Jing Li soon felt the benefits of his hand injury.
“…Open your mouth.” Qin Zhao scooped a spoonful of porridge, blew it cool, and fed it to Jing Li’s mouth.
The porridge is made of rice with a few chopped vegetable leaves and a few drops of sesame oil, cooked until it is soft and tasty.
Jing Li drank it in one gulp and his stomach felt warm.
He really still likes this feeling. He does nothing every day, but someone takes care of everything for him and feeds him.
How nice it would be to be a pet and have free food and drink.
Qin Zhao smiled softly and fed him another spoonful: "Do you want to be my pet or my husband?"
Jing Li accidentally said what was in his heart, and he was not embarrassed. He thought seriously for a moment: "Can't I have both? Half and half!"
Qin Zhao paused, as if thinking of something, and tilted his head to the side and coughed lightly.
Jing Li: “?”
"Half and half means..." Qin Zhao said slowly, "Be a pet during the day and a husband at night?"
Jing Li: “…”
He was stunned for a moment before he realized what Qin Zhao meant, and his ears turned red instantly.
This, this, this—how can this person say such obscene things!
Jing Li glared at the man in front of him in shame and anger. He used to think that this man was serious and pure, and had no such thoughts at all!
"Okay, don't be angry." Qin Zhao quickly smoothed over his anger, "I was just joking."
Jing Li: “Huh.”
Qin Zhao: "Not eating anymore?"
Jing Li: “…Yes.”
After dinner, it was time for Jing Li to learn to read. With his hands wrapped like this, he couldn't write, so Jing Li took a break and asked Qin Zhao to read to him.
In fact, Jingli now knows quite a few words.
After all, he had studied for a few years in modern times and had basic learning ability. Although he could not have a photographic memory and a strong memorization like Qin Zhao, simple literacy was not too difficult for him.
Therefore, after studying for a few months, normal reading life will not be a problem unless you encounter particularly unfamiliar words.
He pestered Qin Zhao to read to him just to act like a spoiled child.
Moreover, now that he can speak and make choices freely, he no longer has to listen to Qin Zhao reading those boring and difficult scriptures like he did when he was a koi.
“…The second book over there.” Jing Li pointed to one of the shelves on the top of the bookshelf.
His bookcase was very large, almost taking up the entire wall behind the desk. Most of it was filled with Qin Zhao's medical books and books for the imperial examinations, with only a small column of books belonging to him.
The copy of "Monster Records" had been thrown to the innermost part, gathering dust, while the rest were storybooks he had bought from the bookstore.
There was a small incident when I bought these storybooks.
When the clerk in the bookstore heard that Jing Li wanted to buy a storybook, he almost led him directly to the bookshelf where "Spring Boudoir Secrets" was displayed. Fortunately, Qin Zhao stopped him in time.
Fortunately, Jing Li still hasn't figured out the difference between the writing of "瑰" and "闱", so the secret is kept for the time being.
Qin Zhao took the storybook that Jing Li asked for, turned around and saw that his Xiaoyu was already lying on the bed with a quilt in her arms.
…be fully prepared to listen to the story.
Jing Li came back too late today, and it was already dark. Qin Zhao placed the oil lamp on the bedside and handed the book to Jing Li. Jing Li quickly found the page he had read before and pointed to it: "Start from here."
Most of the popular vernacular novels nowadays talk about love and romance, and they particularly prefer stories that are romantic, lingering, and tragic. When read by Qin Zhao's serious voice, they not only do not feel touching, but are just funny.
When Jing Li heard him read a storybook for the first time, he almost rolled off the bed with laughter.
But even so, Jing Li still enjoys it.
"There are too few nighttime leisure and entertainment options in the village, so we have to find something fun during the long night," said Jing Li.
Qin Zhao had some objections to this.
Obviously, reading some scriptures and practicing calligraphy can also be considered as a way to pass the time. At worst, it would be fun for the two of them to go to the yard together to drink tea and enjoy the moon.
