A Mermaid’s Misfortune – From Hunger to Concubine

Yu Lian yearned to find the culprit who spread the rumors of immortality and unleash a torrent of scathing curses upon them, wishing them infertility.

‘I just came ashore, and you want to eat me?! Who in the heavens have I offended to be treated like this? I’ll curse your entire lineage, down to your eighteenth-generation ancestors!’

Yu Lian, who had been famished moments before, suddenly lost all hunger. She was utterly full, but with rage. Fuming, she turned away from the steamed bun stall and settled onto a stone bench.

She had no money to buy buns to sate her hunger and had even planned to rely on her charming face to beg for food. Now, however, her mood was shattered, and all her plans had gone up in smoke.

****

After a long while, her anger subsided slightly.

Yu Lian’s stomach rumbled with an uncomfortable emptiness once more. She was so hungry. How long had it been since she last ate, ever since she became a mermaid?

After days of arduous travel, swimming through the sea and walking on land, she had finally managed to reach a human town. Yet, with no money to buy food, even a person of iron constitution would struggle with such immense physical exertion, let alone a young woman like herself.

Thankfully, she had at least gained one useful piece of information. Yu Lian was grateful she had come ashore; otherwise, with the immortals diligently searching, she would have been found even if she hid in the deepest sea, only to be served on a platter for those immortal families to savor.

Yu Lian had no idea what divine powers or capabilities these immortals possessed. She only knew she had no desire to be eaten as “immortality meat.”

“Grumble—”

Her stomach protested again. Yu Lian lowered her head, rubbing her belly, and thought, ‘I want to fill you too. But without money, I can’t just resort to stealing, can I?’

If she were in her hometown, in the familiar town she knew, she could return to her home and retrieve some silver. But she couldn’t go back. She didn’t know the way home, nor how far it was from here.

“Young lady?”

‘Someone’s calling me?’

Yu Lian looked up to find a very plump woman, whose face, however, appeared quite kind.

“Young lady, you look terribly hungry.”

Yu Lian didn’t pretend otherwise, nodding in admission.

“I only have two steamed buns left here. If the young lady doesn’t mind…”

The plump woman took out the buns from her basket and offered them to Yu Lian. Too hungry to be demure or polite, Yu Lian took the buns, mumbled a thank you, and then lowered her head, devouring them ravenously.

The plump woman watched, shook her head, and departed. This was all she could do to help.

Once Yu Lian finished eating, she realized the kind woman had already left. She clutched her slightly fuller stomach, sighing with emotion. “There are still good people in this world after all.”

Standing up, she clapped her hands. With food in her belly, her legs felt a little stronger. What to do next? Ah, yes, make money. Otherwise, she would starve again. But what could she possibly do?

Yu Lian looked at her hands, then pinched the soft flesh on her arm. Could these slender arms handle manual labor? Probably not. Perhaps she could set up a stall and sing a song. Her voice should be quite good; singing probably wouldn’t sound too bad.

Just as she was lost in her fantasies, a cold sword suddenly pressed against her neck, and a delicate female voice abruptly rang out.

“Hehe, a mermaid captured! Today’s luck is truly off the charts.”

Yu Lian instantly felt her body turn cold and weak. ‘My cover is blown already? So much for hiding!’ She twisted her neck, only to discover that her assailant was a beauty. She was exquisitely pretty, with a cold, aloof expression, even more stunning than the celestial maidens Yu Lian had seen in illustrated books. However…

“Ahem, miss, I’m not a mermaid. You’ve made a mistake. Could you… please remove this sword? It’s quite dangerous.” Yu Lian lightly pressed her finger against the blade, subtly shifting back.

But the other woman followed with the sword, raising an eyebrow. “If I say you’re a mermaid, then you are a mermaid. Also, I don’t like people who resist me. Move one more inch, and I’ll cut you down where you stand.”

As she spoke, she applied more force to the sword.

Yu Lian felt utterly numb. ‘This person is insane.’

Passersby, drawn by the word ‘mermaid’, stopped and turned their gazes toward them. Who wouldn’t want to see the rumored mermaid that had been the talk of the town? Some even harbored thoughts of capturing her to offer to immortal cultivation families in exchange for endless wealth and glory.

However, upon seeing who had spoken, the onlookers all sighed with regret and shook their heads. They then resumed their own paths, no longer interested in the spectacle.

Yu Lian was momentarily puzzled. ‘What’s wrong with these people?’ She perked her ears, trying to catch the surrounding whispers.

“So it’s the Second Miss of the Bai Residence.”

“I thought I’d actually see a mermaid. Turns out it’s just that crazy girl talking…”

“Shh, she’s still there. Keep your voice down, don’t let her hear you, or you’ll be in big trouble.”

“…”

‘Second Miss of the Bai Residence? Crazy girl?’

From the sound of it, she was a young lady from a wealthy family. But what did ‘crazy girl’ mean? Yu Lian tilted her head, and the cold sensation on her neck instantly brought her back to her senses.

‘Good heavens, to greet someone by holding a sword to their neck—if she isn’t a crazy girl, who is?’

“Speechless? Speak.”

“Ah, no, no! I’m not speechless.”

“You can speak, good. I’ll ask you again, are you a mermaid?”

Yu Lian glanced at the indifferent passersby, her eyes darting. She suddenly felt there was no harm in humoring this ‘crazy girl’. Anyway, those passersby would only believe even more that she wasn’t a mermaid.

“I am, I am! That… ahem, you’re the Second Miss of the Bai Residence, right? See, I’ve answered, I’ve admitted it. Can you put your sword away now?”

The sensation was truly unnerving. Yu Lian constantly felt as if her head might roll to the ground. What terrible luck to encounter such a madwoman!

It was quite a pity, though, that such an outwardly cold beauty had a screw loose.

“Why are you staring at me so intently? Also, I detect disrespect in your gaze. Are you thinking ill of me?”

The cold beauty leaned closer, a delightful fragrance wafting over, stirring Yu Lian’s disobedient heart and making it thump wildly.

‘So close. This face is so clean and exquisite. I want to bite it~’

In truth, this was Yu Lian’s first time observing a beautiful girl at such close proximity. Sure enough, after becoming a woman, the probability of encountering pretty women increased, much like the ‘circles’ mentioned in those books.

“No, no! You are a noble young lady, and I am merely a commoner. How would I dare harbor ill thoughts toward you? You’re overthinking it.”

“Overthinking? Heh.”

The cold beauty returned her sword to the scabbard at her waist, then reached out and pinched Yu Lian’s chin, gently lifting it. A strange glint flashed in her cerulean eyes as she chuckled softly.

“How could someone so beautiful be a commoner? You’re trying to fool me. I’ve never seen a commoner more beautiful than a young lady from a noble family.”

“I truly am a commoner. I was just starving a moment ago, I’m not lying to you.”

“I’m not listening.”

“…”

Yu Lian believed it now. This person was truly mad, and severely so. There was simply no way to communicate normally with her.

“Come, you’re coming back with me to be my concubine.”

The cold beauty grabbed Yu Lian’s wrist and began dragging her out of town.

Yu Lian’s body stiffened abruptly, her beautiful eyes wide.

‘Huh? You want me to be your concubine? Is this for real?’