The Ger's Contract Marriage [BL]
Chapter 386: Echoes of Absence

Chapter 386: Echoes of Absence

As Xu Zeng and Xu Hu Zhe found comfort in each other’s arms just outside the stable, the horses within seemed to revel in the shift in the atmosphere.

In the middle of the tear fest happening just feet away from their home, the four legged occupants of the stable began to whinny and stamp their hooves in joyful celebration.

Their voices carried through the air, a song of relief and gratitude that was not echoing across the yard. Even though they had their stable back, they knew they shouldn’t draw the intimidating two legged beasts back into their domain.

Those rutting two legged beasts were wearing human clothing but they knew they were scary beings just under the surface.

They were the horses, but it was the two men who were horsing around in their stable!

The air seemed to shimmer with newfound brightness, the weight that had burdened their horsy hearts lifted in an instant. With the troublesome duo gone, the horses could once again enjoy the peacefulness of their home, their lives instantly made better by their absence.

As for the two legged beasts, their tear fest continued.

Xu Hu Zhe’s tear streaked gaze lifted to meet the silver haired man before him, his heart wrenching at the sight of Xu Zeng’s muted pain. It was as if the weight of the world had settled upon the other man’s shoulders, leaving him battered by the storm of his emotions.

Despite standing at an equal height, Xu Zeng’s lean frame seemed to exude a quiet strength that Xu Hu Zhe had always admired. He had never truly realized the difference between their size.

The silent grace with which Xu Zeng carried himself seemed to cloud his vision, making him feel the other was somehow invincible like his brother... but they were all just human, or something like that.

Between him and Xu Zeng there was an obvious chasm between them, but who had dug the hole? Who had built up the wall that became a barrier shielding his eyes?

Even though he could work hard, helping to shovel the animal manure, gathering hay, fetching water, even chopping wood in the kitchen, Xu Hu Zhe had always seen the other man as well, "other," someone he couldn’t measure up to.

This was Xu Feng’s brother. It was strange but obvious Xu Zeng was used to hard labor, and went out of his way to help Xu Hu Zhe.

Their interactions had always flowed effortlessly, their conversations a welcome relief from the noise of the world around them. Xu Zeng’s warmth and easy demeanor toward him, had drawn Xu Hu Zhe in from the moment they met.

Even though they were both more silent when it came to speaking with others—no that wasn’t true. Their shared moments of quiet laughter and simple companionship seemed to fizzle as the truth became more clear.

The raven haired man didn’t hesitate to comfort the sobbing mess beside him. The tear filled face was beautiful in its own way, but the shy smiles, and even the blushing cheeks from their first day together was much more beautiful.

Xu Zeng was quiet and restrained only recently.

After Xu Feng... Xu Zeng had withdrawn into himself, his once lively spirit subdued by a broken heart. It was an obvious contrast to the vibrant energy he exuded when the two eggs were around, his smile illuminating the darkest corners of the stable yard.

But Xu Hu Zhe couldn’t see the other man’s pain while he was entrenched in his own. In reality, he had spent more time with Xu Feng than Xu Zeng had, and that was an actual reason for them to not get along.

What right did he have to cry when he got to receive so much of Xu Feng’s kindness and his own brother had only met him a handful of times?

Xu Hu Zhe couldn’t help but recall the moments they had shared in the last two months. Xu Zeng would have times when a shining personality would shine through and he would dive into teaching Xiao An and Xiao Momo childish games.

Each time watching their faces light up with delight would make Xu Hu Zhe smile in turn.

And then there were the words that lingered in his mind, spoken with a wistful smile that masked deeper pain: ’I wasn’t allowed to play, I was too busy, but I would have played with you.’

...

The first time they met when Xu Zeng and Xu Feng had switched bodies, the other man was quiet for a few hours, helping him with his chores resolutely.

After an entire morning together, he became somewhat of a selective chatterbox. saying things like, ’I wish I knew you in Sun Village, working would have been much more fun.’

’How can you lift all those at once? Even with my body being stronger now, I don’t think I can lift all of them!’

The man in a ger’s body had blushed nonstop and chattered away like the wind.

Over the last two moons he had changed, and become much more reserved, but he was still so dazzling that Xu Hu Zhe could hardly look away when he smiled.

The words about kissing and touching, and even his boundaries seemed to flow into the wind somewhere to be revisited at a later time. They couldn’t keep doing what they were doing, but Xu Hu Zhe hoped they could stay friends.

The two men now sat together staring into the distance as the afternoon threatened to give way to the evening. Life was going on even when they wanted to cling to the past.

The lines between reality and the past were blurred and it was almost unavoidable when they both were clinging onto Xu Feng so desperately.

"Xu Feng said he would find me a ger to marry," Xu Hu Zhe said with a small smile, "but here I am defiling his brother."

"He said he would find you a mate?" Xu Zeng shot back almost immediately, clearly missing the rest of the sentence.