Ch 111: Transmigrated to become a Koi Husband

Jing Li exchanged a glance with Little fry, and in the child’s eyes, he saw a certain unmistakable similarity to himself.

…Truly father and son.

Jing Li quickly came up with a plan.

He picked up Little fry and approached the youth, tentatively starting, “Excuse me…”

The blush on the youth’s face hadn’t yet faded. Hearing Jing Li address him, he looked up like a startled rabbit and even stammered a bit as he responded, “W-what is it?”

“I just wanted to ask where you got those pastries,” Jing Li said, gesturing toward the child in his arms and adding apologetically, “My little one here has a sweet tooth.”

“These?” The youth awkwardly touched his nose and replied, “I… I made them myself.”

Jing Li blinked in surprise.

He had made them himself? The youth was incredibly skilled.

But that also meant they couldn’t be bought anywhere.

A hint of disappointment flickered in Jing Li’s eyes. Little fry, understanding the situation, immediately furrowed his brows as well.

Their expressions were identical.

Although both Qin Zhao and Jing Li doted on their child, they never neglected basic discipline. Little fry had long been taught that if he wanted something, he should ask his family and not demand it from strangers.

If he couldn’t get what he wanted, throwing a tantrum was never an acceptable solution.

The little one didn’t cry or fuss but instead turned his head and buried his face in Jing Li’s chest, softly whimpering, “Let’s go…”

At such a young age, he already understood the concept of looking away to avoid disappointment.

Jing Li was about to thank the youth and leave when the latter suddenly pushed the pastries toward them, speaking in a soft voice, “W-would you like to take half?”

The youth seemed unsure how to interact with others and was so nervous that his ears turned red, barely daring to meet Jing Li’s gaze.

Jing Li hesitated. “Are you sure?”

“Y-yes, of course.” The youth mustered his courage, picked up a rabbit-shaped pastry, and offered it to Jing Li with a smile. “I made plenty.”

Jing Li was a little uncertain.

He wasn’t as naïve as he used to be, and with his son in tow, he was even more cautious. Accepting food from strangers was something he was particularly wary of, especially after everything that had happened with the Ji family.

Noticing Jing Li’s hesitation, the youth broke one of the pastries in half, revealing a golden, molten sugar filling that oozed like liquid sunshine. He popped one half into his own mouth and handed the other half to Jing Li. “Try it. It’s really good.”

Little fry clung to Jing Li’s neck, glancing eagerly at the youth and then at Jing Li, but he didn’t dare reach out to take the pastry until his little dad gave him permission.

Jing Li, seeing the longing on his son’s face, sighed helplessly. “Go ahead, take it. And remember to say thank you to the nice uncle.”

“Thank you… uncle!” Little Yu said obediently.

The youth smiled and invited them to join his table.

Jing Li first paid for their tea but also offered to pay the youth for the pastries, which the latter declined. “No need, these pastries didn’t cost much to make.”

It was then that Jing Li noticed that although the youth’s attire was simple, the fabric was of excellent quality. His family seemed well-off.

Jing Li introduced himself. “I’m Jing Li. May I ask your name, young master?”

“Just call me A-Zi,” the youth replied.

“Do you live nearby? I don’t think I’ve seen you around before,” Jing Li asked.

“No,” A-Zi shook his head. “I recently moved to the city and now live in the southern part of town. I rarely come to this side.”

“Ah, I see…” Jing Li nodded.

As the adults chatted, Little fry sat on Jing Li’s lap, happily devouring the pastries. The little rabbit-shaped treats were exquisitely made, with soft white dough and fragrant, creamy molten sugar filling that occasionally dripped onto his fingers, which he quickly licked clean.

Jing Li couldn’t help but be distracted by the sight.

He wanted to eat one.

But he was too embarrassed to ask.

Meanwhile, Little fry had already finished his second pastry and was reaching for a third.

Jing Li: “…”

“Yu (fish),” Jing Li said sourly, “don’t eat so much.”

Little fry retracted his hand, balled it into a small fist, and looked up at Jing Li with pitiful eyes. “Hungry…”

“…”

It sounded as if he hadn’t been fed properly.

Jing Li pinched his son’s chubby cheek with mock annoyance. “Didn’t you just have lunch earlier?”

A-Zi, clearly charmed by Little fry’s cuteness, chuckled with amusement. “His name is Yu? How adorable…”

“Yes, my little glutton,” Jing Li said, poking his soft, squishy son.

