The Ger's Contract Marriage [BL]
Chapter 540: Space Trekking Pt.1

Chapter 540: Space Trekking Pt.1

It was only one diaper change and one feeding, but raising children was already more work than Xu Feng expected. How did people do this all day?

The exhaustion settled into his bones quicker than he thought possible. At least there was water now, but it wasn’t hot water, and that was a problem.

Having a fire ability user around—like little Mingjun—would have been handy. He chuckled softly to himself, imagining the toddler grinning as he lit a fire with just a flick of his finger.

He missed them. Not just Mingjun, but the entire Feng family trio. He also missed everyone back at Nanshan Estate—his lovers, his friends, everyone who felt like his safe place.

The ache for home gnawed at him, and now, on top of that, he was missing the Feng family trio too.

Xu Feng was a mess, and he knew it. But wallowing in those feelings wouldn’t get him anywhere.

He had decided—it was time to go back. Lingering in this space was just delaying the inevitable, and he had responsibilities waiting for him.

"Hah," with a final sigh, Xu Feng adjusted his load. An extra jar of wine joined the bundle of his things, sloshing quietly with each step.

He looked over at the glittering pile of treasure sprawled across the space—definitely not his own, but oh, how tempting it was to take it all. His hands twitched with the urge to haul it back with him, but the rational part of him knew it wasn’t practical.

Still... leaving all this wealth here felt like a waste. He could use it, maybe store it somewhere safe. If he couldn’t get back into this space later, it would all be lost.

"I should take some crystal cores with me," Xu Feng muttered under his breath, not really expecting anything.

The moment the words left his lips, a flurry of crystal nuclei flew toward him, shimmering as they landed gently in his outstretched hands.

His mouth opened slightly in surprise. "What?"

He blinked down at the cores in his palms, feeling the warm hum of the space around him. Could it really be that easy? If the space could deliver crystal cores on command, could it give him diapers, too?

The more Xu Feng thought about it, the more he became certain that there was a presence there. A quiet consciousness thrummed in the air, almost bashful, like a child caught doing something mischievous.

Or... like a puppy up to no good. Xu Feng wasn’t entirely sure if it was a trick of his tired mind, but it seemed real.

Maybe—just maybe—raising a baby or two wouldn’t be that impossible if he stayed here. In this space, at least, he had almost everything he needed.

A weird smile tugged at his lips. It was almost enough to make him want to stay longer and figure this new presence out. But no, he had made his decision. It was time to move on.

"Thank you," Xu Feng said aloud, feeling a little foolish speaking to empty air. Yet the space responded instantly—its hum brightened, almost like it was wagging an invisible tail.

His smile blossomed fully. The space was happy, and he was happy. Why not indulge in a bit of silliness?

"Abracadabra!" he commanded with a grin, raising one hand dramatically like an old magician in a children’s show.

Immediately, the same playful consciousness fluttered to life in his mind, eagerly responsive. It wasn’t just his space he could feel now. There was another—an ancient, steady presence lying dormant just beneath the surface of his thoughts.

This one felt older, wiser. If his space was a puppy, this one was like an old, content dog who just noticed it was being paid attention to for the first time in some time.

Xu Feng’s grin faltered slightly. He knew that sensation instinctively. This had to be Dong Yang’s space—the one connected to his old snake. It made sense that it would feel similar to his own space.

He reached into his mind, intending to summon the two rings connected to the space, but before he could react—

Everything shifted.

Suddenly, Xu Feng and his 101 different pieces of baggage were no longer standing in the clearing where he had been a moment ago. He was somewhere entirely new, though oddly familiar.

The world around him flickered with vibrant colors, far more lively than the lifeless void he had subconsciously expected.

Xu Feng glanced around, taking in his surroundings with cautious curiosity. It was clear the space had undergone a transformation since the last time he was here.

It looked... alive.

Plants swayed gently under an unseen breeze, and the sky shimmered in soft hues of blue and lavender. Strange, luminous flowers bloomed in clusters, and a gentle stream gurgled in the distance, reflecting the soft light from above.

Even a small hot spring could be seen.

He turned slowly, taking it all in. This wasn’t how he remembered Dong Yang’s space. The last time he had been here, it felt desolate, as if all the life had been drained from it. Now, though, the space was healing—thriving, even.

The space around him pulsed gently as if acknowledging his awe. It wasn’t just alive—it was aware.

Xu Feng felt a sharp pain slice through his head, sudden and overwhelming, but just as quickly as it came, it vanished. He stumbled slightly, blinking away the dizziness.

Something was off. He remembered being in this space before—he was sure the memories were real. But his memories were full of strange, disjointed holes, like a book with pages torn out at random.

He frowned, trying to piece together what he knew. His own space was just as hazy in his mind, its geography slipping away like a dream upon waking. Had the state he was in when he was in this space last caused this fog?

He thought back—there had been a lot of blood, and he had bathed, but... everything blurred together, a half-remembered haze.

"Great," he muttered under his breath, rubbing his temples. Xu Feng, master of amnesia. It felt like his middle name should be "amnesiac."

Still, despite the confusion swirling in his mind, the presence of Dong Yang’s space pressed against his thoughts was warm and reassuring. It was like a steady hand on his shoulder or the nudge of an old, affectionate friend.

Xu Feng exhaled, letting himself relax, even if just a little.

He wasn’t unwilling to be comforted. It felt nice, being coddled—just for a moment. But the moment didn’t last long.

He soon felt the grass beneath his feet stir, the soft blades twining together and creeping toward the bundles strapped to his body—toward Da Long.

Xu Feng tensed. He couldn’t see what was happening behind him, but he could feel it—the plants hovering near Xiao Long, waiting.

Waiting for what? Permission?

His lips twitched with a smile despite himself. This space really did feel like an old soul. It had no shame in expressing its desires. If it wanted something, it made that very clear.

"Just don’t wake them up," Xu Feng murmured, glancing down at the baby nestled close to his chest.

The moment the words left his mouth, the plants moved into action. They wove delicately around the children, brushing against them like gentle hands, as if coaxing them back to sleep. It wasn’t invasive, but caring—like adults doting over precious children in their family.

Xu Feng couldn’t help but laugh softly under his breath. Loving puppy versus doting grandparent—that was the difference between his space and this one.

His nerves, frayed from exhaustion and worry, began to settle. The constant tension that buzzed in the back of his mind eased under the space’s quiet, steady care.

His attempt to be silly before had been nothing more than a coping mechanism—a way to cover up his gnawing fears. But the space knew better. Both spaces did.

They humored him and coddled him, much, in the same way, this grandparent of a space tended to the two sleeping children.

It wasn’t a bad thing to be cared for, Xu Feng realized. The space carried the same spirit as its master—sly, wise, but gentle to those it loved. Strangely, that thought brought a lump to Xu Feng’s throat.

His eyes grew somber.

"Is your master still..." He trailed off, uncertain what he even wanted to ask. ’Was Dong Yang still here?’

He didn’t know what answer he hoped for, but he needed to know something.

The space shifted around him, the plants unwinding reluctantly from the two babies. They gave one last affectionate brush against Da Long and Xiao Long before retreating, parting like a curtain to reveal the entrance to a cave in the distance.

Xu Feng froze. The sight of the cave stirred something within him—a sense of familiarity laced with longing.

He took one cautious step toward it, but before he could get any further, a clear answer came through the space, pressing gently but firmly into his mind.

’No.’