A Stand-in Alpha Awakens - Chapter 10

After returning to the dormitory, Jiang Lu saw that her two new roommates hadn’t returned yet. She pulled out her chair and sat at her desk, scrolling through her banking app, hesitating whether to fulfill her promise of buying milk tea now or wait until the weekend break.

There were seven or eight milk tea shops outside the school, and everyone’s tastes were different; buying them cup by cup would be too much trouble. She thought it might be better to just send red envelopes and let them buy their own.

She had sold the items she reclaimed from Song Wushuang for a total of 2,750 yuan, so her budget was more than sufficient.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door followed by a familiar voice: “Friends in 601, are Jiang Lu and Liang Shuang there?”

Liang Shuang, just coming out of the bathroom, recognized it as Shao Shuyi and opened the slightly ajar door.

Shao Shuyi was in Class 2 now and couldn’t go in and out with them anymore. When she finished her exercises in the first period and saw Class 1 was empty, she had headed straight outside the school to shop.

She had just returned, her hands full of bags of food. Seeing them in the dorm, her eyes lit up: “I knew you’d be here! Quick, I bought barbecue skewers, fried chicken legs, and iron-plate tofu. Oh? Your new roommates aren’t here?”

Liang Shuang took the bag from her right hand and gave it a weight test: “Are you opening a stall? Why’d you get so much stock?”

Shao Shuyi chuckled: “No, I just thought since we’re all classmates, I’d buy extra so we can eat together.”

Jiang Lu saw Shao Shuyi pull out a large bunch of “Tianbao” bananas and took them with a smile: “Thanks.”

“Don’t be a stranger, okay?” Shao Shuyi said as she laid out the fragrant skewers and chicken legs. “I haven’t eaten with you guys for two days, and you have no idea—my appetite has shrunk quite a bit.”

“Is that so?” Liang Shuang turned and took a skewer. Even with a mouthful of food, she didn’t soften her tone: “I saw you eating just fine at lunch.”

Shao Shuyi: “Hey, are we good classmates or not? See through it, but don’t say it!”

Jiang Lu took a paper bowl of golden-brown fried tofu and simultaneously handed over a small round pouch. “See if you like this.”

“Wow! What’s inside?” Shao Shuyi took it joyfully.

Liang Shuang: “You’re saying ‘wow’ without even knowing what it is?”

“It’s ‘wow’ because I don’t know—it’s a surprise!” Shao Shuyi opened it and saw a pair of foldable green sunglasses. She couldn’t help but “wow” again.

Jiang Lu swallowed a piece of tofu, a smile floating in her eyes: “I’m glad you like them.”

“I love them! I really love them!” Shao Shuyi was deeply moved.

Seeing her like this, Liang Shuang also fished out a box and tossed it over: “I saw this by chance. No idea what it is, open it yourself.”

Shao Shuyi hurriedly bit her chicken leg to free a hand and caught it. After opening it, she was so excited she almost spit out the chicken.

Watching her cheer over a “hidden edition” collectible, Jiang Lu thought of the grumpy face Liang Shuang had made when she paid the boss a high price to get that specific hidden edition. Jiang Lu chuckled and went back to her tofu.

Relaxation time passed much faster than class. By the time the three of them cleared out the smell of barbecue from the dorm, there was only one period left before dinner.

When Lin Tingting and Chen Xueyao returned from shopping outside, they were startled to see a pile of fruit on the communal table. Learning it was a treat for the whole of 601 from a student in another class, they were even more surprised.

Liang Shuang watched them frantically dig through their own shopping bags to find return gifts. Sitting on the edge of her top bunk, she advised coldly: “No need to be so nervous. She’ll be back over later.”

The two Alphas, feeling they were benefiting from their new roommates’ connections, became even more flustered.

Jiang Lu: “…” She was curious when Liang Shuang would realize that speaking with such an expressionless face tended to scare people.

Shao Shuyi got along well with her own new roommates. She shared her fruit with them, but after a few minutes of realization that they weren’t very interested in small talk, she headed back to 601.

