A Stand-in Alpha Awakens - Chapter 12

At Liancheng No. 1 High’s dormitory, starting from the third floor, the power is cut punctually at 10:00 PM every spring and autumn.

The floors below the third are reserved exclusively for seniors, with a thirty-minute extension.

The dormitory warden yawns every night as she flips the final switch, but among the diligent seniors, there are plenty of “Involution Kings” who can push through. Even after the power is cut, they hide behind light-blocking bed curtains, working quietly by the light of rechargeable lamps or portable flashlights.

Chu Ziyan wasn’t usually that desperate, but because three of her four roommates had bed curtains, she installed one to fit in. She had never actually used it—until tonight.

After being pulled back to the dorm by Gu Wenjing in a daze, she had finished her washing absentmindedly. By the time she climbed into bed, it was exactly the school’s lights-out time.

Lying in the security of her bed, Chu Ziyan found herself sleepless for the first time. Inside the dark curtains felt like a secluded little world. She stared into the boundless darkness, her eyes so sore they wanted to leak tears, yet she didn’t even have the energy to reach for the eye massager by her pillow.

The image of Su Mengrui with another Alpha kept drifting through her mind.

Logically, given the grainy pixels of the Confession Wall photos and the tiny screen of her smartwatch, she shouldn’t have been able to recognize the Alpha whose face was mostly covered by sunglasses. But at first glance, she had recognized those “one-of-a-kind” pink sunglasses.

Just this afternoon before dinner, her younger sister, Chu Zishan, had bought them.

Recalling that face that had curved its eyes while calling her “Senior,” Chu Ziyan felt a surge of irritation. She even had the sudden, mad impulse to rush up to the sixth floor and demand an explanation.

This is insane!

Her logic remained intact; she couldn’t use the title of “friend” to violate school rules just to assert a sovereignty she hadn’t even officially claimed yet.

Yet, compared to this restless impulse and self-awareness, what hurt more was wondering why Su Mengrui would go looking for a sophomore junior. And since she was already at the school gate, why hadn’t Su Mengrui come to see her?

Hadn’t she said she could only accept Alphas a year younger? That her favorite thing was Chu Ziyan’s pheromones? Then why was she captured in this scene? What exactly was Su Mengrui doing? Was she really… really…

Chu Ziyan felt her head turn to mush. She raised a hand to cover her eyes, and the watch face lit up with the movement, dissolving a small patch of darkness. It also fully exposed the worry and agitation in her features.

No, I still have to find her. Regardless of what others said, she wanted to hear Mengrui’s explanation first. Having known each other for years, they still had that much trust.

Just standing face-to-face doesn’t prove anything, it doesn’t represent a thing…

Chu Ziyan squinted as she dimmed the watch brightness, found the contact she had called earlier, and clicked “Confirm” once more. However, three calls in a row rang until they timed out. Refusing to give up, she began drafting a message.

She knew Su Mengrui’s schedule since graduation; it wasn’t even 11:00 PM yet—she definitely wasn’t asleep. To be awake and not answer?

The furrow between Chu Ziyan’s brows deepened. In the hours that followed, she truly discovered how long a night could be.

When Su Mengrui saw Chu Ziyan’s messages, a thin, needle-like rain was falling from the gloomy sky outside.

Her mood had been terrible last night. She had attended three different drinking rounds since dark and didn’t even know how she got home; she only knew that when she opened her eyes, she saw the strawberry alarm clock on her nightstand.

She was disoriented, blinking several times before she realized the short hand was past 10.

Nearly 10:00 AM—

Su Mengrui, rolled up like a ball of mud on the floor, rolled over and painfully stretched her heavy, numb hands to push herself up. Having slept in a quilt on the hard hardwood floor, her whole body was aching. When she finally stumbled up, the thin quilt tangled around her legs and nearly sent her face-planting back down.

Su Mengrui opened her mouth to curse, but as the profanity reached her lips, a grave realization hit her.

…How did I get back last night? Who sent me?! What time?! Did Grandmother catch me?!

Too frantic to recall slowly, she kicked away the quilt and scrambled onto the bed to lift the pillows. Finding no phone, she dropped back to the floor to peer under the bed. Just as she feared Grandmother might have confiscated it, she saw a dark silhouette wedged between the bed leg and the nightstand. She reached in to grab it.

