After Swapping Bodies with the Movie Queen, She Ended Up with Me (GL) - Chapter 58

Upon hearing this, Rong Qing began bustling about in preparation. She had just finished boiling water and was halfway through slicing ginger when the sound of brakes echoed through the courtyard. She hastily set down her tools and rushed to open the door.

“Zhou Ying.” Rong Qing immediately spotted Zhou Ying supporting Mu Lingwan and politely offered, “Let me take her. You must be exhausted from the trip.”

Zhou Ying didn’t hesitate to let go, and Rong Qing quickly stepped in to hold Mu Lingwan. But the moment Zhou Ying released her, Rong Qing felt as if she were shouldering the weight of the Five Finger Mountain that had once crushed Sun Wukong for five hundred years—she nearly dropped her!

“Oof!”

Breaking into a cold sweat, Rong Qing barely managed to steady Mu Lingwan in her arms. Meanwhile, Zhou Ying, looking utterly spent, leaned against the wall and waved her off.

“She—she’s so heavy!” Rong Qing couldn’t help but exclaim. “Zhou Ying, come help!”

Zhou Ying shot her a glare. “If you dare say that when she’s sober, I guarantee she’ll punch you.”

Despite her sarcastic remark, Zhou Ying still came over to lend a hand, and together they managed to haul Mu Lingwan inside.

Once they settled her onto the sofa, the strong scent of alcohol wafted from Mu Lingwan, making Rong Qing wrinkle her nose. “How much did she drink?”

“Not much,” Zhou Ying mused. “Half a bottle of baijiu, two bottles of red wine, and I lost count of the beers—probably over a dozen.”

Rong Qing’s eyes widened. “That much?!”

She turned to stare at Mu Lingwan’s slender figure. This woman, who wouldn’t even let her take an extra bite of food, had gone and drunk herself into oblivion?

Hypocrite!

What a hypocrite!

Weren’t beer, wine, and liquor all made from grains and fruits? Why was it okay for her to drink but not for Rong Qing to eat?

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. Seizing the moment while Zhou Ying was in the kitchen, Rong Qing pinched Mu Lingwan’s waist—perhaps a bit too hard, because Mu Lingwan let out a soft groan and blinked her eyes open.

Rong Qing quickly withdrew her hand and leaned in with concern. “You’re awake? Perfect timing—let’s get you some water. I just boiled some, and I’ll make you ginger tea.”

Mu Lingwan shook her head, her delicate brows furrowing slightly before she closed her eyes again, ready to drift back to sleep.

“Hey, since Lingwan’s awake, don’t let her sleep yet. Take her to the bathroom first,” Zhou Ying called from the kitchen. “With all that drinking, she must need to go. Help her out.”

Rong Qing pointed at herself in shock. “Me?”

“Uh-huh.” Zhou Ying blinked mischievously. “You’re her girlfriend. Who else is going to do it?”

Rong Qing’s face flushed red. Seeing Zhou Ying retreat back into the kitchen, she glanced down at Mu Lingwan. If she didn’t go now, she’d only end up waking Rong Qing in the middle of the night. Better to follow Zhou Ying’s advice and get her to the bathroom now.

“Wake up, no more sleeping,” Rong Qing urged, sitting beside Mu Lingwan and nudging her shoulder. “Go to the bathroom first. Come on.”

Mu Lingwan slowly opened her eyes, her gaze hazy as it settled on Rong Qing.

Perhaps it was the alcohol, but the usual sharpness in Mu Lingwan’s eyes was gone. Instead, they seemed unfocused, glistening with moisture, her cheeks tinged pink. There was an intoxicating beauty to her in this state.

Rong Qing’s heart pounded wildly as she quickly averted her gaze, not daring to meet Mu Lingwan’s eyes. Yet Mu Lingwan stubbornly kept staring at Rong Qing with such intensity that it nearly made Rong Qing’s hair stand on end before finally slowly sitting up from the couch.

As Mu Lingwan stood to leave, Rong Qing hurried after her, worried she might fall.

“Be careful,” Rong Qing said, supporting Mu Lingwan as they made their way to the first-floor bathroom. This bathroom was rarely used and connected to the laundry room, equipped only with a simple shower and toilet, alongside a row of washing machines.

