Ch 37: Transmigrated to become a Koi Husband

Li Hongyu quickly sensed this as well.

Led into the courtyard by the handsome little spouse, he looked up and was met with a cold gaze.

Qin Zhao sat on the bamboo chair, staring at him across the water, his eyes as cold as ice.

Li Hongyu: “…”

Why does he seem even angrier than yesterday???

In truth, Li Hongyu had acted impulsively the day before. After calming down, he realized that his actions had gone too far.

Not only had he violated village rules, but he had also caused significant trouble for his family.

If Qin Zhao were to reveal the incident, it would ruin A Xiu’s reputation and make it impossible for his family to stay in Linxi Village.

To be honest, Li Hongyu didn’t have a high opinion of Qin Zhao.

What did this sickly man have? No money, no land, unable to work the fields, and constantly bedridden. Other than his good looks, there was nothing remarkable about him.

But what good are looks? Can they put food on the table?

He couldn’t understand why A Xiu was always talking about Qin Zhao.

Already disliking Qin Zhao, Li Hongyu’s feelings had only worsened after hearing that A Xiu had been turned away. His sister had never been treated like this in the village.

In short… he acted on impulse and wanted to teach Qin Zhao a lesson.

But he never expected his luck to be so bad—not only did he get caught in the act, but he also accidentally broke his hand. And now, he had to come and apologize in person.

It was utterly humiliating.

Li Hongyu remained silent for a moment. Qin Zhao’s little spouse ignored him as well, quickly crossing the stone bridge to Qin Zhao’s side. “You… you’re awake already?”

There was a hint of guilt in his voice.

Of course, Jing Li felt guilty—he had almost done something improper while hovering over Qin Zhao just moments ago.

Had Qin Zhao been awakened by the sound of the door? If so… when he was about to misbehave earlier, Qin Zhao surely hadn’t been awake, right?

Jing Li nervously looked at Qin Zhao.

Qin Zhao met Jing Li’s gaze, and most of his anger dissipated. He averted his eyes and said calmly, “I was sleeping well until someone woke me up.”

Whether that “someone” referred to Jing Li or the troublemaker who interrupted them was something only Qin Zhao knew.

He didn’t say more, instead extending his hand to Jing Li. “Help me up.”

Jing Li quickly helped him to his feet.

Qin Zhao started to head toward the main house, but a voice stopped him. “Qin Zhao!”

Li Hongyu had never been so blatantly ignored before. He took a few quick steps to stand in front of Qin Zhao and said, “You wanted me to come and apologize in person, so here I am. Can you… can you accept my apology?”

It was probably his first time formally apologizing to someone, and his tone was incredibly stiff, his expression even more unpleasant.

Qin Zhao glanced at him coldly and said, “I don’t hear any sincerity in that apology.”

With that, he squeezed Jing Li’s hand, and Jing Li helped him walk right past Li Hongyu without another word.

“If you don’t accept it, I’ll stand here until you do!” Li Hongyu shouted.

But the two didn’t even pause, quickly entering the house and shutting the door behind them with a loud bang.

Li Hongyu: “…”

“He’s still in the courtyard,” Jing Li said, peeking out the window.

Qin Zhao changed his clothes and replied indifferently, “He won’t dare leave. What will happen to his sister if he does?”

Jing Li asked, “Are you really going to keep tormenting him like this? His hand is still broken…”

“It wasn’t necessary initially.”

This wasn’t a major issue. Originally, Qin Zhao only wanted Li Hongyu to come and apologize in person, but who would’ve thought that this troublemaker would pick such an inconvenient time to show up…

Qin Zhao’s gaze lingered on Jing Li for a moment before he casually looked away.

A little lesson wouldn’t hurt.

The young man was still peering out the window, and Qin Zhao frowned slightly in displeasure. “Why are you so concerned about him?”

“I’m not concerned about him,” Jing Li replied, sneaking one last glance outside, before adding with some concern, “I just planted those flowers—what if he gets angry and pulls them all out again?”

