Chapter 2: Body Swap

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire room burst into an uproar. Old Master Pei’s expression was unreadable. The rest of the Pei family either watched with amusement or wore dark, sullen faces.

Xu Yunzhu was completely bewildered.

She hurriedly ran downstairs, oblivious to the shadow that appeared behind her.

“No, I can’t… ah!”

Before Xu Yunzhu could finish uttering the word “break off the engagement,” a powerful force struck her from behind, accompanied by a malicious curse: “Go to hell, you wretch! Brother Pei Jin can only be mine!”

Xu Yunzhu tumbled down the stairs. In the instant before she lost consciousness, only one thought flashed through her mind: What a damn mess my life is!

By the time Pei Qiaonian heard the commotion behind him, it was already too late. As he turned, Xu Yunzhu came crashing down the stairs and collided with him head-on. The back of his head slammed against the ground, and he passed out instantly.

…

Beep. Beep. Beep.

The sound of medical instruments echoed in her ears. Xu Yunzhu’s mind was foggy as she slowly opened her eyes, dazed and confused.

Everything around her was white. Turning her head, she saw an IV line. Her gaze swept around the room.

She was in the hospital, but this ward was so luxurious it was almost frightening.

Memory rushed back. Xu Yunzhu remembered everything.

Damn it! Who the hell had ambushed her from behind and sent her rolling down the stairs?

The door to the ward swung open. A nurse entered, and upon seeing Xu Yunzhu’s open eyes, burst into tears of joy. “Quick, go tell Mrs. Pei that the young master is awake!”

Xu Yunzhu was utterly perplexed.

Why should she care if the young master of the Pei family was awake?

She sank back into the bed with a clear conscience, closing her eyes to rest.

“Son! You’re finally awake.”

Xu Yunzhu was roused by crying. The beautiful woman before her delivered a face-to-face beauty shock that left her momentarily stunned.

“Auntie, who are you?” Xu Yunzhu blurted out in confusion.

The elegant woman’s tears stopped abruptly. She stared at Xu Yunzhu, wide-eyed.

After three seconds, she wailed even louder, “Doctor! Doctor! My son has lost his memory—he called me auntie—oh, what am I to do?”

Xu Yunzhu was speechless.

Her head spinning, she glanced at the mirror and saw an impossibly handsome face staring back in disbelief. She clutched her head and screamed even louder than Mrs. Pei, “Ah! I’ve seen a ghost! Ahhh!”

Mrs. Pei was dumbfounded.

She stumbled from the room in tears. “Doctor, not only has he lost his memory, he’s gone mad! Oh heavens, what shall we do?”

The doctors examined her thoroughly but found nothing amiss. They gathered around, studying her as Xu Yunzhu nervously gripped the edge of the blanket, finally calming herself.

She had… actually swapped bodies with Pei Qiaonian. This was more terrifying than being transported into a novel.

And she still needed to win Pei Jin back to inherit her hundred-billion fortune. But now…

Xu Yunzhu looked down at her utterly flat chest and couldn’t hold back her tears. Her 36D—gone, just like that.

What had she done to deserve this?

In the end, the doctors concluded in unison that Pei Qiaonian’s unconsciousness was due to Xu Yunzhu’s collision. Another day of rest and he’d be fine.

Mrs. Pei, standing to the side, began to vent her anger. “I told you that jinx would bring disaster to the Pei family! She’s not even married in yet and she’s already done this to you. If she ever really enters our house and marries Pei Jin, who knows what further misfortune she’ll bring!” She patted her chest, gratitude written all over her face. “Thank goodness the old master arranged for her to marry your second aunt’s son instead. Otherwise, we’d really be in trouble. I’m terrified at the thought!”

Xu Yunzhu’s face turned all the colors of the rainbow. She felt as if a bucket of filth had been dumped on her, and she was powerless to fling it back.

After holding it in for a long time, she couldn’t help but try to defend herself, “Actually, she’s not so bad. She’s pretty, has a pleasant personality, and she’s an independent celebrity, too…”

Under Mrs. Pei’s increasingly peculiar gaze, Xu Yunzhu slowly closed her mouth, leaving only her eyes trained on the woman.

Mrs. Pei was speechless.

Her son was truly out of his mind—or perhaps possessed.

No matter how she listened, those words sounded completely off.

She thought back over Xu Yunzhu’s “accomplishments” in the capital’s social circles in recent years and shuddered inwardly. Celebrity, indeed…

An obscure C-list nobody could hardly be called a star.

She was so irrelevant she had faded into oblivion, and with her low EQ, she was constantly chased and cursed by hordes of haters.

Mrs. Pei looked at her son’s face, normally adorned with a polite smile, but now his eyes were locked so desperately on her, as if craving approval.

No matter what this thing was, it had to leave her son’s body.

Xu Yunzhu saw Mrs. Pei’s anger but realized she had no memory of Pei Qiaonian’s life. She had to stay calm and not reveal a single flaw. So, she asked casually, “Mom, where is Xu Yunzhu? Where is she now?”

Mrs. Pei was surprised by the “Mom,” and after composing herself, coupled with her son’s earlier inexplicable defense of Xu Yunzhu, a terrible suspicion arose. “Qiao, don’t tell me you’ve actually fallen for her?”

Xu Yunzhu’s heart skipped a beat. She thought of Pei Qiaonian’s deranged character in the novel and reacted dramatically, “How could I? She hurt me like this—I swear I’ll tear her to pieces! No, I want the whole Xu family to pay!”

Mrs. Pei nodded in satisfaction. “A country bumpkin dragged back from the sticks—she’s not worthy of you. She’s in the same hospital as you. This time, the Xu family must give us an explanation!”

“You rest for now. Prepare to be discharged this afternoon.”

Xu Yunzhu felt utterly wretched. She hadn’t even begun her plan, yet she’d already lost her maidenhood. She wasn’t sure if Pei Qiaonian had taken over her body, and if so, how would they switch back? After they did… would she still be alive?

In the original story, she had only tried to frame the heroine, and the next day, Pei Qiaonian made sure she died in an “accident.”

Now, not only had she injured him, she’d taken over his body.

Xu Yunzhu’s heart was icy cold.

…

Meanwhile, in an ordinary ward elsewhere.

“Kneel!”

A man’s commanding voice rang out, punctuated by a delicate, tearful protest. “Daddy, I didn’t push my sister—it was her own fault for not standing steadily and falling down the stairs.”

“And you still dare to argue!” Father Xu slammed the table.

“Ah! Mom, save me!” the girl sobbed.

“Enough, Zongming, Ninger didn’t do it on purpose. And look, Yunzhu is fine, isn’t she?” Mrs. Xu couldn’t help speaking up for Xu Muning. “Besides, if it hadn’t been for Ninger’s little accident, Yunzhu would have already been dumped by Pei Jin.”

Xu Muning nodded rapidly, her delicate face stained with grievance. “I was helping my sister—she should be thanking me!”

Father Xu finally turned his gaze to the silent Xu Yunzhu, who was sitting on the hospital bed. He sighed. “Yunzhu, no matter what, you cannot break off the engagement with the Pei family. You must find a way—any way—to marry Pei Jin. Our family can’t afford to gamble on this.”

Seeing Xu Yunzhu unmoved, Father Xu decided to scare her a little. “Besides, you injured Pei Qiaonian. In all of Beijing, only Pei Jin can protect you now. Otherwise, with his temperament, once he’s discharged, he’ll tear you to pieces, and our family won’t be able to save you.”