The Ger's Contract Marriage [BL]
Chapter 561: Reflections

Chapter 561: Reflections

The morning light slowly crept into the room, casting a soft glow over the tangled sheets and the quiet forms resting within them. The warmth of being wrapped in Xuan Jian’s steady embrace was grounding, yet Xu Feng’s mind wasn’t quite at rest.

His happiness lingered, warm and comforting, but beneath it was something more—a restrained edge of thought, subtle but persistent.

Xu Feng shifted slightly, raising his head just enough to glance across the bed at Xuan Yang. The man sat reclined against the headboard, his usually composed expression softened by sleep and the lazy comfort of the morning. Yet, there was something—something different.

"There is definitely something very different about you," Xu Feng started quietly, his voice breaking the peaceful silence.

Xuan Yang blinked slowly, lifting a brow but saying nothing. Xu Feng wasn’t entirely speaking to him anyway.

"Well, all of us," Xu Feng continued, his gaze lingering on Yang’s calm features. "But you—you seem to remember more than Jian and I."

The words hung in the air, and though Xu Feng spoke aloud, it felt more like he was sorting through his own thoughts. In their past life, Xuan Yang seemed to wake up and seek either Jian or himself out first. There was something behind this.

Living in his original world, the past few weeks had been heavier than usual. He had gotten so used to sharing everything—his fears, his fleeting thoughts—with Xuan Yang, Xuan Jian, and even Xu Hu Zhe. Keeping silent didn’t feel right anymore. He had turned into a chatter box when his family was around.

Yet, silence answered him. Understandably, both men seemed confused. Xuan Jian shifted slightly beneath him, while Xuan Yang studied him quietly.

Xu Feng let out a soft breath. "Well, you remember, but you don’t." His words felt tangled but truthful. "Nanshan was originally yours," he went on, eyes narrowing slightly, "but you didn’t cherish it until all of us were together in it. That’s when it became our home."

He paused, studying Yang’s still face. "You’ve said those words before. But it was a whole other lifetime ago."

Silence again. Xu Feng could almost hear the gears turning in their heads, but neither man gave any indication of where those thoughts led.

"We didn’t make it then," Xu Feng said softly, voice steady with conviction. "But this time, we will." He wasn’t sure how many failures they’d lived and died through, but this time was different.

His words felt heavier than before, weighted with promise. A partnership takes more than one person. But he would do everything in his power to fill the gaps where they faltered, and he knew Xuan Jian and Xuan Yang had their own strengths—strengths that would shine even brighter now.

This lifetime would be different. It already was.

"I feel as though... everything you’re saying feels right?" Xuan Jian murmured, his voice distant and thoughtful. Yet, a crease of confusion furrowed his brow.

Xu Yang let out a quiet chuckle disguised as a hum. "Then let it be right. We have each other now, so let’s stay together. Forever."

Xu Feng’s calm voice broke through the haze. "I don’t think either of you will let me take the balls and run away. Not anymore."

Xu Feng grinned widely, turning his gaze fully onto his handsome young master. Even with bedhead and a faintly disheveled look, Xuan Yang was striking. So pretty. His purtty boy.

Without thinking, Xu Feng’s hand reached out, fingers lightly tracing along the sharp lines of Yang’s face.

"The balls?" Xuan Jian’s voice rumbled from below him, tinged with confusion.

"The two babies," Xu Feng replied absentmindedly, eyes still locked on Xuan Yang.

A tense pause followed before Jian’s arms tightened around him, the grip protective—possessive. Xu Feng caught the slight sharpening in Yang’s gaze, an unspoken warning.

Neither of them would let him go.

Xu Feng smiled softly. "I’m not going anywhere. Not anymore."

"Any more?" Jian’s voice still had a hint of anxiety and a note of anger flickering beneath the surface.

Xu Feng laughed nervously. "Well, it was one of my backup plans in the beginning... but you can’t blame me!"

He tilted his head, expression more playful than apologetic. "I was a contract ’wife,’ basically sold off to become a baby maker for a family that didn’t even respect me as a human... demon beast... individual. Can you really blame me for thinking about running?"

Xuan Jian’s grip tightened, but his expression softened, the fire in his eyes simmering down. Xuan Yang, however, only sighed, the corner of his mouth twitching upward.

"You’re not going anywhere," Xuan Yang said simply, but there was steel beneath his calm words.

Xu Feng chuckled, letting himself relax fully against Jian’s warmth.

