Substitute Alpha Gets Confessed to by Her Ex’s Aunt on a Survival Variety Show – Chapter 169
by Little PandaReturn to the City
Mine. Mine, all mine.
“President Nan, the alterations to the gown are done. The tailor said every other part can be adjusted, but the skirt length cannot—on anyone over 170 centimeters tall, the hem will look a touch short. Will that do?”
The assistant carefully wheeled the garment rack over. Hanging on it was an ivory minimalist evening gown, paired with a leaf-shaped brooch set with an olive-green gemstone.
Nan Huaixu turned her head to look at the dress, a cup of coconut-milk pandan jelly1 in her hand. “Mm. Delicious.”
The assistant couldn’t hold back a laugh and pushed the rack a little closer. “President Nan, there’s plenty more good things to eat in the fridge. Could you look at the gown first and tell me if it works like this?”
Nan Huaixu rose, walked up to the dress, felt the collar and the hem, and nodded. “It’ll do.”
She raised a hand and pointed at the jewelry cabinet. “Bring me that emerald cabochon set.”
The assistant went over and slid open the top drawer. Nestled in a black velvet box lay an Imperial Green2 jadeite cabochon necklace with matching earrings.
The assistant carefully lifted the jewelry box in both hands. “President Nan, hadn’t you settled on wearing the Jinzhou pearl gathered during the competition tonight? The designer even matched Australian white pearls3 and sapphires to go with your pearl.”
Nan Huaixu picked up one jadeite drop earring and set it beside her own pearl drop. “Xiao Zhu. Do these two look good together?”
Xiao Zhu’s eyes lit up. “Gorgeous. Truly gorgeous.”
“Mm. Take this along with the gown.” Nan Huaixu smoothed her hair before the full-length mirror, touched up her lipstick, then pointed at the fridge. “And pack a portion of pandan jelly and green banana ice in the cooler.”
Only then did it dawn on Xiao Zhu what her boss was driving at. Her jaw dropped. “Huh? President Nan, you’re lending the emerald cabochon set to Liu Yinxi as well? That set is quite valuable. What if she damages it…”
Nan Huaixu shot her a look, and Xiao Zhu snapped her mouth shut at once. “Understood. I’ll go pack it now.”
Nan Huaixu turned back to the mirror, pressing her lips as she adjusted her lipstick. “Tell me—when has anything ever come out of your mouth that wasn’t ‘expensive’?”
Xiao Zhu packed the two chilled desserts into the insulated box and grinned. “Heh heh, those of us earning a few thousand a month are naturally going to find it expensive!”
“Xiao Zhu, tell me. Should I be giving you a raise?”
The assistant waved her hands in a fluster. “No, no! President Nan, if you raise my salary, I’m afraid you’ll stop giving me red envelopes4.”
Nan Huaixu laughed and urged her on. “Once everything’s packed, we deliver it.”
Xiao Zhu took the jewelry bag and cooler box in one hand and the gown in the other, then turned back at the door. “‘We’? President Nan, you’re delivering it yourself?”
Nan Huaixu slid on her sunglasses and lifted her chin. “Correct. Xiao Zhu, open the door.”
Xiao Zhu took her hand off the handle and turned to study Nan Huaixu with open curiosity. “President Nan, how come you’ve been so good to Liu Yinxi ever since the competition ended? Did you forget—a few months ago, she was preening at our car window outside those street food stalls5 and gave you a fright? And before, whenever you heard she wanted to come get your autograph or whatnot, you were never pleased about it.”
Nan Huaixu took Xiao Zhu by the shoulders and turned her back around. “Remember your professional standards. No gossiping. And do not get carried away just because we’re friends.”
Xiao Zhu pulled a frightened face. “Got it. My mistake.”
She was just about to open the door when she suddenly asked again, her tone steeped in mystery: “President Nan, the CP6 rumors about you and Liu Yinxi are burning up the internet. They wouldn’t happen to be real, would they?”
Nan Huaixu gave the crown of her head a light poke. “Docking your bonus.”
Xiao Zhu scrambled to beg forgiveness. “I’m sorry, President Nan!”
They stepped out of the room. Nan Huaixu took the bags and boxes from Xiao Zhu’s hands and headed for Liu Yinxi’s room.
The guests’ rooms all sat on the same floor, though spread well apart. Nan Huaixu’s was a luxury suite she had personally upgraded, perched on the end with the finest view; the others’ standard rooms were scattered through a different stretch of the same floor.
As they drew near Liu Yinxi’s room, Xiao Zhu up ahead stopped in her tracks and told Nan Huaixu under her breath, “President Nan, Little President Luo is outside Liu Yinxi’s room.”