Qin Zhao: “…”

So he was worried about his flowers.

Qin Zhao sat down on the bed and patted the spot beside him. “Come lie down with me for a bit.”

Jing Li hesitated, “But I’m not sleepy.”

“But I am,” Qin Zhao said, his gaze fixed on him.

After a moment of staring at each other, Jing Li sighed and gave in. “Alright…”

He couldn’t help but feel that Qin Zhao had become increasingly unreasonable lately.

But it also made him feel a bit more human.

They lay down side by side on the bed, and Qin Zhao naturally turned over, his arm wrapping around Jing Li’s waist.

Jing Li: “!”

“Don’t move…” Qin Zhao’s eyes were already closed, his voice soft and filled with exhaustion as if he was truly worn out.

Jing Li looked up at his pale face and suddenly felt a twinge of regret.

Qin Zhao’s health hadn’t fully recovered, and he shouldn’t have made him help with the flower planting.

With that thought, Jing Li relaxed, letting Qin Zhao pull him into his embrace.

The afternoon courtyard was quiet, with only a gentle breeze carrying the faint scent of bamboo leaves through the slightly open window. Jing Li could hear his heart beating too quickly in his chest, but it soon returned to a steady rhythm.

Perhaps it was the soothing environment, but sleepiness soon crept up on Jing Li, and he let out a soft yawn.

He buried his head in Qin Zhao’s chest, found a comfortable position, and soon drifted off to sleep as well.

The weather in summer changes rapidly. After about an hour, Jing Li was woken up by the sound of heavy rain.

He opened his eyes to find Qin Zhao already sitting up.

“It’s raining…” Jing Li rubbed his eyes and sat up as well. Qin Zhao was gazing out the window.

Amid the rain, a figure still stood.

Li Hongyu, who was not yet twenty, was sturdy and about the same height as Qin Zhao. His left arm was in a sling around his neck, and he stood there in the rain, straight as a rod.

Jing Li was surprised. “He’s still out there?”

“He’s got some spirit,” Qin Zhao said calmly, withdrawing his gaze. “Let him in. I’ll find him some dry clothes.”

A moment later, Li Hongyu was sitting at the table, wrapped in Qin Zhao’s clothes. Qin Zhao was reapplying medicine and rebandaging his arm.

“Ah… be gentle!” Li Hongyu grimaced in pain.

“Bear with it,” Qin Zhao said calmly. “I’ve heard you’ve been going hunting with your father since you were very young. Can’t handle this bit of pain?”

“Hunting doesn’t involve breaking your arm…” Li Hongyu grumbled. “It’s strange, though. I’ve walked that path dozens, if not hundreds of times, and I’ve never fallen. Why did I fall yesterday…?”

Jing Li was carrying a bowl of medicinal soup into the room when he overheard this, pausing in his steps.

Qin Zhao glanced at him, his expression composed. “Those who do evil will inevitably bring disaster upon themselves.”

“What does that mean?” Li Hongyu asked.

Qin Zhao: “…”

“I really don’t get you scholars, always speaking in riddles. What’s that?” Li Hongyu pointed at the bowl of medicinal soup in Jing Li’s hands.

“Ginger tea,” Qin Zhao replied. “The rain has lightened up. Drink it and then head back.”

Li Hongyu gulped down the entire bowl of ginger tea in one go and then asked, “And about my sister…”

Qin Zhao said, “I won’t trouble a woman or damage a young girl’s reputation without reason.”

“With those words, I’m relieved.” Li Hongyu stood up and said, “I thought about it just now, and it’s true that my family was in the wrong. If it wasn’t for my mother and aunt’s bad idea, things wouldn’t have escalated like this. I’m sorry.”

Qin Zhao nodded.

Li Hongyu picked up his soaked clothes with his right hand and glanced at the empty soup bowl on the table. “You know, I think you’re actually not a bad person.”

