Chapter 1

On the first day of starting her career, Xia Xi squatted on the ground, carefully examining the book in her hand.

The cover was blue with white borders, exuding a minimalist aesthetic, and bore four large characters: “The Little Mermaid.”

Her first thought: This Training Skill Book shares its name with a literary classic—how classy! Could she have finally hit the jackpot?

Xia Xi’s imagination even began to run wild. In this Compensation World, she might be a fisherwoman, making a living by catching fish every day.

Sending a girl to be a fisherwoman… Xia Xi pondered for a second and found the idea absolutely fantastic.

It even aligned with her expertise.

Self-reliance and contentment—with this skill, as long as she practiced diligently, she could look forward to endless grilled squid and spicy mantis shrimp in the future.

She didn’t care for sea cucumbers, neither their appearance nor texture appealing to her palate, so she’d just sell those.

In short, just from the title alone, Xia Xi already felt she’d struck gold. Becoming a seafood tycoon was within reach, and with the money earned, she could open a Martial Arts School.

Strangely, no one seemed to be competing for this opportunity.

With such a valuable and practical Training Skill Book in hand, Xia Xi was certain her future days would be quite comfortable.

This book was exchanged from the “Department of Compensation for the Unfortunate.” Her connection to this department spoke volumes about Xia Xi’s situation—after an accident led to her demise, the staff informed her that returning to her old life was impossible. However, she could receive Skill Compensation and be placed in a Compensation World, effectively starting a new life.

With reverence, Xia Xi turned the page, summoning the same focus she’d had while preparing for her college entrance exams. Fueled by her craving for seafood, a line of text leaped out at her:

“How to Catch a Handsome Man with a Perky Butt.”

Xia Xi’s studious expression slowly morphed into: ?

……

Today was the audition for the upcoming girl group survival show “Pick 101,” and the venue was buzzing with excitement.

Though it was just the preliminary round, most of the participants were already stunning beauties with flawless figures. Sitting in a corner, Xia Xi’s gaze drifted absently over the rainbow-hued dresses around her before unconsciously tugging at her own iridescent black spaghetti-strap dress.

“…”

As Xia Xi sat in stunned silence, the mechanical voice that had been intermittently echoing in her mind spoke up again. [Host, is there anything else you’d like to know? I’m here to answer all your questions.]

Xia Xi’s first words were, “Does your department always force deployments like this?”

She never expected to be forcibly dropped into this Compensation World just because she questioned the Skill Book she received.

The system dodged the question, repeating its offer instead.

This was within Xia Xi’s expectations. First, she glanced at the woman reflected in the nearby mirror—she blinked, and the reflection did the same.

Beneath sleek, voluminous hair was a delicate, doll-like face with fair skin, striking features, a high nose, and full lips. Her figure, wrapped in the iridescent black dress, was curvaceous and alluring.

Her beauty was bold, dazzling, and almost aggressive, yet her eyes held a touch of vulnerability that made her irresistibly captivating.

Even among the crowd of gorgeous future idols, she stood out, drawing frequent glances from other contestants sizing up their formidable competition.

Xia Xi: So pretty.

Though this face bore a 70-80% resemblance to her own, she had never dressed up so meticulously before. But her brief moment of admiration was cut short as her eyes fell on the manicured fingers clutching a phone.

The text on the screen made her frown.

The contact was labeled “[City X No. 3 Fish: Yao Xingzhe],” followed by five stars.

Xia Xi had grown. Whether it was from familiarizing herself with the chat logs or the information provided by the system, she wouldn’t mistake this “fish” for an actual fish raised in X City.  

However, there were still some things the grown-up Xia Xi didn’t understand. For example, “What do the five stars mean?”  

This time, the system quickly provided an answer:  

[They represent wealth value. One star means a small factory owner’s heir… and so on. Five stars is the highest, representing assets worth hundreds of millions.]  

Xia Xi understood now—this was a “fish” named Yao Xingzhe, with a fortune worth hundreds of millions.  

A normal person wouldn’t label someone as a “fish,” but the identity in this Compensation World was far from normal—it was that of a “Sea King” who enjoyed keeping a harem of “fish.”  

…  

This body shared the same name as Xia Xi and was a film academy student, not even 20 years old yet, but already highly experienced in flirting and stringing along wealthy men. She moved between men effortlessly, crafting various personas, yet never had a boyfriend—all because the original owner wanted to find the most outstanding, wealthiest “fish” among them to marry into a rich family.  

