The Stand-In Alpha Goes Viral on a Dating Show - Chapter 27.1

Light footsteps sounded as Chi Wan returned to the living room. The moment she appeared, every pair of eyes turned toward her.

Lu Xin crossed her legs, fidgeting slightly, her unease plain for all to see. Almost without thinking, her hand slid along the curve of her thigh. Yes—whenever she was nervous, she had the odd habit of searching for her leg hair.

Noticing how smooth and delicate her skin felt after using depilatory cream, she inexplicably felt a little better.

Su Yao’s stomach was quietly aching again, but she had long since learned to endure such pain. Still, she couldn’t help sneaking a glance at Chi Wan, a flicker of hope hidden in her gaze—would Chi Wan notice her discomfort?

Compared to the two, Ruan Xiao seemed far calmer—until she caught sight of her slightly crooked lip line. Despite being a top influencer with millions of fans, she had a secret: she could never draw her lip line or eyeliner properly. Before dating Chi Wan, her makeup had always been done by professionals. After they got together, Chi Wan had eagerly taken over the task herself.

Now, without a makeup artist by her side, and with Chi Wan a near-stranger again…

Not exactly a stranger, perhaps. Ruan Xiao’s eyes instinctively shifted to her sleeve, as though she had caught sight of a strawberry mark hidden beneath the fabric on her pale arm—the mark left by Chi Wan’s biting and sucking.

Ruan Xiao found herself looking at Chi Wan with a subtle, hopeful gaze, almost inviting her to notice the imperfect lip line.

Chi Wan, meanwhile, had walked straight into a wall of staring faces the moment she entered. Her stomach gave a faint lurch.

Especially when the little white flower’s gaze lingered on the inside pocket of her jacket—enough to make Chi Wan feel the sudden, irrational urge to flee to the bathroom again.

“Miss Chi, you’re back. You’re the only one left who hasn’t spoken.”

An Alpha guest stood and strolled over with a show of friendly ease. But as they brushed past her, their voice dropped to a whisper:

“Everyone’s time is valuable, but it seems Miss Chi’s sense of time is… a little lacking.”

Mo Wei was perched on the outer edge of the sofa, the closest to Chi Wan, and naturally caught the remark. She gave a quiet, derisive laugh. Her opinion of Tang Qian, the one who spoke, ticked up a notch.

Gu Lin, watching, dug her nails into her palm in frustration. Clearly, her rival had beaten her to the punch in currying favor with Mo Wei.

A single glance at the group, and Chi Wan could read the undercurrents swirling between them. She simply plopped down on the sofa arm beside Mo Wei, neatly blocking their lines of sight. Folding her arms, she said coolly:
“Nature calls. I’m sure that’s something we can all understand.”

“Of course,” Xia Meng chimed in with a nod.

Gu Lin had expected Mo Wei to shoot back a sharp remark, but she stayed quiet.

From the moment Chi Wan sat beside her, Mo Wei had fallen oddly silent. There was a pressure about the woman beside her—skin like fine jade, a blazing red dress, seated just above her. Under the bright lights, the contrast of colors was so striking it almost hurt to look at her. Mo Wei found herself unable to say a word.

Her mind, unbidden, replayed her best friend’s earlier advice: Just make Chi Wan your stand-in. You’re in the same show—close proximity and all that. She’s a gold-digger, so throw some money her way and she’ll do it.

And, shamefully, her heart gave a little flutter.

But another voice in her head yanked her by the ear: Mo Wei, are you crazy?! Chi Wan is no pushover—you’ll die of frustration before you ever get what you want! You’re looking for a docile substitute, not a troublemaker with claws!

While Mo Wei wrestled with herself, Chi Wan was speaking about her “ideal type”:

“I don’t have one. Every relationship I’ve been in, I’ve followed my feelings, always with marriage in mind. Unfortunately, they all ended for… certain reasons. But I still believe in true love. I hope to find someone who understands me, loves me, and will spend a lifetime with me.”

When she finished, the living room went still for a beat. It was only a few sentences, but the implications were huge.

【Whoa! Fellow students, did you hear that? Chi Wan said all her relationships ended for a certain reason—certain, not various! Think about that with her earlier messages—creepy!】

【So… was Chi Wan really just someone’s stand-in? Were all those rich exes secretly in love with someone else?】

【Don’t buy her sob story! She’s making herself sound like some poor heartbroken victim!】

Follow my feelings, head toward marriage—that one phrase echoed in the minds of Lu Xin, Su Yao, Ruan Xiao, Meng Lan, and Chu Rou.

Each of them imagined a wedding: two brides in pure white gowns, smiling brighter than spring sunshine. One of them was Chi Wan; the other’s face blurred in their minds. When they tried to picture themselves there, a dull ache throbbed in their temples.

Why…? they wondered uneasily. Could it be that deep down, we think Chi Wan doesn’t belong in a wedding with us?

While the exes were caught in their private storms, Chi Wan was reading their expressions like a book.

【Ding! Side quest “Increase your exes’ regret.” Complete this to earn: Slim Waist +5%. (Don’t ask why it’s so much—because a good waist makes for a better lover, if you know what I mean.)】

Chi Wan snorted inwardly: System, I suspect you’re being… indecent.

