Substitute Alpha Gets Confessed to by Her Ex’s Aunt on a Survival Variety Show – Chapter 67
by Little PandaIs the Water Temperature Right?
Auntie had always been strict, but this was the first time she had scolded Luo Ling in public.
Luo Ling understood that Mommy didn’t love her, a child born out of wedlock. The Nan family’s distant attitude toward her and her mother was proof enough. But it didn’t matter. She would break through worldly prejudices and make Mommy and the Nan family see her shine.
Luo Ling remembered her mother’s admonition: the Nan family had an austere tradition. Mommy, Grandmother, and Auntie all despised the weak and incompetent. When dealing with the Nan family, one had to hold one’s head high and state one’s thoughts without arrogance or servility.
“Auntie, I’m your own niece. I’m worried about you.” Luo Ling set aside her earlier petulant grievance and lowered her voice. “I signed Liu Yinxi away from the livestreaming company. I’ve spent over three years with her. She lives in my place, eats my food, wears my clothes, uses my things. I know her too well. Even if she occasionally does something attention-grabbing—”
Nan Huaixu cut her off sharply: “Is sowing discord how you defeat your enemies?”
Luo Ling froze in bewilderment. “Auntie…?”
How could she think that of her?!
Her Auntie must have been bewitched by Liu Yinxi… just like three years ago, when she sent ten Carnival gifts in a row during Liu Yinxi’s dance livestream.
Nan Huaixu looked at Luo Ling with cold indifference. “How my teammate is, and how we compete, is my business. Your past life is your business.”
She had deliberately lowered her voice and stepped into the camera’s blind spot to speak with Luo Ling—giving her Big Niece some face.
“Luo Ling, we are enemies. This is my last reminder to you.”
Nan Huaixu turned and walked to Liu Yinxi’s side. “I have my own judgment about right and wrong. You live the life you want.”
Liu Yinxi’s eyes filled with emotion, the light in them flickering constantly. “Thank you, Teacher Nan.”
She poked her head out from behind Nan Huaixu’s shoulder and cast a glance at Luo Ling, who was burying her head in the shade of the trees. “Teacher Nan, is Luo Ling okay? She’s still having a hard time. Whether working or competing, it’s not easy. I understand how she feels. She mainly wants the shea butter cream. Teacher Xue might not be able to help her buy it, so she’s anxious.”
Why, suddenly feeling sorry for the ex-girlfriend?
Nan Huaixu fixed her gaze on Liu Yinxi’s arm. “Does the wound not hurt anymore?”
Liu Yinxi immediately shut up, wrinkling her brow and whimpering a couple of times, then stayed quietly by Nan Huaixu’s side.
Once bitten, twice shy. Liu Yinxi had learned from the original book that Nan Huaixu and Luo Ling didn’t have a good relationship. From now on, she’d watch more, listen more, and speak less.
Silence is golden, silence is golden…
Once she bought the mosquito net, she could return to the shelter. Liu Yinxi wanted to leave before the other guests came back.
Just as she was about to move, footsteps and Yu Yan’s voice came from the vending machine.
“How did it go? Find any pearls?”
“Here.”
Liu Yinxi heard Huang Heshan’s low voice and silently hid behind Nan Huaixu, quickening her pace toward the woods.
Yu Yan held a pearl and operated the purchase. The vending machine asked: “Confirm purchase of soapnut soap? No returns or exchanges after purchase…”
Liu Yinxi was slipping away when suddenly a gust of wind rushed past behind her, and Huang Heshan’s irritable voice rang out: “Are you annoying or what?”
Nan Huaixu turned back in confusion.
Liu Yinxi sucked in a breath of cold air, turned around mechanically, and smiled politely. “Esteemed Huang-jie, I wonder how this little sister has annoyed you?”
Huang Heshan crossed her arms, standing straight on the riverbank, her expression sharp. “I followed you for a while in the coral gully. The seabed is huge. How did you find that spot so precisely in such a short time?”
Liu Yinxi said, “I found it by following the Toa River Estuary.”
Huang Heshan lowered her gaze, the tree shade casting a shadow across her face. “Is that so? You didn’t follow me?”
Liu Yinxi cried injustice: “Huang-jie, you know how strong your reconnaissance skills are. If I dared to follow you, wouldn’t you have noticed?”
“…” Huang Heshan paused for a moment, acknowledging her opponent’s recognition of her capabilities.
She thought for a moment, stepped closer, and asked Liu Yinxi quietly: “When you met Yu Yan a few days ago, what did you two talk about?”