The phone had died and turned off at some point. Su Mengrui breathed a sigh of relief and went to shower and change. Whatever happened last night, whether she’d be scolded or not, was unknown—but if she didn’t clean herself up now, being caught would surely mean being grounded. As long as she wasn’t locked in the house, nothing else mattered.

Thus, after washing off the messy scents and adjusting her mindset, Su Mengrui turned her phone on. Seeing that Chu Ziyan had called and texted last night and this morning, her mood became the opposite of the weather outside: pure joy.

After half a month of no contact, this heartless Chu Ziyan finally knew to reach out to her.

Su Mengrui scrolled through the messages in high spirits, planning to call her back once class ended. Then, she saw the two words she least wanted to see right now: Jiang Lu.

The message Chu Ziyan sent at 10:35 PM read: “You know Jiang Lu too? You came all the way here to see her this afternoon? That’s not very nice—you were at the gate and didn’t even come to see me.”

Su Mengrui froze as if struck by lightning.

Ziyan knows? How does she know?

In the next second, a “Special Concern” notification popped up on her phone. She clicked in, her mind reeling, only to see a familiar figure on the screen.

Jiang Lu, in her school uniform, was jumping against the light, her badminton swing graceful and powerful. The timestamp showed the post was updated at 8:00 AM sharp, with likes already over a thousand. Below in the comments was another photo of Jiang Lu standing under the plane trees outside the school. The Alpha in the uniform was looking down at her phone, wearing the same sunglasses she had seen yesterday afternoon.

Su Mengrui shuddered as she instantly realized the cause and effect. With a pale face, she opened the Confession Wall homepage. Sure enough, her own photo was in the pinned comment at the very top. In the blurry image, she and Jiang Lu stood face-to-face. Her face wasn’t visible, but anyone who knew her could tell it was her.

Su Mengrui expressionlessly tapped the nickname of the poster, only to find they had blocked all friend requests. With a bang, she hurled the new phone she’d bought last night against the carpeted wall.

FUCK! How did I forget something as important as silencing people yesterday! It’s all Bai Yue’s fault! If she hadn’t called me then…

Su Mengrui punched the wall beside her bed, her expression turning gloomier than the rainy day outside.

Three and a half hours earlier, the morning self-study at No. 1 High had just ended.

Accepting her loss, Jiang Lu headed downstairs first to dash to the cafeteria for breakfast. Unexpectedly, just as she passed the Zhaixing Building, an arm reached out to stop her.

Chu Ziyan, who had only slept two or three hours, had very obvious dark circles today. She watched the Alpha who had sidestepped her and called out helplessly, “Junior Jiang Lu, it’s me.”

Jiang Lu stopped and turned. “Senior Chu?”

“Mm. Do you have a moment? I want to talk.” Chu Ziyan took two slow steps forward.

Jiang Lu saw her sluggish pace and offered an apologetic smile. “I don’t, actually. I’m in a hurry to queue for food. How about you walk faster, Senior?”

“…” Chu Ziyan opened her mouth and forced herself to catch up.

By the time Jiang Lu entered the cafeteria, long lines had formed. She scanned the scrolling screens and headed straight for Window 3, which sold pan-fried buns. Chu Ziyan noticed the surrounding students and had no choice but to speed up and stay close.

Jiang Lu had guessed she would come, but she hadn’t expected it this soon. While waiting in line, she gave a thoughtful smile, adjusted her expression, and turned back. “Is there something you need, Senior?”

Chu Ziyan was still rehearsing her lines. Hearing Jiang Lu take the initiative, her face flashed with panic and embarrassment. “No, uh… okay, there is a small thing I wanted to ask.”

Jiang Lu moved half a step forward with the queue, her expression unchanged. “No problem. Ask away.”

Stung by Jiang Lu’s frankness, Chu Ziyan’s unnatural expression became even stiffer. She licked her dry lips and said, “It’s not a big deal. It’s just… just—”

Jiang Lu: “Mhm?”

“It’s just that I saw a photo of you and Mengrui in the comments on the Confession Wall.” Chu Ziyan avoided Jiang Lu’s eyes, forcing out the words that felt like sandpaper in her throat. “Mengrui and I are good friends. I hadn’t heard her mention you before, so I was surprised you knew each other.”

