Let’s Merge Physically!
Ning Yi was woken up by Gu Cheng holding her.
Still half-asleep, she mumbled, “Why aren’t you sleeping…”
Gu Cheng held her tightly, his fingers resting on her cheek. Feeling the rosy, soft fullness of her face now, his heart still burned.
The information in the dream had been fragmented. Gu Cheng tried hard to remember more details, to piece together the situation… but in the end, what remained before his eyes was only Ning Yi’s gaunt cheeks, and those dark, resilient eyes that had stayed clear even amid the chaos.
“…A Yi,” Gu Cheng’s voice was slightly strained as he asked softly, “did you dream?”
Ning Yi was still groggy. She half-opened her eyes, her voice blurry. “Hm? Why are you all asking that…”
Gu Cheng paused slightly. “Who else asked?”
As soon as he said it, Gu Cheng had already thought of the answer—it was 01’s friend. They came from the same place, shared the same tacit understanding, and their pasts overlapped.
With Gu Cheng’s insight, by now he could almost confirm and piece together the logic—he had indeed swapped into Ning Yi’s memory.
That memory was also shared by Wander. Since he had asked Ning Yi about it, it meant he had dreamed too. But because of Gu Cheng and Ning Yi’s swapping mechanism, Ning Yi’s dream had become Gu Cheng’s instead—
The instability of the swapping had overlapped with this dream.
Two kinds of unease had gathered together.
Gu Cheng’s heart felt heavy, but he held Ning Yi even tighter, somewhat grateful that their emotions hadn’t swapped at this moment. Otherwise, it might have affected her, and she wouldn’t sleep well tonight.
Ning Yi yawned. “I didn’t dream.”
Maybe her sleep quality was just too good now—peaceful all night.
She shifted, found a more comfortable position in Gu Cheng’s arms, and even reached out to pat him comfortingly. “Did you have a nightmare, honey?”
Gu Cheng steadied his breathing and gently kissed her forehead in the darkness. “No—”
Her past was something she had personally lived through. If Ning Yi herself didn’t call it anything, how could he call it a nightmare?
This time, it was probably only him who had received Ning Yi’s memory, just like the body and emotion swaps—usually a one-way operation.
This was their first memory swap, and Gu Cheng had only seen a few fragments. Where Ning Yi had been at that time, what had happened there, and what her situation had actually been—he still couldn’t see clearly.
And yet Gu Cheng already felt heartache.
At this moment, holding her in his arms, warm and quiet, he had originally wanted to ask what situation Ning Yi had been in back then.
Whether she had lived badly.
Whether she had gone hungry.
But seeing how she was now, drowsy and unguarded, about to fall asleep again, he eventually swallowed all his words.
If this was a swap, then Ning Yi would probably also receive fragments of his memories in the future. She just didn’t know yet, and Gu Cheng couldn’t predict what fragments she would see.
But at least now—during the days when he was by her side—
Gu Cheng wanted her to be happy every day.
So he would solve it first.
Soon, the end of the year arrived.
After Ning Yi woke up that day, she asked Gu Cheng what had happened the night before. Gu Cheng calmly said it was nothing.
Judging by his appearance, something had definitely happened, but if he didn’t say it, Ning Yi wouldn’t force him.
Because Gu Cheng always gave people the feeling that he could solve every problem—he was the strongest, most overwhelming final boss in the whole book, the one who crushed everyone. What in this world could possibly trouble Gu Cheng?
If he didn’t say it, he must have his reasons. When he could say it, he would definitely tell her.
There should be a little more trust between husband and wife, Ning Yi thought.
Meanwhile, the daily [1] from Brother Wan continued until New Year’s Eve.
Ning Yi asked him: [Do you want me to spend New Year with you, Captain?]
Thinking about it, Captain Wan probably didn’t have many social connections here. He was a lone wolf in the club, and he didn’t seem close to any relatives either. She couldn’t bring an outsider to the Gu family—
But she alone could eat two New Year’s Eve dinners ^_^ One at home and one outside, no pressure at all.
However, Wander didn’t reply.
Ning Yi sighed. She didn’t know whether he didn’t want to disturb her, or whether he had gone to sleep again.
….
On New Year’s Eve.
It was the Gu family estate chefs’ once-a-year chance to show off their full skills. They practically wanted to prepare the New Year’s Eve dinner according to the standards of a Manchu-Han Imperial Feast.
Ning Yi wore a beautiful red square-neck dress today, looking festive from head to toe. In the kitchen, she had already been fed a cup of fresh soup and two pieces of fresh char siu. The aroma of meat filled the air, full of New Year cheer.
