Na'er

"Where am I?"

"What was my name again...?"

"Damn it, no way. I have amnesia? I forgot my own name." The boy frowned tightly as he looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings.

"Little one, congratulations. You awakened a very powerful Martial Soul. You're destined to become a Douluo in the future.

"Because it's a newly discovered Angel Martial Soul with exceptionally powerful Soul Power, its readings surpassed all previous records. It hasn't been registered yet, so I can't tell you the name of your Martial Soul until it is!"

"Little one? Little one?" The pretty Spirit Master, who looked seventeen or eighteen, waved a hand in front of the boy's eyes.

The little boy pointed at himself. Being called "little one" by someone younger than him felt extremely strange.

Martial Souls... This world had Martial Souls? Douluo? The little boy wore a look of utter disbelief.

All those unusual signs made him realize one thing: he had transmigrated.

The little boy gave himself a hard slap across the face.

Feeling the pain on his cheek, he nodded.

Dream or not a dream, Zhuang Zhou dreaming of a butterfly... Since he had forgotten his own name, he would start with "Dream" and add "Li" after it, symbolizing good fortune.

Was this kid stupid from awakening? He was muttering nonsense and spacing out. The beautiful Spirit Master watched Meng Li's strange behavior.

This world had Soul Tools and Soul Masters, and he was in Aolai City of the Sun Moon Federation. The plot of Douluo Continent's third installment, Legend of the Dragon King, began here. The protagonist was Tang Wulin... What else was there again? He couldn't remember that either... Had someone deliberately erased it?

As Meng Li pondered those things, he stood outside the gates of Red Mountain Academy, waiting like a normal person for his parents to notice him.

When the sun finally set, he was disappointed. His parents never came.

Meng Li left Red Mountain Academy regretfully. That meant he was an orphan.

As night gradually fell, Meng Li's stomach rumbled restlessly. Left with no choice, he could only temporarily live like a dog, and the way to do that was...

"Please, have mercy. Spare me something to eat."

"Handsome sir, please give me something to eat."

"I can tell you're a talented and handsome man, sir. You must be kindhearted too."

"Miss, you're breathtakingly beautiful, like a celestial maiden. Please spare me something to eat."

By selling his looks and his dignity, Meng Li successfully begged for eight hundred and seventy Federal Coins.

He swore that he would never do something so embarrassing again.

"Just let go, don't think about her. There are lots of people in this world who love you, mm."

With the money in his pocket, Meng Li hummed happily. Then he noticed a corner of the park. His song abruptly stopped, and so did his footsteps.

On a long bench by the park meant for resting, a little girl around five, six, or seven years old was half-crouching there. She had a distinctive head of short silver hair.

Perhaps affected by his strange singing, the little girl raised her head and looked at him.

Her face was filthy, and her clothes were somewhat ragged. No matter how he looked at her, she resembled a little beggar.

Meng Li couldn't help being drawn to the little girl's purple eyes.

They were as moving as stars. He had never seen such beautiful eyes before.

Meng Li crouched down and looked at the little girl before him.

The little girl did not shy away, as though she were thinking about something.

"Little beggar, can't find your home?" Meng Li smiled.

"Little beggar?" The girl's brows furrowed slightly, as if she did not understand what Meng Li meant.

Mm, there was probably something wrong with her head. Her family must have abandoned her... Wait, did my family in this world think the same thing? Damn it... The more Meng Li thought about it, the angrier he became.

"What's your name?"

"Na'er!" The little girl's eyes brightened, seemingly happy that she could answer Meng Li's question. After speaking, her stomach began to rumble.

"My name is Meng Li. I chose it because I forgot my name. It means life is but a dream, with Li from Koi. Hopefully, my luck will be a little better," Meng Li said.

"Meng Li, Meng Li." Na'er repeated it several times, seemingly trying to remember the name, but her stomach rumbled again.

Seeing how terribly hungry the little beggar was, she had probably not eaten in a long time. Feeling sorry for her, Meng Li said with a smile, "Do you want to come with me? I'll take you to eat."

Perhaps because both of them were filthy and their clothes were full of holes, as though they were the same kind, the girl hesitated before nodding with a faint smile.

After Meng Li and Na'er had eaten their fill, they went to see an administrative officer. Neither of them had any records.

The administrative officer suggested that they go to an orphanage and helped them register identities along the way.

