Ch 4: Transmigrated to become a Koi Husband

Jing Li took about five seconds to make a decision.

The little koi, under Qin Zhao’s confused gaze, tensed its body, folded its fins, and then gently tipped to the side, sliding from the blanket onto the bed.

As it slid down, it even flipped over carefully, avoiding the injured area.

Afterward, it stayed completely still.

Qin Zhao: “?”

As his consciousness gradually cleared from its fog, Qin Zhao looked at the little koi lying motionless on the bed and suddenly understood the meaning behind its behavior.

It was… playing dead.

Seeing that Qin Zhao hadn’t reacted for a while, the little koi quietly lifted its head to sneak a glance at him, then quickly tensed up again and lay still.

Even its attempt at playing dead was so unconvincing.

Qin Zhao was almost amused to the point of laughter.

Did this silly fish really think he couldn’t see through it?

Soon, Qin Zhao noticed the faint smell of something burning in the air. He sighed silently, picked up the little koi, and carried it to the outer room.

His gaze lingered for just a moment on the puddle of water beside the bucket and the trail of water leading from the bedroom before he calmly placed the little koi back into the bucket and turned to check on the medicine.

Jing Li hid in the bucket, secretly watching him.

Qin Zhao’s condition was likely still uncomfortable. As he bent down to remove the lid from the medicine pot, his movements were noticeably slower, and his pale face showed a faint furrow of his brows.

But beyond that, there was nothing else out of the ordinary.

His demeanor remained calm, as still as an ancient well, undisturbed by any ripples.

It was as if the Qin Zhao Jing Li had seen earlier—the cold, guarded one who exuded an overwhelming sense of pressure—was just an illusion.

What kind of person is Qin Zhao, really?

Qin Zhao had woken up just in time, so the medicine was saved. He quietly sat at the table and drank the medicine before finally turning his attention back to the little koi.

Jing Li was still secretly observing him, and when he caught Qin Zhao’s gaze, he was so startled that he blew a huge bubble.

Qin Zhao reached out his hand towards him.

Jing Li stared blankly at his movement, even forgetting to run away.

Oh no, oh no, is Qin Zhao angry and planning to kill him to make fish soup? Or has he already figured out that he’s not an ordinary fish and wants to kill him like a monster…

In an instant, Jing Li imagined countless ways he might die.

But Qin Zhao merely flicked him lightly on the head.

The force was gentle, and it didn’t hurt at all.

“Returning it to you,” Qin Zhao said as he stood up, placing the medicine bowl back on the stove. “And next time, if you need to remind me, find another way. No touching my face.”

After that day, Jing Li settled down at Qin Zhao’s house.

Qin Zhao treated him very well. He changed his water daily, fed him, checked his injuries, and took meticulous care of him. In just a few days, the once small and skinny little fish had gained quite a bit of weight.

However…

“Where exactly do you stash all the food you eat?” Qin Zhao poked at Jing Li’s full, round belly, finding it hard to believe.

Clearly, he was just a palm-sized fish, yet he managed to consume food almost as big as himself.

How does he do it?

Every time this happened, Jing Li would flip over, sticking to Qin Zhao’s fingers, not letting him leave, and insisting on a few more rubs.

A post-meal massage helps with digestion.

Qin Zhao’s touch was gentle and just the right amount of pressure, quickly making Jing Li drowsy.

But this little bit of leisure time never lasted long. By afternoon, it was time for Qin Zhao to work.

Qin Zhao would move the small wooden bucket to the writing desk in the bedroom.

“The usual rule—don’t splash water out, or no dinner tonight,” Qin Zhao reminded as he skillfully spread out the paper and ink.

The little fish obediently wagged its tail at him.

Over these days together, Jing Li had learned quite a bit about Qin Zhao.

For example, he knew that Qin Zhao’s health was even worse than he had initially thought, making it difficult for him to gather herbs in the mountains. He had to choose days with good weather; it couldn’t be too cold or too hot, and he couldn’t stay out for more than two hours. Otherwise, he would inevitably develop a fever upon returning.

His body was indeed very fragile.

Additionally, Qin Zhao’s main source of income was actually revising and copying manuscripts.

The manuscripts mostly came from nearby academies or temples in neighboring towns. These places had accumulated a large number of books that needed revising and copying, and when their own staff was insufficient, they would hire people from the local area to help.

