BYBOTE Chapter 42: Thick Pancakes and Thin Pancakes

 Previous | Table of Contents | Next 

Xi Yanqing had a habit of going up the mountain during the day and soaking in hot water at home in the evening. Luo Yong didn’t have that luxury, so he usually bathed in the river when the weather was good. After all, he wasn’t as delicate as women or young men and didn’t care if people saw him.

That day, he brought his change of clothes to the river. But just as he was about to get in, he noticed someone else washing clothes there.

The river water wasn’t too cold yet, so some people who didn’t like using well water would come here instead. That was completely normal, so Luo Yong didn’t think much of it. Since someone was already there, he decided to go further downstream—it wasn’t about modesty but simply avoiding unnecessary trouble.

He slung his cloth bag over his shoulder, looked around, and started walking downstream to where the water was deeper—better for soaking. Just then, he heard someone yell, "Ah! My clothes!"

Luo Yong turned around and saw a frail-looking person running along the riverbank, looking panicked.

Since he was already planning to enter the river, he didn’t hesitate—he placed his bag on the shore and immediately dove into the water to retrieve the clothes. Fortunately, they had drifted onto some reeds, or he might not have been able to catch them.

"Here," Luo Yong said, wiping his face as he handed the clothes over.

"Th-thank you, big brother." Jiang Baining took the wet clothes, blushing as he looked at Luo Yong. "If not for you, I wouldn’t have been able to get them back."

"It was nothing," Luo Yong replied. He glanced upstream and saw someone else standing there, watching. "You should head back. Your companion is waiting for you."

"That’s not my companion." Jiang Baining glanced at Luo Ru, standing on the other side. "She’s the one who threw my clothes into the water. She’s always been bossy and likes bullying people. I was here first, but she insisted on taking my spot."

"Is that so? Then you should stay away from her," Luo Yong said, noticing the large, flat stone up ahead that was indeed a good spot for washing clothes. But what did this have to do with him? He hadn’t seen the whole situation, so he had no right to judge. He was about to pick up his bag and leave.

"I’ll get it!" Jiang Baining quickly ran ahead and handed the bag to him.

"Thanks," Luo Yong said. "Are you from this village? I don’t think I’ve seen you before."

"I don’t go out much," Jiang Baining replied. He hadn’t seen Luo Yong before either, but he wasn’t about to reveal his situation. Taking his clothes, he found another flat spot to wash them, looking small and pitiful.

Ever since he had been divorced and rumors spread about him and Zhang Sheng, few people would associate with him. Aside from his family, he barely had anyone to talk to. Those who once chatted with him now avoided him like the plague, afraid of being tainted by his reputation.

Back when he was a scholar’s wife, everyone wanted to talk to him. But now? People practically wanted to stone him. If it weren’t so suffocating at home, he wouldn’t have come outside to wash clothes.

Thinking of Zhang Sheng’s torn expression, Jiang Baining felt a pang of sorrow and began to cry.

Luo Yong, being a man, felt awkward seeing a frail young man crying helplessly by the river. He hesitated before crouching down. "What’s your name, little brother?"

Jiang Baining’s eyes were red as he glanced at Luo Yong. "Just call me Xiao Jiang, big brother."

Luo Yong nodded. "Xiao Jiang. Then take your time, and go home early when you're done."

Jiang Baining murmured a soft "Mm," watching as Luo Yong carried his bag and walked downstream.

Luo Yong made sure to go farther away to avoid being seen. He soaked in the water for a while before quickly getting out—only to hear someone upstream screaming, "Ah! Help! Pfft—!"

Luo Ru coldly watched as the drama queen flailed in waist-deep water.

Meanwhile, Luo Yong thought Jiang Baining was really drowning. He hurriedly threw on his clothes and ran over to pull him out.

"Miss, why are you bullying people like this?" Luo Yong frowned, steadying Jiang Baining before looking at Luo Ru.

"What’s it to you?" Luo Ru glared at Jiang Baining with a fierce expression, clenching her fists. "Listen up, Jiang! Don't let me see you again, or I’ll beat you every time I do!"

"You’re quite the fierce girl. Haven’t your parents taught you to be kind?" Luo Yong felt that looking tough and strong was fine, but one’s character couldn’t be like this!

"My parents did teach me to be kind, but they never said I had to be kind to someone as despicable as her." Luo Ru bent down to pick up a basin, then spat toward Jiang Baining with a "Pah!" sound. "Flirting with every man you see—shameless!" How dare she say that her second brother had no children and that Xi Ge would send his wife back home sooner or later? Did she really think she was someone to be messed with?

