Substitute Alpha Gets Confessed to by Her Ex’s Aunt on a Survival Variety Show – Chapter 51
by Little PandaPraying in the Rain and Braised Beef Noodles
The light was very dim; the sky outside felt gray and overcast.
But when Nan Huaixu checked her bracelet, it was already 6:30 AM. Normally, it would be bright daylight by this hour.
The air was thick with moisture. The wind chime hanging from the roof of the activity area clinked incessantly, and the soft patter of water droplets striking banana leaves echoed overhead.
It was hard to tell when exactly the rain had started during the night.
Liu Yinxi opened her groggy eyes amidst the sound of wind and rain. Between the two wooden pillars directly across from her, a beautiful face poked in.
“Liu Yinxi, it’s raining.”
Nan Huaixu sat in the middle of the semi-partition separating their two single rooms, resting one hand against the wooden pillar. The banana leaf curtain used for privacy last night had been taken down under the excuse of poor ventilation.
Liu Yinxi jolted completely awake the moment she clearly saw the face suddenly popping into her room.
“Teacher Nan…” Liu Yinxi’s tone was low. I mean, could you not always just pop in so suddenly?
Nan Huaixu’s features were picturesque, her watery eyes like precious pearls. Her clear, cold voice was even more melodic than the wind chimes outside. “Hmm? Do you want to sleep a little longer?”
The teasing second half of Liu Yinxi’s sentence rolled around her mouth before she swallowed it back down. When she spoke again, she said, “Morning, Teacher Nan. I’m awake. I won’t sleep anymore.”
Nan Huaixu smiled. “I’ll go downstairs and make breakfast.”
Like a blooming flower.
Liu Yinxi blanked out for a moment. She lay back down on her mattress, staring blankly at the roof overhead.
Is there something to be happy about?
How can her smile be so pretty…
Well, she was already pretty to begin with.
The sound of adding firewood drifted up from downstairs. Before long, the aroma of roasting cassava wafted up and burrowed into Liu Yinxi’s nose.
After a night of digestion, Liu Yinxi’s stomach was grumbling with hunger. Catching the scent, she immediately scrambled down the ladder.
The light rain fell in a continuous pitter-patter, washing the green leaves and grass until they gleamed with a vibrant sheen.
Liu Yinxi stepped into the shelter of the treehouse. Fortunately, the platform above blocked the rain, and the ground had been treated with fine sand and plant ash for moisture resistance. The Dakota fire hole was buried here, perfectly shielded from the weather, allowing them to move around and cook even on rainy days.
Nan Huaixu sat on a stone stool, turning two pieces of cassava over the fire. She handed Liu Yinxi a water bottle. “Moisten your throat first.”
She planned to finish roasting the cassava before setting the aluminum mess tin over the fire to boil water for a pot of salted fish soup. By then, the cassava would have cooled to a comfortable, edible temperature.
After rinsing her mouth, Liu Yinxi sat down next to Nan Huaixu and placed the water bottle back into the airdrop box.
The supplies on the first floor were all piled on the ground. She figured she should make a storage rack; it would be much more convenient to organize things later.
After all, Nan Huaixu always preferred things clean and tidy.
Rainwater dripped along the slope of the roof. The gathering raindrops fell like shattered crystals slipping from a broken string, vanishing into the sand on the ground and leaving spreading, dark, wet stains.
Liu Yinxi peeled the cassava. Cupping the piping-hot root in both hands, she blew on it, raising her eyes to watch the slanting threads of rain sweeping through the forest. She had experienced this exact sort of tranquility a short while ago.
Back then, she and Nan Huaixu were still practically strangers. They had sat in their shelter hiding from the rain, each holding a small wooden stick and using black charcoal ash to draw. One would draw, the other would guess, and then they would swap.
Nan Huaixu broke off a piece of cassava and ate it slowly. “The last rain lasted three days. I wonder how long it will pour this time.”
