The Stand-In Alpha Goes Viral on a Dating Show - Chapter 36

The consecutive confessions from Su Yao and Lu Xin—especially the revelation that both of them liked the same Alpha—instantly blew up the show’s popularity!

Netizens, while complaining that the drama felt too over-the-top and suspiciously scripted, quickly dismissed the idea. After all, neither Lu Xin nor Su Yao were nobodies; they were not the kind of people the production team could easily manipulate.

Even An Ran—arguably the easiest target—had shown a strong-willed personality in her own confession. So how could Lu Xin and Su Yao possibly be puppets controlled by the show?

That left only one burning question: Which Alpha was so capable of making both women fight over her?

Viewers went through all the Alpha contestants one by one—except for Mingyu and Chi Wan.

• “It has to be Gu Lin! She’s a genius designer and just so easy to get along with.”

• “I think it’s Shi Yi. She gives off this mysterious, untold-story kind of vibe.”

• “Could it be Tang Qian? She and Su Yao talked a few times.”

• “Xia Meng! She’s adorable!”

Just then, a timid barrage scrolled across the screen:

【Why has no one mentioned Chi Wan?】

The moment those words appeared, silence hung for three seconds. Then the comments exploded!

【Why not Chi Wan? Don’t tell me you don’t know her scandals!】

【Most importantly, neither Lu Xin nor Su Yao seems to like her that much.】

【No one’s going to openly confess to a gold-digger. Unless, of course… she’s not one.】

【Quick! The next Alpha going into the confession room is Chi Wan. Let’s hear what she has to say.】

That line silenced the chat again.

________________________________________

Chi Wan entered the confession room. She didn’t sit down right away, but instead brushed her fingers across the carved details of the chair. Only after steadying her emotions did she sit, tapping lightly on the table before speaking slowly:

“Today, I met many people. She… and they… My feelings are complicated. I know I’m probably not very likable.”

Tap.

Chu Rou’s fingertip struck her pen. Her lips tightened, her gaze tense. She was worried Chi Wan might say something careless—anything vague or ambiguous was enough for internet sleuths to run wild with.

【So you do know you’re unlikable! Whose fault is that? Gold-digging is tacky as hell.】

【We might’ve been too harsh on her though… maybe she’s not that bad?】

【Chi Wan-jiejie, stay strong! You might not be the most popular, but you’re definitely the most beautiful!】

After a pause, the girl in the confession room smiled faintly:

“And here… I also met her. She’s kind, adorable. I believe with time, more and more people will see how wonderful she is. I’ll keep working hard too, until one day… we can share our feelings.”

With that, she stood and left.

The live chat erupted again—

【Let me guess! The last ‘her’ must be An Ran. But then who are the others?】

【I don’t care. I only care if the WanAn CP is real!】

【So far, it feels like Chi Wan is into An Ran… but An Ran seems hesitant.】

【Remember Shi Yi’s warning? Thinking about it now is terrifying.】

________________________________________

Not long after, Chi Wan ran into Chu Rou, who had been waiting outside.

“Chi Wan, are you crazy? Why would you say those things on camera?”

“Why not? Who cares?” Chi Wan shrugged, her smile tinged with quiet sorrow.

Chu Rou wanted to snap, ‘You’ll ruin us both like this,’ but the words stuck in her throat. After a deep breath, she changed the subject:

“I know you must feel unwilling. But what’s done is done. Nothing you do now can change it.”

“Is that so? Looks like you really don’t have any feelings left for me. So those words about us being able to fix what’s broken… that was just a lie, wasn’t it?”

Chi Wan turned her face slightly, something glimmering faintly at the corner of her eye.

Chu Rou’s lips parted, but no explanation seemed right. She couldn’t bring herself to say: Yes, I was lying.

The two of them stood there, locked in silence as time slipped away.

“Director Chu, Mingyu just went in. Aren’t you going to listen?”

Chi Wan’s voice held a strange, sulky edge.

“I…” Chu Rou felt like she was losing her mind—because against all logic, she found herself worrying about Chi Wan’s feelings. “I won’t watch.”

“Why not?” Chi Wan looked at her in surprise. “Because whatever she says has nothing to do with you? Or… are you just running away?”

Chu Rou hated when people tried to read her mind, and her expression darkened.

Chi Wan smirked. “Fine. I’ll go then. Anyway, what you said earlier was probably just to pacify me, right? Calm me down, then send me off.”

Before Chu Rou could explain, Chi Wan slipped away like smoke.

The truth was, Chu Rou hadn’t gone to listen to Mingyu because there was no suspense—Mingyu never slipped on camera.

________________________________________

When the confessions ended, the guests returned to their rooms. Ten minutes were given to think before sending out their “heartbeat messages.”

Chi Wan’s mind raced. System! What’s the emergency mission? If I don’t complete it, I’ll miss the deadline!

【Ding! At host’s request, now revealing emergency mission: Please complete the following play. If you fail, don’t blame the system for sending your nudes out!】

What?! Nudes?! Chi Wan almost choked. System, I knew you were a pervert… but this is a new low.

Resigned, she followed the instructions—sending a video call request to her “little white flower.”

But not before carefully setting the stage: freshly showered, wrapped in a silky bathrobe, damp hair draped over one shoulder to reveal the other’s pale skin. For effect, she even dabbed a bit of blush on her cheeks.

________________________________________

An Ran, puzzled by the sudden request, hesitated—until she remembered how upset Chi Wan had been earlier. After a pause, she accepted.

