Jingli swallowed.
He had never thought that Qin Zhao's smile could be so scary. Jing Li watched Qin Zhao walk to him and put his hand on the back of his neck.
Pinch it gently.
Jing Li's entire back felt numb instantly.
He raised his head and forced a smile: "You...how come you came back so soon..."
"Yes." Qin Zhao kneaded his neck gently as if he was holding a kitten, and asked softly, "Just now you said, if you don't stay, what will I do?"
"You just... you just..."
Jing Li originally wanted to say that if he refused to stay, Qin Zhao would pester him to the ends of the earth until he agreed.
But such words must not be said in front of Qin Zhao.
He didn't want to go home and be stewed into fish soup by this man.
The villagers were still looking in their direction. The two of them, one sitting and the other standing, looked at each other as if no one else was around, looking like a perfect couple.
But the atmosphere between this perfect couple is far from peaceful as everyone imagines.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Jing Li lowered his head: "... I was wrong."
Qin Zhao raised his eyebrows slightly.
"I was the one pursuing him." Jing Li said in a low voice, "Qin Zhao saved me before, and I've been in love with him ever since. Not only did I pester him, I also followed him to Linxi Village and refused to leave."
Everyone suddenly realized.
No wonder. Not to mention that Qin Zhao doesn't seem like that kind of person, with his physique, how could he travel thousands of miles to chase someone
It's almost the same if you switch it around.
Qin Zhao was very satisfied with the answer. He loosened his hand and gently touched the back of Jing Li's head.
This fish is not only stupid, but also cowardly.
Jing Li boasted a lot today and behaved very well the whole night. Even when Qin Zhao was reading or writing, he just watched quietly by the side without making any noise or dozing off.
Qin Zhao saw that he was reading intently, so he asked, "Can you read?"
Jing Li didn't want to admit that he was illiterate, but after looking at the ancient characters on the paper that he had never seen before, he shook his head honestly.
Qin Zhao was a little surprised: "You know the Four Books and Five Classics, but you can't read?"
But he soon had another guess: "Could it be because of your previous master's influence? The great monk who lived in Jiangling Mansion?"
Jing Li still shook his head.
He learned all this knowledge from modern times. His memory of this era began from the moment he traveled through time. As for the past, he could not remember anything.
He didn't even know the name of the temple or what the monk looked like.
"It's okay." Qin Zhao understood the feeling of not being able to remember the past, so he didn't ask any more questions. He just said, "It's quite far from here to Jiangling Prefecture. When I feel better, I can go with you. And..."
Qin Zhao said softly: "I always feel like I've been to Jiangling as well."
Jingli blinked.
Just now when Qin Zhao said he wanted to take him to Jiangling, he was still a little hesitant.
His original body was just a fish, and the monk who raised him has passed away. Even if he wanted to go and see him, there was no rush.
But once Qin Zhao's matter is involved, I have to go.
He wanted Qin Zhao to regain his memory so much.
"When can we go?" Jing Li asked.
Qin Zhao thought for a moment and said, "At least... we have to wait until April next year."
The Tongsheng exam was divided into three sessions: the county exam, the prefectural exam, and the academy exam. The county exam in February was held in the county town, while the prefectural exam in April had to be taken in the prefectural town.
The nearest prefecture to Linxi Village is Jiangling Prefecture.
It is only mid-May now, and there is still nearly a year until April next year.
"It will take a long time..."
Jing Li looked a little disappointed, but Qin Zhao smiled and said, "If you want to go to the prefectural capital, you have to pass the county exam. You think you're staying here too long, but aren't you worried that I won't pass?"
"Don't worry." Jing Li looked up at him, "My husband is so capable, I just need to consider whether you can win the Small Three Prizes, that's all."
Qin Zhao's hand holding the pen trembled, and the tip of the pen left a mark on the paper.
He looked back at the person kneeling beside the bed, who lost his innocent look and winked at him mischievously.
… He was avenging Qin Zhao for calling him “Madam” casually during the day.
Although I don’t know what’s going on in this little fish’s mind, why she thinks calling him husband is a form of revenge.
But it must be said that he succeeded.
Qin Zhao withdrew his gaze and stared at the winding ink mark on the paper. His heart could not calm down for a long time and he did not read a single word for a long time.
It was late at night, Qin Zhao didn't want to make things difficult for himself anymore, and closed the book.
