BYBOTE Chapter 37: The Big Tiger Awakens

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Li Siyuan paused in surprise—he hadn’t expected that someone outside would recognize him. He glanced at Zhao Chuanmeng, who wore an equally puzzled expression, and then went to open the main door.

“...the guy selling sachets?”

He indeed had a good memory and immediately recognized Luo Fei. After all, Luo Fei was notably handsome, and when he stood together with another strikingly impressive man, it was hard to forget.

“It’s me, it’s me! What a coincidence—you live here too?”

Luo Fei realized he was coming off as overly familiar, but at that moment, if it meant helping Xi Yanquing obtain the Jiuxian Powder, he was willing to risk everything—shamelessness be damned!

“It’s my elder sister who lives here,” Li Siyuan replied with a slight nod toward Zhao Chuanmeng. “I’m just here to see her. And you… what brings you here?”

“It’s just that someone in my family got injured and we need the Jiuxian Powder. I heard from Shopkeeper Jing that this esteemed elder sister of yours has a way to make it, so—so that’s why I came early to trouble you.”

Luo Fei looked pleadingly at Li Siyuan and then at Zhao Chuanmeng. “Elder sister, I don’t understand why you refuse to sell the medicine, but could you tell me what I must do to obtain the Jiuxian Powder? I’ll do whatever it takes—just please point me in the right direction.”

“Little brother, my sister has sworn never to make the Jiuxian Powder again,” Li Siyuan explained. “If you need help, perhaps I can think of a solution, but if you want her to produce the powder, that’s highly unlikely.”

“Why say so much to him?” Zhao Chuanmeng interjected coldly. “Since you already know each other, I won’t interfere. Siyuan, you handle it—don’t disturb my rest.”

“Very well, then, big sister—I’ll go talk with him.”

Stepping out the door, Li Siyuan turned to instruct Wang Ma, “Wang Ma, please take good care of my sister.”

“You needn’t worry, young master—I certainly will,” Wang Ma replied with a gentle smile, her tone warm yet respectful.

Once outside, Li Siyuan motioned for Luo Fei to follow him.

Seeing Li Siyuan, Luo Fei found his face familiar; coupled with Li Siyuan’s promise to help find a solution, Luo Fei signaled for his brother Luo Yi to join, and together they followed Li Siyuan.

Li Siyuan had arrived in a carriage—fortunately large enough for three. He invited Luo Fei and Luo Yi aboard, and then headed to his own home. On the way, he briefly introduced himself, saying, “I am Li Siyuan. Little brother, it seems fate has brought us together; today, please join me at my residence for a cup of tea.”

“Thank you, Brother Li,” said Luo Fei. “I’m Luo Fei, and this is my younger brother, Luo Yi. I apologize for disturbing you and your family’s gathering today.”

“It’s nothing—since we’re so close by, just come again whenever you have time.”

Li Siyuan spoke kindly, a faint smile in his eyes as he continued, “Earlier you mentioned that someone in your family was injured. Was it the fellow who was selling incense sachets with you at the morning market?”

“That’s exactly him. He—my husband—was originally up in the mountains gathering herbs. He used to deliver medicine to Xifu Hall several times a month, but three days ago he had a nasty fall on the mountain, injuring his legs and getting numerous scratches. Now his high fever just won’t break, and in my desperation I went straight to Xifu Hall.”

Luo Fei continued, “I meant no disturbance to the lady of the house, but our family doctor said that only the Jiuxian Powder might save my husband’s life. But now, we’ve run out of it, so…”

“I see. It’s no wonder you’re in a panic—anyone in your situation would be. However, the Jiuxian Powder is indeed finished, and the medicinal ingredients required to make it are hard to come by. How about this: since your husband is one of the medicine deliverers for Xifu Hall, he isn’t exactly an outsider. I’ll have my husband accompany you and take a look; perhaps he might have a solution.”

“R-really?”

Luo Fei could hardly believe this unexpected good news.

“Of course it’s true,” Li Siyuan replied as they arrived at the Shi Mansion. After disembarking the carriage, he invited Luo Fei and Luo Yi to get off as well.

