The Ger's Contract Marriage [BL]
Chapter 602: Stitches

Chapter 602: Stitches

He was one hundred percent not avoiding the outside world. Nope, not even a little bit. Xu Feng was simply too busy with the happenings in Nanshan Estate to attend to things beyond his home.

He absolutely didn’t regret not seeing his best friend off for the provincial exams—it was in Yilin Town, but still, he didn’t personally cheer Bai Mo on...

He absolutely didn’t regret missing the chance to chat with Chef Tang about whether he liked jam now that he had an idea of how to eat it.

And he definitely wasn’t excited about the fact that Xuan Jian seemed to have no interest in discussing his so-called "follow-up" with Chun Tao—a follow-up that Xu Zeng had also tagged along for.

...Xu Feng was a hundred percent lying to himself, but didn’t everyone do that from time to time?

Okay, maybe he had a problem. For every bit of personal growth, he seemed to take several steps back. He’d decided he wouldn’t try to suppress other people’s feelings, so he’d just settle for suppressing his own...

It wasn’t about his reputation or how people viewed him—at least, not in the way it once had been. What truly unsettled him was how his actions affected those around him. Maybe he wasn’t making grand plans for his sons to build careers on this continent, but that wasn’t the case for Bai Mo or even his brother, Xu Zeng.

And even if Xuan Yang was one hundred percent going to leave with him, along with Xuan Jian, their children, and Xu Hu Zhe whenever they left the continent, was it really fair for him to drag his name through the mud now?

Only a few months ago, he had been impulsive. Reckless, even. But now that he had become more self-aware, the damage had already been done. There were no take-backs.

"Ugh." Xu Feng groaned audibly as he leaned against a wooden table in the main kitchen of Nanshan Estate—the one responsible for feeding all the servants, not just the residents of his personal courtyard. He was here because Xu Si was watching the children, and the cooking aunty, normally stationed in this kitchen, had been called away for a task far more pressing than meal prep.

Diapers.

An absurd number of diapers.

Xu Feng had made the grave mistake of attempting to help wash them—just one messy one, really—when everyone was busy, but was immediately caught by Xu San. The girl had looked at him with a silent stare that rocked him to his core. He knew he had no skill in washing clothes... or diapers... but still...

He was a father, and yet, he couldn’t even wash a diaper properly? The weight of his incompetence crushed him momentarily, though the moment was short-lived.

It had quickly been decided that he was far more useful in the kitchen—and wouldn’t make even more of a mess— than anywhere near the laundry. This was something they’d realized some time ago, but Xu Feng occasionally needed to learn the same lesson more than once for it to sink in.

And so, here he was, apron tied neatly, in charge of preparing lunch to help lessen the burden on the already multitasking estate residents. Things would return to normal tomorrow once the two villagers Lu Lizheng promised to find would temporarily take over the washing and other small tasks.

Even with the newcomers at the estate, like Zhang Hui, the sheer volume of work had piled up far more than Xu Feng had realized.

Zhang Hui had helped with chopping the vegetables for today’s meal before scurrying off to assist the cooking aunty, her brother, and his friends with the never-ending mountain of laundry. That left Xu Feng alone in the kitchen, which—if he was being honest—was exactly what he wanted.

It gave him room to think and the quiet to focus on something he could control.

He moved efficiently, working on a second batch of pudding while waiting for the broth he’d started much earlier. The pudding today was flavored with honey and ginger, something warm and comforting—perfect for the construction crew working tirelessly in his courtyard and the people of the estate.

Most of the estate’s men were busy overseeing renovations in the private flower courtyards or helping at The Silver Scale. The entire estate was in a state of motion, people moving with purpose, while the kitchen was silent, warm, and cozy.

Xu Feng lost himself in the steady motions of whisking, his mind momentarily free of the weight of everything else. It was peaceful.

Suddenly, a hand landed on his back.

Xu Feng nearly jumped out of his skin, jerking slightly at the unexpected contact. His body tensed, but before he could whirl around, a familiar voice spoke up—

"It’s me."

It was Xu Zeng.

The brother who had been scarce ever since Chun Tao’s interrogation. The brother who had been avoiding both casual conversations and family meals, slipping in and around the estate like a shadow. And now, just like that, he had appeared—placing a steadying hand on Xu Feng’s back, as if grounding him before he could spiral.

Xu Feng let out a breath, his grip on the whisk loosening. Of course, it was him.

"It’s been a while," Xu Feng muttered, trying to mask the relief in his tone as he glanced at his brother from the corner of his eye. He was a bit temperamental, but he wasn’t expecting Xu Zeng to take it so hard.

"I’m sorry." Xu Zeng used his still dyed hair to cover his face, and instantly Xu Feng felt 100 times worse as he watched his brother recoil in on himself.

Xu Feng sighed as he turned to face his younger brother. The kitchen was warm with the scent of honey and ginger pudding still lingering in the air, but the conversation between them had suddenly made the space feel heavier.

"I feel bad," Xu Feng admitted, his voice quieter than usual. He glanced at Xu Zeng, whose dyed hair barely concealed the silver strands underneath. "I know I’ve created a negative image for us—whether I meant to or not. It’s one thing if people talk about me, but you... You didn’t ask for any of this."

Xu Zeng’s lips pressed into a thin line.

"It’s obvious we’re related," Xu Feng continued, frustration creeping into his tone. "It was my brashness, my recklessness that made people look at me like a troublemaker. But because of that, you had to cover yourself just to see Bai Mo off. I don’t want that for you."

The weight of his unsaid words hung between them. He didn’t even mention the fact that he should have been there to see Bai Mo off for the exams. If he kept going, there would be a long list of things he felt sorry for.

But before he could say more, his younger brother cut him off.

"I’m sorry," Xu Zeng said instead, catching Xu Feng off guard. "I’m sorry for causing friction between you and your mate," Xu Zeng added.

Xu Feng frowned, confusion flickering across his features. "What?"

Xu Zeng wasn’t done. He reached into the cloak he was wearing and pulled out a small sack, handing it over to Xu Feng with an unreadable expression. "The Torann wanted to tell you immediately, but I asked him to give me time so I could tell you myself."

Xu Feng’s fingers tightened around the fabric of the sack. So there was some reason why Xuan Jian hadn’t spoken about the "follow-up" with Chun Tao. Xu Feng hadn’t asked, sensing that his husband wasn’t eager to discuss it, but now...

Xu Feng opened the sack, pulling out delicately embroidered baby clothing. His hands stilled as he examined the intricate stitches. The fabric was soft and carefully made, more intricate than the pieces Xu Si lovingly put together.

"It’s too small for the cubs," Xu Zeng said. "But they are yours to do with as you please."

Xu Feng’s grip tightened slightly. "Where did this come from?"

"Sun Ming Hua," Xu Zeng answered. "He gave it to one of his servants to bring to you—for Da Long and Xiao Long."

Xu Feng narrowed his eyes. "What?"

Xu Zeng shook his head. "If we hadn’t gone back to the Sun residence with Chun Tao, we never would have found it."

Xu Feng’s gaze flickered between the clothing and his brother. "You found it?"

Xu Zeng continued. "Your Jian and I went to observe Ming Hua’s courtyard that night. We were allowed into the back in the evening, cloaked and keeping low. Chun Tao didn’t think we’d go unnoticed, but we did. She also couldn’t point us out and share her part in letting us in or her part in spreading false gossip in Yilin Town. Your Torann told me we could have her jailed for that alone."

His eyes darkened slightly as he continued, "What she also didn’t expect was for Sun Ming Hua to ask about the clothing he had sent you. That’s how we found out."