Meng Li told the administrative officer that he would consider the orphanage suggestion. Afterward, he spent five hundred Federal Coins to rent an old house in a district that was about to be demolished.

Aolai City was brightly lit at night, and the bustling streets were full of people. But no matter where it was, there would always be rundown places.

The house was shabby and small, only around thirty square meters. Though tiny, it had everything it needed: furnishings, a bathroom, a kitchen, and heating.

That evening, Meng Li bought two cheap sets of clothes for Na'er and himself at a household goods store, spending a total of one hundred Federal Coins.

Toiletries cost twenty Federal Coins, two blankets cost one hundred, and assorted daily necessities cost another fifty, for a total of eight hundred.

After deducting the cost of food, Meng Li only had seventy left.

At least he had finally settled down in this world. Meng Li let out a breath and lay on the sofa, looking at Na'er beside him as she watched him with curious eyes.

"Little beggar, you can really eat. A bowl of noodles costs five Federal Coins, and you ate twenty-five worth in one go.

"Here are your clothes. Go wash up. Tomorrow, I'll take you to the orphanage. You'll be able to live more happily there."

Using his own appetite as a reference, he estimated that this girl ate five times as much as he did.

Na'er remained silent, lowering her head as several tears rolled from her eyes.

"What about you?" Na'er suddenly raised her head.

Meng Li realized that she was crying, and his heart stirred.

"I'm not going."

He did not want to be treated like a child and managed by others.

"N-no, sorry. I'll eat less next time..." Na'er's little face reddened slightly.

"I don't want to go to the orphanage. There are people there..."

"But you'll suffer if you follow me." This little beggar was clinging to him after just one meal. What was he supposed to do? Meng Li's feelings were complicated. His body still looked like a child's, and he could not even provide for himself.

"I really don't eat that much. It's just... just that I was too hungry today. It won't be hard. I feel safe following you, Brother." Two more glistening tears squeezed from Na'er's eyes.

Meng Li wiped the tears from her eyes and looked at Na'er seriously. "All right, then. Little beggar, from now on, you'll follow me. You're my little sister!"

There were two bedrooms here, just enough for them.

I'm a transmigrator. If I can't even raise one girl, what kind of nonsense is that? I'll just treat her like a little sister. Meng Li thought confidently.

The moment Na'er heard that, she stopped crying.

"Still, if you're following me from now on, be smart about things, understand?"

"Mm." Na'er nodded heavily.

"Th-thank you."

"Call me Brother."

"Brother."

"Good girl."

"Then are you a big beggar?"

"...We won't be beggars anymore."

After Na'er went to take a bath, Meng Li sat on the old sofa.

He had only been in this world for half a day. Never mind whether he could get used to it—the most important problem before him was making money. Otherwise, the two of them would starve to death.

As for how to make money, begging was definitely not an option. He had hands and feet. He had already accepted charity at his most difficult moment, so he could not go back to the old path.

"Setting up a street stall is a good idea." Meng Li's eyes shifted. "But what should I sell...?"

"Ring toss is pretty good. It's an old trade of mine, guaranteed profit. Eighty should be enough. I'll buy some cute toys wholesale, and that'll definitely attract people. Tomorrow morning, I'll see who needs flowers delivered and make some running money."

"As for attending Red Mountain Academy, I'll wait a few days. First, I need to solve our living problems."

After thinking for a while, Meng Li saw Na'er walk out of the bathroom in an oversized white shirt and slippers.

"Brother... I'm done washing."

"Mm... The clothes are too big. Watch some television for now."

By the time Meng Li finished bathing, it was already ten o'clock.

After a tiring day, Meng Li could finally rest. He lay on the sofa and watched television, feeling inexplicably comfortable as his eyelids gradually drooped.

Early the next morning.

Meng Li was awakened by the alarm clock set by the previous tenant. After turning it off, he saw Na'er curled up beside him like a little cat, lying by his left hand.

Na'er's brows were slightly furrowed, as though she were having a nightmare.

Meng Li was covered with the blanket they had bought yesterday.

This little girl had not eaten his meal for nothing.

Meng Li gently pulled out his already numb arm, covered Na'er with the blanket, and quietly left the room.

"A new day. Everything from the past is in the past. Even if I miss it, it won't come back. Live every day well." Meng Li drank his own motivational soup, but before he had swallowed much of it, his stomach was already hungry...