Male Dignity!
This single statement was like a thunderclap.
Gu Cheng… was willing to give his life to Ning Yi?!
What was happening to the world?!
The elite guests who had just been mocking Ning Yi moments ago now fell utterly silent—they didn’t dare utter another word. After all, these weren’t someone else’s words—it was Gu Cheng himself, with his own face and voice, who had spoken!
Meanwhile, Gu Cheng’s voice was cold and ominous in Ning Yi’s mind. “Ning Yi.”
The two of them were silently communicating amidst the stunned crowd.
Ning Yi, still smug, feigned innocence: “Hubby, did I say something wrong? Just think about it—haven’t I played a crucial role in your awakening? Don’t you love me so much you endured my period cramps, thoughtfully let me rest, and even generously bought me that rainbow outfit?”
Gu Cheng, slowly, word by word: “Indeed, Ah Yi. Well said.”
Ning Yi, switching tactics, started acting coy: “Hubby, I only said that because you don’t know how everyone out there talks about me! Wuwuwu!”
Gu Cheng: “…”
Oh, he knew. He had heard it all on her behalf.
But Gu Cheng had been so thoroughly worn down by her antics that he didn’t even have the energy to retort.
Ning Yi’s performance was seamless and perfectly executed!
Now that the “big boss” had awakened, the original plotline would kick back into motion. As the female lead in this clichéd romance novel, the protagonist came with plot armour. To secure her position and future, Ning Yi had to shield herself with some protection—and what better than Gu Cheng’s own words, declaring her his “benefactor”?
Ning Yi, internally: I’m a genius!
Meanwhile, Ding Ziyue took a long moment to process what had just happened—how could this be?! How could Gu Cheng recognize Ning Yi as his benefactor?!
She quickly came to a conclusion: It must be because Gu Cheng had only heard her voice and couldn’t match it to her face. That’s why there was such a misunderstanding!
Panicking, Ding Ziyue stepped forward, her voice as delicate as a songbird’s, trying to jog Gu Cheng’s memory:
“Gu Dashao, have you mistaken me for someone else?”
It’s me! I’m your light!
The person on the bed didn’t respond immediately—Ning Yi was holding back laughter.
It was the “Ning Yi” standing by who spoke instead.
Gu Cheng, in a calm, cutting tone: “Mistaken you? Does he have another wife?”
The question hit Ding Ziyue like a brick, her face turning red, then pale.
By now, Song Lan and the Old Master had calmed down from their initial excitement. They turned to Ding Ziyue with puzzled expressions, wondering why the Ding family’s young lady was acting so emotional. While they didn’t fully understand how Ning Yi had contributed to Gu Cheng’s recovery, it was undeniable that she had played a significant role. Thanking her was only natural.
Song Lan quickly realized that Gu Cheng, freshly awakened, shouldn’t be seeing so many outsiders. She immediately called the butler to bring in extra security and have everyone escorted out.
Gu Cheng’s personal security team, which he had painstakingly built before his accident, had always been fiercely loyal to him. Now that he was awake, they could finally return to their rightful duties.
As Ding Ziyue was ushered out, her face twisted in frustration—especially when she noticed that Ning Yi wasn’t considered an outsider and was allowed to stay in Gu Cheng’s room.
Once Ning Yi had avenged herself for the Surströmming incident, she swapped bodies back with Gu Cheng.
Barely steady in her own body, she was immediately grabbed by Ding Ziyue, who leaned in and hissed under her breath: “Don’t think I don’t know about how you’ve been abusing Cheng! Ning Yi, just you wait!”
Ning Yi: “?”
Oh, so that’s why she calls herself Gu Cheng’s light!
It suddenly clicked for Ning Yi—Ding Ziyue must’ve somehow learned fragments of the original plotline and assumed that she was “healing” Gu Cheng from the “abuse” the original Ning Yi had supposedly inflicted.
“Mm-hmm,” Ning Yi barely suppressed her laughter, politely responding, “Sure thing!”
