Chapter 2: Swapped Lives
“Qingqing, didn’t Yi An come back with you?”
“That’s right, we’ll be leaving soon. Since we came together, we should leave together too!”
Hearing her classmates’ questions, Yin Qingqing, sitting in the corner of the sofa, concealed the schadenfreude in her eyes. Lifting her head, she shook it with a bewildered expression. “I don’t know either!”
“Just now, when we passed by the ‘Da Fugui’ private room, Yi An told me to come back first. She said she was going inside to meet an acquaintance.”
“I thought since it was an acquaintance, there wouldn’t be any danger, so I came back first.”
Hearing this, a dormmate expressed confusion.
“Yi An isn’t a local of Jingshi, and I’ve never heard her say she has acquaintances here.”
“Besides, this is our first time at a dance hall. Could she have mistaken someone?”
Worried that things on the other side weren’t over yet, and to buy more time, Yin Qingqing tucked the stray hair at her temple behind her ear and spoke unhurriedly, “Everyone has their own circle of friends. Yi An might be no exception.”
“How about this—let’s wait another hour.”
“If she still hasn’t returned by then, I’ll take you all to the ‘Da Fugui’ private room to look for her.”
“What do you think?”
“Alright then!” Considering that Yin Qingqing and Shen Yi’an were close friends, the urgency to search among the group diminished.
If even her best friend wasn’t worried, they, as mere classmates, had even less reason to be.
After the topic faded, the group began chatting idly in small clusters.
A few bold ones even got up and swayed at the edge of the dance floor.
Their movements were somewhat comical, but their relaxed demeanor lifted the spirits of many around them.
Once no one was watching her anymore, Yin Qingqing leaned back into the dim corner and allowed herself a silent, unrestrained laugh.
Shen Yi’an, this time, no one will save you!
In her past life, she was the one who had entered that private room.
She had thought that by attaching herself to the person inside, she could transform into the cherished wife of a powerful figure.
After all, the ‘Da Fugui’ private room was He Haiguang’s permanently reserved territory.
Who was He Haiguang? He was the Penguin of Jingshi, a man with influence in both legal and underground circles.
Not to mention his covert dealings, even his legitimate businesses brought in vast sums of money.
It was after accidentally overhearing this information that she had sent Shen Yi’an away and gone in to try her luck.
In her view, as long as she could latch onto He Haiguang, she would have the chance to hold her head high in front of the Yin family.
She had moved into the Yin family after her mother remarried.
Her stepfather was a division commander in the military, and the Yin family upheld a strict, principled reputation.
To win over her stepfather’s family, she had even changed her surname to Yin.
She had assumed this would earn her the Yin family’s acceptance, but it didn’t.
Her stepfather often criticized her for lacking propriety, saying her attire reeked of capitalist-roaders.
Her three stepbrothers also accused her of having impure intentions—not only did she dress like a capitalist-roader, but she also wore makeup like a dance hall girl, making her seem unlike a girl from a respectable family.
Because of this, her mother frequently hit and pinched her in private, calling her a calamity sent by heaven to punish her.
She took the college entrance exam in 1977 but scored abysmally—not even enough to get into the lowest-tier technical school.
To preserve the Yin family’s reputation, her stepfather pulled strings to get her into Jingshi Normal University, thinking she could become a teacher after graduation.
But she wasn’t content.
All were children of the Yin family, yet her three stepbrothers could join the military or enter politics as they pleased.
As a young woman, she was destined for the bleak life of a teacher.
Why should she accept this?
But knowing she couldn’t defy her family’s decision, she ultimately enrolled at Jingshi Normal University.
She became close with Shen Yi’an precisely because she recognized her lively and cheerful nature, believing that befriending such a person would make life easier.
One evening a month before graduation, she returned late to the dormitory due to some matters.
While passing through the small grove near the dormitory, she accidentally overheard someone discussing matters related to the ‘Da Fugui’ private room at the Disco dance hall.
She knew this was an opportunity that could turn her life around.
So when the class monitor solicited suggestions for their final university graduation gathering, she proposed the Disco dance hall two kilometers from campus—a place countless people yearned for but dared not enter.
Of course, this suggestion was definitely made with ulterior motives.
Although some classmates hesitated, they immediately surrendered to the idea when imagining the vibrant atmosphere of the Disco dance hall.
Later, they went to the dance hall, and she managed to avoid Shen Yi’an and other classmates to enter the ‘Da Fugui’ private room.
In the end, not only did she fail to gain the chance to proudly assert herself before the Yin family, but she ended up chained to rural life forever.
Fortunately, Heaven took pity and granted her a chance to relive her life.
This time, she’d leave the noble opportunity of the ‘Da Fugui’ private room to Shen Yi’an.
Before her death in her previous life, she had seen on television news that her once closest friend Shen Yi’an had married into the Li Family, who lived in the same compound as the Yin family.
The Li Family was countless times more powerful than the Yin family.
Multiple generations had served in the military, and even senior leaders would show respect to the Li Family’s Old Master.
With the Li Family’s solid background, Shen Yi’an’s husband Li Beichen was particularly exceptional.
Not only was he in the air force, but he was also among their most treasured pilots—a national treasure-level fighter pilot!
Since they were such good friends anyway, swapping lives this time shouldn’t matter, right?
Knowing Shen Yi’an loved White Rabbit Creamy Candy, she drugged the candies she carried with her.
Then, seizing the opportunity of a bathroom break, she successfully drugged Shen Yi’an and delivered her to He Haiguang.
Although her life had been miserable after following He Haiguang in her previous existence, she hadn’t considered abandoning the chance to connect with him in this life.
Establishing ties with such an influential figure could only benefit her future.
Sometimes, one must recognize current circumstances to live happily.
Amid Yin Qingqing’s private relief and the swaying crowd in the central dance hall, an hour quickly passed.
Seeing that the timing was right, she stood up with a worried expression. “Class monitor, let’s go look for Yi An!”
“It’s been an hour and she still hasn’t returned. I’m worried something might have happened to her!”
Seeing Yin Qingqing’s apparent concern, everyone present rose to agree.
“Class monitor, let’s search for our classmate Shen Yi’an!”
“Yes, this environment is chaotic and noisy. It’s not safe for a female university student to be out alone.”
“Yin Qingqing, lead us to find her. Don’t worry, Shen Yi’an will be fine.”
With everyone standing, the class monitor waved his hand decisively.
“Classmate Yin Qingqing, take the lead.”
“A few people stay behind to watch our things. The rest come with me to search.”
With Yin Qingqing leading the way, a large crowd marched toward the ‘Da Fugui’ private room to search.
As they passed through the center of the dance hall, one party hurried along while the other danced with wild abandon.
Their movements echoed the dappled light and shadow cast by the rotating disco ball.
Yet human joys and sorrows are never truly shared.