The Ger's Contract Marriage [BL]
Chapter 591: The Silver Scale

Chapter 591: The Silver Scale

Xu Feng’s gaze sharpened.

The jars... they weren’t the usual clay pots common in the marketplace or even the ones he’d commissioned. These were uniform in shape, their bodies slightly tinted, sealed tightly with sturdy lids. But it wasn’t just the craftsmanship that caught his attention—it was the silver logo printed on each one.

A delicate, intricate scale, the name Silver Scale written in crisp, elegant strokes beneath it.

His lips parted slightly, a realization settling in.

Was this really... their shop?

For a moment, he simply stared. The storefront had an odd familiarity, but now that he was looking at it with fresh eyes, everything clicked into place. The sleek, polished design, the attention to detail in the jars, and the efficient movement of Jian’s man inside all pointed to a collaboration between at least one of his husbands and his brother.

His brother, with his memories from another world, must have had a hand in this.

A slow, warm smile spread across Xu Feng’s face, growing until it was wide and bright with unrestrained joy. His dimple deepened, his eyes crinkling at the edges. Without a second thought, he turned toward Xuan Yang and pressed a quick, affectionate kiss against his cheek.

"Feng’er."

Xuan Yang blinked slowly as the warmth in his eyes deepened.

"Yes!" Xu Feng grinned. "It’s beautiful!"

Excitement buzzed through him, his energy infectious. Before Xuan Jian could even get a word out, Xu Feng was already reaching across the table, stretching toward his other husband.

Xuan Jian, anticipating his intentions, chuckled as he leaned in, meeting him halfway.

Unlike the brief peck he’d given Xuan Yang, this kiss was slower—deeper. One could say he was happily imprisoned.

A firm hand pressed against the small of Xu Feng’s back, pulling him in just a fraction more, just enough to steal his breath. His toes curled involuntarily, a pleasant shiver running down his spine. His mind went white at the edges, and for a fleeting moment, he forgot where they were.

By the time Xuan Jian finally let him go, Xu Feng was lightheaded, his heart racing. He flopped back down into his seat, dazed, before instinctively leaning against Xuan Yang for support.

His fingers brushed over his lips absently, the lingering heat making his ears burn.

Xuan Yang let out a low hum of amusement but didn’t say anything. Instead, he tilted his head slightly, allowing Xu Feng to tuck his face into the curve of his neck—a favorite place to hide when he was flustered. He had many hiding places.

The warmth spread deeper.

Xu Feng didn’t notice the momentary silence in the room, but when he finally looked up, he caught an odd scene unfolding across from them.

Xu Zeng was frowning.

Not at him. No, his brother’s sharp gaze was locked onto a very red-faced Xu Hu Zhe, who was avoiding all eye contact.

Xu Feng blinked.

’What’s going on here?’

Before he could ask, Xu Zeng let out a sharp, annoyed sigh before turning his attention back to him.

"At least you appreciate my work," Xu Zeng grumbled. "I can’t even get a kiss."

Xu Feng frowned slightly. "What?"

His brother rolled his eyes as Xu Hu Zhe flinched slightly but still refused to look up. "I put all this effort into the store, and I can’t even receive a simple kiss of appreciation."

Xu Feng’s ears burned slightly.

"Do you... want

Xu Zeng’s lips twitched, amusement flashing in his eyes. But he didn’t rebuke his brother, instead, he started to explain his frustrations. "You openly kiss your mates, but I can’t—"

Before he could finish, Xu Hu Zhe—who had been silently suffering under Xu Zeng’s teasing—suddenly shoved him, hard enough to make Xu Zeng shift in his seat.

A loud giggle rang out.

Xu Feng turned just in time to see Xiao Long, perched on his cushion, kicking his tiny legs in delight at the sudden movement. His chubby little hands clapped together, thoroughly entertained.

Xu Feng exhaled, shaking his head, this one seemed to like violence... and his brother liked kisses... maybe showing more affection was good for the family.

Xu Zeng, despite getting shoved, looked pleased with himself.

But now, the conversation shifted into more serious matters.

With the attendants gone, both Xu Hu Zhe and Xu Zeng had removed their masks. The dim lighting of the tea house cast soft shadows over their features, but there was no mistaking the resemblance between Xu Zeng and Xu Feng. Same high cheekbones, same silver hair, same sharp yet elegant eyes.

