BYBOTE Chapter 56: The Kid's Response

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Jing Rong took the sheep out for some fresh air and returned home shortly after. He counted them one by one to ensure none were missing, locked the door securely, and left.

At that moment, Luo Fei had just finished mixing the dumpling filling. With Jing Rong’s arrival, it was time to start wrapping the dumplings.

Earlier, Luo Yong had mentioned that Jing Rong’s cooking wasn’t great, but his skill at rolling dumpling wrappers was impressive. He could roll two wrappers at a time, and he did it quickly and well. With just a few rolls, he could produce a perfect wrapper, so much so that Luo Fei—who prided himself on his speed—found himself struggling to keep up.

"How come I never knew you had this skill?" Luo Yong asked. "If you'd told us earlier, we could've made noodle soup! Then we wouldn’t have had to suffer through that undercooked lump soup all the time!"

"I just didn’t feel like doing it," Jing Rong replied, swiftly rolling out multiple dumpling wrappers like a magic trick. Seeing that Luo Fei couldn't keep up and worrying that the wrappers would dry out if he made too many, Jing Rong joined in on wrapping the dumplings. He claimed that the dumplings he wrapped tended to break apart, but after Luo Fei taught him a few tricks, he improved significantly. At least, they didn’t seem likely to burst anymore.

"I’ll give it a try too," Xi Yanqing said. After watching for a while, he realized it wasn’t as difficult as he’d thought and decided to join in. He started off slow, but as he got the hang of it, he became a helpful extra pair of hands.

"What about me? What can I do?" Luo Yong asked, feeling awkward just standing around.

"Luo Yong, you can arrange these dumplings and take them outside to freeze," Luo Fei said. "Also, there's a curtain in the kitchen—I’ve already cleaned it—bring that over too."

Now that was something he could do! Luo Yong quickly brought in the curtain, arranged the dumplings neatly, and later, when he saw that it was about time, he went to fetch firewood to start boiling water. His older brother had said they would have a feast for lunch! There were plenty of ingredients, so they could eat their fill and keep making more afterward.

People from the north typically love dumplings, and the filling Luo Fei made this time was particularly delicious. Normally, dumplings were more vegetables than meat, with just a hint of minced meat for flavor. But this time? The wrappers were thin, the filling was generous, and it was packed with meat!

When Xi Yanqing chopped the filling, he used a ratio of 30% fat to 70% lean meat, making the dumplings flavorful without being greasy. Luo Yong ended up eating 60 dumplings in one go!

Considering these dumplings weren’t small, eating 60 was a huge amount.

That day, they did nothing but make dumplings. After having some for lunch, they froze the leftovers, and Luo Fei packed them into baskets for Luo Yong and Jing Rong to take home. The dumplings they made in the afternoon were kept for later.

"When you leave, take all the ones in this basket with you. If you don’t feel like cooking in the morning, just boil some dumplings. The ones here can be saved for when you visit again," Luo Fei said. After roughly counting, he realized they had made over 700 dumplings in a single day! They had used up all the filling, but there was still some leftover dough, which they could use for noodle soup in the evening.

"Qing-ge, grab some candied fruit and sunflower seeds. Let’s snack while we chat," Luo Fei said. Though he had just finished eating, he was already craving something else.

"Alright. Jing Rong, go make some tea while I get the snacks," Xi Yanqing said.

The four of them set up a low table on the heated brick bed, filling it with tea and snacks as they prepared to have a small discussion.

"Xi-ge, are you saying that from now on, you won’t sell ice cream in either winter or summer?" Jing Rong asked. Upon hearing that Xi Yanqing was stopping ice cream sales, he immediately felt it was a great loss. "Why? Isn’t it going well?" He could make two or three taels of silver a month, and in the summer, even ten or twenty taels! That was way better than farming!

"It’s not that I won’t sell it," Xi Yanqing explained. "I just won’t make it myself anymore. Someone else will take over making it, and I’ll earn a small share from it."

"Actually, even if I didn’t say it, you guys should’ve guessed. The best time to sell ice cream is summer—when it’s hot, who doesn’t want something cold? But in summer, we don’t have the right conditions to produce it. Instead, we can sell the ice cream-making method to people who can make it in the summer, while we focus on what we do best."

"Are you talking about the raw materials you just mentioned, Brother Xi?" Luo Yong asked.

"Yes. We are like family, so I won’t hide anything from you. The ingredients for making ice cream are nothing more than fresh milk, eggs, and sugar. Additionally, we might use dried fruits, honey, and beans. Haven’t you noticed? These things are all within our reach, and we can get them in large quantities if we want to. We have land, suitable conditions for raising chickens and cows, and I even know how to grow fruit trees. So, tell me, why shouldn’t we give it a try?"

"But are you sure it will sell? What if we make it and no one wants to buy it?"

