Chapter One: Good Deeds Bring Good Fortune

"Dalian News Network: Su Tong, a prospective Peking University student and one of the nation’s Top Ten Filial Children, drowned after heroically saving five elementary school students from the water..."

...

"Ding-dong."

"Divine Stone successfully fused with host, system is booting. Three, two, two, two... one. System boot successful. Host’s bodily frequency indicates death, constitution is extremely poor. System will activate new host benefit and repair host’s body."

A few minutes later.

"Host’s body repair complete. Consumed 950 energy points, 50 energy points remain."

"Host’s constitution is severely lacking in strength, agility, intelligence, and endurance. As host is still unconscious, the system will allocate points automatically."

"Persistence is key; host’s endurance is abysmal—20 points allocated. Strength, agility, and intelligence each increased by 10 points."

...

Su Tong felt as though he had just awakened from an endless dream. Only when his chest tightened uncomfortably and his mouth, somehow blocked, gulped in a long breath of air did he finally wake up, compelled by necessity.

"Cough, cough..." The moment he came to, his stomach churned violently and he couldn’t help but vomit up a large mouthful of salty water.

"He’s awake!"

"Thank heavens, he’s finally awake!"

As soon as he opened his eyes, Su Tong heard delighted exclamations all around him and saw a crowd gathered nearby.

"Where... is this..." As he took in his surroundings, Su Tong’s face turned pale. Wasn’t I saving people by the river? How did I end up by the sea?

"Congratulations, host! I am your Heavenly King System Assistant. Now that you have successfully crossed over and been reborn, the Heavenly King System is officially active. Your first mission has been issued: within three days, you must gather 3,000 units of faith energy, or the system will penalize you—your 'little brother' will shrink by five centimeters." A mischievous, impish voice echoed in Su Tong's mind.

Su Tong froze. What the...? What just happened?

"Hello, host! I’m Little Demon..." The imp began to explain.

After listening to Little Demon’s endless explanation, Su Tong finally understood.

What a cruel fate! He had indeed died saving people in his original world, and his soul had transmigrated to one very similar to Earth.

Coincidentally, the owner of this new body also died saving others. This body’s name was also Su Tong—a freshman at Central National University’s School of Management from Jinzhou District, a coastal city.

It was summer break; next term he’d be a sophomore.

Su Tong had no idea how he’d left the seaside. His mind raced with confusion—dead, transmigrated, reborn.

In his previous life, he’d been a promising scholar, about to attend Peking University, his future limitless. Most importantly, his title as a model filial son earned in his teens meant that, after his birth parents passed away, he was adopted by a wealthy family. In that life, he’d never have to worry about money again.

But now? This body’s family... The less said, the more painful it was. A single-parent household with two younger sisters still in need of care.

The Su family had nothing but bare walls. Their father was a blend of angel and demon—gentle by day, a terror by night. Their mother, driven to a breakdown by the father’s drunken rages, had long since fled and vanished without a trace.

Merging with this body’s memories, Su Tong felt tears well up. Saving a life should bring blessings, yet here he was, reborn into poverty after rescuing five children.

"So be it. Heaven, you win this round. But I refuse to believe that, with my talents, I can’t earn my own car, house, or wife!" Su Tong told himself as he boarded the light rail home. Since he was here, he might as well make the best of it; there was no going back.

He touched his unfamiliar face and secretly rejoiced. At least, looking in the mirror earlier, he saw that this body, while weak, was rather handsome—someone with potential to live off his looks.

"Worst case, I’ll just play the pretty boy and sell my looks, not my art," he thought, grinning. In this world, Su Tong’s good looks made him popular with girls, but he’d never dated anyone, crippled by inferiority thanks to his family’s situation.

What a waste! Searching the original Su Tong’s memories, he couldn’t help but shout at the stupidity. In high school, a rich beauty had chased him, and his first thought was that dating meant dinners and gifts—how could he afford that?

"What a handsome guy!" On the train, a few girls were eyeing Su Tong with sparkling eyes, sneaking glances at him.

There weren’t many passengers. The girl on the same bench as him had, at some point, slid closer, even leaning into him when the train braked, drawing daggers from the other girls across the aisle.

Shameless—she’s taking advantage of the guy we’ve set our sights on.

Su Tong was oblivious, focused on his phone, his excitement growing.

"Ha! So many classic songs from my previous life don’t exist in this world. I’m going to make a killing!" His worries about reincarnation quickly faded.

"Little Demon, I have a question," Su Tong said mentally to his system assistant.

"Ask away, host! I, the great demon, will answer everything!"

"If I fail the mission and my 'little brother' shrinks by five centimeters, is that in battle mode or at rest?" Su Tong asked nervously. If it was during battle, he could just about accept it—he’d still have over ten centimeters, enough to get by. But if at rest, proportionally, it would mean much greater losses in battle mode, possibly over ten centimeters.

"At rest," Little Demon replied crisply.

Su Tong was dumbstruck. A man can be useless at anything, but not at that!