Mu Lingwan swayed unsteadily, barely able to walk even while leaning against the wall. In the end, Rong Qing had to help her inside before considerately closing the door.

Leaning against the door, Rong Qing called out, “You can undress yourself—I won’t help with that.”

No response came from inside, only the faint rustling of fabric.

Rong Qing hesitated, glancing back repeatedly. It felt inappropriate to linger outside while someone was using the bathroom, so she decided to assist Zhou Ying in the kitchen instead. Zhou Ying was brewing ginger soup when Rong Qing entered.

“Where’s Lingwan?” Zhou Ying asked.

“She’s in the bathroom,” Rong Qing replied.

“You didn’t keep an eye on her?”

Rong Qing paused, hesitating. “She’s using the toilet—I didn’t think I needed to watch her?”

Zhou Ying blinked and advised, “You should probably go check on her. You never know what a drunk person might do.”

Alarmed by her words, Rong Qing abandoned the kitchen and rushed back to the bathroom. Just as she reached the door, she heard the sound of running water inside. Panic shot through her—had something happened to Mu Lingwan? She flung the door open.

“Mu Lingwan!”

The sight that greeted her made Rong Qing’s voice rise sharply. Mu Lingwan stood fully clothed under the showerhead, eyes closed as she washed her hair, her entire body drenched.

In the end, Rong Qing had to supervise Mu Lingwan through her shower and help her change into soft pajamas before leading her back to the living room.

Zhou Ying handed Rong Qing the ginger soup. “Feed this to Lingwan. There’s more in the pot if she needs it. If she feels unwell, call me. I have things to attend to, so I’ll head out now.”

Rong Qing nodded. “Thank you, Sister Zhou Ying. Drive safely.”

With a wave, Zhou Ying left, closing the door behind her and leaving only Rong Qing and Mu Lingwan in the house.

Fresh from the shower, Mu Lingwan looked drowsy, her head lolling as she began to doze off. Rong Qing quickly held out the bowl. “Don’t sleep yet—drink the soup first.”

Mu Lingwan resisted, keeping her eyes shut.

Rong Qing set the bowl aside and pulled her upright, speaking sternly. “Sister Zhou Ying made this for you. Refusing to drink it would be disrespectful. Do you want me to tell her so she can come back and scold you?”

Mu Lingwan lifted her gaze, studying the face so close to hers. After a long pause, she mumbled, “Just… one sip.”

“You need to finish at least a bowl.” Seeing her agreement, Rong Qing picked up the bowl and began feeding her spoonful by spoonful.

Mu Lingwan drank obediently, though her expression was full of silent protest. Halfway through, she pushed the bowl away. “It’s gross.”

“What’s gross about it?” Rong Qing took a sip herself. The ginger flavor was strong, but Zhou Ying had added sugar, making it pleasantly sweet.

“There’s ginger,” Mu Lingwan said.

Rong Qing chuckled, “How can ginger soup not have ginger in it?” She then looked curiously at Mu Lingwan and asked, “Do you not like ginger?”

Mu Lingwan lifted her eyelids slightly and replied, “No, I don’t.”

“Well, even if you don’t like it, there’s no helping it now. It’s already made, and we shouldn’t waste it.” Rong Qing scooped another spoonful and held it to Mu Lingwan’s lips, coaxing her gently, “Now that I know, next time I’ll make you radish soup, okay?”

Mu Lingwan took a sip and said, “Add some cilantro.”

“Huh?” Rong Qing was surprised but didn’t stop her actions. “Your taste is quite peculiar. Should I throw in some thirteen-spice too?”

Mu Lingwan didn’t catch the sarcasm in Rong Qing’s words and obediently finished the remaining half bowl.

After drinking the ginger soup, Mu Lingwan seemed to run out of energy, tilting her head as if ready to sleep. Rong Qing quickly set down the bowl and spoon, pulling her up. “Don’t sleep on the sofa. It’s so cold—you’ll catch a chill. Let’s go upstairs and sleep in bed, okay?”

Mu Lingwan lay stubbornly on the sofa, unmoving.

Rong Qing sighed and leaned in closer, whispering softly, “Lingwan? Mu Lingwan? Let’s go upstairs to sleep, okay?”

Mu Lingwan’s breathing was steady, but she refused to open her eyes.

“We’ll sleep in bed. There are thick blankets there, and the sheets were just washed today. You’ll love it. Let’s go to the room, okay?”