He paused, then added with a smile, “Why not really consider it? If you and my sister were to get together, you’d be my brother-in-law, and I’d have your back in the village.”

Qin Zhao: “…”

Jing Li: “…”

“If you say one more word…” Qin Zhao looked at him, his gaze cold.

Li Hongyu was about the same height as Qin Zhao, but from years of running wild in the mountains, his skin was tanned, and he was much more robust. Yet, under Qin Zhao’s glare, he felt a bit uneasy.

“Uh, I didn’t mean anything by it, just joking, just joking.” Li Hongyu forced a smile and hurriedly said, “I’ll get going now, and I’ll return the clothes another day!”

With that, he quickly made his exit.

The rain eased off a bit near dusk, but by nightfall, it had intensified again.

Fortunately, when Qin Zhao built the courtyard, he had ensured good drainage, so there was no standing water, and the newly planted flowers were not significantly affected.

Jing Li sat by the door, watching the rain, and said, “If I’d known it was going to rain tonight, I wouldn’t have bothered watering the flowers at noon. The rain would’ve taken care of it.”

Qin Zhao, who was sitting at the writing desk in the bedroom, looked up and said, “You’re a fish, not a weather forecaster.”

“That’s true…”

Jing Li walked over to Qin Zhao’s side and leaned in to take a look. “What are you drawing?”

Qin Zhao replied, “A flood control dam and drainage channels.”

Jing Li was shocked. “To prevent flooding?”

Qin Zhao calmly explained, “When we came back from the fields today, I paid special attention. Linxi Village is built by the water, and this section of the river is relatively narrow, which is why the water tends to overflow the banks when it rises.”

The drawing in Qin Zhao’s hand depicted that section of the river outside the village. His finger traced the lines on the paper as he patiently explained, “If we widen the river here, raise the embankment, and broaden the drainage channels in the fields by three feet…”

Qin Zhao seemed extremely knowledgeable about this subject. After his simple explanation, Jing Li also thought it seemed feasible. But he was still puzzled…

“Why do you know all of this? What did you do before?” Jing Li asked, bewildered.

“I…” Qin Zhao looked down at the drawing and shook his head. “A few years ago, I was too ill to pay attention to these things. But recently, in my spare time, I’ve been thinking about ways to protect the village from flooding, and as I thought about it, this method suddenly came to mind, as if…”

As if he had used it before.

Qin Zhao pressed his lips together and didn’t continue speaking.

Jing Li didn’t press further either and instead lowered his head to continue examining the drawing. Qin Zhao’s blueprint was incredibly detailed, but it was clear that constructing the embankment would be a large project, far beyond what one or two people could accomplish.

Moreover…

Jing Li asked, “If we raise the embankment and widen the drainage channels here, won’t that reduce the amount of land available to the villagers?”

“Yes.”

This was also something Qin Zhao was considering.

Most people in the village relied on farming for their livelihood, and their fields were their lifeline. If Qin Zhao’s plan were implemented, many villagers’ farmland would be affected.

Qin Zhao said, “I’ll go talk to the village chief about it tomorrow.”

The next day was sunny, and Qin Zhao went to the village chief’s house early in the morning.

He arrived just as the village chief was about to leave.

“Village chief, are you going to the county town?” Qin Zhao asked.

The village chief was carrying a small bundle, clearly prepared for a long journey. He didn’t hide anything and nodded, “This year’s rainfall is even heavier than usual, so I need to go see the county magistrate and see if we can take some precautions. Did you come to see me about something, Qin Zhao?”

Qin Zhao replied, “Yes, it’s about this matter.”

Qin Zhao took out the drawing he had made the previous night and showed it to the village chief. After looking it over, the village chief was equally surprised. “You even know about water management?”

“I know a little,” Qin Zhao modestly replied, without going into further detail. “Since you’re going to the county town, why not present this to the magistrate? If we can get support from the county, the work would be much easier.”