"No matter the world, gold is everywhere. Only fools and slackers hate the rich but don’t strive to succeed. Host, even without the system, with your previous life’s memories, you could easily live comfortably in this world—let alone with my help," Little Demon cackled.

"Then cancel the penalty, will you?" Su Tong pleaded.

"No can do. Without pressure, there’s no motivation." Little Demon refused.

"Do I look like someone who needs pressure? My parents died in my last life, and I was taken in by kind foster parents. I still worked my tail off and got into Peking University on my own," Su Tong tried to reason.

"True, I saw your past life. But..." Little Demon said apologetically, "I’m just an assistant. The system is like a computer program, preset and unchangeable. There’s nothing I can do."

Su Tong was left speechless. "You could’ve said so earlier, saving my breath."

As he was about to get off, Su Tong looked up and realized that, at some point, a group of girls had gathered around him.

"I need to get off," he said, trying to squeeze out.

But none of the girls moved; it was as if their feet had grown roots, and Su Tong could barely make his way out.

Bang!

In the commotion, Su Tong winced in pain. As he squeezed past, one of the girls, adjusting her fringe, let her hand fall and hit him square in the groin.

Just as the doors were about to close, Su Tong dashed out. The moment he was on the platform, he clutched his stomach, squatting in agony, cold sweat pouring down. Damn, that girl did it on purpose—she hit so hard.

The train left. Inside, the girl who’d landed the blow blushed, did a little cheer, and whispered excitedly, "I’ve decided—not washing my hand for the whole day!"

It took Su Tong a long time to stand up and leave the station to catch his bus home.

He still needed another bus to reach home.

Jinzhou and the Development Zone were two remote districts of the coastal city. Feeling down, Su Tong had gone to the open beach in the Development Zone, and ended up risking his life to save someone.

Thinking of his current home, even his usually good mood turned heavy.

The family had once been happy. Early on, Su’s father had some ability. When their house was demolished, they received two city apartments as compensation. He sold one, started as a contractor, and then ran a renovation company, making a fortune. But later, he went astray, withheld workers’ wages, and lent out money at high interest, but lost it all. The company collapsed, driving his parents to their graves. Forced by the courts to pay the workers, he had to sell their remaining city apartment and move them all to a rural house in Jinzhou.

After the fall, Su’s father drank heavily. When sober, he was a pitiable farmer; drunk, he was a terror—stealing, fighting, beating wife and children.

Su Tong felt his father’s only good deed was adopting two daughters, Su Yu and Su Xiaoxiao.

Although these were Su Tong’s feelings now, in the past, he had often resented his sisters, blaming them for worsening the family’s downfall.

"A father’s sins visited on his children," Su Tong sighed. The previous Su Tong had been a good person, just muddled.

At some point, heavy rain began to fall, and the bus left the city center behind.

Su Tong cursed his luck—no umbrella, and a fifteen-minute walk home awaited him. Having been soaked in seawater all afternoon, the chill of the bus air-conditioning made him shiver, his throat already itching with the beginnings of a cold. If he got soaked again, he’d be sick for sure.

Summer break was prime time for earning money through livestreams. If he came down with a cold, the quality—and income—would drop.

The siblings’ school and living expenses all depended on those livestreams. As for their father, forget it. They were lucky if he didn’t make trouble or drag them down.

These days, Old Man Su ate, drank, smoked, and gambled. When he turned into a demon, even the devil himself would steer clear. He’d caused all sorts of trouble—fighting the village chief, stealing bikes, gambling, even setting fire to someone’s house once (thankfully, just the kitchen).

Night was falling. Through the rain-blurred bus window and the halo of streetlights, the world outside was nothing but a latticework of rain. Su Tong stared blankly at the scene.

As his stop approached, he suddenly felt a jolt and looked ahead, then froze.

There was no shelter at the rural bus stop, just a lonely sign. Under the dim streetlight, beside the sign, stood a frail figure. Another, even smaller, bundled in a raincoat, sprawled on her back. The older girl’s head was bowed, a large umbrella perched on her head, another umbrella slung at her waist.

"Xiao Yu."

Su Tong got off, hurried under the umbrella. Because she was carrying Xiaoxiao, Xiao Yu’s hands were occupied holding her sleeping sister, and she could only let the umbrella rest on her head. Su Tong reached out and took the handle, raising the umbrella above them.

"Brother," Xiao Yu looked up, her eyes lighting up. "You’re finally back! Thank goodness Xiaoxiao and I made it in time."

Su Yu was just ten, loved to sing, her frame delicate but her eyes as bright as the moon.

Su Tong felt a rush of warmth. Xiao Yu was so sensible—she must have seen the rain, worried her brother would be drenched coming home, and brought umbrellas to wait for him.

"You must be tired. Let me," Su Tong reached out to take Xiaoxiao off her back.

Xiaoxiao was not yet four, incredibly cute, picked up by their father before his bankruptcy.

