Chapter 6 The Real and Fake "Zhang Guoguo"

In the early morning, Zhang Guoguo opened her eyes in a haze. Turning away from the blinding sunlight, she found herself staring directly into Luo Minglang’s affectionate gaze. Memories of their ambiguous night flooded back, making her cheeks flush as she rolled away, slipped into her robe, and got out of bed.

Cool air drifted through the bedroom. She opened the floor-to-ceiling windows, letting a gentle breeze carry in the intoxicating scent of osmanthus. Gazing at the meticulously landscaped garden that stretched to the distant hills, her spirits lifted.

Luo Minglang, wrapped in his own robe, approached and slipped his arms around her waist, drawing her into his embrace from behind. His steady, warm breath brushed her ear as he chuckled softly, “Wife, I love you.”

“Mmm.” She replied indifferently, trying to show she understood. But before she knew it, his lips were on her earlobe, then slowly moving down to her neck. Startled by this new bout of affection, she pushed him away. “In broad daylight? What are you trying to do, you rascal.”

Feigning shyness, she darted into the bathroom. There she saw her pink toothbrush already prepared with toothpaste, resting in a little white elephant cup filled with water. For a week now, Luo Minglang had taken care of these small things for her, and it was always these unintentional gestures that warmed her heart.

Meanwhile, Luo Minglang turned on his phone, which had been off all night, only to find several WeChat messages from his assistant sent at three in the morning. In summary: a woman claiming to be Zhang Guoguo had been repeatedly contacting him, asserting that her soul had been switched and revealing some of Luo Minglang’s secrets.

Perhaps because of these secrets, the assistant had decided to inform him, seeking guidance. But Luo Minglang found the whole thing utterly absurd. His wife was clearly right beside him. He replied: In the future, think things through before acting.

This assistant, Tao Deli, had been with him for ten years and enjoyed a great deal of trust. Though Luo Minglang could be temperamental with his subordinates, today he was unusually calm. Seeing no further reply from Tao Deli, he finally relaxed.

He put down his phone and addressed the woman claiming to have swapped souls with Zhang Guoguo. “Miss Zhang, I don’t know how you manage to know so much about our CEO, but if you’re unwell, I advise you to seek help at a psychiatric hospital. Please don’t drag me into this.”

Seeing Tao Deli about to leave, phone in hand, “Zhang Guoguo” hurried to her feet. “Old Tao, why won’t you believe me? The woman living at Hu Fu Villa now is a fake—a fraud wearing my skin. Now she’s got Minglang wrapped around her little finger. Aren’t you the least bit concerned?”

He laughed. “Miss Zhang, your acting is impressive—I’ll give you that. You’re not bad looking, either. I can recommend you to a friend’s talent agency; they’re always looking for skilled actresses like you.” He pulled out a business card and left it on the table before departing.

“Chen Menglu, you actually lied to me. ‘Wife of the richest man’? Luo Minglang is obviously single. Hmph, you really went all out—even hired an actress to fool me.” A short-haired young woman named Song Meijun approached, her tone mocking. Confronted, the “Zhang Guoguo” whose soul had been switched with Chen Menglu’s grew indignant. “I didn’t lie to you. I really am Luo Minglang’s wife. We got married in Las Vegas last year. It’s just—”

Arms crossed, Song Meijun rolled her eyes. “Go on, keep spinning your tale. I want to see how far you’ll take it. Menglu, I know you’re dissatisfied with your life, but don’t indulge in daydreams. Don’t use soul swapping as an excuse to fool yourself. Go back to work—you’re on the night shift, and if you’re late, you won’t make it.”

Chen Menglu was just an ordinary city girl, with three generations before her running small convenience stores. She landed a job as a waitress in a high-end Japanese restaurant in the CBD, thanks to her good looks and some Japanese language skills. She couldn’t accept this sudden shift in identity.

Because she had never loved Luo Minglang, she hadn’t even memorized his phone number. For the past few days, she had been contacting Tao Deli only by email. Today, she used Luo Minglang’s secrets to lure Tao Deli out for a meeting, but the conversation ended in failure. Disheartened, she returned to her job, only to see on TV the wedding announcement of the young and talented Gu Yiqiao and the news that Luo Minglang, the wealthiest man, would be attending.