Substitute Alpha Gets Confessed to by Her Ex’s Aunt on a Survival Variety Show – Chapter 16
by Little PandaThe Second Airdrop
The horizon revealed a sliver of fish-belly white.1
In the quiet, Liu Yinxi’s eyes opened. She raised her wrist to check her watch: April 14th, 5:52 a.m.
She yawned, sat up cross-legged, and ran a hand through her messy hair before leaning over to look at the left side of the bed.
“Nan Huaixu, Nan Huaixu.”
The sleeping woman’s eyelids twitched, and she turned over, hugging her head. She was curled up on her side, her face hidden beneath her forearm like a soft cat.
The morning light sprinkled across Nan Huaixu’s hair, suffusing it with a warm golden halo. It looked so fluffy that Liu Yinxi felt a momentary impulse to touch it.
Liu Yinxi reached out and patted her gently on the back. “Nan. Huai. Xu.”
Nan Huaixu startled awake. She instinctively hugged her shoulders, her gaze turning sharp and cold. Only when she saw Liu Yinxi’s sleepy eyes and chicken-nest hair did she let out a silent breath, her expression softening.
She glanced at the time, got out of bed, put on her shoes, rinsed her mouth, and drank some water. Then, she split a salak fruit with Liu Yinxi.
Liu Yinxi took a bite of the fruit. It was more sour than sweet, making her squint and bare her teeth. “So sour this early in the morning.”
Nan Huaixu broke the salak into small pieces and swallowed them with a gulp of water. “The sourness wakes you up faster.”
Liu Yinxi sighed. “Jiejie, you’re truly ruthless. You can even bring yourself to do that to yourself.”
They chewed on some banana pith,2 took care of their morning business, and did a simple set of warm-up exercises. Then, grabbing their trekking poles, they headed for the beach.
They had walked the path from the shelter to the sea many times, so they were familiar with the route to the shipwreck and made good time.
Upon reaching the edge of the rainforest, they first took cover. Liu Yinxi then led Nan Huaixu to the same coconut grove where she had hidden before.
The two of them sat in a sandy hollow under a coconut tree. Liu Yinxi periodically scanned the area around the shipwreck. The rainforest was to the east, and across from them was the mangrove forest where Huang Heshan often appeared.
Nan Huaixu asked in a low voice, “Anyone there?”
“Haven’t spotted anyone yet,” Liu Yinxi replied.
She turned her head. Nan Huaixu was right beside her, so close that she could smell a faint floral scent.
Nan Huaixu craned her neck to look across the way, unconsciously narrowing her eyes.
“Are you nearsighted?” Liu Yinxi asked.
Nan Huaixu’s celebrity profile never mentioned that she was nearsighted, and none of her photos ever showed her wearing glasses.
Nan Huaixu had clearly never publicly mentioned her eyesight. She explained, “A little. I sometimes wear contacts.”
“Can you see clearly at night?” Liu Yinxi asked with concern.
Nan Huaixu glanced at her and sat back down on the sand. “It’s fine. I don’t have night blindness.”
“That’s good,” Liu Yinxi said. “There are no lights out here, so night vision is pretty important. Besides, it’s hard to supplement trace elements in the wild.”
About ten minutes later, a current of air swept over the coconut grove. A dada-wengweng sound grew from a distance, and Liu Yinxi and Nan Huaixu looked up. A small dot appeared in the sky, growing larger and larger until a helicopter bearing the 《Survivor》 Mars logo hovered over the shipwreck.
Whoosh!
As the cabin door opened, four airdrop crates the size of cookie tins fell one after another, trailing plumes of orange-red smoke.
Just as the last crate was about to land, the water to the west of the shipwreck suddenly churned. A dark figure leaped out and shot forward like a bolt of lightning.
“!”
Liu Yinxi immediately broke into a sprint.
Nan Huaixu was half a beat slower. By the time she reacted and caught up, Huang Heshan already had her hand clamped on an airdrop crate.
Liu Yinxi executed a slide tackle, sweeping her leg toward the crate under Huang Heshan’s hand. Out of the corner of her eye, she scanned the labels on the four crates: survival rope, waterproof flashlight, tactical gloves, raincoat.
Liu Yinxi looked up. Seeing her in pursuit, Huang Heshan grabbed the crate of tactical gloves and ran.
Liu Yinxi kicked the crate labeled “raincoat” toward Nan Huaixu. “Nan-jiejie, catch!” Then she turned and shouted after Huang Heshan, “Good morning, Number 7! We meet again! I picked something different this time, so I won’t fight you for it. We’re all guests here, let’s say hi and have a chat!”
Without a backward glance, Huang Heshan ran into the mangrove forest. Her figure flashed a few times before disappearing completely.
Liu Yinxi stood with her hands on her hips, staring in the direction she’d left. “How could she just ignore a beauty greeting her so enthusiastically?”
