The Ger's Contract Marriage [BL]
Chapter 309: Endless Fruit

Chapter 309: Endless Fruit

The front courtyard of Blooming Courtyard in Nanshan Estate was a sight to behold, a harmonious blend of nature’s bounty and human ingenuity. The space was almost overrun with back baskets, each one meticulously crafted in the ancient Donghua style, albeit larger than the norm.

Xu Feng had taken great care in customizing these baskets during the early days of spring when he was also fervently preparing for the Xuicai exam.

Most of the baskets had been custom ordered from the villagers living below Nanshan Estate in Nanshan Village. These villagers, despite seldom seeing Xu Feng in person, held him in high enough regard.

To them, he was the benevolent "young mistress" who had injected life and prosperity into their village and their homes. A spoilt young mistress, but a young mistress who put silver in their pockets!

It was a symbiotic relationship where Xu Feng received cost effective back baskets, and the villagers received a steady flow of silver in return. The cost of each back basket, which was already considered cheap in Yilin town, was purchased for a fourth of the in town cost from the idle villagers still trying to recover from a harsh winter.

The village head and his sons had even gone out of their way to help this willful young mistress and the Xuan young master, making sure none of their villagers slacked off. The Xuan family wasn’t one to be messed with.

Now, these custom back baskets, once empty, were brimming with a dazzling array of fruits. These fruits mirrored the landscape of this ancient world, with their vibrant colors and exotic shapes.

Among them were ripe peaches, their rosy skin glistening in the sunlight; plump, golden pears; clusters of succulent grapes—smaller than modern varieties, but still useful—they were like tiny orbs of amethyst; and fragrant lychees, their spiky exteriors concealing sweet treasures within.

From the usual large and expansive front courtyard, following the cobbled pathway, led to the side of Blooming Courtyard where the intoxicating scent from the kitchen wafted through the air.

Here, baskets of washed fruits were laid out to bask in the gentle caress of spring sunshine. Some fruits had already undergone Xu Feng’s (and his willing and unwilling helpers’) skilled hands, their skins peeled away, and seeds carefully removed.

Within the bustling kitchen, a few immense cauldron like pots simmered lowly with a symphony of fragrances. These pots had been acquired during the winter when Xu Feng and his companions had visited Beiyin Town briefly.

The kitchen was quiet with only Xu San’s presence, there were a several pots simmering with the young girl carefully watching them. This was how she spent her time away from managing the estate, working in Xu Feng’s private kitchen.

Sometimes, Xu Feng wondered if resting was tiring to the young teen. Still the delicacies prepared by Xu San, using the freshly harvested fruits, were the only ones that could rival his own.

The journey through the estate continued, leading to the back courtyard. As one followed the established pathways, they would find themselves surrounded by an array of pottery containers in several shapes and sizes. Most of these clay jars were tightly sealed, preserving the precious contents within. Others, still awaiting their final sealing, exuded an inviting aroma.

The earthenware jars had also been part of Xu Feng’s ambitious plan, an order placed during their visit to Beiyin Town—although he hadn’t expected to use them all so quickly...

They were now scattered throughout the spacious back courtyard, each filled with the fruits—pun intended—of Xu Feng’s and his helpers’ labor. From tangy fruit preserves to exquisite fruit wines, the vessels held a treasure trove of flavors waiting to be savored.

And in the middle of all this bustling industry and the abundant display of fruits and earthenware, neither Xuan Yang nor Xuan Jian voiced any objection to Xu Feng’s whims.

They were both deeply absorbed in their own tasks, understanding that challenging the ger’s determination was a bad idea at the moment. Xu Feng, with his characteristic stubbornness, had chosen this moment to double down on the stubbornness.

Could the silver haired ger get even more pig headed? No one was willing to find out at this point in his pregnancy. Especially not with the glare he’d sport when asked to rest...

Xu Feng plus two had the energy of Xu Feng plus two and the stubbornness too.

Even with all the energy in the world, this concoction of fruits couldn’t have reached this stage with one ger, and the occasional help from Xu Si and Xu San. The heavy weights behind this onslaught of productivity, were the big strong men of Nanshan Estate!

The six martial artists, led by Jie and Bo, plus Xu Hu Zhe were the powerhouses making sure Xu Feng didn’t overexert himself. In the process, as soon as he made eye contact with any of the six men, it was like a Pokém*n battle, they needed to be prepared!

It was especially tiring for Xu Hu Zhe, Xu Feng’s babysitter since they had returned from the mountain adventure—who needed to work twice as hard to keep Xu Feng from working with them.

What exactly were in all these jars? Gold! Maybe some silver too!

It was worth all the extra effort if he could bring some more resources to their home. His waddling figure in his personal courtyard could be ignored. It wasn’t like he could help it, he didn’t have the ability to levitate.

For someone who enjoyed taking naps, lounging in his semi modern living room, relaxing by the pond, and tending to his greenhouse, his activity level had reached a new high in the last few days.

Reading in the library, learning and practicing crafts in the craft room, and cooking in the kitchen are not included of course.

Before we figure out where the overactive ger was hiding out—in Blooming Courtyard, he’s still on house...courtyard arrest for the time being—we should talk about how his husbands felt about his waddling around.