【What? Never! It’s an old saying—A sister’s waist is not just a waist, it’s a killer’s blade! We’re making you deadlier. You should be thanking me.】

Fine. The waist is important. I’ll take the mission.

Soon it was time for the “First Impressions” short video segment. Some guests spoke to the camera alone; others included friends or family.

When Mingyu’s video started, the sweeping view of the Ming family’s luxurious villa drew gasps of envy. The Ming Group’s CEO and his wife appeared next, expressing their hopes for their daughter. The other guests marveled at the family’s closeness.

【Mingyu really is a true heiress—dotting parents, charmed life!】

【No wonder so many Omega guests in this show have a crush on her!】

【Don’t ask why I’m drooling—I just envy people who are born at the finish line.】

Chi Wan watched quietly—until her phone buzzed in her pocket. Seeing her mother’s name flash on the screen, she was about to get up when she caught sight of An Ran’s expression as she watched Mingyu’s video.

It was… complicated—part rejection, part longing.

Remembering An Ran’s “orphan” backstory, Chi Wan felt she understood. She reached over and gently squeezed An Ran’s hand.

“You’re… comforting me?” An Ran’s voice was soft.

“Mm-hm.” Chi Wan nodded.

“Then… can you show me what’s in your pocket?” An Ran’s voice dropped, her eyes shadowed, but her head tilted playfully.

“This…” Chi Wan began to lean back, but An Ran caught her hands, holding her in place.

“What excuse are you going to use this time?” An Ran’s face was so close now that their breath mingled.

“I… my mom’s calling me home for dinner. I have to say no—sorry!”

Before An Ran could react, Chi Wan pulled free and bolted upstairs. Only in the safety of her room did she exhale in relief.

Since when did the little white flower get so clingy?

She answered the call, adopting the original Chi Wan’s tone. “Hi, Mom?”

“Wanwan, are you doing okay at school?” Her mother’s voice was weak, punctuated by coughs.

“I’m fine. Eating well, money’s enough—but your treatment and medicine, don’t you dare skimp on them!”

Her mother seemed reassured, offering a few last reminders before hanging up—only to ask, just before the line went dead: “Wanwan, no strange people have been bothering you lately, right?”

“Nope,” Chi Wan replied instantly. But the question nagged at her. In the original’s memories, her mother had always asked that same thing since she came to the city for school.

“That’s good. If anything ever happens, you must tell me,” Chi Wan’s mother stated.

System, could the original have some hidden background? Chi Wan stared at the black screen, the thought slipping out—and startling the system.

【Why would you think that?】

Call it a hunch. The original never had a father, and her mother’s looks and bearing—she’s nothing like a simple village woman.

Pulling up old photos, Chi Wan saw a younger version of her mother: bright-eyed, stunning, the kind of beauty that turned heads. The resemblance between them was undeniable.

And the fact that Chi Wan took her mother’s surname… well, it hinted at a story.

【Enough speculation—your video is coming up next.】

Let it. I don’t need to be there in person.

Before leaving her room, she grabbed a few things—pausing to slip the bra from her inner pocket under her pillow.

#Risk of exposure too high#

If the little white flower was fixated on it, the best move was to lie low.

When she came downstairs, the other guests pretended not to notice, keeping their eyes to themselves. Chi Wan enjoyed the peace—though An Ran’s gaze once again circled her jacket pocket.

Look all you want, Chi Wan thought. I’m not hiding or dodging this time.

“It seems you’ve moved it somewhere else. You really don’t want me to know?” An Ran smiled faintly, but her expression was tinged with disappointment.

“Sorry, little sister. It’s just not the right time. I’m afraid you’d misunderstand me.” As a pervert, she added silently.

“Misunderstand?” An Ran rolled the word on her tongue, saying no more.

The twelve guests’ videos played through quickly. The ones that stood out most—besides Mingyu—were Mo Wei’s.

Her video had one theme: obscene wealth.

A walk-in closet spanning hundreds of square meters—money.

Racks of luxury accessories—money.

A glass display case of top-tier handbags—money.

A vanity glittering with diamonds, a bathroom plated in gold—money, money, money.

【Oh my god, this is insane. No wonder she’s the Mo family’s most competitive heir. My brain is just stacks of cash right now.】

【I’m sick with jealousy. My dream is to own a single Hermès bag, and she has a whole closet of them.】

【Damn her—being beautiful is bad enough, but rich too? And not just rich—gorgeous on top of it!】

But what left the deepest impression on Chi Wan—aside from everything else—was Shi Yi’s short video. After all, Shi Yi was suspected of having a thing for that “little white flower.”

The video was filled with Shi Yi’s paintings and clips of her in the middle of creating them. But Chi Wan couldn’t help wondering if it was just her imagination—Shi Yi’s expression while painting didn’t seem entirely focused, her mind appearing to drift elsewhere.

Had she hit a creative block?

“Now that you’ve all shared your short videos, I’m sure you’ve gained a deeper understanding of one another,” the host announced. “Next, it’s time for the gift exchange. Alpha guests and Omega guests, please head to your respective gift rooms.”

The gifts selected by the Alphas were prepared by the Omegas, and vice versa.

When the six Alpha guests entered a dreamy, beautifully decorated room, they were immediately drawn to six exquisitely designed display stands. On them sat a crown, a bracelet, a plush toy, a fountain pen, a sports-themed set of figurines, and a fairy-tale castle ornament.