Ch 22: Transmigrated to become a Koi Husband

Jing Li was now extremely worried.

Qin Zhao’s analysis was spot-on; if that rich guy was willing to spend a thousand taels to get him back, it must mean he could indeed bring good fortune.

But…

He had no idea how to do that.

In his understanding, he was just an unlucky fish. Even after spending more than a month with Qin Zhao, he hadn’t brought any noticeable good fortune to him.

Now Qin Zhao wanted him to prove it—how was he supposed to do that?

The little koi blew a string of bubbles in the water.

“Eat your food. What are you spacing out for?” Qin Zhao nudged the floating mantou towards the little koi. The fish remained dazed for a while before slowly swimming up to eat it.

There probably wasn’t anyone worse than Qin Zhao in the world.

He demanded that Jing Li find a way to prove he was a lucky koi before agreeing not to send him away for money, but he wouldn’t even tell him how to do it.

He claimed that a koi’s blessing to the world was a small matter that didn’t need a mere mortal’s interference.

…Yet, this guy never believed in ghosts or gods in the first place.

The little koi was so worried that he couldn’t even eat, and it took Qin Zhao a long time of soft coaxing before he finally managed to get him to finish his meal.

After eating, Jing Li refused to let Qin Zhao rub his belly and instead hid at the bottom of the wooden bucket to “reflect.”

It was hard to tell who owed whom.

Qin Zhao got up to clean the dishes, silently sighing.

The way he spoke to the little fish last night was just because he found the creature’s reaction so endearing and wanted to tease him a bit more. If he could use this as an opportunity to get the fish to reveal the truth and show his human form, all the better.

But who would’ve thought the little demon didn’t seem to get his hint at all?

Such a silly fish.

Jing Li hadn’t been sulking for long before someone came to the house.

Just as he was about to see who it was, Qin Zhao casually grabbed a wooden lid, covering the bucket tightly, and then moved the bucket along with the lid onto a nearby low cabinet.

Jing Li: “???”

“Don’t move.” Hearing the little koi’s displeased tail swishing inside, Qin Zhao whispered, “You can’t be seen right now. Someone might try to catch you.”

Fearing exactly that, Jing Li immediately stopped moving.

Only then did Qin Zhao go to answer the door.

The visitor appeared to be in his early thirties, also a villager from Linxi Village. He seemed to have the surname Li, but he usually didn’t have much interaction with Qin Zhao.

Qin Zhao wasn’t even sure what his name was.

The man didn’t enter the house and instead opened with, “Qin Zhao, I just came back from town. Do you know that everyone there is catching fish?”

Qin Zhao: “…”

The news spread that quickly?

Qin Zhao replied calmly, “Is that so? I didn’t know.”

“I knew you hadn’t heard the news yet!” The neighbor continued to ramble on, “I heard from people in town that there’s a bounty out for a red koi fish, offering a thousand taels! I couldn’t understand the notice, but the picture on it looks exactly like the koi fish you had with you before.”

“Where’s your fish? Let me take a look.”

As he spoke, he tried to peer inside the house.

Qin Zhao casually blocked his view and responded calmly, “Are you talking about that fish? I already released it back into the wild.”

“Released it? What a waste! What if it’s the one they’re looking for?”

“That fish was something I bought at the market not too long ago for just a few coins. How could it be worth a thousand taels?” Qin Zhao’s tone remained steady, “Thanks for letting me know, though. Would you like to come in for a drink of water?”

The neighbor lost interest upon hearing this, muttering about having things to do at home, and left, disappointed.

Qin Zhao closed the door and sighed quietly.

What he had feared was starting to happen.

Qin Zhao hadn’t anticipated that the little fish would have such a background, so he hadn’t been concerned about it being seen by others. As a result, many people in Linxi Village had noticed the little fish by his side.

The villagers of Linxi Village often went to the town market for trade, and now that the news had reached the village, there would be no shortage of nosy people.

It was one thing if people came with good intentions to inform him, but he was more concerned about those with less honest intentions who might be after the fish.

Figuring out what to do next was indeed a troublesome matter.

Qin Zhao, usually decisive, found himself at a rare loss.