When the New Year’s Eve dinner was fully served and all the Gu family members had taken their seats, Old Master Gu cheerfully said a few simple words. Then dinner officially began.
There was “Five Blessings Arrive,” made from pork stomach and squid stew; “Surplus Year After Year,” fish topped with red and green pepper shreds and drizzled with hot oil; and “Prosperous New Year,” cinnamon pork ribs cooked with Huadiao wine… They were all home-style dishes, but made to state-banquet standards, filling the long table completely.
The rising aroma and savoury freshness were full of warm, everyday life.
As usual, Ning Yi ate with the force of sweeping through an army—
When the five ribs on her plate were all gone, a pair of chopsticks reached over from beside her and added an entire fish to her plate.
Ning Yi: “?”
She turned to look at Gu Cheng. What was this? Had he finally started fattening the pig?
Gu Cheng said calmly, “Eat more.”
Since that night, the memory swap hadn’t happened again for these past two days.
But based on the dream’s details and Ning Yi’s approximate age at the time, Gu Cheng had people secretly spread out an investigation network to check which place in the country had suffered such a disaster, and in what year.
But they found no match.
Another guess in Gu Cheng’s heart became clearer and clearer, but he had no desire to mention it in front of Ning Yi.
He didn’t want Ning Yi to remember, and he no longer thought she ate as if she had survived a famine.
However, whenever they ate together, any dish Ning Yi picked up would appear doubled in her plate or bowl.
Gu Cheng probably finally understood why Ning Yi liked stockpiling food as compensation.
If only the world could compensate for the past like that.
“Eat more.”
“I’m eating, I’m eating—hey, stop adding more!”
Everyone at the Gu family table: kindly.jpg
In the end, Ning Yi was fed by him until her stomach was round. She thought: very good—this love is heavy, fragrant, and delicious.
The New Year’s Eve dinner was joyful and harmonious, and Ning Yi ate very satisfyingly.
Being full gave people a sense of happiness, and anticipation for the coming year.
Before going to sleep that night, Ning Yi checked her unread messages.
Wander: [1]
Ning Yi breathed a sigh of relief: [On such a happy day, your check-in should at least say Happy New Year, bro]
Wander: [Happy New Year]
Ning Yi felt reassured: [May we all be well]
Aside from the still highly uncertain random swapping, everything seemed to be going smoothly?
Her career had now fully entered the right track. In the new year, Ning Yi also planned to play around with holographic technology—after all, she had money and free time. She could gather a team to make a holographic game: immersive apocalypse experience. It would definitely have a market in this world.
When the time came, she would definitely pull Captain Wan in too. He had apocalypse experience and gaming ability—he was practically the most suitable partner.
In short, there were still many things to mess around with.
They still had to move into the industrial park, and she had to grow her small company a bit more too, becoming a boss who could show off even better…
Getting rich while lying flat.
Ning Yi grabbed Gu Cheng, shaped her hand like a microphone, and held it under her husband’s chin. “Please state your New Year goal!”
Gu Cheng lowered his eyes to look at her.
Recently, Young Master Gu seemed to have things to busy himself with too. He hadn’t been sleeping too well, and the faint shadows under his eyes made him look even colder and gloomier. But when Ning Yi filled his gaze, his eyes became deep and gentle.
In previous years, if someone asked Gu Cheng about his New Year plans, they would probably only hear cold numbers, market analysis, and business decisions.
But now, Gu Cheng lifted Ning Yi into his arms and lightly kissed the tip of her nose.
“My New Year wish is—”
To solve every unknown problem, and then—
“For us to love each other properly.”
Ning Yi blinked.
She had actually wanted to ask about business strategy, career plans, profit targets—that kind of thing, to freeload some of her husband’s money-making ideas.
But unexpectedly, she got a very sweet answer.
What could she say? Gu Cheng, you’ve learned how to say nice things now, huh?
But Ning Yi couldn’t help curling herself up, holding her flushed cheeks, and smiling.
“Then I’ll add that to my New Year goals too.”
Gu Cheng smiled and pinched her cheek. “What rank does this one get?”
Ning Yi: “Fifth—four-three-two-one!”
Gu Cheng loosened his slightly firm fingers and rubbed her face. “I’m honoured… So I’ll work hard, A Yi.”
Ning Yi hummed twice.
Why did he make it sound so difficult?
Something like loving each other—she would work hard at it too.
Just like the swapping, it was something between the two of them.
The world was still running in its brainless, happy way.
Opening her phone, CMore’s Spring Festival activities were extremely rich.
Netizens were all at home on holiday, scrolling on their phones with nothing to do—complaining about the Spring Festival Gala, complaining that the holiday was too short, or searching everywhere for gossip and sweetness.
