"I know you must find this incredible," Joey said. "From the day I was born, I was raised to be the heir. Up before dawn every day, studying nonstop—like a bird in a cage, not a shred of freedom. I couldn't do the things I loved or marry the person I wanted...
"This arranged life, I've had enough of it!" Joey grew more passionate, gripping my shoulders. "I genuinely envy people like you. Maybe you're short on material things, but your lives have richness and flavor...
"Owen, all you have to do is nod, and from then on you'll be me. You can enjoy everything I have now. The sports car out front, this villa, the money in the bank—even the entire Qiao empire will be yours!"
My head buzzed like a thousand helicopter rotors...
I had to admit, the picture he painted was deeply tempting!
9
"Even if I'm willing, how would we actually swap lives?" I asked, confused.
"It's simple—just one surgery!" Joey was confident. "The operation swaps our brains."
"Swap brains?" I blanched. Was medical technology really that advanced now?
"Don't worry, the doctor working with me is the world's top neurosurgeon," Joey read my concern. "If I weren't completely certain, I wouldn't risk my own life."
"Even if the brain swap succeeds, our habits and preferences are completely different. How would we fool the people around us?" I still had questions.
"I'll stage an 'accident' that fakes 'brain trauma amnesia.' With that excuse, any unusual behavior becomes perfectly reasonable."
"..." It sounded like he'd really prepared for this.
"You can go home and think about it, but be quick." Joey looked at me as he stuck a cigar in his mouth. "You should know, you're not the only option. In this world, there's no shortage of people who want to strike it rich overnight!"
10
Stepping out of that magnificent villa, I looked back. I half-expected it to transform into a desolate ruin, like in a ghost story...
But it didn't. It stood there, solid and real.
This was no dream.
11
I walked home without taking any transportation.
By the time I reached the door of our rental, I'd already made my decision.
I stood outside, pulled out my phone, and called Joey.
I told him I agreed.
"Are you absolutely sure?" Joey asked. "Once you trade lives, you'll have to cut all ties with your former life—including your family and friends."
"Yes, I'm sure," I answered. "From now on, I'll have nothing to do with anyone from my past."
"And your girlfriend—can you really let her go too?"
I took a deep breath. "Yes."
Following me, would Vivi really be happy? Honestly, I couldn't be sure.
Vivi's parents looked down on me. They thought I had no prospects and kept pressuring her to break up and go back home for an arranged marriage.
After everything that had happened, I was thoroughly disillusioned with myself too.
Maybe letting go would be better for her.
She was kind and lovely—surely she'd meet someone better...
12
I gathered my courage and pushed open the door.
Vivi was on the phone with her mother. She didn't notice me come in. I didn't have to guess—it was the same old lecture.
I stood silently for a moment, then kicked the door shut behind me. She jumped, quickly hanging up. "You're back. How did things go?"
"How do you think? I have to pay up," I said irritably. "What, complaining to your mom again? I know I'm not successful—fine, leave if you want! There are plenty of good men out there, no need to hang yourself on my tree..."
I picked a fight with her and then broke up. She refused, of course, but my mind was made up. I packed her luggage and literally pushed her and her bags out the door...
She cried outside for a long, long time. Eventually, she picked up her luggage and left.
Worried she might do something desperate, I followed her from a safe distance. Fortunately, she went to stay with a relative in the city. Seeing she had somewhere to go, I went home with relief...
Back home, I slapped myself hard across the face.
Saying it was for her own good—that was just an excuse!
Vivi, I'm sorry. I truly didn't want to miss this opportunity...
This was probably the only chance I'd ever have to turn my life around!
13
Before long, Joey and I completed the brain swap, and from that moment on, our lives were turned upside down! When I looked in the mirror and saw my brand-new self, I could barely believe my eyes...
I'd never dreamed that one day I'd transform into a wealthy heir living in luxury, a bona fide member of the elite!
Thanks to our prior preparations, I fit smoothly into the Qiao family. Even the shrewd old man Jansen was fooled.