Liu Yinxi tilted her head up to look at the gray clouds in the sky. “Hard to say. But the rain is light, and the clouds are thin. Logically, it shouldn’t last too long.”
Nan Huaixu sighed softly. She picked up the wooden spoon and stirred the steaming fish soup. “Last time it rained, it was a good thing you predicted it; we prepared food and water in advance. This time, even though we didn’t specifically stockpile food, you led me in building this new shelter. It’s so nice that we have a place like this to escape the rain and warm ourselves by the fire.”
“Liu Yinxi, you predicted it this time too, right? That’s why we rushed to finish the treehouse before the rain.”
Chewing on the cassava, Liu Yinxi felt a bit unaccustomed to hearing Nan Huaixu praise her so effusively for the first time.
She was very honest. “No, this time it was just a coincidence.”
Cassava crumbs clung to the corners of her mouth, her voice mingling with the sound of her chewing. “If we had moved a little later, we would have been caught in the rain halfway here, or we’d be lying on a roofless platform getting soaked. And if we delayed any further, the river’s water level would rise after the rain, making it hard for us to cross.”
“…” Nan Huaixu looked at her quietly for a second, then turned her head to eat her cassava.
Understood.
I won’t praise you so much in the future.
Liu Yinxi pressed her hand against her chest, feeling the presence of the Qingshui Wushi pendant resting there. She closed her eyes and prayed, “Thank you for the protection.”
Nan Huaixu saw the placement of her hand and asked, “Are you thanking the jade pendant for blessing us with good luck?”
Liu Yinxi opened her eyes and ate the last bit of her cassava in one bite. “Yeah.”
Nan Huaixu had never believed in gods or buddhas; she was a staunch materialist. She told Liu Yinxi, “Luck is a part of one’s true strength. Then I’ll pray for a bit, too.”
Mimicking Liu Yinxi’s posture, Nan Huaixu raised her hand, pressed it against her chest, closed her eyes, and murmured softly, “Thank you for the protection.”
If it truly was this efficacious, then after the competition ended, she would go back to that store and buy another pendant carved from the exact same material.
Unable to go outside on a rainy day, they sat on the first floor doing some manual labor.
Liu Yinxi chopped wood with the stone axe, planning to make a two-tier storage rack. The top tier would hold food, backpacks, and other small everyday items, while the bottom tier would hold the airdrop box and larger supplies.
They had stockpiled plenty of wood and vines, so they could also make two small stools. That way, sitting wouldn’t be as hard on their rear ends as the stones were.
After Liu Yinxi finished cutting the wood, Nan Huaixu took the vine ropes to bind and shape them.
“Liu Yinxi.” Nan Huaixu’s voice was gentle, like a light, fluttering flower petal.
“Yeah, Teacher Nan.”
“It’s a bit boring. Could you tell me more stories about that friend of yours?”
“Sure.” Liu Yinxi stopped what she was doing. She thought for a moment, not knowing where to begin.
Liu Yinxi asked, “Teacher Nan, are you interested in my friend?”
Even though that “friend” was actually herself.
Nan Huaixu paused for half a second. Rolling up the vine rope, she said, “Oh, your friend is very unique. I don’t have anyone as free-spirited as her around me. I’m just curious about your experiences growing up in nature.”
“Honestly, it’s just like any kid growing up in the countryside.”
“Has she ever been in a relationship?”
Liu Yinxi’s wood-tying motions paused. The air fell briefly silent for a few seconds, leaving only the sound of rain in Nan Huaixu’s ears.
Liu Yinxi tilted her head slightly. This question…
The topic jumped a bit far, didn’t it?
One second they were talking about rural life, and the next they were on romantic life.
Well, since she herself had been single since birth1, she replied, “As far as I know, she hasn’t.”
Nan Huaixu twined the vine around her fingers. “Then, has she ever liked anyone?”
Liu Yinxi answered very frankly, “No, she never mentioned it.”
“Someone must have liked her, though.”
“Not that either. I never heard of anyone.”