Among them, naturally, was Ding Ziyue’s lively figure.
—On this occasion of bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new, during the Spring Festival, Princess Ding Ding delivered an important speech on CMore!
[@Ding Ziyue: I finally, finally remembered…]
The timing was ripe. It was time for the most important plot. So Ding Ziyue’s brain very sensibly recovered—she no longer had amnesia!
Ning Yi: Good, applause! If you’re not sick, then walk two steps.
After Ding Ziyue posted that update and attracted netizens’ attention, she turned and threw herself into Jiang Linyi’s arms:
“Brother Linyi, after losing my memory this time, I finally realised just how much you cherish me. I will remember your devotion forever…”
Jiang Linyi hugged her and said emotionally, “Yueyue, you… you finally… you really remembered?”
Ding Ziyue cried, “I remembered! From our first meeting at the riding club, to when you publicly announced our relationship, to everything you’ve done for me—I remembered it all! How could I forget? All the love and pampering you gave me…”
Jiang Linyi embraced her deeply.
“In the new year, our love should move into a new stage.”
Ding Ziyue’s heart pounded: It’s here! It’s here! Wasn’t this exactly why she pushed the plot forward—
Jiang Linyi took out a ring, knelt on one knee, and said, “Yueyue, will you marry me?”
Ding Ziyue cried with emotion! Then she wiped her eyes and carefully examined whether this ring was as big as Ning Yi’s huge diamond!
But no matter how she looked, it seemed a little smaller!
And this was a proposal! There weren’t even any spectators around. How could that be acceptable? How could her pampered life not be witnessed?!
Ding Ziyue said emotionally, “I will! Brother Linyi! But I want you to let the whole world know that you’re going to marry me!”
Jiang Linyi said, “Of course, my princess.”
His wedding would naturally be grand.
Ding Ziyue felt reassured.
Although the diamond ring was a little smaller, the wedding could absolutely crush Ning Yi’s!
She had truly won this comeback battle!
That day—
Using New Year visiting as an excuse, Princess Ding put on her diamond ring, added two more rings, and appeared outside the Gu family estate—she was afraid Ning Yi wouldn’t go online and would miss her sweet update!
Ning Yi leisurely looked at Ding Ziyue—oh, the light of her world, her sea-calming needle.
Ding Ziyue used her classic “covering her mouth while smiling” pose, deliberately raising her right hand with three rings on it. “Little sister, sorry for neglecting you during the time I lost my memory. Now I remember everything, so I specially came to share my joy with you!”
Ning Yi: “Mm-hmm. As long as you’re happy.”
Ding Ziyue smiled and threw out her main purpose for coming today. “So, after a while, you must come to my wedding~”
Then she secretly observed Ning Yi’s expression.
If Young Master Gu had any plans to hold a wedding for Ning Yi too, Ning Yi’s expression couldn’t possibly remain unchanged!
But after hearing this, Ning Yi still looked like a salted fish. “Huh? Sure.”
The female lead’s wedding banquet would definitely be delicious. Who wouldn’t go?
Ding Ziyue laughed inwardly. Sure enough, in the wedding round, she would definitely win!
Sigh. Sometimes, even she couldn’t help feeling that her life had too many advantages. No matter what twists and turns happened along the way, the ending of her beautiful, pampered life had long been decided.
Thinking of this, her privilege, her pride—all of it showed!
“Don’t envy me too much, little sister. After all, Brother Linyi and I have been through too much… You don’t understand. Love that has endured hardship together is the most precious in the world! That’s why he wants to give me the best wedding. My experiences are too heart-breaking. I deserve all of this…”
Ning Yi leisurely said, “Mm-hmm.”
Ding Ziyue’s full-screen superiority was pushed right back by her, and she immediately became a little unhappy.
What Ding Ziyue hated most was Ning Yi’s indifferent attitude toward everything. It was precisely because of this that she had repeatedly misread things in her imagination and overturned!
But now, Ding Ziyue, who had successfully completed this long plotline and made a comeback against the wind, was simply too pleased with herself. So much so that she didn’t mind telling Ning Yi a secret, wanting to see shock on her face!
“You definitely never expected it, little sister—” Ding Ziyue suppressed her joy and superiority. “Actually, actually, I never lost my memory at all! Haha!”
Stunned, right? I fooled you, didn’t I?
I fooled the whole world! Hahahaha!
“?” Ning Yi held her teacup and said leisurely, “Mm-hmm.”
Good. Well said. Listening to you speak is truly like listening to words.
