The Ger's Contract Marriage [BL]
Chapter 574: Flower Chat

Chapter 574: Flower Chat

His words trailed off into a choked breath, his shoulders trembling under the weight of his own actions.

Xu Feng watched him, expression unreadable. This was exactly what he had wanted to talk about.

No avoidance. No excuses.

He had already brought it up when he returned to Nanshan, but they hadn’t had a chance to speak alone—without Min, without any buffers.

Just the truth.

This wasn’t a witch hunt. It wasn’t about punishment.

Xu Feng simply wanted people he could trust around him. And he did trust Lee Hua. The midwife had been dedicated to his family since the beginning. But dedication wasn’t the same as loyalty. Trust wasn’t just about feelings—it needed to be tested and proven.

At some point, Nanshan Estate had become his home.

That realization settled something deep inside him.

That alone should have been enough. If Lee Hua was willing to protect his home, that was a kind of loyalty. But for some reason, Xu Feng needed more. He needed to be sure.

Everything wasn’t always sunshine and rainbows.

After all, in old movies, it was always the butler. In newer stories, it was the family member or the closest friend. It was always the ones closest to you that carried a knife meant for your back...

The silence stretched between them, heavy and unrelenting.

Then, finally, Xu Feng spoke.

His voice was calm but firm—unshakable.

"We already discussed this when I returned. Normally, I’d let things go. I don’t like beating a dead horse—"

Lee Hua flinched, his breath hitching.

Xu Feng paused, acknowledging—okay, maybe not the best analogy—but he needed to keep his momentum.

"But."

Lee Hua’s entire body tensed, frozen as if bracing for the final blow.

Xu Feng leaned forward slightly, his tone measured, deliberate.

"I wanted to talk between just the two of us. No Min, no Si, no San. Nanshan is special to me. This time... and the last time too."

Lee Hua’s lips parted, his breath unsteady, confusion flickering in his eyes.

Xu Feng wasn’t going to explain, though.

He’d met his lovers here before. More than once.

This place... really was their home. A place where they had shared lighter moments, a place of safety. And he wanted it to remain so, in this life and in everyone after.

Not just for him and his husbands. But for the people who called it home.

Meeting the Zhang siblings, Chun, Ping—and now the two unnamed babies, called ’Baby’ and ’Second’ respectively since their births—had made his vision clearer.

He wasn’t just protecting a household. He was protecting them.

"Even if I had died," Xu Feng continued, his voice unwavering, "my husbands would have honored my wishes."

Lee Hua’s eyes widened.

"I asked you to stay," Xu Feng said simply. "And my husbands would honor that."

A single moment passed.

Then—

Lee Hua collapsed onto his knees.

The first sob tore from his throat, raw and unfiltered.

Tears slipped down his cheeks, but he didn’t wipe them away. His entire frame trembled as he lowered his head, his hands clenched against his lap as if gripping something unseen.

Xu Feng exhaled softly.

The silence returned, stretching thick between them. The only sounds in the courtyard were the distant chirping of birds and the occasional rustle of the wind through the trees.

Lee Hua’s shoulders quivered, his hands curled into tight fists. His breaths were shallow and uneven as if still trying to process everything Xu Feng had said.

Xu Feng sighed quietly.

This wasn’t the reaction he had wanted. Not entirely.

He hadn’t called him here to break him. He wasn’t seeking some dramatic display of guilt.

He just needed Lee Hua to understand.

Not just about Xu Feng himself, but about Nanshan Estate. About the way things had to be.

With slow, deliberate steps, Xu Feng moved from his place at the dining table. His robes swayed lightly as he stopped just before Lee Hua, looking down at the man who remained bowed low.

"I didn’t call you here to see you like this," he finally spoke, his voice firm but without cruelty. "I wanted to clear the air."

Lee Hua sucked in a shaky breath but still didn’t lift his head.

Xu Feng continued, his tone shifting into something steadier—unshakable. "Nanshan is my home. That’s not just words. It’s not just where I live. It’s where my family is. It’s where I feel safe. And that means I need to trust the people within it."

At this, Lee Hua finally raised his head. His eyes were red-rimmed, but there was something else in them now.

Understanding.

Resolve.

His lips trembled slightly as he whispered, "I want that too, Master Feng."