Nan Huaixu walked over, carrying the crate. “Number 7 always takes the best item.”
She disliked rudeness, but she also knew that unnecessary communication with competitors wasn’t needed. Number 7’s attitude was understandable.
Liu Yinxi patted the crate. “Ours is great.”
“Did you choose the raincoat because it’s going to rain?” Nan Huaixu asked. “I thought our shell jackets were waterproof. We need the gloves more.”
“Shell jackets are water-resistant and quick-drying, but what if it pours for days on end? Are we supposed to look for food out in the rain?”
Nan Huaixu paused, considering Liu Yinxi’s words.
It was true. A shell jacket was fine for a light drizzle, but being out in a downpour for an extended period would be miserable. It couldn’t compare to a raincoat. A raincoat could also be used to cover important items to keep them dry, or even as a blanket at night for warmth.
Nan Huaixu lowered her gaze, her eyes falling on Liu Yinxi’s hands. “I saw that your palms are blistered…”
Liu Yinxi froze, then turned her hands over to look. From digging the drainage ditch in a hurry last night, small blisters had formed on both her palms near the base of her fingers.
Back in her original world, she was always climbing trees, hiking, mountaineering, and rock climbing. Her hands and feet were often scraped, injured, and blistered. A little pain like this was nothing to her. It would get much better once calluses formed.
Nan Huaixu sniffled, her voice delicate. “You’re right, the raincoat is very important. You run faster than me, and you’re always the one doing the hard work, so I’ll accept whatever you choose. I just thought you needed the gloves more since you’re injured.”
“Thank you, Nan Huaixu.”
Hearing her voice, Nan Huaixu looked up. Liu Yinxi’s eyes were curved into a crescent, her smile apologetic. “Thank you for thinking of me. I’ll pop these little blisters when we get back. A little long pepper water will clear them up quickly.3 I used to get them all the time as a kid doing farm work for my grandmother in the village. They’ll form thick calluses eventually, and then they won’t blister anymore.”
“And thank you for trusting me. The raincoat will definitely come in handy.”
The light in Nan Huaixu’s eyes flickered. She turned her face away. “It’s nothing. We’re teammates. To win, we have to be united and trust each other.”
She thought to herself that, setting aside Liu Yinxi’s tendency to be dramatic, her fundamental nature was “forthright.” Liu Yinxi would forthrightly question her, and she would forthrightly thank her for her concern. Liu Yinxi would forthrightly point out her shortcomings, and she would forthrightly offer her help.
Nan Huaixu had to admit, she approved of Liu Yinxi’s “forthrightness.”
“Nan-jiejie, let’s go to the reef cluster to catch some fish and shrimp, then gather some coconuts and banana pith before we head back.”
Liu Yinxi tucked the small airdrop crate under her arm and walked toward the coconut grove.
It hadn’t rained last night, so she predicted it would rain today. They should stock up on food now before it started, to avoid going out in the rain as much as possible.
Nan Huaixu followed her. “Let me carry the crate.”
Liu Yinxi lifted the small crate easily. “It’s fine. You carried it last time, so it’s my turn.”
Nan Huaixu didn’t argue. “Then I’ll carry more coco—”
“Hey! Good morning, you two!”
An excited shout came from the woods.
Liu Yinxi and Nan Huaixu turned to see a red-haired woman running toward them, waving enthusiastically as she came.
A wide smile spread across Liu Yinxi’s face. Well, well, she thought, finally meeting another guest.
“Hello! I’m Liu Yinxi, and this is my captain—”
“Nan Huaixu! Ahhh, I love your movies! I’m a huge fan! My name is Yuan Fang, I run a mink company. I hope we can work together someday!”
The red-haired woman excitedly moved forward, wanting to hug Nan Huaixu, who took a step back and responded with a polite smile, “Hello.”
Yuan Fang immediately turned to Liu Yinxi. “Sister, you’re so pretty! Standing next to Nan Huaixu, you look like a little celebrity! Do you run an account? My brand’s livestreaming room needs a beautiful streamer just like you! The quality of my mink is excellent, the styles are new, and they’re windproof and warm. They’d be sure to make my humble house shine on you!”4
Nan Huaixu: “?”
Is that how you use that phrase?
A brilliant light flashed in Liu Yinxi’s eyes. “Sure! When can I start? What’s the salary and benefits package? What’s the contribution ratio for the five insurances and one housing fund? Is there employee housing and a cafeteria? Do I get an employee discount on mink coats? Don’t you worry, Boss Yuan, once I’m under your command, I’ll definitely be a crane standing among chickens!”5
Nan Huaixu: “???”
Can you use that phrase in this context?
Wait, how did this turn into a job interview for Liu Yinxi?