"There’s no way that will happen. Let me give you an example. Say, Luo Yong, you want to buy a cow, and both I and someone you don’t know have one for sale at the same price, and both cows are the same. Who would you buy from?"

"Of course, I’d buy from you, Brother Xi," Luo Yong answered without hesitation. "Is there even a need to ask?"

"Exactly! That’s not even a question!" Xi Yanqing said. "In the future, the people buying ice and ice cream will also be my friends. So, under the same conditions, do you think they’d buy from me or from a stranger?"

"So, we should try raising chickens, cows, and fruit trees?" Jing Rong imagined the scene and thought it didn’t seem like a bad idea.

"The more livestock and poultry we raise, the more fertilizer we’ll have. More fertilizer means better crops next year, and better crops mean more feed for the animals, helping them grow even better. That’s called a virtuous cycle," Xi Yanqing explained. "I want to try it out. What about you two?"

"I’m in!" Luo Yong said. "I don’t have many ideas, but I’m strong and can work hard. As long as you give the orders, Brother Xi, I’ll do my best to get the job done."

"I have nothing to add either. We’re brothers—we should share both hardships and blessings. But I’m more familiar with raising sheep than cows," Jing Rong said. "I think Uncle Han knows quite a bit about cows. I could ask him for advice."

"That’s a great idea. After the New Year, let’s start preparing. We’ll raise chickens, plant fruit trees, and get a few dairy cows. As for your sheep, Jing Rong, you should keep raising them, and I think it’d be best to buy more ewes."

"Yeah, I’ve been thinking about that too. When I bought hay earlier, I talked to Uncle Han about it, and he said he’d help me look around. Once he finds something, I’ll go check it out. If possible, I want to sell some of the rams and buy more ewes instead."

"Then… are we still going to build houses?" Luo Yong hesitated. If they didn’t build houses, he couldn’t get married. But if they did, he wasn’t sure if they’d have enough money left for their business.

"Of course, we’re building houses!" Xi Yanqing said. "But we’ll have to work extra hard. Also, after the New Year, I’ll talk to my father-in-law and see if he can help us. He has experience with construction, so if he can assist us, then—" Xi Yanqing suddenly stopped mid-sentence and chuckled, shaking his head. "He really fell asleep just like that." No wonder Luo Fei had been so quiet—upon closer inspection, he had dozed off, resting his chin on his hand.

"Let’s talk outside," Jing Rong suggested.

"Yeah, you guys wait for me in the side room." Xi Yanqing carefully stood up and adjusted the bedding to make Luo Fei more comfortable. Luo Fei briefly opened his eyes, saw that it was Xi Yanqing, and didn’t say a word before falling back asleep—he was truly exhausted.

Xi Yanqing carried the food to the side room and continued discussing the house construction with Jing Rong and Luo Yong.

Jing Rong had already decided to expand his current place to make management easier. Luo Yong wanted to be his neighbor so he could help look after the sheep when needed. Xi Yanqing originally hadn’t decided whether to build on the same spot or move, but now he had made up his mind—he would build his house near Jing Rong’s place. That location was better, closer to Chen Huazhang’s house, and if their group of friends all lived near each other, everything would be more convenient.

Most importantly, the land there was unclaimed!

They wouldn’t have to buy it—just pay a small land tax after building the houses. That was a huge advantage.

Jing Rong said, "I’d love for you guys to live close by. If you become my neighbors, I have no objections. It’ll also be easier for me to mooch meals off of you!"

Back when they were soldiers, Xi Yanqing always had plenty of ideas, while Luo Yong was the type to follow orders. They genuinely respected Xi Yanqing. After all, every team needs leaders and followers to work together effectively—whether in war or in business.

Luo Yong suddenly slapped the table. "Then it’s settled! We brothers will share good fortune and hardships together!"

Xi Yanqing quickly gestured for silence.

Luo Yong immediately shrank his neck and grinned sheepishly.

That night, after Luo Yong and Jing Rong left, Xi Yanqing thought about many things. Over the winter, he and Luo Fei had earned money from embroidery work and selling ice cream. Their savings had actually increased. Although it wasn’t much, adding everything together, they now had thirty-one taels of silver.

It wasn’t enough to build a good house outright, but Xi Yanqing wasn’t worried—construction wouldn’t be completed overnight, and they wouldn’t have to spend all the money at once. He was confident that once spring arrived, he would be able to earn more.

Before they knew it, New Year's Eve arrived.

Luo Fei was cooking dumplings when the sound of firecrackers erupted outside.

During winter, most rural folks stayed idle, but on this day, the village was bustling with excitement.

Luo Fei prepared red-braised carp, braised pig trotters, roasted dried eggplant, and chicken stewed with mushrooms. He also made lamb soup, pine nut corn, and pork jelly! The idea for the pork jelly came when they were handling pig skin while making dumplings. It turned out incredibly delicious—both bouncy and firm! He also made cabbage with vermicelli and garlic stir-fried rehydrated dandelions! Eight dishes and one soup in total, all mouthwatering!