At that, Nan Huaixu tilted her head toward the corridor past the corner. Sure enough—there stood Ying Luoling in a pristine white slip dress, makeup exquisite, pressing the doorbell of Liu Yinxi’s room.
Xiao Zhu stole a few glances at her, then said to Nan Huaixu, “President Nan, Little President Luo seems to have had a change of heart. From the look of her, she’s here to win Liu Yinxi back. And she’s sprayed on such lovely perfume—you can smell it from this far away. President Nan, it smells wonderful. Do you know which fragrance—”
Before she could finish, Xiao Zhu saw Nan Huaixu sweep past her and walk straight toward Ying Luoling. Her heart gave a lurch, and she clamped her mouth shut and hurried after her.
Nan Huaixu hailed her with effortless poise. “Luoling. Looking for Liu Yinxi?”
Ying Luoling startled, looked over at her, then broke into a smile. “Aunt. Yes, I came to thank Xixi. There was never a chance to speak with her alone at noon.”
Nan Huaixu tipped her chin at the door. “Why not go in, then?”
“Oh, I just knocked. She doesn’t seem to be in.”
“Not in? Did you try calling her? Perhaps she’s asleep.”
Ying Luoling smoothed the stray strands at her temple, a thread of awkwardness weaving into her smile. “She quarreled with me before and blocked me on everything, so…”
Nan Huaixu’s eyes narrowed a fraction. “I see. Wait here a moment.”
She sent Liu Yinxi a message:
Nan Huaixu: I’m at your door—knocked, no one there?
A minute later, Liu Yinxi replied.
Classmate Xiao Liu: I’m in Huang-jie’s room chatting. Xiao Yu-jie is here too. Come join us?
Nan Huaixu: I’ll pass. I’ve brought the gown. And two desserts for you—exceptionally delicious.
Classmate Xiao Liu: Then I’ll come straight back. Just let yourself in and wait a bit ^u^
Nan Huaixu: Mm, no rush, enjoy yourselves. I’ll sit in your room for a while. What are you all talking about?
Classmate Xiao Liu: It was Yu Yan who asked for me. I’ll tell you when I’m back.
Nan Huaixu turned off her phone screen and looked up at Ying Luoling. “She’s not here. You should head back.”
Worry welled in Ying Luoling’s eyes, and she sighed. Then she noticed that both Nan Huaixu and Xiao Zhu were carrying things. “Aunt, are you here for Xixi as well? What is all this?”
Nan Huaixu didn’t answer. Right before her eyes, she drew a keycard from her handbag, swiped the lock open with a beep, and walked in.
Ying Luoling: “!”
Her eyes flew wide in disbelief, lashes fluttering once. She had barely moved to follow and demand an explanation when Nan Huaixu turned, came to a stop, and shut her out beyond the threshold.
Nan Huaixu called to the assistant outside: “Xiao Zhu, what are you standing there for? Bring the things in.”
Xiao Zhu instantly packed away her melon-eating7 expression and trotted into the room, offering Ying Luoling an abashed little smile. “Little President Luo.”
Ying Luoling’s brow drew tight. She wanted into Liu Yinxi’s room—yet Nan Huaixu had Xiao Zhu holding her outside, and was actually going to close the door on her.
Vexed, Ying Luoling tried to shove Xiao Zhu out of her way. “What are you blocking me for?”
She called into the room, “Aunt, let me in as well. Why do you even have Liu Yinxi’s keycard?”
Nan Huaixu settled into the swivel chair at the desk, gave it a spin, and idled her fingers over the commemorative gifts Liu Yinxi had left on the desktop, never once glancing back at her. “What would you go in for? Walking into other people’s rooms uninvited isn’t very polite.”
Ying Luoling’s gaze slid from disbelief into open shock. “Aunt? Why would you say that? Aren’t you the one who just walked into someone’s room uninvited? Besides, I’m Xixi’s ex-girlfriend—however you count it, my ties to her are closer than yours.”
“You used to be closer.” Nan Huaixu stilled the swivel chair, leaned back, crossed one leg over the other, and curved her lips. “Not anymore.”
“Xiao Zhu. Close the door.”
“Yes, President Nan.” Xiao Zhu eased Ying Luoling gently back, smiling her apology. “Little President Luo, you’d best head back. Bye-bye.” Then she slowly pulled the door to and threw the lock.
Xiao Zhu’s eyes darted about with curiosity as she wandered over to Nan Huaixu’s side. “President Nan, how do you have Liu Yinxi’s keycard?”
Nan Huaixu gave a soft smile. “A room comes with two keycards.”
“Mm. But why is one of Liu Yinxi’s keycards in your hands?”
Nan Huaixu only smiled and said nothing, flicking her a meaningful look. “Off you go.”