"I-I’m sorry, Brother Luo, for getting you caught up in this misunderstanding." Jiang Baining quickly let go of Luo Yong's hand.

Luo Ru scoffed, disgusted by Jiang Baining’s pretentious act. She picked up her basin and walked away, wishing the two of them would just fall into the river together!

Luo Yong’s face didn’t look good. His freshly changed clean clothes were now wet, and he had somehow been mistaken for a lecher. How could he be in a good mood? After helping Jiang Baining onto the riverbank, he wrung out his soaked clothes. "I have things to do. Take care of yourself."

Jiang Baining responded with a soft "Mm," her expression guilty. "I’m sorry, Brother Luo. It’s all my fault."

Luo Yong waved his hand dismissively, unwilling to say more.

After returning home from washing clothes, Luo Ru felt increasingly disgusted by the incident. She wanted to talk to her second brother about it, but her mother kept stopping her.

Li Yuehua didn’t want the villagers to gossip. Word had already spread that Xi Yanqing had a friend settling down in Huaping Village. That person was unmarried and frequently visited Xi Yanqing. If Luo Ru went to the Xi family now and was seen by someone with ill intentions, rumors would inevitably spread.

Ever since Matchmaker Wang left the Luo family that day, she had been speaking ill of Luo Ru behind her back. Li Yuehua still wanted her only daughter to marry well, so she certainly didn’t want people to tarnish Luo Ru’s reputation.

In the past, Luo Ru could leave home whenever she wanted, but now she was being restricted. Her mother told her she was grown up and couldn’t be running around outside all the time.

Luo Ru, being naturally restless, felt utterly stifled staying at home.

"Sis, do you want me to call Second Brother for you?" Luo Yi asked while feeding the cows.

"Forget it. Second Brother is probably starting the fire by now." Luo Ru swiftly carried some firewood inside, lighting the fire and preparing dinner.

Meanwhile, Luo Fei was indeed tending to the fire. He had dug up some potatoes earlier that day and was thinking about making some crispy pancakes filled with stir-fried shredded potatoes. He had already kneaded the dough, and after lighting the fire, he rolled the dough into thin layers, stacking them together before cooking them to a crisp. Then, he stir-fried the shredded potatoes.

Tsk, tsk, tsk! Absolutely delicious! If only he had some chopped cilantro and roast duck to go with it…

Just thinking about it made Luo Fei’s mouth water. He wasn’t great at making noodles, but he was pretty good at making pancakes—crispy on the outside, soft on the inside.

Xi Yanqing followed the scent into the room, wrapping his arms around Luo Fei from behind. "I’m starving. What smells so good?"

Luo Fei tore off a small piece of pancake, wrapped some shredded potatoes in it, and stuffed it into Xi Yanqing’s mouth. "Tastes good?"

"It’s delicious. Wife, your cooking skills keep getting better and better." Xi Yanqing grinned and, with his greasy lips, kissed Luo Fei’s cheek. "But you’re still the most delicious thing!"

"Annoying! Wipe my face!" Luo Fei grimaced at the greasy sensation. "By the way, Qing Ge, what were you doing in the vegetable garden earlier?" Luo Fei had been busy making pancakes and hadn’t had time to ask. He only remembered that Xi Yanqing had come home early today, much earlier than usual.

"The weather was warm and not too windy today, so Luo Yong wanted to take a bath by the river. I had some raspberry and blueberry seedlings I had propagated earlier, so I dug them up and came back early to plant them. Do you want to take a look? If they bloom and bear fruit next year, you’ll be able to eat fresh berries at home." More importantly, if the planting was successful, he could expand it and eventually sell fruit wine!

"Of course, I want to see!" Luo Fei quickly wrapped a pancake, grabbed it in his hand, and followed Xi Yanqing to the garden while munching. Their three dogs trotted behind them like little tails.

Xi Yanqing had reserved a special section in the garden for Luo Fei, planting nightshade, wild grapes, and now raspberries and blueberries. Not far away, the remnants of a watermelon patch were still visible—Luo Fei’s treasured spot.

"Do they need watering? If so, just tell me, and I’ll do it," Luo Fei offered eagerly. He loved fruit trees.

"I’ll take care of them for now. Even though they have roots, they’re still fragile. Once they’re stable, I’ll show you how to care for them."

"Okay! Thanks, Qing Ge." Luo Fei offered Xi Yanqing a bite of his pancake. "Come on, let’s go back and eat."

