BYBOTE Chapter 40: A New Member at Home

 Previous | Table of Contents | Next 

The exhaustion from the day’s events, combined with the fatigue of their first time together, made Luo Fei sleep until nearly evening. When he woke up, the sky outside was already dark. The room was illuminated by the flickering candlelight, and on the table in the corner, there was a jug of wine, two cups, and some side dishes.

Xi Yanqing’s gentle voice sounded in his ear. "Wife, you’re awake?"

Luo Fei was still a bit groggy. After a moment, he finally realized where he was. He rubbed his eyes. "How long did I sleep?"

Xi Yanqing stroked Luo Fei’s back slowly. "It’s almost the Hour of the Pig (9-11 PM) now. What do you think?"

The Hour of the Pig? Didn’t that mean he had slept for five or six hours?!

Luo Fei shot up abruptly, but before he could sit up straight, he fell back down and curled into a ball. "Ow! My waist!"

It was so sore! And with that soreness, the memories from before sleep came rushing back like a tidal wave!

He… he had been taken by Xi Yanqing! Right when the sun was rising!

Later, Xi Yanqing had even wiped him clean, making sure he was comfortable before letting him sleep. And now…

Luo Fei cautiously rubbed his legs together. Sure enough, he wasn’t wearing anything!

Neither was Xi Yanqing. His legs were still intertwined with Luo Fei’s, as if they were a tightly wound rope, inseparable.

Feeling a little awkward, Luo Fei asked, "Are my mushrooms okay?"

Xi Yanqing reached under the covers and touched him. "Aren’t they just fine?"

"I meant the mushrooms I picked!" Luo Fei fumed. He was worried that in this hot weather, they would spoil after sitting out all day. He had worked hard to gather them! "You’re so evil! Pure evil!"

"Mm, I’m evil," Xi Yanqing chuckled, his chest vibrating with laughter. "Your mushrooms are fine. You nearly lost your life picking them—how could I not take care of them? Don’t worry, while you were asleep, I cleaned them all and put them in a cool place to dry. Honestly, you have some nerve, daring to go into the mountains to pick mushrooms! Weren’t you afraid of running into snakes? Not to mention all the bugs in the forest!"

"I just wanted to make mushroom-filled buns for you," Luo Fei mumbled, turning his head away. "I remember someone saying that mushroom-stuffed buns taste amazing."

"I figured as much later. Thank you, wife, for thinking of me." Xi Yanqing rubbed his nose against Luo Fei’s face affectionately. "Want to sit up for a bit?"

"For a midnight snack?" Luo Fei pointed at the table.

"Not for a snack—it's for our nuptial wine. Don’t you remember? Ever since we got married, we haven’t had our nuptial wine yet."

Back when they first married, Luo Fei’s heart hadn’t been with him yet. So when they were away from prying eyes, they skipped the formalities. But he had always kept it in his heart. Now, Luo Fei was truly his in both body and heart, so drinking nuptial wine would both complete the ceremony and celebrate their safe return.

"You really thought this through." Luo Fei carefully sat up, feeling a warm soreness behind him, which made him a little uncomfortable. He reached for his inner robe and put it on, pushing the blankets aside. Meanwhile, Xi Yanqing moved the table to the center of the bed.

Xi Yanqing filled the two cups to the brim, raising one as he looked at Luo Fei seriously. "Luo Fei, from today onward, we are truly husband and wife. I promise you, no matter what happens, I will always be devoted to you, protect you, and think of you. As long as I live, I will love you. Even if I die, my soul will still love you."

Luo Fei gazed at Xi Yanqing with a bright smile. "Thank you, Qing-ge. Having your love is the luckiest thing in my life. I also… um…" He hesitated for a moment before whispering, "I love you too."

Xi Yanqing smiled, wrapped their arms together, and drank the wine in one gulp. Then Luo Fei leaned into Xi Yanqing’s embrace. The two of them chatted under the candlelight, nibbling on peanuts, their sweetness filling the night.

If someone had told Luo Fei in his past life that he would one day fall in love with Xi Yanqing, he would have sent them straight to hell with his sharp tongue. But now, his eyes held only Xi Yanqing.

