Gu Cheng left the kitchen expressionless, holding a cake box.
Ding Ziyue had followed him, thoughtfully preparing an extra set of silver cutlery for him, with a strange look of encouragement in her eyes. “Xiao Yi, go accompany Master Gu!”
The more you abuse him, the better I can heal him later~
Gu Cheng: ?
When he returned to the other wing of the estate, the crowd of onlookers who had been outside the hospital room had been escorted to the banquet hall by the Gu family servants to wait for dinner.
As Gu Cheng walked up to the hospital room, he saw his mother, Song Lan, emerging from within.
Song Lan was a formidable businesswoman who had built her jewellery brand into a household name in the country. After Gu Cheng’s accident, she and the old master of the Gu family had been supporting the group, balancing the internal affairs of the Gu family.
However, no matter how much money or resources were poured in, Gu Cheng remained unconscious, and there were signs of unrest within the Gu family.
Song Lan closed the door behind her, wiping the corner of her eye before looking up to see “Ning Yi” approaching.
She masked her emotions, nodding gently. “You’re here?”
Gu Cheng paused, the cold, oppressive air that had enveloped him since the body swap slightly dissipating. “—Mom.”
Song Lan was slightly taken aback, not expecting her daughter-in-law to address her so warmly.
Gu Cheng could see that although Song Lan still maintained her elegant demeanour, there was an undeniable weariness etched into her features.
Song Lan composed herself and noticed the cake in his hand. “Is this…”
The servants and caregivers did occasionally place food in Gu Cheng’s room to create a sense of normalcy, but was the daughter-in-law being so thoughtful? She had originally been worried that Ning Yi might harbour resentment…
Gu Cheng glanced down at the cake, remembering why he had brought it, and his expression darkened.
Though he couldn’t reveal the bizarre body-swapping incident to Song Lan, he could start to subtly paint a picture of Ning Yi’s character, so that when he eventually returned to his own body, the divorce process would go more smoothly.
So Gu Cheng coolly replied, “Oh, this is all for me to eat.”
He might as well have had “lazy and gluttonous” written across his forehead.
Song Lan was momentarily stunned. This child was surprisingly honest?
She had spent so long in high society, surrounded by countless noblewomen, that she had come to appreciate those who were more genuine and unpretentious.
Ning Yi seemed like a decent child. If she could pass a few small tests, the Gu family certainly wouldn’t mistreat her as a daughter-in-law.
“Go ahead and eat,” Song Lan offered a gentle smile. “Just remember to save some room for dinner.”
Gu Cheng: “…?”
Why did she seem so pleased?
Ning Yi had been lying comfortably in bed, dozing contentedly, and then she woke up precisely on time.
—Delivery’s here!
“Darling~” she called out in her mind.
Gu Cheng had just reached the bedside and confirmed that she hadn’t drooled on his face. Upon hearing her voice, he paused.
How could her senses be so sharp?
Obviously, his body can only feel very slight air flow fluctuations.
Gu Cheng asked calmly, “Can you switch back now?”
Ning Yi’s tone was pleasant: “Not yet.” But she was trying her best, eager to get to the cake.
Gu Cheng glanced at the clock on the wall, narrowing his eyes as he calculated the time.
They had switched bodies three times today. The first and second were complete exchanges. But after the third, there had been a cooldown period, lasting almost two hours so far.
He needed to figure out the rules and limitations of their body swapping as soon as possible, to gain more control.
Perhaps this was also a crucial opportunity for him to break free from his vegetative state.
“No worries, darling,” Ning Yi said, lying flat on the bed, her voice dripping with affection. “Since the body swap has already happened, I’m willing to endure the pain of lying down for you, so you can be free.”
After all, her biggest life goal now was to eat well and sleep well! And when she had time, she would use her apocalypse survival skills to earn some money so that when the tycoon woke up, she wouldn’t be quickly annihilated.
Hearing this, Gu Cheng smirked, but his eyes held no warmth: Hypocrite.
A moment later, Ning Yi’s swapping ability returned to normal.
Gu Cheng silently noted that the cooldown period was roughly two hours and fifteen minutes.
He had thought that returning to his body would have become routine by now, but upon re-entering that closed-off, deathly silence, he felt an uncontrollable surge of frustration.
After experiencing even a brief taste of freedom, the darkness was now more unbearable than ever.
And once Ning Yi was back in her own body, she didn’t say another word.
As expected, human nature was inherently selfish.
He was no different.
Gu Cheng remained still in the darkness for a moment, growing colder. “Hey.”
There was no response from the other side.
The silent darkness seemed endless, and Gu Cheng suddenly began to doubt.
Could regaining freedom through body swapping be nothing more than a hallucination born from his own deteriorating mental state?
“…Hey,” Gu Cheng’s voice was icy, “You—”
“First of all, my name isn’t ‘hey.’”
Her voice finally came through.