Xiao Zhu studied her for a moment, then laughed. “I get it now. Come back early, all right? Styling is at five.”
Only Nan Huaixu remained in the room.
She drew the curtains half-closed against the glare, took one slow lap around, and settled onto the soft sofa by the bed. She gathered up a pillow and breathed it in—shampoo laced with the fragrance of willow-leaf tea.
So fragrant.
She loved it.
Nan Huaixu hugged the pillow tight and drew a few deep breaths, smiling until her eyes curved into crescents.
From now on, it was all hers.
Beep, buzz.
The sound of a keycard swiping the door open.
Nan Huaixu hastily flung the pillow aside, hands fluttering in a fluster until she had arranged herself into an elegant pose, and pretended to admire the view beyond the window.
“Nan Huaixu?” Liu Yinxi came in bright with joy, and spotting her on the soft sofa, scampered over to sit down across from her.
Nan Huaixu shifted her gaze from the window to Liu Yinxi, watching her set a gift bag down on the low tea table. “From Yu Yan?”
“Mm.”
“What did she want with you—and gifts besides?”
A note of urgency crept into Liu Yinxi’s voice. “Don’t get the wrong idea! I went to Huang-jie’s room—Huang-jie was there too. Yu Yan tried to give me a bank card as well, and I didn’t take it. That’s why I accepted this skincare set; otherwise she’d say I simply didn’t forgive her.”
“Forgiveness?” Nan Huaixu thought it over for a moment and quickly pieced it together. “Yu Yan called you over to apologize and offered money as compensation; you refused, so you took a small gift instead. This is about the poisoning?”
Liu Yinxi gaped at her. “Whoa. How did you guess that? Have you actually studied mind reading?”
“Nothing that dramatic. With details this obvious, a little deduction does the rest.”
Liu Yinxi regarded her with adoring eyes for a while, then turned solemn. “There’s one more thing. She told me why she fell ill during the competition, and about her and Huang Heshan’s backgrounds and their reasons for joining. That’s also why she poisoned me. She didn’t dare ask for my forgiveness—she only hoped I would accept her compensation.”
Meeting Nan Huaixu’s puzzled gaze, Liu Yinxi said, “Nan Huaixu… Yu Yan has a little baby on the way.”
“What?!”
Liu Yinxi recounted the whole story of Yu Yan and Huang Heshan from beginning to end, leaving nothing out. Nan Huaixu’s expression went through several changes before only a quiet, rueful sigh remained.
“She had her hardships, and she apologized to you, so the matter is past—and we won’t have much to do with them from now on anyway. In any case, I still won’t forgive her for the poisoning. I won’t allow anyone to hurt you.”
“Thank you for caring about me so much, Teacher Nan.”
Nan Huaixu leveled her a mock-reproachful stare. “Mm?”
Liu Yinxi knew her misstep and hastened to correct it. “Manman…”
Nan Huaixu beamed, stroking Liu Yinxi’s shoulder lightly, then lifted the gown down from where it hung in the wardrobe. “Look at this. Do you like it?”
Never had Liu Yinxi seen a dress with such fabric, such craftsmanship—the gemstone brooch pinned at its collar glittered and flashed.
Her eyes brimmed with delight. “I love it! It’s beautiful!”
Suddenly her earlobe warmed. Liu Yinxi tilted her head—Nan Huaixu had folded her into an embrace from behind, lips at her ear. “What is it you like? Say it again.”
Footnotes
- 椰奶斑斓冻 | ye nai ban lan dong | Chilled coconut-milk jelly flavored and tinted with pandan leaf juice; pandan lends a jade-green hue and a soft, vanilla-like fragrance prized in Southeast Asian sweets.
- 帝王绿 | di wang lü | 'Imperial Green', the most coveted jadeite color grade—an intensely saturated, translucent emerald green historically favored by Qing dynasty courts and collectors.
- 澳白 | ao bai | Trade shorthand for Australian South Sea white pearls, among the world's largest and most lustrous; frequently set alongside colored gemstones in fine jewelry.
- 红包 | hong bao | Red envelopes stuffed with cash, traditionally gifted at festivals and celebrations; bosses also hand them out as bonuses on top of regular salaries.
- 大排档 | da pai dang | Open-air roadside eatery with folding tables and plastic stools serving hearty, inexpensive fare late into the night; a beloved staple of casual Chinese dining.
- CP | CP | Short for English 'coupling'; fandom slang for a shipped romantic pairing, with fans eagerly tracking and amplifying the pair's every interaction.
- 吃瓜 | chi gua | Literally 'eating melon'; internet slang for gleefully spectating gossip or drama as an uninvolved, popcorn-munching onlooker.
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