The Ger's Contract Marriage [BL]
Chapter 107: Erlang, the Abandoned Child

Chapter 107: Erlang, the Abandoned Child

Xu Feng had taken great care to make sure he was fully out of sight of the two snakes. With deft movements, he rummaged around in his right sleeve, revealing two pieces of cloth. One was long, and the other was short, both in neutral colors.

He proceeded to tie the shorter piece of cloth around the circumference of his head, effortlessly concealing the distinctive mole on his forehead. Erlang couldn’t help but slow down, intrigued by his young master’s actions.

The longer cloth was used to create a head covering resembling a hijab or a nun’s headdress. The ease with which he tied it right at the corner of the road hinted at how much practice had gone into these precise movements.

Once everything was securely in place, Xu Feng turned to Erlang, seeking confirmation that he didn’t appear completely out of the ordinary and that the necessary areas were concealed.

Erlang, understanding his young master’s unspoken query, nodded in response. His face tinged with a slight blush, he then turned around, waiting for Xu Feng to lead the way. Even with half his face hidden, his hair neatly secured, and the mole expertly concealed, his Master still exuded a captivating allure.

Erlang noticed another challenge they faced with Xu Feng’s hidden apple knot (Adam’s apple). Even with their height advantage, it would be difficult for bystanders to discern his gender, particularly given the matching boxy puffer jackets they both wore.

Erlang’s jacket was more rugged and utilitarian, while Xu Feng’s was brighter and featured more intricate and beautiful patterns and details, yet it remained gender-neutral. His clothing and demeanor provided no clues about his gender.

Erlang couldn’t help but acknowledge that his Master was quite unusual for a ger. Not only had he taken on the role of a young mistress, but he also paid no attention to the makeup and beauty supplies favored by other women and gers.

In fact, he had given away any such supplies that were part of his dowry to the two chatterboxes, Si and San. The only items he retained were creams and oils for skincare but nothing for personal adornment.

How did Erlang know? Erlang had this knowledge because Si and San had competed to share it with him.

He shook his head, attempting to control the blush still lingering on his face and regain his composure. When would he overcome these reactions?

Fortunately, they soon arrived at the nearest grain store. Yilin town wasn’t exceptionally large, and even if Xu Feng took a leisurely stroll around the town, he could cross it from one end to the other in a single day.

For a modern man who had lived in a city, even if it was a third- or fourth-tier one, this small and quaint town was quite manageable.

Erlang had never left the vicinity of Yilin town throughout his entire life, from both till present. He was a child who had grown up on the town’s streets, a life of hardship, as he had been a slave and an outcast from birth.

His parents, or perhaps parent, had sold him as soon as he was old enough to be separated from the breast.

Typically, babies could be resold easily, with younger ones being more desirable. However, from Erlang’s birth until now, Donghua had been descending into increasing poverty. While the wealthy might not have noticed at first, the poor certainly did.

Babies were no longer easily adopted, but they didn’t flood the streets. The number of children and the elderly who perished from freezing or starving to death every winter had almost doubled the number of middle-aged adults.

The ones in power were aware of the worsening conditions for the poor, yet they remained indifferent. There was no way they could be unaware of this.

Erlang’s clenched fists showed his frustration as he observed Xu Feng leisurely moving about the grain store chatting with the store attendant, finally settling down upon sighting his new Master.

Although their relationship was newly formed, Erlang had a sense of understanding about the kind of person Xu Feng was. He wasn’t afraid of being double-crossed or taken advantage of.

Erlang considered himself lucky to have made it to this age, unlike Si and San, who had parents or other relatives who had once cared for them. Erlang had never known protection or a home. And no one paid so much attention to him. He was used to being invisible.

Si had been sold by her parents who hoped that, in doing so, she would be able to eat two full meals a day instead of the meager mouthfuls that they could afford. It was an act of love for their daughter.

San’s parents had sacrificed their own food so that she could have more food. After their deaths, her relatives sold her. Both girls came from distant places, yet they still recalled their homes and the arduous journey to Beiyin town, the nearest town for slave trade in the kingdom.

From there, they were sent to the Xuan main house before eventually arriving at Nanshan estate.

Each of their stories was a tale of hardship, including Erlang’s. He had survived because of his hard-working nature and big build from a young age. Being part of the Xuan family was a blessing for all three of them, and they were very aware of it.

Despite being given only the worst food and patched-up clothes by Auntie Lifen and Auntie Lan, they were better off than the children who roamed the streets, those who wouldn’t survive beyond the first snowfall or two.

Erlang wasn’t ungrateful, he was profoundly thankful, and witnessing his new Master only deepened his appreciation. He was determined to be the best servant he could be for Xu Feng.

As Erlang poured out his gratitude and admiration for the now-bundled ger, the same ger began to attract attention from others in the vicinity. Xu Feng, swathed in his disguise, appeared even stranger to the townspeople.

The camouflage offered him a bit of privacy compared to when his entire face was on display. Despite everything, they were nearly done.

This was the third grain store they had visited, successfully collecting the items on Xu Feng’s list. In just a week, prices had surged by nearly fifty percent. Xu Feng might be a bit of a spendthrift, but the mounting expenses did dampen his spirits somewhat.

But he did have three children, and two husbands to fatten up.