Liu Yinxi felt even more wronged: “We didn’t talk about anything. Just, she likes flowers, which plants on the road can treat burns, and she taught me to identify toad venom.”
“Huang. He. Shan.” Yu Yan walked between them with a dark face, questioning her teammate with her eyes: You don’t trust me?
Huang Heshan’s expression softened.
Yu Yan pointed northeast. “Let’s go back.”
Huang Heshan stared at her for two seconds, then turned away without leaving.
Luo Ling, who had been sitting and waiting, stood up anxiously: “Hey, don’t rush off. It’s almost dusk and getting dark. Don’t leave me here alone.”
Huang Heshan glanced at her with annoyance, her thoughts clearly written on her face: What’s that got to do with me?
Luo Ling had observed the previous airdrops and summarized each guest’s personality traits. She quickly turned to the most approachable person, Yu Yan, for help: “Yu Yan, it’s already five-thirty. In a little while it’ll be dark. Yunshao hasn’t come back yet. I don’t dare stay here alone. Can you stay with me until six o’clock? Just half an hour is enough.”
Yu Yan hesitated slightly. Before she could respond, three figures emerged from downstream. One of them waved both arms and shouted: “Hey! Look at what your sis scored!”
The people by the vending machine turned to look. The person was jumping around like a monkey, running over excitedly: “Woo-hoo!”
Nan Huaixu frowned and touched Liu Yinxi’s left hand: “Let’s go quickly.”
Yuan Fang ran faster and faster: “Old Sis Liu! Look at my big pearl! How big are yours? Come on, bring them out and compare!”
Liu Yinxi stood at an angle, half her body turned toward Nan Huaixu, half toward Yuan Fang. She burst out laughing, pointed at Xue Yunshao who had returned with Yuan Fang, and called out loudly: “Teacher Xue, run! Boss Yuan is trying to beat you to buying supplies!”
Xue Yunshao suddenly realized and took off running: “Boss Yuan, that’s not fair. You threw a smoke bomb to confuse me.”
Yuan Fang chuckled and waved magnanimously: “Fair~ I won’t compete with you. Xiao Qi-mei is behind you. She’ll buy.”
Anyway, Xue Yunshao wanted to buy shea butter cream, and she wanted the herbal cream.
Yuan Fang happily pulled out the pearls from her pocket and showed them to everyone standing there: “How about that! How about that! Quick, bring yours out and compare!”
Nan Huaixu and Huang Heshan both stepped back expressionlessly. Yu Yan smiled politely.
Liu Yinxi still had two small beads in her pocket. Seeing that Nan Huaixu didn’t look well, she didn’t respond.
Right now, besides Yuan Fang, the most excited person was Luo Ling.
She had waited the longest. In her lonely wait, she’d been scolded by her Auntie, received cold looks from Huang Heshan, and nearly been left alone on the riverbank as darkness fell. All these grievances gathered into a sorrow that vanished the moment she saw Xue Yunshao returning with pearls.
Luo Ling rushed impatiently toward Xue Yunshao, her heart and eyes filled with her. That was the alpha destined for her in this life.
“Yunshao, I want to see the pearl.” Luo Ling looked up into Xue Yunshao’s eyes, her tenderness flowing.
“Okay.” Xue Yunshao opened her palm for her to see.
Liu Yinxi caught a glimpse—it was just a mung bean-sized oval bead.
Yuan Fang leaned over to Xue Yunshao and exclaimed: “Whoa! Yours is actually bigger than mine!”
She looked at the rice-grain-sized irregular pearl in her hand and sighed: “Lu Yiqi, can you do this or not?”
Lu Yiqi disdainfully tossed an even smaller bead into the vending machine: “Sometimes I really wish you were mute.”
Huang Heshan, who rarely spoke, gave a soft laugh and asked Yuan Fang: “Where does your confidence come from?”
Yuan Fang answered forcefully: “How hard is it to find pearls in the ocean? Having any is good enough. What about yours? Bring it out and show us.”
Huang Heshan curled her lips and called to Yu Yan behind her: “Show them.”
Yu Yan said absently: “Why?”
Huang Heshan: “They want to compare, so let them lose convincingly.”
Yu Yan reluctantly took off the pearl from her neck. It was about the size of a pea, nearly perfectly round, very beautiful.
Yuan Fang’s eyes went wide: “This is really beautiful. As expected of Huang-jie. I bow in defeat. Impressive, impressive.”