Luo Fei and Luo Yi noticed that the mansion’s main door was painted red. Although it wasn’t as splendid as that of the Eastern House of Xifu Hall, it was still quite impressive in town. If he had leisure, Luo Fei would have loved to step inside and explore, but at that moment he wasn’t in the mood. Standing at the doorway, he said, “Brother Li, my brother and I won’t go in—we’ll wait for you here.”

“I know your heart is with your family and you’re eager to return, but I must discuss this with my husband, and he needs to bring his medicine case along,” Li Siyuan explained.

Luo Fei bit his lip, “Then sorry to trouble you.”

Luo Yi looked at Luo Fei in puzzlement. Was it his imagination? He felt that when his elder brother spoke with this Li Siyuan, he seemed a bit… not quite like his usual self.

Luo Fei did his best to remain composed. After taking Luo Yi inside, he followed the mansion’s servants into the parlor in a very proper manner. When the servants served tea, he thanked them and sipped a little.

Luo Yi, trying to imitate him, also took a sip—though he appeared rather reserved, not as relaxed as Luo Fei.

Later, when Li Siyuan found Shi Shi, Shi Shi was busy amusing a little bird while holding his son. After listening to Li Siyuan’s account, he didn’t object but simply asked, “Do you know where that little brother got the Jiuxian Powder from?”

“It’s said that his husband brought it back when he returned home. His husband had once served in the military,” Li Siyuan replied while cradling his son. “I’m not sure if he obtained it from one of those soldiers, or from somewhere else.”

“Elder sister must have suspected these circumstances even more, which is why she is reluctant to help,” Shi Shi said hesitantly. “Are you sure you want to go ahead with this?”

“Just think of it as accumulating extra blessings for our Changle,” Li Siyuan sighed. “Besides, given the situation, it wouldn’t do to stand by and watch someone die.”

“Exactly. When you were gravely injured back then, I thought to myself—if I could cure you, I’d do anything,” replied Shi Shi as he gently wrapped an arm around Li Siyuan’s shoulder. “Anyway, let’s make a trip. You and Changle should come along too—it’ll be good to get some fresh air.”

“I had the same idea,” Li Siyuan laughed. “Otherwise, Changle would be cooped up at home and bored. Just a few days ago, he saw chickens for sale at the market and was clamoring to buy one to keep at home.”

“That rascal—once he has a thought, there’s no stopping him,” Shi Shi teased as he lightly pinched his son’s little cheek before off to fetch his medicine box. When he returned, he handed the box to Li Siyuan while he himself led a horse out and mounted a big steed with his son in his arms.

The father and son made quite a pleasant sight—it hardly looked like they were off to tend to a patient but more like they were setting out on a picnic.

Meanwhile, Luo Fei and Luo Yi remained seated in the carriage. As Luo Yi listened intently to the conversation between Luo Fei and Li Siyuan, he learned for the first time that Li Siyuan had once bought a scented pouch embroidered by his second brother.

“I’ve never bought a pouch embroidered as exquisitely as that,” Li Siyuan remarked. “Your second brother is extraordinarily skilled.”

“That’s absolutely true,” Luo Yi said, his face lighting up with pride at the praise of his brother. “My second brother’s needlework is renowned.”

“Hey, could you be a bit more modest?” Luo Fei chided, elbowing Luo Yi.

“We’re just speaking the truth,” Li Siyuan replied. “Luo Fei, you’re being too modest.”

Luo Fei managed a slight smile. He wasn’t sure if Shi Shi could truly cure Xi Yanquing, but at least there was a glimmer of hope. Besides, he felt that since Li Siyuan had agreed to take a look, there must be some remedy. These two were not the sort to make empty promises—they wouldn’t let him down, he hoped.

After all, ever since he first met them, Luo Fei had formed an excellent impression of Li Siyuan’s little family.

Although Shi Shi and his son Changle rode on horseback, since Chang Le was still very young, Shi Shi did not let the horse gallop. After more than half an hour, the group arrived at Huaping Village.

Horses were rarely seen in the village, let alone a carriage; as soon as they arrived, they became the center of attention. Some villagers even ran over to Luo Fei’s house to gawk.