Jiang Lu looked at Chu Ziyan’s reddened ears, her confusion appearing perfectly timed. “Who is Mengrui?”

“Mengrui is…” Chu Ziyan froze. “You don’t know Su Mengrui?”

Jiang Lu shook her head blankly.

Chu Ziyan’s heart, which had been heavy all night and morning, began to pound wildly. She grabbed Jiang Lu’s arm. “How can that be? You just met yesterday afternoon, right next to the Xiaobai Milk Tea shop outside the school.”

“Oh! Senior, you mean that Omega I ran into yesterday afternoon?” Jiang Lu said, gently prying Chu Ziyan’s hand off. “I remember her, but I really don’t know her. So she’s your good friend.”

Chu Ziyan’s face went blank for a moment.

Jiang Lu continued to move with the line, a hint of amusement in her voice. “That’s perfect then. Could you please tell her for me? I really don’t like Omegas of her type. Please advise her not to come looking for me again; it’s pointless.”

Don’t like Omegas of her type? Advise her not to come looking for her again? Pointless?

Buzz. Chu Ziyan’s vision went dark, and her mind went white.

When Liang Shuang strolled over, Jiang Lu had just finished buying breakfast and stepped out of the queue. She curiously glanced back at Chu Ziyan, who was walking toward the cafeteria door like a ghost. Just as she reached out to touch Jiang Lu’s arm, she was sharply stopped.

“What’s wrong?” Liang Shuang was startled.

Jiang Lu handed her both breakfasts. “You take these and find a seat first. I need to wash my hands.”

“Oh.” Liang Shuang obediently took them and claimed a nearby table. Once Jiang Lu returned, she immediately entered gossip mode. “I just saw you talking to Chu Zishan’s sister. What were you chatting about? She looked like she’d lost her soul.”

Jiang Lu wiped the water from her hands and arms with a tissue. “Nothing much. She saw the Confession Wall and was curious about my relationship with her friend. She came to verify.”

“Her friend?” Liang Shuang looked back, but the figure by the glass doors was gone.

Jiang Lu nodded. “She and Su Mengrui are good friends.”

“Huh?” Liang Shuang gave a dry laugh. “For real? Like, the ‘just friends’ kind of friends?”

Jiang Lu shrugged, popped a straw into her yogurt, and looked past the glass at the treetops outside. The green leaves were motionless, and the golden sunlight hitting them vanished in the blink of an eye.

When they returned to class after the mid-morning exercises, the weather that had been muggy all morning finally produced a breeze. Jiang Lu sat at her desk, watched the changing sky outside, and pulled the small window slightly shut.

The black clouds were pressing low. A sudden gale made the leaves below rustle loudly. The yellowed sky deepened, and within two deep breaths, it turned completely dark. Students near the doors proactively got up to turn on the eye-protection lights.

“Finally going to rain. This year’s freshmen aren’t praying hard enough.” Liang Shuang walked to the window just as a few large raindrops hit the glass. She locked the latch just as a torrent began to flow down the pane like a waterfall.

Jiang Lu stared at the world blurred by the rain. Fragments of the novel involving rain appeared before her eyes. There was no specific date, only that it was a stormy afternoon when a foul-tempered Su Mengrui appeared in the basement, drenched. Her heavy makeup was smeared by the rain, making her look both pitiful and terrifying. After that day, the glands on the back of the imprisoned Alpha’s neck were bitten until they bled. The demon in the nightmare had found a new face.

The bell rang. Liang Shuang slapped Jiang Lu’s hand firmly. “Hey! Class!”

“Oh, right.” Jiang Lu snapped back, pinching the bridge of her nose to force herself away from the book’s content.

The downpour lasted for two full periods, turning into a drizzle by lunchtime. Since neither Jiang Lu nor Liang Shuang had umbrellas, they stepped out of the classroom to find Shao Shuyi waiting in the corridor with a long-handled black umbrella. The gloom on their faces vanished instantly.

“I knew you guys didn’t have one. Let’s go together.” Shao Shuyi smiled brightly. She had bought an umbrella modeled after her favorite anime character, and it was the largest size, waiting for exactly this kind of day.

Jiang Lu recognized the logo on the handle. Reaching the first floor and seeing the drizzle about to stop, she nudged Liang Shuang. “Quick, open it. We both washed our hair last night; I don’t want a single drop of rain on me.”