On this matter, Jing Li and the ancient people could not reach a consensus. He could only rely on Qin Zhao's favor on him. When Qin Zhao proposed to do these things, he would go up to him and kiss and hug him, and pester someone to read a storybook to him.
"… The fox's tail had been wrapped around Wang Sheng's waist without him noticing, and the fine hair on the tail tip was gently scratching along the hem of his clothes. Wang Sheng's face turned red, and he could hear the fox saying in his ear, 'My benefactor, why don't you take a look at the little fox? Is it because the little fox is not pretty enough?'… "
Qin Zhao couldn't read any more.
What are all these
He clearly told his friend to help Xiaoyu find some stories that were not too outrageous. Is this the book he recommended
Moreover, the demon fox in this story book is clearly a man, right? ?
Qin Zhao closed the book "The Fox Demon's Gratitude" and pressed his eyebrows: "Xiao Yu, read another one, this one is too-"
Turning my head to look over, I saw Jing Li curled up on the bed, already asleep.
Qin Zhao: “…”
No wonder Jing Li didn't laugh at all today. He thought he had made progress in reading the storybook, but it turned out that he had fallen asleep a long time ago.
It seems that he is really exhausted.
Qin Zhao didn't know whether to be amused or helpless. He put the book aside and pulled the quilt over him.
When he moved, Jing Li also moved in a daze: "Have you finished reading?"
"Well, I've finished reading it."
Jing Li couldn't even open his eyes, and asked vaguely: "Are the fox demon and the scholar together?"
"..." Qin Zhao remained calm, "They got together, and they lived a happy life in the end."
"That's good… "
Jing Li responded, turned his head, and fell asleep again immediately.
Qin Zhao: “…”
Qin Zhao sighed silently, picked up the oil lamp beside the bed, and returned to the desk.
The next morning, just as the two finished their breakfast, the farmer who was collecting straw came to their door.
Straw can be used as feed, but Qin Zhao's family doesn't raise pigs or cattle, so it's useless. This season is the time when every household clears the fields and prepares to plant wheat. There are families in nearby villages who raise pigs, so they collect straw from every household at this time.
Jing Li had negotiated a price with them earlier: 23 cents for a cart of straw. The corn stalks in his field could fill three to four carts.
The farmers who came were villagers from Huaixia Village downstream. Qin Zhao's repair of the embankment was beneficial to them downstream. The villagers of Huaixia Village were now grateful to him and kept talking to Qin Zhao as soon as they arrived.
"Qin Zhao, I'm sorry for some misunderstandings about you before." A dark and thin farmer said to Qin Zhao.
Jing Li felt that he looked familiar. After thinking for a while, he finally remembered that this man was the fishmonger who wanted to chop him up when he was in the town!
The fishmonger smiled bitterly and said, "My wife is from the distant Chen family of your Linxi Village. I heard some rumors before, so... Anyway, I'm really sorry for all these years."
Qin Zhao shook his head: "It's okay, don't mind it."
Even in the past, he didn't care about the villagers' misunderstanding and exclusion of him. After all, he needed help at that time, and some things were really hard to explain. Moreover, if it weren't for the fishmonger, he wouldn't have met Jing Li.
The previous misunderstanding has long been cleared up.
Jing Li was watching the attitudes of these farmers from behind the crowd, feeling a little emotional.
Only a few months have passed, and everyone's opinion of Qin Zhao has completely changed.
very nice.
The farmers had to go to other places to collect straw, so they didn't delay for too long. They had already inspected the goods when they talked to Jing Li before, so they paid a deposit of 20 wen without hesitation.
Qin Zhao handed the copper coin to Jing Li in front of them, and then led them to the fields.
As for Jing Li.
A certain little fish is still under punishment and is prohibited from working. He is not allowed to go to the fields for three days.
Jing Li watched them leave, and the small courtyard full of flowers and plants became empty, with only him left.
