"Yi."
"Where is he?"
"...Ning Yi."
Gu Cheng could barely hold back.
——"I know you're suffering now, but it's okay."
——"I'll come visit you often."
Ding Ziyue wrote each stroke deliberately.
Gazing at the man's serene, handsome sleeping face on the hospital bed, her heart filled with tenderness and anticipation—When you wake up, you'll surely shower me with boundless favoritism and affection!
Because I'm the one who'll stand by you through thick and thin, unlike anyone else.
No one can communicate as deeply with you as I can!
"...Honey." Gu Cheng called out to Ning Yi in his mind.
The dark aura surrounding him was thick enough to cut with a knife.
Meanwhile.
Ning Yi finally waited for the chef to bake the mini pastries—an exclusive treat! Because Ning Yi was the person in the entire Gu household who enjoyed their meals the most, bringing the chef the greatest sense of accomplishment, the chef adored her!
Ning Yi had been crouched by the oven waiting for ages. Only after blowing on the pastry and taking a bite did she respond: "I'm here, I'm here! What is it, honey?"
"Come back," Gu Cheng's voice was as cold as ice. "Your sister is here. Come and get rid of her."
Ning Yi's tongue savored the pastry's crispy yet chewy crust, the egg yolk filling salty-sweet and velvety soft. Mmm, so delicious.
——"Hurry up."
Judging by his tone, the big shot had reached his limit. Fine, fine—considering how diligently he'd scrubbed and massaged earlier, Ning Yi would grant him a little face.
She stuffed four small pastries into her hands, another still in her mouth. "Honey, don't worry, I'm here~"
Meanwhile, Ding Ziyue was still trying to warm Gu Cheng and infuse him with more strength when she suddenly heard two knocks on the hospital door.
"Knock knock."
Ding Ziyue panicked instantly.
This was the secret signal Gu Zhisheng had arranged with her earlier—a warning that Ning Yi or someone else was returning.
She absolutely couldn't let anyone discover her healing plan now!
Ding Ziyue scrambled to her feet and slipped out of the annex building swiftly and quietly, making sure no one noticed her departure.
After Ning Yi arrived, he glanced at the surveillance feed downstairs before strolling back to the ward.
He looked at the big guy on the bed, then picked up the unused disinfectant wipes from last time and sanitized his hands.
Gu Cheng's aura of hostility finally began to dissipate.
"Sleep tight," Ning Yi patted her own hand.
Gu Cheng exhaled.
Finally, a light slumber.
Ning Yi pulled up a chair beside him, a pastry in her mouth, fingers flying over the keyboard.
When Gu Cheng woke, Ning Yi simply passed the baton and flopped down beside him.
"Wake me for meals, hubby. XOXO~" Ning Yi slowly closed her eyes.
Gu Cheng had grown accustomed to her daily routine.
He picked up the laptop Ning Yi had been using—sure enough, it was still on a game interface. All other browsing and operation traces were spotless, so clean it seemed... deliberate.
Gu Cheng's eyebrows twitched slightly.
Was it genuinely empty, or had it been hidden?
The family doctor and nursing team arrived as usual today, accompanied by Song Lan. After the examination, Gu Cheng's bed-bathing efforts from yesterday earned unanimous praise from the family doctor.
"Madam's massage technique is excellent! It's as if she's studied for years!"
Gu Cheng: Hmph.
Song Lan was deeply moved, feeling that a black card was too small a token of gratitude. "Xiao Yi, if there's anything you need, please don't hesitate to ask."
Gu Cheng: "She... I don't need it."
He started to leave the ward, but as he rounded the bed, his peripheral vision caught something—
Ning Yi's hand twitched ever so slightly.
Gu Cheng's pupils contracted.
"Check him," Gu Cheng grabbed the doctor.
The family doctor hesitated. Since Young Master Gu's physiological functions had remained frozen for years, physical exams were scheduled every three days—and today wasn't the day…
Gu Cheng insisted: "Check him."
The medical equipment at the Gu residence rivaled that of a top-tier hospital. After performing a brain CT scan and MRI, the doctor discovered—Gu Cheng's EEG, unchanged for three consecutive years, had shifted!
Young Master Gu had regained consciousness?!
—This was earth-shattering news, like a torpedo exploding in the deep sea.
Yet the surface must remain calm.
Song Lan suppressed all excitement, secretly spending a fortune to summon the nation's most renowned doctors and scholars to the Gu residence at breakneck speed.
This was the first glimmer of hope in three years!
After everyone departed.
Gu Cheng braced himself against the bedside, gazing at Ning Yi... inside his own body.
Something long-buried seemed poised to finally break through the surface.
What had caused their souls to swap...
And what were you thinking that made his body stir for the first time?
Gu Cheng lowered his gaze.
