PART 03

Her hairstyle is simply the epitome of non-mainstream fashion, with two lumps on top of her head that resemble neither horns nor buns, dark in color and adorned with small luminous pearls. The rest of her hair is like boar bristles, fluffy and with the texture of a corn perm

I suddenly realized that the pair of bulging eyes was looking around as if seeking revenge on society; it turned out to be a yellow pearl goldfish, likely having just transformed into human form, with a faint golden hue on the back of its hand

The Seventh Prince held me up, unable to contain his laughter, and let out a soft chuckle. The Pearl Girl behind the curtain immediately felt her pride wounded; with a swift motion, she tore off a pearl the size of a thumb from her collar and threw it out directly, hitting the seahorse: "Beast, why aren't you leaving quickly? Are you standing here to embarrass yourself?"

Timidly, he handed it to me while explaining: "Big brother caught a little shrimp that can speak Mandarin and dance. I want to take it over to join the fun!"

His adjectives are so enchanting that I feel too sorrowful to react; I stretch my body like a dead shrimp, listlessly gazing at the water curtain at a forty-five degree angle.

I am delighted to the point of jumping

The scholar suppressed his joy and replied: "Yes, there is March!"

I noticed that the scholar seemed to understand something, his face suddenly turned pale, and I felt a twinge of compassion in my heart

The Seventh Prince smiled faintly and asked, "What position does Father Emperor summon you for now?"

Unfolded the painting in a very casual manner

Alright, bring it up! He finally stopped laughing, picked up the necklace, and signaled for the scholar to pass the painting over

The Seventh Prince pursed his lips, his eyes sparkling with laughter. In the confused gaze of the little boy, he lifted his robe and jumped onto the back of the old turtle

Hearing the Seventh Prince's words, the Pearl Maiden shyly replied from behind the curtain, "Your Highness, the Seventh Prince, Pearl... does not mind!"

After much contemplation, he let out a long sigh and murmured to himself: "Having sought so many artists to portray her, yet each depiction varies greatly; now I am on the verge of forgetting her visage!"

Her eyes resembled copper bells, with pupils akin to those of a beautiful girl from Japanese manga. The tip of her nose glimmered, likely enhanced intentionally by a scholar. Her lips were thin and small, and to accentuate their smallness, the scholar applied two small dots of bright red color. Two long whiskers at the corners of her lips hung down to her chest

The face of the Seventh Prince turned pale as he silently stared at the painting for a long time. Suddenly, in a fit of rage, he laughed mockingly and pointed at the corner, saying: "She has no horns; she is merely a dragon!"

As soon as my laughter subsided, the Seventh Prince gently began to laugh as well, observing the scholar while laughing, and said: "How did I not notice this before? Now that you mention it, even if he were to transform into a human, he would still resemble a catfish!"

The little boy was taken aback, jumping up and spinning around to look for his own tail

I secretly peeped, and Xiaoxiao also secretly peeped. We leaned our bodies in perfect harmony. On the scroll, there was a painting of a woman dressed in light pink garments, her features possessing a somewhat stream-of-consciousness quality.

These carriages seem to be straining to display their importance, adorned all over with valuable gems and luminous pearls, with some carriages even having their reins made of twisted gold thread.

The scholar replied, "Currently, I am the imperial painter!" At this moment, he seemed quite proud, and his waist straightened slightly.

Finally came to an abrupt halt

If one were to say that shrimp and crabs have expressions, I can certainly affirm that their faces are filled with the word despair. This is because their heads are always held high, seemingly looking down on everything, while in reality, they carry a strong sense of inferiority.

The Seventh Prince, with a grin, pulled him up with a swift motion, his pair of eyes dark and sparkling, filled with a mischievous delight: "What is it that you are holding in your hand?"

This shy and timid confession, clearly delivered in the tone of a lovesick girl, is far more lethal than the concealed scent of fish.

