The Stand-In Alpha Goes Viral on a Dating Show - Chapter 69

Hoo…

The head of the Chi family suddenly felt a searing pain in her chest—grief for the long-lost fiancée and daughter she had been separated from, and anguish for the years she had spent living under her mother’s iron control.

Light footsteps drew near, followed by a deliberate knock at the door.

“Son, are you asleep?”

The voice of an elderly woman drifted in from outside.

She ought to have answered, but after the crushing blow she had just endured, she could not summon the strength. Instead, she let herself sink into the endless darkness.

Her lips curled into a bitter, mocking smile at that word—son.

Mother, have you forgotten that I was born a daughter?

From the very day of her birth, her mother had lied to the world, declaring her a boy—solely to seize the family inheritance. Her father favored sons and had plenty of illegitimate children.

But even after she had grown and become head of the Chi family, why was she still forced to live as a man?

Perhaps the truth was simple: her mother had always wished she had given birth to a son.

Chi Feng’s laugh was laced with self-mockery as her memories slipped back more than twenty years—to when she first met Chi Wan’s mother. That day, the young woman had fallen into the water, and Chi Feng had leapt in after her. In the struggle, her drenched clothes betrayed her secret.

“Hey! You’re clearly a girl—why pretend to be a man?”

“Chi Feng! Won’t you show me what you look like in women’s clothes?”

That smiling, curious girl had hovered by her side, questions tumbling endlessly from her lips. Unknowingly, she warmed the heart that had long been frozen in loneliness.

And so, their bond grew closer and closer.

But the gulf between their families was enormous. The opposition was suffocating. Her lover, understanding her burdens, never asked for titles or recognition—only to stay quietly by her side.

By the time Chi Wan was three years old, her lover could still endure it, but Chi Feng could not. She could no longer bear to see the woman she loved reduced to a nameless shadow, nor their adorable daughter dismissed as an illegitimate child unworthy of mention.

She decided to defy everyone and was ready to marry her lover. But at that very moment, the battle for succession reached its fever pitch.

Her mother, desperate for allies, ordered her to marry the eldest daughter of another powerful Omega family. Chi Feng refused, even threatening to die rather than submit.

Her mother seemed to relent, allowing her to become engaged to her beloved. Overjoyed, she believed the nightmare had ended—only to discover it was a ploy to buy time.

Behind her back, her mother spread word of an impending marriage alliance with the other family’s Omega, while secretly pressuring her lover to take their daughter and leave.

Chi Feng never knew, and so she could not understand her lover’s growing fear. When her beloved pressed her again and again—“Will you marry me? Do you still mean it? Does your mother want me gone?”—she lost her temper.

“Can’t you be more reasonable? We’re at the critical moment of the succession fight. Mother has already compromised. We’re engaged—what more do you want? Stop being selfish and think about me for once!”

She had shouted, then saw the tears brimming in her lover’s eyes. Regret stabbed her, especially when she caught their daughter’s terrified little face. Guilt nearly drowned her.

But before she could apologize, an urgent call pulled her away to deal with a business crisis. She rushed off.

As they brushed past each other, she faintly heard her lover’s broken whisper:

“Fine. I’ll think of you. I’ll let you go.”

From that day, both mother and child vanished without a trace.

Her mother claimed they had gone abroad, even showing her airport photos. Foolishly, she had believed the lie for years.

But in truth, they had never left the country.

Every time Chi Feng thought of this, it felt like knives slicing her heart. The hatred festered, burning her from within.

Everyone in the business world knew the Chi family head suffered from a terminal illness and had little time left. Even her own mother believed it. Yet despite this, she had never once confessed the truth about Chi Wan’s mother and daughter.

Perhaps her mother had always wanted her dead.

The door clicked open. Light spilled in from the hall. Chi Feng’s smile twisted, bitter and dark.

There she was—her arrogant, domineering mother. Even though Chi Feng was head of the family, she still entered her room without permission.

Enough. She was done living under such suffocating oppression.

She had faked her death in rebellion, only to discover that her mother had never cared whether she lived or died.

How laughable.

“Son, you’re still awake?” The older woman stepped inside, only to freeze at the sight of Chi Feng’s shadowed eyes.

“Yes… just thinking. Cough, cough.”

Chi Feng let out two weak coughs, her voice faint, as though drained of strength.

“What troubles my son?”

Her mother strode forward and sat at the bedside as if it was only natural. Seeing the cough, she did not so much as feign concern.

“The matter of succession, of course. Today a junior from the collateral branch called me.”

“Who?” Her mother frowned. “Trying to show off, no doubt? How foolish. Strip them of their candidacy immediately.”

Chi Feng listened quietly, then asked, “Truly?”

“Of course. Though… if it was a male Alpha, another chance might be acceptable.”

“It wasn’t a male Alpha. It was a female Omega.”