Seeing Ning Yi’s confident demeanour, bolstered by Gu Cheng’s clear support, made Ding Ziyue so angry she could practically spit blood. That confidence should’ve been mine!
The other elite guests, also escorted out, were equally sour and indignant.
Gu Cheng—the unattainable ideal for everyone in this circle!
Now that he was awake and still as cold and handsome as ever, how could they not feel jealous?
– “Ning Yi just got lucky during Gu Cheng’s coma. She’s manipulative, that’s all!”
– “The way Gu Cheng spoke today was so unlike him—it must be because he just woke up. No way he’ll stay like this!”
– “The Ning family is weak, and Ning Yi has nothing going for her except her face. Sooner or later, Gu Cheng will grow tired of her.”
…
– “No worries. We’ll crush Ning Yi at the next social event. Now that Gu Cheng is awake, he’ll definitely notice who’s truly worthy!”
Ding Ziyue felt a bit more at ease after hearing the murmurs around her.
That’s right—she was destined to be the most dazzling among all the young socialites. Sooner or later, Gu Cheng would realize this!
With the grand post-apocalypse-themed event still some time away, she decided to start preparing immediately. By then, she’d completely outshine Ning Yi in every way, leaving her with nowhere to hide!
—
Meanwhile, Song Lan, the Old Master, and Gu Cheng’s brothers were finally able to communicate with him for the first time in three years. Understanding the significance of this moment, Ning Yi thoughtfully left the room to give them space.
Now that Gu Cheng was awake but not fully recovered, Ning Yi saw two possible paths for herself as a character doomed to be cannon fodder in the original story:
- Use her body-swapping ability to become the pampered and idle sweetheart of the all-powerful male lead, holding onto the biggest golden thigh in the book.
- Focus on her career development. If she couldn’t hold onto the golden thigh, she’d position herself as a valuable investment target for Gu Cheng in the tech field.
Either way, I’m set to keep living the good life—eating well, sleeping well, and thriving!
Just as she picked up her phone, she was bombarded with notifications.
Zhao Mochu: “Holy crap, Gu Cheng is Gu Cheng for a reason! My account’s blowing up!!”
Zhao Weining: “Ning Yi! Quick! Help us stabilize the backend—our platform’s about to crash!!!”
Programmer 2: “Boss lady, please come save us!!”
Programmer 3: “Help!!”
Ning Yi: Huh?
Apparently, Zhao Mochu had just posted a series of photos on her CMore account, “Mochi the Gossip Queen”, captioned: “Major news in the circle—a titan returns! Earthquake alert!” The post immediately went viral online.
Of course, she hadn’t dared to photograph Gu Cheng directly. Instead, she had captured blurry images of the elite crowd gathered outside a certain someone’s hospital room—a deliberately vague tease that sent gossip enthusiasts into a frenzy.
Ning Yi: Where was Zhao Mochu just now?
As always, wherever there was drama, Zhao Mochu would be there.
Zhao had once told Ning Yi that “Gu Cheng is inherently a traffic magnet, a league apart from the rest of the elite circle.”
CMore, being a platform showcasing the lives of the elite, naturally became the stage for this massive revelation. Gossip-hungry netizens quickly pieced together the clues and guessed the truth:
- “OMG, is it Eldest young master Gu?!”
- “My phone wallpaper is still his photo from when he made Asia’s Top 100 Sexiest Men list!”
- “Is the billionaire CEO finally making a comeback?!”
- “Has anyone checked Gu Corp’s stock price lately?!”
- “Wait—I spotted something else: the green-dress equestrian beauty! What’s her connection to Gu Cheng? Their visuals match so well—I’m shipping this for a sec!”
News of Gu Cheng spread like wildfire across platforms and elite circles alike. The buzz completely overshadowed the female lead, leaving her in the dust.
When Ning Yi checked the backend data, she realized that thanks to Gu Cheng, CMore’s daily traffic and active user numbers had hit record highs—no wonder the servers were buckling under the pressure.
