The Ger's Contract Marriage [BL]
Chapter 91: Then There Were 8

Chapter 91: Then There Were 8

Xu Feng watched the carriages descend the winding path from the Nanshan mansion. The road was steep, and the carriages seemed to glide downward gracefully, drawn by powerful horses that moved with a well-practiced rhythm.

The pathway was lined with tall, ancient trees that cast dappled shadows on the road, creating an almost mystical atmosphere. As the carriages disappeared from his view, he realized he was now truly the owner of this unfamiliar place, his new home.

Xu Feng couldn’t help but wonder about the scenes he’d witnessed earlier. The tension between Xuan Yang and Lady Xuan was pitiful, even watching from a distance. It was clear that their relationship was strained, to say the least.

The bond between them appeared fragile, and the family dynamics here were unlike anything Xu Feng had experienced.

Xu Feng found it puzzling how Old Lady Xuan expected her input to sway Xuan Yang to going home for New Year. During her short stay, there was barely any familial affection between the two.

Xuan Yang had easily rejected his grandmother’s plea to spend New Year’s with the family. In many families, such a request would be hard to deny, but here, it was a different story with so much more that Xu Feng must be missing.

Xuan Yang’s indifference to his own family was obvious. It seemed obvious he had been coerced into this marriage, and familial bonds were not a driving force in the Xuan family. The whole situation left Xu Feng feeling like an outsider, observing a family he wanted little to no connection to.

He was an outsider, and so was Xuan Yang.

Before Lady Xuan could escalate the situation further, Xuan Muchen, the most level headed of the four elders, finally intervened. His commanding presence became hard to ignore as he asserted his bloodline over the others. It wasn’t nearly as coercive as Xu Feng’s but only a few servants knew that.

Xuan Muchen’s voice silenced the escalating tension. Xu Feng couldn’t help but have mixed feelings about the old man, but at least he had the wisdom to defuse the situation.

The Xuan family had come and gone, staying only two days, but it felt like an eternity to Xu Feng. He couldn’t believe how much his life had changed once again, in such a short time.

As he stood there, a realization washed over him. He was now a newlywed bride in this world with three genders. He was still biologically male, but the mystical transformation meant he could give birth to snake eggs. The absurdity of it all made him break into a grin.

It was as if he had been chosen to play the evil mother to the main character and main lead’s (adopted) child in a fantastical tale. But he didn’t want that role, the "evil" was too burdensome.

None of it felt real, but the warmth of the hand in his right hand, grounded him in this new reality. He would need to make a new role for himself and create a new story for the two men. Hopefully, it would be one with less hiding and shame.

The guards were gone, the older servants were gone.

He also had a carriage of his own.

And then there were eight people left in Nanshan estate.

As the carriages and their accompanying entourage completely disappeared from view, Xu Feng felt an overwhelming sense of relief. He could no longer even make out a dot on the horizon.

With no one else around, Xu Feng released the young master’s hand and broke into a little happy dance.

His movements were filled with an uncontrolled sense of joy, his lithe figure swaying and twirling with infectious energy. He had a tendency to be graceful, and his movements showed a carefree energy that was unique to him.

His long, silver hair loosened from its updo, and his lively eyes sparkled with an energetic spirit.

Xu Feng’s dance was a blend of pure delight and a dash of cheekiness, matching his playful personality. He’d been wiggling his butt around a lot today, first in the carriage and now in this impromptu celebration.

Today was a good day, strange but good.

Si and San, accustomed to their young mistress’s quirks, huddled together. One of them grinned openly, while the other sported a small but content smile. They both knew what Xu Feng was like, and his behavior was nothing new to them.

They, too, were happy to have some peace and enjoy the tranquil moments that had finally arrived in their lives.

Erlang stood in the middle of the Nanshan estate, a noticeable outlier among the two groups of servants. He didn’t quite fit in with the little girls, who were probably as dazed by Xu Feng’s behavior as he was, nor with the two men and Xuan Jian who had accompanied the young master from the capital.

In his new, warm clothes, Erlang stood with a blush on his face, his gaze fixed firmly on the ground. The antics of the young mistress, Xu Feng, were beyond his understanding, but the situation wasn’t all bad. This winter would be the warmest he’d experienced in the last 15 years.

The two men who flanked Xuan Jian had fairly neutral expressions.

It seemed like they could handle anything Xu Feng threw their way without much of a change in their expressions. One of them was slightly taller and known as Jie, Xu Feng had seen him smile once in passing.

The other, Bo, was stockier and gave off an air of an unwavering wall. Xu Feng had never seen any expression other than the one currently on Bo’s face.

The trust Xuan Jian and Xuan Yang placed in these two men was evident, and they had proven their competence when dealing with the Nanshan estate servants. It was Jie and Bo who conducted a final search of the servants before they left, ensuring that nothing was left unexamined.

Even after all the crying and pleading that had taken place earlier, a ring matching a necklace, previously retrieved (from Xu Feng’s dowry), was found hidden in Auntie Lan’s clothing by the ever-stoic Bo. She had hoped to escape unnoticed, but Bo and Jie couldn’t be swayed by the influence of Steward Wu or her desperate attempts at bribery.