And beside him, Xu Hu Zhe’s features were fully visible now, the faint shimmer of scales lining the edges of his face—subtle, but distinct. A constant reminder of his demon beast blood.

Xu Feng turned his attention back to the street, watching the consistent stream of people moving in and out of the Silver Scale.

For a shop that had only been open for nearly a week, the foot traffic was... impressive. The first few days of any new business usually had a rush—curious shoppers stopping by just to see what was new. A good location helped too, but after that initial excitement, things tended to slow down.

But the Silver Scale didn’t seem to be slowing down.

Xu Feng wasn’t sure how their first few days had gone, but from what he was seeing now, their shop was holding its own, although it was still early to call it a success. The flow of customers was as steady as the bamboo goods shop beside it where people poured in and out to buy higher-end quality bamboo goods.

There were customers from families with a bit of wealth and those from the considerably wealthier families, so the shop was busy with people pouring out with more standard goods and the occasional high-end good in more delicate wrapping.

Xu Zeng nodded from his perch on the floor cushion. "We sell a limited number of jars for each jam flavor per day," he explained. "It’ll keep demand high. Certain households send people daily to buy the maximum supply per household, while others buy the more intricate jars to gift to acquaintances outside of the town."

Xu Feng tilted his head. "Outside of town?"

Xu Zeng smirked. "Even to the capital. Right now, Silver Scale jams aren’t being sold anywhere else, so it’s exclusive. Our customers love this exclusivity."

Xu Feng watched as another well-dressed woman stepped out of Silver Scale, her servant carefully cradling a small wooden box filled with neatly packed jars. His gaze lingered on the subtle shift in the store’s clientele—this wasn’t just common folk coming and going.

Young ladies and gers, dressed in their finest winter coats, lingered outside the entrance, engaging in small polite conversations before parting ways. It wasn’t just a shop. It looked like a place to be seen.

A thoughtful hum left his lips. His mind spun with possibilities.

"We should do more," he murmured.

Across the room, Xu Zeng’s grin widened. "I was hoping for that."

And just like that, the ideas began to flow.

Their store wasn’t struggling, but it was still new. But they weren’t just aiming for steady sales—they were aiming for a lasting name. Winter was a time when preserved foods were valued, but most winter provisions were pickled, salty, or dried for longevity.

Sweetness was a luxury—sugars and honey would be available in wealthy households, but jams were a novelty.

Jams could offer warmth, not just through flavor but in the way they were enjoyed.

"They’d pair well with warm foods," Xu Feng mused. "Steamed buns, porridge, even brewed into hot teas."

"...Maybe we should start offering pairing suggestions. Have the attendants mention it to customers, maybe even include something with the purchases."

Xuan Yang, who had been quietly listening had his own thoughts. "New Year will come soon. People will be preparing gift sets for their relatives." He met Xu Feng’s gaze. "Limited edition packaging could turn this into a more desirable gift."

Xu Feng’s eyes lit up. "We could create New Year’s gift boxes—something that looks expensive but doesn’t actually cost us much more to produce."

"We already have the stockpile," Xu Zeng pointed out. "This would help offload what we have."

Xuan Jian, who had been idly swirling decorations on the table, added in. "The second floor of the shop—how are we going to use it?"

Xu Feng blinked. He hadn’t actually been inside the store yet, and now that he thought about it, he wasn’t sure what they had done with the upstairs space. "Right now is it just storage?" He glanced at Xu Zeng for confirmation.

His brother nodded. "For now." Xu Zeng leaned back, arms crossed. "We could turn it into a tasting room. Not a tea house... but a place where guests can try our products and see how to use them."

Xu Feng’s eyes lit up. Xu Zeng should have been the one to live in Dongmen... before the apocalypse, his brain was too OP. "That would draw in the wealthier clientele even more. Give them an excuse to linger."

Xu Feng’s lips curved, excitement thrumming in his veins. He could already picture it—an upstairs space where customers could sample jams with warm buns or light pastries, perhaps even paired with specific teas.

A place where young ladies and gers could meet under the pretense of trying new flavors, where well-dressed patrons could gather without making it seem like they were flaunting wealth.

By the time their honey cakes arrived, the table was filled with plans, ideas bouncing back and forth, each one refining their vision further.