Though it would require some overtime to fix, Ning Yi was deeply moved.
“Hubby woke up and became my rising money tree. How touching!”
With 01 personally leading the tech team, the platform’s stability was quickly restored. Under his guidance, the team ensured a seamless gossip experience for users.
Not only that, the marketing department began receiving inquiries for commercial collaborations, setting the platform up for even greater financial success.
As Ning Yi worked, she jokingly confessed, “Hubby, my life is yours.”
Gu Cheng, unwilling to revisit her earlier declaration, simply replied, “Shut up.”
—
To celebrate Gu Cheng’s recovery, Song Lan instructed the staff to revamp the entire Gu estate, making it vibrant and welcoming for Gu Cheng’s return after three years.
However, Gu Cheng’s communication with the outside world remained somewhat limited. While his sense of sight, smell, and speech had returned, his hearing was still impaired. Song Lan and the others had to resort to pen and paper, and they even considered hiring a sign language teacher.
The only person who could communicate freely with Gu Cheng was still Ning Yi.
After some thought, Gu Cheng suddenly remembered something. “…”
As much as Ding Ziyue irritated him, her earlier idea wasn’t entirely useless. He called for the butler and instructed him to have a new set of bone-conduction headphones custom-made—something better fitted to his ears with improved audio quality. Since he couldn’t predict when his hearing would fully return, he might as well prepare.
The butler nodded sharply. **”Understood, young master!”**
The efficiency of the Gu family was unmatched. Within an hour, they had the bone-conduction headphones customized and delivered. Everyone in the Gu family eagerly held their own earpiece, waiting to finally hear Gu Cheng’s voice.
Madam Song Lan carefully gripped her headset, her voice trembling with cautious hope:
“Hello? Ah Cheng? Can you hear your mother?”
Gu Cheng: “I hear you, Mom.”
Though Gu Cheng had spoken to Song Lan many times while inhabiting Ning Yi’s body, for her, this moment marked the first meaningful communication with her son in three years. She nearly burst into tears on the spot.
Gu Le, on the other hand, couldn’t hold back at all. He collapsed at Gu Cheng’s bedside, wailing:
“Brother! You’re finally awake! I knew you’d wake up! I’ve been waiting every single day—do you know how much I’ve suffered waiting for you?!”
Gu Cheng, unable to endure his dramatics, cracked open an eye and said, “Stop shouting.”
Gu Le: “OxO”
The youngest master immediately fell silent.
Even after three years, his brother’s bloodline suppression was as overwhelming as ever!
That same oppressive aura that seemed to crush all existence—it could only belong to his brother!
—
News of Gu Cheng’s awakening had already spread far and wide. His former assistants, secretaries, bodyguards, and staff—all of his old subordinates—began receiving the news and preparing to return to his side. The king’s comeback was about to begin!
As everyone gathered around to speak with Gu Cheng, Ning Yi stood quietly in the corner of the room, keeping to herself. She didn’t even dare to communicate with Gu Cheng telepathically—it felt a bit like cheating. (playful.gif)
But Gu Le, having finished crying, suddenly remembered something. He turned around and enthusiastically said to Gu Cheng:
“Brother, you don’t know Sister-in-law yet, right? Let me introduce you!”
After all, everyone else in the room was someone Gu Cheng already knew. Ning Yi, as his wife, was clearly the one who needed the most formal introduction.
Ning Yi, shyly: Not exactly unfamiliar…
More like intimately familiar.
Gu Cheng’s dark gaze followed Gu Le’s words and landed squarely on Ning Yi. He paused for two seconds before saying:
“—Heh.”
Song Lan, ever warm and gentle, smiled and said, “Come over, Xiao Yi.”
Ning Yi bashfully stepped forward, saying, “Hubby already declared in front of everyone that I’m his lifeline. You must know me.”
Gu Cheng: “…”
“Ah, that’s true!” Gu Le exclaimed, suddenly enlightened.
Song Lan laughed gently. “But you two haven’t really talked yet, have you?”