However, not long after drinking, Xi Yanqing fell asleep.

Luo Fei didn’t find it annoying at all; in fact, he thought it was quite amusing. At the same time, he also felt a bit distressed.

Yes, distressed. Even though his body had just recovered, he still went into the mountains to look for him for almost an entire night. If this wasn’t true love, then he didn’t know what was.

Luo Fei carefully touched Xi Yanqing’s brows and eyes. “Silly tiger.”

Xi Yanqing groggily grabbed Luo Fei’s hand. “Dumb donkey.”

Luo Fei was stunned. “Qing-ge, you’re not asleep?”

Xi Yanqing had a sleepy smile on his face, looking completely satisfied. “Your little butt is round and soft, so nice to touch…”

Luo Fei: “???”

Damn, so this Mr. Tiger was having his first dream of the year?!

Wait a minute!

“Qing-ge, Qing-ge, wake up!” Luo Fei smacked Xi Yanqing’s arm hard. “Wake up, I need to ask you something!”

“What is it?” This time, Xi Yanqing was really awake. He half-opened his eyes, still drowsy. “What’s the matter?”

“You, you… did you…” Luo Fei could hardly get the words out, but this was way too important. “Did you… put that, that thing inside me?”

“What thing?”

“You know… that thing!” Luo Fei was getting anxious. “Could I get pregnant from just one time?”

“Hmm… are you talking about little tigers and little donkeys?” Xi Yanqing finally became a bit more awake.

“Yes, yes!” There were no raincoats here, and they hadn’t taken any precautions. They got caught up in the heat of the moment without thinking. But now that he thought about it, wasn’t this way too reckless?!

T/N: he means condom

“Yes, I gave it to you.” Xi Yanqing said with certainty. “And not just once—twice. Did you forget?”

“…” Luo Fei held his forehead. “Forget it, just go back to sleep.”

“Don’t worry, it’s not like we can’t afford to raise them. Besides, this is normal here. What are you afraid of?” Xi Yanqing closed his eyes again. “From tomorrow on, don’t let yourself get too tired, okay…” Before he finished speaking, he had already dozed off again.

Luo Fei let out a long sigh, unable to sleep. He wasn’t mentally prepared for this at all. If little tigers and little donkeys really came, wouldn’t that be a mess?!

But there wasn’t much he could do to prevent it unless…

Forget it, no point overthinking it!

Luo Fei tossed and turned for a while before deciding to just go with the flow. Since he couldn’t sleep, he got up quietly, kneaded some dough to let it rise, and then checked on the mushrooms that Xi Yanqing had prepared. Xi Yanqing had probably guessed why he wanted to pick mushrooms and had already sorted and dried most of them, leaving a small bowl of blanched mushrooms with a bit of salt to prevent spoilage.

This way, he didn’t need to rehydrate dried mushrooms for making vegetable buns.

Luo Fei shuffled around, satisfied with his preparations, then climbed back onto the bed and slept for a while with Xi Yanqing.

The next morning, Luo Fei woke up, washed up, and took out the blanched mushrooms to chop them into small pieces. Then he prepared the filling and started making vegetable buns. By the time Xi Yanqing woke up, the buns were almost ready to come out of the pot. He finished washing up just in time to eat.

“How does it taste?” Luo Fei asked expectantly.

“Delicious. The best thing I’ve eaten in a while.” Xi Yanqing ate five buns in one go and drank a small bowl of porridge.

“I think they’re pretty good too. All that effort wasn’t wasted.” Luo Fei finally felt like life had returned to normal. Even though it had been tiring, it was fulfilling. He ate two buns himself and left the rest for Xi Yanqing.

“I’ll do the dishes later. You go rest for a bit.” Xi Yanqing pulled Luo Fei onto his lap. “You slept late and got up early—aren’t you tired?”

“I’m fine. I slept a lot during the day yesterday. Besides, I’m at my peak energy level right now. As long as I get enough sleep, I recover quickly.” Luo Fei grinned mischievously, wrapping his arms around Xi Yanqing’s neck. “You’re the one who should be tired, right? There’s a saying—‘No such thing as overworked land, only exhausted oxen.’ Hahaha! And you’re an ox that just recovered from illness! How is it? Feeling drained? If you are, just rest at home for a while.”