Luo Fei also prepared some finely sliced green onions and a small dish of sauce. The two of them each wrapped their own pancake. Luo Fei grinned as he compared his pancake to Xi Yanqing’s. "Mine’s thicker than yours. Yours is too thin."

Xi Yanqing chuckled. "That’s right. You always get the thick one."

Luo Fei: "…"

Was it just his imagination, or did that sentence sound strangely suggestive?

The thick one… He glanced at Xi Yanqing’s lower body.

Thick?!

Damn it! Xi Yanqing, you pervert!

"Who eats who isn’t set in stone yet! Hmph!" Luo Fei took an aggressive bite of his thick pancake. "Just you wait! You’re the one who’s going to serve me!"

"Alright, just eat slowly and don’t choke." Xi Yanqing smirked. It didn’t really matter who ate who, did it? In the end, it would always be him eating Luo Fei—silly little donkey.

"Xi Ge, Qi Ge, are you home?" At that moment, Luo Yong called from outside, carrying two large fish.

"Did you go fishing?" Xi Yanqing and Luo Fei stepped out, spotting the still-wriggling fish tied to willow branches.

"Just grabbed them on the way," Luo Yong said. "I left two for Doctor Liang and brought these for you guys." He hadn’t planned on fishing, but after Jiang Baining soaked his clean clothes, he figured he might as well make the trip worthwhile.

"Have you eaten yet? If not, stay and eat with us. Qi Ge’s pancakes are amazing." Xi Yanqing found a basin to place the fish in. "Come inside and eat first."

"Then I won’t be polite," Luo Yong agreed. He also had some questions about that girl from earlier.

Luo Fei had prepared a lot of dough, intending to save some for steamed buns, but since Luo Yong was here, he decided to cook it all. After all, Luo Yong seemed like a trustworthy friend—there was no need to be stingy.

But soon, Luo Fei regretted it! Damn it, he should’ve just fed those pancakes to his dogs!

As Luo Yong ate, he recounted what had happened earlier.

With a puzzled expression, he asked, "Who was that girl? So fierce, so tall and strong—almost like a young man."

Xi Yanqing and Luo Fei weren’t entirely sure if Luo Yong was talking about Luo Ru and Jiang Baining, but for some reason, they both had a strange feeling that he was.

Xi Yanqing glanced at Luo Fei and saw that he was already on the verge of exploding. He smiled and asked Luo Yong, “The Xiao Jiang you mentioned is a young man?”

Luo Yong replied, “Yes. I saw a plum blossom on his hand, and the color was quite bright.”

Xi Yanqing asked again, “And what does the girl look like?”

Luo Yong said, “Big double eyelids, hair down to here…” He gestured to his waist. “Pretty fair-skinned, but sturdy.”

Luo Fei bit into his pastry with all his might, nearly choking in frustration! Wasn't that Jiang Baining and Luo Ru?! Damn you, Luo Yong! How could you help Jiang Baining trick my sister?!

And on top of that! You made me lose the bet!

Luo Fei suddenly felt like the pastry in his hand was hard to swallow. He drank half a bowl of water and patted his chest, “I’m full. You two take your time.”

Luo Yong noticed something was off and quietly asked Xi Yanqing, “Xi-ge, did I say something wrong just now? Why did Qi-ge eat so little?”

Xi Yanqing glanced inside and, in a volume not too loud but loud enough for Luo Fei to hear, said, “It’s fine. He still has another meal to eat tonight.”

Luo Yong responded with an “Oh,” while inside, Luo Fei nearly jumped out to strangle him!

Ahhhhhh! How dare you make me lose! At least let me recover for a few days first! The bet was just yesterday, and today I already lost?!

Luo Yong wanted to ask more about Jiang Baining, but he could tell Luo Fei was unhappy earlier, so he didn’t linger. After discussing some house construction matters with Xi Yanqing, he went home.

The Liang family’s old couple hadn’t gone to bed yet. When they heard the door, they asked Luo Yong if he had eaten. Luo Yong said he had. Seeing Doctor Liang mixing medicine, he asked, “Uncle Liang, do you know a young man with the surname Jiang in our village?”

“I do. There's one in Jiang Tong’s family, isn’t there?” Doctor Liang said. “What was his name again, dear?”

“Jiang Baining,” Liang Xushi answered. “But that kid doesn’t have a good reputation. Luo Yong, you’d better stay away from him, or you’ll get caught up in trouble.”