He deliberately rinsed his face twice with cold water before returning to the bedroom. Jing Li had already moved the small wooden bucket to the table. The bright red koi swam twice on the water and wagged its tail at Qin Zhao.
Qin Zhao felt a little uneasy when he saw the fish body. He said "good night" casually and turned off the oil lamp on the table.
The moonlight poured into the cabin through the window. A little koi fish floated to the surface of the water, looking at the person on the bed with a pair of eyes.
After a while, the little koi jumped out of the barrel.
He was now very skilled at transforming into a human form. The little koi first jumped onto the dry towel on the table, rolled twice to wipe off the water droplets on its body, and then a faint red light flashed across its body.
A figure appeared in the house.
Jing Li casually grabbed the clothes placed aside and put them on, then tiptoed up from the foot of the bed. Just as he was about to get under the quilt from the side against the wall, a voice suddenly rang out in the darkness: "What are you doing?"
Jing Li was so scared that his whole body trembled and the back of his head hit the white wall behind him.
The sound of "thump" was particularly clear in the dark room. Jing Li was in so much pain that tears were about to come out. He fell down with his hands covering his head.
Qin Zhao quickly sat up and said, "Be careful. Let me see if you're hurt."
“Hmm…” Jing Li buried his face in the pillow and responded aggrievedly.
Qin Zhao touched the place where he was hurt and found no bleeding or swelling. He felt relieved and asked, "Why are you here so late at night?"
"I..." Jing Li raised one eye from the pillow and looked at him, curling his fingertips on the quilt, and whispered, "I want to sleep here."
Qin Zhao: “…”
Qin Zhao asked: "Why?"
"because… "
Because Qin Zhao felt so comfortable in his arms.
Jing Li's body has been on the cold side ever since he turned into a fish, and Qin Zhao's body temperature happened to be neither too cold nor too hot, so it felt just right to hold him in his arms, like a warm stove.
He didn't discover this until noon.
What a huge loss.
Qin Zhao didn't answer.
He sat on the bed, the moonlight blocked out by the window was dim, making the outline of his profile appear even deeper.
Jing Li looked at him for a long time, then reached out and tugged at his sleeve: "Qin Zhao..."
"The water is so cold, let me sleep here..."
"Husband..."
"..." Qin Zhao gritted his teeth, "Stop yelling."
Jing Li smiled secretly in his heart.
Who let this guy tease him during the day? He was obviously more susceptible to teasing than him. His sight was not blocked by the night at all, and he pretended to be surprised and said, "Your ears are red."
Qin Zhao: "...Are you still asleep?"
"Sleep, sleep, sleep, I won't say anything more!"
So, for the next few days, Qin Zhao's eyes were slightly blue and purple, and he was obviously a little depressed. Seeing him like this, Lin Changzhong was really worried, and secretly went to him to ask him to restrain himself at night, as his health was not good.
—The reputation cannot be saved at all.
On the other hand, Jing Li, after getting familiar with the village for a few days, gradually felt like a fish in water.
Not only did she go in and out with Qin Zhao every day, but she would also occasionally help him with odd jobs, such as delivering meals to the villagers at the construction site, or going to a villager's home to help Qin Zhao pass a message.
After getting to know people, Jing Li's personality gradually became more lively, and coupled with his good looks, he was very likable.
When you go out, you can even get feed from a lot of neighbors.
On this day, Jing Li went to the construction site as usual and delivered lunch before returning home.
It was almost time for a nap. Jing Li yawned sleepily. Just as he turned the corner, he saw a strange figure in front of his house.
He paused.
It's a woman.
He looks very young from the back.
The woman was knocking on the door gently. Jing Li blinked, didn't rush forward, took a step back and hid back in the alley.
Qin Zhao thought it was Jing Li who had returned. He opened the door with a smile, but when he saw the person in front of him, his expression froze for a moment. He stopped smiling and asked politely, "Who are you..."
"I... Aunt He asked me to deliver the clothes." The woman's cheeks became a little hot when she saw Qin Zhao's smile. She lowered her head awkwardly and took something out of the backpack. "These are the clothes you asked Aunt He to make before. Take a look... Is there anything else that needs to be altered?"
Qin Zhao looked at her and frowned slightly.
Although there was no rule in the village that women could not go out, unmarried women rarely met with adult men in private like this, so he did not know this woman.
As for why she was asked to deliver the clothes... Qin Zhao could roughly guess the reason.
