The Ger's Contract Marriage [BL]
Chapter 582: Dinner is Served

Chapter 582: Dinner is Served

Xu Feng carefully tucked the two babies more comfortably in their bassinets, making sure they were warm, comfortable, and had access to their soft toys before straightening up. His fingers lingered for a moment, brushing against the soft fabric of the silly looking cloth elephant.

Then, without a word, he turned to Xu Zeng.

His brother, already aware of what was coming, let out a small, almost exasperated sigh but reached out to pick up one of the other cloth toys the babies had been playing with earlier—this one was a not so ferocious tiger. Cute, not ferocious at all.

"You’re leaving them with me?" Xu Zeng asked calmly, but there was a bit of excitement in the undertones of his voice. Clearly, he loved children, a lot, but couldn’t quite admit it aloud.

Xu Feng only nodded. "I need to check on dinner."

Xu Zeng exhaled through his nose but didn’t argue. Instead, he shifted slightly, moving to sit closer to the bassinets, his sharp eyes watching the two infants with a quiet intensity, his hand never leaving the cloth toys.

His posture was relaxed, but the way the fingers of his other hand tapped absentmindedly against his knee told Xu Feng he was already settling in to watch over them properly.

"We should make some toy snakes."

Xu Feng almost didn’t register what Zeng said, as he prepared to leave, but then he nodded when it registered. "Yes, some snakes and some dragons are a good idea!"

"And a fox."

Xu Feng was in such a good mood from this one suggestion he just nodded happily. There were a few dinosaur toys, but the variety while wide should highlight the immortal bloodline carriers and demon beasts who were in their family. Wasn’t that a way to educate children too?

Xu Feng turned and slipped away toward the kitchen with a grin on his face.

The scent of slow simmering broth greeted him more strongly the moment he entered, filling the warm space with a deep, rich aroma.

Xu Feng moved with ease—he was back in his own kitchen of course—lifting the heavy lid from the large clay pot resting over the embers. Steam curled into the air, carrying the fragrant scent of bone broth, tender meat, and carefully balanced spices.

The soup wasn’t complicated—no rare herbs, no extravagant ingredients, nothing that would take away from the natural flavors or give their guests indigestion. He could feed his people meat with energy and vegetables from his greenhouse, but this wasn’t a good idea when hosting outsiders.

But still, the broth was hearty.

And it was filled with meat.

A fitting dish for an important guest.

Xu Feng let out a slow breath as he stirred the pot, watching as the softened pieces of pork gently broke apart under the wooden ladle. It was a dish meant to nourish the body and warm the soul.

And it was, in some way, a symbol of sincerity.

Lu Lizheng, the village chief of Nanshan Village, was an important connection—one that Xu Feng had, at one point, made an effort to cultivate. But over time, that effort had fallen to the wayside, buried beneath the weight of everything else.

Now, as the head of Nanshan Estate—who was taking his role seriously—he knew that needed to change.

They were neighbors, after all. And while Xu Feng had focused primarily on those who lived within his walls—on his own people, his family—he had neglected the villagers who might also benefit from Nanshan’s prosperity (when they finally got to that point).

That needed to change too.

If they could work together, if they could form a mutually beneficial arrangement, then perhaps Nanshan could thrive in ways beyond just internal business.

There was a lot of potential there.

Fruit collecting, for example, was an exhausting task, and the more hands they had, the better. If they hired consistent help from the village, it wouldn’t just lighten the workload—it would create an opportunity for more coin to flow into the community.

And a strong community meant a stronger estate.

Xu Feng glanced down at the bubbling soup and gave it one final stir before moving away to check on the other dishes.

Most were already finished.

A simple meal, but a well balanced one.

Steamed fish, seasoned with ginger and scallions.

Braised pork belly, cooked in a dark, rich sauce until it was melt in your mouth tender.

Fresh greens, lightly tossed in sesame oil.

A bowl of pickled vegetables, their tartness meant to complement the heavier dishes.

And, of course, a generous pot of rice—it was white rice too.

Nothing extravagant, but everything was made in large portions, meant to feed their guests and the big eaters of the family. A portion was even set aside to send over to Bai Mo’s home in the city proper—a small gesture to one of his closest friends.

