxuan. And Zeng Mulin, as the later second wife, couldn’t get much of anything—she could only curry favor on one hand while using Nan Huaixu to scheme for power and resources on the other.
Nan Huaixu closed her eyes, unwilling to remember any more. She sniffled and laughed helplessly. “But it seems like… no matter how much you try, it can’t fill what’s missing.”
Liu Yinxi asked, “Where do you want to fill it?”
“I’m not sure either.” Nan Huaixu thought they were just messy bad feelings—she’d sleep and forget them.
Liu Yinxi turned to look at her furrowed brow, thinking it over, then said, “Teacher Nan, there used to be an empty lot at the entrance of our village, full of weeds. Because of village transportation issues, nothing could be built there, so it just sat abandoned. But it was ugly with all those weeds, so every month they’d send someone to pull them. After a while, everyone wanted to slack off.”
Nan Huaixu’s attention was diverted. “And then?”
“Then the slackers tried everything—burning, spreading lime, letting rabbits gnaw the roots. Nothing worked. After a while, whenever it rained, the weeds would grow right back. Finally, my grandma couldn’t stand it anymore, so she scattered a whole bag of sunflower seeds. The next spring, that field was full of sunflowers. When the sun hit them, it was beautiful—and the weeds were gone.”
“You’re right. If that field can only stay empty, and weeds are ugly, then grow flowers instead. Your grandma was so smart.”
“Your heart is the same way.” Liu Yinxi looked into her eyes and smiled.
Since the past was already a wasteland, why not let it bloom with flowers today.
Nan Huaixu gazed into her eyes. Beneath the starlight, they shimmered faintly, as if through them she could reach the vast garden within Liu Yinxi’s heart—where it was eternal spring, radiant and kaleidoscopic.
What was lost was lost. From now on, Nan Huaixu would live boldly, brilliantly.
“Okay.” Nan Huaixu smiled, and together they listened to the sea of trees rustling in the night breeze, leaves whispering like waves. “Do you think locust flowers are pretty?”
“They’re pretty.”
“Liar.”
“I mean it! They’re delicious too—stir-fried, they’re sweet. Do you think willow trees are pretty?”
“No.”
“Wah.”
“Kidding. Pretty, very pretty.”
“Yay~”
“Hey, I just noticed your earlobes are so big. Let me pinch them.”
“Huh? Teacher Nan, wait… mm…”
【What are you doing in the middle of the night?】
【Pinching ears.】
【Talking about stars and the moon and life, and also about how stir-fried locust flowers are sweet and delicious.】
【How do you stir-fry them?】
【Liu Yinxi stir-fries them (doge)】
【The meadow nights are so beautiful, the starry sky is absolutely stunning!】
【Are they spending the night here?】
【Yes, they explored the route here and it got late. They’ll head back to the shelter tomorrow morning.】
【The shelter is nice, but here there are delicious rabbits ^o^】
【Still have one left, bring it back to the shelter to eat.】
【Manman talked about a lot of childhood things. She never mentioned any of this in past interviews. It breaks my heart QAQ】
【That’s what happens when the mommy is a mistress who married up.】
【Don’t spread rumors. Manman’s mommy isn’t a mistress—her parents divorced before remarrying.】
【Zeng Mulin originally worked in PR. How can she compare to Nan Lingxuan’s mommy? What prominent family would let their heir enter showbiz? The Nan family just doesn’t value Nan Huaixu because her mommy is ‘low-class.’】
【Something’s wrong with you. Watch the competition properly and don’t attack the guests’ family members.】
【I think Manman has gotten a lot more cheerful since being with Liu Yinxi during this time.】
【Yes, yes! Xixi is like a sunflower, always facing the light, showing Manman the brightest and best side of things.】
【Hope they can keep going, please (teardrop eyes)】
【Xixi even let Manman pinch her earlobes! It’ll definitely be okay!】
The night breeze blew from the mountain peak down to the foothills.
In the woods east of Jiganbu Lake, beneath a tarpaulin shelter, someone sat.
Yu Yan hung her lit bracelet on a wooden stick, using the light and firelight to sort newly gathered herbs.
She heard footsteps in the woods and looked up. “You’re back.”
A figure gradually approached, pushing through branches, gripping a plump wild rabbit. “You said you were tired of fish stew. How about this?”
Yu Yan smiled at the sight of the rabbit. “Good. Sit down, there’s water over there.” She continued sorting herbs.
Huang Heshan picked up the water bottle and tilted her head back, draining it in one go.
She strung the rabbit up to bleed it, washed her hands at the stream, and came back to help Yu Yan tie bundles of herbs.
“You went to the meadow today.”
“Yeah.”
“Did you get hurt?”
“No.”
Huang Heshan tied off a bundle of tamarind with grass rope, then suddenly stopped. She picked out a small handful of leafy branches bearing tiny fruits from the woven vine basket and tossed them aside.
Yu Yan saw this and called out, “I can use that.”
Huang Heshan picked it back up and examined it closely under the bracelet light. “Didn’t you teach me that castor beans4 are poisonous?”