Because he had registered both girls as his own, the family was fined nearly a million for exceeding the birth limit. Thankfully, at the time, they could afford it.

Xiao Yu, a little afraid of Su Tong, shrank back, worried about being scolded. "Brother, I can carry Xiaoxiao. It’s fine," she said.

Xiaoxiao had insisted on coming to wait for Su Tong, and Xiao Yu couldn’t dissuade her. But the little girl soon got sleepy and couldn’t stand, almost falling several times. Xiao Yu had to carry her on her back.

"Don’t push yourself. Look, you’re about to collapse," Su Tong said firmly, taking Xiaoxiao into his arms.

As soon as she was picked up, Xiaoxiao struggled to open her eyes, her sleepy face full of grievance at being woken, calling weakly for her brother, pitiful and adorable.

Su Tong felt her damp raincoat, and noticed Xiao Yu’s back was soaked from carrying her. He suddenly realized that the former Su Tong had not only been foolish but a terribly inadequate brother.

Xiao Yu, at only ten, was already more responsible than the eighteen-year-old Su Tong.

"Let’s go," he announced, holding Xiaoxiao in one arm and raising the umbrella in the other. "Home!"

After his parents’ deaths in his previous life, Su Tong’s outlook had changed; he cared little for anything, not out of despair, but as if he’d dropped all his burdens—carefree, unrestrained.

Here, he had nothing to hold him back, except a twinge of guilt for the kind, wealthy couple who had adopted him.

Xiao Yu, delighted by her brother’s good mood, raised the other umbrella.

If he was happy, he wouldn’t scold them.

Rain poured down as the three walked under umbrellas, flashlight in hand, along a country path bordered by rice fields, most already harvested.

"Let’s take the shortcut through the fields," Su Tong said, suddenly playful. He’d never experienced country life in his previous world, and always felt a sense of loss. Rural life, he believed, inspired writers; the city’s steel jungle had always stifled his creativity.

This life, he’d enjoy nature’s simplicity and gifts.

Xiaoxiao was still drowsy in his arms; Xiao Yu followed with the flashlight.

The sisters always listened to their brother. Seeing him take the shortcut, Xiao Yu hurried after.

Splash!

They had barely made it onto the path when Xiao Yu stumbled and fell into the mud.

The only light came from Xiao Yu's flashlight; when she fell, Su Tong lost his bearings and also stepped into the mud, nearly tossing Xiaoxiao from his arms.

"Brother..." Xiao Yu panicked, thinking she’d gotten her brother in trouble, and crawled toward him, her legs caked with mud.

Looking at her frightened little face, Su Tong’s heart ached. This girl’s fear was a habit, but the current him was not the brother she once knew.

"Ha, Xiao Yu, my fault. I forgot you never had good balance—still, I brought you down this path. Let’s be a little naughty tonight, shall we?" The umbrella had fallen aside, rain drenching him, but Su Tong laughed.

Xiao Yu, flustered, tried to hold the umbrella over Su Tong and Xiaoxiao, leaving herself in the rain.

Her brother didn’t scold her, and Xiao Yu was overjoyed. At this moment, had he asked her to die, she would have agreed without hesitation.

"Brother, where are we? Are we home yet? Xiaoxiao wants to sleep..." Xiaoxiao, now fully awake, blinked her large eyes and batted her long lashes, adorable as ever.

Su Tong set her down, glanced at the distant village, and grinned, "Watch—your brother’s going to catch you two some fish for dinner. Roasted for one, boiled for the other."

He waded into the field.

Villagers liked to raise fish in their rice paddies. The fish were delicious and truly wild, not fed with pellets.

"Fish! I want fish!" Xiaoxiao cheered, her balance excellent as she hopped along the narrow path.

Su Tong’s livestream channel owed much to Xiao Yu and Xiaoxiao. Without them, he’d never have made enough money over the past year.

Each sibling played a role: Su Tong told jokes and stories, Xiao Yu sang, and Xiaoxiao danced—together they kept the channel "Reminiscing Beauty" alive.

"Ha, Xiao Yu, I just had an inspiration—when we get home, I’ll write you a song. Sing it, and you’ll be an overnight sensation! Our channel’s fan count will skyrocket." Carrying two fish on a straw rope, the three of them walked home through the rain, Su Tong chuckling. Earlier on the train, he’d already picked out a song for Xiao Yu—one that didn’t exist in this world.

"Brother, you can write songs? Will you write one for me too?" Xiaoxiao piped up sweetly.

Xiao Yu, overwhelmed by her brother’s attention, felt he’d changed a lot after his trip to the beach.

Before he started livestreaming, he’d barely spoken to his sisters. Even when he did, he hadn’t planned to include them. Only after fans saw Xiao Yu and Xiaoxiao in his room and demanded they join did he relent. Their addition caused the fan count to shoot past two thousand in days, convincing the platform to officially sign him.

"Of course. When you’re a little older, I’ll write you one too." Su Tong genuinely liked these two sisters. Even without blood ties, they felt like real family—warmth he couldn’t describe.