BYBOTE Chapter 29: Let Me Excite You

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"Still mad?" Xi Yanqing took off his shoes and sat on the kang. Just as he was about to speak, he saw Luo Fei turn his head away, ignoring him. Xi Yanqing chuckled. "Alright then, since you’re still mad, I guess my kind gesture is wasted."

This little temper of his—like a puffed-up pufferfish, looking like he might explode any moment. He hadn’t spoken properly to him in days.

"You dared to lie through your teeth!" Luo Fei was still fuming, thinking about how Han Xu was now convinced that he had bought the lip balm.

"I was just joking, and besides, you did say you brought it from home, didn’t you?" Xi Yanqing reasoned. "Alright, alright, don’t be mad. Let’s have a special meal tonight."

"What’s on the menu?" Things had been improving lately. Ever since the vegetables in the garden had grown enough to harvest, their meals had become much better. At least they weren’t just eating pickles every day.

"Go outside and see for yourself."

"Just tell me! Why the suspense?" Luo Fei got off the kang and put on his shoes. "Did you send someone to buy meat?"

Xi Yanqing had gone to the fields early in the morning and came back surprisingly early today. Luo Fei went to check but didn’t see anything in the kitchen, so he went outside. Then, he heard plop—plop!

The sound came from the water vat. Luo Fei walked over and—holy crap! So many fish! Grass carp and crucian carp! Some of the crucian carp were only the length of an adult’s index finger, while the bigger ones were about the size of a palm. The grass carp were as long as his forearm!

They hadn’t had fish since the wedding, and Luo Fei’s mouth watered just looking at them. "Qing-ge, did you go fishing today?"

Xi Yanqing called from inside, "Yeah, finished up the work quickly, so I caught some near the river by our dry fields."

Luo Fei counted—thirteen in total! His mouth nearly watered.

Xi Yanqing came out and saw Luo Fei crouched like a cat, peering into the vat. He chuckled and walked over. "Take a few to your family and send some to the Hans. The rest, we’ll keep for ourselves."

"Won’t they die without oxygen?" Luo Fei remembered that fish at home always died in a bucket within a morning if there was no aeration.

"Just change the water frequently. And fish water makes great fertilizer for the garden."

"Hahaha, because of the fish poop?" Luo Fei laughed joyfully. "Then I’ll use this water for the garden from now on."

"Mm. Also, I won’t bring lunch to the fields anymore—I’ll come home to eat every day. Otherwise, you just snack and don’t eat properly."

Luo Fei was happy to be cared for. He asked Xi Yanqing, "Qing-ge, which ones should we send to the others?"

Xi Yanqing took a wooden basin, rolled up his sleeves, and scooped up two large grass carp and four crucian carp. "Let's send these over."

These were wild fish with strong vitality. Even after being out of the river for a while, they quickly revived once placed back in water, splashing energetically in the basin.

At the gate, Xi Yanqing broke off a few willow branches with forks, hooked the fish into two bundles, and asked, "Will this work?"

"Of course, why not?" Luo Fei replied. It wasn’t far, and they weren’t heavy. He grabbed both bundles, one in each hand, and headed out the door. But he soon turned back. "Let me grab some money. I’ll check if there’s any tofu for sale. If there is, we can cut it into pieces and stew it with the fish like last time. I’ll also ask Aunt Han how she makes it."

Ever since he had improved his cooking skills, while his food wasn’t as good as Luo Ru’s, at least it wasn’t a disaster anymore!

"As long as you're happy, go ahead." Xi Yanqing began tending to the farm tools, sharpening and repairing them as needed.

"Hey, Luo Erbao! Where did you get all those fish?" Someone nearby spotted Luo Fei with his hands full and curiously asked.

"My Qing-ge caught them. I'm taking some to my parents' place." Luo Fei grinned, walking lightly with joy in his heart.

"That Xi kid has been great at catching fish since he was little. You're lucky, Luo Erbao."

"Haha, no doubt about it!" Luo Fei quickened his pace. Before he even reached the gate of his family home, he was already calling out, "Dad, Mom! I'm back! Anyone home?"

"Er-ge! It's just me at home!" Luo Ru shouted from inside the house. She soon came out. "Dad and Mom are still working in the fields… Whoa, where did all these fish come from?!"