But while the original owner believed she had these men wrapped around her finger, she didn’t realize that the few big “fish” she was raising weren’t fooled at all. They already knew her true nature, even knew each other, and some had willingly jumped into her Fish Pond—  

Just for amusement, treating her as a joke.  

Occupying high positions and possessing wealth beyond what ordinary people could ever dream of, they found life unbearably dull. Then, along came a self-important “Sea King” who thought she could make them her prey, adding a fresh twist to their boring lives.  

Needless to say, the original owner’s fate ended tragically.  

The system comforted Xia Xi, implying that the tragic ending belonged to the original owner. Xia Xi, armed with the *Little Mermaid* Skill Book and full knowledge of the plot, could surely avoid the pitfalls, flip the script on the Sea King’s downfall, and sail smoothly through this Compensation World—even interacting with high-quality tycoons along the way.  

It thought Xia Xi should be pleased.  

Xia Xi’s silence wasn’t due to feeling honored. She simply thought, *”They seem to have some serious issues.”*  

Issues so severe they left her speechless.  

She didn’t approve of the original owner’s method of raising “fish” just to marry into wealth—relying on others was never as reliable as relying on oneself. With the original owner’s meticulous organizational skills and abundant energy for managing her “fish,” she could’ve easily worked as a document manager without breaking a sweat.  

Of course, Xia Xi had zero interest in those tycoons who treated her as a joke. The original owner might have been terrible, but were these men innocent?  

“Did the original owner owe them any money?” This was crucial to Xia Xi—she didn’t want to start off in debt.  

Fortunately, the answer was no. Though the Sea King aimed to marry into wealth, she wanted to leave a good impression, so she had always insisted on splitting bills, even cooking for them and giving small gifts. If anything, the original owner was the one at a loss.  

Xia Xi finally relaxed. The chat logs with [X City Fish No. 3: Yao Xingzhe] showed him asking the original owner to bring him food, but she had declined, citing work.  

The original owner had been taking odd jobs here and there. This time, she had been recommended by her company to audition for a girl group show because of her looks. Xia Xi heard the staff calling for the collection of application forms and noticed the unfinished one beside her.  

Seemed like she couldn’t leave without filling it out.  

Xia Xi tossed the unanswered phone into the original owner’s bag and picked up the form and pen.  

It mostly asked for basic information and hobbies, ending with a question about aspirations. The basic details were already checked off—she just needed to fill in the rest.

Xia Xi filled out the form very seriously, treating it as part of her new life plan in this Compensation World. In the “Wishes and Aspirations” section, she decisively wrote: “Open a Martial Arts School.”

Being a Sea King was absolutely out of the question.

However, perhaps influenced by a whole day of sea and fish-related thoughts, Xia Xi paused for a few seconds before adding another line.

Then, she revealed a satisfied smile.

She had a new dream.

Since this was her Compensation World, her life would be hers to command.

…

In the dimly lit room, the only sound was the rapid clicking of a keyboard.

The young man sitting in the gaming chair, hunched over his phone while chatting, was somewhere between a man and a teenager. Dressed in a gray hoodie with the hood pulled up, it obscured most of his features, though his sharp jawline and high nose bridge still hinted at his good looks.

A mocking smile played on his lips.

Yao Xingzhe was currently displeased after reading the message Xia Xi had sent him.

He had suddenly craved the sandwiches she made and asked her to bring him one.

In Yao Xingzhe’s eyes, Xia Xi was nothing but a calculating, materialistic woman, her every move reeking of social-climbing schemes. The only redeeming quality she had was her decent cooking skills.

To him, the fact that he had initiated contact was already a favor to her. She should have known better and immediately dropped everything to make him a sandwich. Instead, she claimed she was busy with work and couldn’t deliver it today—maybe next time, but not for him.

Damn it, what work could she possibly have?

Yao Xingzhe fired off several replies in quick succession.

[“But I want it now. I’m hungry.”]

[“If you’re busy, just take leave and hand it off to someone else. Didn’t you say you’d take good care of me? Or is your job more important than me?”]

Disgusted yet amused by his own game, he threw in a final threat.

[“If I don’t get to eat, I won’t eat anything at all.”]

There.

Yao Xingzhe hit send and stopped typing.

He could already picture the panic on the other side of the screen. She wouldn’t let a big “fish” like him slip away—she’d surely drop everything, rush to make the sandwich, and deliver it to him in a heartbeat.

