The entire dining table fell silent.
Ding Ziyue, who had just been talking about teaching Ning Yi table manners, went pale.
Since when did this bumpkin from the countryside learn such impeccable table manners?
The level of skill she displayed was as if she had attended countless banquets, a level that even Ding Ziyue herself couldn’t achieve so perfectly.
Ding Ziyue was left awkwardly standing there, unable to find a way out of the situation.
Meanwhile, Gu Cheng, now in Ning Yi’s body, was too focused on his own internal struggle to notice the reactions of others.
Someone was practically shouting in his ear—
Ning Yi was furious, practically shaking him by the shoulders: “Braised pork! My braised pork!!”
Gu Cheng: “…”
Facing the crowd, Gu Cheng calmly said, “I apologize, I really don’t have much in the way of manners.”
Ding Ziyue and her friends forced awkward smiles, “Hehehe.”
Some people even swallowed nervously.
If that’s what she called lacking manners, then what were they? Savages?
After the small Gu family dinner ended, the members of high society left with mixed expressions.
These socialites had gathered here to inquire about Gu Cheng’s condition, and based on the Gu family’s attitude, it seemed likely that there were no signs of his recovery.
But they had expected Ning Yi, that bumpkin, to be timid and servile. Yet she hadn’t acted at all like they had imagined.
Among them, Ding Ziyue looked the most displeased.
“If she’s this arrogant when Master Gu hasn’t even woken up, what will she be like if he does?”
“I really hope Master Gu wakes up and puts her in her place.”
“Do you really think Master Gu would keep her around? There’s no way he’d find her worthy.”
There was a pause, and someone whispered.
“But… what if he does wake up? Do you think I’d still have a chance with Master Gu?”
“Hahaha, get outta here—”
If Gu Cheng really did wake up, it would be an all-out battle.
Ding Ziyue, who had been silent up until now, smiled slightly.
Seeing the socialites eagerly anticipating Gu Cheng’s recovery filled her with a sense of superiority, easing much of the frustration she felt because of Ning Yi.
She wouldn’t reveal to anyone that, according to the dream she had, Master Gu would wake up soon.
When he returned in triumph, his demeanour unchanged, the first person he would deal with was Ning Yi, that vile woman.
To hasten that day, she needed to implement her healing plan as quickly as possible…
When Song Lan was stopped by Ding Ziyue, she was somewhat surprised.
Since Ding Ziyue had given up her engagement with Gu Cheng, Song Lan hadn’t paid much attention to her. What was this about today?
Ding Ziyue said, “Aunt Song Lan, I know my sister still has a hard time accepting me. She holds a grudge and tends to see things in a negative light, but that’s my fault. I’ll try to change her heart.”
Song Lan raised an eyebrow slightly.
She had met all kinds of people and heard all kinds of rhetoric, so she could tell that Ding Ziyue’s words had a deeper meaning.
With a sweet smile, Ding Ziyue continued, “I’m willing to visit Master Gu. After all, we’ve known each other since we were kids, and I believe he’ll overcome this challenge.”
Song Lan understood her intentions.
Her expression remained warm as she smiled, “No need, Ning Yi is married to Acheng now. This matter is best left to her.”
Ding Ziyue’s smile faltered.
Song Lan patted her hand and walked away.
Ding Ziyue stomped her foot in frustration.
Her life was supposed to be a romance novel; no one could stop her!
She was destined to become Master Gu’s light!
…
Song Lan walked up to Gu Cheng’s hospital room and called out to “Ning Yi.”
Both she and the old master of the Gu family, who had been drinking tea on the second floor of the banquet hall, had been observing this daughter-in-law.
Ning Yi had exceeded their expectations—she was straightforward, confident, and not pretentious. Moreover… she seemed to be in good health. Being able to eat well was a blessing.
Song Lan and the old master both agreed that they needed to learn more about this daughter-in-law and bring her into the family fold.
However, it was Gu Cheng in Ning Yi’s body who looked up, rubbing his temples and gloomily warning Ning Yi, “Stop shouting.”
He looked up as Song Lan approached with a gentle smile.
She had granted Ning Yi permission to be the only person besides the caregivers allowed unrestricted access to visit Gu Cheng.