“Bad reputation?” Luo Yong thought, Xi-ge never mentioned anything about that. “Why is his reputation bad?”

“He was married before, to our village’s scholar Zhang. Later, he got involved with the scholar’s cousin. Oh dear, it caused such a mess that the scholar divorced him and sent him back home,” Liang Xushi spoke candidly, given her age. “That Zhang Sheng, the scholar’s cousin, apparently had feelings for Jiang Baining for a long time. But even after Jiang Baining was sent home, Zhang Sheng didn’t dare to marry him.”

“Hmph, and rightly so! Who would dare marry someone so shameless?” Doctor Liang had always despised people who weren’t faithful in marriage. “If Zhang Sheng really dared to marry him, his parents would probably die of anger! I heard the other day that Zhang Sheng’s mother was bedridden again, complaining of headaches. Seems like Jiang Tong has been trying to find a match for Zhang Sheng, but Zhang Sheng refuses to accept any proposals. Anyway, Luo Yong, you’d better not associate with Jiang Baining. You’re still a respectable young man, so don’t let rumors spread about you. He doesn’t care, but you still have your reputation to uphold.”

“I got it, Uncle Liang.” Luo Yong then asked, “By the way, is there a particularly strong and tall girl in our village? Almost as tall as the average man, fair-skinned, with big eyes?”

“Oh, you must be talking about Luo Sanbao.” Liang Xushi thought for a moment. “We have a few sturdy girls in the village, but the only fair-skinned one is Luo Sanbao.”

“Luo Sanbao?” Isn’t that… Luo Fei’s sister?!

“Yeah, that’s Luo Fei’s sister. Haven’t you seen her before?” Liang Xushi thought about it. “Oh, right. You’ve been spending most of your time at Xi Yanqing’s place lately. Luo Sanbao’s mother probably didn’t let her go there, so you wouldn’t have recognized her.”

“She…” Luo Yong was speechless. That was Luo Fei’s sister?! But she doesn’t look like him at all!

“What’s the matter? You saw her today?” Liang Xushi asked. “She’s a good girl—capable and quick with her work. Just a little too strong.”

“She’s definitely strong.” Not just strong—she’s fierce too! And even if Jiang Baining had a bad reputation, what did that have to do with Luo Sanbao?

Luo Yong wanted to ask more, but Liang Xushi yawned. As he returned to his room, Luo Yong finally understood why Luo Fei had looked so upset earlier. He must have recognized that the people at the river were Luo Sanbao and Jiang Baining!

Tsk tsk tsk, Luo Yong, you idiot. Xi-ge and Qi-ge treat you like a brother, and you went and bullied their sister. How are you going to face them now? Qi-ge must be so mad.

Luo Fei was angry, but his temper never lasted long. Besides, he had to fulfill his forfeit from the bet once he got to bed. Did he have time to stay angry?

Xi Yanqing made sure to kiss away all of Luo Fei’s anger!

Luo Fei’s eyes were red as he pitifully looked at Xi Yanqing.

Seeing him like this, Xi Yanqing’s internal fire flared up again. Letting Luo Fei sleep peacefully? That was impossible. He almost kept him up until dawn.

_

The next morning, Luo Fei couldn’t get up at all. By the time Xi Yanqing got up, Luo Fei was still asleep—his usual wake-up time completely ruined. Even his so-called "best actor’s soul" couldn’t resist Xi Yanqing’s torment.

Xi Yanqing quietly got out of bed and took care of both his own and Luo Fei’s chores before making some lump soup. He wasn’t great at cooking, but at least he was familiar with this dish.

After finishing, Xi Yanqing thought about waking Luo Fei up before the soup turned into a sticky mess. But then he heard Black Bean barking—someone had arrived.

As soon as Xi Yanqing stepped outside, the three dogs wagged their little tails and trotted behind him.

“Xi-ge, morning.” Luo Yong’s voice was a little awkward. “Are you heading to the fields?”

“I haven’t eaten yet. Come in first.” Xi Yanqing invited Luo Yong inside for breakfast.

“Where’s Qi-ge? I haven’t seen him.” Don’t tell me he’s so mad at me he doesn’t want to see me?

“He’s still asleep. Maybe he was too tired last night.” Xi Yanqing touched his nose, remembering the passion of the night before. Initially, Luo Fei had been shy, but over time, he became more open, making Xi Yanqing completely addicted.

Luo Yong wasn’t married yet and didn’t understand the nuances of a harmonious married life. But seeing Xi Yanqing’s expression, he instantly got the hint. He muttered, You’re something else, and helped himself to another half bowl of soup.

