BYBOTE Chapter 28: The Master of Shifting Blame

 Previous | Table of Contents | Next 

Regarding Xi Yanqing’s utterly shameless act of shifting blame, Luo Fei was so furious that he almost burst out laughing. This was just too much!

But Xi Yanqing was determined to tease Luo Fei a bit, so he furrowed his brows and put on a confused expression. “I never bought something like this. Besides, I’ve been busy lately and haven’t gone to town. That means it must be yours, right?”

Luo Fei thought to himself, Keep pretending! Between the two of us, who’s the agriculture researcher and who’s the acting major? Did you secretly steal my Best Actor soul or something?

Fine, if you want to act, I’ll play along!

Luo Fei, not lacking in professional skills himself, grabbed his head and pretended to think hard for a moment. “Oh, right! I think this was something my mom gave me when we got married. She said it’s lip balm to prevent chapped lips. Want to try it? The wind’s been strong these days, and your lips look a little dry. I can put some on for you.”

Xi Yanqing’s lips curled into a subtle smile. “At this time of year? My lips aren’t dry at all. But since it’s a moisturizing product, it doesn’t have to be used just on lips, right?”

Luo Fei thought, Here it comes! You’re finally showing your true colors, fox! He hummed internally but kept his expression curious. “Where else can you apply it?”

Xi Yanqing chuckled. “Anywhere that’s dry.” He casually put the bottle back into the drawer. “But let’s not talk about that. I actually came in to ask if you bought the fabric. If you did, I’ll pre-wash it.”

The fabrics they used for making clothes were either cotton or linen, both of which tended to shrink. So before making clothes, they had to be soaked and dried to prevent shrinking after the garments were already made.

Luo Fei thought that since he’d have to do it himself if Xi Yanqing didn’t help, he might as well hand over the gray fabric he had bought.

Xi Yanqing took it outside, soaked it in a basin, and continued preparing Luo Fei’s bathwater.

Luo Fei thought for a moment but left the bottle untouched. He figured he could wait until Han Xu came over and show it to him then. After all, no one besides him and Xi Yanqing would touch the drawer. And there was no way Xi Yanqing would use that thing on someone else.

As for Xi Yanqing’s denial? Hmph, only a fool would believe it!

Luo Fei listened to the sound of water being poured back and forth, then heard Xi Yanqing rummaging through the cabinet for clean clothes. But after searching up and down, he couldn’t find any. That’s when Luo Fei remembered—he had gone out today and hadn’t been home to do laundry.

He only had four sets of underclothes—two old, two new—two for autumn and winter, two for spring and summer. For most people, changing clothes every three to five days was already considered frequent, so two sets were enough. But Luo Fei was used to changing daily, which made two sets feel insufficient.

If he had known earlier, he wouldn’t have repurposed one of his old sets to make pillowcase linings.

“Qing-ge! I don’t have any clean underclothes to change into. Can I borrow yours for today?” He was determined to take a bath no matter what! Xi Yanqing had one more set than him.

“Sure, but I can only lend you a top,” Xi Yanqing replied, having finished pouring the water. He lifted the curtain and walked in. “I still need the pants myself. Besides, my clothes are too big for you. Just wearing the top will be like half a robe—it’ll definitely cover everything that needs to be covered.”

“Alright, I’m taking it.”

Luo Fei held up Xi Yanqing’s clothes against himself, measuring the size. They were indeed large. The tops here were already cut long, and with Xi Yanqing’s size, it was definitely enough to cover his backside. As for the issue of not having underwear—well, that wasn’t a problem! Wasn’t there a towel for drying off? He could wrap himself in it, ensuring nothing would be exposed.

“Test the water temperature and see if it’s alright. If not, I’ll adjust it for you.” Xi Yanqing held the bathtub with one hand and a bucket in the other as he looked at Luo Fei.

“No need, the temperature is just right.” Luo Fei stirred the water with his hand. “Thanks, Qing-ge.” He looked at Xi Yanqing, silently signaling: You can leave now!

“Are you inviting me to bathe with you?” Xi Yanqing teased out of habit. “That’s what your eyes seem to be saying.”

“Screw you! I’m not bathing with you.” Who knew what might happen if they did?! Even in bed, when they were clothed, Xi Yanqing didn’t behave. If they were naked—who could guarantee anything?! Luo Fei’s eyes unconsciously drifted toward Xi Yanqing’s body.

“Alright, then I’ll go inside and wait for you.”

“Oh…” Wait, my ass! Just go to sleep already, you damn brute!

After making sure Xi Yanqing wouldn’t come back out, Luo Fei finally undressed and stepped into the bathtub. The warm water enveloped his entire body, leaving only his head exposed. He sat on the small stool inside the tub, slowly closing his eyes…

It felt too good.

Luo Fei rested his head against the edge of the tub, feeling as if his soul was floating out of his body.

Meanwhile, Xi Yanqing listened to the sounds outside, a faint, unreadable smile playing on his lips. He held the small white bottle in his hand for a moment before placing it back in the drawer. Of course, he wanted to truly become Luo Fei’s husband, but now wasn’t the right time.