The village chief hesitated for a moment, then set down his bundle. “If you’re certain that this blueprint is the only solution to the flooding problem, then I can’t rush off to the county.”

The village chief didn’t know much about water management, but Qin Zhao’s blueprint was clear enough that he could see the implications at a glance. According to the plan, the farmers’ fields would suffer significant losses.

The village chief said, “Qin Zhao, this matter affects a lot of people. I can’t make this decision on my own.”

As the head of the village, his primary responsibility was to protect the villagers’ interests and respect their wishes.

After some thought, the village chief suggested, “How about this: you leave the blueprint with me, and over the next few days, I’ll go door to door and discuss it with everyone. If everyone agrees to this plan, I’ll go to the county to request assistance. What do you think?”

This was indeed the most appropriate course of action, and Qin Zhao replied, “I’ll follow your lead, village chief.”

The village chief then asked Qin Zhao for more details about the construction of the embankment, and the two of them discussed the matter at length in the village chief’s home for about an hour before Qin Zhao finally took his leave.

As for the village chief, he didn’t even bother to pack his things and immediately set out to visit the farmers with Qin Zhao’s blueprint.

Qin Zhao was just an ordinary villager now, and he had done all he could. The rest was out of his hands.

Convincing the villagers to agree to this plan was no easy task. The village chief spent the next few days busy with this, only occasionally sending someone to Qin Zhao’s home to update him on the progress.

However, in the few days of delay, there were several more rainstorms, and the creek water was already starting to rise.

One afternoon, it began to rain again. Jing Li finished writing the last character on a piece of paper and held it up for Qin Zhao to see. “I’ve finished! This time, it’s definitely perfect!”

The paper was densely filled with a passage from The Thousand Character Classic that Jing Li had just copied out.

Qin Zhao took it and carefully reviewed it, finding no mistakes. He nodded. “You’re learning very quickly.”

Jing Li was full of pride. If he were in his fish form, his tail would probably be wagging in the air. “This is stuff for kids, so of course, it’s easy to learn.”

Qin Zhao was about to hand him another elementary book when he paused and said, “Why don’t you try reading something for the Tongsheng exam instead?”

Jing Li was taken aback. “Huh?”

Elementary books were meant for children to learn to read, using a limited number of simple characters. Jing Li had some basic knowledge, so it was easy for him. But precisely because it was easy, it lacked a bit of challenge.

Qin Zhao, having gauged Jing Li’s abilities over the past few days, realized that Jing Li could probably handle more advanced texts, even the Four Books and Five Classics.

With that in mind, Qin Zhao got up to find a more challenging book on the shelf.

Jing Li was so frightened that his legs went weak. He quickly grabbed Qin Zhao’s sleeve. “No, no! Just listening to you read those gives me a headache—I don’t want to read them!”

He just wanted to learn a few characters, not prepare for the imperial exams!

Jing Li clung to Qin Zhao’s sleeve, his voice softening. “Qin Zhao…”

“Be good, this will help you learn to read faster.” Qin Zhao ignored the little fish’s pleading and pulled a thick printed book from the shelf. “How about this Spring and Autumn Annals?”

Jing Li felt breathless just looking at its thickness and shook his head. “Something else.”

“Then The Rites of Zhou.”

“Change again, something thinner.”

“Then…” Qin Zhao’s gaze searched the bookshelf, and his eyes suddenly froze when he spotted a particular book.

Jing Li followed his gaze and also saw the book, his eyes lighting up. “I think this one looks good!”

Before Qin Zhao could stop him, Jing Li quickly reached out and pulled the book from the shelf.

This book was at least half as thin as The Spring and Autumn Annals, only slightly thicker than the elementary books, so it must be easy to learn.

Jing Li was very pleased with its thickness. He looked down, furrowing his brows as he read two of the characters on the cover that he recognized. “Spring… something? What a strange title. What do these two characters say?”

Qin Zhao: “…”

xxx

Thandar: so it’s a SMUT? 😈