“For the past three years, Acheng’s body care has been managed by the most professional team, so you don’t need to worry about that. But now, as his closest person, would you be willing to help with his bathing?” Song Lan watched Ning Yi’s expression carefully.
This request was mainly to test Ning Yi’s character and patience. Of course, Song Lan wouldn’t let her do it for free; she had already prepared a black card to give to Ning Yi in a few days.
Gu Cheng looked at his mother, remaining silent for a moment, then he smiled.
“Sure, that’s what I should do.”
Song Lan looked at “Ning Yi” with some emotion.
This child agreed so readily; she truly had a kind heart.
Gu Cheng returned to the room, staring at his body lying in bed, a spark of interest flickering in his dark eyes.
He was curious—how would this wife of his, who spoke so affectionately, take care of him?
“Darling, you’re here,” Ning Yi sensed his presence.
She was still heartbroken over the braised pork, feeling like a sad little kitten: She had only tasted it for a moment, and then it was snatched away. Her dead husband had really lucked out.
“Hmm.” Gu Cheng responded, sitting down in the chair by the bed. “Still upset?”
“No, I thought it over. I was willing to let you have it,” Ning Yi was grumbling internally, but her words were full of affection, “For you, I’m willing to do anything.”
Gu Cheng’s gaze turned icy. “Anything?”
Ning Yi showed no shame. “Of course, darling.”
Gu Cheng rested his elbow on the armrest and leaned his face on his hand. “My mother asked you to help with my bathing and massages every day. I suppose you’re willing to do that?”
Ning Yi: “…”
Ning Yi looked innocent. “Too bad we can’t swap back right now, darling.”
“Really?” Gu Cheng chuckled softly, his voice low and magnetic. “Are you even trying?”
Ning Yi lay comfortably, “Of course I’m trying. I’m concentrating hard—”
—On tonight’s menu^_^
Foie gras sushi, Boston lobster, black truffle cheese, and the braised pork she hadn’t finished…
Gu Cheng leaned back in the chair, his laugh dark and sinister, “Take your time. No rush.”
Ning Yi strained as if she were trying her best: “Mm, mm, mm—”
If they counted a complete swap as one round trip, they had already swapped two and a half times today. The last half was after the cooldown period, and then there was the swap during the braised pork incident.
So now she estimated the cooldown to be around eight hours!
Perfect for a good night’s sleep ^_^
Gu Cheng was also pondering the mechanics of their body swapping.
This last swap had been sudden and hurried. Gu Cheng only had a rough idea of the interval time, around one hour, but there didn’t seem to be a clear pattern yet. So far, the swaps appeared to be highly random.
Which meant… in this uncertainty, both sides were equally passive.
Gu Cheng’s eyes darkened. This was actually a good thing.
He sat by the bed for a while longer, and Ning Yi’s efforts soon faded into silence as she seemed to have fallen asleep again.
A cold sneer flickered in Gu Cheng’s shadowed eyes.
If Ning Yi was simply a lazy glutton, it would save him a lot of trouble.
He stood up quietly, ready to leave.
But after taking just a few steps, Ning Yi’s half-asleep, half-awake voice drifted over.
“Was the braised pork delicious?”
Gu Cheng: “…”
Heh. Delicious enough to make me sick.
Late at night.
Ning Yi had fallen into a deep sleep in Gu Cheng’s body.
However, in the middle of her sleep, she heard the hum of a computer’s cooling fan.
When she opened her eyes, she found herself sitting in the study in the other building, with a laptop open in front of her, clearly having been in the middle of work.
She yawned, “Darling, have we swapped back again?”
“Mm.” Gu Cheng’s voice was alert as he recalled the computer’s screen. “—It’s midnight.”
At midnight, they automatically swapped back.
This was a new pattern.
Ning Yi squinted at the screen, noticing Gu Cheng’s browsing history. The tycoon was already keeping an eye on business investments and the latest technological developments. No wonder he remained unbeatable even after his comeback.
Without hesitation, she memorized the companies he was following.
It wasn’t too much to borrow her husband’s money-making ideas. After all, it was joint marital property.
After taking what she needed, Ning Yi still felt sleepy.
Once back in her own body, the various noises returned, including the sounds of dogs running outside in the estate. How could this compare to the free, soundproof, zero-pressure five-star hotel bed?
So she thoughtfully suggested to Gu Cheng, “How about we swap back, darling? You can use my body to work, I don’t mind.”
