Chapter 141 Who is an old friend? "Back then, I was just a..."

"Back then, I was just a little carp with newly acquired consciousness," Xiaohua said, getting straight to the point. "I used to play and frolic with my sisters in Zhongfuxian Lake. One of them said there was a little boy by the lake who was incredibly cute, with fair skin and delicate features. So I often went with my sisters to spy on him. That little boy was named Fang Haiyi. I never saw his father; he only had his mother and he depended on each other for survival, and they lived in extreme poverty. But Fang Haiyi was very clever; he had a photographic memory. Although there were no books at home, he would eavesdrop on classes at the clan's school. He could memorize anything he heard after just one listen. The clan's old teacher made an exception and exempted him from tuition, allowing him to attend the school. Even so, because there was no one to help him, his mother worked day and night to support the family. Later, when he was in his teens, he fell seriously ill. Fang Haiyi had no choice but to go to the clan's main house to ask for medicine to treat his mother. Unfortunately, he didn't get the medicine and was even beaten by the clan chief's son. His mother was already seriously ill, and when she saw him being carried back, she was both angry and anxious." He died on the spot. This created a deep-seated enmity between Fang Haiyi and the direct descendants of the Fang family.

Lu Qing nodded and said that the Fang family was definitely not a good person in that story.

Xiao Hua continued, "Because of the compassion and help of the clan's teachers, Fang Haiyi was rescued. From then on, he became taciturn, spending his days reading and cultivating himself. He no longer tried to stand out. But even so, Fang Haiyi grew more and more handsome, and all the unmarried women would often block the road where he passed by, hoping to say a word to him. We also often went to see him, secretly watching him wash...wash his face in the river near his house." Xiao Hua stuck out her tongue, almost letting slip the secret.

Lu Qing suppressed a laugh, knowing full well that she had seen more than just washing her face.

"At that time, Fang Haiyi was already quite famous because of his appearance; even when he was just sitting there in a daze, people would be stunned. Later, a young lady took a liking to him and insisted on marrying him. The head of the Fang family wanted to arrange a marriage for him. In a fit of anger, Fang Haiyi fought with the head of the family's son. That fight took place on Fuxian Lake. No one knew when Fang Haiyi had become so powerful; the head of the family's son was no match for him and was defeated after only a few rounds. After that fight, Fang Haiyi left the place and didn't return for many years. But when he returned, he was already married..."

Even after all these years, Xiao Hua still feels melancholy when she thinks of her first love. "His wife wasn't a stunning beauty, but she was lively and adorable, and especially kind to us little demons. She could even understand us, and would often feed us snacks. Later, they had a child, a lovely little daughter. The three of them lived a very happy life. But one day, his former teacher from his school came to ask him to leave. After Fang Haiyi went with him, he was surrounded and attacked by many people on the shore of Fuxian Lake, and eventually died at the hands of the clan chief's son. Afterwards, someone tricked Fang Haiyi's wife into going to a forbidden area in Fuxian Lake, using her child to blackmail her and imprisoning her there. Later, a large group of people arrived, and the Fang family handed Fang Haiyi's wife over to them. I never saw her again."

"Where is that child?" Lu Qing immediately pressed.

Xiao Hua thought for a moment, "The child was sent away by the Fang family. But later, when the sisters were gossiping, they mentioned that when the child was sent away, a small red-banded snake followed under the boat. That little red-banded snake probably received a favor from Fang Haiyi's wife and was worried about her daughter, so it followed the child. Since then, there has been no news of her."

Lu Qing felt a tightness in her chest, but when Xiao Hua mentioned the red-chained snake, she suddenly remembered the red-chained snake that appeared in the dilapidated temple last night. That snake was clearly arranged by Fang Lansheng. Could it be... No, no, no, after Fang Lansheng slashed the red-chained snake with his sword, he directly sent Fang Lansheng flying. If it was just an act, there was no need to use such force.

"Do you know about that red-chained snake?" Lu Qing asked the fathead fish.

Fathead Fish scratched his head. "There is indeed such a red-banded snake, living in the Fang family. I've seen her a few times. She has a rather strange temper. She's not very old, but she calls herself a Brahma. It seems that in the past few years, she's sometimes seen following the second young lady of the Fang family."

"Brahma?" Old Hei frowned slightly.

Lu Qing asked her, "What's wrong?"

Old man, "Back then, I had a maid named Afan by my side... Alright, I won't interrupt, you guys continue."

Lu Qing looked at the fathead fish, "You might be able to find her?"