He had been working outside every day these days, and he felt a little uncomfortable when he suddenly had some free time.
Before crossing here, Jing Li had never done any farm work, and was extremely unhappy with the occasional cleaning work. He was only interested in growing flowers and plants. But when he came here, he did many things he had never thought of before, and he enjoyed doing them.
Isn’t it the most fulfilling and interesting thing to watch your life get better little by little
Jing Li returned to the bedroom, took out a small money box from the bottom of the closet, and put the deposit he had just received into it.
There was already a small amount of savings in the wooden box. Although it wasn't much, at least it would provide enough food and drink.
Jing Li roughly counted them, and knowing what was going on, he put the wooden box back. Then, he pulled out a smaller box from the foot of the bed.
The box was opened and several strings of copper coins poured out.
These are his little private collection.
He had saved all this money by working for others in the village or town these days.
Jing Li turned around and rummaged through yesterday's dirty clothes basket, took out a purse, and poured out the scattered copper coins inside.
I earned fifty cents by helping Uncle Lin water the plants these days, plus the ten cents I earned from cutting grass for the pigs yesterday, a total of sixty cents.
He knelt beside the bed and strung the dozens of copper coins onto the rope one by one. After stringing a hundred coins, there were still a dozen left.
Including what he earned yesterday, he already had five strings of money like this.
That is more than five hundred and ten coins.
Jing Li was a little worried, so he counted it again carefully, and it was still the same number.
That should be enough.
Jing Li smiled with satisfaction and put the box back in its place.
He wanted to give Qin Zhao a surprise, and all the money in this small private treasury was prepared for this purpose.
Now that there is enough money, there is only one last question left.
How can we send Qin Zhao away alone for a while
On the other side, Qin Zhao led the farmers to the fields to collect straw. The farmers knew that he was not in good health, so they did not let him work and did it themselves.
These farmers always go to the nearby villages to collect straw together. They cooperate well with each other. Some are responsible for harvesting, while some are responsible for carrying and loading. They move efficiently. In less than half an hour, they have harvested all the straw in the half acre of land.
There were still some remaining vegetable roots in the field, so Qin Zhao simply asked them to collect them together and gave them to them for free to feed their pigs.
In the end, a total of four truckloads of straw were harvested from half an acre.
After seeing off the farmers who were collecting straw, Qin Zhao was walking back with the copper coins in his pocket, and happened to meet a fat figure walking towards him.
Qin Zhao didn't know if it was an illusion, but he vaguely felt that the other person's figure was a lot thinner than before.
Qin Zhao was just thinking this when the other party saw him and greeted him, "Brother Qin, why are you in the fields?"
"Selling straw." Qin Zhao replied.
"Oh, your corn is ripe." Chen Yanan nodded.
Qin Zhao asked: "It's still early now, why are you going to the private school so early?"
"I have a few questions for you, sir. If I don't go early, I might not be able to ask them before class." Chen Yan'an sighed, "Sister-in-law said you're not fully recovered yet, so she didn't want me to disturb your rest."
Qin Zhao: “…”
No wonder Chen Yanan hadn’t come to see him for these days. It turned out that he was stopped.
That little fish has also learned to bully people.
Because of his life-saving grace, Qin Zhao had always been nice to Chen Yan'an. He said in a gentle voice, "I am no longer feeling unwell. If you have any questions, you can come to me on your day off."
Chen Yanan's eyes lit up: "Really?"
He suddenly thought of something and shook his head: "I'm afraid this day off won't work."
Qin Zhao: "What?"
"The holiday in three days is the Mid-Autumn Festival. The scholars in the town are holding a Mid-Autumn Poetry Festival, and all the students in our private school have to go." Chen Yanan said with a bitter face, "But I can't write poetry at all..."
Qin Zhao understood.
The Mid-Autumn Poetry Festival is a tradition among scholars. Although he has never participated in it, he has heard about it. As for Chen Yanan's poetry writing skills, Qin Zhao has helped him with his tutoring several times, but the results... are naturally hard to describe.