“Liu Yinxi, are you really a good friend to her? Could it be that she just never told you?”
“That’s definitely impossible. There really wasn’t anyone.”
“What about you? Did you ever tell her when you liked someone?”
“I’ve never liked anyone either.”
Liu Yinxi realized that wasn’t strictly accurate and immediately added, “I’ve only had Ying Luoling. Teacher Nan, you know this. And now that’s over.”
“…” Nan Huaixu lowered her head. “Mhm. She was your first love.”
Liu Yinxi gave an awkward laugh. “Please, no. I believe it only counts as a first love if the affection is mutual. Fakes don’t count.”
Ying Luoling had purely bought the original Liu Yinxi to use her—treating her like an object displayed in the house to look at and pine for someone else2.
As for the memories and feelings the original owner had passed on to her, Liu Yinxi felt that the original had craved Ying Luoling’s money and doting more than anything. Perhaps, rather than romance, the original had simply enjoyed the feeling of being valued.
Nan Huaixu said, “You say it wasn’t mutual affection. So which of you didn’t like the other?”
“I was ignorant back then.” Liu Yinxi didn’t care what the original owner had thought. Right now, she didn’t want to analyze it; she just said whatever was on her mind. “Ying Luoling was after my face, and I was after her money and a place to stay. I thought that was love, but I was wrong. The truth is, neither of us ever liked the other.”
Liu Yinxi looked at Nan Huaixu, her expression entirely innocent. “What do you think, Teacher Nan?”
Nan Huaixu looked into her eyes for half a second before shifting her gaze away, focusing her attention on the half-finished storage rack. “Matters of the heart are only clear to the two people involved. I don’t have an opinion.”
Liu Yinxi really liked Nan Huaixu’s non-meddlesome personality. She said, “Anyway, I’ve already figured it out. Who cares whether she loved me or not, it doesn’t matter. I haven’t even figured out my own life yet. I should just mind my own business.”
“Mhm…” Nan Huaixu tied a sturdy knot on the triangular bracket, her voice a bit muffled.
The conversation was straying further and further off course.
Since one thing had led to another, Liu Yinxi, busy with her work, blurted out without thinking, “Teacher Nan, from childhood until now, have you ever liked anyone?”
Nan Huaixu’s face was utterly calm as she continued tying knots on the bracket. She didn’t answer.
【Liu just asked the question I’ve wanted to ask most.】
【Liu Yinxi, if you know how to ask, then ask more! (Excited)】
【Manman has been in the industry for over a decade without a single scandal. Any rumors are just shameless celebrities clout-chasing3.】
【Manman is a perfectionist. I have the same personality, so I get it. It’s really hard to develop feelings for another person. Even if you do, as you interact more and their flaws get exposed, it slowly fades. (Lying flat)】
【Sigh, there are ‘love brains4‘ in this world, and there are also romance-insulated brains. Why must everyone have the need and ability to ‘date’? Why assume everyone will like someone? Manman just loves making movies, is that not allowed?】
【Didn’t Manman just say she was interested in Liu’s friend? That shows she probably likes that kind of style. (Resting chin on hands)】
【It’s just a boring rainy day and she needed a topic to chat about, don’t overthink it.】
【I’ve always felt that Nan Huaixu’s acting in romance scenes is way more subpar5 compared to her other performances, so I deduce she really hasn’t experienced love all these years.】
“Sorry.” Liu Yinxi realized she had crossed a line the moment the question left her mouth. Nan Huaixu was a top-tier6 actress; asking such a question on a live broadcast would cause her a lot of trouble.
For the next few minutes, neither of them spoke. Just when Liu Yinxi assumed the chat was over, Nan Huaixu suddenly spoke up. “I don’t know what kind of feeling is considered ‘liking’ someone.”
Not just having a good impression, not being moved, not the halo effect, not the suspension bridge effect7, but pure attraction.
Liu Yinxi smiled at her. “What a coincidence. I don’t know either.”