After a few seconds, he heard Ning Yi's mutterings.
"Roast goose..."
Gu Cheng: "..."
Ning Yi woke up refreshed after a good night's sleep, unaware she was about to trigger another major upheaval in the aristocratic world.
Gu Cheng maintained his usual silent, enigmatic demeanor.
After swapping bodies, Ning Yi unexpectedly received a call from her biological parents.
Ever since the original host married into the Gu family to complete her mission, they seemed to have forgotten she even existed.
"Are you doing okay at the Gu household? Remember to attend Yueyue's welcome banquet. Dress nicely—don't embarrass our family."
"Oh, and how's Young Master Gu been lately?"
Ning Yi held the phone, bored stiff.
These parents genuinely cared nothing for the original host—calling only to pry about Gu Cheng.
In the original storyline, this welcome banquet was pure torture for Ning Yi. She was nothing but cannon fodder for comparison: no formal gown, no accessories, yet forced to attend. Upon arriving, she discovered the Dings had invited a horde of reporters and even set up a red carpet, turning it into a grand spectacle like a celebrity gala. They wanted the whole nation to know their biological daughter had been found.
Then some busybody spilled the beans about the fake heiress scandal, thrusting the original owner—already in a tight spot—into the spotlight. Back then, her twisted mindset drove her to abuse her husband daily. She couldn't even show her true face, let alone appear mentally stable. Compared to the pampered, radiant female lead, she was utterly trampled into the dust.
Ning Yi had never been trampled by anyone in this life—except nearly by zombies.
After hanging up, Song Lan came to call her.
Gu Cheng had shown signs of life, and Song Lan, buoyed by the good news, felt Ning Yi was nothing short of a lucky charm for the Gu family!
"Xiao Yi, let's go shopping," Song Lan smiled gently, "We'll have Le Le carry our things."
Gu Le appeared from behind.
He'd planned to hang out with the Zhao family's third son, but for some reason, that guy had been hyperactive lately, coding at home every day to build some platform. He claimed he'd met a super big shot who was going to take him under his wing.
Gu Le didn't buy it. Could there really be anyone bigger than his own brother?
Gu Le saluted Ning Yi. "Leave it to me, sister-in-law."
Ning Yi realized she was now a mini-millionaire with a black card in her pocket, so she agreed.
The trio piled into an extra-long Bentley and headed straight for the mall.
Ning Yi accompanied Song Lan on her shopping spree while treating herself to a cheesy sweet potato tart with oolong milk jelly.
After finishing her snack, she stepped into the restroom. Upon exiting, she bumped into a familiar face.
In this pampered world, everything revolved around the female lead.
Ding Ziyue walked in the middle, clutching her Hermès Kelly bag, flanked by her wealthy heiress sisters.
Their eyes met Ning Yi's, and they froze—
How had her skin and posture improved so dramatically in just a few days? ?
It was as if she'd been getting ample rest daily—that radiant glow and healthy complexion emanating from within, bringing out every feature that had once been obscured.
But Ding Ziyue glanced at Ning Yi's T-shirt and pants, which clashed with the luxury boutiques around them, and her sense of superiority returned instantly.
After all, she'd foreseen the future in her dreams. The welcoming banquet was a crucial occasion for her to gain more attention and favor, and Ning Yi would be utterly overshadowed by her at this event.
Seeing her at the mall, she must be trying to spruce herself up too? Too bad Ning Yi couldn't afford a single item here.
Her socialite friends thought the same.
"The welcoming banquet is tomorrow. Are you ready?"
"If you need help with anything, just say the word."
"Otherwise, you might not even make it through the door tomorrow. That would be an embarrassment for both families~"
Ning Yi smacked her lips. She was the type who was laid-back and easygoing when things were calm, but she wouldn't let anyone walk all over her.
Ning Yi smiled, turning to Ding Ziyue: You must be swamped these days, right?"
Ding Ziyue's smile held a hint of smugness: "Of course! My dad hired a foreign band that needs rehearsing. Their performance better satisfy me."
This instantly sparked envy among the sisters.
"So jealous, Yueyue!"
"You'll be the spotlight princess tomorrow!"
Ning Yi nodded in agreement, yet it took only two words to shatter their admiration—
"Then how did you find time to visit Gu Cheng in the hospital?"
Sure enough, the question sent shockwaves through the group.
"What? Gu Cheng?!"
"Yueyue, when did you go see Young Master Gu?"
"Has he woken up!? Why didn't you tell us?"
Ding Ziyue panicked instantly—how did Ning Yi know?!
She forced herself to steady her nerves. Ning Yi was so calculating—she'd already tried to drive a wedge between her and Gu Zeyu before. This must be another trick! She'd been careful enough, even asking Gu Zhison to delete the surveillance footage from Gu Manor.