The meal was nothing that screamed nobility, but it showed his sincerity.

Xu Feng let out a quiet breath of satisfaction before stepping back, taking in the full spread.

It was ready.

Just as he was reaching for one of the trays, a familiar presence entered the kitchen.

Xuan Jian.

The man strode in without hesitation, his sharp eyes sweeping over the prepared dishes before settling on Xu Feng. "I’ll help," he said simply.

There was no need for discussion—no back and forth, no formalities.

It was just how they worked.

Xu Feng nodded, stepping aside slightly as Xuan Jian picked up the largest tray, balancing it with ease.

As he did, Xu Feng glanced out of the kitchen toward the open-air courtyard, and his eyes locked onto Xu Zeng’s amused gaze.

Xu Feng’s lips twitched. "That little—"

It was clear who had sent his husband in to handle the heavy lifting.

Xu Zeng grinned knowingly, his fingers still playing with the cloth toys as he watched over six children. Six—because Xuan Yang had somehow wrangled all four of the older children around him while playing their new game.

Xu Feng exhaled through his nose.

An interesting division of labor, indeed.

A part of him felt a little embarrassed—he truly had never done too much heavy lifting. That was always Xu Zeng’s and Xuan Jian’s role. One in a distant farm village, and the other looking over the young master of the Xuan family.

Even in Dongmen, Xu Feng’s grandmother had given him the lighter tasks when he came to visit her on her farm.

...Xu Feng and Xuan Yang really were just soft persimmons from different worlds...

He sighed.

At least he could cook.

In no time, Xuan Jian began shuttling the dishes to the reception room with ease, simply following Xu Feng’s directions. Xu Si and Xu San were handling the fall out from earlier—but everyone needed to eat well.

Blooming Courtyard had two reception halls—one large, one small.

The large hall had long since been repurposed, its vast space now stacked with rows upon rows of jam jars, carefully stored and waiting to be sold. The sight of them, even in passing, made Xu Feng’s lips twitch. He hoped they would sell well in winter, but he still needed to visit the newly opened store in town.

But that was a concern for another day.

For tonight’s dinner, they would be using the smaller reception hall, a space that had rarely been touched since Xu Feng first arrived at Nanshan Estate. With less than a handful of guests hosted there.

It was strange, in a way.

Xu Feng had never expected to use these grand rooms often. He had assumed they would gather dust, that they would remain empty relics of a life he had never planned to fully embrace.

But now?

Now, they were being used all over the estate.

The large reception hall at the front had seen the dismissal of five servants earlier that day. The massive reception hall in the main estate had been filled with people only hours ago. And now, this smaller reception hall in his courtyard would be used for a formal dinner with the village chief.

He had become the true head of Nanshan Estate, not just the recluse of Blooming Courtyard!

Xu Feng exhaled, adjusting his grip on the small serving tray as he stepped inside. The hall was simple and elegant in its restraint. The table was already set, and soon, the warm scent of freshly cooked food filled the air as they arranged the dishes.

Xuan Jian set down the last of the plates and straightened, his gaze flickering toward Xu Feng.

"It smells just right," he said.

Xu Feng blinked and smiled. He needed to fatten up his men, they were no longer the energetic ’wild animals’ like they were endearingly called in secret, now they were still protective of him, but it was his turn to nurture them even more.

.

.

.

Xu Si burst into the room, her face slightly flushed from rushing across the courtyard. Her chest rose and fell quickly as she caught her breath, but despite the urgency, her expression was one of excitement rather than alarm.

"Master Feng! Lu Lizheng and his wife have arrived—along with his two sons and their wives."

Xu Feng blinked, taking a slow breath through his nose.

The timing.

Of course, it had to be now.

He pulled away from Xuan Jian with the casual ease of someone who was definitely not just on the verge of being thoroughly kissed in the reception hall. His fingers had barely left the fabric of his husband’s sleeve when he smoothed his expression into something neutral, his dimple flashing with effortless ease.

As if nothing had happened.

Xu Si, however, had sharp eyes.

Her gaze flickered between the two of them, her lips parting slightly as if she wanted to say something but thought better of it.

Xu Feng ignored the moment entirely.

Instead, he tilted his head slightly and said, "I’ll be out in a moment."