“You’ve got some nerve…” Xi Yanqing pinched Luo Fei’s butt. “Just wait until I get back!”

“You’re going out again?” He had mostly been resting at home before. Was he fully recovered now?

“Yeah, I need to check on something.” Xi Yanqing went inside, changed into clean clothes, and handed a bag to Luo Fei.

“That much?! Did you… sell the ginseng?” Luo Fei saw at least a hundred and eighty taels of silver inside the bag, and the sight nearly blinded him. Ever since he transmigrated, he had never seen this much silver before.

“I sold it for 120 taels and also exchanged some for five days’ worth of medicine with Uncle Liang,” Xi Yanqing said. “This is a windfall. We should discuss how to use it tonight.”

“You decide. You nearly died getting this money.”

“We’re a couple now—what’s mine is yours. You should keep it. Later, we can decide whether to buy land or build a house.”

“No, that’s too much. You keep it.” Luo Fei worried that it was too easy to attract thieves. What if he wasn’t careful and lost it?!

Xi Yanqing thought for a moment. “Then let’s split it and hide it in a few different places.”

You shouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket. The two of them sneaked around the house like thieves, digging holes to hide their silver. They buried fifty taels under the cupboard, another fifty in a hidden corner of the kang (heated bed), and the remaining twenty taels were given to Luo Fei.

Luo Fei still had some money for daily expenses. At first, he didn’t want to take it, but then he remembered his promise to make clothes for Xiao Changle. He figured he could use the money to buy fabric.

In a month, it would be the Mid-Autumn Festival, and he planned to make matching outfits for the whole family as a gift.

Xi Yanqing had no objections, but before leaving, he warned, “You can make clothes, but only clothes. No more extra work for now. Haven’t you noticed you’ve been rubbing your neck a lot more lately?”

Luo Fei hadn’t realized it before, but now that Xi Yanqing mentioned it—he really had. So he nodded. “Got it, don’t worry.”

Xi Yanqing glanced around, then quickly pecked Luo Fei’s lips. “I’m off. Lock the door, rest if you’re tired, and don’t go to any dangerous places alone. Also, don’t go to town for now. If you need to buy fabric, I’ll go with you another day.”

Luo Fei chuckled. “Got it.”

Then Xi Yanqing left.

It wasn’t until later that Luo Fei realized Xi Yanqing had worn clean clothes instead of old ones. That meant he wasn’t going to work in the fields. So where exactly was he going?!

Unfortunately, there were no phones here, so he couldn’t call to ask.

Meanwhile, Xi Yanqing went straight to Han Yang’s house. “Han Yang, are you ready to go?”

Earlier, he had mentioned buying Luo Fei an ox. Now, he could finally afford it. He had planned to do this before, but his injury had delayed it.

Han Yang said, “Let’s go.”

Mu Ling smiled. “Luo Fei will probably be overjoyed.”

Xi Yanqing also smiled. Thinking about how much Luo Fei longed for a ox, he found it amusing.

Han Yang had already arranged it with his uncle Han Jie, so by the time they arrived at the neighboring village, the seller’s family was already home.

Uncle Han carefully examined the two ox he had chosen for Xi Yanqing. "This one looks fierce, but it's actually quite gentle and hardworking. However, since it's a female, it's more expensive—seven taels of silver. This one here is a male and costs five taels and five hundred wen. You can choose whichever you prefer. Both are good, in my opinion. It just depends on which one you like more."

The owner of the ox sighed and said, "Young man, you wouldn’t know, but if it weren’t for wanting my son to continue his studies, I wouldn’t bear to sell them."

Xi Yanqing could see the reluctance in the owner's eyes.

However, he had to buy a ox. As for which one…

"I’ll take the female one," Xi Yanqing decided. "It looks better." Besides, once it was well-raised, it could be bred in the future—wasn’t that a good thing?

"Alright, this one it is." Uncle Han negotiated the deal with the seller, signed the sales contract, and pressed his fingerprint on it.