Yu Yan took the castor plant from her and tucked it into a plastic bottle. “Many plants are toxic. Used correctly, they can treat illness. Otherwise, why would they say ‘every medicine is a little bit poison5‘? Castor beans can relieve constipation and reduce swelling.”
“Alright, I understand.”
Yu Yan pressed down on the herbs in the basket. “Go rest and roast the rabbit. I can finish up here by myself.”
“Okay. You must be hungry—sorry for making you wait so long.”
“It’s fine. Why did you come back so late today?”
Huang Heshan hesitated a moment, then answered truthfully. “I ran into Liu Yinxi. I wanted to wait for her to leave before hunting, but she stayed a long time.”
Yu Yan looked up. “Liu Yinxi is at the meadow?”
“…” Huang Heshan clearly didn’t want to answer. “Yeah.”
“It takes a full day to get from the south bank to the meadow. Liu Yinxi won’t have time to make the round trip—she’ll probably still be at the meadow tomorrow.” Yu Yan turned around. “Heshan, tomorrow I’ll go to the meadow with you.”
Huang Heshan stood up. “You’re so weak—you can barely endure the discomfort, and you still want to go see her?”
Yu Yan stared at her in silence for a moment. Huang Heshan sat back down and lowered her head. “Sorry. Tomorrow I’ll carry you.”
Yu Yan closed her eyes and sighed. “It’s exactly because you can’t hold your temper and get impulsive that I need to go see Liu Yinxi.”
Huang Heshan looked at her with frustration. “Why? What’s wrong with me?”
A wave of violent pain wracked Yu Yan’s lower abdomen. She hid her hand behind her back, gripping the hem of her shirt tightly, fighting to keep the smile on her face.
She knew she couldn’t hold on much longer…
Yu Yan placed her hand on top of Huang Heshan’s head, her expression gentle. “Don’t worry. We’ll win.”
I’ll make you win.
Bracelet date: July 7th.
Tomorrow was Airdrop Day.
Two teams competing for one.
The moment Liu Yinxi woke up, she discussed with Nan Huaixu about camping at the meadow for another night, betting that tomorrow morning’s airdrop location would be at the meadow.
That morning, the two of them gathered supplies. Nan Huaixu finally saw the spotted tree lizard that had been making noise at night—fortunately it ran fast, or it would have become roast lizard for lunch.
Water sources on the meadow were scarce. A few streams were the most convenient places to fetch water. Before making lunch, Liu Yinxi went to the stream to draw water and ran into Huang Heshan, who had come to do the same.
And Yu Yan, whom she hadn’t seen in a while.
Liu Yinxi immediately greeted Yu Yan. “Xiao Yu-jie6!”
Yu Yan smiled and walked toward her. “Long time no see, Yinxi.”
Liu Yinxi noticed Huang Heshan’s dark expression beside them and seized the chance to complain to Yu Yan. “Xiao Yu-jie, yesterday I was helping Huang-jie7 catch rabbits, and she actually tried to hit me! You have to stand up for me.”
“Is that so? Then that’s Heshan’s fault.”
“Exactly, exactly.”
Yu Yan waved her over. “Heshan, come apologize to Yinxi.”
Huang Heshan crossed her arms and turned her head away. “No.”
Liu Yinxi looked wronged. “Xiao Yu-jie, look at her.”
“I’m sorry, Yinxi. Let me apologize on her behalf.”
With that, Yu Yan opened her backpack and took out a bottle of light brown liquid. “I made this shengjin soup8 this morning from fresh herbs. It clears heat and moistens dryness. How about I give it to you as an apology gift?”
Liu Yinxi took the bottle. “Wow, thanks, Xiao Yu-jie. I’m actually thirsty.”
Yu Yan lowered her lashes, her smile gentle, her gaze resting on the bottle cap as Liu Yinxi twisted it open.
Liu Yinxi unscrewed the cap, lifted the bottle, tilted her head back slightly, and pressed her lips to the rim.
Footnotes
- A traditional Chinese herbal incense blend whose name literally means 'Calming, Purifying Heart Powder,' used to promote restful sleep.
- The Dragon Boat Festival, a traditional Chinese holiday on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, associated with making zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), hanging mugwort, and wearing fragrant sachets for health and protection.
- A traditional Chinese food of glutinous rice and various fillings wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves, typically eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival.
- The seeds of the castor plant, which contain ricin, one of the most potent natural toxins. In traditional Chinese medicine, processed castor beans are used in controlled doses as a laxative and anti-inflammatory agent.
- A common Chinese proverb literally meaning 'every medicine is three parts poison,' expressing the idea that all medicinal substances carry some degree of toxicity.
- A pinyin kinship term combining 'Xiao' (little) with 'Yu' (from the name) and 'jie' (older sister), used as an affectionate form of address for a slightly older female friend.
- A pinyin kinship term combining a name ('Huang') with 'jie' (older sister), used as a familiar form of address for a slightly older female friend or colleague.
- Literally 'fluid-generating soup,' a traditional Chinese herbal drink intended to clear internal heat and promote the production of body fluids.
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