“…”

“Lingwan? Mu Lingwan, Teacher Mu?”

“…”

Frustrated, Rong Qing raised her hand and smacked Mu Lingwan’s thigh lightly. “Get up!”

Only then did Mu Lingwan weakly open her eyes and sit up obediently.

Rong Qing crossed her arms and looked at her. “Why did you drink so much? Who usually takes care of you when you’re drunk? A housekeeper? Sister Zhou Ying? Or someone else?”

Mu Lingwan blinked, then reached out and pulled Rong Qing into a warm, soft embrace, murmuring, “Want to sleep… so tired.”

“You still know you’re tired?” Rong Qing’s heart softened. She wrapped her arms around Mu Lingwan’s waist, noticing how thin her newly changed pajamas were. Despite the ginger soup, Mu Lingwan’s body was still cold. “Let’s go upstairs, okay? The bed will be much more comfortable than the sofa.”

Mu Lingwan finally relented and followed Rong Qing upstairs.

Once tucked into bed, Rong Qing sat by the edge, watching her. She realized Mu Lingwan was actually quite well-behaved when drunk—no fuss, no tantrums, just a strong desire to sleep.

Adorably so.

Rong Qing reached out and gently stroked Mu Lingwan’s cheek, marveling at the smoothness of her skin—typical of a celebrity—while gazing absentmindedly at her sleeping face.

“I was going to give you a gift, but who knew you’d drink yourself into oblivion?” Rong Qing sighed, resting her chin on the edge of the bed. “Sleep well. I’ll give it to you tomorrow when you wake up. I wonder if you’ll like it…”

Not that it mattered if she didn’t—Rong Qing’s taste was what it was.

After half a night of fussing, Rong Qing was exhausted too. Watching Mu Lingwan’s steady breathing, her own eyelids grew heavy. She wanted to go back to her own room but worried Mu Lingwan might stumble if she got up in the night. In the end, she dozed off right there by the bed.

The next morning, Mu Lingwan woke to the harsh glare of sunlight.

She rubbed her eyes and tried to sit up, only to freeze—her neck and back were stiff as a board. She had to slowly prop herself up, gradually stretching out her limbs.

Mu Lingwan looked around and realized she was in her own bedroom. Glancing at the bedside, she saw herself sleeping soundly.

She sat on the carpet, rubbing her head as she recalled the events of last night. She had gotten drunk at the dinner table—those people kept pouring her drinks, and Mu Lingwan had no choice but to drink. Fortunately, Zhou Ying had been by her side and safely brought her home in the end.

Though her memories of last night weren’t particularly clear, Mu Lingwan still remembered Rong Qing taking care of her for a long time. When she first woke up, she found herself slumped over the edge of the bed, likely because Rong Qing had been tending to her all night.

Mu Lingwan glanced at her before steadying herself against the bed and heading to the bathroom to freshen up.

Midway through washing up, she heard movement from the bedroom. Toothbrush still in her mouth, she stepped out to see Rong Qing already awake, clutching her head and rolling around under the covers.

“My head… my head hurts so much!”

Rong Qing pressed her forehead against the blanket, her stomach churning with nausea. She quickly grabbed the trash can and dry-heaved a couple of times before collapsing back onto the bed, dizzy and disoriented. The moment she lay down, though, her bladder screamed for relief, but sitting up again only made her feel sick and lightheaded.

This was absolute torture!

Is this what a hangover feels like?!

It’s terrifying!

Mu Lingwan spat out her toothpaste, rinsed a towel with hot water, and walked over to the bed. “Lift your head,” she said. “I’ll put this on you.”

Rong Qing was on the verge of tears from the discomfort. Mu Lingwen gently pressed the warm towel against her face, then massaged her temples firmly until Rong Qing finally felt like she was coming back to life. As soon as she could move, she bolted out of bed and rushed to the bathroom.

Mu Lingwan glanced at the bathroom door, scratching her cheek awkwardly before heading downstairs to prepare hangover soup for Rong Qing.

Passing through the living room, she noticed the coffee table was a mess—unwashed bowls and spoons from last night still scattered about, and a pot of ginger soup left mostly untouched. As she moved to tidy up, her foot accidentally bumped into a small box lying on the carpet.

Curious, Mu Lingwan bent down to pick it up. It was a gift box, seemingly meant for someone.