He lifted the lid of the wooden bucket, and the little fish inside looked at him cautiously.

It seemed he had caused quite a bit of trouble for Qin Zhao…

Seeing the fish’s wary expression, Qin Zhao couldn’t help but soften. He gently tapped the fish’s head with his finger and reassured it, “Don’t worry, I won’t let you be sent away.”

The little koi swam up and gave his fingertip a tiny kiss.

If only he really could bring good fortune, he would try to help Qin Zhao resolve this situation.

He didn’t want to be sent away, nor did he want Qin Zhao to be bothered constantly.

Jing Li thought to himself silently.

But despite Jing Li’s prayers, they had no effect. In the span of just one hour, the small house had been visited by at least four or five groups of people.

All with the same purpose.

Jing Li: “…”

So, he really isn’t a lucky koi after all!

Qin Zhao wearily sent off the last group of visitors and closed the door, feeling quite exasperated.

This couldn’t go on. He needed to come up with a plan.

Linxi Village wasn’t known for fishing, so even if the news spread, only a handful of people would likely be interested. After a few days, the fuss would die down, and no one would ask about it anymore.

If there were a way for him to leave Linxi Village for a while, to lay low…

Just as Qin Zhao was thinking this, someone knocked on the door again.

Qin Zhao opened the door.

It was Lin Changzhong.

Qin Zhao instinctively thought he was also here to ask about the koi, and he nearly blurted out, “That fish has already been released,” but Lin Changzhong said, “I came to talk to you about the building materials for your house.”

He had taken on the job of building Qin Zhao’s house, and it had been quite a few days since then, so it was time for an update.

Qin Zhao felt relieved and welcomed him in, pouring him a bowl of water.

“I’ve asked around in several nearby villages over the past few days, but it’s impossible to get any bamboo at this time of year,” Lin Changzhong said after gulping down some water. “You’re asking a bit late; if it were last month, it might have been possible.”

He paused, then asked, “I wanted to discuss with you—perhaps we could use a different material?”

Qin Zhao didn’t answer immediately.

Bamboo was his first choice. It was cheap, insect-resistant, and water-resistant, making it the most economical option when bricks and tiles were unaffordable.

He had originally thought that, with the bamboo forests in the nearby mountains, there wouldn’t be an issue with supply.

Lin Changzhong, aware of Qin Zhao’s situation, offered a second option: “If you really want bamboo, you’ll have to go further, over another mountain, to ask in more distant villages. But in that case, you probably won’t be able to return the same day.”

With a family to support and other jobs to handle, Lin Changzhong couldn’t afford to take a long trip to gather supplies.

Qin Zhao paused briefly, then glanced thoughtfully at the small wooden bucket on the side cabinet.

He had just been thinking about finding a chance to leave the village for a few days, and now Lin Changzhong was offering the perfect opportunity.

Was this the koi’s influence at work again?

Returning his gaze, Qin Zhao said, “Uncle Lin, you can tell me the route, and I’ll make the trip.”

“You’ll go?” Lin Changzhong seemed concerned. “Can your body handle it?”

Qin Zhao replied, “As long as I don’t push myself too hard, I should be fine.”

His resolve was firm, and there really wasn’t a better option. Lin Changzhong, seeing no other way, didn’t object further. He said, “Then I’ll talk to Lao Er and have him lend you the ox cart for a few days.”

The village Lin Changzhong mentioned was called Shanglin Village. To get there from Linxi Village, one had to cross a mountain, and even with an ox cart, the journey would take most of the day.

“…My family is from there; everyone in the village has the surname Lin. I’ll write you a letter. When you reach the village, look for someone named Lin Daniu. He’ll understand once he sees the letter.”

Lin Changzhong detailed the route to Shanglin Village. A direct road between the two villages had been built a few years ago, reducing the risk of getting lost.

Qin Zhao thanked him.

The journey to Shanglin Village would take several hours, so he needed to set off as soon as possible to avoid arriving after dark. Without further delay, Lin Changzhong left to arrange the loan of the ox cart from Lin Lao Er.