The Seventh Prince, with keen eyes, looked at me as if I were about to die, and reached out to snatch it from my small hand, pulling it far away from the curtain of the sedan chair

The Seventh Prince unceremoniously grabbed me and lifted me up to examine me closely, suddenly bursting into laughter: "Who painted her so vividly and enticingly?"

As soon as the curtain was lifted, a strange fragrance wafted in. In my previous life, I was allergic to perfumes and had no appreciation for peculiar scents. Being exposed to such a fragrance at such close range made me unable to resist extending my tail, and I was on the verge of fainting.

Seeing that I did not believe him, he shook his head and sighed. With a flick of his fingers, he conjured a black fan with a golden edge out of thin air. As he gently waved it, his long, glossy black hair fluttered along with the ornaments, presenting the image of a graceful young gentleman.

The scholar, with a cheerful demeanor, lowered his head and tentatively asked: "Your Highness, the Seventh Prince, I have painted exactly according to your description. What do you think?"

When I arrived at the residence of the Seventh Prince, I had not yet recovered from the shock of the previous few magnificent buildings. Suddenly, upon seeing this entrance resembling that of an ordinary official family in Jiangnan, my eyes brightened. The vermilion gate, the steps paved with bluestone, and the guards standing at the entrance with stern expressions were striking. Strangely, their attire was not like that of the other princes' households; instead, it was colorful and varied, with each person's clothing differing from the others. The steps paved with bluestone and the guards standing at the entrance with stern expressions were striking. Strangely, their attire was not like that of the other princes' households; instead, it was colorful and varied, with each person's clothing differing from the others.

The carriages of these aquatic nobles are quite peculiar; typically, they are drawn by seahorses, which I often saw used for brewing wine before my journey. Here, the seahorses are about the same size as land horses, and each seahorse has various jewels hanging from its forehead

The scholar remained utterly perplexed, yet still accepted the appointment, sincerely expressing his gratitude to the Seventh Prince with a sense of trepidation

The young boy was horrified by his laughter, glancing left and right before noticing that his leg was pressing down on a corner of the seventh prince's robe, and he was immediately startled, falling off the old turtle shell.

Wait! The Seventh Prince snapped his fingers, and the scholar retreated. "Do not take on a human form in the future; it makes me uncomfortable. When you take office, swim over yourself. Remember, use your fins to paint! Paint well; you have a bright future ahead!"

"Is it just a dead shrimp?" He shook it and casually made a throwing gesture. The little boy immediately looked like he was about to cry, stretching his neck to search for it, anxious enough to jump off the turtle's back.

Before I traveled through time, I had seen seahorses, the kind that are dried and used as medicinal materials for brewing wine. They are usually small and curled up, and this is the first time I have seen one of this size. The nobles among these aquatic creatures intentionally flaunt their status; every carriage is infused with fragrance. When the seahorses pass by the old turtles, a fragrant breeze often wafts through, making both the turtles and us feel faint.

The scholar did not dare to raise his head, lying on the ground, not daring to breathe. After all, being a child, he could not help but ask the Seventh Prince with a quick tongue: "Seventh Prince, what are you laughing at?"

Little one, you look just like the kittens I used to see chasing their tails when I was on Earth, so adorable!

I detest the second-generation rich and the privileged elite, who possess wealth and power, and yet have such deceptive appearances. As I glance at my brightly dyed shrimp shells, a faint sense of sadness suddenly arises within me

Only at this moment did I realize that this prince, who enjoys teasing others, is genuinely feeling melancholic

I couldn't help but shudder, and another tiny shrimp antenna fell off.

I wanted to, yet did not want to; I simply stretched out my shrimp tail and fell into a self-induced hypnosis, losing consciousness.

I secretly watched him, thinking that no one would know, but who would have thought that he turned his eyes, smiling as he glanced at me, and upon seeing my foolish expression, he winked.

The Seventh Prince waved his hand, somewhat disinterestedly resting his chin on it, sitting cross-legged and occupying most of the turtle shell. I observed his long eyelashes drooping over the book, obscuring his eyes, as if he were lost in thought.