“Right, you walk in the middle,” Liang Shuang replied.

The sky remained overcast. By the time they reached the cafeteria steps, the rain began to patter down again. After lunch, the drizzle grew heavier, and the three of them huddled together to return to the dorms.

Song Wushuang, holding a clear umbrella, followed from a distance, gnashing her teeth in hatred. After a brief period of reflection and constant replaying of events, she no longer felt regret or grievance—only endless hate.

Hate for the one who first broke the promise of being lifelong, best friends. Hate for the one who turned around to laugh and be intimate with someone else.

She pulled out her phone and spent the entire period staring at a short message, her thumb stabbing the screen to reply.

After Su Mengrui left her bedroom, the butler forcibly escorted her to the Old Matron, where she listened to a thirty-minute lecture before being confined to the study for reflection.

When she received Song Wushuang’s reply, she had just finished a large steak with the help of her Omega mother. Seeing the message, she downed half a glass of orange juice, grabbed her car keys, and prepared to bolt.

Su Ying was startled by her daughter’s unusual behavior and ran a few steps to catch her. “Where are you going? Did you forget your grandmother’s words about not going out to mess around with those bad influences before school starts?”

“Mom! I’m not looking for them, and I’m not drinking. I’m going to see Ziyan,” Su Mengrui said, trying to pull away.

Su Ying snatched the keys back. “If you must go, I’ll drive you. You drank so much last night; you aren’t allowed to drive today or tomorrow.”

Su Mengrui choked, then looked toward the wet window. “Mom, it’s raining outside. Don’t… how about this, I’ll have Auntie Xu drive me, okay?”

“That’s fine. But let’s get this straight: you must be back by three. If your grandmother can’t find you then, I won’t cover for you.”

“Got it! I’ll be right in front of you at 2:30 sharp!” Su Mengrui promised. She took the elevator down to the basement and grabbed a folding umbrella from the rack. Once in the car, she first gave the name of an import supermarket. Before reaching No. 1 High, she had to get something to apologize and explain to Chu Ziyan.

As her mother said, you can’t apologize empty-handed. She had to buy things Ziyan liked to eat.

The car stopped at the school gate. Just like her last visit, Su Mengrui first stuffed two packs of cigarettes for the security guard, then called the teacher she kept in contact with. Then, as if coming home, she strolled into the school carrying her bags.

When Song Wushuang appeared at the door of Room 601, there were exactly ten minutes left before the lunch break bell.

Liang Shuang had just sat on her bed. She turned to see her, and her smile dropped. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here for Jiang Lu.” Song Wushuang stared straight at Jiang Lu, who was below the bed, without blinking once.

Jiang Lu was preparing to climb up. Hearing her voice, she rested one hand on the ladder and looked at the open door. “What is it?”

Song Wushuang said, “I want to discuss how to return the rest of the things.”

Jiang Lu didn’t move. “Return what needs to be returned, pay what needs to be paid. No discussion needed.”

“Jiang Lu.” Song Wushuang’s voice was slightly raspy. “Do you really hate me that much? Can you at least let me know why? Even a death row inmate gets to know their crime.”

Jiang Lu let go of the ladder and walked closer. “You don’t understand? I thought you understood perfectly—just like you understand why you’re here looking for me right now.”

Song Wushuang’s heart jolted. In her wide eyes, the door panel loomed closer.

With a bang, the door closed. The click of the lock echoed through the wood.

Song Wushuang’s legs went weak, and she grabbed the doorframe, her expression one of unprecedented panic.

Jiang Lu knows. Jiang Lu knows everything?

How did she know?

The phone in her pocket vibrated. On the lit screen, the words “Junior CEO Su” flashed.

Song Wushuang didn’t dare pick up the phone. She reached out weakly to knock on the door. “Jiang Lu, I’m begging you, okay? Just come out for a bit. Let’s talk properly.”

Inside, it was silent. Not a sound was made.

Jiang Lu climbed the ladder to her bed. Seeing Lin Tingting and Chen Xueyao looking confused, she offered an apologetic smile. “She’ll leave when the bell rings.”

Liang Shuang added coldly, “Mhm. If she doesn’t, I’ll report her to the warden.”