Luo Fei didn’t have time to pay heed to the onlookers. After inviting Shi Shi and Li Siyuan inside, he called out, “Qing-ge? How are you feeling?”

Xi Yanquing still couldn’t answer, but it seemed he had heard Luo Fei’s call—he stirred slightly. In truth, at that moment he desperately wanted to open his eyes, but no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t manage it. He felt utterly exhausted, as if he were endlessly climbing a mountain. Though he longed to stop, his legs and feet seemed beyond his control.

Luo Fei unwrapped the bandages from Xi Yanquing and showed them to Shi Shi. As for Li Siyuan and Changle, Luo Yi had already taken them off to look at the little chicks and ducklings. Li Siyuan himself was indifferent to it, but Changle couldn’t contain his curiosity. Later, when Han Yang arrived with Zhuangzhuang, the two little ones instantly found a playmate, chasing after all the chickens and ducks in the courtyard as if they’d been long separated friends.

“Brother Luo Fei, please fetch a bowl of warm water—and also an empty bowl,” Shi Shi instructed, rummaging through his medicine box and pulling out several bottles and jars. After Luo Fei returned with the water and bowl, Shi Shi poured some of the warm water from the filled bowl into the empty one, leaving just a little water behind in the original. Then he added three different medicinal powders and stirred them carefully until they formed a smooth paste.

“Is this a topical medicine?” Luo Fei couldn’t help but ask. The paste looked a bit like black sesame paste—only not as dark and not nearly as fragrant.

“My medicine, like Jiuxian Powder, is specially made for treating wounds. The difference is that Jiuxian Powder, though potent, doesn’t cause pain; whereas my medicine will make the wound ache intensely once applied,” explained Shi Shi. “Soon, your huabnd will likely have to endure some pain.”

“It’s all right—as long as it cures him,” Luo Fei gritted his teeth and gripped Xi Yanquing’s hand.

Shi Shi set the medicine aside and then meticulously removed all the Jiuxian Powder from Xi Yanquing’s body, exposing the wound in its original state. All the scraped-off powder was gathered into a small lidded bowl he had brought along.

Luo Fei had seen Xi Yanquing’s wound earlier, but now his heart sank even further. The wound had become infected; the torn skin and flesh still lay open.

His heart ached as if twisted by knives, and he instinctively grasped Xi Yanquing’s hand.

At that moment, Xi Yanquing moved slightly. He managed to open his eyes just enough to look at Luo Fei, as if trying to say something. But his voice was so faint that Luo Fei could barely make it out—he only saw Xi Yanquing’s mouth moving.

“Brother Luo Fei, press on him a bit,” instructed Shi Shi as he began to clear away the pus from Xi Yanquing’s wound. Despite his imposing stature, his movements were incredibly delicate. After removing the pus, he took a well-polished stone scraper and applied the medicinal paste to Xi Yanquing’s wound.

At first, Xi Yanquing showed little reaction, but as the medicine touched his blood it began to change color—from its original dark green to a reddish-brown. That was the moment when Xi Yanquing’s reaction became intense. The medicine’s potency seemed extraordinarily strong; Xi Yanquing began trembling with pain, and Luo Fei even heard him emit agonizing sounds.

“Luo—Luo Fei…” Xi Yanquing, with furrowed brows and a pained expression, cried out. His face, already burning red, had not been sweating—but soon after the medicine was applied, sweat began to break out!

“Qing-ge, hang on. We’re changing your medicine now. The doctor said it would definitely hurt, but you must endure it,” Luo Fei said as he held Xi Yanquing’s hand, which was clenched back just as tightly. Had it not been for the weakness from his injury, his grip might have crushed Xi Yanquing’s bones.

“Luo Fei, Luo Fei…” Xi Yanquing, barely conscious, kept calling out his name.

At that moment, as he held Xi Yanquing’s hand, Luo Fei finally understood just how much Xi Yanquing cared for him. Truly, aside from his own family, no one had ever shown such concern.