The atmosphere in 601 was much better; whether discussing studies or hobbies, the conversation never hit a dead end. The harmony was so loud that even 602 next door could hear it.

Chu Zishan had just transferred and wasn’t much different from a freshman. Her parents, worried she wouldn’t adapt, took time out of their Sunday to visit the two sisters. Before leaving, they stuffed them with so much food and supplies they could barely carry it all.

Because the seniors had extra evening self-study hours, their dorms were on the first and second floors to avoid disturbing the younger students. Chu Ziyan put her things away and then helped her sister, Chu Zishan, carry her items back to her room.

As they entered, they heard the laughter from 601. Chu Zishan muttered: “Huh? What’s going on next door? Why so lively?”

Chu Ziyan smiled: “Lively? It sounds like normal chatting.”

“Normal chatting?” Chu Zishan disagreed. “Sis, you don’t know. That room is inhabited by two ice blocks and two mute gourds. Their relationships shouldn’t be… wait, I’m going to go look.”

“Ah?” Chu Ziyan turned back in surprise as her younger sister marched off.

They were less than two years apart and had always gotten along well. As the elder, Ziyan was very protective and caring, but she knew her sister was a bit spoiled, prone to ill-timed stubbornness and arrogance, and didn’t have the most harmonious relationships with her peers. Hearing her sudden interest in new classmates, Ziyan’s first reaction was surprise, followed by tension. She wasn’t exactly “afraid,” but she worried Zishan was looking for trouble, so she dropped her things and followed.

However, when she walked through the door of 601, the expected confrontation wasn’t there. Instead, she saw a familiar face.

Jiang Lu was leaning against the table listening to Chen Xueyao and Shao Shuyi discuss “unofficial history” that their teacher had glossed over. Seeing the uninvited guest Zishan stand in front of her quite rudely, Jiang Lu feared a long-winded debate. When she wanted to relax, the last thing she wanted was an argument. She instinctively looked for something to pre-emptively shut Zishan’s mouth.

Before she could pick a “prop,” another person walked in.

Their eyes met. A flash of surprise crossed Jiang Lu’s eyes as she greeted: “Senior Chu?”

Hearing “Senior Chu,” Chu Ziyan realized: “Oh! It’s you, Jiang Lu.”

Chu Zishan hadn’t expected her sister to know Jiang Lu. She turned back in shock: “Sis, you know her?”

On her bunk, Liang Shuang’s slender eyes narrowed further. She scrutinized the two uninvited guests, then looked down at Jiang Lu’s expression.

Jiang Lu nodded: “It’s me. Thank you for the other day, Senior. If it weren’t for you, I would have had a real headache.”

Jiang Lu broke off two bananas and offered them. Chu Ziyan waved them off with a smile: “No thanks, I won’t eat. That was just a small favor, don’t worry about it.”

Chu Zishan looked at the label on the banana and didn’t refuse. She peeled it and took a bite, her suspicious gaze darting between the two: “So there’s a little story between you two? What a coincidence.”

Chu Ziyan said nothing. Chu Zishan turned back to Jiang Lu: “By the way, let me introduce you. This is my sister. We’re blood sisters.”

“Is that so? You don’t look alike at all,” Liang Shuang interjected from the bunk, her gaze moving up and down as she scanned the sisters. She didn’t have much of an impression of the elder Chu, but she could tell this sister was likely easier to talk to than the younger one.

Lin Tingting and Chen Xueyao, not being extroverts, couldn’t handle so many new people at once—especially one who seemed to look down on everyone. They exchanged a look and tacitly retreated from the social circle. Shao Shuyi followed suit; she could tell Liang Shuang’s tone was off and wisely kept quiet.

Chu Ziyan was different from her sister; she cared about her public image. Despite Liang Shuang’s unfriendly face, she maintained a smile: “Yes, her features resemble our father, while I take more after our mother.”

“No wonder,” Liang Shuang nodded. Noticing Zishan reaching out toward Jiang Lu, her gaze dropped.