He didn't say much, just took the clothes, simply counted the number, and took out a string of copper coins from the house and handed it to the woman.
Qin Zhao's voice was a little cold: "My husband hasn't come back yet. I'll let him try it out when he gets home. If there are any changes that need to be made, I'll go find Aunt He."
The woman looked a little disappointed and nodded: "Alright...Alright."
Seeing that she hadn't left yet, Qin Zhao asked again: "Is there anything else?"
"No, no... I'm leaving."
After the woman finished speaking, she turned and ran away without waiting for Qin Zhao’s response.
Qin Zhao: “…”
He sighed and raised his voice slightly: "How long do you want to see it?"
Jing Li turned out from the corner.
Qin Zhao used to be sick and poor, and the villagers looked down on him. Therefore, even though he had a good look, no one was willing to marry him.
It’s different now.
She rented land, built a house, and treated her newly married husband with great love. In a place like Linxi Village, such a man is already a top-notch commodity.
So what if I can't work? I can read, study, and know medicine. There are many ways to make money.
Jing Li touched his nose, feeling inexplicably unhappy.
These people now know they are planning to target his Qin Zhao. What were they doing before
He walked to the front of the house, and Qin Zhao asked, "Why didn't you come over just now?"
The little guy didn't know how to hide himself at all. Qin Zhao noticed him hiding in the corner when he opened the door. He didn't know what he was thinking.
Jing Li didn't admit it either, he looked away and whispered: "I didn't hide, I just got here."
Qin Zhao stared at him for a moment, but did not expose him. He just said, "Come in and try on the clothes to see if there is anything that needs to be altered."
Aunt He has good dressmaking skills and her clothes are very well-fitting. There are long gowns for daily wear and shorts for work, but Jing Li's favorite is the pomegranate red coat.
Ancient clothes were rather difficult to wear, and Jing Li had been wearing them for so many days but was still not used to how to tie the clothes.
Qin Zhao helped him put on the clothes.
The pair of slender fingers held the laces on both sides and skillfully wrapped them around the waist several times, tying them tightly. Qin Zhao was originally tall, so he had to bend down slightly at this moment, and his breath sprayed on Jing Li's ears, making him feel a little itchy.
But Qin Zhao seemed to be unaware of it. After helping him tie his belt, he straightened his collar.
Jing Li's skin is very white, and the skin on his neck is so white that it is almost transparent, and you can even see the light blue blood vessels under the skin.
Qin Zhao's eyes wandered over it for a moment, but he couldn't help feeling a little regretful.
Jing Li has now figured out the pattern of transformation. As long as he soaks in the water for an hour every day, eats well and sleeps well, fish scales will no longer appear on his body.
Qin Zhao hadn't seen this beautiful man with fish scales on his body for a long time.
Qin Zhao was too close, Jing Li stepped back a little and spoke softly: "Qin Zhao..."
"Um?"
"That girl just now..."
Qin Zhao burst out laughing.
He stood up and said in a teasing tone, "I thought you could hold it in for a long time, but it's not even a cup of tea."
"I, I'm just curious!" Jing Li's ears felt a little hot, and he said, "She seems to be interested in you."
Qin Zhao said calmly: "But I'm not interested in her."
"Why?" Jing Li asked curiously, "Don't you like girls?"
Qin Zhao nodded calmly.
Jing Li was a little surprised at first, but then he quickly reacted: "That's right, you seem to like Shuang'er."
He still remembered that Qin Zhao's previous wish was to have a husband.
There is no Shuang'er in Linxi Village, so he has not had the opportunity to help Qin Zhao realize his wish, but he has never forgotten what he promised.
"No." Qin Zhao lowered his eyes to look at him and said softly, "I don't like Shuang'er either."
Jingli blinked.
If you don't like Shuang'er, then why do you say you want a husband
Wait, he said he doesn’t like women, and he doesn’t like Shuang’er either.
Could it be that... Qin Zhao actually likes men
Jing Li looked up at the person in front of him and suddenly felt a little worried.
These days he had intentionally inquired about Shuang'er's affairs and knew that Shuang'er did not have a high status in this era. To put it another way, if Qin Zhao took a fancy to a Shuang'er from another family, it would not be difficult for him to marry her.
But now, once I become a man...
Although it is not that men cannot get married, which man would be willing to marry another man for no reason, especially in a small mountain village where people focus on passing on the family line.
So difficult.
Where should he find a man for Qin Zhao to marry