"Your Qing-ge caught them. Get a basin and fill it with water, so they don’t die." Luo Fei handed her a portion. "Sanbao, you guys cook these tonight. I still have to stop by the Yang Han’s house."

"Ah? Alright then." Luo Ru seemed much better than before. Though she didn’t smile much, it was clear she had put past troubles behind her. She was an open-minded girl who recovered from bad moods quickly. "Er-ge, do you know how to cook fish? If not, why don’t you invite Qing-ge over for dinner after you deliver the fish to Han Xu-ge?"

"Hmm… that sounds like a good idea. I’ll ask him when I get back." Other than their formal homecoming visit, they hadn’t eaten at the Luo family home since their wedding. It would be nice to have a lively meal together. Despite the "generation gap," neither he nor Xi Yanqing had distanced themselves from the Luo family. In times like these, staying united was even more important.

Luo Fei delivered the fish to the Han family, receiving a shower of gratitude from Han Xu’s mother, who kept saying she didn’t know how to repay him.

Han Xu, munching on sunflower seeds, dismissed it. "Mom, why are you being so formal? Just throw the fish in the pot!"

"Exactly," Luo Fei laughed. "Alright, Auntie, I'll leave you to it. Qing-ge and I are eating at my parents’ place tonight, so I need to head back and get him."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Look at you sticking together like glue! Just go already!" Han Xu teased, giving Luo Fei a light push. "I won’t see you off."

Luo Fei waved as he left. Just as he was leaving, he spotted Jiang Baining being helped out of the courtyard by Zhang Yangfan. Jiang Baining held his waist, looking delicate and frail. Upon seeing Luo Fei, he weakly turned to Zhang Yangfan and said, "Yangfan, I feel nauseous. I want some dried plums."

Zhang Yangfan's gaze shifted awkwardly from Luo Fei before replying, "Alright, wait here. I'll get them for you."

Luo Fei didn’t even register their conversation. He walked past them as if they were air. It wasn’t avoidance—it was simply that they no longer mattered to him. Thinking back, Xi Yanqing was right. There was no need to waste energy on people like that. If someone was rotten at their core, why even pay attention? People should focus on the sunlight, not the filth.

Jiang Baining had originally wanted to provoke Luo Fei, but seeing Luo Fei treat him as if he didn’t exist was unbearable!

"Luo Fei!" Jiang Baining called out, "Walk slowly! Be careful not to hurt your fetal qi!"

T/N:Qi is a life force, he is sarcasticqlly telling him to slow down or else he will hurt the baby.

"What baby, your mother's baby!" Luo Fei scoffed without looking back. No point talking to an idiot!

"He’s pregnant?" Zhang Yangfan, returning with the dried plums, overheard and asked in surprise.

"I was just joking. Why do you care so much?" Jiang Baining grew irritated.

"I don’t care about him. I was just curious because you mentioned pregnancy." Zhang Yangfan felt a strange sense of relief. He wasn’t sure why, but he didn’t want Luo Fei to have Xi Yanqing’s child—or anyone’s child, for that matter.

Meanwhile, Luo Fei had originally planned to have dinner at his parents’ place, but the mention of "pregnancy" gave him second thoughts. When he got home, he told Xi Yanqing about it.

Xi Yanqing chuckled. "So what? Our elders are just concerned, that’s all. We can’t avoid visiting them forever because of that. Besides, we know our own situation best."

Luo Fei thought about it and agreed. "Alright, let’s bring two more fish over."

If they both went, that would be seven people at the table, and three fish wouldn’t be enough.

But Xi Yanqing shook his head. "No need to catch more. Let's eat at home tonight."

"Huh?" Luo Fei was puzzled. "Then why did you say all that before?"

"I wanted to remind you not to dwell on nonsense. And I changed my mind because, between plain porridge with stewed fish and rice with stewed fish, I know you’d prefer rice." Xi Yanqing leaned in and whispered mischievously, "Tonight, we’re having rice."

"Ahhhh! Really? Really?!" Luo Fei was ecstatic. "Rice?!"

"Why would I lie? Now go tell Sanbao, so she doesn’t wait for us. I’ll start the rice and clean the fish. You cook when you get back."

"Okay, okay! I’ll be quick!" Luo Fei dashed out, then suddenly stopped and ran back. His cheeks were flushed, and his lips curled into a shy smile.

