Substitute Alpha Gets Confessed to by Her Ex’s Aunt on a Survival Variety Show – Chapter 154
by Little PandaIf You Had a Lover
Nan Huaixu walked over to Liu Yinxi, lifting the tail of a plump mountain rat — a bamboo arrow still stuck in its rear.
She smiled at Liu Yinxi. “Why is your mouth hanging so wide open?”
Liu Yinxi picked up the mountain rat to examine it. “Teacher Nan, you shot this prey? You’re amazing!”
Nan Huaixu poured some water to wash her hands. “This was truly a blind cat finding a dead mouse, random fists beating an old master. I brought it back just as a trophy. If there’s other meat, I’d rather not eat it.”
a blind cat finding a dead mouse1, random fists beating an old master2
“Yes, yes, of course we have.” Liu Yinxi showed Nan Huaixu the tightly bound lizard, plus some small fish and shrimp caught in the stream — rounding off3, that was two more dishes.
As for the mountain rat, it easily carried various pathogens, so it was better not to eat it.
But as Nan Huaixu’s first trophy from independent hunting, it had extremely high commemorative significance. Liu Yinxi tied the mountain rat with grass rope, tied a nice-looking knot, and hung it on a tree branch for display.
Wind blew from above, rustling the leaves and making the hanging dead mountain rat sway back and forth.
“…” Nan Huaixu set down her lunchbox and bamboo chopsticks, glanced up at the mountain rat, and sought Liu Yinxi’s opinion before the meal. “Let’s release it.”
Liu Yinxi also looked up. “Mm, okay.”
Mountain rat… freedom after death was still freedom, and resting in peace was also a kind of release…
Then, at the suggestion of the person involved, they returned Nan Huaixu’s first hunting trophy to the dust.
They placed it quite far away, so the dead rat wouldn’t attract other predators at night and disturb their rest.
For dinner, they ate roasted lizard and small river delicacies, two banana cores each.
Liu Yinxi asked Nan Huaixu about the afternoon’s situation. “Did you run into the two of them?”
Nan Huaixu spoke while eating. “Yu Yan came to find me. She was very concerned about why I was hunting alone, when I rarely use a bow and arrow.”
She freed her left hand and spread it open for Liu Yinxi to see. “Yu Yan even looked at my palm and said there were no marks from practicing archery.”
Liu Yinxi nodded, taking a couple bites of banana core. “She’s quite observant.”
Nan Huaixu held a lizard leg, tearing it into strips and eating slowly. “At first, when she took the initiative to teach us how to remove ticks and identify herbs, I was already suspicious — how could someone be so kind-hearted in a competition? Was she plotting something? Later, when she talked with you about how partners should get along, I let go of my doubts and thought she was genuinely kind by nature.”
She frowned, looking at Liu Yinxi. “But what she did today — in my view, that’s a more despicable method than stealing. So I misjudged her, right?”
Liu Yinxi chewed her banana core, swallowed, and couldn’t say Nan Huaixu was wrong. “None of us really know her. We’ve met no more than ten times during the competition.”
Nan Huaixu lowered her eyes. “Mm. Yes, I don’t know her at all.”
Liu Yinxi smiled self-deprecatingly. “I was with my ex-girlfriend for two or three years, and I never imagined all the bags she gave me were fakes. It’s not like a professional appraiser could have been scammed, right?”
Nan Huaixu raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. “My Eldest Sister and I lived under the same roof, and I never imagined she’d unexpectedly have a daughter.”
Nan Lingxuan had been set up by an omega and had a child out of wedlock — back then, it was the biggest scandal in Hongdu’s aristocratic circles.
Look — even people close to you, after years together, you can’t necessarily be sure about them, let alone someone you’ve only met a few times.
Whether she was kind or despicable, once the competition ended, they’d scatter into the vast sea of humanity.
People you meet and then part from — why bother thinking about them?
