The Stand-In Alpha Goes Viral on a Dating Show - Chapter 35

Chi Wan really wanted to say, “I don’t accept this. I refuse.”

But reality left her no room to refuse. Her mind was consumed by those words—unspeakable things—yet what could she do? The footsteps in the hallway grew closer; discovery was only a matter of time.

Worse still was her and An Ran’s current position.

An Ran’s teeth were clamped on her chest, while Chi Wan’s hand was wedged under the crook of An Ran’s knee.

If anyone saw them like this, the labels slapped on her would be unspeakably shameful. She was still so young—she couldn’t bear that kind of stigma.

So no matter how bizarre the system’s conditions, as long as it could get her out of this predicament, she could only grit her teeth and accept.

“Hurry up and make An Ran let go—both mouth and legs!” Chi Wan hissed the words through clenched teeth.

【Okayyy! Right away!】

The moment the system spoke, Chi Wan felt sudden relief in her chest, and the pressure on her hand all but vanished.

Good heavens, it was like a miracle—so fast! She pulled back her reddened, swollen hand and, for a moment, tears pricked her eyes from sheer relief. It had been too hard.

【It wasn’t a big deal. I just made her have a dream.】

For once, the system felt genuinely proud at Chi Wan’s reverence—bubbling with smug delight.

Then… what exactly is “unspeakable” about it? Tell me!

【It’s just unspeakable.】

Ugh, infuriating!

Chi Wan adjusted An Ran’s posture. She’d originally hoped she could use the chance to sneak in and complete her mission, but it seemed that plan had gone up in smoke.

She pressed down the handle and pushed the hidden door open from the inside. The sudden creak drew the attention of the group outside—every pair of eyes turned toward her.

“So it was you, Chi Wan?” Mo Wei’s brows rose in surprise, especially when she caught sight of the slumbering An Ran in Chi Wan’s arms. “And what exactly were you doing hiding in there with her?”

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that, Miss Mo? Why did An Ran end up like this—you must know best.” Chi Wan strode forward with An Ran in her arms.

As the light shifted from dim to bright, the anger etched across Chi Wan’s face came fully into view.

“You’re angry, Chi Wan? Because of her?” Mo Wei narrowed her eyes, genuinely astonished. “So you really do have feelings for her?”

This surprise wasn’t an act. Mo Wei had always assumed Chi Wan approached An Ran with ulterior motives. But now… now she wasn’t so sure.

“I’m sorry, Chi Wan.” Qu Huan, flushed and panting from dodging the three women, desperately wanted to leave, but Mo Wei and her friends had her cornered.

“As long as you cooperate and say what we want, you can leave whenever you like.”

Mo Wei pulled out her phone, opened the voice recorder, and twirled it casually in her hand. “Just say that you approached Mingyu only to exploit her connections and covet her money.”

“I… I can’t. I won’t.” Qu Huan shook her head, resolute.

“Why are you suddenly forcing her to say that?” Chi Wan’s eyes narrowed, suspicion growing. Had Mingyu tipped Mo Wei off somehow?

“No reason. I simply want her to say it. Is that not allowed?” Mo Wei arched a brow, feigning nonchalance.

“But she doesn’t want to.” Chi Wan stepped forward. “Are you really going to force her?”

“And if I say yes, what will you do?” Mo Wei stepped closer too, her gaze landing on the sleeping An Ran in Chi Wan’s arms, and—for some reason—it stung.

“I won’t do anything. But your chat logs? I still have those…” Chi Wan let the words hang, unfinished. To the others, they sounded cryptic, but Mo Wei knew exactly what she meant.

“Well. Well, well. Chi Wan, no one has ever dared cross me again and again like this.”

Mo Wei’s teeth ground as she spoke, her rage barely leashed. Gu Lin and Tang Qian exchanged looks—clearly, Chi Wan had Mo Wei by the throat with some damning leverage.

“This time, you get to walk away. Let’s go.”