"What’s wrong?" Xi Yanqing asked.

"Qing-ge is the best!" Luo Fei stood on tiptoe, wrapped his arms around Xi Yanqing’s neck, and planted a big kiss on his face. Then he bolted out the door.

Xi Yanqing: "…"

He coughed lightly, pressing a fist to his lips, then touched the spot where he’d been kissed. A tender smile spread across his face.

A moment later, from the Xiyan courtyard, a muttering voice could be heard…

"Tsk tsk tsk, got too excited, almost popped the fish gallbladder!"

"Sanbao! Qing-ge and I aren’t coming for dinner tonight. You guys eat without us," Luo Fei announced when he got to the Luo house.

"Huh? Why not, Er-ge?" Luo Ru had been planning to add some vermicelli to the fish stew.

"Ugh, I don’t want to face Mom right now. She’ll just ask about babies again. Besides, Qing-ge came home early today, and I want to spend more time with him. Usually, he doesn’t get back until dark."

"Fair enough. Anyway, Dragon Boat Festival is coming up, so you’ll have to come back then." Luo Ru smiled. "We’ll make lots of zongzi."

T/N: Dumplings

"Yes! Let’s make meat zongzi!"

"Meat zongzi? What’s that?" Luo Ru had never heard of such a thing. To her, zongzi meant glutinous rice with a couple of red dates wrapped in bamboo leaves.

"It’s… it’s replacing the dates with meat. The meat turns out kind of like red-braised pork—super flavorful!"

"Do you know how to make it, Er-ge?"

T/N: Second Brother

"Me? Uh… I’ll ask Qing-ge. I only heard about it from him!"

"Then we'll try it when the time comes." Luo Ru frowned. "But will that even taste good?" Meat-filled zongzi?! That just sounds a little weird...

"We'll talk about that when the Dragon Boat Festival arrives. Sanbao, teach me how to make fish taste good first." Luo Fei took a sip of water and then started attentively listening to Luo Ru's "lesson."

By the time Luo Fei had learned how to cook fish and returned home, Xi Yanqing had almost finished his tasks as well. Not only had he washed the rice and put it in the pot, but he had also nearly finished cleaning the fish. Seeing Xi Yanqing holding a fish in one hand and scooping water with the other to rinse it, Luo Fei went over to take the scoop and help. This way, Xi Yanqing could wash the fish more thoroughly.

There were only two of them in the household, so they didn’t need to cook too much. Xi Yanqing had only prepared one grass carp. Luo Fei didn’t really mind; after all, it would all end up in their stomachs in the end. He took the fish into the kitchen, sprinkled it with salt to let it absorb some flavor, then soaked some vermicelli and went to the backyard to pick and wash some bok choy. Luo Ru had mentioned that adding tofu would be delicious, but braising it with vermicelli and vegetables would also taste great. Today, he decided to try the latter.

Xi Yanqing helped Luo Fei tend the fire, while Luo Fei stood beside him, adding seasonings and preparing the dish.

From time to time, their gazes met, and even the air seemed to turn sweet.

Luo Fei finally understood why people in love became foolish. It was probably because they were too happy—so much so that they couldn't help but smile.

Rice paired with braised fish was indeed incredibly delicious. Luo Fei ate way more than usual, especially since Xi Yanqing helped pick out the fish bones for him and gave him the best parts of the fish. He ate until his stomach was round and full, and when he got up to clean the kitchen, he almost couldn't walk properly.

"Two bowls of rice, more than half a braised fish with vegetables… I think this is the fullest I’ve ever been since getting married, except for our wedding day." Luo Fei sat on the kang, feeling drowsy and completely uninterested in embroidery.

"I'll try to make sure you eat like this every day from now on," Xi Yanqing said, rubbing Luo Fei's ear. "I'm going to take a bath. Want to come?"

"No, I'm too lazy to move." Luo Fei leaned against the kang cabinet. Seeing that the little chicks were all asleep, he actually felt a bit sleepy himself.

"Alright then, help me find some clean clothes."

Luo Fei found him a set, and Xi Yanqing took the clothes and left the room. The moment he stepped out, Luo Fei immediately perked up and opened his cabinet where he stored fabrics.

A while later, he heard Xi Yanqing's footsteps returning and quickly shut the cabinet door.

