System Swap, Uneven Fates
People thought I was incredibly lucky.
My best friend, Vivian Palmer, was no exception.
Unlike me, she started working in a factory after graduation, working overtime every day. She also married an ordinary man, and over the years, she gained weight. At our recent college reunion, our former classmates said that we were now worlds apart.
Vivian's face darkened on the spot. Before the gathering ended, she slammed the table and left.
I felt bad about it and had been trying to meet up with her to talk. But before I even saw her, I found myself trapped in her body instead.
Looking at Vivian's reflection in the mirror, I was utterly dismayed.
The face in the mirror looked bloated and pale, with sagging under-eye bags and bloodshot eyes. Her greasy hair clung to her scalp in clumps, as if it hadn't been washed in ages.
A strange odor lingered on her body.
I had no idea what had happened to her, but I decided to return to my villa first.
This body was too heavy. By the time I finally ran to the villa entrance, I was gasping for breath.
My shirt was drenched in sweat, and my face was slick with oil mixed with sweat, making me feel sticky and uncomfortable.
I had tried persuading Vivian to lose weight before.
But she always dismissed it, saying that life was already tough enough, and dieting would be inhumane. Over time, she had completely let herself go, making this body unbearably sluggish.
As someone who had always been disciplined, I found it impossible to adapt to this sudden heaviness. The moment I steadied myself, I bent over, clutching the iron gate, and retched violently.
"Do you have no manners? How can you throw up at someone else's door?"
A servant's scolding came from inside the iron gate.
I looked up and saw the servant, but more importantly, I saw myself standing behind her.
A thought flashed through my mind. "If I'm in Vivian's body, then who is occupying mine?"
I stared past the servant at the woman stepping forward, wearing my face. A terrible suspicion began to take root in my heart.
"Vivian?"
I tentatively called out as she dismissed the servant and walked through the iron gate to stand in front of me.
For a brief moment, a flicker of unease crossed her face.
I was right.
Vivian and I had swapped bodies.
Before I could demand answers, she smirked and pointed at me with undisguised glee. "From today onward, you are Vivian, and I am Jeanette Yates. From now on, your rich wife's life is mine now!"
I was furious. "What did you do?!"
"Just a little trick to swap our bodies. Your happiness now belongs to me! And as for you, you can rot away in my miserable life!"
Vivian's expression twisted with crazed excitement. Her words became even more brazen. "Don't even think about switching back! As long as I refuse, you'll never get your body back!
Just accept it! Even if you tell others the truth, no one will believe you! And if I wanted to get rid of you, it would be as easy as crushing an ant!"
I fell silent, staring at Vivian's smug, distorted face, my heart a tangled mess of emotions.
We had been best friends for so many years. It would be a lie to say I wasn't hurt.
But I wasn't ready to give up just yet.
I reached out, grabbing her hand, still speaking gently. "Vivian, my life isn't as happy as it seems, and yours isn't as bad as you think. We don't have to do this."
Vivian shoved me away harshly, her face dark with anger. "Stop lying to me! This is the happiest I've ever been!"
I gazed at the face that used to be mine. Finally, I sighed and asked, "Are you sure you want to go through with this?"
"Of course! I went through so much trouble to swap with you. Even if I die, I'll never give this body back!"
Vivian's tone was resolute.
"Alright."
I agreed without hesitation. Seeing the momentary shock on her face, I nodded firmly and said seriously, "From today onward, Jeanette's life is yours."
From now on, she was Jeanette, and I was Vivian.
I generously handed over Jeanette's happy life to her.
Without looking back, I left the villa and returned to Vivian's home.
Earlier, I had left in such a rush that I hadn't noticed my surroundings. But as I opened the door again, the sight before me left me stunned.
The living room was an absolute mess. Takeout boxes of all sizes covered the table, clothes, and socks were strewn across the floor, and chairs were toppled over. The entire room looked like it had just been hit by a disaster.
At that moment, I finally understood what Vivian meant when she said her life was "rotting away."