Her voice dropped into a dangerous hiss. Casting one last dark glance at Qu Huan, Mo Wei turned on her heel.

Gu Lin and Tang Qian, faces clouded with complex emotions, followed.

By now, dinner and after-meal rest were over. All the guests had returned to the living room. The system purged the drugs from An Ran’s body—part of the reward Chi Wan had earned by accepting the earlier task.

“Next, each guest will enter the Confession Room in turn. Say whatever you like—your impressions of others, your thoughts on love. After this, everyone knows what comes next—the Heartbeat Messages. So, who wants to go first?”

“I’ll go.”

Still stung from Chi Wan’s defiance, Mo Wei rose immediately after Chu Rou’s introduction and strode into the small five-square-meter room. Facing the camera, she frowned slightly.

“Today, I saw the Alpha I like… and also another Alpha whose presence seems born to clash with mine. Life is funny that way. The Alpha I like seems to have feelings for an Omega, which, honestly, I find baffling. Meanwhile, the Alpha I don’t particularly like has appeared before me several times, as if trying to get my attention. Sometimes I even wonder… does she have feelings for me?”

【What is Mo Wei even talking about? We all know the Alpha she likes is Mingyu. Mingyu said she’d send her message to Qu Huan. But the Alpha she doesn’t like? Anyone can see that’s Chi Wan. Is she hinting Chi Wan likes her?】

【No way… this is basically a confession in disguise!】

【Pfft. Miss Mo really does think everyone likes her.】

Comments flooded the live-stream chat. Watching from behind the monitors, Chu Rou’s face was anything but pleased. The rising popularity should’ve been good news—but why did the thought of Chi Wan possibly having feelings for Mo Wei make her so upset?

And truthfully, she hadn’t seen any such thing.

“Director Chu, for the sake of the show, shouldn’t the next guest be Chi Wan?” one of the cameramen called in.

“And Meng Lan?” Chu Rou’s voice turned cold.

“She… went to the restroom.” (In reality, she’d stepped out for a smoke, but the cameraman didn’t dare say so.)

The stammering was enough for Chu Rou to know he was lying. “Forget it. I don’t think Chi Wan is suitable right now.”

Still, she pulled up Chi Wan’s live feed—only to see her fussing tenderly over An Ran.

“Are you feeling okay? Any discomfort?”

She even dropped eye-drops into Shi Yi’s eyes while rambling on, “Let me tell you, Shi Yi is no good. If I hadn’t shown up in time, who knows what she might’ve done. She even laid hands on you—faces far too close.”

An Ran listened silently, offering no opinion. Yet she couldn’t shake a vague unease: her teeth and jaw ached, the back of her knee felt sore, and her body still sticky with the faint sheen of sweat.

Worst of all, her underwear seemed to be riding too high, though she had no memory of why.

Then Shi Yi rose, smiling politely to the camera. On her way to the Confession Room, she paused in front of An Ran, casting her in shadow.

“How do you feel now? Not so bad, right?”

Before An Ran could answer, Chi Wan stormed to her side, bristling. “I’ve already said it—her matters don’t concern you.”

“I can’t help but care. After all, Miss An is so very beautiful.” Shi Yi’s low voice carried the faintest laugh as she stepped inside.

Facing the camera, she spoke:

“I think I’ve met my ideal type. A woman as serene as a painting. She seems to have a protector who never leaves her side—but I won’t give up. After all, only sincerity can move the heart.”

【Ohhh Shi Yi’s charisma is insane! But what did she mean at the end?】

【Clearly, she’s implying Chi Wan’s devotion is fake—and basically just pestering!】

【So she’s warning An Ran to beware Chi Wan.】

【Stop speculating. We’ll know when An Ran sends her message tonight.】

Backstage, the cameraman couldn’t resist calling Chu Rou again. “Director, honestly, the next should be An Ran.”

