The Ger's Contract Marriage [BL]
Chapter 593: Love Language

Chapter 593: Love Language

Xu Hu Zhe, who usually held himself with restraint, seemed to be enjoying the pastries quite a bit. His usual sharp gaze softened as he tried one pastry after another, carefully selecting from the neatly arranged assortment in front of him.

Golden, flaky pastries filled with lotus seed paste, crisp sesame-studded twists drizzled with honey, soft steamed buns with delicate swirls of red bean filling—each one was beautifully crafted, their surfaces glossy under the tea house’s warm lighting.

Between bites, he carefully balanced feeding the big treasure his bottle of milk.

The milk pitcher had been placed on the low table with small bowls and spoons for feeding, but the adults clearly had no patience for such methods. The baby bag—practically a staple of their household now—had already been prepared with bottles.

It wasn’t just for Da Long and Xiao Long anymore.

Xu Feng glanced at the bag, noting how seamlessly it now served all six children. It had become second nature to always have their essentials on hand, and bottles, with the different sized nipples, had long since been a necessity.

Sure, spoon-feeding babies milk or rice gruel was still doable for their group, but the bottles were much more efficient—especially when dealing with four babies that drank milk.

Xu Zeng, meanwhile, was equally occupied. Without much thought, he adjusted the bottle in the little treasure’s grasp, ensuring a firm hold, all while subtly moving his plate of pastries closer to Xu Hu Zhe.

Stealthily.

With measured ease, Xu Zeng nudged the pastries forward one at a time, only sipping his tea every now and then, as though this were all completely natural.

Xu Feng narrowed his eyes slightly.

His brother... didn’t like sweets, did he? Or was he just that much of a kind soul?

Xu Feng picked up one of the pastries and took a bite.

It was... fine.

Traditional Dongmen-style pastries weren’t necessarily overly sweet, but there was something he didn’t like about the Dongzhou pastries. They weren’t terrible, but they weren’t memorable either.

The flaky exterior crumbled nicely, the red bean filling was smooth, but it lacked that rich, comforting sweetness he had grown to enjoy in certain Dongmen pastries.

Even the honey rice cakes, which Xiao Momo had been so excited about, didn’t impress him. He could see why the children adored them—anything with honey was bound to be a hit—but for him, it was forgettable.

He set the pastry down, his thoughts drifting.

They did

have a simple oven at home...

Maybe he should make more pastries himself. The children would like that, and it was something to do over the long winter months.

On the floor, the younger ones were far more invested in their snacks.

Lee An and Lee Mo were fully focused on their selections, alternating between dainty bites and small sips of tea to wash everything down. Their tiny faces scrunched in exaggerated seriousness as if they were experienced food critics rather than children just trying to eat as much as possible.

Da Long patiently accepted each pastry he was given with quiet determination. He devoured them methodically, though a good portion ended up smeared across his face.

But Xiao Long...

Xiao Long was a disaster.

He only managed to eat about a quarter of whatever he was given before the rest ended up on his hands, his clothes—somehow even his hair. The child was a mess of crumbs and sticky sweetness, but what made it worse was his reaction after finishing each pastry.

The moment his hands were empty, he would turn to Xu Hu Zhe with a determined whine, kicking his little legs in demand.

If Xu Hu Zhe was too slow?

The tiny thing would turn to his uncle instead, tilting his head slightly, lips pursed in what could only be described as a calculated pout.

Xu Feng nearly choked on his tea.

’Who does this little one take after?’

He cast a glance at his table, at the two men sitting beside him.

Neither Xuan Yang nor Xuan Jian were eating much.

Instead, his own plate had slowly become filled—not with their own selections, but with pastries discreetly set aside for him.

Xu Feng blinked.

They weren’t even saying anything about it. Just quietly ensuring that he was the one who ate, pushing the better-looking treats onto his plate, sipping their tea as if they weren’t doing anything at all.

A warmth bloomed in his chest.

No words were needed. Xiao Long was being a small tyrant, but he was communicating his needs even without his words. Maybe he took after both men who knew how to communicate without words.

There was love in the way they did these small things for him. Love in the way they looked at him—two different stares, two different men, but the meaning was undeniable.

Even bringing him to this tea house was an act of love. They weren’t even eating much themselves, but still...

Xu Feng sighed softly, a small smile curling at the edges of his lips.

