BYBOTE Chapter 6: The Truth

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The door closed with a creaky "squeak." Luo Fei thought of two possibilities. One, his hair was now so long it reached past his waist. If it got wet, it would take forever to dry—too much trouble. Two, if his hair got wet and someone saw him outside, they might start gossiping, which would be annoying.

Judging from Xi Yanqing’s expression, it definitely wasn’t the first reason. That meant he didn’t want people spreading rumors.

Did Xi Yanqing not want to break off the engagement but also didn’t want others to know that he was bathing at his place? Could it be that… he was protecting his reputation?

Would he really be that kind?

Luo Fei looked in the direction Xi Yanqing had left, a bit skeptical, absentmindedly stirring the water with his hand.

The water temperature was perfect—not too hot, not too cold. Just dipping half a hand in made his whole body feel like it was melting from comfort. Even his wounds seemed to hurt less. He wished he could just sink right in.

Then, a tiny voice in his head suddenly yelled: This is water prepared by Xi Yanqing! Who is he? Your love rival!

Another voice argued: So what? Liang Boyuan doesn’t even exist in this lifetime anymore! What love rival?! The priority here is a hot bath!

Exactly! A hot bath is the priority!

Luo Fei clenched his fist with determination!

If he missed this chance, who knew when he’d get another one? What was there to be embarrassed about?! Besides, his family only had two basins—one in the kitchen for washing dishes and vegetables, and another for washing clothes and shoes. Neither was suitable for washing his rear end! But his wounds had to be cleaned!

Luo Fei double-checked that the door was locked, then stripped off all his clothes. It took him a while because even the slightest movement sent waves of searing pain through him. Though he was desperate to clean up, he didn’t forget that he was injured. He stepped into the hot water first, careful not to sit down right away.

Xi Yanqing must have burned a lot of firewood—the whole room was warm and cozy. Even though only his legs were soaking in the water, his upper body didn’t feel cold at all. In fact, it was so comfortable that goosebumps rose on his skin.

If only what he was about to do wasn’t so embarrassing…

Like a thief, Luo Fei hesitantly touched his own backside and immediately realized something was different. It felt swollen, and just the lightest touch sent a sharp pain through him. If only there was a mirror! Without one, he had no way of seeing how bad it was.

This is the worst!

He slowly crouched down into the water, but the moment he did, his wound split open. A searing pain shot through him, and he couldn’t hold back a string of curses.

“Fk fk fk fk f**k! Ow, ow, ow! Holy sh*t, this hurts so bad! Oh my god!”

He clenched his teeth and forced himself to rinse the wound. Even so, he didn’t dare sit down. The bathtub had a small built-in seat, which was actually very considerate, but if he sat on it now, the bathtub wouldn’t be a bathtub—it would be a torture device. The thought alone was terrifying.

What should have been an enjoyable experience turned into an ordeal. He stood in the tub, hunched over as he washed his legs, then splashed water over his upper body. Since he couldn’t let his wound soak for too long, he had to rush through it. Even so, by the time he was done, he was utterly exhausted. Just stepping out of the tub left him feeling like a pile of mush.

Meanwhile, Xi Yanqing was working in the backyard garden when he suddenly stopped, seeming to remember something. He walked over and knocked on the door. “Luo Fei, are you done?”

At that moment, Luo Fei was… fanning his backside. No, to be precise, he was fanning his injury, hoping to dry it off before putting his pants back on. But hearing Xi Yanqing’s voice, he had no choice but to stop.

“Almost!” he called back. Then, grimacing in pain, he slowly pulled on his pants, every movement sending another wave of agony through him. He walked to the door, trying his best to act natural, and opened it. “Alright, thanks.”

Xi Yanqing was momentarily dazed. Luo Fei had indeed listened to him and hadn’t washed his hair, but he was still sweating—probably from the pain. A thin layer of sweat covered his forehead, and his face was flushed red from the heat. He looked… incredibly enticing.

Luo Fei shivered under his gaze. “What’s with that look?”

Xi Yanqing cleared his throat. “Wait here a moment.”

He went inside, grabbed a cloth bundle, and handed it to Luo Fei. “I put some things in here for you. Once I leave, check them out yourself. Consider it a thank-you gift for bringing me vegetable seeds earlier.”

Luo Fei peeked inside and saw a bottle about the size of a grown man’s fist, along with a small porcelain dish.

“The bottle contains anti-inflammatory pain relief powder. You can use it three to five times a day. As for this small dish…” Xi Yanqing tapped the porcelain piece and smiled. “It’s clean, easy to wash, and can be sterilized with boiling water. Better than carving something yourself.”

“You—!” Luo Fei was mortified. His face turned even redder. “How do you know I—” He abruptly shut his mouth. Damn it! I just gave myself away!

“I guessed from the way you walk. Don’t overthink it. I’m just showing some solidarity as someone born in the same era. Besides, if you don’t treat your wound properly, it’ll cause serious trouble. Don’t forget how primitive medical care is here—if you get an infection or a high fever, it could be life-threatening.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Luo Fei averted his gaze, his neck stiff, his whole body burning with embarrassment.