Jiang Lu didn’t move. She let Chu Zishan snatch the sunglasses she was playing with. Chu Zishan had plenty of sunglasses at home, but she had never seen such a perfect shade of pink. “Hey, Jiang Lu, where did you buy these? The color is great, and the style is okay. Can I try them on?”

“You like them?” Jiang Lu leaned against her chair.

Zishan didn’t answer. She opened the frames, put them on, and turned to Ziyan: “Sis, do I look good?”

Chu Ziyan: “You look good.”

“Really?” Zishan turned to find a mirror. Not finding one, she sprinted into the bathroom. “They really do look good!”

Hearing Zishan’s voice from the bathroom, Jiang Lu stood up and walked over: “If you like them, I’ll sell them to you. I just bought them an hour ago, I still have the receipt.”

Zishan saw Jiang Lu’s face in the mirror, the curve of her lips stiffening for a moment. She took off the glasses: “Maybe not. Just tell me which shop, and I’ll buy them myself.”

Jiang Lu didn’t hesitate: “The Prunsen Optical on South Street. But the owner said this color was the only pair. If you go, you might not find the exact same ones.”

“Only one pair?” Zishan froze. “Then sell them to me. I’ll pay the original price.”

Jiang Lu readily agreed, pulling out the receipt, the case, and her payment QR code. Fearing Jiang Lu would regret it, Zishan paid immediately and pulled Ziyan away.

As Jiang Lu watched them leave, she turned to find Liang Shuang and Shao Shuyi looking at her with slight resentment. She fished another pair of blue-gray sunglasses from her pocket.

Shao Shuyi was stunned: “Jiang Lu, exactly how many pairs did you buy?!”

Jiang Lu laughed: “Two pairs.” Truly, no more after this.

Liang Shuang was flabbergasted. When they were at the shop, she had been too busy trying things on to notice how many Jiang Lu bought.

Jiang Lu put the glasses away and checked the time; there was still half an hour before dinner. They had just snacked, but if they skipped dinner, they’d be starving during self-study. Jiang Lu reached into her cabinet for her rackets: “Anyone up for badminton? Let’s play for a bit?”

Shao Shuyi had many hobbies, but exercise wasn’t one of them. She immediately fled: “No, no, I’m going back to my dorm to read manga. You guys have fun.”

Lin Tingting and Chen Xueyao also shook their heads. Only Liang Shuang hopped down: “Let’s go.”

Both had taken private lessons in primary school, so they played well. Their good looks drew a small crowd at the courtyard in front of the teaching building.

The freshmen were supposed to be in military training, but seeing the older students enjoying free time, they looked like withered grass in the sun. The grade dean felt pity and granted them one period of rest. The moment the instructor shouted “Dismissed,” they scattered like wild horses.

Soon, the crowd was mostly freshmen in camouflage. Out of every ten people, it was hard to find even three in the white school uniform.

Jiang Lu didn’t notice the crowd at first. While wiping sweat, she was startled by a camera flash. She saw several phones pointed at her, froze for a moment, then went back to wiping her face. She had dealt with similar scenes her whole life; her mental fortitude was strong.

Liang Shuang had a similar background but had always hated the attention. Drenched in sweat, she picked up the shuttlecock. “Ten minutes to dinner. Let’s go back and shower.”

Jiang Lu agreed. As they walked back, most of the freshmen dispersed, but a few bold ones followed. One girl with a bun hair style caught up and smiled: “Senior, Senior! Can I get your contact info?”

Liang Shuang poked Jiang Lu with her racket without looking back: “Hey, someone’s calling you.”

Jiang Lu exhaled a breath of heat and turned: “Sorry, it’s not convenient. We’ve handed our phones in.”

A round-faced girl immediately followed: “Then is it okay to tell us your name and class?”

Jiang Lu didn’t speak. Liang Shuang looked back: “No need. You’ll find out soon enough.”