The pastries weren’t that great.

But the moment itself?

It was perfect.

Before they left the tea house, fresh water was refilled once more, giving them a brief moment to handle their next inevitable task—cleaning up the two big babies.

It was a miracle they didn’t need to bathe Xiao Long entirely with how much sweets had ended up in his hair. The warm, damp towels provided by the attendants were a great help, sparing them from needing to find a washbasin.

While Xuan Jian and Xu Feng wiped the boys down, Xu Hu Zhe and Xu Zeng burped the two youngest, who were now full of milk and far more alert after their nap and meal.

Lee An and Xiao Momo, determined to fulfill their roles as the oldest, enthusiastically assisted in changing Xiao Long and Da Long’s clothes. Well—assisted might have been a generous term. They mostly laughed at the two naked boys, handing over clothes and clapping in encouragement as the process unfolded.

The twins had managed to soil their matching outfits, which meant Xu Feng had to use the spare clothes packed. He hadn’t expected to need them, but here they were, changing out of their coordinating ensembles.

Now, instead of matching their companions, the two were dressed in rabbit-themed onesies—Da Long in white and Xiao Long in black. The outfits were absurdly adorable.

Da Long’s white suit suited his soft, patient demeanor perfectly, the floppy bunny ears bouncing slightly as he wiggled in Xu Feng’s arms. Meanwhile, Xiao Long, the little troublemaker, wore the black onesie with a kind of chaotic energy, his tiny nose scrunching as he pouted over being cleaned up.

The drooping ears and tiny fluffy tail should have made him look sweet, but somehow, it only highlighted his mischievous nature.

Xu Feng suddenly wished he had a camera.

The thought struck him hard.

Time with children flew by, didn’t it? Before they knew it, the babies wouldn’t be this small, wouldn’t be able to wear all the themed outfits he had prepared for them.

Maybe... maybe he should have matching onesies made for all six of them? Or perhaps snake and dragon onesies would be even more fitting? He’d have to talk to Xu Si about it when she wasn’t so busy.

Before they could finally leave for the Silver Scale

, there was an unexpected visitor.

The head chef of the tea house entered their private room to bid them farewell. He carried himself with the confidence of a man who had served high-profile guests before, but there was an unmistakable note of flattery in his tone as he thanked them for their continued patronage.

Xu Feng gave a small nod, confirming what was already obvious—Xuan Yang had been here often, buying pastries for Xiao Momo and Xiao An.

Instead of responding, he let Xuan Yang take the lead.

Surprisingly, the scholar held his own in the conversation.

Xu Feng tilted his head slightly, observing his husband curiously. Xuan Yang was actually engaging. He wasn’t just nodding along, waiting for the conversation to end—he was speaking, making polite remarks, even maintaining eye contact.

That was different.

Xu Feng, who had been adjusting Da Long in his arms, nearly did a double take.

Was Xuan Yang... trying?

That was strange. Why would he do that?

For as long as Xu Feng had known him, Xuan Yang had only ever cared about his studies—academic or cultivation based. Before their marriage, the only person he genuinely seemed to care about was Xuan Jian. He had been rigid in his ways, sharp in his disinterest toward others.

But now, here he was, building connections—conversing outside of necessity.

The conversation eventually wound to a natural close, the chef looking particularly pleased with himself.

"So you’ll be visiting your wife’s store across the street?" The man reiterated exactly what Xuan Yang had told him as if he was shocked the store was Xu Feng’s.

The chef had gained insider information and seemed delighted about it. He congratulated them on the opening, mentioning that many had been wondering about the source of the "jam concoction."

Xu Feng’s lips twitched as the chef continued talking, taking the new product as something Xuan Yang must have purchased from the capital. Xu Feng was just a wife to him, he’d birthed the children, his duty was done. He was lucky enough to have a husband who opened a shop in his name.

The man waved a hand dismissively. "It’s a women’s product, of course. A novelty. Something for gers and young ladies who are bored. I tried it myself, but it’s just—" he shrugged, "it cannot be eaten often."

Xu Feng exhaled slowly. "Which one did you try?"

"The strawberry one. Ate the whole jar in one sitting. It’s too sweet."

Xu Feng’s mouth fell open.

He ate the whole jar?

Like it was pudding?!

Was everyone eating his jam like it was its own dish?!