Even Shi Shi was moved as he gathered up his medicine box. “Brother Luo Fei, my medicine appears to work faster than Jiuxian Powder at first, but because it’s extremely potent initially, its later effects might be inferior. Tonight, your husband might even need to be cauterized. I’ll leave some medicine behind and teach you how to prepare it. Use the method I show you to change his dressing twice a day, and after a few days I’ll come back.”

Luo Fei immediately stood up and bowed to Shi Shi. “Thank you, Brother Shi, for coming to our aid. If it weren’t for you, my Qing-ge might have been lost. I truly feel ashamed that you had to travel such a long distance for us.”

Shi Shi waved his hand dismissively. “No need to mention it. Siyuan and I only hope that you won’t hold any grudges against Elder Sister family—she has her own difficulties. Besides, once we head back, Shopkeeper Jing will bring you some more medicine; I’ll also give him the formula. He will then teach you how to prepare it, and if you follow his instructions and have your husband drink it, he should be awake again in no more than five days.”

Luo Fei nodded. “We never really knew the Boss( Zhao Chuanmeng) family anyway. Should I pay the medicine fee to Shopkeeper Jing?”

He spoke awkwardly. In truth, he could tell that Shi Shi and Li Siyuan were sincerely trying to help him, and offering money seemed impolite. But he also couldn’t let them make the long trip for nothing—especially given the medicine.

After a moment’s thought, Shi Shi said, “Forget about the medical fee. If you feel inclined, why not make a little garment for my Changle? Siyuan really admires your embroidery, and he always says that the ready-made clothes from the shops aren’t delicate enough.”

Luo Fei thought this was acceptable and nodded emphatically, “No problem. Not just one outfit—every year I’ll make clothes for Changle, as long as Brother Shi and Brother Li don’t mind.”

Li Siyuan happened to overhear and said, “How could they possibly mind? We’re more than happy.” Glancing at Xi Yanqing, he asked, “How’s Brother Xi doing?”

Shi Shi replied, “He seems alright; his coming was quite timely.”

If this ‘burn’ (or condition) were to continue for another two or three days, it might become troublesome.

Li Siyuan continued, “That’s good. Now you can relax, Luo Fei. You take care of your husband, and we’ll take Changle out for a walk. He rarely comes to the countryside, so everything will seem new to him.”

Luo Fei said, “In the back garden there are some longkui (Black Nightshade) for Changle to pick and eat, and there are also watermelons, though I’m not sure if they’re ripe yet. Brother Shi, Brother Li—you’re welcome to wander around and pick whatever you like; everything was planted by me and Brother Qing.”

He had neglected the garden these past few days, so there were probably plenty of ripe longkui fruits by now.

Changle asked, “Dad, what is longkui fruit?”

Li Siyuan, who hadn’t yet let the child try it, laughed and said, “Come on, Daddy will take you to see and you’ll know.” Then, smiling at Luo Fei, he added, “Well, Luo Fei, I won’t hold back.”

Luo Fei felt that this was the best outcome—it made him feel much more at ease. Earlier, as soon as he arrived home, he’d already sent Luo Yi to ask Luo Ru to help prepare a lunch for the guests. Even though it was an imposition on his family, he couldn’t very well let them come and leave without a proper meal.

He was truly surprised to have run into Li Siyuan and Shi Shi, and even more so to be so fortunate that they could help him and Xi Yanqing. So, not to mention the longkui fruit and the lunch—even if he had to give away every vegetable in the garden, he’d be willing. Luo Fei appreciated that Li Siyuan was the kind of person with both high emotional and intellectual intelligence, making him feel completely at ease and unselfconscious in his presence. Although it was only their second meeting, it felt as if he were meeting an old friend.

Some people simply have that quality—making them hard not to like. And that was probably the unique charm and charisma of Li Siyuan.

As long as you sweat a bit, the burning (or fever) tends to subside more easily. Though it wasn’t clear if it was due to the daytime heat, within half an hour after Xi Yanqing had his medication changed, there was indeed some improvement. While Luo Fei was relieved, a question also arose in his mind: if Shi Shi truly had the skill to cure Xi Yanqing, why didn’t Shopkeeper Jing directly tell him to go see Shi Shi?