Luo Fei was waking up, but when he heard Luo Yong’s voice outside, he decided to stay in bed a little longer.

Meanwhile, Luo Yong whispered to Xi Yanqing, “Xi-ge, does Qi-ge’s sister look like him?”

“Not really. Your Qi-ge is slender, but his sister is quite strong. But they’re both fair-skinned. Why?”

Luo Yong thought, Oh no. The girl by the river yesterday was definitely Luo Sanbao.

Gritting his teeth, he confessed, “Remember the fierce girl I mentioned yesterday? I think that was Qi-ge’s sister.”

Xi Yanqing chuckled. “Ah, we already guessed that yesterday.”

Luo Yong: "……"

Why didn’t you remind me if you knew?! Weren’t we supposed to be brothers for life?!

Luo Yong glared at Xi Yanqing, feeling more and more that what he did yesterday was a mistake. He had acted out of good intentions to help someone, but he hadn’t expected Jiang Baining to be that kind of person. He might not have believed it if others had said so, but Uncle Liang and his wife would never lie. No wonder Luo Sanbao had said what he did.

That being said, Luo Sanbao’s appearance had truly surprised him. He didn’t mean anything by it—he had just never expected such a big difference between biological siblings. It was a good thing he hadn’t said anything too harsh yesterday.

A little while later, Luo Fei came out yawning. "Morning, Qing-ge. Morning, Luo-xiongdi."

"Morning, Qi-ge."

"Morning, wife. Not sleeping a little longer?" Xi Yanqing went to fetch a face towel for Luo Fei and also served him a bowl of dough drop soup. "I saw that you were tired, so I didn’t wake you. I can’t cook much else, so just make do with this."

"You make this really delicious." Luo Fei ate some and pinched his cheeks.

"What's wrong?"

"What do you think?!" Luo Fei glared at him. Seeing Xi Yanqing's amused expression made him even more annoyed.

"Ahem, I'll go check the fields with Luo Yong first. During the day, if you have time, try to rest more instead of focusing on needlework." Xi Yanqing gently patted Luo Fei's head, cherishing him. "I already fed the chickens, ducks, and the three Dou. I'll wash the clothes when I get back."

"I'm not that delicate," Luo Fei said. "Did you bring food?"

"No, I can't exactly bring lump soup with me. I'm just going to check on the soybeans and corn. It won't take long—I should be back by noon."

"Alright then, I'll stew some fish in the afternoon."

"Xi-ge, you and Qi-ge have such a good relationship." After stepping out the door, Luo Yong said enviously, "If I could find a partner like that in the future, I'd be happy."

"When fate comes, it happens naturally." Xi Yanqing didn't say more about Luo Ru's matter.

After eating his fill, Luo Fei went outside to bask in the sun. The warmth made him feel comfortable and drowsy. After lounging for a while, he packed the dried mushrooms into a bag and washed some clothes. Then, he saw their neighbor, Granny Zhou, busy with something, so he walked over to take a look.

Granny Zhou was drying potato slices, cutting up cooked potatoes.

Luo Fei had tried dried potatoes when he first arrived and found them chewier than fresh ones. Both he and Xi Yanqing liked them, so drying some would be good. But their own potatoes hadn't been harvested yet. They had planted quite a few—about eight ridges in total—so they should have a big harvest.

Luo Fei planned to dry some once they dug them up.

He went to catch a fish, picked some cabbage, and soaked some vermicelli. Stewed fish with cabbage and vermicelli would be delicious—the cabbage hearts were especially sweet this time of year.

He prepared a basin of water, holding a pair of scissors in one hand and grabbing the fish with the other. Clumsily, he cleaned the fish, but it kept slipping from his grasp multiple times, scaring the yellow bean and flower bean. Only the black bean curiously came over to sniff it. However, the moment the fish flopped, it got scared and ran away, barking a single "Woof!" from a safe distance.

Luo Fei laughed at its silly reaction.

After finally cleaning the fish, he started the fire for the stew and steamed a pot of mantou.

By the time he finished all this, it was already afternoon. Remembering that Xi Yanqing said he'd return early, Luo Fei went to the gate to wait. When he saw Xi Yanqing coming back, he waved excitedly from afar. "Qing-ge, hurry up! I've made stewed fish!"

Xi Yanqing smiled and quickened his pace, but Luo Yong, walking beside him, suddenly stopped.

That… that person coming toward them—wasn't that the fierce woman from yesterday?!

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