“Let him eat,” A-Zi said warmly. “Kids should eat as much as they like.” He handed another pastry to Little fry and then, to Jing Li’s surprise, offered one to him as well. “You have one too, Jing Li.”

Jing Li, delighted and feeling quite spoiled, instantly forgot his earlier reprimand. “Sure!”

Jing Li and A-Zi chatted casually while eating, and it quickly became apparent that A-Zi wasn’t as reserved as he initially seemed.

While A-Zi appeared shy with strangers, once he warmed up, he became quite talkative and seemed to drop his guard entirely.

“I’ve been here all day—it’s so boring. Thank goodness I have you to talk to,” A-Zi said.

Jing Li asked, “Are you meeting someone?”

This teahouse rarely attracted people coming alone. Since A-Zi didn’t live nearby yet had brought pastries and ordered tea, it seemed likely he was expecting someone.

A-Zi shook his head. “No.”

“Then are you waiting for someone?”

A-Zi hesitated before mumbling, “Kind of.”

Sensing that A-Zi wasn’t eager to discuss the matter further, Jing Li didn’t press him and shifted his gaze elsewhere.

The teahouse was located by the street, not far from Jing Li’s home. From their table, one could see the street outside his house—and even the front gate itself.

Jing Li blinked.

He had occasionally sat here with Qin Zhao in the past, but he’d never noticed that this particular table had such a direct view of their gate. A strange feeling began to rise within him. Glancing at A-Zi out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that the youth’s gaze occasionally drifted toward the direction of his house.

Jing Li: “…”

…Was it just his imagination?

Jing Li took his eyes off A-Zi and asked cautiously, “So, how much longer do you plan to stay here?”

“I’m not sure. It depends on when the person I’m waiting for comes out,” A-Zi sighed. “You see, I brought pastries just in case I’d have to wait a while.”

Jing Li: “…”

It wasn’t his imagination.

This person was definitely staking out his house!

Jing Li sipped his tea silently, his guard now up.

From the looks of it, A-Zi must be watching Qin Zhao. Given Qin Zhao’s poor health and limited appearances in public, A-Zi must have made careful preparations to stake out this location.

But if A-Zi had done his homework, how could he not recognize Jing Li?

And more importantly, why was Qin Zhao being targeted?

Was this related to the Ji family incident?

Although Jing Li didn’t know why Ji Zhifei had ultimately confessed, he was aware that many in the city believed Qin Zhao’s public appeal to reopen the case had played a critical role. In other words, Qin Zhao was seen as the indirect cause of the Ji family’s downfall.

The Ji family’s business empire had extensive connections in the city, so it was possible that someone with vested interests bore a grudge against him.

But if it was out of resentment, why was A-Zi simply waiting here without taking action?

Qin Zhao rarely left the house, and even his occasional trips to the Gu residence were conducted in a carriage sent by the Gu family. What could A-Zi possibly hope to achieve by waiting here?

Moreover, from his casual chat with the youth, Jing Li could tell that A-Zi was slow to warm up but spoke and acted with poise. He didn’t seem like a typical street dweller, and even less like someone with ill intent.

How strange…

Jing Li couldn’t make sense of it. After pondering for a moment, he decided to probe. “Waiting here indefinitely isn’t a solution. How about I help you?”

“Help me?” A-Zi blinked. “How?”

“I live nearby, so I’m more familiar with the area than you are. Why don’t you tell me who you’re looking for? Maybe I can help you find them,” Jing Li offered.

“But…” A-Zi hesitated.

He stayed silent for so long that Jing Li had already prepared his next line of questioning. Just as he was about to speak, A-Zi seemed to steel himself and said, “Alright, I’ll tell you.”

“Do you know Qin Zhao, the local Triple Top Scholar?” A-Zi asked.

Jing Li: “…”

Did he just give it away so easily?

Feeling unexpectedly guilty, Jing Li averted his gaze. “Y-yeah, I know him…”

“Who in this city doesn’t?” A-Zi said, glancing around as if checking for eavesdroppers before leaning forward slightly. “I’m going to tell you an exclusive secret, but you mustn’t share it with anyone.”

“About Qin Zhao?” Jing Li asked.

“Of course,” A-Zi said, lowering his voice conspiratorially. With a dramatic air, he continued, “I’ve got solid evidence. Qin Zhao is actually Mr. Zhao Li.”

Jing Li: “…”

Jing Li: “???”