BYBOTE Chapter 2: Xi Yu

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Huaping Village was neither too big nor too small. With about forty households and around two hundred people, it was the kind of place where everyone knew each other well. So when smoke started rising from the Xi family’s chimney, it didn’t take long for the villagers to realize that someone from the Xi family had returned.

Speaking of the Xi family, there was quite a bit to talk about.

Years ago, the Xi family had four members: Old Madam Xi, her son and daughter-in-law, and their grandson. They were all hardworking people. Xi’s son and his wife ran a small business in town, leaving early in the morning and returning late at night. Meanwhile, Old Madam Xi stayed home, raising chickens and tending to the vegetable garden while looking after her grandson. Their lives were simple but happy. But as the old saying goes, every family has its share of troubles.

After two years of running their breakfast stall in town, trouble came knocking. A notorious local bully set his sights on Xi Yu’s mother. At first, Xi Yu’s father tried to avoid conflict, believing in maintaining peace for the sake of business. He even moved their stall to a different location. But the bully didn’t let up. Eventually, tensions escalated, and a violent confrontation broke out. In the end, the bully was killed, and Xi Yu’s father paid with his life.

With her husband gone, Xi Yu’s mother was devastated. She cried day and night, and not long after, she passed away from grief. Old Madam Xi lost her only son and, soon after, her daughter-in-law. The grief and hardship took a toll on her mind, and she gradually became mentally unstable. In her final days, she fell seriously ill, draining what little savings the family had left.

That year, Xi Yu was only eleven. With no one to rely on, he was forced to fend for himself. Fortunately, he was taller and stronger than other kids his age, so he managed to scrape by, growing what little he could in the fields.

Everyone assumed he would struggle to survive on his own. But at fourteen, he surprised them all—he lied about his age and joined the army, staying there for several years.

Luo Fei went over his "fiancé’s" tragic backstory in his mind and felt a deep sense of sympathy. But sympathy didn’t mean he was ready to accept this arranged marriage. He had just left behind everything familiar and found himself in a completely new environment. The last thing he wanted was to leave the Luo family, where—although not wealthy—he was surrounded by decent people. If he went to the Xi family, who knew what kind of life awaited him?

What if Xi Yu had a terrible personality? What if he was expected to do all the hard labor? Xi Yu was already twenty—five and years in the army could change even the kindest person into a hardened brute.

Most importantly, Luo Fei didn’t like him. In fact, he hates the surname Xi the most!

There was no way he was going through with this marriage!

Luo Fei lifted his leg onto the kang bed and flatly refused Luo Yi’s suggestion to visit the Xi family. “If you want to go, go by yourself. I’m not going.”

Luo Tian slammed his palm onto the table. “Why are you being so stubborn? Just going to take a look isn’t going to kill you!”

“Ugh, Dad, can you stop yelling?” Luo Fei had gotten used to his burly new father’s loud voice, but it still gave him a headache. “I have my reasons for not going. You know I just got out of that mess with Zhang Yangfan. He’s getting married today. If I show up at Xi Yu’s place right now, what will people think? They’ll assume I’m desperate to get married.”

“That’s… actually true, Dad,” Luo Yi chimed in.

“What do you mean ‘desperate’? You two were engaged in the first place!” Luo Tian still didn’t see the problem.

“Even so, I’m not going. It’s been years since we last saw each other—who knows, he might already be married with kids by now. What if I go there and walk in on a happy little family? That would be awkward.”

“That’s true, dear. Maybe we should hold off for now,” Li Yuehua said. “Back when Xi Ping and his wife passed, our family helped Xi Yu a lot. If he has any sense of gratitude, he’ll come visit us first. We can talk about Erbao’s marriage later.”

"Alright then, we won’t go today," Luo Tian thought for a moment and then looked at Luo Fei. "But you have to keep the marriage with Xi Yu in mind. After you meet him tomorrow, if that Xi kid is still unmarried and still as reliable as before, you better marry him, got it?"

"We'll talk about it after we meet." Luo Fei silently listed a hundred reasons to refuse in his mind.

Luo Tian wanted to say more, but seeing his second son remain silent, he assumed Luo Fei was thinking about Zhang Yangfan and was still heartbroken, so he didn't push further.

At dinner, Luo Fei didn’t eat much because he didn’t find the food appetizing. Back in his room, he felt a bit melancholic thinking about his future. Putting everything else aside, just the fact that he would never see his family again was enough to make him depressed. He had grown up in a single-parent household—his father had an affair and didn’t care about him, so he was raised by his mother and grandmother, with whom he shared a deep bond. Now that he was gone, he couldn't imagine how devastated his mother and grandmother would be.

As he thought about it, Luo Fei’s eyes turned red.

He wasn’t worried about much else, only that the two of them might be bullied.

Although… knowing his mother’s personality, that was highly unlikely.

Luo Fei absentmindedly scratched at the earthen wall and let out a long sigh.

Just then, Luo Ruo, the youngest sister of the Luo family, walked in while cracking sunflower seeds. "Second Brother, are you okay?"

The names of the Luo siblings were easy to remember: the eldest was Luo Ji, the second was Luo Fei, the third was Luo Ruo, and the youngest was Luo Yi. If Luo Fei had been named "Luo Xiang" instead, their names would have formed the phrase "Ji Xiang Ru Yi" (meaning "good fortune and happiness"). But of course, the second brother had to go and change his name.

"I'm fine. Why haven't you gone to sleep yet?" Luo Fei sized up his new little sister.