Not to mention Luo Fei still had some fears about sharing a bed with him—considering Luo Fei’s physical condition, it wasn’t the best time to take things further.

Although people outside said that Luo Fei’s plum blossom birthmark was too light, making pregnancy unlikely, who could say for sure without trying?

What if, after just one time, Luo Fei really ended up pregnant? He didn’t want their child to grow up in an unstable environment.

Besides, Luo Fei was practically a kid himself—he definitely wouldn’t want to have a child so soon.

Xi Yanqing lay on the kang bed, resting his head on his arm. “Erbao, do you like kids?”

Luo Fei, feeling relaxed and in a good mood, responded without thinking, “Yeah! My cousin has a pair of twins who are super close to me. They’ve loved playing with me since we were little. Why do you ask?”

Xi Yanqing smiled. “No reason, just curious. You done yet?”

“Almost!”

Luo Fei had already finished bathing, but he wanted to make sure he was fully wrapped up before telling Xi Yanqing. Otherwise, this guy might suddenly barge in and start fantasizing!

Xi Yanqing listened closely from inside the room, gauging the sounds to determine when Luo Fei got out and when he was dressing. But he didn’t rush out. He only stepped outside after Luo Fei called him, grabbing his underclothes and—without any hesitation—stripped off his clothes and stepped into the bath.

“You—you’re using the water I just bathed in?!” Luo Fei, already flustered from seeing that thing again, was even more shocked when he saw Xi Yanqing using his bathwater.

“Too lazy to refill it. I’ll just rinse off afterward.” Luo Fei bathed every one or two days, so he was quite clean. Besides, Xi Yanqing thought this was a good way to conserve water.

“W-well, take your time then.” Luo Fei, his fair legs exposed beneath the towel, shuffled toward the room like he was wearing a skirt.

“Can you help scrub my back?” Xi Yanqing called out before he could leave.

“No!”

“Come on, wife, that’s unfair. I go through all this trouble for you every couple of days—can’t I get some benefits too?”

“…Fine.” Luo Fei hesitated, feeling guilty since Xi Yanqing had been taking care of him so much. “But just scrubbing, no funny business!”

“Alright, no funny business.” Xi Yanqing grinned as he handed the scrubbing cloth to Luo Fei. “But we can chat, right?”

“Uh, what do you want to talk about?”

“Do you think mine is too big?”

Luo Fei: “…”

I just knew it wouldn’t be a normal conversation!

Luo Fei refused to answer. Instead, he focused on scrubbing Xi Yanqing’s back, doing his best to not look at the damn thing!

Xi Yanqing, not getting a response, dropped the subject.

Luo Fei finished scrubbing him as quickly as possible and, before leaving, splashed a handful of bathwater onto Xi Yanqing’s face. “That’s for being a pervert!”

Xi Yanqing tried to catch him but missed, laughing as he said, “Mischievous little thing!”

Luo Fei giggled as he ran back inside. He pulled out the thread and fabric he had bought earlier, cutting patterns by the oil lamp while waiting for his hair to dry before bed.

Once he got busy, he lost track of time. By the time he realized it, he had already prepared the materials for several pouches. Not only had he determined the sizes, but he had also sorted out the colors and thread lengths for each one.

Wait—how long had it been? Why hadn’t Xi Yanqing come in yet?!

“Qing-ge?” Luo Fei put away his things and lifted the curtain.

Xi Yanqing didn’t respond.

He had actually fallen asleep in the bathtub!

Luo Fei reached out and touched the water—it had gone cold, yet Xi Yanqing remained asleep, showing no signs of waking.

If their positions were reversed, Xi Yanqing would probably scoop him up immediately. But Luo Fei didn’t have that kind of strength.

“Qing-ge, wake up.” Luo Fei shook him.

“Hm?” Xi Yanqing opened his eyes, took a moment to register where he was, then pinched the bridge of his nose. “I fell asleep?”

“Yeah, and the water’s cold. You should get out.”

Xi Yanqing finally realized the chill in his bones. He stood up and stepped out of the tub. “Luo Fei, find me something to dry off with.”

The only towel they had was currently wrapped around Luo Fei’s body. Luo Fei hesitated. “I don’t think there’s anything else.”

Xi Yanqing pointed at Luo Fei’s “skirt.”

Luo Fei struggled for a moment before reluctantly untying it and tossing it to Xi Yanqing. Clutching a piece of fabric that barely covered his backside, he bolted into the room.

Not long after, Xi Yanqing finished tidying up and came inside. Seeing Luo Fei still sewing, he sat on the kang bed and said, “It’s late. You should stop for now. If you stay up sewing, you’ll be too tired tomorrow. Just get some sleep and continue when there’s good daylight.”

Luo Fei was already starting to feel sleepy after walking so much that day. He rubbed his eyes. “I just want to finish this one little pattern. It’s just a small plum blossom—it won’t take long. And my hair isn’t completely dry yet anyway.”

