Ch 2: Transmigrated to become a Koi Husband

“You young lads never take care of your bodies. It’s easy to catch a cold these days, wandering around in the mountains like that. Good thing I ran into you today.”

“Where did you catch this fish? It’s short and small—looks nice but is useless. How can it be enough to eat?”

Jing Li: “???”

Who are you calling short and small and useless? Is that how a human should talk?

The ox cart bumped along as it moved forward. Qin Zhao sat inside, holding the wooden bucket. He only responded with a soft “hmm” to the farmer’s words.

Jing Li observed him through the water.

Why did it seem like this man just smiled?

The farmer giving them a ride was surnamed Lin, second in his family, so everyone in the village called him Lin Lao’er.

As Lin Lao’er waved his whip to urge the ox forward, he raised his voice to chat with Qin Zhao: “But it’s just as well. You’re so thin; you need to eat well and build yourself up! If you can’t cook, bring it to my place. Your aunt can make you some sweet and sour carp!”

Jing Li: “…”

“Thank you, Uncle Lin,” Qin Zhao calmly replied, firmly pressing down on Jing Li’s tail to stop him from splashing water, “but that won’t be necessary.”

Lin Lao’er didn’t mind.

He was clearly in a good mood today and continued to chat with Qin Zhao for a while before finally leaving him alone, humming a little tune to himself.

Jing Li flicked his tail and swam to the edge of the wooden bucket.

Even though this farmer kept talking about eating him, he was kind to Qin Zhao. If it weren’t for him, who knows how long it would have taken the sickly man to walk back.

No need to be angry, no need to be angry.

Someone came along to give him a ride when he was tired, so the sickly man’s luck was much better than his own.

Jing Li quickly convinced himself to let it go and turned his attention to the scenery outside.

The edge of the bucket wasn’t very high, and when he poked his head out, he could see the view outside. They had already left the mountains and were now in a more open, plains-like area.

There were some fields along the dirt road, with many people bent over, working the land.

It was spring planting season, a time when farmers sow their crops to harvest in the autumn. Their livelihood depended on this.

Jing Li had never done farm work, but he knew that plowing, planting, fertilizing, weeding, and harvesting were all labor-intensive tasks. In remote mountain villages like this one, strong and sturdy men were essential.

And the man beside him…

In such poor health, he probably wasn’t much use for labor, which might be why others looked down on him.

In an instant, Jing Li’s mind filled with the tragic scenario of someone unable to work due to poor health, scorned by family and ridiculed by the village—just like in the novels.

“You like watching me that much?” The man spoke softly, and only then did Jing Li realize he had been staring at him absentmindedly.

The country road was full of bumps, causing the ox cart to jolt violently. Qin Zhao had to hold the bucket tightly with both arms to keep the water from spilling.

It looked as if he was cradling him in his arms.

And here he was, staring at the man like that…

This realization made Jing Li suddenly feel a bit embarrassed. He flicked his tail, intending to dive back into the water, but then he saw Qin Zhao suddenly reach out a hand toward him.

Jing Li instinctively wanted to flee.

“Don’t move,” Qin Zhao said in a low voice.

Jing Li paused, and then he felt the man’s fingertips touch his forehead.

Once again, Jing Li caught the scent of medicine from him.

The fragrance was faint, carrying the usual bitterness of herbs, yet it wasn’t unpleasant.

Qin Zhao’s expression was focused. He slightly tilted his head, his fingertips gliding over the smooth scales, brushing lightly over the thin, transparent dorsal fin, and finally resting on the soft, cool tail.

Jing Li remained still, allowing him to touch, and when he reached the tip of the tail, Jing Li instinctively curled it around his finger.

This reaction clearly pleased Qin Zhao. His eyes brightened slightly, and a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

Qin Zhao had a very attractive smile.

It was as if the vitality that had been drained from him suddenly returned in that moment. His deep, dark eyes, hidden beneath his eyelashes, reflected sparkling light in the sunlight.

Jing Li was mesmerized, momentarily forgetting how to swim. It wasn’t until his body began to sink that he snapped out of it, quickly moving his tail to regain balance.

“Ha.” Qin Zhao let out a light laugh, tapping the fish’s tail. “Can’t even swim properly—are you really a fish? How silly.”

Jing Li: “…”

That’s because he wasn’t used to being a fish yet!

Jing Li slapped Qin Zhao’s fingers away and retreated to the bottom of the bucket, sulking.

No matter how good-looking he was, he shouldn’t be saying such things about him.

Hmph.

The ox cart moved at a pace two or three times faster than walking, and before long, they reached the village.

The village was called Linxi Village, as a small stream flowed past the front of the village. The villagers relied on this stream for their daily needs, such as washing clothes, cooking, and watering their crops.

