Ch 89: Transmigrated to become a Koi Husband

The three adults in the room froze simultaneously.

Chen Yanan’s eyes widened in shock as he fell off his stool. “It—it—it—!”

The little creature on the floor looked just a few months old, unsteady in his posture, with smooth, fair skin and no fish scales.

Clearly, he had transformed far better than his father had on his first try.

The little fish raised his head slowly and was the first to notice Qin Zhao. His large, round eyes were bright and dark, with faintly familiar features around the brows and nose that resembled Qin Zhao. He stretched out his chubby, lotus-root-like arms, waving them gently.

“Ee…ya…”

He seemed unaware of the changes in his body, startled by the sound he made, and then caught sight of his own plump little hand, tilting his head in confusion.

A puzzled expression appeared on his delicate face, his brows knitting tightly as tears welled up in his eyes.

The bare little creature sat on the floor and suddenly burst into a loud wail.

The baby’s cry snapped the three adults out of their daze, and Qin Zhao was the first to react. He quickly stepped forward and picked up the little one. “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. Daddy’s here.”

Ironically, his words of comfort only made the little one cry harder.

Fish don’t make sounds, so this was the first time Jing Li had ever heard his child cry since he was born. The sound tugged at his heart painfully. He wanted to hold the baby, but feared it would make him cry even harder, leaving him completely at a loss.

Meanwhile, Chen Yanan was still sitting on the ground, pale and dazed, looking as if he’d been frightened out of his wits.

Qin Zhao glanced around at the chaos in the room, feeling both helpless and amused.

This little troublemaker never gave anyone a moment’s peace.

Quickly deciding what to do, he sat down with the child in his arms and scooped up a spoonful of soft chicken porridge, blowing on it gently.

The little one’s attention was instantly drawn to the aroma, and he stopped crying.

“Ee…ya…”

With tears still clinging to his long lashes, he opened his mouth and let out a little hiccup.

Qin Zhao brought the spoon to his mouth.

After feeding the baby a small spoonful of porridge, Qin Zhao chuckled. “Such a little foodie—who could you have gotten that from?”

He cast a meaningful glance at Jing Li.

“It’s definitely not me,” Jing Li retorted instinctively, grumbling, “I’m not the one who likes causing trouble.”

The little one, oblivious to their conversation, reached out again, clinging to Qin Zhao, wanting more.

Qin Zhao wiped his tear-streaked face with his sleeve and scooped another spoonful of porridge.

Once he settled down, the little one looked even more well-behaved, and even more like Qin Zhao.

—Though a softer, rounder, baby-faced version.

Jing Li poked his chubby cheek and muttered, “Chubby.”

Qin Zhao chuckled.

“W-wait! Can someone please explain to me what’s going on?” Chen Yanan, still sitting on the floor, finally snapped out of his initial shock.

He looked at the two people who were already chatting away as if no one else was around, then glanced at the child in Qin Zhao’s arms, feeling his sanity on the verge of collapse. “What on earth is going on?!”

Jing Li: “…”

He almost forgot there was still someone else here.

Qin Zhao set down the spoon, calmly removed his outer robe to wrap the little one, who was still bare-bottomed, and handed him to Jing Li. Only then did he say, unhurriedly, “As you can see, this is my son.”

Jing Li naturally took over feeding the child and added, “And he’s my son too.”

“Right.” Qin Zhao nodded. “He was born by him.”

Chen Yanan: “???”

Chen Yanan got up from the floor, thought about it for a while, then exclaimed at Qin Zhao in shock, “Are you… a demon?!”

Qin Zhao: “…”

Jing Li: “…”

How on earth did this guy pass the last two exams with that brain of his?

“Wait… that’s not right…” Chen Yanan realized something, his gaze shifting to Jing Li.

The little fish’s appearance, the koi Qin Zhao released, and this unexpected husband in Qin Zhao’s home…

A sudden realization hit him. “It’s you!”

“Finally figured it out?” Jing Li sneered. “You used to try to feed me worms, remember?”

Chen Yanan: “…”

Qin Zhao pressed his fingers to his forehead and said, “Sit down. I’ll explain it to you slowly.”

Qin Zhao and Jing Li had long discussed whether or not to reveal the truth, having prepared themselves for the likelihood that they wouldn’t be able to keep it hidden forever.

After all, they had no way of knowing when the little fish would transform.

Judging by Jing Li’s transformation timeline, excluding the eighteen years he spent living in the modern world, it took nearly five years in this world from birth to his first transformation.

If it was the same for the little fish, there would be no way to hide it indefinitely.

For now, they avoided the topic to prevent complications, but if the time came when they couldn’t keep it secret, they’d simply have to tell the truth.

Qin Zhao explained everything in detail. Chen Yanan remained silent for a long time, as if struggling to process the overwhelming amount of information. He sat there in a daze before mumbling, “No wonder you didn’t want to sell him… He really isn’t something you could sell…”

Qin Zhao: “…”

The little one, now full and sleepy, clutched Jing Li’s hair and yawned.

Qin Zhao said, “Let’s take him inside.”

Jing Li nodded, carrying the child back to the inner courtyard.

Qin Zhao watched him leave, his smile fading slightly as he turned serious. “Yanan, I hope you’ll keep what I told you today a secret.”

Chen Yanan understood immediately. “I get it. If people found out about Sister-in-law’s identity, there would be trouble. Don’t worry—I won’t say a word.”

Qin Zhao: “Thank you.”

Chen Yanan glanced at the now-empty fish tank, thoughtful for a moment, before he suddenly brightened. “There’s one more thing I’d like to discuss.”

Qin Zhao asked, “What is it?”

Chen Yanan said, “Since our families are so close, how about we arrange a betrothal between our children?”

“…” Qin Zhao didn’t hesitate. “No.”

