Lu Qing awoke to a growling stomach in a dilapidated house. He had transmigrated into the body of a starving orphan youth whose parents had just died. The original owner sold all family assets to bury them, then succumbed to grief and cold, leaving Lu Qing to inherit a barren home and a five-year-old sister, Xiao Yan. For two days he lay unconscious, merging with the original owner's memories, barely aware of Xiao Yan's desperate cries.When he finally woke, Xiao Yan brought him a coarse grain steamed bun given by a neighbor. As Lu Qing looked at it, a line of text appeared: "Coarse Grain Steamed Bun: Made from a mixture of rice bran, wheat flour, and wild vegetables, with limited nutrition." The bun emitted gray light. Stunned, he tested the phenomenon on other objects. A chipped bowl showed gray light and a simple description. A plant with small red flowers called Ox Bone Grass emitted white light and two lines of text: "Average quality, usable as medicine" and "Seems quite effective for bone injuries."Lu Qing realized he had gained a special ability. By focusing his gaze on an object, it emitted a colored aura and a textual description. Gray light objects gave only one line; white light gave two or more. He tested it on Xiao Yan: she appeared as "Lu Xiao Yan: A human infant, female" with white light, and a second line: "Pitiable human infant; she seems a bit malnourished." The ability seemed to follow rules like a game interface, and he knew he must rely on it to survive in this unfamiliar world.Determined to feed his sister, Lu Qing searched the house and found an iron needle and hemp thread. He heated and bent the needle into a hook, twisted hemp strands into a strong line, cut a flexible bamboo pole, and tied a piece of dry wood as a float. Thus he made a simple fishing rod. He then dug red earthworms from the courtyard for bait. Xiao Yan watched eagerly, recalling the delicious fish from the Lunar New Year.As they left their small courtyard, they met Aunt Wang. She was shocked to see Lu Qing alive, having heard he was at death's door. She urged him not to go into the river and invited them to eat, but Lu Qing declined, insisting they would only fish from the bank. Other villagers also expressed surprise and warned him against cold water. Some older children followed out of curiosity, wanting to see how he fished.At the riverbank outside the village, Lu Qing ordered the children to stay away from the water and under a large tree. He then walked along the bank, scanning the surface. Using his ability, he discovered a spot where gray light formed a water pattern: "Common Fishing Spot: A place where small fish gather. It seems like a good choice for fishing." Encouraged, he continued searching and found two more spots. One emitted white light and gave two lines: "Common Fishing Spot: A necessary path for fish schools to forage. Fishing here might yield a decent harvest." and "Beginner Fishing Spot: Wild fruits often fall here, which are favored food items for certain large fish." and "Fishing here might result in peculiar, unexpected catches." The white light spot was clearly better, but Lu Qing decided to start with the gray spot. His fishing line was fragile, and he had only one hook. Losing either would end his attempt entirely. Safer to catch small fish first.He returned to the tree, gathered the children, and led them to the chosen spot. He instructed them to stay on the bank and watch. Ah Hu, the oldest boy, was put in charge of supervision. Lu Qing carried his rod and bucket down the slope, ready to cast his line.In this foreign world, Lu Qing, a transmigrator with no possessions and a sister to protect, had just taken the first step toward survival. His ability to see the hidden nature of things would guide him, but hunger pressed him hard. The river before him held both promise and risk. He had a rod, a hook, and a spot where small fish gathered. That was enough for now. He would fish, feed Xiao Yan, and slowly build a life in this strange land. His goal was simple: endure and protect the little girl who was his only family. The ability he gained was his only edge, and he intended to use it to find food, medicine, and eventually a way to thrive. But for this morning, the river and the waiting fish were all that mattered.