But life is shaped by one's own choices.
And I would never allow my life to become a complete wreck.
I rolled up my sleeves and bent down to clean. For the entire afternoon, I ran up and down the apartment seven or eight times, finally managing to clear out all the trash.
By the time I was done, the sky outside had already darkened.
This body was indeed heavy. After a full day of work, I was utterly exhausted.
I forced myself into the bathroom, took a quick shower, and changed into clean clothes. Just as I stepped out of the bedroom, I heard the sound of a key turning in the door lock.
A man walked in.
He took a step into the living room and suddenly stopped.
He was tall and slender, not particularly handsome, but fair-skinned and pleasant-looking, with a natural warmth to him.
He was staring at me, his gaze filled with surprise.
I stood there, unsure of what to do.
Having been Vivian's best friend for so many years, I naturally recognized him.
Vivian's husband, Cedric Palmer.
But now, he was my husband.
I looked up at him, my fingers unconsciously tightening around the hem of my shirt. Even though I had accepted the reality of being Vivian, Cedric was still a stranger to me.
As he walked toward me, my mind raced through countless possible responses. But before I could say anything, he spoke first.
"Did you clean up?"
There was doubt in his voice.
His gaze made me a little nervous. Not knowing how Vivian usually interacted with Cedric, I simply forced a smile and replied, "Dinner is ready. Go wash your hands."
Cedric's expression grew even more complicated. He stood there, studying me for a while before silently heading to the bathroom.
By the time I brought out the dishes, he was already seated at the dining table. His back was to me, his fingers lightly rubbing the tabletop as he muttered something under his breath.
Noticing my approach, he quickly pulled his hand back. When I sat down, his gaze on me carried an extra hint of curiosity.
The atmosphere felt a little awkward.
Meeting Cedric's probing gaze, I quietly handed him his plate.
The dishes on the table were all carefully prepared.
What Vivian never knew was that although I had married into wealth, I wasn't someone who had never touched housework. In fact, my cooking skills could rival those of a professional chef.
During family banquets, I was often responsible for preparing an entire feast, working non-stop for seven or eight hours. I had to run back and forth between the dining hall and the kitchen, and even after the banquet ended, I had to stand by the table, serving dishes while enduring harsh critiques.
Sometimes, the food I had painstakingly prepared would be discarded like garbage.
But I never truly hated cooking.
Before I got married, I had even looked forward to a simple life of shared meals, just like this moment.
I glanced at Cedric across the table.
The table was small, the dishes were few, and neither of us spoke much. Yet, I felt an unexpected warmth and a rare sense of ease.
And Cedric seemed to really enjoy my cooking.
Seeing how quickly the four plates were emptied, I couldn't help but glance at him again.
He maintained his usual calm demeanor, but the tips of his ears were slightly red. Setting his plate down, he looked up at me, his gaze softening.
"Have you thought it through? Are we continuing this marriage?" he asked.
I froze.
"What is he talking about? Had Vivian planned on leaving Cedric before?" I mused.
"I know I can't give you a wealthy life. I can't offer you the kind of luxury that your best friend enjoys. So, if you have other plans, I'd understand...
But as I promised before, as long as you are my wife, I will treat you well."
Cedric's expression was serious.
His words made my eyes sting.
The man in front of me wasn't dressed in designer brands, nor did he exude an air of wealth and privilege. But there was a warmth in his features, a gentleness in his words, like the golden rays of a spring morning shining down on me.
He made me feel secure.
Cedric had an aura of quiet reliability.
I let out a sigh.
I had told Vivian before that her life wasn't as terrible as she imagined.
After a moment of silence, I stood up, lowered my head to gather the dishes, and responded softly, "Honey, I was wrong before. I've thought it through. From now on, living our own life well is what matters most."
I sensed Cedric pause for a second. Though I didn't look up at him, I could feel the heat of his gaze intensifying. Then, a hand reached over and took the dishes from me.