Each plate was piled high, and Luo Fei had also made dumplings, steamed buns, and rice. This feast was enough to make anyone drool!

Luo Yong had never eaten such a lavish meal before. Even Jing Rong, who came from a wealthy family, hadn’t had a feast like this in a long time. More importantly, Luo Fei’s cooking was amazing!

The pine nut corn smelled heavenly, and the pork jelly was incredibly bouncy!

Xi Yanqing also thought his wife’s cooking was unbeatable. If anyone dared say otherwise, he’d fight them!

This was what New Year’s should feel like!

Xi Yanqing finished putting up the window decorations and spring couplets. He also hung firecrackers on the door beam. The moment the dumplings were ready, he lit the firecrackers—pop pop pop!—the air filled with the scent of smoke and celebration!

Luo Fei scooped out the dumplings and called from inside, "Come eat!"

Xi Yanqing and the others rushed in to wash their hands. Like schoolchildren, they sat neatly around the table, all thinking the same thing: This smells amazing!

Luo Fei, pleased with his own cooking, sat down and scooped some rice. "Eat whatever you like—dumplings, rice, steamed buns, everything’s here. Help yourselves."

"Thanks, Brother Qi." Luo Yong poured wine for Xi Yanqing and Jing Rong, then handed Luo Fei a cup of hot jujube tea. "Come on, let’s toast!"

"Cheers!" Xi Yanqing said. "Here’s to a better year ahead, with success and prosperity!"

"Yes! To an even better future! Cheers!"

"Cheers!" Luo Fei wiped his mouth. "Eat quickly before it gets cold."

At that, four pairs of chopsticks started flying—and soon, the only words left were "Delicious!"

This New Year was truly warm and lively.

If not for the sheep waiting at home, Jing Rong and Luo Yong wouldn’t have wanted to leave. But they had responsibilities, so as night fell, they headed back.

The alcohol had been consumed, but only enough to lift the atmosphere—it wasn't excessive.

This was something Luo Fei appreciated. Across both of his lifetimes, he most disliked people who became clingy when drunk—his biological father was one of those. He was addicted to alcohol, and whenever he drank, he drank too much. Once he was drunk, he became annoying. Fortunately, Xi Yanqing wasn’t like that, and neither were Luo Yong and Jing Rong.

After Xi Yanqing went outside to lock the main door, he returned to find Luo Fei inside, preparing red envelopes. With a smile, he asked, "Who are these for?"

Looking at the table, there were already several prepared, with varying amounts of money inside.

"For Zhuangzhuang, Sanbao, and Sibao. Jing Rong and Luo Yong each get one too."

"And mine?" Xi Yanqing was just about to ask this when Luo Fei continued, "They're younger, so I'm giving them red envelopes for good luck."

Xi Yanqing suddenly found himself at a loss for words.

Of course, he was older. He should be the one giving his wife a red envelope.

Seeing Xi Yanqing remain silent, Luo Fei finished preparing the remaining envelopes and said, "Let's sleep early. Tomorrow we need to visit the elders, right?"

The customs here weren’t too different from modern times—on the first day of the New Year, everyone visited their elders.

Xi Yanqing responded with a muffled sound, secretly envying Luo Yong and Jing Rong. They were lucky! His own wife's red envelope—he didn't even get one!

And yet...

When he woke up the next morning, the first thing he received was a red envelope. Luo Fei pulled it from under his pillow and handed it to him. It wasn’t just any red envelope—it was made of red satin and embroidered with a tiger, clearly handmade by Luo Fei.

"Here you go, Qing-ge. Happy New Year," Luo Fei said. "This is for you—let’s make sure to have a happy year. No more sulking, okay?"

"When did I sulk?" Xi Yanqing protested.

"I don’t know, maybe last night?" Luo Fei said, amusement flickering in his eyes. "Like a little kid."

"I act like a little kid?" Xi Yanqing took the red envelope and rolled over to press down on Luo Fei. "If I'm a kid, then tell me—who put this little one in your belly?"

"Do you really need to ask?" Luo Fei smirked. "Obviously, the father did."

"...No arguments there." Xi Yanqing pecked him on the lips. "Should we get up?"

"Let’s. It’s rare that we can go out and visit freely." Today, they could openly make social calls.

They planned to first visit the village chief’s house, then Doctor Liang’s, followed by the Han family’s. They also needed to stop by Uncle Li’s house—after all, he had been the one to style Luo Fei’s hair for his wedding. As for Luo’s own family, there was a tradition: it was best to visit one's in-laws on the third day of the New Year.

Xi Yanqing and Luo Fei made their rounds, receiving some red envelopes in return. Though each contained at most three copper coins, it was a token of the elders’ goodwill, and both of them were delighted.