Seeing her like this, Ding Ziyue’s smile started to lose force. Annoyed, she said, “What? Still pretending to be calm? Do you want to win that badly, to the point you won’t show even a little displeasure? Ning Yi, living like this must be exhausting!”
Ning Yi: “?”
Ning Yi took a sip of tea. “Mm-hmm.”
Ding Ziyue accidentally got angry again!
So she couldn’t help revealing even more of her superiority, her pride. “Hehe, do you think pretending to be calm means you can compare with my life? Let me tell you the truth. From the very foundation, there is a gap between our lives. Not everyone can be like me and possess a dream’s prophe—”
Before Ding Ziyue could finish, she suddenly stopped.
Her wisdom told her that she could admit pretending to have amnesia, but she could not mention the dream.
After all, the dream represented a power beyond the operation of this world. How could someone ordinary like Ning Yi be allowed to know?
“In short! You can’t compare to my life—”
But this time, Ning Yi’s expression finally changed a little.
If Gu Cheng and Brother Wan both mentioning dreams could still be called coincidence… hearing it from the female lead’s mouth carried a different meaning. Because Ding Ziyue was the centre of this world, and that represented an invisible rule.
And dreams.
Dreams were another power outside the rules.
Then what effect would dreaming have?
And… why had she not dreamed?
Ning Yi’s mind spun quickly, and she soon thought of the swapping mechanism.
Perhaps because of the swapping, the dreams she should have had—just as Brother Wan hinted—had been dreamed by Gu Cheng instead.
But if it was a swap, why did Gu Cheng dream her dream, while Ning Yi did not dream Gu Cheng’s?
Ning Yi’s expression suddenly fell into deep thought.
Ding Ziyue had originally wanted to see another expression from Ning Yi, but now she suddenly felt she had revealed too much. In the end, she left behind one sentence: “Anyway, on the day I get married, you must come~ Because that would make me very happy~”
Ning Yi watched Ding Ziyue’s back and suddenly remembered that the original plot was actually almost finished.
In the main text, the author had written up to Ding Ziyue’s wedding. After misunderstandings, melodrama, twists, car accidents, and memory loss, the princess who regained her memories accepted the prince’s wedding and lived a pampered life from then on.
After the plot ends, this world should logically continue to run as normal—but… what about the outsiders?
Her, and Brother Wan.
They were both outsiders.
This time, Ding Ziyue had come over specifically to show off, but unexpectedly, she made Ning Yi notice some… information that Gu Cheng had been protecting.
Ning Yi calmly analyzed everything for an entire day.
She always felt like she had missed something important.
She kept thinking, and thinking, and thinking—until Gu Cheng told her in her mind that he had something to do tonight and that she should go to bed early. Only then did Ning Yi suddenly realize—
Brother Wan’s “1”… had stopped.
Ning Yi quickly scrolled up. Before, he had checked in at roughly the same time every day.
Today, it was already about ten minutes past his usual time.
Logically, Brother Wan hadn’t been that precise with timing before—but today, Ning Yi suddenly felt something was wrong—
So instead of going to bed early like Gu Cheng said, she jumped out of bed and called out to the bodyguard waiting in the hallway.
“Song Yan, take me somewhere.”
Song Yan nodded. “Of course, ma’am. But it’s quite late, I need to report to the young master—”
Ning Yi’s expression sharpened. “Quick!”
Song Yan froze for a moment, then immediately opened the car door and got in.
“Ma’am, give me the address.”
The address Brother Wan had given wasn’t far.
Perhaps because Ning Yi was usually too calm and composed—this was the first time she spoke with such urgency—so Song Yan didn’t bother reporting to Gu Cheng and sped off.
When they arrived, Ning Yi jumped out of the car, took the elevator, and found the apartment. Throughout the process, she remained extremely calm.
Then she calmly saw the result she had already vaguely anticipated—
Wander was gone.
Ning Yi clenched her fist and walked over to the chair that had been pushed aside. The phone on it hadn’t even been locked yet.
She had come quickly enough.
But still… a little too late.
There were unfinished words on Wander’s phone.
[Dream, 108.613588, 39.1079…]
The last few numbers weren’t completed.
But Ning Yi’s pupils suddenly shrank.
She understood two things.
First, Brother Wan hadn’t disappeared of his own will.
Second, the numbers he left behind were coordinates of a supply point from back then.
Ning Yi calmly sat down on the spot.
Thinking carefully, Wander had actually hinted at this twice. He might have dreamed of the past and realized there was still a possibility of returning, so he was testing whether she had any information.
If she didn’t, he didn’t want to ruin her current happy life.
Only when he had no choice but to leave did he try his best to leave her a message.
—and Gu Cheng had likely done the same.