Ning Yi: “Hehe.”
Gu Cheng: “Heh.”
Song Lan took Ning Yi’s hand and led her to Gu Cheng’s bedside. Smiling kindly, she said:
“Come, Ah Cheng, Xiao Yi. Introduce yourselves properly. You’re husband and wife, having shared and endured the toughest times together. From now on, you’ll weather all storms as one.”
Gu Cheng looked at Ning Yi.
Ning Yi looked at Gu Cheng.
With a bright, innocent smile, Ning Yi said, “Hello, Hubby. Just call me Ah Yi.”
Gu Cheng: “Heh.”
Oh? Not being cocky now? Not claiming you’re my lifeline anymore?
Song Lan, pleased with Ning Yi’s demeanour, nudged Gu Cheng. “Ah Cheng, introduce yourself too.”
In a cold, slightly mischievous tone, Gu Cheng said, “I think… Ah Yi already knows me quite well.”
Ning Yi, feigning innocence: “No, no, not at all.”
Gu Cheng’s voice deepened, his tone amused and probing: “Really?”
Song Lan, confused by her son’s sudden return to his cold and distant demeanour, gently scolded him:
“Ah Cheng, why are you like this? Do you know how much Xiao Yi did for you while you were unconscious?”
“Oh?” Gu Cheng said expressionlessly. “I’m not entirely sure, actually.”
Ning Yi pouted, looking at the ceiling.
Song Lan began listing: “Xiao Yi cleaned your body for you!”
Gu Cheng: That was me, though.
“She prayed for your recovery!” Song Lan added.
Gu Cheng: Praying? You mean reciting dishes like a menu.
“And she helped you regain your sense of smell!”
Gu Cheng: Ah, yes. With stinky bamboo shoots.
Song Lan, after listing all of Ning Yi’s contributions, sighed earnestly: “Just look at how good this child is to you!”
Ning Yi blushed, hiding behind Song Lan. “Stop it, Mom, you’re embarrassing me!”
She’s truly shameless! Haha ^3^
Gu Cheng: “…”
Song Lan: “Aren’t you going to thank Xiao Yi?”
Gu Cheng closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and reluctantly said: “Thank you.”
Thank you, world.
—
Ning Yi, with her sweetest smile, promised she would keep working hard to help Gu Cheng fully recover!
Her sincerity deeply moved Song Lan and the Old Master. What a wonderful daughter-in-law! What a good child!
Ignoring Gu Cheng’s dark, oppressive gaze that practically pierced through her, Ning Yi thoughtfully pondered: Now that hubby’s other senses are partially functional and his hearing can be assisted with headphones, the only thing he’s missing is his sense of taste. He can’t even enjoy food!
How tragic!
Determined to solidify her position as his “greatest benefactor,” Ning Yi devised a clever plan to help him—and herself!
Ning Yi: Hehe.
—
After everyone left, only the Old Master remained in the room to speak with Gu Cheng.
The Old Master, having lost his son at a young age, carried that pain deeply. Thankfully, his grandson had risen to excellence, single-handedly supporting the Gu Corporation and expanding its empire threefold in just a few years. But then Gu Cheng’s accident left him comatose for three long years, forcing the Old Master to resume control of the company despite his advanced age.
Now the Gu family’s massive ship was barely staying afloat, battered by storms.
“Grandfather, you can rest assured now,” Gu Cheng said, his expression icy but his tone resolute. “I’m back.”
The Old Master’s face lit up with relief. “Good, good!”
Although not accustomed to using headphones, the Old Master still wore them to speak with Gu Cheng for a long time.
Their conversation gave Gu Cheng a clear and direct understanding of the current internal state of the Gu Corporation. While inhabiting Ning Yi’s body, his information was limited; now he could directly grasp the dynamics at the top level.
Gu Cheng’s expression darkened.
The Gu Corporation was now overrun with fools, barely maintaining balance through divided shares.
It’s time to wake them all up.
—
After the Old Master left, Ning Yi poked her head through the door.