While bathing, Xi Yanqing had assumed that Luo Fei would probably fall asleep by the time he got back—maybe he'd at least manage to pull the covers over himself before knocking out. But when he returned, he found that Luo Fei was still quite energetic. Whatever he had been doing, he immediately stopped and shut the kang cabinet door the moment Xi Yanqing entered.

Luo Fei had really put in a lot of effort over the past few days. Aside from cooking, watering the vegetables, and doing laundry, he spent almost all his time embroidering and sewing. But there were some things he didn't want Xi Yanqing to see just yet.

Xi Yanqing was perceptive enough not to pry. Seeing that his little mule was unwilling to say more, he simply laid out the bedding, got under the covers, and patted the other side. "Sleep?"

Luo Fei replied, "I haven’t washed up yet. You sleep first."

Xi Yanqing didn’t say much and just lay in bed waiting for Luo Fei.

After washing up, Luo Fei returned, turned off the lamp, and climbed into bed—resting his head on Xi Yanqing’s arm for the first time ever.

In that moment, Xi Yanqing’s heart raced wildly.

This was progress, right?! This was a historic leap forward!

He quickly tightened his embrace around his little mule and planted a series of soft kisses on his lips.

Luo Fei’s reaction was clumsy, but the fact that he opened his mouth willingly was already enough to make Xi Yanqing ecstatic. Xi Yanqing's tongue roamed inside Luo Fei’s mouth, and he slowly leaned over him—rubbing noses one moment, kissing his cheeks and forehead the next. He simply couldn’t get enough.

If it weren’t for the fact that Luo Fei tensed up when his hands brushed against his hips, Xi Yanqing probably wouldn't have been able to hold back anymore.

"I-I can use my hand to help you," Luo Fei stammered in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz, clearly embarrassed.

"Okay…" Xi Yanqing gently guided Luo Fei’s hand… utterly surprised. Usually, he was the one helping Luo Fei, while Luo Fei passively accepted. But now...

What did they call this? "After the storm comes the rainbow"? This was probably it.

A night filled with tenderness.

_

The next morning, for the first time, Xi Yanqing woke up later than Luo Fei—mainly because he had been too excited the night before and slept too late. When he got up, Luo Fei was already gone, but beside the kang lay a neatly folded set of gray clothes.

Xi Yanqing picked them up and tried them on, finding that they fit perfectly. The sleeves were exactly the right length—just as he had imagined. He couldn't be more satisfied.

Recalling how Luo Fei had hurriedly shut the cabinet door the night before when he came in, Xi Yanqing couldn’t help but chuckle.

That little secretive mind of his—it was just too cute.

Luo Fei had actually woken up before dawn. After lighting the oil lamp in the kitchen, he embroidered the final stitches on a set of sachets and picked up the most special one—an intricately embroidered little tiger—lost in thought.

Whatever crossed his mind made his ears flush red.

When Xi Yanqing came out, he saw Luo Fei sitting quietly on a small stool, completely unaware of his presence. Stealthily, he snuck up from behind and hugged him. "What are you daydreaming about?"

Luo Fei quickly clenched the sachet in his hand to prevent Xi Yanqing from seeing it. He turned to glance at him. "Does the new outfit fit well?"

Xi Yanqing nodded. "It’s really comfortable. Thank you."

Luo Fei looked him over—indeed, it fit perfectly. Xi Yanqing had the kind of physique that made any outfit look good. Even the most ordinary clothes looked handsome on him. Thinking back, Luo Fei suddenly couldn't understand why he used to think this man wasn’t good-looking. Was it jealousy?!

Xi Yanqing held Luo Fei in his arms, reluctant to let go. But now that it was daylight, he had to chop firewood.

Luo Fei needed to make breakfast as well. He lifted the lid of the steamer. "How about steamed buns for breakfast?"

"Whatever you want. I’ll eat anything," Xi Yanqing said.

Luo Fei chuckled. "Qing-ge, I want to go to town tomorrow."

The Dragon Boat Festival was only five days away, and he wanted to see if he could sell his handmade goods. If they sold well, he could make more before the holiday.

Coincidentally, Xi Yanqing also planned to go into the mountains to gather medicinal herbs to sell at the pharmacy. "Sure, we’ll go together."

He wasn’t comfortable letting Luo Fei go alone.