“You don’t need to. Just take care of yourself.” Xi Yanqing sighed and left, thoughtfully closing the door behind him.

Luo Fei stared at the cloth bundle, hesitated for a moment, then walked back to the bathtub. Ultimately, the pain was too unbearable. He had no choice. Silently, he opened the bottle, removed his pants again, and carefully applied the powder to his wound.

Outside, Xi Yanqing stood waiting for fifteen minutes, giving Luo Fei plenty of time.

After finally getting dressed again, Luo Fei stepped out and, after some hesitation, muttered, “Thanks for… you know, the stuff. Also, sorry, but I don’t have the strength to clean up right now. So… um… yeah.”

His voice got quieter and quieter, almost like a mosquito’s buzz.

He was so embarrassed. He had once hated Xi Yanqing, and now the guy had helped him in such a big way.

But hey, it wasn’t him who lacked dignity—it was his wound! Right. That was the truth!

Xi Yanqing rolled up his sleeves and said, “If you're not in a hurry, why don’t you lie down on the kang for a bit? It'll help the medicine absorb better. I burned a lot of firewood today, so it's really warm.”

Luo Fei nodded. He felt that talking too much would only make things more awkward, so he simply went to lie down on the kang. The medicine he had used earlier seemed to be working—it felt fresh and soothing, and the pain had significantly lessened.

Xi Yanqing first hung the cloth he had used to wipe Luo Fei’s body to the side, then poured him a bowl of warm water. As for the water in the bathtub, he left it as it was.

Even though there were two people in the room, it was so quiet that their breathing was audible. Luo Fei hated this kind of atmosphere, so he asked, “Aren’t you going to throw out the water?”

Xi Yanqing replied, “Do you know how much effort it took me to get all that water? Of course, I’m not throwing it out. I’ll bathe in it later after you leave.”

Luo Fei was speechless: “Are you serious?!”

Sure, drawing water from the well, heating it, and filling up the bathtub was a hassle, but using his bathwater? Especially after he had thoroughly cleaned his back end?!

Awkward!

Xi Yanqing suddenly chuckled. “I’m joking. But I can’t pour it out right now—I’ll do it tonight.”

“Why?”

“It’s the same reason I told you not to wash your hair,” Xi Yanqing explained. “So many people saw you come here. If I dump all this hot water outside right away, won’t that basically tell everyone what we just did? Don’t forget your current situation. Even though men don’t value their reputation as much as women, it’s still important. If people find out you bathed at my place, you won’t even have a choice—you’ll have to marry me.”

“Oh.” Luo Fei averted his gaze. “Thanks, I guess. But don’t you want us to get married? Why are you helping me?”

“I do want to marry you, but not at the cost of ruining your reputation. Those are two separate things. Besides, I prefer mutual affection—forced relationships never work out.”

“Reputation? Do I even have one at this point? And if you know forced relationships don’t work, why won’t you break off the engagement?!” Luo Fei glared at him.

“If I break it off, where am I going to find someone who shares my interests? And what if I ever want to reminisce about the past but have to worry about exposing secrets? That’d be boring.” Xi Yanqing sat on the kang, about a meter away from Luo Fei. “Are you really not going to consider it?”

“Consider my ass!” Luo Fei turned to face the wall. “I still fantasize about going back home sometimes. How am I supposed to live in this place? Just thinking about spending the rest of my life here gives me a headache. Do you know that when I talk to the Luo family, it feels like I’m acting? I have to force myself to play the role of Luo Fei, or else I might slip up. This morning, I almost asked Luo Yi what time it was! Yesterday was even worse—I got up in the middle of the night and spent ages fumbling around the walls!”

“Looking for a light switch?”

“Yeah.” Just thinking about how stupid he had been made Luo Fei cringe. He had been completely disoriented when he first woke up.

“When a person moves from a good environment to a bad one, the best way to survive—if escape isn’t an option—is to adapt as quickly as possible. I know you’re struggling right now. You’re different from me—I’ve been alone my whole life, but you have family, so you probably miss them a lot.”

“Don’t you have Liang Boyuan?” Luo Fei asked sourly. “Don’t you know that a lover’s heart is a safe haven? I never even got to hold his hand, and you got to hug him.”

“Alright, you have a point. Even though he’s just my cousin, he’s still family.”

“Cousin?” Luo Fei turned his head sharply. “Are you telling me that Liang Boyuan is your actual cousin?”

“Yeah.”

“…Are you messing with me right now?”

“Why would I lie to you at this point?”

“Damn it! You—” Luo Fei was completely dumbfounded. “You absolute bastard! I didn’t dare pursue him because of you!”

“Even if you had, it wouldn’t have mattered—he already has someone he likes.”

“That’s not the point! I should’ve at least tried!” Luo Fei was so frustrated that he grabbed an empty bowl from the kang and swung it at Xi Yanqing. But Xi Yanqing dodged quickly, so Luo Fei missed and ended up pulling at his wounds instead. “Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!”