These institutions were generous. After accounting for the cost of ink, paper, brushes, and the fee to have someone deliver the manuscripts to town, Qin Zhao could earn about 180 to 200 wen for each manuscript he completed.

It paid much better than a trip up the mountain to gather herbs.

As for bringing the little fish to “supervise” his work, that was purely because Jing Li got bored being left alone. If he was left by himself, he would splash around in protest until Qin Zhao brought him over.

Jing Li would then perch on the edge of the wooden bucket, diligently watching Qin Zhao as he wrote.

This era was not one that existed in recorded history, and the characters used were unlike any ancient script Jing Li knew. After observing for so many days, all he could tell was that Qin Zhao’s handwriting was elegant and free-flowing, but the content remained a complete mystery to him.

A well-educated modern student, transmigrated to ancient times, had become illiterate.

Every time Jing Li thought about it, he felt a bit melancholic.

Qin Zhao had been working on this manuscript for four or five days, and today he was finally nearing the end. As he finished writing the last word, he looked up to see that the little koi fish had already floated to the surface of the water, fast asleep.

All day long, it insisted on staying by his side, yet it fell asleep faster than anyone.

Qin Zhao couldn’t resist gently poking the upturned belly of the fish.

The little koi’s sleeping posture was rather alarming, with its pale pink belly facing upward, its body drifting up and down in the water, and it was so deeply asleep that it couldn’t be woken up no matter what.

The first time Qin Zhao saw this, he nearly thought the little koi had died.

It was the same now—the little koi lay on its back, sleeping soundly, its tail spread out like silk on the water’s surface, with every detail of its pattern clearly visible.

Each time Qin Zhao poked it, the tail would softly sway, looking like it had an excellent texture.

Qin Zhao found this amusing and couldn’t resist touching it several more times, which finally provoked the fish’s tail to slap back forcefully.

Jing Li woke up under the persistent “harassment,” grumpily flipping over in the water, ready to bite.

Fortunately, Qin Zhao was quick and dodged in time.

The little koi had a bad temper when waking up, and it was quite severe.

“Alright, don’t be angry,” Qin Zhao said. “I’m done with my work now. How about I take you to the stream for a little fun?”

Going out to play?

Jing Li quickly let go of his anger, slapping his tail on the water’s surface to show his agreement.

There was no helping it—staying indoors was just too boring.

Jing Li had always been the restless type, and now that he was a fish, confined to a small wooden bucket, it was unbearably stifling.

However, even so, he didn’t have any plans to leave just yet.

Because… the food Qin Zhao made was simply too delicious.

Even though it was just simple coarse grains and wild vegetables, Qin Zhao could turn them into gourmet dishes. Wasn’t that an undeniable reason to stay?

Compared to leaving and having to eat small fish, shrimp, and aquatic plants, Jing Li would much rather be a domesticated koi fish.

Besides, Qin Zhao took him out for some fresh air every day.

Qin Zhao’s house wasn’t far from the stream; heading west from the door, it took less than the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea to get there.

Linxi Village was built along the stream, and several paths from the village led to the water’s edge. Qin Zhao often took Jing Li to the upstream area, where, aside from the occasional villager fetching water to cook, there were hardly any people around.

The weather was nice today, with warm sunlight shimmering on the clear stream, making it sparkle.

After cleaning the small wooden bucket and refilling it with fresh water, Qin Zhao looked up just in time to see the little koi leap out of the water.

The bright red koi soared into the air, its tail fin flicking as its body drew a graceful arc, before landing lightly back into the water.

Water splashed everywhere.

The water here was calm and clear, and Jing Li swam around joyfully, his bright red tail flickering in and out of sight on the water’s surface.

Qin Zhao stood quietly on the shore, watching the koi fish play in the water, with a faint smile on his lips that he himself didn’t even notice.

Keeping it in a small wooden bucket was indeed a bit of a constraint.

Qin Zhao thought to himself that if he had the chance, he should make a bigger pond for it.

“Well, well, isn’t this Qin Zhao?”

A voice came from behind, and Qin Zhao turned around to see a chubby young man walking toward the stream. The young man looked him up and down, saying, “What’s the occasion today that even a sickly person like you is out? Can your body handle it? Don’t pass out and fall into the water—no one will be able to save you.”

The tone was far from friendly, and Jing Li paused, turning his gaze toward the shore.

The chubby young man looked a few years younger than Qin Zhao, around sixteen or seventeen. His attire and demeanor were far more refined than that of the average villager, making it clear that he wasn’t accustomed to hard labor.