"No," he agreed softly. "Not anymore." If he had to repeat it a hundred times more, he would. Anything to make the men beside him feel secure.

...

"One is like a furnace and the other is like a full body ice pack," Xu Feng muttered, squirming slightly between them. "But Jian’s got the premium model for the winter time—top of the line air conditioning."

"Because I know how to keep you comfortable," Xuan Jian quipped, pulling Xu Feng tighter against his chest.

Did he understand all of what Xu Feng said? No, but he got the meaning... mostly. Enough.

Xuan Yang snorted softly. "Premium? Don’t flatter him too much. He’ll get arrogant."

"Too late for that." Xu Feng grinned, nudging Jian playfully before his expression softened. Their playful bickering earned a rare chuckle from Xuan Yang. But his expression gradually turned serious.

"We can’t just stay in bed forever," Xuan Yang began, his tone shifting. "My family still needs to be dealt with."

"Nanshan does too," Xuan Jian added firmly. "We can’t leave our plans to rot."

Xu Feng sighed, feeling the weight creeping back in. But before he could respond, Xuan Yang spoke again, this time more quietly.

"It’s my fault you considered...’taking the balls and running.’"

The awkward phrasing caught Xu Feng off guard. He blinked, lips twitching at the corners. But he let Yang continue. The meaning wasn’t lost on Xu Feng.

"I should have done more to restrain my family. Lady Xuan slighted you at every turn, and I let Jian handle your betrothal gifts. That was negligent of me."

Xu Feng could have brushed it off, but honesty felt more important now. He gave a small nod, acknowledging Yang’s words without softening them.

Xuan Yang’s gaze hardened. "I won’t be passive anymore. Not with my family or Nanshan Estate. I will do my part as your husband."

Before Xu Feng could reply, Xuan Jian tightened his hold.

"And I will do my part as well. I will protect both of you—as your legal husband."

Xu Feng blinked, surprise flickering across his face before he smirked. "Are you both legally my husbands now?"

Yang’s expression softened. "We haven’t been idle while you were gone."

Xuan Jian’s grip was like an anchor. "If you were truly gone..." Xuan Jian choked on the words before continuing on. "We didn’t want our relationship to be seen in a dark light. More than taking me into your background harem, having all as equal husbands would be the most honorable for a student and a scholar’s reputations.

If your honor continued to be at stake, no glory or title would matter come exam time." They didn’t plan to spend their entire lives in Dongzhou, but tarnishing Xu Feng and Xuan Yang’s reputations wasn’t worth it to him.

Xu Feng hesitated, then exhaled slowly. "I don’t want to take the scholar’s exams anymore."

Xuan Yang’s eyes widened, his face shifting through a dozen emotions. "But—This year’s exam is in less than a week away. It would be impossible to be prepared in time, but next year is another opportunity—"

Xuan Yang, Xuan Jian, and Xu Feng had worked hard for their titles. They allowed some gossip in Yilin town in order to weed out the Xuan family and other spies. Most of the rumors spread in the town were suppressed before they reached the capital.

Lady Xuan was opportunistic, but she wouldn’t truly let her only son be openly ridiculed in front of the bastards her husband had sired. No gossip about Xuan Yang would leave the main Nanshan mansion, and she had even tried to influence the distant Yilin Town unsuccessfully.

Xu Feng was still taking in the meaning of their words—he was married above board to two men. Xuan Jian wouldn’t only have equal status in their home. The Torann was an equal husband.

"It’s okay." Xu Feng smiled gently. "Xu Zeng can study if he wants to. I wanted to study in the other world, but things are different here. It’s not my dream anymore."

Xuan Yang slowly relaxed, though the tension in his shoulders lingered.

Xu Feng knew his parents in the other world would understand his choice. They wanted a stable life for him, and he would build one with his partners. He was already a wealthy little ger thanks to his brother, but he wouldn’t just be complacent.

It wasn’t like he wanted to become a courtier or even a teacher. He was already an educated person in Dongzhou.

"Then we make our own path," Jian said, voice steady. "I won’t study either."

They both passed the childs’ exam, and that was enough. Xuan Yang could be their scholar, his accomplishments were more than enough for their family, and there was always Xu Zeng if he chose to study.

Xu Feng chuckled softly. "You know... in this backwoods world, it’s funny how a dragon from a higher realm had to fight for the right to be my equal husband."

Xuan Jian snorted, but Xuan Yang shook his head, a smile flickering across his face.