Yuan Fang looked as if she regretted not meeting Liu Yinxi sooner. She slung an arm around her shoulder. “Don’t worry, my company’s benefits are great! Out here in the wilderness, besides being hungry, tired, and bitten by bugs, we’re just bored, bored, bored. We have plenty of time to discuss the details. Just let me know what you’re thinking.”
Liu Yinxi said, “Boss Yuan, my biggest concern is how much money I can make each month.”
“Aiya! Just call me Yuanzi. We’re all sisters here, don’t be a stranger, hahahahaha!”
“You got it, Yuanzi. My name’s Xiao Liu.”
Nan Huaixu: “…”
What kind of recruitment is this? All this beating around the bush without mentioning a salary. Only Liu Yinxi would fall for this nonsense.
Nan Huaixu tugged on the hem of Liu Yinxi’s shirt. When Liu Yinxi looked back, Nan Huaixu gave her a look. “Let’s go.”
“Mhm, mhm.” Liu Yinxi nodded quickly and turned to leave. She said goodbye to Yuan Fang, “We have things to do, we’re leaving now.”
Yuan Fang called after her, “Hey, hey, wait a minute. There are still two airdrop crates left. Xiao Liu, help me pick one.”
Liu Yinxi said, “If you’re not happy with my choice, you can’t blame me.”
“I won’t!”
“Take the survival rope. It has a lot of uses. The flashlight is convenient, but our wristbands have a light function, so it’s not necessary.”
Without a second thought, Yuan Fang picked up the crate with the survival rope. “Thanks!”
She took a few steps toward the woods, then turned back. “Nan Huaixu, Xiao Liu, my shelter is four kilometers north of here. There’s a big, fruit-bearing banyan tree. Come visit when you have time!”
“Bye-bye!” Yuan Fang made a gesture and walked into the trees, singing “The People of Our Village.”6
Liu Yinxi waved goodbye to her.
Nan Huaixu marveled at the diversity of human personalities and muttered under her breath, “That woman is way too casual. How could she let someone else choose her airdrop supplies?”
Liu Yinxi was searching for fallen young coconuts in the grove. “She’s sharp as a tack.”
“She’s sharp? You knew her before?”
“Nope. But she was hiding in the woods watching us when Number 7 and I were grabbing the airdrops. She thinks we’re stronger than her, so she wanted to use our opinion as a reference.”
Nan Huaixu’s eyebrows twitched. “That sounds more like someone sticking gold on her own face. Then why would she dare to reveal the location of her shelter?”
In past seasons of 《Survivor》, it wasn’t unheard of for contestants to steal from or sabotage their rivals’ shelters. The guests were all very cautious.
Liu Yinxi walked to a coconut tree and pulled a young coconut out from a pile of grass. “Yuan Fang said her shelter has a fruit-bearing banyan, implying we can go there to pick fruit. Fruit has a shelf life. It’s pointless for them to let it all rot if they can’t finish it. They might as well trade resources with other guests. As for why she didn’t say it outright, I guess they don’t have much fruit left and aren’t in a hurry to trade for food. She’s using this to test our observation and communication skills.”
“Isn’t that overthinking it? But it does make sense. Still, Number 7 is clearly stronger than us. Yuan Fang was settling for second best.”
Liu Yinxi clicked her tongue. “Look at Number 7, acting like she’d begrudge a single word. How are you supposed to communicate with that?”
It wasn’t that she was overthinking it. It was that the Yuan Fang in the original book was exactly this kind of calculating profiteer.
The corners of Nan Huaixu’s lips curved. Just as she was about to speak, a drop of water fell from the sky and landed on her forehead.
Nan Huaixu tilted her face up. The sky had, at some point, become overcast. Countless fine threads of rain began to fall, descending like a giant, water-woven net blanketing the heavens and the earth.
“Don’t worry, jiejie.”
Nan Huaixu wiped the rain from her cheek. An army-green raincoat was draped over her shoulders. She looked behind her to see Liu Yinxi pulling the hood up over Nan Huaixu’s head. “You have Xiao Liu, so you don’t have to worry when it rains~”
Footnotes
- “Fish-belly white” is a common Chinese literary term for the pale, grayish-white color of the sky just before sunrise.
- Banana pith, or the inner core of a banana plant’s stem, is edible and often consumed in survival situations or as a vegetable in some Asian cuisines.
- Long pepper (Piper longum, or bì bá in Chinese) is a flowering vine in the pepper family. In traditional medicine, it is used for its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.
- The chengyu “péngbìshēnghuī” is a polite, formal expression used by a host, meaning “Your presence illuminates my humble home.” Yuan Fang uses it incorrectly to praise her own products.
- The chengyu “hèlìjīqún” means to stand out from the crowd, like a tall crane among chickens. Liu Yinxi uses it comically to promise she’ll be an outstanding employee.
- “The People of Our Village” (咱屯里的人) is a popular Chinese song known for its down-to-earth, rural theme.
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