Tome of Troubled Times - Chapter 38: New Year

‘He’s so cute I want to kick him flying through the air.’

Bai Yao runs a seafood restaurant in a seaside town. One day, he saw a small sentient sea otter being bullied.

Out of pity, he helped out the little sea otter.

The sea otter acts quite defensively, baring his teeth, all while still covered in wounds yet to heal.

His way of saying thanks, is gifting Bai Yao an oyster in his pocket that’s been sitting there for who-knows-how-long.

Bai Yao ends up bringing the wounded and exhausted little sea otter back to his restaurant, giving him food and a shower.

Though the sea otter is still quite scaredy and defensive. He wouldn’t let Bai Yao rub his cute little face, or even ruffle his fur.

That’s not all the quirks of the little sea otter either. Bai Yao realised he’s a dummy that didn’t even know how to anthropomorphise.

Later that day, Bai Yao wakes up in the middle of the night, when there is something soft he’s holding in his hand.

He looks, and sees the little sea otter has put his paw in his hand. The sleepyhead is also snuggling on him, his head brushing against his chest.

Not feeling drowsy enough to sleep anymore, Bai Yao just props his head on his arm, watching until the otter finally wakes up.

When he finally does, he looks around, and sees that it’s Bai Yao; he squeaks, and then nestles his face against the fingers of Bai Yao.

Amused, Bai Yao asks, “oh? I thought you were a tough little guy that didn’t like petting?”

- Description from Novelupdates

# scumtorturing # rebirthShe was a daughter of the general’s family and a gentle woman. She fell for Prince Ding and offered to be his wife. After supporting him for six years, she became his empress.After risking being a hostage in a foreign country, she returned five years later to find that she no longer had a place in his imperial harem. Lying in his arms, the new consort said with a sneer, “Sis, now that the country is stable, it’s time for you to die.”Her daughter died a tragic death and her son was removed as crown prince. The Shen family had been loyal, but they ended up being slaughtered.Shen Miao never thought that their marriage and mutual support all this while would end up being just an act Prince Ding put on! Prince Ding said, “On account that you’ve been with me for twenty years, I’ll allow you to die with your entire body intact. Now you may thank me and hang yourself to death.”Before she hung herself, Shen Miao made a resentful oath, “When I perish, I will haunt you day and night!”She was reborn as her fourteen year old self when the tragedies had yet to occur and her family was still intact. She was still the delicate and elegant daughter of a general’s family.Her relatives were evil, her cousin sisters were vicious and ruthless, and her aunties were eyeing her possessions. She had to protect her family, take revenge, and get back what belonged to her. In this life, she would be the last one standing!However, the Xie family’s young marquis, an unruly youth, pushed her up against the wall and said arrogantly, “Remember, the world belongs to you, and you belong to me!”The thirteen cities of You State… belong to you.The city of Dingyuan in Mobei… belongs to you.Yuzhou by the Yangtze River, the East Sea of Dingxi, the Green Lake of Lin’an, and Luoyang City… they all belong to you.If they all belong to me, what will you take, Xie Jingxing?Hmm… you.At first, he said impassively, “There has always been a clear distinction between the Shen and Xie family. For the Shen family’s daughter to suddenly show us goodwill, she must have ill intentions!”Then, he said calmly, “We're all on the same boat. Shen Miao, behave yourself. Who would have the audacity to force you into a marriage while I’m around?”After that, he said proudly, “Overthrowing an empire isn’t that hard. My dear, how shall we divide this great piece of land?”Finally, he waved his hand domineeringly. “Sweetheart, dividing them is too much work. Forget it! They’re all yours, and you are mine!”Shen Miao yelled, “Get out!”A domineering empress who was reborn and a young delinquent marquis. Both leads are righteous and they dote on each other.

The world changed the day that cracks appeared in the sky– suddenly monsters named『Demonic Beasts』appeared and began to rampage, attacking people.

Meanwhile, girls called『Magical Girls』began to appear to counter the demonic beasts. As they defeated the demonic beasts, gradually people’s lives gained a semblance of composure.

–but when there is light, there is also darkness.

In the corner of an alleyway, a boy who had been attacked by a demonic beast was dying. His voice begging for help did not reach anyone and his body refused to move.

「Boy. Do you want to be saved?」

Looking into the boy’s face, a black cat began to speak to him.

The boy nodded firmly to the devilishly sweet invitation, in response the black cat mocked him.

「Is that so—then I’ll【Haunt (Save)】you」

—on that day, a『Magical Girl』was born in a place that no-one knew.

『She』never laments, no matter what the future may bring.

When a gas tank exploded, Jian Qingqing transmigrated into the body of a little girl who had just died of starvation. Looking at the skinny, starving family living in a worn-down house that did little to shield them from the rainstorm outside, Jian Qingqing felt that she would soon die again. But she hadn’t expected her kitchen to follow her through time. Looking at the abundance of supplies in it, Jian Qingqing’s eyes lit up. Great! She wasn’t going to die this time!

Using the supplies in the kitchen, Jian Qingqing led her family as they opened up the land for farming and building houses. Unexpectedly, the high-yield grains led the entire country out of poverty. Everyone praised Miss Jian as a God that had descended to earth! She developed a method to process coarse salt into fine salt so that people could eat it with ease. The Emperor’s face was filled with tears as he said, “Miss Jian is really my lucky star!”

In the end, the whole world was unified and shouted, “All of this is due to Miss Jian’s hard work!”

Jian Qingqing said, “I just like to grow crops. I didn’t do anything!”

After her success, Jian Qingqing planned to find a nice, obedient husband to bring home. But what was up with the legendary prince who was ruthless, indifferent, and could stop children from crying? Why was he always appearing beside her?

Ming Zhiyan said, “I’m nice and obedient. Why don’t you marry me, Qingqing?”

Looking at the man who was clearly a wolf pretending to be an obedient dog, Jian Qingqing fell into deep thought.