"I came to check on you." Luo Ruo wasn’t a delicate girl—she was sturdy and shared the straightforward nature of their parents. She plopped down on the kang bed. "I heard from Mother that Brother Xi is back?"

"Mm."

"'Mm'? That's all you have to say? Second Brother, what are you thinking? Now that Brother Xi is back, Father and Mother will definitely arrange your marriage."

"I don't want to talk about Xi Yu." Luo Fei felt a little helpless. He actually found Luo Ruo quite likable, but he didn’t want to discuss Xi Yu with her.

"Heh, if we’re not talking about Xi Yu, then what—Zhang Yangfan?"

"…Fine, let’s talk about Xi Yu." Just hearing Zhang Yangfan’s name made Luo Fei want to explode on the spot! He clutched his chest. "By the way, Xiao Ruo, what do you remember about Xi Yu?"

"Oh, plenty. Whenever he caught fish, he would always bring you two. When he picked fruit in the mountains, he gave you some too—our whole family benefited from it. And when we played together, he always protected you, saying you would be his wife when you grew up, so he couldn’t let anyone bully you."

"Did he really?"

"Of course." Luo Ruo laughed as she reminisced. "Brother Xi was always good to you. That’s why Mother and I think he’ll treat you well in the future too."

"That’s not guaranteed. The most unpredictable thing in the world is the human heart," Luo Fei said, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes.

In fact, there was something he had never been able to figure out.

Right before he transmigrated, he had been on a short Dragon Boat Festival vacation. Since the break was only a few days, he didn’t travel far and instead went sightseeing nearby. On the way back, while his bus was descending a mountain road, a person suddenly ran into the street. The driver swerved in a panic, and the bus plunged off a cliff.

But that wasn’t the weird part—the weird part was that in that critical moment, someone shielded his head.

That person had been sitting behind him. When Luo Fei boarded the bus, the individual had their cap pulled low, so he hadn't seen their face and assumed they were a stranger. But at the last moment, he caught a glimpse—and realized he did know them.

And not just anyone—it was someone he hated most!

How could his sworn enemy possibly protect him at such a life-threatening moment? No way—he must be remembering it wrong!

Luo Fei shook his head and shooed his sunflower-seed-crunching sister back to her "boudoir."

The Luo family's home had two earthen rooms. The three brothers shared one, while their parents and only sister shared the other. Now that Luo Ruo was older, the family had hung a curtain in the main room to create a separate space for her.

Luo Fei shared a kang bed with his eldest and youngest brothers. The youngest, Luo Yi, was still outside tending to the farm tools. Spring had arrived, and it was time to prepare for planting, so the family was busy.

In truth, the Luo family had been well-off before. In Huaping Village and even nearby villages, they were considered well-to-do. Unfortunately, Luo Ji’s wife fell ill after a fall while gathering herbs in the mountains. She became bedridden, relying on constant medication.

The Luo family was kind-hearted—though Luo Ji had already split from the family, they still helped pay for his wife’s treatment.

Sadly, she was ill-fated, and even after Luo Ji sold his house, she didn’t survive.

Since then, Luo Ji never remarried—a testament to his devotion.

Other families might have given up on treating her, but the Luo family wasn’t like that.

Luo Fei thought that, given the circumstances, transmigrating into this family was a small stroke of luck. If only this Xi Yu fellow would break off their engagement, then everything would be perfect.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

"Uncle Luo! Aunt Luo! Are you home?"

The voice sounded oddly familiar. Luo Fei hesitated and thought, Oh crap, don’t tell me it’s Xi Yu?!

Outside, someone had already opened the main gate.

Moments later, Luo Yi’s voice rang out: "Dad! Mom! Brother Xi is here!"

Luo Fei immediately threw off his outer coat and dove under the blankets!

He strained his ears to hear what was happening outside, but before he could make anything out, someone directly pushed open his door.

His little brother Luo Yi, an expert at selling him out, barged in without hesitation and yanked him from the bed. "Second Brother, get up! Brother Xi is here to see you!"

"Hey, hey, hey! Stop pulling me!" Luo Fei was exasperated. As he was dragged off the kang, he resisted desperately. "He came to see Dad and Mom, not me! Let go already!"

"Come on, it's nighttime! He must’ve rushed over to see you! If he wanted to see Mom and Dad, he could’ve waited till tomorrow!" Luo Yi showed no intention of letting go.

"Fine! I’ll walk myself!" Damn it, the house was too small—he couldn’t even fight back before being dragged out! Luo Fei clutched his chest, feeling like he was about to have a heart attack.

But the moment he saw the visitor, he was stunned.

The man standing in front of his parents had a tall, lean build, distinct facial features, and a smile that was hard to read. He looked… oddly familiar?

Xi Yu turned his head and grinned at him. "Luo Fei, you’re here."

Luo Fei saw his face clearly, and an inferno of rage ignited in his chest. His heart, which had been yanked to his throat by Luo Yi, was about to burst out of his ribcage. With a trembling finger, he pointed at the impeccably dressed, familiar-looking "fiancé" in front of him. "You’re Xi… Xi…"

The man pressed down his hand and said with a smile, "I am Xi Yu. But I’ve changed my name—I’m now called Xi Yanqing."

The moment Luo Fei heard that, he choked on his own breath and collapsed on the spot!

Damn it! Who said everything would be perfect?!

Transmigrating was bad enough, but now his old-world nemesis had followed him here—and they were engaged?!

—

Tl Notes:

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