Luo Ling stepped closer to examine it, envy in her eyes: “I never thought we could find such round sea pearls in a survival competition. Amazing.”
Huang Heshan’s gaze swept over Xue Yunshao, Lu Yiqi, and finally settled on Liu Yinxi’s face: “What about you?”
This Liu person had some skills, but she was slippery everywhere. She didn’t believe Liu Yinxi could have found the coral gully without tracking her movements.
Liu Yinxi was baffled. Compare if you want to compare: “Teacher Nan.”
Nan Huaixu felt this comparison was meaningless, even childish.
She had always believed in not flaunting wealth. Besides, Liu Yinxi was injured, still covered in seawater stains, and she didn’t want to delay: “Forget it. Let’s go.”
“Oh.” Then let’s go. Liu Yinxi didn’t want to waste time here either. She said goodbye to the other guests.
Huang Heshan called out to Liu Yinxi’s back: “Liu, don’t think playing clever tricks will make you stand out.”
Luo Ling chimed in: “That’s right. It’s not shameful to lack the ability to find big pearls. But an alpha always relying on an omega’s protection in front of others isn’t good.”
“.”
Nan Huaixu suddenly stopped. She took out the large pearl from her bag, opened her hand before everyone, turned on her bracelet’s light and aimed it at her palm, letting the pearl’s luster dazzle everyone’s eyes.
This was a treasure pearl worthy of display in a jewelry showcase. Its size, shape, and luster were all flawless.
Silence fell over the riverbank. Only the river water flowed merrily.
Liu Yinxi, in the midst of Huang Heshan’s silence and Luo Ling’s shock, was led into the woods by Nan Huaixu holding her left hand.
Their figures disappeared into the green.
Luo Ling lowered her head dejectedly, biting her lip and murmuring: “Liu Yinxi? How is that possible…”
Just a soft-rice alpha1 who only knows how to rely on an omega.
But Liu Yinxi had found such a large sea pearl, and the survival skills she’d displayed since the competition began…
Had Liu Yinxi really become different from before?
【Awooo! Manman is so cool!】
【Manman is like the adult among a bunch of little kids, completely ignoring the comparison (laughing and crying)】
【Nyah nyah, dumbfounded now, aren’t you? Our Xixi is amazing!】
【Actually Luo Ling isn’t wrong. In the end Liu still relies on Nan Huaixu’s protection (Doge)】
【Luo Ling is acting weird today. Why is she meddling in Nan Huaixu’s business?】
【She’s worried about her auntie. Luo used to be Liu’s girlfriend, she must know some dirt. Afraid Nan is being deceived (eating melons)】
【I think Luo is managing too broadly =.=】
【Huang-jie is acting a bit strange today too.】
【Huang Heshan has always been competitive. Liu Yinxi stole her first place right in front of Yu Yan. Of course Huang would be angry (eating melons)】
【Huang-jie really shouldn’t have suspected Yu-yu…】
【No one’s curious why Liu Yinxi went straight to the coral gully when she dove? She seemed to know that place a long time ago.】
【It is coincidental. Huang-jie dives often and only just found the coral gully. Liu dives for the first time and finds it quickly. No wonder Huang-jie suspects Liu followed her.】
【Xixi has enough geographical knowledge. She said she found it by inferring from the Toa River Estuary. What are some people still questioning?】
【Xixi’s injury needs to heal quickly. Tonight take a nice bath and rest well (＾Ｕ＾)】
In the night, the small treehouse glowed with warm campfire light.
Two mess tins bubbled with boiling water. Nan Huaixu rolled up her sleeves and wiped the sweat from her forehead.
On the banana leaf screen hung Liu Yinxi’s hardshell jacket and hardshell pants.
Nan Huaixu turned to ask her: “Is the water temperature right? Do you need more hot water?”
“It’s fine! No need, thank you, Teacher Nan. I like it a bit cooler.”
Liu Yinxi soaked in the large white barrel filled with warm water, both arms resting on the rim, eyes narrowed contentedly.
So nice. Over a month on the island, and finally a comfortable bath.
She raised her right arm to keep water from wetting the wound and bandage. Her left hand held the coconut oil soap, lathering bubbles over her body, secretly recalling in her heart how Teacher Nan had stood up for her. That presence, that authority—so cool.
Liu Yinxi unconsciously hummed a little song. From outside the screen, Nan Huaixu said: “Okay, I’m coming in.”
The little song stopped abruptly. Liu Yinxi covered her chest: “Huh?”
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