Just before leaving, he seemed to remember something and turned back, saying, “By the way, about your fish…”

Qin Zhao: “…”

Qin Zhao repeated the same explanation once more to dismiss Lin Changzhong. After closing the door, he finally went to lift the lid of the wooden bucket.

“You heard everything?” Qin Zhao asked. “We’ll leave the village for a few days and return once things calm down.”

The little koi nodded but felt a bit guilty inside.

He couldn’t help at all and had to rely on Qin Zhao to come up with a solution. With Qin Zhao’s poor health, who knows if all the traveling will worsen his condition?

Jing Li suddenly felt very dejected.

Lin Lao’er, who was one of the first in the village to have a favorable impression of Qin Zhao, quickly brought the ox cart over after hearing about the situation. He was even enthusiastic enough to offer to accompany Qin Zhao, just to keep an eye out for him.

But Qin Zhao didn’t agree.

Lin Lao’er needed to go up the mountain every day to cut firewood, and this trip would mean losing several days of income. The Lin family had already helped him a lot, and Qin Zhao didn’t want to trouble them further.

However, before leaving, Qin Zhao did one more thing.

He deliberately mentioned the reward for the fish in town to Lin Lao’er, saying that the fish looked very much like the one he had bought earlier, but unfortunately, he had already released it. His tone was full of regret.

Lin Lao’er didn’t doubt him at all, first lamenting the unpredictability of life and then comforting him for a while.

News always spread quickly in the village, and if someone with ulterior motives came to ask Qin Zhao, the likelihood of them hearing the truth was low. Even if Qin Zhao left for a few days, there would still be people asking questions if things weren’t resolved when he returned.

But if Qin Zhao was the one to release the news, the entire Linxi Village would know within half a day.

There were always new topics of conversation in the village, so by the time he returned in two or three days, the matter would have already calmed down.

And conveniently, Lin Lao’er was someone who couldn’t keep things to himself.

After seeing Qin Zhao off, he returned home and the first thing he said to his wife was, “Did you know? There’s a reward in town for a koi worth a thousand taels, and Qin Zhao…”

From Linxi Village to Shanglin Village, there were villages along the way, and the scenery was beautiful. With time to spare, Qin Zhao traveled slowly and steadily.

Jing Li, placed in a small wooden bucket, would occasionally poke his head out to take a look.

He was surprised to find that Qin Zhao actually knew how to drive an ox cart, and he did it more smoothly than any other cart Jing Li had ridden before.

Another strange skill this person has, Jing Li thought.

They set out in the morning and arrived at Shanglin Village just at sunset.

There happened to be an old man cooling off at the entrance of the village, and seeing that Qin Zhao was a stranger, he couldn’t help but take a closer look.

Qin Zhao didn’t mind and went up to explain his purpose.

“Oh, you’re looking for Lin Daniu?” The old man raised his hand and pointed. “Just keep going down this road, and when you reach the intersection, take a right. It’s the third house on the right.”

Qin Zhao thanked him and quickly followed the old man’s directions to find Lin Daniu’s house.

Lin Daniu was a distant relative of Lin Changzhong and often did business with him, so the two families were quite familiar with each other.

After reading the letter from Lin Changzhong, Lin Daniu said, “Changzhong mentioned everything in this letter. I still have bamboo here, but it’s unprocessed, just raw materials. It’s too late today, so I’ll have it processed tomorrow. The day after, I’ll hire someone to deliver it to Linxi Village for you.”

Qin Zhao responded, “Thank you.”

Lin Daniu added, “You can stay at my house for the next two days. There’s an empty room in the back courtyard.”

By now, it was already dark, and finding a place to stay elsewhere would be difficult. Moreover…

The little koi was covered in the wooden bucket, gently tapping the sides with its tail.

He was so hungry…

Although Qin Zhao had brought some dry food, they had delayed so much earlier that by the afternoon, they had barely had time to rest, let alone eat, in their rush to reach Shanglin Village before nightfall.

Qin Zhao pressed down on the bucket lid and said to Lin Daniu, “Thank you very much.”

Lin Daniu’s home was an ordinary farmhouse with a separate small house on the side, used as a temporary rest spot for the carpenters who came to work on the wood.

He led Qin Zhao over and said, “It’s a bit simple here, don’t mind it.”