The people of Linxi Village were simple and honest. Many greeted Lin Lao’er along the way, but when they saw Qin Zhao in the cart, their smiles faded, and some even went out of their way to avoid him.

But Qin Zhao kept his head down, focused on playing with the fish, unaffected by the reactions around him.

He was like a deep well, calm and undisturbed, with nothing external capable of causing the slightest ripple.

Until the ox cart stopped in front of a house.

Well… calling it a house wasn’t exactly accurate.

Linxi Village wasn’t particularly wealthy, but every household typically had a small courtyard and two or three rooms as standard. However, what appeared before Jing Li was just a shabby little mud house.

The exterior walls were heavily weathered and peeling, the wooden door was half-open and couldn’t close properly, likely letting in drafts during the winter.

Jing Li pulled his head back and quietly glanced at Qin Zhao.

Does he really live in a place like this?

Qin Zhao got off the cart, holding the bucket, and politely cupped his hands toward Lin Lao’er, saying, “Thank you, Uncle Lin.”

“It’s nothing, just a small favor.” Lin Lao’er waved it off, “I can’t read a single word, and if it weren’t for you writing that complaint for me back then, my family wouldn’t have gotten back that land that was taken from us. It’s only right that I help you out a bit.”

Lin Lao’er helped him carry the medicinal herbs into the house, and after seeing the bare and empty interior, he sighed again, “You still can’t remember your full name or where you came from?”

Qin Zhao shook his head, “I only remember that my surname is Qin, but as for my given name or background, I know nothing.”

“Don’t you want to go farther, to the big city, to look for your family?” Lin Lao’er suggested, “Qin Zhao, I’m not exaggerating, but with your outstanding appearance and literary talent, it’s clear that you’re not like us farmers. If there were someone like you in the nearby villages, word would have spread long ago. You wouldn’t still be searching without any news.”

Qin Zhao placed the wooden bucket on the only table in the house, his expression still calm, his tone gentle and measured, “Thank you for your kind intentions, Uncle Lin, but I can’t venture too far right now. If I were to undertake such a long journey, I fear I wouldn’t even make it to the city before…”

“Sigh, true enough, taking care of your health is most important!”

Jing Li, leaning against the side of the bucket, listened to the conversation, his tail gently swaying in the water.

Qin Zhao wasn’t originally from this village.

Knowing this didn’t surprise him; in fact, it made perfect sense. Qin Zhao’s demeanor was far different from that of an ordinary villager. Even if he didn’t come from a scholarly or wealthy family, he was at least well-educated.

Being an outsider, and one with an unknown background and poor health, it was no wonder he faced rejection from the villagers.

People are naturally wary of outsiders, especially in such isolated mountain villages.

After placing the herbs in the house, Lin Lao’er suddenly remembered something, “Oh, by the way, did you hear that the Chen family has been arguing about dividing their property these past few days?”

Qin Zhao frowned slightly, “Dividing the family?”

“Yes.” Lin Lao’er sighed, “The old Madam Chen had a stroke last year and has been bedridden ever since. They’ve brought in several doctors, but none have been able to help. The Chen family is one of the wealthiest in Linxi Village, and those younger family members have been eyeing the estate, just waiting for the old lady to pass away.”

Hmm?

What does this have to do with Qin Zhao?

Jing Li was puzzled when he heard Lin Lao’er say, “You rented this house from Old Madam Chen. If they split the family, then this place might…”

“In any case, just keep an eye out in the coming days.”

Qin Zhao lowered his eyes in thought for a moment before thanking him, “I understand. Thank you for the warning.”

Lin Lao’er, needing to get back home, didn’t stay long.

Once he was gone, Jing Li finally poked his head out to survey the house.

Just as it appeared from the outside, the interior of the house was extremely simple, with everything visible at a glance.

It was a small two-room mud house. Upon entering the front door, there was the table where Jing Li was currently located, along with two chairs. Apart from these, the only other furniture consisted of a few low storage cabinets in the corners.

To the right of the entrance was a stove area, with a few small medicine jars placed beside it. On the left was an even smaller room, with no door—just a cloth curtain hanging to block the view.

This must be the bedroom.

The air was filled with a faint medicinal fragrance, just like the scent on Qin Zhao, which was quite pleasant.

Qin Zhao stood with his back to Jing Li, bending over the stove to unpack the freshly bought herbs.

He hadn’t purchased a ready-made prescription from a clinic, but rather a selection of loose herbs. Qin Zhao skillfully sorted and prepared the herbs, quickly dividing them into several small portions and repackaging them.

He then poured one portion into a medicine jar to soak, and after finishing that, he uncovered a large pot on the stove.

A delicious aroma immediately wafted through the air.

Jing Li’s stomach growled audibly.

He had been in this world for three days and hadn’t eaten a thing.