Didn't understand business? There were advisors and strategists to handle that. Didn't speak foreign languages? Professional translators were on call. If anyone questioned me, I just played the "brain injury amnesia" card—a universal excuse for everything.
Soon, I'd adapted to my new identity, and also to the experience of being surrounded by admirers wherever I went, having every command instantly obeyed...
I was truly grateful for that car accident, for bringing me together with Joey, for giving me the chance to experience a completely different life...
One day at a restaurant, I ran into "Porky." He'd been trying to curry favor with the Qiao family for a business partnership, so he was always kissing up to Joey.
I had someone bring over a bowl of noodles and threw it on the floor in front of him. "You want to work with us? Eat this."
The guy actually crouched down and slurped it up...
I stared in disbelief.
Money was a magical thing. It could turn a person into a dog, and a dog into a person...
14
I'd always forced myself to forget the past, but that night, my legs betrayed my brain... They carried me to my old rental apartment.
In an instant, memories came flooding back. Thinking of all the moments I'd shared with Vivi, my emotions overwhelmed me. Months had passed—how was she doing now? Had she gone back to her hometown and let her parents arrange a marriage for her...
Just as my mind was wandering, two familiar figures appeared before me...
Vivi and Joey, walking arm in arm.
My God, they were together!
I was so stunned I forgot to hide.
But by then, Vivi couldn't recognize me anymore. In her eyes, I was just a stranger...
She held Joey's arm and went inside, sweet as could be.
A while later, Joey came out.
"What are you doing here?" He was angry.
"That's what I want to ask you!" I was angrier still.
15
After the life swap, Joey moved into my rental apartment and got an ordinary job, living the life of a regular person.
One evening, he came home and found someone else there... Vivi.
Not only had Vivi cleaned the apartment spotless, she'd also made him a delicious meal.
Joey didn't want anything to do with her, telling her coldly to leave. She left obediently, but came back the next evening...
From then on, she showed up every evening. When Joey changed the locks, she just waited outside. Even in wind and rain, she never missed a night.
After a while, Joey's heart softened and he let her stay. They moved in together...
"Joey, you're despicable!" After hearing all this, I was furious. "You knew full well she was in love with me!"
Joey smirked contemptuously. "Remind me—who are you now?"
"..." I was instantly silenced.
"Owen, don't forget our agreement!" Joey said coldly. "Unless you want to break the deal!"
Breaking the deal meant ending the swap—I'd be thrown back to my old life, becoming that poor loser again...
I glanced at the shabby rental apartment, then at the luxury sports car...
Once you've tasted meat, who wants to go back to eating garbage?
"Joey, can I ask you one thing?" I said weakly. "Vivi is simple and kind—she's a good girl. You have to treat her well, give her happiness..."
16
You gain some, you lose some—that's the law of conservation in life. Once I accepted that, I stopped agonizing. Besides, I had plenty of money now—what kind of woman couldn't I find?
But after the wild times, I sank into an even deeper emptiness...
I knew perfectly well that those women were only after my money. If I went back to being my old self, they'd run faster than rabbits...
My carousing displeased the old man Jansen. To settle me down, he arranged a match with a wealthy businessman's daughter—a family of equal status.
At our first meeting, I got a taste of this heiress's temperament. A waitress accidentally brushed her, and she slapped her without a second thought. I said a word or two in the waitress's defense, which set the heiress off. She went home and reported me, claiming I was incorrigible, flirting with women right in front of her.
And so, the old man Jansen gave me a vicious scolding, ultimately forcing me to go apologize to the heiress with an iron fist.
I didn't want to go, but I couldn't refuse. I was Joey now, subject to an arranged life.
For the first time, I felt a twinge of sympathy for the real Joey.
I brought a bouquet of flowers and went to make peace with the heiress.
"Joey, I know you like to play around. That's fine—I do too. Let's be open about it: after we're married, I won't restrict you, and you won't restrict me. We can each do our own thing. But one rule—don't bring any disgusting diseases home..." Her words shattered my worldview...
To put it plainly, this marriage was a transaction!