Was it Rong Qing’s?

Just as she debated whether to peek inside, she heard the bedroom door upstairs open. Hastily, she placed the box back on the carpet and carried the pot and dishes to the kitchen.

Rong Qing was utterly miserable. She had never drunk alcohol before, let alone experienced a hangover the next morning. Waking up feeling like death was something she never expected.

Worst of all, she reeked of alcohol. The moment she opened her mouth, the stench alone nearly made her vomit. Even after brushing her teeth three times, the heavy, lingering taste of alcohol refused to fade.

Ughhh!

Next time Mu Lingwan drinks, I’m breaking her legs!

It’s so disgusting! So foul!

After changing her clothes and stepping out of the bathroom, Rong Qing felt like a walking liquor jar—every movement seemed to release another wave of alcohol fumes. Her head still spun as if half a bottle of liquor was sloshing around inside.

Gag—

She clutched the trash can, dry-heaving twice, but nothing came up. Her eyes were red from crying.

Mu Lingwan returned upstairs with a bowl of water just in time to see Rong Qing hunched over the trash can, retching. Guilt gnawed at her.

“Are you okay?” she asked, genuine concern in her voice.

Rong Qing couldn’t even lift her head, clutching the trash can as she wiped her tears, sobbing between retches: “Hangovers are the worst… Why did you drink so much yesterday? gag… I want my own body back, wuwuwu…”

Mu Lingwan also felt guilty. After all, she’d completely forgotten about their body-swapping situation while drinking yesterday. Now Rong Qing was suffering the consequences that should’ve been hers, making her feel particularly remorseful.

“There there, it’s all my fault. I promise I won’t drink anymore,” Mu Lingwan helped her to bed, feeding her sips of warm water while softly advising: “Drink more water. Once the alcohol metabolizes, you’ll feel better.”

“Really?” Rong Qing asked with red-rimmed eyes.

Mu Lingwan nodded, watching as Rong Qing finished the entire glass before apologizing awkwardly: “Sorry, I forgot we’d switch back the next day. Do you want some medicine? It might help.”

Rong Qing nodded weakly. “Get me a pill, please.”

Mu Lingwan went downstairs for medicine and returned with another cup of hot water. After watching Rong Qing take the pill, she tucked her in carefully, treating her like a patient by smoothing the blankets around her.

The medicine worked quickly, and Rong Qing soon felt better. Looking at Mu Lingwan, she comforted her: “It’s okay. Last time when I got sick from the rain, you covered for me for a whole day. Consider us even now.”

“Well… tell me if you feel worse,” Mu Lingwan said gently. “More water means more bathroom trips, which helps flush it out faster. Sleeping also helps if you’re really uncomfortable.”

Rong Qing shook her head—sleep was impossible right now.

“I can’t sleep, but I can drink more water,” Rong Qing leaned against the headboard and looked at Mu Lingwan. “Did something good happen yesterday? You drank so much… Is the new film going well?”

“Mhm.” Mu Lingwan smiled slightly, choosing her words carefully. “Everything’s on track so far. The release schedule is set, and promotion is up to the crew now. Overall, the response has been good.”

Though Mu Lingwan hadn’t deliberately stirred up attention, Ming Qiao had already hyped their rivalry online. Some were even comparing their upcoming films, creating hashtags to mock whoever had less buzz.

In truth, any attention meant more viewers—Mu Lingwan would benefit either way, so she didn’t care about “winning.” But her fans took it seriously, especially with Ming Qiao provoking them openly. Online debates about their films had grown heated lately.

Hearing this, Rong Qing sighed in relief and relaxed against the headboard. “I hope everything goes smoothly.”

A quiet moment passed between them.

Rong Qing glanced at Mu Lingwan, remembering the gift she’d bought yesterday. Would she like it? Maybe she could test the waters first…

“Lingwan,” she began, “is there anything you’ve been wanting lately?”

“Hmm?” Mu Lingwan looked up, a thought occurring to her as she tilted her head. “Are you giving me a present?”

Rong Qing froze for a moment, not having time to deny it before Mu Lingwan asked again, “Is it that box in the living room?”

“H-how did you know?!” Rong Qing’s eyes widened. “Did you open it?”