Fathead Fish, "Well..."

Lu Qing immediately tossed him a bottle, "This is to thank you for helping me find Xiao Hua. If you help me find this Brahma, I will thank you in another way."

Fathead Fish grinned, "Hey, we're all friends, don't be so formal. I'll get right on it, just wait here."

The fathead fish disappeared as soon as it was caught, leaping into the water and vanishing. Little Flower sat there, somewhat uneasy. Lu Qing smiled and reassured her, handing her a porcelain bottle, "Thank you for coming all this way; this is a small token of my gratitude, please don't refuse."

Xiao Hua could tell that she, Wu Chen, and Lao Hei were all extraordinary, yet their attitudes were so kind, which truly flattered her. "Thank you for your kindness, Madam. Actually, we were all very saddened by what happened to Fang Haiyi back then. Both Fang Haiyi and his wife were good people, but their fates were too tragic. It's just that we couldn't even transform back then, let alone help them, so we always felt some regret."

Lu Qing gave a wry smile, then suddenly remembered something and pulled a portrait from her sleeve. "Do you think this person bears some resemblance to Fang Haiyi and his wife?"

Xiao Hua stared at Fang Lanyue's portrait carefully, then shook her head, "It doesn't look like her at all."

Wu Chen also looked at Fang Lanyue's portrait, then said to Xiao Hua, "Come with me."

Xiao Hua quickly stood up and followed him to the cabin below. Wu Chen led her to Fang Lansheng's cell and, pointing to Fang Lansheng, asked her, "Where is this person?"

Fang Lansheng lay limp on the floor, his eyes tightly closed, but his eyeballs kept rolling. Cold sweat poured down his face, and he was deathly pale, like a living dead man. Although he didn't make a sound, everyone could feel that he was enduring immense pain.

Xiao Hua, unaware of the implications, dared not ask. She stared at Fang Lansheng for a while, then shook her head and said, "Although this young master is not bad-looking, he is far inferior to Fang Haiyi back then. If you say he resembles Fang Haiyi, I think Your Excellency's appearance is somewhat similar to Fang Haiyi's."

Wu Chen was taken aback. "Really?"

Xiao Hua scratched her head. "I can't say for sure. After all, it was a thousand years ago. Beautiful people all look pretty much the same. If you asked me to recall what Fang Haiyi looked like, I couldn't draw him. But he certainly didn't look like this young master. Perhaps my feeling is wrong, but I always feel that you and Fang Haiyi are somewhat similar."

Wu Chen smiled and said, "Don't tell anyone this."

Xiao Hua was startled. "I understand."

Wu Chen led her upstairs again. Lu Qing quickly asked, "How is it?"

Wu Chen shook his head. "It doesn't seem like it."

Lu Qing patted her chest, clearly relieved.

Half a day later, the fathead fish finally returned. "I found her. But I don't know what's wrong with her; she's curled up in her nest and won't come out no matter how much I call her. How about I take you there, and you can talk to her yourself? But friends, she's also an aquatic creature from Fuxian Lake. If she hasn't done anything heinous, please, for my sake, don't make things too difficult for her, okay?"

Lu Qing looked at him with newfound respect, "I thought you were just joking about being called a prefect, but I didn't expect you to actually act like one."

The fathead fish said smugly, "Just kidding, which aquatic creature in Fuxian Lake doesn't admire me?"

Xiao Hua covered her face and laughed, her gaze not so much like she was looking at someone she admired, but more like she was watching a monkey show.

Wu Chen's ship was extremely fast, and soon they arrived at a deserted island in the middle of the lake. Fathead Fish pointed to the center of the island and said to Lu Qing, "That's her territory. Don't underestimate her. Her skills are no less than mine, and she's also full of poison. If she touches you, it's no joke."

Old Hei wasn't afraid of this; she had no physical body, so no poison would work on her. "I'll go take a look and tell you what's going on in a bit."

Wu Chen nodded. "Alright."

Qi Ying used her sword to transport Lao Hei to the center of the island. There lay a dense, wild forest, and even at midday, it was shady. Lao Hei walked through it, looking around. Finally, she found a hole several feet wide under a large tree. She detached herself from the doll and, like a snake, slithered into the hole.

-----------------------

Author's Note: Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 20:59:52 on November 5, 2020 and 16:09:17 on November 7, 2020!

Thanks to the little angels who threw landmines: Repigon, and someone who just passed by;

Thank you to the little angel who watered the nutrient solution: Flowing Clouds and Water (10 bottles);

Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!