For a long moment, he remained kneeling there, his hands gripping his robes like a lifeline.

"I don’t need to hear why," Xu Feng said after a pause. "Or any explanations."

Lee Hua blinked, startled.

Xu Feng exhaled and then continued, his voice softer now and more certain.

"But if you want to stay—if you truly want to be part of this home, to protect it—not just from outsiders but sometimes even from ourselves..." He let the words settle before adding, "Then I’d love to have you help Xu Si and Xu San."

Lee Hua’s sobs grew heavier, his shoulders shaking violently.

Not from fear.

Not from regret.

But from relief.

The dam had broken, and the flood of emotions could no longer be contained.

Xu Feng let the moment stretch between them, allowing the emotions to settle.

It wasn’t about forgetting.

It wasn’t about erasing mistakes.

But sometimes, all someone needed was the chance to make things right.

And Xu Feng had given him that chance.

For now, that was enough.

"...Thank you," Lee Hua whispered, voice barely above a breath.

Xu Feng had no doubts—Si and San had done an amazing job keeping Nanshan Estate running. Young as they were, they were dedicated, hardworking, and balanced each other out. But their world was small.

They hadn’t been exposed to the variety of people that came and went, their lives were mostly spent in the neglected Nanshan Estate.

Their interactions were limited to the estate’s existing household, the villagers, and the occasional merchants. They had never stepped foot into noble residences or witnessed how different classes truly functioned.

Lee Hua, on the other hand, had experience in spades.

As a midwife, he had been in and out of countless homes, delivering several ger’s children to families of all standings—rich and poor, noble and common. He had seen how powerful households operated, how they were structured, and where the lines of authority were drawn.

Si and San could learn a lot from him.

And then, there was Zhang Hui.

Xu Feng had been watching her from the moment they met. Could she be trusted?

He didn’t know.

But Xu Hu Zhe and even Xu Zeng seemed to think so.

Would he trust her?

Not fully. Not yet. But trust didn’t have to be handed out blindly—it could be cultivated. And for that, one needed a guiding hand.

While Si was great at monitoring from a somewhat equal standpoint, she was great at probing for information and being creative.

San’s main focus was Blooming Courtyard. She was an excellent steward, but Xu Feng didn’t want her in charge of people as well. Her strengths lay in managing the estate itself, not the growing number of servants and residents.

That role?

Perfect for Lee Hua.

He didn’t have to be the most social, but he had the eye to keep people in line.

Xu Feng glanced at the ger kneeling in from him, still recovering from his emotional breakdown. The quiet between them stretched for a moment before Xu Feng finally spoke:

"Will you take the position?"

Lee Hua’s red rimmed eyes widened in shock. He stared at Xu Feng as if he had misheard.

Then, as if the words had finally sunk in, his entire body jerked forward.

"Yes!"

But before Xu Feng could smirk at the enthusiasm, Lee Hua shook his head, muttering, "I don’t deserve it—"

Xu Feng was not in the mood to play the humble game.

He lifted a hand, effectively cutting off whatever self-deprecating nonsense Lee Hua was about to spew.

"I trust you."

The words were simple, but the weight behind them was undeniable.

Lee Hua stilled, lips parting in disbelief.

Xu Feng continued, his tone steady, unwavering. "I know you’re capable. You see through people. That’s exactly why I want you in this position."

Lee Hua still looked stunned, but he swallowed hard, nodding.

Xu Feng leaned his head back slightly, satisfied.

"Good. Then work to be worthy of our family’s trust."

Lee Hua quieted, nodding again—more firmly this time.

Xu Feng took it as a good sign and moved on.

"I think Zhang Hui might make a good right hand for you."

Lee Hua blinked, taken aback.

"She seems to be good with children," Xu Feng continued. "I don’t know what other skills she has, but I’ll leave that up to you and San to figure out. See where she fits best."

Lee Hua simply stared at him, mouth slightly open as if still trying to catch up.

"Our home is going to change a lot today." Xu Feng exhaled. "But I trust you, San, and Si to handle it. We’re going to have more people here, and they’ll need a lot of care. Winter is harsh, but I’ll make sure no one goes hungry or cold."

Xu Feng had started rambling, already listing the preparations in his mind—food, clothes, renovations... Winter is coming, and Nanshan wasn’t ready. Everything needed to be rushed—