“No.” Mu Lingwan chuckled softly. “Since you asked if there was anything I wanted, I naturally guessed you were planning to give me something. So tell me, what did you get me?”

Rong Qing pouted, “Who just tells someone what their gift is? Shouldn’t you guess first?”

Mu Lingwan thought for a moment before saying, “Is it jewelry?”

Rong Qing: “?”

How did she guess so accurately?

“Then guess what kind of jewelry it is,” Rong Qing urged.

After another moment of thought, Mu Lingwan replied, “A hair accessory?”

Rong Qing: “?!”

Rong Qing sat up in frustration. “You definitely peeked! There’s no way you could’ve guessed that right otherwise!”

Mu Lingwan couldn’t help but laugh. “I really didn’t look. I was just guessing.”

“Nonsense! How could you possibly guess that accurately?”

“Because the brand you bought usually packages their jewelry in gray boxes, and that size could only hold something small.” Mu Lingwan sat beside Rong Qing and explained, “If it were a necklace, ring, or bracelet, the packaging would be fancier—at least not just a paper bag. So I figured it must be a small accessory.”

Rong Qing was stunned by her reasoning, momentarily forgetting her headache as she nodded blankly. “Y-yes, you’re right. I got you a hair tie…”

Mu Lingwan blinked and leaned closer. “But why a hair tie out of the blue?”

Though both had long hair, they usually wore it down, only tying it up occasionally when it got in the way. The last time Mu Lingwan had tied her hair up was…

Rong Qing’s face flushed instantly, and she turned away, mumbling, “That time… when you asked me to tie your hair for you, I thought you might need more hair ties. Yesterday, when I was shopping with Junjun, I saw this one and bought it.”

Her voice grew quieter until it was almost inaudible.

Mu Lingwan watched her silently before finally saying, “Then I’ll go get it. Will you tie it for me?”

Rong Qing glanced up and gave a small nod.

When Mu Lingwan returned with the box and opened it in front of Rong Qing, the black butterfly hair tie seemed to leap out, resting gracefully on the gray velvet like a napping fairy.

The hair tie was soft, made of high-quality fabric with a striking design. When Rong Qing tied it into Mu Lingwan’s hair, it looked like a butterfly perched on a rainforest branch, ready to take flight at any moment.

“It’s beautiful,” Mu Lingwan said after examining herself in the mirror, turning back to Rong Qing. “I love it.”

Rong Qing blinked. She had originally imagined how cool and elegant Mu Lingwan’s refined features would look paired with the black butterfly, never expecting it would end up being tied by her own hands after all this back-and-forth.

But that still counted as giving it to Mu Lingwan, didn’t it?

Well, that worked too.

Rong Qing smiled. “It looks good.”

Mu Lingwan felt a surge of happiness at the praise. Countless people had complimented her beauty with extravagant words before, but somehow, Rong Qing’s simple two syllables pleased her the most.

Wearing the hair tie Rong Qing had given her, Mu Lingwan returned to the bedside and naturally leaned in, planting a gentle kiss on her forehead.

Rong Qing was momentarily stunned by the kiss. She covered her forehead and stared blankly at Mu Lingwan, taking a long moment to process what had just happened.

“You—?!”

“I’ll go make breakfast.”

Mu Lingwan stood up, completely unfazed, and asked, “Do you want seafood congee or century egg congee?”

Rong Qing blinked. “Seafood congee…”

“Got it.” Mu Lingwan nodded.

Wait—no!

“Hold on!” Rong Qing’s face flushed bright red, her earlier dizziness and nausea forgotten in her flustered state. “Why did you suddenly kiss me?!”

“Because I thought you looked adorable like this, so I gave you a kiss.” Mu Lingwan turned her head and said calmly, “Haven’t we kissed many times before? Besides, the master said that only by maintaining frequent intimacy would we have a chance to switch back completely.”

Rong Qing was stunned for several seconds before stammering, “The master… the master really said that?”

Mu Lingwan nodded: “Don’t you trust me?”

“Well, it’s not that I don’t trust you.” Rong Qing frowned and said, “If that’s what the master said, then…”

“Then from now on, I’ll kiss you whenever I want.” Mu Lingwan smiled at Rong Qing and said, “Likewise, feel free to kiss me whenever you want too.”

Rong Qing blinked her eyes, watching Mu Lingwan walk away, feeling like something wasn’t quite right.