The two of them had never communicated, yet in protecting Ning Yi, they had reached an astonishing tacit understanding.
Handling things in secret, trying to solve everything themselves, not letting her relive her painful past.
Ning Yi thought: but I’m not that fragile.
She forced herself to stabilize quickly.
Just like the countless times she had faced danger and hardship before—set aside emotions first, analyse the situation.
Since Ding Ziyue’s main storyline had finished, supporting characters were no longer necessary. Was the world trying to expel outsiders?
In the best case, Brother Wan was still in this world, just relocated somewhere else. In a worse case, he had returned to the apocalypse—though with his ability, he wouldn’t die, but he would suffer again. And worse still… Ning Yi might follow the same fate.
And because of the body-swapping between her and Gu Cheng, even Gu Cheng, a native of this world, had been dragged into it.
Ning Yi closed her eyes and walked out of the building.
Thinking of solutions, while feeling a bit cold.
But the moment she stepped outside, she was caught in a tall, solid embrace.
Gu Cheng had arrived in a rush.
His familiar presence, his body warmth completely enveloping her.
Gu Cheng was usually a cold person—but at some point, the way he looked at Ning Yi, the way he held her, had gained warmth.
Ning Yi reached out and hugged him back—ah, their emotions had just swapped.
And her emotions carried a trace of unease, so Gu Cheng felt it.
That’s why he came to hold her.
“Hubby,” Ning Yi said calmly, “something seems to have happened to Brother Wan.”
“Mm.” Gu Cheng’s voice remained steady as he held her, gently rubbing her head. “Leave it to me.”
He had already, silently, stood on the same side as Wander.
Clearly, both of them wanted to protect Ning Yi.
So in a very short time, Gu Cheng mobilized all manpower, resources, and finances to secretly search for any trace of Wander.
If even Gu Cheng couldn’t find him in this world, then—
Ning Yi clenched her hands.
That night was destined to be sleepless.
Gu Cheng had wanted her to sleep early, but Ning Yi was just as perceptive.
After returning home, Gu Cheng told her everything he currently knew. He hadn’t dreamed much, but it was enough to infer things.
Where she and Wander came from, what they had experienced.
There had always been clues in daily life.
Ning Yi curled up in the soft, clean bed, looking at Gu Cheng’s jawline. “Then why didn’t I dream your memories?”
Shouldn’t it be mutual?
Gu Cheng’s tone didn’t change as he comforted her. “Then maybe that’s a good thing.”
Ning Yi stared at him for a moment, then couldn’t help hugging him.
Gu Cheng’s arms wrapped around her.
Then, as Ning Yi rested her head against his chest, a sharp pain struck her temples—the swapping mechanism triggered again.
As if all the instability was erupting at once.
After swapping bodies, emotions, and memories—this time, as they held each other, it felt like their souls were passing through each other countless times.
In the end, Ning Yi couldn’t even tell whether she was in her own body or Gu Cheng’s.
It felt as though they had merged into one.
The mechanism was indeed deepening, becoming more and more uncontrollable. As if confirming that old saying—
“All gifts from fate have already been marked with a price.”
It would come to collect.
When everything finally stopped—
Ning Yi rubbed her head, sat quietly for a moment, then suddenly laughed.
“What if, in the end, we completely merge into one?”
Gu Cheng endured the lingering headache, pulled her closer, and smiled. “That would be good too. It means we’re together.”
But Ning Yi suddenly felt rebellious.
What kind of broken mechanism was this?
She had twisted zombies’ heads off in her life—there was nothing she feared.
The chaos of the day ignited a restless fire in her, mixing with the residual headache.
So Ning Yi kicked off the blanket and suddenly pulled open her clothes—
“So the swap deepens, huh? Then we might as well physically merge ourselves.”
Gu Cheng’s gaze paused.
The room was dark, but she seemed to glow. Pale, delicate, beautiful.
Ning Yi thought: what if—what if she left too?
Better to enjoy everything while they still could.
Their mechanism let them feel each other’s sensations—double the experience, right?
The temperature in the room began to rise.
It was hard for anyone to refuse such a direct invitation.
But after a moment, Gu Cheng’s dark eyes deepened. He leaned down, pulled her clothes back together, covering her completely, then wrapped her in his arms.
“A Yi.”
Gu Cheng held her tightly, kissing her soft cheek.
Even without an emotional exchange, he could still feel her heart.
She wasn’t seeking pleasure.
Nor was she angry.
…She was afraid.
“I don’t need that,” he said softly.
Ning Yi trembled slightly in his arms.
Gu Cheng’s voice was low and gentle. “I just want you not to be afraid.”
Don’t be afraid.
There will be a way.
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