The Ger's Contract Marriage [BL]
Chapter 123: Ignorance is Bliss

Chapter 123: Ignorance is Bliss

The kitchen was a bustling center of motion, filled with the clatter of dishes and pans and the rhythmic sounds of clinking and cooking. Si and San, Xu Feng’s early morning kitchen helpers, were wholeheartedly working on preparing extra buns.

While they seemed to disagree often in other situations, the girls worked well in almost all things despite their different personalities. They were a dynamic duo in the kitchen, swiftly forming dough into rounds and filling them with delicious mixtures of beef and leeks.

Xu Feng watched as they went about their tasks, each movement precise and efficient. He had purposely set aside an abundance of ingredients to ensure there were extra meals ready for the winter.

It was cold enough that prepared food could be stored in the now covered outdoor kitchen portion of his personal kitchen. There was more than enough shelving, jars, and bamboo baskets to store premade food to ease their cooking burden.

While the body he now inhabited had come from humble beginnings, Xu Feng had full intentions of having a lazy winter.

Not too lazy though. There was still much to be done.

Winter was a time to be thrifty and prepared for the challenges it posed, especially for commoners who lived by the land. As a responsible master of Nanshan estate, Xu Feng was determined to make the most of this season.

He had an extensive to do list that included studying for the upcoming spring examinations, tending to his precious seeds, both new and old, and contemplating how to fulfill his contractual obligations to Lady Xuan and Xuan Yang as quickly as possible.

He didn’t enjoy owing anyone anything. It made being lazy less enjoyable when you have an obligation nagging at the back of all your thoughts.

He would also need to spend a considerable amount of time trying not to overanalyze his current relationship with both Xuan Yang and Xuan Jian. These relationships had complexities that he hadn’t fully deciphered or accepted yet.

Just their reaction to him passing seemed to him quite strange. And maybe a little too much? It was like the incident at the bookstore all over again, and in the same day.

It made sense for them to be worried, but not to the point where they would watch him all night. Taking shifts to make sure he was ok. You don’t react so strongly to someone you’ve only known for a whopping combination of two weeks.

One thing was clear in his mind; this wasn’t a typical "friends with benefits" relationship with either man. He didn’t just feel like a third wheel to spice up their sex life, and that was what he was preparing himself to be.

Xu Feng felt there was more to this relationship, but he was in no rush to define it/them. Sometimes, ignorance could indeed be bliss, and he was content to remain ignorant until clarity revealed itself.

It would need to knock him over the head with irrefutable truth or he didn’t want it.

So breakfast...

The preparations in the kitchen were not just for breakfast but also for the winter season. The Nanshan estate was well-equipped with the necessary funds to see them through the cold months and into spring.

Xu Feng knew they had the resources to sustain themselves, but he wanted to use this time to explore ways to contribute to the household’s finances.

While he was a self proclaimed lazy ger, he wasn’t lazy enough to become destitute in this new and unfamiliar world. He was given a silver spoon—the mansion, a monthly stipend, and even two friends with benefits—he would hold onto the first two for dear life and go with the flow for the third.

For breakfast, they would savor the simple yet delicious beef and leek buns, paired with a comforting congee. The flavorful buns and warm congee were perfect for starting the day, and they were also part of his plan to make up for worrying everyone the day before.

He would be working harder to fill them with delicious and nourishing food today.

The early morning light cast a discernible shade of blue across the sky, indicating that it was still quite early. The lanterns they used in the kitchen were still needed to light up the room.

Xu Feng wasn’t sure if Erlang was awake yet. Unlike him, the children were early risers, but yesterday’s events had been quite traumatic for the entire household.

Erlang, in particular, had been involved in all the drama; from all tripled attention as soon as they got off the carriage, to the first spectacle in the bookstore, to the second bookstore drama, to Xu Feng becoming unconscious.

It wouldn’t be surprising if he needed some extra sleep to recover from the events of the previous day. It was also only yesterday they finally got rid of the Xuan family elders, and he had publicly kissed Xuan Jian too, mentally scaring the residents of the Nanshan estate.

Xu Feng’s face grew warm as he thought about everything that had transpired in the last few days. For a self proclaimed lazy ger, he had been quite busy in the last few days. He had been unusually busy and involved in a whirlwind of events

He was excited to be the slower and more languid kind of busy.

To begin working on some of his plans, he needed to locate the seeds he had purchased the previous day. When he had casually looked around in his bedroom after waking up, there were no seeds in any obvious places.

Not on top of any tables or in a corner of the room. He had even tried to nonchalantly open random chests and dressers without alerting the two girls.

He didn’t want to disturb Erlang with his questions before the break of dawn. The boy might still be sleeping.

Xu Feng stared out into the gradually fading darkness and then decided to grab a lantern. He encouraged the two girls to continue their preparations. Breakfast was nearly ready for the most part, he wasn’t needed in the kitchen anymore.

It was time to visit an area he hadn’t had time for recently.

Hopefully, it would help him clear his mind.