“I don’t mind either,” Gu Cheng replied coolly, “Now that we’ve swapped back, I’m looking forward to seeing you bathe me tomorrow.”
Ning Yi: ?
Ning Yi smiled brightly.
Maybe she should just kill him tonight?
The next day.
Ning Yi woke up yawning, wearing earplugs.
Even with earplugs, she could still hear all sorts of noises, including the sound of the servants entering the other wing to clean in the morning. Her sleep quality was much worse than when she was in Gu Cheng’s body.
Ning Yi decided to switch herself out. “Darling, it’s daytime. You should come back and continue working. I don’t mind lying here.”
Gu Cheng let out a cold laugh.
But he did have things to take care of.
Using Ning Yi’s body, he left the hospital room.
From a corner, Ding Ziyue watched as “Ning Yi” left with a cold expression, a smug smile curling on her lips—
Gu Zhisong had sought a favour from her brother, hoping to collaborate with the Ding family, so he would naturally help her.
What did it matter if Song Lan didn’t let her visit? She still managed to get close to Master Gu.
As she watched “Ning Yi” walk away, Ding Ziyue felt a surge of excitement—Ning Yi would never know that she had just handed over the opportunity she created.
Ding Ziyue quietly pushed open the door to the hospital room and took a step toward the man lying in bed.
Gu Cheng was just as she remembered. His brow bones were high, his eye sockets deep, and his bone structure exceptionally refined. Even lying down with his eyes closed, the lines of his face were as perfect as a sculpture. When those eyes were open, they were sharp and captivating, making Ding Ziyue’s heart race at the thought.
Because he had been lying down for so long, his figure had become much thinner, and his complexion was very pale, adding a touch of brokenness to the once-mighty king. He lay there so peacefully now.
But Ding Ziyue knew that beneath that calm face, there must be a lot of pain and struggle!
Ning Yi: O.O?
She had sensed someone approaching from earlier.
The footsteps were different from Gu Cheng’s, Song Lan’s, and the previous caregivers and servants.
This person’s steps were light and playful, with a hint of naïve madness.
Who could it be? O.O?
Ding Ziyue knew that Gu Cheng had always been a clean freak who disliked being touched before his accident, so she held back her excitement and didn’t act rashly. Instead, she first inspected Gu Cheng’s body for signs of abuse.
After looking him over, she pursed her lips. There were no visible wounds on Gu Cheng’s exposed skin. It seemed that her sister wasn’t stupid; the wounds must have been left in hidden areas.
So how could she let Gu Cheng know that she was the one here to heal and save him?
Ning Yi waited and watched for a moment, as if watching a play, and then suddenly felt her hand being lifted.
Whoa! Ning Yi was instantly alert.
She recalled the plot and didn’t remember Gu Cheng having any romantic entanglements with anyone.
Apart from throwing her, the villainous ex-wife, into a mental hospital, Gu Cheng was just a cold, unfeeling boss.
After awakening, his main role was to suppress the male lead, the male supporting characters, and a host of others, with an overwhelming and illogical strength that served to create obstacles for the main characters’ romantic arcs. It was all very forced.
It was, after all, a brainless romance novel. The author’s age probably wasn’t even as big as their shoe size, so Ning Yi could understand.
At that moment, Gu Cheng was outside, reviewing the Gu family’s public financial data from the past three years. The projects he had initiated three years ago had turned out well. Recently, they seemed to be pushing into new fields…
Ning Yi’s voice came through, “Darling, someone’s holding your hand.”
“Who?” Gu Cheng asked, still focused on the financial reports, his tone indifferent.
“I don’t know.”
“What are they doing with it?”
Ding Ziyue’s face flushed, her heart pounding—this was Gu Cheng, the man who would continue to be admired and loved by all in the future. Holding Gu Cheng’s hand, her heart was full of tenderness.
I’m here, Master Gu!
Ning Yi replied, “They’re writing something in your palm.”
Gu Cheng paused, cold curiosity tinging his voice. “What are they writing?”
Ning Yi watched for a moment, then dutifully reported, reciting each stroke.
“I, am, Ding, Ziyue.”
“I, will, be, your, light.”
Gu Cheng: “…”
After a few seconds of silence. “Is she an idiot?”
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