"Your Highness, if it is not too much trouble..." The beauty in the palanquin lowered her eyes shyly, and the satin cuffs were raised a few inches.

"Why are you so nervous?" The Seventh Prince said with a smile, reaching out a hand to pat the little boy's head. Suddenly, he leaned back slightly, smiled gently, and indicated to the little boy, "Oh, your fish tail is showing!"

The hem of the black robe of the Seventh Prince spread out, and the young boy timidly sat down on it, just pressing down on the corner of his robe. He looked over with a smile, appearing very amiable.

The Seventh Prince, seeing him so guarded, smiled and gently patted the small head. The jewels hanging from the golden crown cascaded down, swaying gracefully above his jade-like face, creating a beautiful sight

The Seventh Prince extended his other hand and slowly drew down the curtain, saying through it: "Miss Pearl, I appreciate your good intentions, but it is inappropriate for a lone man and woman to share a carriage, as it may tarnish your reputation"

The Seventh Prince looked at me jumping around and casually asked, "What are you so happy about?"

I foolishly observed him through my fingers; in fact, the Seventh Prince is truly a handsome man. Aside from his unlikable personality, every gesture and movement of his is nothing short of elegant and charming

At the foot of the steps, there stood a scholar dressed in a white robe, holding a scroll of painting in his arms, scanning the surroundings with a watchful eye. This scholar seemed to be transformed from a catfish, as I noticed the whiskers at the corners of his mouth twitching, with a large mouth, a big head, and a protruding belly

The scholar, feeling anxious and fearful, lowered his head and raised the scroll high, presenting it. The Seventh Prince extended a finger, casually drawing the painting towards himself.

The scholar let out two sounds of uncertainty, not knowing how to respond

She encountered the Seventh Prince, her eyes rolling: "Your Highness, the Seventh Prince, how is it that on this trip, you have no attendants at all? Riding in such an old tortoise, it is likely that we will be delayed by half an hour before reaching our destination"

It has the flavor of racing cars speeding through the ocean

The young boy dared to feel anger but could not express it, silently holding me in his hands, protecting me like a precious treasure in the center of his palm

Sister is very sad, sister will not meet anyone in the future

The Seventh Prince laughed so hard that he began to cough, pointing at the scholar and making a jumping motion up and down

The doorframes of other princes are resplendent with gold and jade, adorned with gold powder and inlaid with jade plaques, while luminous pearls twinkle above the grand entrance, serving as searchlights

She is indeed a fierce mermaid, not even bothering to greet anyone, as she rides on four seahorses, swiftly leading the way ahead.

The Seventh Prince slowly closed the scroll, a faint smile appearing on his face. He propped his chin on his hand and asked him in a relaxed tone, "How long did it take to paint this time?"

His lips are thin and rosy, seemingly covered with a layer of moist luster. Even when he is expressionless, the corners of his mouth are slightly raised, giving the impression that he is always playfully smiling. His nose is high and straight, more beautiful than the artificial noses created by plastic surgery in my era. His face resembles white jade, and his eyes are bright and sparkling, dark and glimmering. When he squints and smiles, he possesses a unique charm, like the gentle breeze of early spring, naturally evoking a desire for closeness.

The old turtle moves slowly, and I take my time to observe along the way. Indeed, this journey is resplendent with golden splendor, the water appears a faint light blue, occasionally rippling, creating delicate bubbles that envelop everything in this misty vapor.

Little Xiao did not speak, remaining silent. He watched the Seventh Prince with vigilance

The Seventh Prince sat on the back of the turtle, smiling as he teased, "Little one, a few days ago I encountered a shrimp that could dance and even speak, quite charming indeed, very similar to you. Unfortunately, I did not catch it as a pet like I did with you, and now I regret it!"

This group of nobles has turned half of the sea into a shimmering golden expanse

You are to go to the junction of the East Sea and the West Sea, and take up the position of the Exorcist Painter! The Seventh Prince stroked his chin, noticing the scholar's puzzled expression, and slightly raised one corner of his mouth, saying with a smile: This is a new position I have recently conceived, using your paintings to intimidate minor demons and monsters, it will surely be suitable! You may leave now!