Luo Fei carefully stored the money away while Xi Yanqing carried some food as they continued their visits.

Along the way, they saw many younger villagers heading towards homes with elderly family members. In such a small village, running into acquaintances was inevitable.

Among them were Luo Yong and Jing Rong, who had recently moved to Huaping Village, as well as Han Yang, who was carrying little Zhuangzhuang. They were all heading to Uncle Li’s house. They also crossed paths with Zhang Yangfan, but no one paid him any attention.

Xi Yanqing was careful in protecting Luo Fei, while Luo Fei was busy playing with Zhuangzhuang.

Some people were simply part of the past. They now belonged to different worlds, making it unnecessary to dwell on them.

Their last stop was Aunt Pang’s house. Since they planned to raise more chickens this year, they decided to inform her in advance—before she started hatching chicks, so they could reserve more.

On the third day of the New Year, light snow began to fall. Xi Yanqing took Luo Fei to visit the Luo family.

Xi Yanqing drank some wine with Luo Tian and shared his plans.

"Father, once spring arrives, we plan to build a new house. Luo Yong is marrying Sanbao, and our own little one will be born this year. We don’t want to delay any longer. But since neither Luo Yong, Jing Rong, nor I have experience with this, we’re worried we might mess things up. We’d like to ask for your guidance. As for farm work, don’t worry—there will be people handling it."

"There’s not that much farm work anyway," Luo Tian said without hesitation. "Don’t worry about building the house—I know what to do. Just pick a good spot and decide what kind of house you want. I’ll handle the rest."

"Thank you, Father."

"So you’re not planning to sell ice pops anymore?" Li Yuehua asked.

"No. But others will continue selling them, and I’ll take a small cut of the profits," Xi Yanqing replied. "This year, I plan to raise sheep, chickens, ducks, and cows with Jing Rong. We’ll also plant more fruit trees."

"Will you still have time to farm?" Luo Ji asked.

"Probably not, which is why I plan to lease out all our farmland this year."

"That’ll cost quite a bit in labor. Are you sure it'll work?" Li Yuehua was concerned.

"Whether it works or not, we have to try. I want Erbao to have a better life, and that means working harder."

"You’re already treating him well enough," Li Yuehua said, though she was clearly pleased. "Look at him—chubby like a little piglet, all fair and round." She had initially worried that Luo Fei wouldn’t have a good life after marriage, but now, things were better than she had ever imagined. No one could compare to her son’s luck!

"Since you’ve already made up your mind, do as you see fit," Luo Tian said. "I’ll say it again—if there’s anything we can do to help, just say the word. We’re family—no need to stand on ceremony."

Luo Tian spoke with sincerity, and Xi Yanqing knew he meant it. That made things much easier. After chatting and laughing with the family over dinner, he and Luo Fei finally headed home.

On the fifth day of the New Year, they made dumplings. Shockingly, the ones they had prepared before the festival were already gone.

Over seven hundred dumplings—gone in just four or five meals! Considering there were other dishes on the table, the sheer appetite was astounding.

If their household had one more person like Luo Yong, they'd go broke!

Even Luo Yong himself felt he had eaten too much. Scratching his head sheepishly, he said, "Xi-ge, when are we starting work? I can’t just keep eating without doing anything—it doesn’t feel right."

Especially when eating so well! He constantly worried that he wasn’t earning enough to cover his own food expenses.

"Spring is almost here," Xi Yanqing said. "First, we’ll clear the land—remove the weeds and stones. We also need to gather building stones, so we won’t be idle for long."

"Got it, Xi-ge. Let me know when you’re heading to town—I’ll go with you," Jing Rong said.

"Tomorrow morning, I’ll make hand-pulled noodles," Luo Fei added. "You two better come early, or they’ll get soggy."

"Got it, Qi-ge. Have we ever been late for food?" Luo Yong laughed. "We’re heading back now!"

Once the house was quiet, Xi Yanqing took out some paper and started drafting their new home.

He and Luo Fei had decided: it had to be a three-bedroom, two-living-room house!

Why? So that their child would have their own bedroom, and they could also have a study. And if they ever had another child, they could temporarily use the study as a bedroom.

Yes, three bedrooms and two living rooms were a must!

Xi Yanqing placed a hand on Luo Fei’s belly. "How about Daddy sets up a little cradle for you in the bedroom?"

Thump!

The little one inside gave a gentle kick, as if responding to his words.

Xi Yanqing and Luo Fei were both stunned. Xi Yanqing looked at his hand in surprise. "Wife, I think the baby just kicked me."

Luo Fei also felt the strange sensation. Just as he was about to poke his belly to see if the baby would move again, he noticed something unusual on his hand.

The plum blossom mark that had never changed color before—had suddenly turned red?

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