“Hu~bby~”
Gu Cheng was leaning against the headboard, lost in thought.
His black hair fell messily over his brow, and as he looked up, his sharp gaze caught the light, carving a cold gleam into the air. From the bridge of his nose to the curve of his thin lips, his features exuded no warmth, casting a shadowy, oppressive aura over his otherwise handsome face.
Indeed, he looked just like the cold, ruthless, and dominating business emperor described in the book.
But—
Ning Yi, completely unfazed, strode into the room confidently, tossing out compliments like confetti:
“Hubby, the way you think is so manly and cool! Looking at you now, you’re even more attractive!”
Gu Cheng, used to hearing her exaggerated declarations of love, now observed her from this “third-person perspective” for the first time.
Interesting.
Her gaze was steady, her tone brimming with affection—but the feelings were clearly fake. She was acting.
His expression remained calm. “Really? Then accompany me to the office tomorrow, Ah Yi.”
Ning Yi, caught off guard: “Huh?”
A faint trace of mischief flickered in Gu Cheng’s eyes as he said slowly, “Didn’t Ah Yi mention how those people outside look down on you, saying I’ll kick you out of the Gu family now that I’m awake? Well then, if you personally push my wheelchair and take care of me every step of the way, they’ll all see how much I rely on you.”
Ning Yi: “…”
Ning Yi: “I’m so touched that hubby needs me this much.”
“After all,” Gu Cheng added, “Ah Yi is my wife through thick and thin.”
Ning Yi: “Hehe.” She gave a dry laugh before clapping her hands to signal the servants to bring something into the room.
Ning Yi: “Of course, I’m happy to push your wheelchair, hubby! But I’d rather you recover fully as soon as possible. Here, try this first!”
A cup of strangely coloured liquid was placed in front of Gu Cheng.
Gu Cheng: “?”
Ning Yi picked up her own cup. “Hubby, try it!”
Gu Cheng’s sense of taste hadn’t returned yet, but his sense of smell had been fully restored—thanks to her earlier “efforts.” As soon as he picked up the cup, an odd, fishy odour wafted into his nose. “…What is this?”
Ning Yi: “Freshly squeezed fishwort bubble tea.”
With that, she raised her own cup and, without flinching, took a large sip.
Gu Cheng: “?”
Who’s the one without taste here?
Gu Cheng watched in disbelief as Ning Yi drank her entire cup, one sip at a time. Then she looked at him with encouragement. “Come on, hubby, drink up! It might actually help awaken your sense of taste!”
Assuming the problem lay with himself, Gu Cheng reluctantly endured the smell and forced himself to drink the juice, sip by sip.
By the time he finished, he could indeed faintly taste something.
It was worse than the smell.
“…” Gu Cheng, relying on sheer self-discipline, suppressed the urge to spit it out and frowned at Ning Yi. “You don’t think this tastes bad?”
“Not at all!” Ning Yi replied innocently. “I’m drinking coconut milk bubble tea.”
It just happened to be the same colour!
Gu Cheng: “?”
Ning Yi: “^3^”
Their eyes met. Gu Cheng, unbelievably, found himself chuckling in exasperation.
Ning Yi, however, gazed at him with sparkling eyes. “How about that, hubby? Are you mad?”
“…” Gu Cheng’s expression remained blank. “Ah Yi truly loves me.”
“It’s called misdirection! Killing two birds with one stone!” Ning Yi declared. “Hubby, do you remember why I could flip the bird with your hand last time? It was all thanks to a surge of—uh, not violence—but a burst of anger!”
Gu Cheng: “…”
“Are you mad? Frustrated?” Ning Yi’s eyes gleamed with anticipation. “Come on, give it a try!”
Gu Cheng: “…”
Finally, under Ning Yi’s relentless “encouragement,” Gu Cheng attempted to lift his leg.
It moved—barely. He managed to raise it two centimeters before an invisible restraint stopped him. The limitations on his body hadn’t fully lifted yet.