Xi Yanqing handed over seven taels of silver and carefully stored the contract. Just then, he heard the sound of a child crying from the back of the seller’s house. He glanced in that direction curiously, while Han Yang directly asked, "Old man, who’s crying?"

The old man sighed. "Sigh, our dog gave birth to ten puppies, but there are too many to raise. My wife insisted on abandoning a few. My granddaughter loves them dearly and has been crying ever since. She knows they won’t survive if we throw them away."

Hearing this, Xi Yanqing hesitated for a moment before saying, "Old man, could I take a look at the puppies? Maybe I can raise some."

"Of course! Why not?" The old man agreed without hesitation. Normally, people wouldn't be willing to take in extra mouths to feed. It was hard enough to fill their own stomachs, let alone raise dogs. Dogs weren’t like chickens or ducks that could eat grass and peck at stones. The old man led Xi Yanqing to the backyard.

The puppies had already opened their eyes and were running around their mother. They were lively and healthy. The mother dog was a big yellow one, but the father was likely a mixed breed—maybe black or spotted—because the puppies had all sorts of fur patterns.

"Old man, since you’re going to abandon them anyway, could you give me three?" Xi Yanqing asked.

"Of course! That would be great!" the old man replied. "If you’re willing to raise them, I can even give you a few more." His granddaughter would surely be sad if the puppies were thrown away, but knowing that someone was willing to take them in and care for them would lessen her heartbreak.

"Which ones can you give me?"

"Grandpa, is this uncle taking our puppies?" The little girl asked tearfully.

"Yes, Niuniu. If we throw them away, they surely won’t survive. But if we give them to this uncle, at least they’ll have a chance. Would you be willing to let him take a few?"

The little girl hesitated before nodding reluctantly. "Alright, then I won’t watch. Uncle, you can pick them yourself. Just… please take good care of them." She was on the verge of tears again, and probably not wanting to witness the puppies being taken away, she went inside.

Han Yang whispered to Xi Yanqing, "Why do you need so many dogs? You already have chickens, ducks, and now an ox. Aren’t you afraid you won’t be able to take care of them all?"

"It’s fine. I’ll manage," Xi Yanqing said.

Even before he found Luo Fei, he had already been thinking about getting a few dogs for him. That way, even if Luo Fei went out alone, he’d have protection. Plus, dogs had a strong sense of smell—if Luo Fei ever got lost, they could help find him.

Sure, raising them would be troublesome, but there were definite benefits.

After looking around for a while, Xi Yanqing picked one completely yellow puppy, one with a black body and a white ring around its neck, and one with mixed-colored fur. He and Han Yang each carried some, while Uncle Han helped lead the ox.

Seeing that they had their hands full, the old man gave them a worn-out basket. "This basket is no longer of much use to us, but it should work for carrying the puppies. Take it."

Xi Yanqing thanked him, placed the puppies inside, and took them home.

Luo Fei had just finished flipping the mushrooms drying on the curtain when he heard the sound of an cow’s bellow outside. Curious, he looked out and saw Xi Yanqing returning—with an ox!

"Qing-ge!" Luo Fei hurried to open the door. "Did you borrow an ox?"

"No, I bought it. Does it look nice?"

"You bought it?!" Luo Fei exclaimed upon realizing it was theirs. He immediately walked around the ox excitedly. "It looks great!" The fur was smooth, and it looked strong and healthy.

"You wouldn’t believe it, but Xi Di has been asking my uncle to find a good ox for him for a long time," Han Yang patted the ox's back. "But it was worth the wait—this cow is truly a good one."

"But… where will it stay?!" Luo Fei asked. They didn’t even have a cattle shed.

"I brought it back to show you first. Later, we’ll take it to my parents’ place so they can look after it for a few days. Once we’ve built a shed here, we can bring it back. Or we can just keep it at their place permanently. Either way, it’ll still be used for farm work. When I was sick, your family helped me with my fields, so I intended for them to use the ox too."

"That works." Luo Fei grinned but then heard another sound—not from the ox, but from… dogs?

"They’re for you," Xi Yanqing said, handing him the basket. "See if you like them."