Her reply was calm.

“A female Omega?” Disgust sharpened her mother’s tone. “Then strip her rights at once. I don’t know what the board is thinking. In the past, only men were considered. Now they actually favor Omegas!”

“Perhaps because the most capable ones among the collateral branches are Omegas.”

Chi Feng’s voice gave nothing away, though her breathing grew heavier.

“That only proves the men aren’t working hard enough. Such wasted potential!” her mother snapped, eyes narrowing. Then she looked at her “son” with sudden irritation. “And you—why torment yourself over that woman? If you could still bear children, there would be no need to share power with anyone else!”

As she sighed, her eyes flickered shrewdly. Seizing a moment when Chi Feng seemed distracted, she leaned close and whispered:

“Son, tell me the truth—you really have no illegitimate children?”

“No. I have only one daughter. You know this.”

Chi Feng leaned back, uncomfortable. Her mother’s nearness felt like being coiled by a venomous snake.

“You still think of that woman and her child, don’t you? Nearly twenty years, and you still cling to them. Truly unlike your philandering father.”

Her mother gave a long sigh, half mocking, half begrudging, as if even she envied how deeply Chi Feng had once loved.

“Mother… I’ve searched for so many years and never found them. Were they really overseas?”

Her coughs wracked her body, tearing through her chest. Hunched and frail, her expression was swallowed by the shadows.

Her mother faltered. A flicker of malice crossed her eyes before her face smoothed over. “Of course. When have I ever lied to you?”

“Yes… when have you ever lied to me?”

Chi Feng murmured, then leaned back against her pillow. Her gaze fixed unblinking on her mother. “I won’t live much longer. Before I die, I have no other wish—only to see them once more. Mother, do you think this wish of mine will ever come true?”

Under that heavy stare, the older woman squirmed. She turned her face away and raised her voice:

“You are my son. Naturally, I want your wish fulfilled. But that woman has hidden all these years. She’s clearly avoiding you. How can you find someone determined to run from you?”

With that, she hastily excused herself. “It’s late. Rest well.”

She left in a rush.

Once the door closed behind her, her face hardened. She had only come to probe after hearing troubling whispers—that the Chi family head had invited outsiders to the banquet, supposedly because of a collateral heir’s mistake.

Suspicion was second nature to her.

In her mind, the Chi estate and fortune should remain entirely in her bloodline.

And then, remembering that woman who had once stood at Chi Feng’s side, she felt nothing but scorn.

A nobody. A powerless Omega. How could such a woman ever have been worthy of becoming the Chi family’s matriarch?

Of course, she was unworthy.

So, when she drove away that woman and her three-year-old daughter back then, she hadn’t done anything wrong!

What she hadn’t expected was that Chi Feng would be so deeply devoted, going so far as to take medication that left her unable to father children, all for the sake of that woman.

How could one not resent that?

Meanwhile, over on Mingyu’s side, she had already told her birth mother and President Ming about being invited to the banquet.

Her mother was overjoyed, but beneath her delight lurked unease—for only she knew the truth. She had deceived far too many people.

President Ming, on the other hand, hoped Mingyu could find a way to bring him along, and Mingyu naturally agreed.

That night, in a certain room of the Ming family’s old estate—

“You’re here? You know why I asked you over, don’t you?”

President Ming studied the woman before him—though age had etched lines on her face, she was still beautiful. He turned the prayer beads on his wrist with deliberate leisure.

“I can guess… it’s about Mingyu, isn’t it?”

This woman was Mingyu’s biological mother. Her heart was in turmoil, terrified that President Ming had uncovered something. Yet outwardly, she forced herself to remain composed.

“Mhm. According to what you said, she really is the daughter of you and the Chi family head, correct? You understand this is not something that can bear even the slightest falsehood. If it is, the consequences will be more than either of us could endure.”

The smile on President Ming’s lips never faded, but it never reached his eyes.

The woman couldn’t help but shiver. She longed to lower her gaze, to avoid that blade-like stare, but afraid of betraying herself, she forced herself to meet it and nodded firmly.

“Yes. She is indeed the Chi family head’s daughter.”

“Then tell me—why did you leave him back then? After all, not everyone can walk away from a life of wealth and privilege. I’m truly curious.”

President Ming’s fingers moved more quickly now, tapping the armrest in a steady rhythm.

“Because he deceived me. He was about to marry someone else.”

The woman shut her eyes tightly, as though shutting out painful memories.

“Heh…”

President Ming let out a booming laugh. Everything fit. It seemed her words were genuine.

At last, he felt reassured.

“Rest easy. Soon, you’ll be able to return to his side. I hear he’s been searching for you for many years.”

He offered the woman a few seemingly gentle words of comfort.

“It’s not as if I care so much. It’s really only because of Mingyu’s resemblance…”

The woman feigned nonchalance, struggling to hide her yearning for a wealthy life.

