The tea finished brewing, and she poured it into small porcelain cups. The scent of jasmine and wild ginger floated in the air, warm and earthy.
“I can see you’ve made up.” She said, staring at them both as they drank tea. The last time Hua Ren was at her stall, Sheng Fei was across the street, unable to talk to him. She looked at Hua Ren. “You’re not angry anymore. I’m glad you took my advice.”
Hua Ren subtly glanced at Sheno was already looking at him, grinning. He quickly averted his gaze, continuing to drink his tea. It was true that he wasn’t angry anymore. But that didn’t mean he had completely forgiven the rebel.
Then, unexpectedly, the woman reached across the table and took both of their hands in hers.
“I wish you two a very long and happy married life,” she said, voice thick with emotion. Her eyes turned to Hua Ren. “You have a good man. I know you want to be independent which is a good thing but being dependent on someone once in a while, especially your mate, isn’t that bad either. He’s your Alpha. Let him do what is required of him.”
Sheng Fei nodded, feeling very happy. That was very well said. If it weren’t that he was afraid of getting hit by his omega, he would have clapped. He really liked the tea lady.
Then she looked to Sheng Fei. “Please, cherish him. He’s very special. Also, you have to be patient. He may not know much about the matters of the heart... but he has a kind soul.”
Sheng Fei’s gaze softened as he turned to Hua Ren. “I know,” he said simply.
Hua Ren’s ears tinged pink. His heart fluttered like a moth against a windowpane, soft and uncertain. He was grateful the veil still hung over his face, sparing him the embarrassment of being seen. But then, what nonsense! Who says he does not know much about the matters of the heart? If he didn’t know much, he wouldn’t even try to accept the rebel Alpha. He would just find an opportunity to kill him.
They lifted their tea cups in one final toast, drinking slowly, then they set the cups down and stood.
“We have to go now,” Sheng Fei said, pulling Hua Ren gently to his feet. “Take care, ma’am, and thank you for everything.”
Hua Ren simply waved to her. He hoped that the next time they all meet, it would be with her son, hale and hearty.
“Safe journey,” she whispered, wiping her cheeks. “Come back someday.”
“Where are we headed now?” Hua Ren asked Sheng Fei, turning slightly in his saddle.
Behind them, Water River Town had already shrunk to a scattering of rooftops on the horizon. They didn’t spend much time there but he had really grown to like the place. If one day, he ever decides to leave the battlefield and settle down, it would be in a remote place like Water River Town.
“Frost Forest Village,” Sheng Fei replied from astride his black stallion. “There’s a shortcut from there to Twin Serpent Gorge. That path will lead us straight to our headquarters. We’ll plan our next move when we arrive. For now...” He glanced toward the tree line. “...we should focus on getting there in one piece.”
They were both sure that by now, the Emperor’s people would have already tracked them to Water River Town. Especially after subduing the bandits. It won’t take long for them to track them to Frost Forest Village. In fact, they wouldn’t be surprised to find troops already waiting for them.
Hua Ren nodded and, with a sigh, removed his veiled hat, tilting his head back slightly to feel the breeze on his skin. He wasn’t used to wearing the thing. It felt stifling. He would just put it back on if he sensed anyone approaching.
Sheng Fei’s gaze lingered on him. Without the hat, Hua Ren’s hair caught the sunlight like silk threads, his skin warm and luminous against the backdrop of forest and sky. The crescent mark at his nape peeked out from beneath white strands, a sign that Hua Ren was his.
Pride and an unshakable satisfaction swelled in Sheng Fei’s chest for he felt lucky, impossibly lucky, to have marked someone so rare. He recalled their moment just before the fight with the bandits. He had confessed all that he felt to Hua Ren but he was yet to get an answer.
“Have you thought about it?” Sheng Fei asked, his voice softer now.
Hua Ren turned his head slightly, brows drawing together. “Thought about what?”
With a faint smile, Sheng Fei guided his horse closer until the white and black steeds rode nearly side by side. “Giving me a chance.”
Hua Ren’s heart skipped a beat as he met Sheng Fei’s smoldering golden eyes. The depth in them was dangerous—warm enough to pull him in and strong enough to hold him there. He turned away quickly, rubbing the crescent mark at his nape. “...I’m still thinking about it.”
Sheng Fei noticed the subtle pink blooming across the exposed skin of Hua Ren’s neck and ears. He smiled—just a small, quiet curve of his lips, and nodded. “Okay.”
He didn’t want to rush him. It wouldn’t be right. Better to let things happen naturally. And since Hua Ren wasn’t pushing him away anymore or threatening to kill him, he felt it was good progress.
The tension dissolved as he changed the subject. “So... do you want to talk about it? My relationship with the Emperor.”
Hua Ren’s gaze flicked back to him. “Do you want to talk about it?” he asked carefully. He had questions—many—but he knew enough to recognize a wound that might not be ready to reopen so he never mentioned it.
“I’ll tell you whatever you want to know,” Sheng Fei replied without hesitation. “You only need to ask.”
He held Hua Ren’s gaze, showing that he was serious. There wasn’t an aspect of his life he wasn’t ready to tell his mate. Whatever his mate wants to know, he will tell him.
“Then...” Hua Ren’s tone sharpened with curiosity. “...what exactly happened back then? How did the Emperor get possessed?”
Of course Hua Ren would ask that first.
Sheng Fei’s hand tightened imperceptibly around the reins. A small unwelcome sting flared in his chest.
Hua Ren went straight to the Emperor. No questions about how it all started, how he survived the palace or, why he turned into a rebel.