Jiang Lu was amused by the stunned looks on the two girls’ faces. She pointed to the sign on the dormitory building: “Alpha Dorms. Omegas, stop here. Thanks for the cooperation.”

The freshmen in camo stopped abruptly at the entrance, exchanging looks.

Jiang Lu and Liang Shuang hurried upstairs. On the fourth floor, they encountered Song Wushuang coming down. Liang Shuang gave her a sideways glance and ran past. Jiang Lu didn’t even look, skipping three steps at a time.

“Jiang…” Song Wushuang’s voice caught in her throat, a ball of bitterness in her chest. She clenched her hands and looked up the stairwell, her lower lip bearing a shallow teeth mark.

Suddenly, her darkened phone screen lit up. Song Wushuang looked down at the WeChat message and returned the voice call. The ringtone played to the end, but the person didn’t pick up. She dialed again immediately.

Finally, as she walked out of the dorm building, a woman’s voice answered. The tone was a familiar, impatient one: “Why are you calling me? I’m making dinner for your brother. Make it quick, don’t waste my time.”

Song Wushuang whispered: “Mom.”

There was no reply.

Song Wushuang bit her lip, stepped away from passing students, and spoke with a sob: “Mom, last winter when I was taking a bath… did you touch my necklace?”

The phone went quiet for ten seconds before a piercing scream exploded: “Song Wushuang, how are you talking to me?! What do you mean ‘did I touch your necklace’? Huh?! Do you even know I’m your mother? I’m the mother who gave birth to you and raised you!”

Even though the volume was at its lowest, the voice felt like it was being screamed right into her ear, making her face and heart ache. She listened numbly to the barrage of roaring, waiting for the other side to hang up first.

Jiang Lu and Liang Shuang showered quickly. As they hung their laundered uniforms on the balcony, the bell rang.

Since they had skipped the last period of study, they saw the cafeteria was already packed.

Liang Shuang asked: “Guess what’s left?”

Jiang Lu didn’t hesitate: “Steamed buns, stuffed buns, pancakes, rice, noodles, dumplings…”

Liang Shuang was speechless: “Could you name an actual dish?”

Jiang Lu laughed, but her smile froze. At the steps of the cafeteria stood an Omega in a pink dress. She was wearing a mask, shifting her heels up and down as if facing a dilemma.

Bai Yue? Jiang Lu remembered the smiling face from before. She patted Liang Shuang’s shoulder and walked over: “Hello?”

Recognizing the voice, Bai Yue’s eyes lit up. She turned toward the junior who smelled faintly fresh and pulled down her mask: “It’s you, the student with the very beautiful eyes.”

Jiang Lu felt a slight sting at being called “student,” but she nodded awkwardly. “Are you… looking for someone? I’m sorry about the other day. If there’s anything I can help with, you can tell me.”

“No—” Bai Yue was about to refuse, but her tone shifted. “Actually, yes! The other day was really nothing, but I appreciate your willingness to help. Here, this is my bento box. If possible, could you please fill it with the pineapple beef for me? I’ll scan you the money.”

Jiang Lu didn’t quite understand the logic, but she nodded. “Okay.”

Liang Shuang watched with a wooden face as Jiang Lu took the transparent box into the cafeteria, came back out, and then showed her phone screen to Bai Yue. Finally, Jiang Lu waved at her happily.

Liang Shuang was bewildered: “Did you just add Senior Bai Yue on WeChat?”

Jiang Lu shook her head: “No.”

Liang Shuang was confused: “Then what were you doing?”

“Oh, she was scanning me the money,” Jiang Lu said.

Liang Shuang: “…” Unbelievable. She should have seen that coming.

But this was fine. No matter how different Bai Yue was from the rest of her family, she was still a Su. It was better that Jiang Lu wasn’t interested.

Jiang Lu saw the look in Liang Shuang’s eyes, the light in her own gaze dimming slightly. She grabbed Liang Shuang’s arm and pulled her toward the cafeteria counter. “Come on, let’s get food.”

Actually, as she walked over, she had thought about certain things, but after seeing that smiling face, she changed her mind.