A big spender with a top-up System drops into the original game world. By all appearances, this is a king's opening.
But reality promptly throws a bucket of cold water over Tang Ying.
Her sect is tiny and destitute, the sect leader is in closed-door cultivation, her master has been kidnapped, and every one of her junior brothers and sisters is so salty they could be used to season a whole dish.
Tang Ying angrily asks the System: What happened to letting me experience the life of a beautiful, powerful, and effortlessly successful senior sister?
The System pours on the inspirational talk: The weak expect things for nothing; the strong swim against the current!
Tang Ying: ...
Fine, she's already here. Besides, she's brought a top-up System, guaranteeing a first-rate spending experience.
But this realm is ruled by the merfolk, and to revive her sect, she also needs to have a mermaid.
The marriage proposal ceremony is bizarre, though. She has to leap into the sea from a cliff thousands of feet high, then endure a series of near-fatal trials to prove her sincerity. Finally, the mermaid who takes a liking to her swims out, and she gets whichever one she manages to catch.
With difficulty this deadly, Tang Ying declares it impossible.
Luckily, she's rich. She'll take an indirect route to success, build a golden house, and lure a mermaid into her trap.
And she really does manage to catch one: long hair cascading like a waterfall, tall and broad-shouldered with a slim waist.
He wears a mask by day, is cool, handsome, and great in a fight, and is ruthless and sparing with words.
Tang Ying is very satisfied, though she thinks he has a bit of a split fish-personality.
By day: Mm. Fine. Okay. Got it.
At night: You looked at Xiao Bai next door three times more than usual today, bought walnut pastries for Huahua on the back street, and said more than once that Qing Yu has a lovely name. You're already spoken for. That's far too careless of you.
Tang Ying is completely baffled: ? Aren't we just teaming up to do business? You live in the golden house, while I revive my sect and rule the whole island.
Loose talk is fun for a moment, but then comes the long road to winning your husband back. That very night, the mermaid gentleman taught her a lesson.
Sitting alone by the window like a little wife, he and the lamp were his only company. The corners of his eyes were red, and he looked as though he had wasted half his life.
Thinking of her grand plan to rule the island, Tang Ying had no choice but to invite him into bed and comfort him all night.
The next day, she received the happy news: The gentleman was three months pregnant.
Tang Ying: ???
Good grief, was this a pregnancy scam? How could someone be three months pregnant after just one night?
But the baby was exquisitely lovely, beautiful and bright, and especially attached to her.
The mermaid gentleman also grew more and more clingy. He refused to take off his mask, but otherwise let her do whatever she wanted.
Tang Ying sighed: Fine. It's only a game, and the point is the experience. Anyway, sooner or later, she'll have to go back.
Then one day, enemies took advantage of the mermaid gentleman's absence to launch a sneak attack, and the baby was gravely injured protecting her.
Only during the treatment did she discover that this really was her baby!
Reader's guide:
1. Whoever marries a merfolk, whether male or female, is the one who gives birth to merfolk children.
2. The baby really is their biological child.
3. The male lead refuses to take off his mask because merfolk consider androgynous, ethereal, delicate beauty the ideal. He's too handsome, so he's always thought he was ugly.
4. A hugely ambitious female powerhouse x a macho, sweet, naturally clueless mermaid husband
Posted May 5, 2022; revised May 8; revised again January 17, 2023; screenshots taken
Cover character art authorized by the artists: Chong Ao and Tang Yuyu
Theme: People who work hard and stay positive are never too unlucky