"What is it?" Luo Fei lifted the tattered cloth covering the basket, and three fluffy little heads peeked out. "Puppies?! Oh my, they’re so cute! Come on, come on, let me put them in the courtyard and take a better look!"

In his previous life, he had loved dogs, but his grandmother was highly allergic to animal fur, so they never had any pets. Back then, he had vowed that once he made enough money, he would buy a house with a yard just to raise dogs. And now, he had them!

"You two lovebirds enjoy your time. I’m heading home," Han Yang said. "Come visit when you’re free."

"Wait, Han Yang." Xi Yanqing handed him a bag of money. "This is for my uncle. He helped me find the cow, and I can’t have him refusing payment. If he won’t take it, I won’t be able to ask for his help in the future."

"Alright then," Han Yang took the commission and said, "I’m off. Come find me if you need anything."

"Take care, Han-ge!" Luo Fei happily set the puppies down in the courtyard, watching them curiously explore their new home, tails wagging. He adored them.

"Tsk tsk tsk, I’m a little hurt, wife," Xi Yanqing teased from the doorway. "Now that you have puppies, do you not want your husband anymore?"

"Hehe, who said that?" Luo Fei walked up to him. "What do you want for dinner? I’ll go make it."

"You," Xi Yanqing whispered.

"Get lost! I’m making a nest for the puppies," Luo Fei laughed. "Do they have names yet?"

"Nope. But the ox does—it's called Dahuang."

"Then let’s take Dahuang to your parents’ place first. We have nothing prepared here, not even water for it to drink. It’s too hot to let it go thirsty." He paused. "Actually, I’ll go with you."

Luo Fei picked up the puppies, locked the door, and went with Xi Yanqing.

At the Luo family’s house, they were all present, but something felt off. There was a stranger in the house, and the atmosphere seemed tense. Luo Tian and Luo Ji stood outside, silent and visibly upset. Inside, Li Yuehua was fuming. Luo Yi looked furious, while Luo Ru was nowhere to be seen.

Xi Yanqing explained why they were there, and Luo Tian asked Luo Ji to settle the cow before discussing its origins with Xi Yanqing.

Luo Fei noticed the serious atmosphere and quickly sneaked over to ask Luo Yi, “Sibao, what’s going on at home? Who’s here?”

Luo Yi beckoned him outside and, after checking to make sure no one was listening, whispered, “That’s Matchmaker Wang. She came to propose a marriage. She was here before, saying someone wanted to marry our sister. But after Mother looked into it, she found out that the man had already married two wives, and both of them died. She couldn’t find out exactly how they died, but no way could she let our sister marry into that family! So she refused. But that matchmaker said our family was being ungrateful, claiming that the man’s family was wealthy and our sister wouldn’t have to do any work if she married him. She even said that if he hadn’t been married twice before, he wouldn’t even consider someone like our sister! And that’s how things escalated. You know, Second Brother, our family doesn’t care about wealth. As long as the couple can live well together, that’s what matters. But someone whose two wives both ended up dead—how could he be a good person?”

“Then why hasn’t she been kicked out yet?!” Luo Fei was immediately furious. “Are we keeping her for New Year’s?!” He rolled up his sleeves, ready to storm into the house.

“Second Brother, no, no, no!” Luo Yi quickly grabbed him. “Didn’t you see Father, Mother, and Eldest Brother all holding back? You don’t understand—this Matchmaker Wang isn’t a decent person. If you throw her out in a fit of anger and she spreads nasty rumors outside, who will dare to propose to our sister after that? After that last matchmaker made a scene, no one has come to propose again. If we drive this one away, our sister might really end up an old maid.”

“Being an old maid is still better than marrying just anyone! Let go of me! I swear I’m not going to throw her out!”

“Really?” Luo Yi eyed him skeptically.

“Really!”

Only then did Luo Yi release his grip. Luo Fei didn’t go looking for Matchmaker Wang. Instead, he walked into the house and asked Luo Ru, “Sanbao, are you in a hurry to get married?”

Luo Ru thought for a moment. “I don’t know.”

Most of the girls her age in the village were already married, and those who weren’t had at least been engaged. She was the only one who hadn’t even gotten a proposal. After the new year, she would be seventeen—saying she wasn’t anxious at all would be a lie. But the thought of marrying just anyone made her uneasy.