Of course, he wasn’t blaming Shopkeeper Jing—he was very grateful that he had taken him to see the mistress, after all. Even though Shopkeeper Jing had said the mistress wouldn’t be able to help, taking him there must have carried a glimmer of hope. So even though things hadn’t worked out, Luo Fei still felt thankful. He was just curious: since both Shi Shi and Li Siyuan were so kind and approachable, why wouldn’t they have taken him to see them?

Perhaps it was the result of several days of poor rest and exhaustion—as if the soul of a renowned actor had deserted him—that Luo Fei couldn’t even mask his expression, so his question was written plainly on his face.

Emerging from the back garden, Li Siyuan saw Luo Fei and asked with a smile, “Xiao Luo Fei, do you have any questions?”

After a brief moment of thought, Luo Fei replied frankly, “Big Brother Li, I’m a bit curious: why didn’t Shopkeeper Jing take me straight to see you and Big Brother Shi back then? I’m not blaming him—I’m very grateful he took me to see the mistress—but I just don’t understand.”

Li Siyuan pointed to his right wrist and said, “Because of this.”

Luo Fei didn’t quite understand what Li Siyuan meant.

Then Li Siyuan asked, “Can I wash my hands here?”

Noticing the mud on his hands, Luo Fei quickly fetched a basin of water and said, “You can wash here.”

The water, specially drawn and warmed by the sun, wasn’t cold.

While washing, Li Siyuan explained, “These very hands were injured by someone I treated long ago. Later, my eldest sister strictly forbade me from treating anyone further—and she wouldn’t allow anyone to guide patients to us either.”

“Was it done by someone whom Shopkeeper Jing directed?”

“Exactly. Although Shopkeeper Jing didn’t know those people harbored ill intentions, my eldest sister nearly drove him out that time. You see, though she appears cold, she is fiercely protective of her own. That’s why Shopkeeper Jing would never dare to take you to see me and Brother Shi; if he did, once my eldest sister found out, it wouldn’t just be a matter of being kicked out.”

“I see.” As Luo Fei was speaking, Luo Ru and Luo Yi arrived carrying several lunch boxes. When Luo Ru heard they had come voluntarily to help treat Xi Yanqing, she immediately set to work without a word—preparing a modest chicken stew with mushrooms, sautéed tofu, stir-fried bok choy, a cucumber scramble with eggs, and, unusually, cooking rice and steaming buns. Such a spread was something you’d normally only see during New Year in the countryside—or even then, it depended on the household.

“Big Brother Li, I’ve been busy these past few days trying to find someone to treat my dear Qing, and we hadn’t prepared much at home. Please, don’t mind it—just consider it an experience of rural life,” Luo Fei said as he set the table under the shade of a tree in the courtyard and arranged the dishes. In the countryside, this would be a wonderful meal; but for Li Siyuan and Shi, who lived in a grand household, it was merely an ordinary meal.

“Hearing you say that makes me feel a bit embarrassed,” Li Siyuan remarked, unaware that Luo Fei had already had someone prepare the meal, as he was planning to head back soon. If it weren’t for little Changle not having played enough and Brother Shi indulging him, he would have left by now.

“Daddy…” little Changle, who had played all morning and was now hungry, said nothing directly—just looking longingly at Li Siyuan.

“Only now you’re hungry? If you had said so earlier, I would have taken you back; you insisted on playing,” Li Siyuan teased, pinching his little face. “If it weren’t for Uncle Luo Fei and this auntie, you’d have been left hungry.”

“Big Brother Li, Brother Shi, please help yourselves—don’t be polite.” Luo Ru, ever so forthright, said, “Second brother, you eat too. Si Ba already ate before he came; he said he’d watch over you in the house. Just call if you need anything. I’m off now—there’s someone waiting for me at home.”

“Alright, thank you, Sanbao.” Luo Fei thought that his sister was far more reliable than his brother; at least she never shortchanges him.

“We’re family—there’s no need to be so formal,” Luo Ru replied with a laugh before leaving.

