"Mom... I got first place in my grade in this exam and received a scholarship."
The girl timidly took out a silver bracelet, eyes sparkling with joy and anticipation.
"I bought this with the scholarship..."
"Bang!"
The girl hadn't finished speaking when the noblewoman slammed her palm on the table!
"Yu Manman!" the noblewoman scolded, "Did you do this on purpose?"
Yu Manman froze in place.
What?
"You knew your brother didn't do well on his exams, and yet you show off your results to provoke him, don't you?"
Yu Manman shook her head in a panic.
She didn't know, didn't know her brother didn't do well...
"And you use the scholarship money to buy this junk?"
"At fifteen or sixteen, buying such worthless jewelry! You're already forming bad spending habits, who knows how vain you'll be when you grow up!"
The noblewoman's eyes were filled with disdain as she snatched the silver bracelet from her hand, threw it on the ground fiercely, and stomped on it hard!
"From now on, no showing off in front of your brother!"
The noblewoman gave Yu Manman a harsh glare and turned to leave.
Yu Manman squatted on the floor, eyes brimming with tears, her delicate fingers picking up the deformed bracelet and cradling it in her palm.
No, she didn't buy it for herself.
This was something she had carefully chosen from a jewelry store, intending to give to her mom...
Suddenly, a hand picked up the bracelet from her hand.
"Sister, you were trying to use this to please Mom, weren't you?"
A boy of eleven or twelve smirked maliciously.
Yu Manman bit her lip, "Please give it back..."
"You're bold enough to show off such cheap stuff?" he said to himself, "But even if it were expensive, it wouldn't matter!"
"Mom only likes me! You're just an unnecessary burden! Being excellent is useless!"
Yu Manman's eyes reddened.
Yes, she was just a superfluous existence.
No one in the family liked her, because... she was a girl...
Because she was a girl, her mom was bullied by her grandma, her dad cheated. Mom divorced, remarried, finally had a son, and held her head high, while she remained a burden...
"Give me back the bracelet!" Yu Manman insisted stubbornly.
The boy curled his lip, looking disdainfully at the valued bracelet in Yu Manman's hands, "Just a broken bracelet, pick it back up then!"
With that, he casually tossed the bracelet downstairs!
Yu Manman hurriedly went down to fetch it but accidentally stepped into thin air...
"Ah—"
"A child fell down! Quick! Rescue!"
"Blub blub blub..."
Yu Manman clearly rolled down the stairs, but when she opened her eyes, she was in the water!
She flailed, only to realize she didn't feel suffocated.
She opened her eyes and saw a chubby, white forearm, and her kicking feet suddenly turned into a big blue fish tail!
Had she turned into some sort of little monster?
What was going on?
She realized she had shrunk, and her mind wasn't as agile as before...
However, the small brain of the original owner retained a bit of memory that Yu Manman absorbed.
All she knew was that she had crossed over to the Beast World, where she had a loving mom and five dads!
She, who never had family love, could actually receive six portions of affection!
Yu Manman excitedly waved her hands underwater, eager to meet her new life's parents!
She would definitely cherish her parents' love!
Suddenly, a creature swam by in the distance, looking like a large oven mitt, with eyes round as marbles, clear and innocently cute.
Yu Manman's almond eyes widened even more, quickly flapping her chubby hands and tail, escaping at a turtle's speed...
At a glance, it might look harmless, but it was actually the human-eater with a short mouth, the Qu's Weasel Shark!
Key point: it eats humans!
Daddy, Mommy! Help!
The Ju's Weasel Shark was much faster than a baby mermaid, reaching Yu Manman in no time!
Then, the Qu's Weasel Shark opened its big mouth toward Yu Manman...
Yu Manman despairingly covered her face with chubby hands, heart breaking down!
Wah! She had just arrived here less than five minutes! She hadn't even seen her new life's mom and dad!
She didn't want to end up in a shark's belly!
"Little cub, why are you in the sea?"
A hearty voice reached Yu Manman's ears.
Eh??
Yu Manman parted her fingers, still seeing the large chubby Qu's Weasel Shark! She covered her eyes in fright again!
"Little cub, what's your name?"
Was... was it the big shark talking?
Yu Manman gradually moved her hands away.
"Little cub, don't be afraid, I'm the patrolling guard of the waters beneath Hollow City, I won't harm you!" The big shark tried to modulate its voice, striving to be gentle.
Yu Manman blinked, patting her chest with relief.
So close, she almost thought she was a goner!
This world is quite scary!
"Mr. Shark... I... I fell into the sea..." Yu Manman trembled in her voice.
"Then let Uncle take you up, okay?"
Yu Manman quickly nodded! She was finally saved...
"Manman!"
Puslin leapt into the sea, transforming into a half-beastman state, soon finding his daughter's location.
The little mermaid sat on the back of a huge shark, her small fish tail swaying.
Yu Manman's big, round eyes blinked frequently, staring at the dashing blond, blue-eyed male mermaid rushing toward her.
His tail lacked the scales of Yu Manman's, yet it was exceptionally strong and muscular.
"Dad?"
Finally seeing dad in this life, Yu Manman felt both happy and excited, and couldn't help but wanting to cry!
Wah~ she almost became a little rat...
"Don't be afraid, Manman, Daddy is here!"
Puslin tenderly held his daughter, carefully checking her over, afraid she might have a chipped scale!
"Are you the little one's dad?" the big shark spoke, "You were too careless! How could you let the little one fall into the sea? What if it wasn't the patrol guards but the Original Species or Fallen Species of the sea instead?"
The Original Species mentioned by the big shark are primitive creatures of the planet, while the Fallen Species are either devolved Beastmen or mutated creatures from the apocalyptic crisis, extremely violent, more dangerous than the Original Species!
Puslin was filled with guilt, indeed, they hadn't kept a good eye on Manman.
"Yes... thank you very much."
"No thanks needed!" The big shark anthropomorphically swayed its fins, "Just take good care of the little one from now on! I have to patrol, so I'm leaving!"
"Goodbye, little one!"
"Goodbye, Mr. Shark~" Yu Manman waved her little hand.
The big shark wagged its tail, breaking into a grin, revealing two rows of teeth, densely packed and terrifyingly sharp, yet oddly conveying a sense of friendliness.
Such a cute little cub, he wished he had a sweet and adorable little one too...
Then he sighed inwardly; unfortunately, he didn't even have a wife!
The shark turned its head and soon disappeared into the ocean...
Puslin stroked his daughter's hair, swimming with her to the surface.
[Ding! Host detected, initiating the 'Villain Redemption' system!]