Xi Yanqing’s hair was even worse—it was still damp. Ancient hairstyles were long and couldn’t be cut casually, which was frustrating but something they had to get used to.

Xi Yanqing moved the oil lamp closer to Luo Fei, watching his fair hands skillfully guide the needle through the small sachet. He couldn’t take his eyes off him.

Most of the time, Luo Fei was like a little hedgehog, but there were two moments when he seemed especially gentle—when he was sleeping and when he was doing needlework. It made Xi Yanqing want to scoop him up and hold him tight.

“What?” Luo Fei, still sewing, noticed Xi Yanqing touching his hair.

“What else? I just adore you.” Xi Yanqing tucked a loose strand of hair behind Luo Fei’s ear, only for it to fall again—so he tucked it back once more.

"You’re making me even sleepier doing this." Luo Fei felt Xi Yanqing’s fingertips gently stroking his scalp. It was so comfortable that it made him drowsy.

"Then do it tomorrow." Xi Yanqing finished making the bed.

"I’m almost done." Luo Fei stitched the last few stitches, put his things away, and crawled into bed. Xi Yanqing naturally wrapped his arms around him, and Luo Fei was too lazy to resist. After all, being held in a broad, warm embrace was quite comfortable, and considering how small the bed was, he was too exhausted to engage in any chase-and-run games.

Luo Fei quickly fell asleep, and for once, Xi Yanqing didn’t do anything to him.

The next morning, the couple got up early again. Xi Yanqing pecked Luo Fei on the lips. Luo Fei touched his mouth and stared back at him blankly, his eyes filled with indescribable tenderness.

Today, Xi Yanqing planned to check the rice paddies and plant soybeans in the dry fields. The weather had been good these past few days, and the temperature was just right for soybean germination and growth.

In the morning, Luo Fei made some porridge and steamed a few big mantou. The two sat across from each other, eating with pickled vegetables. After eating, Luo Fei went to water the vegetable garden, while Xi Yanqing tidied up some of the rice seedlings he had grown in the backyard.

"Luo Erbao, are you home? Look what I brought you!" Han Xu called from the front yard.

"Coming!" Luo Fei put down the small ladle in the bucket and walked to the front yard. "What is it?"

"Sandalwood and dried flowers!" Han Xu had decided to join Luo Fei’s sachet-making project after hearing about it. Though his embroidery skills weren’t as good as Luo Fei’s, he was decent at sewing. Today, he brought these fragrant materials, intending to collaborate. "This sandalwood was given to me by my carpenter brother two years ago, and it still smells great. I used to use it to freshen up my room, but now just two handfuls will be enough for a lot of sachets."

"You're right; it smells really nice." It wasn’t overpowering but was long-lasting and pleasant.

"Whoa, you already embroidered one?!"

"I made it last night while waiting for my hair to dry after a bath." Luo Fei showed him an unfinished sachet that hadn’t been stuffed with cotton and spices yet.

"Uh… did you ask about the thing I mentioned yesterday?" Han Xu, hearing "bath," immediately assumed the two had been up to something. Others might still think Luo Fei liked Zhang Yangfan, but Han Xu could see clearly—his friend now liked the "big tiger" instead. Besides, newlyweds usually stayed lovey-dovey for at least a few years—his mother had told him that.

"I got it for you. See for yourself." Luo Fei took a small white bottle from the drawer and handed it to Han Xu. "It smells nice."

"Do you know how much this bottle costs?"

"No idea. The big tiger bought it." Luo Fei thought, You want me to take the blame? No way!

But of course! Of course! At this very moment, Xi Yanqing walked in!

"What did I buy?" Xi Yanqing asked.

"Nothing!" Luo Fei quickly said. But Han Xu, now feeling a little awkward seeing Xi Yanqing, handed the bottle back to Luo Fei.

"That?" Xi Yanqing pointed at the white bottle. "Isn't that the one Erbao brought from home when he got married?"

"Bullshit! You clearly bought it!" Luo Fei's face turned red—whether from anger or embarrassment, he wasn’t sure. "You bought this!"

"But you said last night that you brought it from home." Xi Yanqing looked innocent, refusing to implicate anyone else and pinning it all on Luo Fei.

Luo Fei was furious, but he wasn’t as calm as Xi Yanqing, so now it just looked like he was lying. Otherwise, why would he be so flustered and red-faced?

Han Xu laughed and nudged Luo Fei. "Come on, Luo Erbao, no need to be shy with me."

Shy, my ass! Luo Fei glared at Xi Yanqing, who was smirking at him from an angle Han Xu couldn’t see. Just you wait!

Xi Yanqing showed Luo Fei the rice seedlings he had prepared, then left. Luo Fei, still holding in his frustration, embroidered six sachets in one morning. The one in his hand now was made of pure white satin, with a bamboo pattern embroidered on it—symbolizing steady growth.

This design would probably appeal to scholars.

Luo Fei decided to make two more, not knowing that one of them would eventually end up in Zhang Yangfan’s hands and cause a stir...

T/N: Please support my ko-fi page, thank you🌰🌰🌰