Gu Cheng’s expression darkened again, black tides churning in his eyes.
How much longer will this body keep me trapped?
Noticing his mood, Ning Yi immediately clapped her hands together with a cheerful “Pop!”
Gu Cheng: “?”
The ominous darkness in his gaze dissipated under her playful clap.
“It’s okay, hubby. Have some water and rest for a bit. I’ll lie down for you!” Ning Yi beamed as she grabbed his hand.
Can’t let hubby spiral into darkness! If he goes full villain, I’ll be the first one to get wiped out!
Gu Cheng suddenly paused.
The moment their hands touched, their bodies swapped instantly. Gu Cheng caught onto the change right away—even before Ning Yi could utter the word “swap.”
That elusive, random sensation was back again.
But Gu Cheng wasn’t sure—was it Ning Yi’s intention that triggered the swap, or was it the physical contact itself?
Without giving anything away, he withdrew his hand, his dark gaze deep with thought.
“Then, Ah Yi, you can rest for me.”
“Sure, sure!” Ning Yi, seemingly oblivious, flopped onto the bed without a care.
—
After a while.
Gu Cheng sat at the desk, quietly working. Ning Yi lay flat on the bed, completely at ease.
Ning Yi’s voice came through again: “Hubby.”
Gu Cheng narrowed his eyes slightly. Had she noticed something?
“Hubby,” Ning Yi continued, “the caregiver is about to change your clothes.”
Gu Cheng raised an eyebrow slightly but continued reviewing the proposal for tomorrow’s company shareholders’ meeting on the intranet.
He read two lines and then paused.
Ning Yi was his wife, and technically, the caregivers would be changing his clothes—but in her body. It seemed perfectly logical, yet something about it felt off.
Gu Cheng asked, “…Should we switch back?”
Ning Yi remained flat on the bed. “Oh, it’s fine!”
Gu Cheng: Heh.
As expected, this woman had as little shame as she had sincerity—practically none.
Ning Yi, of course, wasn’t embarrassed at all. She lay there leisurely, letting the caregivers handle everything.
—Honestly, being a CEO is amazing! You just lie there, and everything gets taken care of for you!
She wondered if going to Gu Corporation tomorrow would be even more satisfying. Hehe.
Still, this was the first time since their body swap that Ning Yi had truly taken a good look at Gu Cheng’s body.
Thanks to a professional 30-person team meticulously caring for Gu Cheng over the past three years, along with continuous strength maintenance and traction training, his body had remained in excellent condition. Despite the prolonged bed rest, his physique was still that of a healthy adult male, with a pale but not overly frail elegance.
Ning Yi couldn’t help but praise, “Hubby, your body is like a work of art!”
Gu Cheng couldn’t be bothered to respond.
She’s probably praising with her eyes closed, fake as always.
Ning Yi cooperatively let them take off the shirt, then the pants. As she tilted her head slightly, looking down from above, she couldn’t help but exclaim:
“Wow, it’s so long?!”
Gu Cheng’s hand froze mid-air for a moment before he calmly resumed working.
This time, her praise seemed to carry a hint of sincerity.
He let out a cool breath through his lips: “Heh.”
As she worked with the caregivers to put on the new clothes, Ning Yi continued chatting: “It’s like a boat!”
Gu Cheng’s lips twitched slightly in restraint, his tone indifferent: “It’s alright.”
Of course. That was his male pride.
Ning Yi clicked her tongue, momentarily speechless.
Gu Cheng, the corners of his lips curling into a mocking smile, thought: She’s stunned?
And then he heard her say:
“Your width must be at least ten centimeters, right?”
Gu Cheng suddenly felt something was off. “…Do you think I’m shaped like a rectangle?”
“Yeah, hubby, your foot,” Ning Yi said, wiggling it slightly. “It’s like a rectangular boat.”
Gu Cheng: “.”
Ning Yi: “?”
A few seconds later.
Ning Yi: “I was talking about your foot. What were you talking about?”
Gu Cheng: “…Nothing.”
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