After all, she knew he had low blood sugar.

“Xingzhe, who are you chatting with?” A teammate from the same esports club leaned over, curious.

“The fans are asking,” he added, pointing at the computer screen.

Yao Xingzhe glanced up at the monitor, where the live chat was scrolling rapidly.

[“ZheZhe’s looking even hotter today—that side profile just killed me.”]

[“Obsessed with ZheZhe’s god-tier looks. How can someone be this good at gaming AND this handsome? Sob.”]

Mixed in were comments like, [“Who’s ZheZhe texting? He won’t even look up. Is he dating someone? Nooo!”]

Dating? As if she was worthy.

Yao Xingzhe leaned forward slightly, his mocking smile twisting into something darker. “It’s just the housekeeper,” he said aloud.

“The family cook is coming to deliver food later. I was just telling her what I want to eat.”

As a professional esports player who had gained fame at a young age, Yao Xingzhe was known to be from a wealthy family. His long-time fans were well aware that having a personal cook was nothing unusual. The dating speculations quickly died down, replaced by concerned comments urging him to eat properly, given his health.

His teammate didn’t doubt it either. “Oh, the housekeeper? Ask her to make extra.” Turning to the live audience, he added, “Xingzhe’s family cook is amazing. She’s shared food with us a few times before…”

“When is your aunt coming over? We haven’t thanked her yet.”

Yao Xingzhe pressed his lips together and refused. “No need. Just eat it when it arrives.”

His teammate didn’t press further, knowing Yao Xingzhe had a temper. They quickly changed the subject, laughing and clamoring to start another round.

…

“Did you spot any promising newcomers this time? Why is everyone’s hobby singing and dancing? Can’t we get something fresh?”

Backstage at the *Pick 101* program, the casting staff let out a collective groan.

The assistant director flipped through the contestants’ forms, unfazed. Without even looking up, he said, “What else would their hobbies be if not singing and dancing when joining a talent show?”

Even he found it a bit dull. Singing and dancing were too common—it really lacked novelty.

The female staff who had been on-site listed a few names. “These candidates are all excellent. Their photos match their real faces—no surprises.” They were the show’s predicted frontrunners, seasoned trainees, and even a few minor idols who had already debuted.

Suddenly, the woman seemed to remember something and grew excited. “Oh, there’s also one named Xia Xi. She’s even prettier in person than in her photo, though I’m not sure about her overall skills.”

The assistant director pulled up the surveillance footage. As the camera zoomed in on Xia Xi’s face, her striking features filled the screen. His eyes lit up, and he let out an intrigued “Hmm.”

Slamming the table, he felt he’d struck gold for the show’s early ratings. With a face like that, wasn’t she guaranteed a trending topic?

“Quick, who has Xia Xi’s profile? Find it now!”

As soon as he spoke, the staff scrambled to locate her file and handed it over.

The assistant director took the form with a grin, nodding as he read. No wonder she was so photogenic—she was a performing arts student with almost no prior exposure. This would be her debut.

His smile widened, convinced she was perfect—until he reached the end.

The girl had impeccable handwriting, bold and powerful. In an era dominated by phones and computers, such neat penmanship was rare, especially in the fast-paced entertainment industry.

But no matter how beautiful her writing, it couldn’t disguise the glaring hobby listed: *practicing martial arts*.

Yes, *practicing martial arts*. No matter how many times he read it, it stayed the same.

Her dream wasn’t even to debut in a girl group but: *Open a martial arts school, and if possible, become a seafood tycoon to provide seafood buffets for the students.*

…

Yao Xingzhe waited in vain for his meal.

His teammates had already ordered takeout and asked if he wanted some too.

“Did your aunt go to pick up her grandkid from kindergarten?”

Yao Xingzhe, “…” Since when did Xia Xi have a grandkid?!

He couldn’t help checking his phone again, but there were still no messages.

His anger flared. If before he’d just wanted to boss Xia Xi around, now he was genuinely hungry. Pressing a hand to his stomach, he stubbornly refused his teammate.

He wouldn’t eat.

He *had* to wait for Xia Xi’s sandwich. She wouldn’t dare not deliver it.

That afternoon, Yao Xingzhe’s name appeared at the bottom of the trending list.

[*Famous esports player collapses during livestream, rushed to hospital by 120*]

Yao Xingzhe had fainted from low blood sugar during his gaming stream—too hungry and overworked to eat on time.