“Secondly, I’m eating cake,” Ning Yi’s voice was muffled. “Are you feeling lonely, darling? Do you want to listen to a mukbang?”
Ning Yi was very sincere when it came to food.
The Gu family’s reputation as a top-tier household was well deserved—their kitchen staff had truly mastered the art of desserts. The rich, sweet flavours spread across her tongue, followed by the soft, delicate texture of the cake, and her dopamine levels soared.
Ning Yi generously shared her joy with her vegetative husband: “Yum yum yum.”
This time, Gu Cheng remained silent.
Ning Yi continued, “Nom nom nom.”
Gu Cheng: “…”
Ning Yi: “Don’t worry, darling. I’ll keep you company during dinner with another mukbang. You won’t be lonely.”
“…Enough,” Gu Cheng said expressionlessly. “Shut up.”
That evening, the Gu family was hosting a small dinner party in the banquet hall to entertain the elite guests.
After finishing the cake, Ning Yi became very interested in the Gu family’s dinner.
In the original plot, this was also a key scene. Because the original Ning Yi had never attended such a high-society event, she was timid and afraid to speak, which made her a stark contrast to the confident and graceful female lead of the romance novel. Afterward, her mental state deteriorated further, leading her to increase her abuse, marking the beginning of her downfall.
Before leaving the hospital room, Ning Yi checked herself in the mirror.
Sure enough, after a good sleep, she looked much better. In the apocalypse, she couldn’t sleep well or eat properly, so even though her facial features were the same, her beauty had been greatly diminished. Now, Ning Yi appeared relaxed and radiant, her delicate brows and eyes exuding a lazy kind of beauty.
With looks like this, what was there to be insecure about?
Besides, this was just a brainless novel. Could it be any harder to navigate than a horde of zombies?
Ning Yi walked into the banquet hall with her head held high.
The eyes of everyone in the room instinctively focused on her—
At this moment, the cold, sharp aura Ning Yi had previously exuded was gone. Her exquisitely beautiful features had a natural, effortless allure. Her posture was straight as she walked, drawing attention to her slender, tall figure, her impossibly thin waist, and her long legs…
However, in high society, looks alone were not enough.
The long table in the banquet hall was nearly full, and the hierarchy in this circle was very clear. Everyone’s family background and status had a ranking in their minds.
Ning Yi’s rank was undoubtedly at the bottom.
She asked Gu Cheng in her mind, “Darling, where should I sit?”
Gu Cheng was very familiar with these occasions. Malice welled up within him as he coolly suggested, “Sit in the closest spot to the head of the table.”
Ning Yi clapped her hands in approval. “Just what I was thinking.”
It was closest to the main course.
Gu Cheng’s laugh was cold and scornful.
As soon as Ning Yi sat down, the attention in the room focused even more on her. The man sitting across from her looked her up and down. “Move to the back. How can you even think of sitting here?”
Hearing this, Ding Ziyue quickly stepped in to smooth things over, speaking gently. “I’m sorry, Mr. Gu. My sister has never attended such a banquet before, so she doesn’t know the rules. I’ll take her to another seat—”
Her intervention drew approving looks from those around her.
If it were the original Ning Yi, she would have already stood up and slunk away in embarrassment. However, Ning Yi remained calm and unhurried, lifting her gaze to reveal a charming curve in her eye.
“So what?” she said with ease. “Can’t Gu Cheng’s wife sit here?”
The banquet hall fell silent.
Ding Ziyue’s face froze, and Gu Zhisong, who had just spoken, suddenly found himself at a loss for words.
They could easily push around Ning Yi, a bumpkin from the countryside, but who would dare touch her now that she had invoked Gu Cheng’s name?
This was the Gu family, and no one dared to challenge that statement. Even though Gu Cheng was still in a coma, his name alone commanded respect.
Ning Yi felt no shame or moral guilt in borrowing the tycoon’s influence.
Hehe. Her happiness was what mattered most. ^-^
Meanwhile, from afar, Song Lan observed this scene with a hint of approval in her eyes—well done. As Gu Cheng’s wife, as the daughter-in-law of the Gu family, she should carry herself with such confidence!
Song Lan gave a brief speech from the head of the table, thanking everyone for their concern for Gu Cheng, but she did not mention his condition.
Afterward, dinner was served.
The banquet featured a mix of Western and Chinese dishes, each one exquisitely crafted and aromatic. Ning Yi realized that her seat was the perfect spot—first to be served, with the best access to the dishes.
So she decided to express her gratitude to Gu Cheng. “Darling, since you can’t eat, I’ll describe the food for you ^3^.”
Gu Cheng: “…”
“The first dish is pan-seared foie gras sushi. I could eat ten of these in one bite.”
Gu Cheng remained coldly indifferent but, surprisingly, didn’t interrupt her.
A friend of Ding Ziyue’s, sitting nearby, gritted her teeth. “She just sat there and started eating like it was nothing? She’s shameless.”