Nan Huaixu pointed at the wood on Liu Yinxi’s side. “Help me grab that.”
“Here you go.”
“Let’s chat about something else, something we do know. What do you like to eat?”
“Tofu.”
“What?”
“I mean soy products. I love eating them all—tofu skin, tofu pouches, fried tofu rolls8…”
The sound of the rain gradually weakened, finally stopping at dusk.
Liu Yinxi took Nan Huaixu to check all four ground traps. There was no prey. The rainwater would wash away the scent of the bait, so Liu Yinxi added more insect meat to the traps.
They arrived at the water’s edge on the concave bank of the Toa River. Liu Yinxi gripped the vine rope tied to the tree trunk and carefully pulled it up, little by little.
Seeing her frown, Nan Huaixu asked softly, “What’s wrong?”
Liu Yinxi sped up her pulling. “The tension feels wrong. It might be…”
“Might be?” Nan Huaixu’s heart sank.
Liu Yinxi gave a hard tug, and the vine rope dragged half a shattered fish trap out of the water.
Nan Huaixu’s eyes darkened. The nested fish traps—one large, one small—that she had spent an entire afternoon weaving were ruined. The smaller one had been completely washed away by the rising river, and only a mangled half remained of the large one.
Let alone catching fresh prey, they had even lost their hunting gear.
The handmade salted dried fish were slowly altering in flavor due to the hot and humid environment of the rainforest, making them unpleasant to eat every day. They weren’t familiar with the resources along the riverbank, their food sources were uncertain, and the things they could eat were dwindling…
Sigh.
Nan Huaixu snapped a blade of grass beside her and turned her back. She knew her expression must look awful right now.
“Teacher Nan, I’m sorry. I forgot to account for the river rising and how it would affect the trap. I let down all your hard work. I should have reinforced the trap and chosen a safer spot in the water.”
Liu Yinxi observed the surrounding water and terrain, apologizing to her with profound guilt.
“Come on, I’ll cook you a bowl of braised beef noodles.”
They still had two bowls of instant noodles left. Liu Yinxi had previously stated they were to be kept as emergency food.
Nan Huaixu adjusted her emotions and turned back calmly. “Those are emergency rations.”
Liu Yinxi remembered the frown on Nan Huaixu’s face over the past few days whenever she had to eat the fishy, astringent dried fish. She only asked, “Do you want to eat them?”
Nan Huaixu fell silent for a moment. She had a very deep intuition: she couldn’t hide anything from this woman.
Nor could she manage to.
Nor did she want to.
“I do.”
Liu Yinxi grabbed her sleeve and pulled her forward, heading in the direction of their treehouse. “Great. I want to, too.”
Footnotes
- An internet slang term (mǔ dān), short for 'mǔtāi dānshēn' (single since the womb). It describes someone who has never been in a relationship since birth.
- A Chinese idiom (dǔ wù sī rén) meaning that seeing a specific object makes one pine for or think of the person associated with it.
- An internet slang term (cèng rèdù), literally 'rubbing against the heat.' It means to ride someone else's coattails, piggyback on a trending topic, or clout-chase to gain attention.
- An internet slang term (liàn'ài nǎo), literally 'love brain.' It describes someone who is hopelessly romantic to the point of prioritizing their love interest above all logic or reason.
- An internet slang term (lā kuǎ) meaning subpar, disappointing, or dragging down the overall quality.
- An internet slang term (dǐngliú), short for 'top traffic.' It refers to an A-list celebrity with the highest level of internet popularity and fan engagement.
- A psychological phenomenon (diàoqiáo xiàoyìng) where people misattribute the arousal and increased heart rate caused by a frightening situation (like crossing a high suspension bridge) to romantic or sexual attraction toward their companion.
- Various popular Chinese soy-based ingredients often used in hot pot: tofu skin (fǔpí), small fried tofu pouches stuffed with filling (fúdài), and deep-fried tofu skin rolls (xiǎnglíng juǎn).
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