Chapter 64: The Koi Fish

Disembarking from the boat, returning to the hotel, and closing the door, Andy threw himself upon Johnson, licking him all over with volcanic fervor. The passion was wild and unrestrained!

He recalled reading in a magazine that women of Shanghai are born fashionistas, regardless of their family background or circumstances. They have an innate grasp of trends and style, and possess encyclopedic knowledge of diamonds, designer clothes, watches, cars, and the like. When interacting with others, they habitually scan them from head to toe, swiftly judging their class by details such as clothing, accessories, watches, a man's shoes and cuffs. Petite bourgeoisie, lively, clever, pleasant to the eye—these women maintain a touch of elegance even in hardship, and never forget beauty and poetry in mundane life.

If they fall for a man, they subtly mold him into the gentleman of their dreams, instructing him on how the tip of his tie should align with the center of his belt buckle, suggesting a bright yellow tie to add flair to a dull suit, or taking him to a hidden alley where a master tailor makes stylish trousers.

Of course, all of this is nonsense!

After three rounds, Johnson lay on the bed while Andy brushed his teeth, washed up, and fed him oranges with her mouth. Is this what people call a Shanghai woman? He felt nothing of the sort.

The next morning, refreshed and invigorated, he mused that Shanghai women truly had a certain coquettish charm. Not only did Andy unlock several new positions last night, she even requested to try something unconventional, though Johnson fortunately wasn't fond of such things.

He tipped fifty thousand, checked out, and left. Returning to Nine Rooms, the koi fish he'd booked at ten arrived at the door—arranging a new home for these little creatures was important.

"Mr. Johnson, thirty-six purebred koi, here are their birth certificates," said Mr. Liu, who personally followed the truck, carefully checked the water quality, supervised the workers as they disinfected everything, and only then released the koi into the pond.

"Look at the red-crowned koi on the left—snow-white body with a single red spot centered on the head. When swimming, it's like a white dragon stirring the river; when still, it resembles a sun lying on the water. In feng shui, it symbolizes booming career and smooth officialdom, earning the nickname 'prosperity at the head.'"

Johnson watched as the koi were released one by one into the pond. The largest measured over forty centimeters, the smallest around twenty-seven or twenty-eight. Each cost about eight or nine hundred.

"The red-crowned koi has always been regarded as a rare fish," Mr. Liu continued. "In the Ming dynasty, a high-ranking official named Ye Xianggao, celebrated as a veteran of three reigns, was passionate about them. Before becoming an official, he spent his days reading beside Carp Lake at Shizhu Mountain. After passing the imperial exam in the eleventh year of Wanli, he raised several red-crowned koi in his home pond. Whether his family later moved to Fuqing or he returned to office in the thirty-fifth year of Wanli, these koi remained by his side like family. The famous saying then was 'the fish never leave Ye.'"

"The red-crowned koi, with its pearl-like crown and dragon-like grace, became a favorite among those seeking official fortune. An ancient poem says: 'The red crown befits the sun, frost feathers never tainted by mud.'"

Reading Johnson's expression, Mr. Liu continued, "Nine Halls is a feng shui treasure, clearly the home of a grand businessman. This time, I specially selected nine golden koi—those sparkling ones over there!"

A few golden koi shone brilliantly in the sunlight. Mr. Liu boasted, "Golden as the sun, elegant as swimming dragons, they're highly favored by the business world. Their bodies are pure gold, scales neatly arranged, radiating dazzling brilliance."

"You know yellow is auspicious in feng shui, signifying prosperity and wealth. Golden koi are called 'money fish'—raising them at home is like worshipping the god of wealth."

Johnson laughed heartily. Indeed, adding these little creatures to the pond immediately brought vitality; dead water became lively, and his mood improved.

"In 2009, someone paid 990,000 for a red-white red-crowned koi, setting the annual record. The next year, the record was broken again, with 1.2 million spent on a white variant."

He handed Johnson some fish food. As Johnson scattered it into the pond, the koi rushed over fearlessly, jostling greedily for the feast.

"This one is called Loulan," Mr. Liu said. "Named for its resemblance to the legendary beauty of Loulan. The white must be snow-white, the red glossy and vibrant, and the distribution of the red spots on the back must be even…"

"Koi breeding has been passed down for centuries in Japan. Not only are prices wildly varied, the differences in quality are clear. Japanese koi are spindle-shaped, Chinese koi are short and broad."

"Swimming posture is the most direct standard of appreciation: is it graceful and smooth, robust and powerful? If the fish swims twisted, snake-like, or often on its side, it's worthless."

Johnson squatted down, watching the largest leader—round and plump, mouth wide open, gobbling food, tail swaying with authority.

"These grow fast. If well-fed, they gain 10–20 cm in the first year, 24–30 cm by the second, 37–40 cm by the third, 45–50 cm at five years, 55–70 cm at ten years."

"The longest can reach 1.5 meters, weigh over forty pounds, with an average lifespan of sixty to seventy years. The finest specimens outlive humans, some even surpassing two hundred years."

Seeing Johnson enjoying himself, Mr. Liu smiled, "Koi are all about bloodline—where they're bred matters. For example, Momotaro in Okayama is a top-tier koi farm, world-renowned."

"Every year, we attend auctions; top-quality fish attract global competition. Tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands, are spent without hesitation."

"Last year, luck was on my side—I got seven breeding fish, especially a red pine leaf variety with a beautiful shape, noble bearing, unique color patterns…"

Mr. Liu was animated, and Johnson grew increasingly fond of them—the large frame, big head, wide mouth, two pairs of whiskers, strong and powerful. The largest red-crowned koi patrolled the pond, swaying its head as a rainbow of companions followed behind. The sight was breathtaking.

Mr. Liu squatted down, scattered more food, gently stroked a fish's back. "Once they're familiar, they'll eat from your hand or let you pick them up. When you walk along the pond's edge, they'll follow and poke their heads out of the water—adorable!"

"The greatest pleasure is standing by the pond, watching these sweet treasures swim, and forgetting all worldly worries…"

"At first, it was just me. Later, my wife and child often helped clean the pond and feed the fish. The more we interacted, the more they became part of the family."

Johnson believed this wholeheartedly. Cats and dogs live barely a decade, these creatures easily reach fifty or sixty years—of course they're closer.

Omnivorous, they love meat, fish, bread, rice, vegetables, fruit. Hardy, a single feast can last them two or three weeks. They're not picky—easy to raise.

"Have the workers plant some aquatic grass, release a few small fish. Even if you're away for two months, you needn't worry; they'll thrive."

The workers labored all day, finally finishing everything. Johnson, holding fish food, lay back on a bench, watching the fish scramble for their meal, contentedly. They gradually adapted to their new home—the pond far more comfortable than their old aquarium—each one lively and energetic, immensely entertaining.

Sitting by the pond for a long time, he observed each fish closely: their swimming, their color, their size, their subtle changes. Gradually, he felt as though he were among them.

He embraced their company, danced and played in the water, savoring the carefree state of mind. Advancing calmly, turning elegantly.

Life is always beyond one's control; when troubled, watching the graceful, unhurried fish brings a sense of release and relief.