“I understand.”

President Ming did not call out her lie. And truth be told, he found it believable—if Mingyu’s striking resemblance hadn’t been remarked on again and again, perhaps this woman wouldn’t have moved so quickly.

________________________________________

“Miss, it was our failure today. We let you suffer.”

The bodyguards that Old Master Ming had sent to protect An Ran all bowed their heads in apology.

“Forget it. I can’t entirely blame you—it was clear they joined forces.”

An Ran waved her hand, brushing the matter aside.

“Thank you, Miss.”

But in her heart, An Ran was thinking of something else. Now that Lu Xin and the others had banded together, it was clear—they were determined to claim Chi Wan for themselves.

At the very least, if they couldn’t have her, they would rather destroy her.

That meant An Ran would have to be more cautious than ever.

What concerned her even more, though, was Chi Wan’s mood. She had been weighed down with unspoken worries, her expression perpetually clouded. Whenever An Ran asked, she only stammered, as though wanting to speak but holding back.

Just earlier, Chi Wan had obviously made an excuse to slip out. Now, who knew what she was doing?

The bodyguards had reported seeing her clutching her phone, hesitation written all over her face.

Indeed, Chi Wan was torn. She felt she ought to call Mother Chi—especially since the system had just issued an emergency task, requiring her to uncover the truth about her parentage within a short time.

Without this task, her suspicions would have remained just that—suspicions. But now…

After wavering for a long while, Chi Wan finally steeled herself, shut her eyes, and dialed her mother’s number.

“Beep… beep…”

“Hello? Wan’er? Is that you?” A gentle, melodious voice answered. “It’s so late—what’s wrong? Did something upset you?”

“Mom…” Chi Wan parted her lips, her voice filled with hesitation.

“What is it? Don’t stammer. Just say it.”

Her mother’s anxiety grew at the sound of her daughter’s halting tone. “Have you run into trouble?”

“Mom, could you tell me about Dad?”

The question slipped out of Chi Wan in a rush, and in an instant, the air around her went deathly still.

So still that only their breathing could be heard.

“Wan’er…” Her mother’s face froze, her expression stiff. “Why are you suddenly asking this?”

She exhaled heavily, even her breath laced with pain.

“I… I’m just curious. Very curious.”

Chi Wan spoke carefully, for she could see her mother’s pained expression, as though she was suppressing something with all her strength.

“You’re lying!” her mother suddenly burst out, her emotions flaring. Her eyes reddened.

“I know you. Yes, you’ve always been curious—but you wouldn’t ask me this just because of curiosity. There must be another reason. Tell me the truth!”

For her illness, it was best that she remain calm.

But now, she was utterly agitated, even her breathing growing labored.

“Mom, calm down. I’ll tell you the truth. Today, I met someone… someone who felt strangely familiar to me. Coincidentally, he seemed to feel the same toward me. But his identity…”

Chi Wan faltered, unsure how to put it into words.

After a pause, she revealed who the man was.

Her mother seemed to have all the strength drained from her body at once. Her eyes went vacant. “He found you?”

“Hm?” Chi Wan tilted her head, confused.

“Did he ask to meet you?”

Her mother’s lips trembled, her voice distant, as though her soul had flown elsewhere.

“Mhm. On the phone, he first asked my name, my birthday, things like that.”

Chi Wan recounted everything honestly. “Later, I heard from the show crew that he invited us to a banquet.”

“Wanwan, that banquet is nothing less than a dragon’s den. You must think carefully before you go.”

Her mother let out a low sigh. Complex emotions flickered in her eyes—love, hate, resentment, helplessness.

She had poured too much of herself into that hopeless relationship, until she was utterly spent.

“I heard the direct line has lost its heir, so they’re choosing from the collateral branches. If he’s looking for you now, what good can come of it?”

Her lips curved into a faint, bitter smile. “Becoming the heir means a lifetime without freedom. Even the one you love, you won’t be allowed to love.”

She murmured on, half for her daughter to understand, half hoping she wouldn’t.

“Mom, maybe he really does miss you?”

Chi Wan probed tentatively, for she felt there were many misunderstandings hidden within.

“Does she have feelings? Perhaps. But in her heart, there are things more important than love.”

Her mother’s smile grew more painful. Then she waved a hand weakly. “Enough. You can hide for a while, but not forever. Since he has seen you now, perhaps this is fate.”

With that, she whispered something inaudible, and quickly hung up.

But Chi Wan was left deeply unsettled. Her mother’s expression had given her a strong premonition—that their peaceful days were about to end.

Unknowingly, the day of the banquet arrived.

When the program’s guests appeared, every head in the hall turned. The banquet was filled with prominent figures of the business world, and the sudden sight of such a group left them all stunned.

“Who are you people? Surely you’ve come to the wrong place!”