Cedric's voice followed.
"I'll wash the dishes. You've worked hard, my love."
Cedric was busy. As soon as he finished dinner, he was called back to work overtime.
After he left, I secretly let out a sigh of relief and collapsed onto the couch. The excess fat around my waist piled up in layers, sinking slightly into the cushions beneath me.
I pinched my waist, feeling a little disheartened.
Ever since I got married, my weight had never gone above 180 pounds. That perfect figure had been the result of years of strict self-discipline. But now, this body clearly needed some proper control.
I took out Vivian's phone, unlocked it, and opened the notes app. Within minutes, I had drafted a detailed weight-loss plan.
Just as I finished, a new message popped up on the screen.
I clicked on it. The sender's name was saved as "D*mn Nouveau Riche" and the message contained a video.
The video showed an extravagant walk-in closet filled with dazzling jewelry. Hundreds of luxury items gleamed under the light. "I" stood in front of a mirror, wearing a diamond-studded evening gown, carrying more than a dozen designer handbags in my arms...
D*mn Nouveau Riche: [What a shame! My dear husband is away on a business trip, so he won't get to see how gorgeous I look. Jealous? My life is your dream, but too bad, envy won't get you anywhere.]
I let out a laugh, shaking my head.
I thought, "Vivian, no, Jeanette now.
If she loves this dream so much, she can keep living it."
My eyes flickered with mischief as my fingers tapped swiftly across the screen.
[Cherish the present while you can.]
After hitting send, I immediately blocked her, tossed the phone aside, and lay back on the couch. Closing my eyes, I fell into the first deep, restful sleep I had had since getting married.
Even though it was Vivian's body, my internal clock was still the same. At six o'clock the next morning, I woke up right on time.
For a moment, as I opened my eyes, I thought everything that happened yesterday had been just a dream. But when I saw Vivian's face staring back at me from the mirror, I quickly sobered up and smiled.
I was finally free.
Letting out a deep breath, I felt as if even this heavy body had become lighter. I clenched my fists at my reflection, got dressed, and decided to go for a morning run.
This body was mine now, and I wasn't going to neglect it.
Just as I stepped back inside, I noticed a pair of men's running shoes by the entrance.
I assumed Cedric had returned.
But when I walked in and glanced around, he was nowhere to be seen.
There was breakfast waiting on the dining table. As I walked closer, I noticed a sticky note beside it.
[I'm heading to bed first. Don't forget to eat.]
I opened the bag. The breakfast was packed in an insulated container and was still warm.
The door to the guest bedroom was closed, and the apartment was quiet except for the occasional chirping of birds outside, magpies, it seemed.
The sound put me in a good mood.
For the sake of my diet, I only ate a boiled egg.
Jeanette didn't need to work, but Vivian did.
We had both majored in accounting. The difference was, that I had gotten married right after graduation, while she had joined a major corporation. Fortunately, I had never let my professional knowledge slip over the years. It only took a few days for me to get back into the groove and adjust to the job.
In fact, I had even received praise for correcting a financial report.
"Vivian, you're much more meticulous than before. That's the right attitude... Now I have a reason to apply for a raise for you."
My supervisor had come all the way to my desk to compliment me, his face full of approval. A rare sense of pride surged within me.
It had been so long since anyone had acknowledged me.
For years, all I had received was doubt and criticism.
Now, being recognized so suddenly, I was so overwhelmed that my fingers trembled slightly.
After the supervisor left, a coworker leaned over curiously. "Vivian, didn't you always say that work was pointless compared to marrying rich? No matter how hard you worked, wouldn't it make a difference? Why the sudden change of heart?"
I hadn't expected Vivian's reputation here to be this bad.
I chuckled, shook off my thoughts, and focused on my screen. Keeping my tone serious, I replied, "The old me wasn't very bright. Don't take my past words too seriously."
The coworker was momentarily speechless.
She stared at me for a while, then suddenly asked, "Vivian... have you lost weight?"
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