I was so delighted that I forgot myself, forgetting the advice I had just given to be cautious in my speech. As soon as I opened my mouth, I replied to him: "Look, this catfish has turned into a person, what a failure! Someone like him would be better off not transforming into human form. Even if he has become a person, the humans in this world would say: 'Oh dear, this person looks just like a catfish!'"

The scholar was startled by our laughter, turned his head to look, and upon seeing it was the Seventh Prince, his eyes immediately lit up. Clutching the painting scroll, he rushed over at full speed, and when he was suddenly about ten steps away from the old turtle, he fell to the ground in a prostration.

The young boy was both shy and afraid, his face flushed bright red. Yet he did not dare to speak out, eagerly holding onto me, silently climbing up from the turtle's tail.

I stared at a pair of shrimp-like eyes, desperately twisting its shrimp tail with claws bared. It turns out to be a second-generation aristocrat, the Seventh Prince, right? I have noted that down.

Xiao Xiao did not understand, but I came to realize it and could not help but laugh. It seems that this Seventh Prince is a genius who can draw inferences from one instance. He is now associating the image of a catfish lying flat on its belly against the ground.

After I finished speaking, I laughed a few times by myself. As I laughed, I suddenly felt something was amiss, and my laughter immediately turned dry.

"Your Highness, the Seventh Prince, I have been waiting for you for several days!" He was extremely anxious, prostrating on the ground, holding the scroll high: "Your Highness asked me to paint, and I have already completed the painting!"

After passing by seven or eight vehicles, a carriage adorned with a luminous pearl at its four corners, and decorated with tassels made of bright red coral beads, finally came to a stop.

He smirked as if his prank had succeeded, suddenly extending his hand, palm up, beneath the little boy's nose, and said with a smile: "Is it this one?"

It is truly an innate habit; even after becoming human, this scholar still behaves like a fish, suddenly slapping down against the ground.

The young boy came to his senses, hurriedly pressing me into the palm of his hand, and jumped down from the old turtle in a fluster, hastily bowing: "Seventh Prince, I... um..."

I was taken aback, and instinctively jumped a little. The young boy, frightened, quickly tightened his grip on me, fearing that I might escape through his fingers.

The old turtle slowly carried on, taking one step and pausing three times. When it had covered one-third of the distance, the number of horses on the road gradually increased. Nobility's carriages from the aquatic realm continuously passed by us.

The Seventh Prince raised his eyebrows, extended his index finger to touch his nose, and turned his face to gently shake me: "Oh dear, little shrimp, look at you, provoking me to offend Jin Zhenzhu. This girl is the most talkative; I suppose by tomorrow, my bad reputation as Long Qi will spread. What a waste of the image I have maintained for many years, as gentle as jade!"

A face slightly emerged from behind the curtain, half of it obscured by the satin cuff embroidered with large peony flowers, revealing a pair of bulging, dead fish-like eyes, with pupils no larger than soybeans

The Seventh Prince sat cross-legged on the old turtle shell, resembling an old monk in meditation, his eyes not even glancing at the passing carriages. However, some carriages would pause slightly as they passed by the Seventh Prince.

The Seventh Prince let out a sound, smilingly tossed the painting down from a height to him, crossed his arms, and said with a faint smile: "From this day forth, you have been promoted!"

The Seventh Prince was grinning, his shoulders shaking continuously

I can deeply relate to the feeling of wanting to dig a hole and let myself die. The so-called mutual sympathy among kindred spirits probably amounts to nothing more than this

As a shrimp that has been disfigured and lost many of its antennae, I feel as though my heart is about to shatter. For some reason, when I look at the jade-like Young Master Long Qi, the phrase "a human face with a beast's heart" suddenly comes to mind

The scholar let out a cry, unable to conceal his joy

The Seventh Prince smiled gently, presenting an appearance that was both refined and amiable