Luo Fei then invited Li Siyuan and Shi to sit down. Zhuangzhuang and Han Yang had already left—Zhuangzhuang always goes off to find his mother when it’s time.

Little Changle was very well-behaved, sitting beside Li Siyuan and eagerly eating the food he was served, repeatedly exclaiming how delicious it was.

Li Siyuan, both amused and exasperated, said, “I’ve never seen you eat with such gusto at home.”

Luo Ru’s cooking was indeed excellent, but one must admit that many children tend to eat even better when dining somewhere else—perhaps because everything feels so fresh and novel.

Luo Fei wasn’t worried that Li Siyuan and the others would be impolite with him; he was just concerned they might be overly polite. Politeness is a form of courtesy, but overly courteous people can be harder to get along with since they tend to be more calculative. Fortunately, this family wasn’t pretentious—they seemed able to adapt quickly to any environment.

After that meal, Luo Fei felt that he had truly made a friend in Li Siyuan, and judging by the topics Li Siyuan casually discussed, he had friends from all walks of life—which took Luo Fei by surprise.

Luo Fei believed that once Xi Yanqing woke up, he would surely come to like this couple as well.

With lunch finished, there was no need to linger much longer. In the afternoon, little Changle returned to the rear garden. He crouched by the watermelons, a tiny bundle of energy, gazing at them as if he wanted to pick one but couldn’t—his look was both conflicted and adorable.

“Daddy, can we wait until they’re ripe before coming back?” little Changle asked Li Siyuan anxiously. Usually, Daddy would say that if you see something you like outside, you shouldn’t mention it; just tell Daddy when you get home, and he’ll naturally buy it for you. And that’s what he usually did. But for watermelons, he didn’t want to buy them—he wanted to pick them himself.

“Alright then. For your sake, your old man has put up with this many times,” Li Siyuan said as he picked up his son. “Once your father comes back in a few days, we’ll come over to check on the watermelons again. In a little while, Daddy will tell Uncle Luo Fei that you’ve reserved this watermelon.”

"No need to book, just let Little Changle come and pick freely," Luo Fei said. "I guess in another three to five days, they should be ripe."

"He'll be overjoyed then," Li Siyuan said. "Luo Fei, you go ahead with your work. We should be heading back too."

It was already afternoon, past the hottest part of the day, so the journey wouldn’t be as uncomfortable. Besides, the child was getting sleepy. If they were home, he would have just woken up from his afternoon nap, but today he had played too much and was only now feeling drowsy.

Luo Fei saw them off at the door, watching as Shi Shi and Li Siyuan took the child onto the carriage. Even the horse was intelligent, trotting alongside the vehicle as they left.

Only when they were out of sight did Luo Fei go back inside. He first felt Xi Yanqing's forehead, and upon realizing it was no longer burning hot, he finally relaxed.

As dusk approached, Shopkeeper Jing personally brought over some medicine and carefully explained the usage to Luo Fei. Naturally, he refused any payment and also took the opportunity to explain why he hadn’t taken Luo Fei to find Li Siyuan earlier.

Luo Fei expressed his understanding and chatted with Uncle Jing for a while. Before Uncle Jing left, Luo Fei even packed some homegrown vegetables for him.

As the evening breeze turned cooler, Luo Ji came to relieve Luo Yi, while Luo Fei fed the medicine he had prepared to Xi Yanqing.

In the middle of the night, as expected, Xi Yanqing started burning up again, but Luo Fei found comfort in the fact that the fever was not as severe as before.

Hope began to grow in Luo Fei's heart. He devoted himself to taking care of Xi Yanqing—personally feeding him, wiping his body, and administering medicine. No matter how tired he was at night, he never slept for more than an hour at a time, frequently waking up to check on Xi Yanqing's breathing. Only after confirming that it was still steady would he allow himself to close his eyes again.

In just a few days, Luo Fei’s hands became highly sensitive to temperature—almost like an uncalibrated thermometer. Xi Yanqing’s gradually stabilizing body temperature gave him the strength to keep going.

Perhaps his sincerity had finally moved the heavens, for on the fourth day after Li Siyuan and the others had left, Xi Yanqing slowly opened his eyes. 

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