To his surprise, this time she agreed. “Fine. Arrange it.”

An Ran, learning it was her turn, half expected Chi Wan to say something. But Chi Wan stayed silent.

“You… have nothing to say to me?”

“No.” After all, Chi Wan already knew An Ran wouldn’t choose her. She’d seen the netizens’ comments after Shi Yi’s confession. The writing was on the wall.

But she couldn’t bring herself to beg for a message. So silence it was.

Puzzled by Chi Wan’s bleak demeanor, An Ran stepped into the Confession Room.

“I don’t think I have much to say. The person who always smiles at me isn’t happy tonight. That’s affected my own mood too. So… I’m sorry.”

And with that, she pushed the door open and walked out, leaving the cameraman dumbstruck.

“You’re done already? Don’t you want to say more?”

He stared at the utterly blank live-chat feed, nearly in tears.

“No.”

An Ran left quietly.

【Wow… she’s not like I imagined at all. She’s not just a soft ‘good girl.’】

【Exactly! She’s actually… cool. And did anyone else feel their heart melt at what she said? I declare it—#WanAnCP is REAL!】

【So sweet! ‘Because Chi Wan isn’t happy, I’m not happy.’ Ahhh!】

The barrage of comments shot up like fireworks, leaving the cameraman speechless. He hadn’t expected such a turnaround.

【Forget #WanAnCP—if An Ran’s message doesn’t go to Chi Wan, that’ll be a mess.】

【No, no, no. She’ll definitely send it.】

When An Ran returned to the living room, her swift pace drew curious looks.

Chi Wan, still lost in gloom, startled when a shadow fell beside her. She looked up—and froze when she saw it was An Ran.

Meanwhile, the next guest, Lu Xin, stepped into the Confession Room.

Hood up, mask on, only her eyes visible, she immediately set off chatter in the live stream.

【Why so mysterious? Is she hiding a makeover?】

【C’mon, she’s an extreme sports blogger, not a beauty influencer.】

Before speaking, Lu Xin remembered her earlier talk with Su Yao, who’d returned to their room looking stormy. Lu Xin had teased, “So? Lost to Chi Wan, didn’t you?”

Su Yao had smirked coldly. “Not lost—just troubled. Guess what she told me? She admitted she has feelings for me.”

“Impossible! Someone like her—admit that to you? At least make your lies believable!”

“You’re jealous, aren’t you? Whatever the case, she said it. Out loud.”

“And you think that means she’ll send you her message?”

Su Yao had only smiled. “Actually, Lu Xin, you should thank me. If I hadn’t beaten some sense into you, your sharp tongue would’ve left you with zero messages. At least Xia Meng still likes you.”

“You—!” Furious at Su Yao’s arrogance, Lu Xin had snapped, “Xia Meng’s nothing! Bet with me—whoever gets Chi Wan’s message first wins!”

“Fine. A bet it is.”

Neither remembered Mingyu in that moment.

Now, in the Confession Room, Lu Xin leaned back in the chair and said thoughtfully:

“I admit I really like Mingyu. But maybe she’s too far out of reach. Today, while spending time with the others, I realized there’s someone else—someone who keeps catching my eye. Maybe I should try getting closer to her.”

【It’s Xia Meng, right? Has to be!】

【Oh my god, double crush! Xia Meng clearly likes Lu Xin, and now Lu Xin admits she likes her too!】

In the director’s booth, Chu Rou nearly snapped her pen in two. Her gaze on Lu Xin was complicated—was she seriously giving up on Mingyu to chase Chi Wan?

One lunatic was bad enough. Now Su Yao too?

On camera, Su Yao smiled.

“Lu Xin and I like the same person. No surprise—we’re friends. But when it comes to love, I won’t back down.”

【WHAT?! Two against one?!】

【This is insane! This season of Endless Heartbeats is explosive!】

【Best friends crushing on the same Alpha—I’m nervous for them!】

【Hope their friendship survives…】