Ding Ziyue’s expression was also displeased, but after a few seconds, she smiled mysteriously.
Ning Yi’s sudden change in behaviour could only mean one thing—she must have gained a sense of power by abusing Master Gu, which made her feel superior! Otherwise, how could she be so calm and composed?
She needed to find an opportunity to visit him soon. The poor Master Gu was still waiting in the darkness for her to save him!
Ding Ziyue gracefully stood up and raised her wine glass. “Aunt Song Lan, I’d like to take this opportunity, with everyone present, to invite you all to my welcome banquet at the Ding family next week~”
The room immediately filled with admiration:
“Wow, as expected of the Ding family’s cherished daughter~”
“Your family really spoils you, Ziyue!”
Ding Ziyue glanced at Ning Yi, who was focused on her food, and sighed softly. “As you all know, I unintentionally occupied my sister’s place all these years, and I’ve always felt guilty and uneasy about it. So Xiao Yi, will… will you come to the banquet?”
Normally, no fake daughter would willingly admit to having usurped someone else’s place, but Ding Ziyue was different. Though she was a fake daughter, she had found an even more powerful real family, so she could admit it openly, even with a sense of superiority.
Ning Yi briefly glanced at her.
Ding Ziyue’s words hit all of the original Ning Yi’s sore spots—if she agreed to go, she would have to endure the sight of Ding Ziyue being adored by her new family while she had received no such welcome when she was brought back to the Ning family. If she refused, it would seem like she was bitter and petty, unable to accept Ding Ziyue’s goodwill.
No wonder the original Ning Yi had been so tormented that she had clawed a hole into the tablecloth.
For a moment, everyone turned to Ning Yi, waiting for her response.
“Sure,” Ning Yi smiled and asked a practical question. “Will your banquet’s catering match the Gu family’s standard?”
Ding Ziyue was taken aback.
Song Lan also looked over.
Ding Ziyue had never expected Ning Yi to throw such a tricky question back at her.
If she said the Ding family’s banquet would be better than the Gu family’s, it would be seen as disrespecting the Gu family, and Song Lan would be displeased. How would she then visit Master Gu? But if she said it wouldn’t be as good, how could she explain her confidence in inviting everyone, which had earned their admiration?
—First, Ning Yi sowed discord between her and Gu Zeyu, and now she was setting her up. How could Ning Yi be so cunning?!
In the end, Ding Ziyue stammered, “Of course, our family will do our best.”
Ning Yi nodded approvingly. “Well, good luck with that.”
Ding Ziyue nearly turned green with frustration.
What right did she have to speak like that?! Just because she secretly abused Master Gu?
When she healed Master Gu and helped him rise to power again, she would make sure Ning Yi met a miserable end!
Ning Yi, satisfied with the greenish tinge on the female lead’s face, bit into a piece of basil-roasted sea bass.
Then she happily spoke to Gu Cheng. “Darling, do you want a bite? If you do, just say so.”
Gu Cheng’s voice was icy. “I avoid oily, greasy foods.”
Ning Yi’s tone was indulgent. “You’re just saying that because you’re upset. I don’t believe you.”
Gu Cheng: “…”
He had survived on IV fluids for three years and could no longer tolerate any rich or greasy flavours.
The reason Gu Cheng hadn’t interrupted her was that in the fake world of high society, someone like Ning Yi who truly focused on eating at a social dinner would be considered an outcast.
His darkest instincts told him that the worse Ning Yi’s situation became, the more likely she would be to need their body-swapping opportunities, wouldn’t she?
With a black, malicious intent, Gu Cheng asked softly, “Are you enjoying yourself?”
Ning Yi was looking forward to the final dish of the evening—a gourmet Jinhua double-black pork braised in soy sauce.
When it was served, the meat was glistening, almost like a work of art.
“Of course I’m happy!” Ning Yi said, blissfully taking a bite of the fatty, juicy pork, casually adding, “I wish you could taste it too, darling.”
No sooner had she spoken than a strand of her hair lifted in the breeze.
In the next instant, Gu Cheng had been swapped into her body.
Gu Cheng: “…”
Ning Yi: “???”
She had only been being polite. She didn’t actually want to switch!
Meanwhile, Gu Cheng, now in Ning Yi’s body, sat at the dinner table with a large chunk of fatty braised pork in his mouth, nearly letting it fall out.
Ding Ziyue, who had been watching “Ning Yi” closely, finally found a mistake and quickly rushed over to instruct her. “Oh dear, sister, you don’t understand table manners. Let me teach you…”
Gu Cheng took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the urge to vomit. He picked up a napkin, folded it skilfully with his slender fingers, and delicately wiped the grease from his lips.
Every move was impeccably elegant.
Then, biting into that chunk of fatty meat, he used every ounce of his self-control.
It felt like swallowing something vile.
Ning Yi. You’re good.
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