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Chapter 17 - Chapter Seventeen: The Moment She Awoke

Su Rui woke to the dull pain in her stomach and a blinding white light overhead. For a brief second, she didn't know where she was.

The sterile scent in the air, the faint beeping from the monitor beside her—it all slowly came together.

She was in the hospital.

She blinked hard and raised her hand to block the light. It took a moment for the weight in her limbs to remind her: this wasn't her body.

This was Lin Yueying's body.

For a long time, she just lay there, staring at the ceiling.

Memories of that strange dream clung to her consciousness—

A red carpet, an empty spotlight, a voice that called itself the god of fate.

"You were supposed to die."

"You think it was an accident?"

Su Rui closed her eyes.

No matter how she tried, she couldn't remember exactly what happened that day. She could see the stage, the flash of cameras, the moment her heel twisted—but the memory of the people around her, what they said, what they did… was a blank.

Someone had pushed her.

Hadn't they?

But who?

Why?

Nothing.

It was like someone had carefully snipped that part of her memory away.

She exhaled and slowly sat up. Her body ached, but it could move.

She was alive.

Alive, because someone else had taken her place at death's door.

It was Lin Yueying—this woman she had once resented.

And now, she owed her everything.

There was no time for guilt. No room for questions.

The only thing she could do now… was to repay that debt.

The god of fate said there were three wishes.

Three unfulfilled wishes buried in this woman's soul.

If she completed them, there might be a way to go back.

Back to her own name. Her own body. Her own life.

She didn't know what those wishes were.

She only knew she had to find them. And fast.

The doctor advised her to stay a few more days for observation, but she insisted on leaving.

She said she was fine. She smiled. She thanked them.

No one pressed further.

No one knew about the test results.

That this body was already in the third stage of gastric cancer.

She didn't tell them. She couldn't.

Because once they labeled her as a "patient," everything would change.

And she didn't want sympathy. She wanted time.

The next morning, she put on the faded white uniform and returned to work.

The janitor's locker room smelled like disinfectant and soap. She changed quickly and pushed her cleaning cart into the corridor, trying to ignore the tightness in her stomach.

Several coworkers looked up, surprised.

"Lin-jie, you're back?! We thought you'd be out longer!"

"Are you okay? Heard you fainted near the hallway last time!"

She smiled and brushed off their concern. "Old problems. A couple of days' rest and I'm fine."

One colleague handed her a warm bottle of water. Another patted her lightly on the back.

They weren't close friends. But the simple kindness made her pause.

Even here, in this gray and worn-out world… someone cared.

She had just finished sorting her supplies when her supervisor called out to her:

"Lin Yueying, the president's office needs cleaning today… and you were specifically assigned."

She froze.

"…Me?"

The supervisor raised an eyebrow. "Why not? You've cleaned that floor plenty of times before."

Su Rui forced a nod, but her hands were cold.

She had worked in that office before. Many times, in her old life—when she wore heels, lipstick, and a proud smile. Back then, she stood tall in that world.

Now, she was going in as the janitor.

She took the elevator up alone.

Her heart thudded louder with each floor the numbers climbed.

She didn't know if Shen Yichen was in.

Usually, by this time of day, he'd be out in meetings, or working elsewhere. The president's office was never occupied when the cleaning team came through.

She stopped at the door and hesitated.

Then knocked twice, quietly.

No one answered.

Good. He's not inside.

She exhaled, reached for the handle, and pushed the door open. "President Shen, I'm here to—"

But the moment she stepped inside, her words stopped.

The blinds were open. Sunlight spilled across the floor in muted gold.

Behind the grand leather chair, facing the tall window, sat a familiar silhouette.

He didn't turn around.

He didn't need to.

A calm, low voice drifted across the room.

"You're back."

Her pulse skipped a beat.

It was Shen Yichen.

And he had been waiting.

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