Qin Zhao shook his head and replied, “Not at all.” In fact, this place was much better than the small room he usually stayed in.

After sending Lin Daniu off and closing the door, Qin Zhao heard a loud thud behind him.

The little koi had flipped the bucket lid off with a swipe of its tail.

He was suffocating in there.

“You…” Qin Zhao bent down to pick up the bucket lid from the floor and said helplessly, “Be careful not to be seen.”

Got it.

The little koi lazily swished its tail like a grandmaster and opened its mouth towards Qin Zhao.

Hurry up and feed me, I’m starving.

…

Qin Zhao stayed in Shanglin Village for two days. Lin Daniu was kind, not only letting him use the kitchen to brew his medicine but also ensuring that Qin Zhao had a share of whatever food the family cooked.

Though, half of it ended up in the little fish’s belly.

On the morning of the third day, Lin Daniu loaded the processed bamboo onto the cart.

The bamboo poles were long, and only a large cart could carry them. Forty poles would fill the cart.

In truth, they didn’t need so many for the fence, but transporting such a large cart required three oxen, and the cost to Linxi Village was fifty wen, regardless of how much was loaded.

Qin Zhao decided to have Lin Daniu fill the cart completely; the extra bamboo could be used to make a bamboo chair.

As for the price of the bamboo, Lin Daniu gave Qin Zhao the lowest rate due to the frequent business exchanges between him and Lin Changzhong.

The cost of the bamboo was three wen per pole, so a full cart came to one hundred and twenty wen. Including the processing fee, the total was one hundred and seventy wen.

So, each pole cost less than five wen.

Qin Zhao paid Lin Daniu a total of two hundred and forty wen, with the extra covering the costs of lodging and meals for the past few days.

The large cart carrying the bamboo moved much faster than the ox cart Qin Zhao drove himself and quickly disappeared from view.

Fortunately, the people Lin Daniu had hired were trustworthy, so there was no concern about the bamboo getting lost. Since they had set out an hour and a half earlier than when they came, Qin Zhao allowed the ox cart to move leisurely along the mountain road.

The little koi swam around in the bucket, occasionally splashing some water.

It was strange; after just two days away, he found himself feeling a hint of anticipation about returning home.

At some point, he had already started thinking of Qin Zhao’s house as his own.

Qin Zhao looked at him with a smile and softly asked, “Why are you so happy? Have you figured out how you’re going to prove it to me?”

Bringing up the old issue again.

The little koi’s swishing tail immediately came to a halt, and his mood visibly dropped.

Jing Li, of course, hadn’t forgotten about this, but he truly couldn’t think of a way to prove himself to Qin Zhao.

If it was about fulfilling Qin Zhao’s wishes and needs, the thing Qin Zhao needed most right now was money, but he couldn’t magically make money appear.

As for curing Qin Zhao’s illness…

He’s a koi fish, not a doctor.

But aside from that, he couldn’t think of anything else that Qin Zhao might need.

This was giving him a headache.

“Why do you look like that again?” Qin Zhao stopped the ox cart, turned around, reached into the water, and gently rubbed the little koi’s head. “Is it that you can’t think of anything, or that you’re unwilling?”

The little koi anxiously shook his head.

How could he be unwilling? He really just couldn’t think of anything!

“Can’t think of anything?” Qin Zhao asked. “You’re not lying to me, are you?”

The little koi shook his head even more vigorously.

But Qin Zhao continued to look at him with a smile and slowly said, “What about other things? Have you lied to me about anything else?”

The little koi froze instantly.

…He actually did have something…

Qin Zhao pretended not to notice the little koi’s sudden tension and continued in a serious tone, “That’s good. I really hate being lied to.”

He really hates being lied to.

Jing Li was so anxious he was about to cry.

Although he didn’t have bad intentions, the fact that he could turn into a human was something he had indeed kept hidden from Qin Zhao.

What… what should he do now…

Qin Zhao felt that his hint had been clear enough, so he didn’t say anything more and turned back to continue driving the ox cart.

If the little demon still didn’t get it after this, then he really was a fool.

Qin Zhao couldn’t help but chuckle to himself.