What matters is the person you want to stay by your side…
After a moment of silence, Nan Huaixu spoke softly. “Liu Yinxi, if one day you discovered your lover had changed, completely different from before, or after being together a long time you realized you’d misjudged them, what would you do?”
Liu Yinxi touched the top of her head. “I don’t have a lover right now.”
“That’s why I said ‘if.’ Suppose you did?”
Liu Yinxi shook her head. “I don’t make assumptions like that. Even if I did, when it actually happens, I might not act the way I imagined. If a person changes for the better, that’s a good thing. If they change for the worse, it means they’re having a hard time — and that must mean I didn’t take good care of them.”
Nan Huaixu’s brow and eyes darkened. “Since the competition began, I feel like you always take all the responsibility on yourself.”
Liu Yinxi replied, “I only take on what’s my responsibility. If it’s not mine, I won’t. Teacher Nan, I’m not that stupid. I just don’t shirk what’s mine.”
“Mm…”
Nan Huaixu asked again, “Then let’s not talk about assuming a lover. Let’s talk about someone you know. For example, me — what if one day you discovered I wasn’t as good as you thought?”
When you discover that I introduced you to work and housing just to lock you down.
When you discover that I deliberately created all kinds of small accidents just to get closer to you.
When you discover that I like you but have been hiding it without saying a word.
Would you still think I’m that understanding, elegant, and composed Teacher Nan?
Liu Yinxi froze, then with an agitated expression grabbed Nan Huaixu’s arms and shook them. “Teacher Nan! What do you mean by saying that? You’re not going back on your word, are you… Teacher Nan, are you not going to recommend me for work anymore? Did I do something wrong? I can change anything. Please don’t give up on me. I really will turn over a new leaf and work hard. I desperately need the opportunity to work.”
Nan Huaixu was also a bit stunned. “Huh?”
Liu Yinxi buried her head, looking pitiful. “Please.”
“I’m definitely going to introduce you. Why would you suddenly say that?”
Liu Yinxi let out a long breath, patting her chest to calm down. “Because what you said was so strange — about how you might not be as good as I thought — my first thought was about work.”
Work, money, paying off debts, making a living, whether she could afford meat and vegetables every day — these were what Liu Yinxi worried about most.
The Robot Dog followed them, switching camera angles.
【Look how scared the kid got.】
【Recommend a 0074 job, dispatched worker, paying for the privilege of a trial shift — then Nan Huaixu wouldn’t be as good as Liu Yinxi thought (doge)】
【@JustThisLiulumeiRefreshing, dismantle the surveillance. I just did three days of unpaid trial work5, got fired for no reason, broke the printer and even had to pay for it ToT】
【Poor kid, but don’t worry, Nan Huaixu definitely wouldn’t treat Xixi like that (laugh-cry)】
【Why is Manman saying such sentimental things? Someone in her thirties and not mature at all.】
【In your book, being mature means being as hard as stainless steel?】
【I think Manman is trying to fish for Liu Yinxi’s words. I don’t know if Xixi really doesn’t understand or if she’s playing dumb (shrugging)】
【Fish for what words?】
【Probably Xixi’s opinion of Manman and things like that. You can tell Manman really wants to have a deeper exchange with Xixi, but Xixi always deflects. But that’s normal too — Xixi is a very practical person, and very guarded. Keeping a rational distance from a wealthy star whose circumstances are so different from hers is the right thing to do.】
【Same feeling. I’ve thought about it carefully. Although I’m a Manman fan and always dream of being sweet with her, if Manman showed me favor in real life, I wouldn’t be overjoyed — I’d think there was something fishy going on, because I know exactly where I stand. I’m not worthy. (stacking armor6: Xixi is worthy!)】
【Special Guest · Luoling Lingling: Sorry for taking up some public resources.】
【Regarding the matter of the fake bags that Yinxi mentioned, I want to make a special clarification.】
【Yinxi loves bags. Before Xixi and I had our falling out, I gave her many bags. Those bags were picked up directly from my vintage shop. One of the clerks secretly tampered with the merchandise, which caused this problem. I’ve already fired that clerk and strictly rectified all stores. After the competition ends, I’ll also apologize to Xixi and give her a surprise to make up for the grievances she’s suffered these past two years.】
【Finally, thank you all for supporting Xixi!】
Ying Luoling’s comment triggered a flood of bullet screen comments.