Who is this person?

Jing Li flicked his tail, feeling an inexplicable dislike for him.

Qin Zhao, however, didn’t seem to mind and calmly replied, “Thank you for your concern.”

The chubby young man, irritated by Qin Zhao’s indifferent tone, felt as though he had punched a cotton ball, leaving him uncomfortable all over. He retorted coldly, “What kind of attitude is that? Don’t forget whose favor it is that allows you to stay in Linxi Village.”

Qin Zhao responded, “I won’t forget that the Chen family took me in.”

“Good that you remember.” The young man smirked coldly. “By the way, I hear you still owe my family over half a year’s rent. I suggest you gather the money soon, or else… when you’re homeless, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

This chubby young man was Chen Yanan, the eldest grandson of the Chen family, and the house where Qin Zhao currently lived was rented from the Chen family.

Qin Zhao asked, “Does that mean you’re planning to divide the family assets soon?”

Uncle Lin had already mentioned that the Chen family was currently in the process of splitting up.

The Chen family had three generations living together, with only Old Madam Chen left from the oldest generation, but there were four sons, even the youngest of whom had already started his own family.

Before, when Old Madam Chen was still in good health, these four families had all lived together under one roof, which inevitably led to conflicts.

Now that the opportunity had arisen, splitting the family was widely anticipated.

The house where Qin Zhao lived belonged to the Chen family, and after the division, it would likely change hands. Whether he could continue to live there and how the rent would be calculated would depend on the new owner.

And it seemed that the new owner would likely be Chen Yanan’s family.

Hearing Qin Zhao’s question, a hint of displeasure flashed across Chen Yanan’s face, and he snapped, “Why are you asking so much? Just focus on getting the money together.”

Qin Zhao asked again, “Did you come all this way just to remind me of this?”

“Who said I came all this way just for you? I just happened to be passing by!”

Qin Zhao silently looked at him.

The Chen family lived on the far eastern side of the village, while the stream where they were now was on the far west. “Passing by” seemed like a stretch.

Chen Yanan’s face showed a hint of embarrassment, and he quickly changed the subject, “You should be more concerned about yourself! If I’m not mistaken, you’ve been behind on rent for nine months now. My grandmother allowed you to pay annually, but my mother won’t. At sixty-five wen a month, that adds up to nearly six hundred wen. Can you pay that?”

Qin Zhao naturally couldn’t come up with the money right now.

He had been very ill during the winter and had used up most of his savings.

The manuscript he finished today could be exchanged for 200 wen, and along with the money from selling herbs a few days ago, he had a total of only 365 wen—almost half of what he owed.

If he could produce a manuscript every five days, he might be able to scrape together the money if the Chen family gave him a little more time.

But that would be without eating, drinking, or buying medicine.

In reality, Qin Zhao had to buy medicine every ten days, which cost him around 300 wen each time.

This was why he was always living so frugally.

Qin Zhao didn’t respond immediately, which made Chen Yanan even more smug. “I knew you wouldn’t be able to come up with it. So, how about you try begging me? Maybe I could ask my mother to give you an extension?”

“No need,” Qin Zhao replied calmly. “I’ll do my best.”

“Do your best? If you were really trying your best, you wouldn’t be relying on my grandmother’s kindness and refusing to leave.” Chen Yanan sneered, mocking him, “You’ve been in our village for three years, and you still can’t even pay the rent. Where is your money going—on medicine, or are you squandering it on something else?”

Qin Zhao’s eyes flickered with a hint of coldness.

Meeting his gaze, Chen Yanan suddenly hesitated.

Qin Zhao looked away, his voice gentle but firm, “Yanan, since you’re studying at the private school in town, your teacher should have taught you the importance of being careful with your words and actions.”

“And also, filial piety is the foremost of virtues. Your grandmother is still alive, yet you’re already spreading news about dividing the family. That’s inappropriate.”

Chen Yanan felt a strange sense of unease under Qin Zhao’s gaze, and he blurted out, “What does my family’s business have to do with you? Who do you think you are—”

Before he could finish, a splash of water suddenly surged beside him.

The next moment, something struck him hard in the back of his knees, causing him to lose his balance and fall into the water with a splash. A flash of bright red appeared in the corner of his eye.

“What was that—!”

Jing Li leaped out of the water, and with a graceful flick of his beautiful tail, he delivered a solid slap to Chen Yanan.