Apart from anything else, this guy has almost no talent for poetry.
Qin Zhao did not comment, but Chen Yanan suddenly grabbed his arm and said, "Brother Qin, you can write poetry, right?"
Chen Yanan's eyes lit up: "Do you want to go with me?"
Qin Zhao: “…”
Chen Yanan continued to persuade: "Almost all the literati in the town will participate in the Mid-Autumn Poetry Festival. Most of them are preparing to take the Tongsheng Examination next year. The Tongsheng Examination has a limited number of admissions. Knowing yourself and the enemy, you can win every battle!"
Qin Zhao shook his head: "I have to stay at home with my husband."
It was his first Mid-Autumn Festival with Xiaoyu, and he didn’t want to leave her alone at home.
Moreover, the little guy is so attached to him now, he must be reluctant to be separated from him.
"You can bring your family to the poetry reading!" Chen Yan'an said, "Besides, the poetry reading will be held in the afternoon of the Mid-Autumn Festival, so you can catch up with the temple fair in the evening. Lighting lanterns and guessing lantern riddles, isn't it better than spending the Mid-Autumn Festival in the village?"
Qin Zhao was vaguely moved.
Indeed, Xiaoyu often complained that there was nothing fun to do in the village. If he could be taken to the temple fair...
"Okay."
Chen Yanan's eyes just lit up, but he heard Qin Zhao say again: "I'll go home and ask him if he's willing."
Chen Yanan: “…”
Isn't it the head of the family who makes the decisions on this kind of thing? Why does this person have to ask her husband about everything? ?
Chen Yanan felt helpless, but he didn't know what to say, so he said, "Okay, tell me when you have discussed it. I have to go to town quickly, otherwise it will be too late."
The two said goodbye and Qin Zhao went straight home.
There was no one in the yard. In the pond, a bright red koi fish flashed by under the water.
The little koi raised its head, a red light appeared in the yard, and it turned back into a young boy.
Jing Li climbed the edge of the pool with his two naked arms, with most of his body still submerged in water. Below the waist he had no legs, but a bright red fish tail.
He transformed from a fish back into a human without wearing any clothes, and was embarrassed to show his full body transformation in front of Qin Zhao.
Jing Li's slender fish tail gently slapped the water surface and whispered, "You're back."
Seeing the scene clearly, Qin Zhao paused for a moment and nodded naturally, "Yes, we sold four carts of straw."
Jing Li didn't think there was anything wrong with his current appearance. He wagged his tail and said, "I just remembered something."
"What's up?"
Jing Li hooked his finger at him: "Come here and I'll tell you."
Qin Zhao walked up to him and squatted slightly. Jing Li flicked his tail, suddenly jumped out of the water, and gave Qin Zhao a wet kiss.
With a splash, Jing Li fell back into the water and licked his lips: "I forgot the farewell kiss, now I'm making up for it."
The boy's long black hair was spread out in the water, still dripping with water, with water marks sliding across his face, neck, and reaching his delicate collarbone.
Because the sneak attack was successful, the bright red fish tail behind it happily paddled the water surface, with the tip of the tail raised high.
Qin Zhao found it difficult to breathe.
He looked away and stood up: "By the way, Chen Yan'an said that there will be a poetry gathering held by literati in the town in three days, and he wants to invite me to go."
Jing Li blinked and asked in surprise: "Is there such a good thing?"
Qin Zhao didn't understand the deep meaning of his words, and thought that Jing Li agreed, so he nodded: "It's good if you agree. Then we can go to the temple fair together after the poetry meeting..."
"We?" Jing Li asked in confusion, "Why us? Didn't he invite you?"
Qin Zhao was even more puzzled than him: "You don't want to go with me?"
"Of course I don't want to." Jing Li said confidently, and said cheerfully, "Why don't you just go for this kind of thing? Have fun. I'll wait for you at home."
Qin Zhao: “?”