The Stand-In Alpha Goes Viral on a Dating Show - Chapter 41.2

The cool dampness made An Ran flinch.

“Too cold?”

Chi Wan teased the curled toes with her fingers, then pressed her warm palm against them. Instantly, the chill melted away—only to spark another kind of shiver.

“You still haven’t told me what exactly happened.”

She slipped sandals onto An Ran’s feet. An Ran pressed her lips together, struggling for words.

Before she could answer, Su Yao and Gu Lin emerged from the lounge nearby.

“President Su, thank you for your guidance. I think I finally have some ideas about how to open up a sales channel.”

Gu Lin smiled, brushing her windblown hair behind her ear, gratitude clear in her eyes.

“It was nothing.”

Su Yao’s tone was cool as ever, her face unchanged by the thanks. But then her gaze slid sideways, catching sight of something—her expression flickered with surprise.

And beneath that surprise: embarrassment, jealousy, and simmering irritation.

“Well, well. The deck wasn’t enough for you two? Had to sneak off somewhere private to continue?”

Following her gaze, Gu Lin spotted Chi Wan holding An Ran’s foot so tenderly in her hands. The posture was far from ordinary.

“Why so quiet? Don’t tell me we’ve interrupted your little moment?”

Su Yao’s voice was sharp, the words mocking. Yet despite “apologizing” for disturbing them, she made no move to leave.

Her eyes, burning with restrained anger, remained fixed on the pair.

She had been in a foul mood ever since the incident on deck, convinced Chi Wan had retreated upstairs just to spite her. When she ran into Gu Lin, she’d chatted idly, venting some of her frustration.

But then—Chi Wan again. Not only that, she had brought along her “kissing partner.” From the look of things, they were ready to continue what they’d started on the deck, maybe go even further.

“Chi Wan, cat got your tongue?”

Su Yao couldn’t resist another jab. She knew her own behavior was unbecoming, but she simply couldn’t stop herself.

Chi Wan’s gaze hardly landed on her anymore, the withdrawal of attention cutting sharper than a blade. The detachment made Su Yao restless, humiliated.

She needed to provoke something—anything—from Chi Wan.

But Chi Wan only rose silently, pulled An Ran up with intimate ease, and prepared to leave.

“Don’t you dare walk away. What’s the matter, Chi Wan? Afraid?”

Su Yao stepped in front of the door. The usually composed woman acting so irrationally left onlookers stunned.

From the side, Gu Lin only felt awkward—yet also faintly envious.

What was it about Chi Wan that drew them all like this?

Su Yao, Lu Xin… even Mo Wei’s attitude toward her had begun to shift.

Chi Wan lowered her lashes, fixing Su Yao with a steady look. That single glance sent heat surging through Su Yao’s chest, an agitation she hadn’t felt in ages.

“Move.”

Finally, Chi Wan spoke. Just one word.

Su Yao’s lips pressed tight. She refused to budge. Chi Wan couldn’t possibly manhandle an Omega, could she? Force her way through?

As expected, Chi Wan only let out a mirthless laugh and sat back down with An Ran. “Fine. If someone wants to stand guard, let them. My time’s not that precious anyway.”

She tilted her head toward An Ran. “Darling, shall we carry on? We’ve got ourselves a free doorkeeper.”

Su Yao stood there like a gate guardian. Chi Wan could only conclude she was sick—seriously sick.

“I’m thirsty,” An Ran murmured softly. Her voice sounded weak, but the glance she slid Su Yao’s way was anything but—dark and cutting.

“There are drinks here. How about a cola?”

Chi Wan scanned the cooler and pulled out a bottle.

“Alright. I’ll listen to you.”

An Ran yawned, then leaned against Chi Wan’s shoulder, ignoring the others as though they didn’t exist.

“I’m a little sleepy.”

The tenderness in their exchange, contrasted with Su Yao’s stiff posture at the door, made Gu Lin want to vanish from embarrassment.

She wanted to slip away, but leaving Su Yao alone felt wrong too.

Inside, Chi Wan and An Ran sat in cool comfort. Outside, Su Yao and Gu Lin stood in the humid sea breeze.

Why were they torturing themselves like this?

Before long, An Ran had drifted into sleep against Chi Wan’s shoulder. Even Chi Wan’s eyes drooped with drowsiness.

Unable to bear standing any longer, Gu Lin tugged Su Yao’s sleeve. She couldn’t believe she’d never noticed how obsessive Su Yao could be.

“President Su, it’s late. We should go.”

Su Yao’s face was dark, but the clock didn’t lie—it was nearly time for the daily wrap-up meeting. She tried to move, only to stagger. Her legs, numb from standing too long, almost gave out.

She caught herself on the doorframe before she could fall.

Glancing back, she saw Chi Wan already with her eyes closed, half-asleep in her chair. Su Yao turned away at last, forcing herself to walk off.

But just as she stepped forward, a voice drifted softly from behind:

“I’m not afraid. You are, Su Yao.”

Su Yao froze. For an instant, her composure cracked—and then she fled as if in retreat.

Halfway down the corridor, unwillingness gnawed at her. She wanted to turn back. She couldn’t stand the thought of Chi Wan looking down on her.

“President Su, let it go. The meeting matters more.”

Gu Lin’s quiet reminder stopped her. She didn’t understand the complicated knot between Su Yao and Chi Wan. But she sensed history there.

Much like her own silent feelings for Qu Huan—one-sided, unnoticed.

Pathetic, really.

When all the guests regrouped on deck, Chu Rou noticed subtle shifts in how they regarded one another.

Qu Huan, for instance, kept sneaking shy glances at Gu Lin, her eyes darting away the moment they met.

Shi Yi, meanwhile, let her gaze linger on An Ran, lips curved in an unreadable smile.

“Why, isn’t this Miss Ming?”

A man’s sudden voice cut through Chu Rou’s thoughts. She turned and saw a sharply dressed gentleman approaching.

After a brief word with Mingyu, he looked to the others.

“Tonight, there will be a marvelous performance aboard this ship. I’d like to formally invite you all. Perhaps there, you might discover a side of yourselves you’ve never seen before.”

He licked his lips, face bright with excitement—and if one looked closely, more than a hint of lust.