Luo Fei said, “If you’re not in a hurry, then don’t worry about what others say. Fate has its timing. When the right person comes along, you’ll know. Besides, you’re so great—how could you not find a good match?”

Luo Ru smiled bitterly. “Only you think I’m great.”

Luo Fei frowned. “Who says that? Our whole family thinks you’re great. Han Xu and Mu Ling also know you’re wonderful. Even Xi Ge always says you’re sensible. If someone can’t see how good you are, they’re blind. Just wait for someone with good eyesight, then marry him.”

Luo Ru nodded.

When Luo Fei stepped outside, he was ready to glare at Matchmaker Wang, but she spoke first. “Well, Luo Erbao? Did you convince your sister?”

Oh, so this old hag thought he was acting as her mouthpiece. Luo Fei immediately found it amusing. “Aunt Wang, I did talk to my sister. She said she’ll marry when she meets someone she likes. Our family can afford to keep her—we’re not in a hurry. What’s the rush? We can’t just settle for some random guy.”

Matchmaker Wang wasn’t happy. “What do you mean, ‘random guy’?! Wang Dafu’s family is one of the wealthiest in the area. Your sister would hardly be suffering if she married him!”

“What does wealth have to do with us? Our Luo family isn’t greedy for money.” Luo Fei casually sat down next to Li Yuehua. “Mother, I bought an cow. There’s no shed at my place, so I’ll keep it here, okay?”

“An ox? That mooing outside was from the one you and Yanqing bought?”

“Yeah. You want to go take a look? It looks fierce, but it’s actually well-behaved. It’s even a cow, not a bull.”

“Oh, then I must see it.” Li Yuehua got up. “Sister Wang, since we’re not agreeing to this proposal, I’ll have to trouble you to deliver the rejection.”

“You’re sure? This is a great opportunity, you know!” Matchmaker Wang was still hoping for a hefty matchmaking fee from Wang Dafu’s family.

“I’m sure. My Sanbaao isn’t particularly beautiful, but she’s capable and sensible. I don’t care about finding a rich husband—just someone who will cherish her.” Li Yuehua left to see the ox, clearly uninterested in continuing the conversation.

“Hmph, you’ll regret this someday!” Matchmaker Wang huffed. Then she noticed Luo Fei smirking at her and, in an oddly sarcastic tone, said, “By the way, Luo Erbao, you and that Xi family boy have been married for nearly six months now, right? Why isn’t there any good news yet?”

Oh, so now this old hag was trying to stir up trouble in his marriage. Luo Fei chuckled. “Qing-ge said raising kids is tiring. He wants me to have fun a little longer first. Aunt Wang, you sure care a lot about us.”

“Care? I’m just thinking of your family! Have you thought about it? Xi Yanqing is the only son in his family. If you don’t get pregnant soon, he’ll eventually get rid of you!” Matchmaker Wang sneered. “Don’t come crying to me when he asks me to find him a younger wife!”

“Oh, if that day ever comes, I won’t cry.” Luo Fei dragged out his words, then suddenly looked at her with an eerie expression, his gaze as chilling as a ghost crawling out of hell. “I’ll just come find you, okay?”

“You—!” Matchmaker Wang suddenly remembered that Luo Fei had once jumped into the river before. If he wasn’t even afraid of death, who knew what he might do? That stare made her scalp tingle. Shuddering, she twisted her bulky frame and stomped away.

Luo Fei rolled his eyes at her retreating figure, then leaned over to Xi Yanqing and whispered, “Qing-ge, when you were in the army, did you have any reliable comrades? Anyone suitable for Sanbao?”

Xi Yanqing had plenty of comrades, some of whom he was still in contact with via letters. But he had never considered matchmaking before. He replied, “I’ll think about it.”

Just two days later, he unexpectedly received a letter from an old comrade. The man’s hometown had been hit by a flood, and he was looking for a new place to settle. He asked if Huaping Village would be a good place to relocate to.

T/N: Please give support on my ko-fi page, it's a big help, thank you🌰🌰🌰