I Made the Whole World Wear a Mask of Misery

Ji Ziwen loved singing, but he couldn't carry a tune. He had to settle for becoming a songwriter, until an unexpected transmigration turned him into... a mermaid?

Heaven knew how much he'd dreamed of having a mermaid's heavenly voice.

Ji Ziwen wept as he recorded a song and uploaded it online.

That same day, the internet exploded.

The self-proclaimed know-it-all netizens had never heard a song this awful! Not one member of any species who listened managed to last a full minute. They all passed out.

People of every species saw the song's title, "The Mermaid's Peerless Heavenly Song~ Heal Your Soul," and flew into a rage!

Did he know how precious a mermaid's song was?

It was the only medicine that could cure mental agitation, and its effects weakened with every listen. With the mermaid species on the verge of extinction, every mermaid song was a treasure, and desecrating one was absolutely unacceptable!

Every species attacked the audacious composer who dared to pass himself off as a mermaid.

Then someone suffering from severe mental agitation woke up and realized his splitting headache had eased. Confused, he posted about it online.

- Could this possibly, maybe, actually be a mermaid song?

Everyone else was even more furious, convinced the guy was in cahoots with the composer. How dare he tell such an obvious lie, one that could be tested at any moment?

Countless netizens sneered and brought out their mental-state meters. They watched with their own eyes as the readings for their mental agitation dropped by one point.

Everyone: "..."

After a lovely nap, Ji Ziwen woke up and opened the internet. At a glance, he saw that he'd gloriously claimed the number one spot on the trending list, where all the comments were full of praise and flattery.

Ji Ziwen was moved to tears.

He'd finally done it! Everyone finally appreciated his singing!

Ji Ziwen said emotionally during a livestream:

"My clan used to say I sang terribly, so I stopped being able to sing. This is my first song since my rebirth, and I'm so glad everyone likes it. I finally have the courage to keep singing. To thank you all for your support, I'm going to hold an online concert!"

At that moment, the whole internet fell silent for three seconds.

What do you do when a little mermaid is so fragile that telling the truth makes him stop working? You can only indulge him...

From that day on, people around the world wore expressions of anguish.

1. In the story, the protagonist genuinely thinks his own singing sounds good. The reason will be explained later (I know how to explain it now!)

CP: His neighbor, Xie Feng

Enters VIP on May 20 (Wednesday)

The joke about a tone-deaf little mermaid comes from my friend Fuyan Luoye. Her mermaid novel, The Merman Gets Carried Off by a Big Cat on a Dating Show, is complete.

Check out my upcoming novel! I Loved You, So Why Are You Going Crazy?

Everyone says that wealthy heir Feng Fei is madly in love with Shen Yanzhou. Only Shen Yanzhou knows that Feng Fei transmigrated here specifically to win him over.

He can hear Feng Fei talking to the System.

Because Shen Yanzhou is the real young master, despised by everyone, in a switched-at-birth novel. Once Feng Fei succeeds in winning him over, he can leave.

How nice.

Shen Yanzhou makes no hesitation in using Feng Fei and his System to improve his company.

Funding, technology, talent, and projects are all hand-picked by the System.

All it costs him is a little of his affection.

Before long, Shen Yanzhou's company is soaring to success.

The Shen family comes looking for trouble, calling Shen Yanzhou unfilial and an ungrateful bastard.

Shen Yanzhou hears Feng Fei roar, "You trash who sell your own sons and daughters aren't fit to shine Shen Yanzhou's shoes!"

Hearing Feng Fei grumble at them just as he does at the System, Shen Yanzhou smiles.

He...

Wants Feng Fei to stay.

Then Feng Fei realizes that no matter how well he treats Shen Yanzhou, Shen Yanzhou's affection level won't budge.

"Does Shen Yanzhou have no heart at all?" Feng Fei asks the System in angry despair.

Shen Yanzhou watches Feng Fei's forced smile, and his heart aches.

Soon, Feng Fei notices that Shen Yanzhou's affection level has changed.

Watching the affection score shoot up, Feng Fei loses his mind.

Theme: Lighthearted and humorous, offering a chance to relax after studying or working.