The screen lit up. A wave of steam billowed toward the camera.

Startled, An Ran thought something had happened—but then the mist cleared, revealing that the camera was aimed into a bathroom.

“What is she doing?” An Ran muttered. Her heart, however, was already pounding as if it sensed danger.

“An Ran… I feel so dizzy.”

The sultry voice curled into her ears. A breathtaking beauty emerged from the bathroom, toweling her hair, stretching lazily.

“You’re dizzy? Is it false heat?” An Ran frowned, about to ask more, when Chi Wan suddenly tugged her bathrobe open, exposing smooth, pale skin.

“I’m so hot. Did the AC break?”

The robe slipped further, hanging off Chi Wan’s arms.

An Ran’s heartbeat faltered like the precarious robe.

“My collarbone… and my chest hurt. Look at it for me?”

She leaned close to the camera, so close An Ran could see the fine down on her flawless skin.

“Ah, the angle’s too high.” Chi Wan lowered the camera.

An Ran, terrified of seeing too much, squeezed her eyes shut.

Chi Wan laughed softly at her panic. “I’m not going to eat you.”

Her teasing tone made An Ran grit her teeth. She wouldn’t really dare to wear nothing but a robe… would she?

“Please, just look,” Chi Wan coaxed, leaning in further. In the shadows between, something dark and deep hinted at more.

An Ran’s hand twitched, ready to end the call—but then she saw it: a bite mark on Chi Wan’s collarbone.

Her eyes sharpened, emotions churning. “What’s this? Who bit you?”

“No one,” Chi Wan tilted her head, feigning thought.

“Think carefully. When did it start hurting?” An Ran’s jealousy flared. Chi Wan had mentioned her chest too.

“After dinner…” Chi Wan frowned pitifully.

“Where exactly does your chest hurt?” An Ran dug her nails into her palm to restrain her fury.

“Here.” Chi Wan glanced down shyly. “When I looked earlier, the skin was almost broken.”

“Who was it? You really don’t remember?” An Ran’s voice was low, tight.

Chi Wan looked at her with watery eyes, silent but full of meaning—protecting someone.

So she knows. And she’s willing… protecting them even. Then what am I? Just a bystander? A witness?

An Ran’s lips twisted in bitter self-mockery. She was about to end the call when Chi Wan suddenly said, in a soft, spoiled tone:

“It was you.”

“Impossible!” An Ran blurted, feeling utterly played.

“It was you! You bit me so hard, tomorrow it’ll be all bruised. It hurts so much, you bad person!”

Her aggrieved eyes accused her like she’d been wronged by a scumbag.

“I… I don’t remember.” An Ran’s voice was barely a whisper. So that’s why she was upset earlier… because of me?

But she truly had no memory.

“You left your teeth marks. If you don’t believe me, bite yourself and compare.” Chi Wan gazed at her with hurt. “You really don’t remember anything?”

“I… did I… also—”

An Ran flushed at the thought. Did I really bite her there too?

Chi Wan showed her swollen palm. “Look, my hand’s even swollen.”

Faced with undeniable evidence, An Ran could only nod. “…Did I also bite… down there?”

“Of course.” Chi Wan nearly bit her tongue holding back laughter. (No way she’d admit the truth—that it wasn’t a bite at all, but something else.)

“Why didn’t you push me away?” An Ran demanded.

“You tell me. I’m pursuing you.” Chi Wan’s voice was low and sad. I’ve only ever wanted to be closer to you.

Her gaze said what her lips didn’t, and An Ran’s racing heart softened.

“I’m so hot… so hot and aching.”

Chi Wan suddenly smiled, sly. “Still, the bite mark looks kind of pretty, doesn’t it?”

She tilted her chin, leaning forward, displaying the vivid imprint against her pale skin.

An Ran’s heart clenched—yet then she remembered her own aches. Her thighs sore, her underwear strangely displaced…

“So… did you also do something to me?”

The suspicion in An Ran’s eyes nearly made Chi Wan choke. Damn! How is she this sharp?

“I didn’t do anything! What could I possibly do?” Chi Wan blinked innocently.

“…Really?” An Ran wasn’t entirely convinced.

But before she could press further, Chi Wan pouted, tilted her phone suddenly, and the screen went black.

“Definitely her.” An Ran gritted her teeth. She thinks she can just run?

She was about to storm into the next room—but the reminder popped up: Time to send your heartbeat message.

Reluctantly, she filled it in.

Recipient: Chi Wan.

Confirm?

Confirm.

Ding! Message sent.

________________________________________

Unlike the first night, when the production spared everyone’s pride, from the second night on it would be obvious—whose phones chimed, and whose stayed silent.

Message sent, An Ran immediately went looking for Chi Wan.

Bang, bang!

The knocking startled Chi Wan—she had nearly sent her message to someone else, but hastily switched it to An Ran at the last second. Confirmed, she scrambled to the door.

“Who is it?”

“Who do you think? I came to check on your phone.”

An Ran’s voice carried a smile that her face did not.

“Thanks for your concern, but I can’t open the door right now.”

Chi Wan leaned against it, speaking in a sing-song, taunting tone.

“That’s fine. I’ll wait until you can.”

An Ran was in no rush. Tonight, she was getting her answers.

“You’ll be waiting forever. My whole body aches. Even fabric hurts against my skin… so right now, I’m completely bare.”

Chi Wan’s voice dropped lower, playful.

“So… do you still want to come in?”