“Can’t you at least think it over? Do you have any sense of brotherhood?”

Qin Zhao: “No.”

“I’m really not after the koi’s good fortune; I just think your son is adorable, I swear!”

“…”

Qin Zhao could hardly believe it. After witnessing a fish transform into a human right before his eyes, the first thought in Chen Yanan’s mind was still about a childhood betrothal.

Leaving the chattering Chen Yanan in the front yard, he returned to the bedroom.

The little fish had already fallen asleep in Jing Li’s arms.

Though the little fish hadn’t transformed in all this time, Qin Zhao and Jing Li had still kept baby clothes and supplies on hand, just in case.

The child was swaddled in a cotton wrap Jing Li had sewn, with Jing Li leaning against the bed, gazing intently at his sleeping face.

Qin Zhao sighed inwardly.

His little husband had finally grown accustomed to the little fish’s form and had stopped staring at him endlessly. Now that the little fish had turned into a baby, they were back to square one.

Qin Zhao approached the bed and asked softly, “Are you tired from holding him? Want me to take over for a while?”

“Not tired.” Jing Li shook his head, his gaze fixed on the little one. “He looks so much like you.”

Qin Zhao laughed, “Like me? How so?”

“His eyebrows, his nose, his lips…” Jing Li looked from the baby to Qin Zhao, feeling a bit annoyed. “He doesn’t resemble me at all.”

This man’s genes were intimidatingly strong.

But Jing Li quickly comforted himself. “It’s good that he resembles you. You’re so good-looking.”

Qin Zhao leaned down, kissing the corner of Jing Li’s lips, then pressed their foreheads together. “I’d rather he didn’t look so much like me, so you wouldn’t be so taken with him that you’d forget about me.”

Jing Li chuckled, “So, in the end, you’re jealous of your own son. Pathetic.”

Qin Zhao just smiled and sat on the edge of the bed, pulling both his soft little husband and their son into his embrace.

Unlike Jing Li, who was naturally cool to the touch, the little fish had a normal baby’s warmth. It was a good thing—at least winter wouldn’t be as harsh for him as it was for Jing Li.

Resting his head against Qin Zhao’s chest, Jing Li murmured, “Now that he’s transformed, we should give him a name.”

“Yes, but there’s no rush,” Qin Zhao replied. “I still want to think it over.”

Jing Li: “You’ve been thinking for months.”

For someone like Mr. Qin, who could write poetry and essays effortlessly, delaying his own son’s name for months was nothing short of absurd.

“Wait,” Jing Li’s expression shifted as he remembered. “We were supposed to go check the results today.”

Qin Zhao paused, “Well, it’s already late. Let’s just wait for the official notice to arrive.”

“Official notice?”

Just as Qin Zhao was about to respond, Chen Yanan knocked on the door urgently. “Brother Qin, I hate to disturb you, but an official messenger has arrived. You need to come out and meet them.”

“They said you’ve achieved the top honor in all three exams!”

Chen Yanan’s loud exclamation almost woke the little fish. The baby stirred in Jing Li’s arms, and Qin Zhao soothed him, saying, “You stay with him inside; I’ll go take a look.”

Qin Zhao followed Chen Yanan to the front yard.

As they stepped into the courtyard, the sound of firecrackers erupted, filling the air with the vibrant red remnants of celebration.

The gate was open, and red paper bits from the firecrackers fluttered all around. Several officials stood just outside the gate, and upon seeing Qin Zhao, they clasped their hands in congratulation. “Congratulations to Mr. Qin on achieving the top honor in the lower triple crown!”

Qin Zhao returned their greeting and stepped aside to invite them in.

Outside Qin Zhao’s home were not only the officials delivering the good news but also a crowd of townspeople. There were scholars from the prefecture and a few middle-aged women adorned with hairpins and flowers, all eagerly peeking inside. When they spotted Qin Zhao, their faces lit up with delight.

Noticing this, Chen Yanan leaned close and whispered to Qin Zhao, “Those ladies are matchmakers from the city. When I opened the door, they mistook me for you and were practically fighting each other to hand me portraits.”

Scholars were common in the prefecture, but those who achieved the triple crown were rare. Moreover, as the Gu family’s tutor, Qin Zhao had quickly become the object of admiration for the young ladies in town.

Chen Yanan said, “No worries. I’ll handle these people. You go and attend to the officials inside.”

Qin Zhao glanced at him and said seriously, “Chen Yanan, no matter how courteous you are, I’m still not going to consider a marriage contract.”

“… Am I that obvious?” Chen Yanan covered his face in embarrassment.

Qin Zhao patted him on the shoulder, but just then, a voice interrupted, “No need. I’ll take care of things here.”

Jing Li walked over with long strides, and Qin Zhao asked, “What about the child?”

“He’s asleep inside.” Jing Li cast a glance outside, his expression somewhat cold. “Matters here seem more pressing.”

Qin Zhao heard the hint of annoyance in his tone and chuckled, clearing his throat. “Very well, I’ll leave this to you, then.”

With that, he turned and headed back into the courtyard.

Jing Li stepped outside, smiling faintly. “So, who here is eager to present a portrait to my esteemed scholar husband?”

The officials delivering the news were already seated in the main hall, where Qin Zhao took the congratulatory notice they had brought. He offered them tea and a small silver gratuity, completing the traditional process of accepting the good news.

As they were about to leave, one of the officials handed Qin Zhao an invitation. “The Mid-Autumn Festival is in a few days. The Prefect wishes to host a gathering at the hot spring villa outside the city to honor the top performers in this exam. We sincerely hope Mr. Qin will attend.”

The official added, “The event will last three days, and if you have family, they are welcome as well.”

Qin Zhao’s eyes glinted as he accepted the invitation.

“I’ll be honored to attend.”