My Kid Used to Be a Proud Phoenix

Xin Rushi is trapped in a time loop. Every time it starts over, she dies almost immediately, and in a different way each time:

Laser-beam monsters run amok, her card-playing buddies turn into monsters, a black hole appears, a global virus outbreak...

Little by little, Xin Rushi starts enjoying herself, turning each day into a half-day apocalypse tour. She even has time to open betting pools with her livestream viewers, wagering on how she’ll die when she opens the door that day.

Then, one day, the legend the comments had been talking about finally appeared.

[Number one on the leaderboard!] [Number one!] [The top-ranked big shot!] [They’re finally here!]

Xin Rushi looked into the distance. The meteor shower blanketing the land shattered into countless pieces, exploding in a blinding rain of shooting stars. Beneath the heavens, a tiny figure drifted out from among the asteroids and landed in front of her door:

A little girl.

She looked like she was still in kindergarten.

The comments reminded Xin Rushi: [It's her] [That's right, it's her] [She's your daughter] [Even if the big shot turned to ashes... I'd still recognize her if she got smaller!] [Number one on the Star-Picking leaderboard, a full 8,000 li ahead of second place] [The first player to clear a level-seven dungeon and return to reality] [Streamer, hurry up and cozy up to her!] [Number one is aloof, super aloof, and really petty] [She's hard to please]

Aloof. Hard to please.

Were they talking about this kid clinging to her leg and refusing to let go?

The girl looked up timidly. "Auntie, where is this? I'm scared..."

The comments fell abruptly silent. [...] [...]

[Wait, didn't I just see the big shot smash a meteorite with one punch...?]

[Wait, didn't I just see the big shot smash a meteorite with one punch...?]

[Wait, didn't I just see the big shot smash a meteorite with one punch...?]

That's right, Xin Rushi thought. I saw it too, and now I can hear it as well.

She could hear the little girl's thoughts:

[That bald jerk was trying to screw me over. Good thing I got away fast.]

[Being number one is for idiots. Whoever wants the job can have it.]

[Mama, Mama, Mama, MWAH!]

...Is this my aloof, domineering heroine of a daughter?

Reading tips

1. The main text is written in third person. A considerable portion of the main plot has the female lead (the mother) fighting monsters. It's a short novel with a complete ending.

2. There is a twist before the ending. The overall tone is lighthearted.

*

Long-form novel, next book is now underway and has plenty of chapters, so feel free to dive in: Why Did the Nonhuman Twins Suddenly Fall Out? / Is This Insect Mother Simulator Legit?

Synopsis: Because of you, they became human from beasts, then fell from human back to beast.

Keywords: Earth's downfall, love triangle, nonhuman series, mild harem elements, relationship drama and competition between male leads, no team picking, happy ending where everyone ends up together.

Theme: Cherish yourself