“Save your energy. You’re clearly the one who’s meant to be on the receiving end,” Xi Yanqing teased as he set the bowl aside. “Do you want more water?”

“No!” Luo Fei huffed and sat up. “I’m going home! If I stay here any longer, people are going to gossip about me so much that I won’t be able to explain myself. I don’t care about anything else—I just don’t want my new parents forcing me to marry you. They’re obsessed with the idea!”

“That’s exactly why you should marry me. If we live together, they won’t have to obsess over you anymore.”

“Screw off! Staring at the face of my enemy every day? I’d rather stay at the Luo family’s house.” Luo Fei picked up his cloth bundle. “I’m leaving!”

“So, does that mean we’re friends now?” Xi Yanqing asked. “After two years of being rivals, I think I deserve it.”

“Friends, my ass! This is your fault! I lost my chance to chase after my dream guy because of you. You should be locked up for at least a year as punishment—no early release!” Luo Fei stormed off.

“Take it slow!” Xi Yanqing called after him.

“I know! You’re so annoying!” Luo Fei waved him off and left. Surprisingly, the medicine really was effective—he had arrived in agonizing pain, but now, walking didn’t feel too bad. It still hurt a bit, but as long as he didn’t take big strides, it was manageable. That improved his mood slightly, making his earlier embarrassment in front of Xi Yanqing more tolerable.

Still, he didn’t want to see Xi Yanqing again anytime soon. The whole situation with Liang Boyuan was one thing, but more importantly—the toilet paper and the ointment for his… injuries…

That was just too damn awkward!

Meanwhile, Xi Yanqing stood at the doorway, watching him leave. When he saw Luo Fei walking just fine, he didn’t bother catching up. Instead, he chuckled to himself and muttered, “Luo Fei, Luo Fei… The person you should be most wary of isn’t anyone outside—it’s Luo Yi.”

Did he really think he would let Luo Yi slip away so easily?

Tsk. What a naive kid.

Luo Fei thought that when he got home, only Luo Yi and Luo Ru would be there. After all, his new parents had said they were going to work in the fields, and his eldest brother Luo Ji had gone with them. His burly new father hadn’t come after him earlier, so he was probably in the mountains.

But the moment he stepped through the door, he realized—trap ahead! Deep pit ahead!

Li Yuehua was holding a bright red garment that looked an awful lot like a wedding dress. It even had phoenix embroidery. In the Yuqing Kingdom, the phoenix was a divine bird and a symbol of high status—normally reserved for royalty. The only time a commoner could wear one was on their wedding day.

No wonder Luo Fei recognized the outfit. Before he had transmigrated, the original owner of this body had secretly tried it on multiple times, fantasizing about marrying Zhang Yangfan—that scumbag. The wedding dress was something Luo Fei himself had sewn.

But why was Li Yuehua holding it now?!

Luo Fei had a bad feeling about this. He cautiously glanced at Li Yuehua, then whispered to his sister, who was busy fighting with a needle and thread. “Sanbao, what’s Mom doing?”

Without looking up, Luo Ru replied, “Sibao said you bathed at Brother Xi’s place. Mom said she’d talk to Dad when he gets back and pick a date for your wedding. She’s getting your wedding dress ready.”

Luo Fei froze.

So that little bastard Luo Yi sold me out!

He thought Luo Yi was avoiding him out of guilt.

Nope. Luo Yi had actually gone up the mountain and personally reported everything to their father.

When Luo Tian heard this, he dropped everything and called his eldest son, “Let’s go home! I have to see what excuse that brat Erbao comes up with this time for not getting married!”

Luo Ji picked up his farm tools and said, “Dad, if Erbao doesn’t want to, let’s not force him. A marriage should be based on mutual willingness, right?”

Luo Tian frowned so hard that he could crush a fly between his brows. “Of course I know that. But the person he wants doesn’t want him! Besides, given your brother’s current situation, who else would dare propose marriage to our family? Are we supposed to let him stay unmarried forever?”

Luo Ji nodded. “You have a point.”

Luo Tian grunted, “Thankfully, the Xí family’s boy still has feelings for Erbao after all these years. But this is strange—why did Erbao end up bathing at the Xí family’s place?”

Luo Yi chimed in, “I know why! Because Brother Xí prepared a big bath and filled it with hot water. Even I wanted to take a bath when I saw it. Just imagine how comfortable it must have been!”

Luo Fei had no idea that Luo Yi was reenacting what had happened at the Xí family’s home. He was still focused on persuading his mother, Li Yuehua. “Mom, I’m begging you, please don’t tell Dad about this.”

Before Li Yuehua could respond, Luo Ru spoke up first. “Oh, my dear second brother, didn’t you notice that Sibao isn’t here? He told me and Mom everything before going to find Dad and our eldest brother. I bet Dad already knows by now. I think you should just accept your fate and get married.”

Luo Fei’s jaw dropped. “No way!!!”

—

Tl Notes:

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