"No, don't listen to my sister's nonsense! I didn't..."
Ning Yi pulled out her phone and played a video.
The surveillance footage was crystal clear: Ding Ziyue, smiling broadly, sneaking away from the annex building. The exact time stamp was visible in the bottom right corner.
Sigh. With security this amateurish, she could hack right through it.
Ding Ziyue was speechless.
Her girlfriends were furious.
"Yueyue, you think you can hide this from us?!"
"Yueyue, tell us and we won't be mad. Did Young Master Gu wake up?"
"Did you say anything to him?"
"Was it that WeChat story you posted yesterday—whose spotlight were you trying to steal? Was it Young Master Gu's?"
They were practically ready to tear each other apart.
Ning Yi left the scene in utter chaos, walking away calmly with her hands behind her back.
Then she mentally called Gu Cheng: "Husband, I need to tell you something."
Hearing her tone, Gu Cheng sensed trouble was brewing. "What is it?"
"Well—" Ning Yi paused, then blurted out, "I might have found you a lot more spotlight!"
Gu Cheng remained expressionless: "?"
Ning Yi returned to Song Lan, who beckoned her over.
They were at an exclusive bespoke boutique in the mall—the only Chinese haute couture house collaborating with Song Lan's jewelry brand. She'd always been a top VIP here.
"Xiao Yi, try this gown."
Song Lan possessed impeccable taste, and Ning Yi's features no longer bore the shadow of her former gloom and self-doubt. She now shone with a clean, radiant beauty like polished pearls. With just a touch of adornment, she would dazzle the room.
"Ah, okay." Ning Yi felt awkward around elders and didn't know what to say, so she obediently went to try it on.
When she emerged from the fitting room, Song Lan was instantly dazzled.
Wasn't his future daughter-in-law far more beautiful than any heiress from other families?
Gu Le was also stunned. "Sis-in-law is this gorgeous? I never noticed before!"
Ning Yi blushed shyly: "Look at you, smooth-talker. Your mouth is greased with flattery."
The entire store's staff converged to shower her with compliments.
"Miss, your figure is absolutely stunning!"
"Your fair skin and delicate features make this dress look incredibly elegant on you!"
Ning Yi glanced in the mirror and agreed she looked stunning.
She shared her delight with Gu Cheng, "Honey, they're all complimenting my beauty."
"Is that so?" Gu Cheng sounded uninterested.
Then Ning Yi suddenly remembered something.
"Honey," she asked, "since we switched bodies, have you ever looked in a mirror?"
Gu Cheng: "Hmm. Why?"
Ning Yi was stunned.
So even after all this time, her husband still didn't know what she looked like?!
Ning Yi: "Okay, then you absolutely must not look."
Gu Cheng: "?"
Ning Yi: "I'm afraid you'll fall in love with me."
Gu Cheng: "..." Hmph.
As if that could happen.
After accompanying Song Lan through half the mall, Song Lan was still ready for more, but Ning Yi was already exhausted.
She really was better suited to lying flat.
Time to head back to the palace and bring in her tool guy!
"Husband~" Ning Yi called out to Gu Cheng, "Come accompany Mom shopping. I know you haven't had many chances to be filial these past three years."
"Oh?" Gu Cheng smiled faintly. "Ayi, you're so filial and considerate."
Ning Yi replied thoughtfully, "It's only my duty."
She pulled out her black card, pinching it between her index and middle fingers.
When Gu Cheng was switched back into her body, he saw the card and heard her declare generously:
"Use my card."
"Whether you crave spicy hotpot or savory pancakes, I'll make it happen."
"Huh?"
Ning Yi, her belly full of desserts, drifted off contentedly.
When she regained control of her body, she saw the credit card transaction notification on her phone—
[$198,021.25]
Ning Yi: "??"
Gu Cheng actually spent nearly 200,000 yuan on her card?!?!
Ning Yi exploded: "What did you buy?!!"
"A cashmere sweater for Mom and tea for Grandpa," Gu Cheng's voice carried a wickedly amused chuckle. "Ayi, didn't you say you wanted to show filial piety?"
No! The point is, if you're so loaded, why not use your own money to show filial piety, you cheapskate!!!!
Ning Yi was furious.
She'd strangle him today!
But moments later, Song Lan summoned her to the main residence.
"Grandpa loved that tea. Xiao Yi, you mentioned not having suitable jewelry. Mom picked out a set that matches your evening gown perfectly. See if you like it."
Ning Yi froze: Who said that? Gu Cheng?
She opened the box and was instantly dazzled by the rare, intensely colored green cat's eye gemstone. She fell in love with it immediately.
"Thank you, Mom!"
Gu Cheng's cool, detached voice reached her ear, "What about me?"
"Shit, honey."
"?"