It wasn’t that there was nothing to eat. Over the past few days, he had been drifting along the river, and for a fish, the aquatic plants, small shrimp, and bugs in the river were all edible.

But Jing Li’s soul was still that of a human, and he simply couldn’t bring himself to eat those things.

As a result, he had been starving for several days.

Jing Li watched longingly as Qin Zhao took a golden piece of flatbread and sat down at the table. He wagged his tail eagerly, splashing a bit of water onto the table.

Qin Zhao asked, “Do you want some too?”

Jing Li’s tail wagged even more energetically.

Qin Zhao: “If I give it all to you, what will I eat?”

Jing Li paused.

That’s true—Qin Zhao, being an outsider with no one to rely on and living in such a place, probably didn’t have much food. He might even struggle to feed himself, let alone have extra to share.

Being rescued was already an incredible stroke of luck for him; he couldn’t be so greedy.

But… he was really, really hungry…

The little koi’s mood visibly sank.

Qin Zhao turned his head to observe the small koi in the bucket, finding it quite amusing.

From the moment he encountered this fish, he had felt something was unusual. Its fear and attempts to escape during the slaughter, its seeking help from a human—these were all things that ordinary fish couldn’t do. And throughout the journey, this fish clearly understood human speech and interacted with him.

Could it be that he had accidentally rescued a fish with some kind of spirit?

With this thought, Qin Zhao lowered his eyes and broke off a small piece of the flatbread, tossing it into the water.

Jing Li had already sunk to the bottom of the bucket but couldn’t resist swimming back up when he smelled the aroma of the flatbread. He glanced at Qin Zhao, then at the floating piece of flatbread, and finally, unable to resist the temptation of the food, he took a bite.

The flatbread was made from millet flour.

The millet flour wasn’t ground very finely, so you could still feel the grainy texture of the millet. The batter was mixed with a bit of crushed red dates, and after being steamed, it had a soft yet firm texture. Even though no seasoning was added, it had a natural, sweet taste from the grain itself.

Jing Li thought it was the best thing he had ever eaten.

The little koi happily chewed on the food, his cheeks puffing out, and his fins swayed joyfully.

“Eat slowly, there’s more if you need it,” Qin Zhao said softly, resting his chin on his hand. “Get a bit fatter, and you’ll be ready for the pot.”

!!!

Jing Li was so startled that he choked, his fins flailing as he spat out a huge bubble.

R-ready for the pot???

This man actually intended to eat him!

Qin Zhao broke off another piece of flatbread and tossed it into the water, a slight smile on his lips. “Why did you stop eating?”

Jing Li shrank back, refusing to touch the food.

As long as he didn’t eat, he wouldn’t get fat, and then he wouldn’t end up in the pot.

Jing Li was determined.

Qin Zhao watched the little koi’s reaction and became even more certain that this fish could understand him. However, he didn’t point it out. Instead, he reached into the water and gently pushed the floating piece of flatbread towards Jing Li.

“Go ahead and eat,” Qin Zhao said calmly. “I was just teasing you earlier; I don’t like eating fish.”

Jing Li remained still, clearly showing his distrust.

Qin Zhao withdrew his gaze, no longer paying attention, and started eating his own meal.

Even his way of eating was very elegant, chewing slowly and carefully, as if he were savoring some rare delicacy instead of a simple piece of millet flatbread.

As Jing Li watched him…

He felt even hungrier.

This man is so good-looking; he probably wouldn’t lie, right?

Jing Li swayed his tail, swam up, and quickly snatched the flatbread, sinking back to the bottom of the bucket to eat. After finishing the piece of flatbread in secret, he surfaced again, still wanting more.

Qin Zhao broke off another small piece and tossed it to him, and Jing Li carefully took it and retreated to the bottom of the bucket to eat it.

It was as if, as long as Qin Zhao didn’t see him, it didn’t count as eating.

Silly fish.

Qin Zhao lowered his eyes, hiding the hint of amusement in them.

And so, the two of them shared the palm-sized piece of millet flatbread.

Qin Zhao fetched another piece from the pot, but when he returned to the table, he found the little koi with his head tilted, staring at him expectantly.

Qin Zhao said, “You can’t eat any more, or you’ll get sick.”

I’m not full yet.

The little koi unhappily flicked his tail twice and opened his mouth towards Qin Zhao.

More.

Qin Zhao had no choice but to break off a small piece and give it to him.

…

In the afternoon, Qin Zhao set the medicine to simmer over a low flame but soon heard the sound of water splashing constantly in the bucket.

He walked over to find the little koi swimming frantically back and forth, splashing water all over the edges of the bucket.

“What’s wrong with you now?” Qin Zhao asked.

Jing Li flipped over, showing his belly, and pitifully patted his now round belly with his fin.

Then he continued swimming in circles.

Oh no, I really ate too much…