【?】
【Isn’t Ying Luoling on Xue Yunshao’s team? Even though they’re eliminated, she shouldn’t be canvassing for her opponent, right?】
【What’s this about?】
【They’ve already broken up and she’s still playing the feelings card. Isn’t that disgusting?】
【Let go, Miss Luo.】
【Tsk tsk tsk, is she regretting it and trying to win back her ex?】
【Dear, we suggest you first ask whether your Aunt would allow it (smile)】
The livestream camera turned to Nan Huaixu.
Nan Huaixu burst out laughing. She understood Liu Yinxi’s logic and said, “So in your heart, my ‘goodness’ is just about introducing you to work and housing?”
Completely unrelated to my personal charm as Nan Huaixu, right?
Can’t make you, Liu Yinxi, feel even a bit of desire to “date Nan Huaixu,” right?
Liu Yinxi smiled embarrassedly. “Of course not. Teacher Nan, you have so many good qualities. It’s just that I’m very poor right now, very vulgar — when it comes to benefits, I immediately think of material things. Please excuse my shallowness.”
“That’s okay, it’s human nature. So what else is good about me in your heart?”
“Clear goals, unwavering perseverance, strong learning ability, high efficiency…”
“You sound like you’re reading my middle school teacher’s end-of-term evaluation.”
“Um, sorry, I’m not good with words.” Liu Yinxi lowered her head, pinching her fingers beneath her hem.
What else…
Good enough that I want to hide you away, not wanting anyone else to see you — is that okay?
The good things others can see — she’d said them all.
The good things others couldn’t see — naturally, they were all hidden deep in her heart.
Liu Yinxi finished chewing a banana core, took a sip of soup, and said seriously, “Teacher Nan, tomorrow morning’s airdrop — two-compete-for-one. Let’s discuss our strategy.”
Nan Huaixu’s attention immediately shifted to business. “If our guess about Yu Yan is correct, then seeing me hunting alone today, she’ll probably let her guard down tomorrow.”
Because the cameras were present, they didn’t explicitly mention Yu Yan’s poisoning, using vague language to gloss over it.
Liu Yinxi said, “I deduce that Yu Yan will think you’re going to compete alone tomorrow.”
Because Yu Yan believed the poisoning had succeeded — that Liu Yinxi was suffering from the poison and too unwell to compete for the airdrop.
Nan Huaixu nodded.
Liu Yinxi raised the corners of her mouth, her expression calm and composed. “Teacher Nan, then tomorrow, you go compete for it.”
Nan Huaixu looked at her, quickly hiding the doubt in her eyes, and nodded.
No matter what, she trusted her.
— July 8th, 12th Airdrop
Time: 7:00 AM
Location: Zhida Meadow
(This airdrop has only one supply crate. Category: medicine. Perhaps it can solve your urgent needs!)
Footnotes
- Chinese idiom: 'a blind cat finding a dead mouse' — meaning a lucky accident, akin to a blind squirrel finding a nut.
- Chinese idiom: 'random fists beating an old master' — meaning beginner's luck overcoming experience, where untrained blows accidentally defeat a skilled opponent.
- Literally 'round four down, round five up' — mathematical rounding term used humorously to justify counting two dishes from gathered ingredients by rounding up.
- Internet slang referring to the 007 work schedule (0 AM to 0 AM, 7 days a week), indicating extreme overwork culture worse than 996.
- Internet slang for working without pay during a trial period, a common exploitative labor practice.
- Internet slang for preemptively adding disclaimers or qualifiers to defend against potential criticism, like stacking layers of armor.
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