After all, security here wasn’t as good as in the modern era. Most of the time, things were fine, but if something did happen, it would be troublesome.

The couple had steamed buns and leftover fish for breakfast. Luo Fei packed some crispy rice from last night's dinner for Xi Yanqing and filled a water jug. Xi Yanqing then carried his wife's love-filled provisions and headed into the mountains.

Meanwhile, Luo Fei double-checked his handmade sachets and pouches, ensuring their quality before wrapping them in cloth.

At noon, he visited Han Xu to ask if he wanted to go to town. Han Xu, hearing that Luo Fei and Xi Yanqing were going together, grinned. "I was worried about you going alone. Since your big tiger is going, I won’t bother. My mother told me not to wander around before the wedding."

Luo Fei thought back—hadn’t he also stayed home a lot before his wedding? He patted Han Xu’s shoulder. "Alright, I won’t call you tomorrow then. I’ll let you know how the sales go when I get back."

Han Xu laughed. "Sure! If you make good money, bring me something tasty."

Luo Fei agreed and, on his way home, started thinking—if the sales went well, what should he buy?

Honestly, he really liked food. Maybe that’s why he got along so well with Han Xu.

Luo Fei locked the chicks in the outdoor coop and started preparing dinner.

Xi Yanqing hadn’t returned yet—who knew if he would come back after dark again.

At that moment, Xi Yanqing was preparing to descend the mountain, but it wasn’t an easy task. When he first went up the mountain, he was just looking to gather some medicinal herbs, thinking that any find, good or bad, would be a gain. But he hadn’t expected to harvest quite a lot. Although he wasn’t lucky enough to come across ginseng or lingzhi mushrooms, he did find a good amount of lady bell root and old thorn buds! As medicinal herbs, these weren’t worth much, and it was doubtful anyone would even buy them—especially the latter. But for adding to meals at home, they were perfect!

T/N: Lingzhi Mushroom- also known as reishi or Ganoderma lingzhi is a polypore fungus native to East Asia belonging to the genus Ganoderma

Ladybell root- also known as Adenophora triphylla, is a traditional herbal medicine used in Korea and China

Xi Yanqing dug up a large amount of lady bell root and also collected some spiny elderberry shoots to plant at home, hoping they would propagate naturally for future harvests. He also gathered a few other scattered herbs like aconite and rough gentian. He couldn’t bear to throw anything away, so he carried everything on his back. The result? The trip down the mountain became a real struggle—everything else was fine, but the spiny elderberry shoots were covered in sharp thorns!

T/N: Aconite- also called wolf's bane is a genus of over 250 species of flowering plants

Rough Gentian: bitter herb and medicinal plant that can be grown outdoors

Luo Fei had been watching at the door for a long time before finally spotting a figure approaching. "Qing-ge, is that you?"

Xi Yanqing replied, "It’s me!"

This was the first time Luo Fei had ever waited at the door for him. Xi Yanqing instantly felt recharged! He quickened his steps toward the entrance. "Did I keep you waiting?"

Luo Fei grinned. "A little. I thought maybe a bear had dragged you away—ah!" Luo Fei suddenly yelped. "What the heck?!"

Xi Yanqing had been so happy he forgot to mention the old thorn buds. Seeing Luo Fei pricked, he immediately took his hand and put the injured finger into his mouth. "Are you okay? I brought back some old thorn buds. I’ll show you in a bit."

Luo Fei shook his hand. "What’s that?"

Xi Yanqing went inside, dumped out his haul, and explained everything—what each thing was and what it was used for. But Luo Fei wasn’t paying attention to most of it. He only caught two words: "edible" and "food."

Xi Yanqing let him smell the sand ginseng and spiny elderberry shoots. "The scent is quite unique—can you handle it?"

Luo Fei loved trying new things. "Of course! And the water’s already boiling. I’ll blanch some so we can have a taste! They won’t be fresh by tomorrow."

Xi Yanqing had been thinking the same. So while he went out to wash up, Luo Fei stayed inside to prepare the old thorn buds. The couple ate their dinner and then sorted through Xi Yanqing’s harvest.

Early the next morning, Luo Fei prepared a simple breakfast while Xi Yanqing fed the chickens. Then, with one carrying a bundle of sachets and the other a pack of freshly prepared herbs, the two set off for town.

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