The boy’s eyes watered then he turned on his heel and fled, vanishing into the crowd.
Hua Ren took a deep breath, trying to calm his rage. The nerve of the rebel. Daring to send a child to bring him food. Was he trying to mock him or something?
He groaned slightly. He had never thought of so many things in his life before. Nor had he felt such fury. He had always lived life passively, enjoying his fights and serving the Emperor. He loved his solitude and rarely spoke too many words but here he was, being angered by just one person.
Moments later, another boy appeared. This one carried a small bamboo box wrapped in cloth, clearly from a nearby stall. He held it out silently, blinking and smiling cutely, waiting for Hua Ren to take it but Hua Ren only coldly said; “No. Return it to him.”
The boy hesitated, looking torn, but Hua Ren’s piercing glare was enough to scare him. He too spun and ran.
But it seemed like Sheng Fei wasn’t giving up. A third offering came barely minutes later—another child, smaller than the last, nervously pushing a pouch filled with freshly roasted chestnuts toward him.
“I said no!” Hua Ren snapped. “Tell him to stop sending you.”
The child burst into tears and ran away.
Even through the veil, Hua Ren could feel eyes on him, some shaking their heads in a disappointed manner, as if to say, ‘what heartless person would shout at a child?’
Hua Ren didn’t care though. Although he never wanted anything to ruin the reputation he had worked hard to build over the years, he was currently in a town where no one knew him so he didn’t care.
He could sense Sheng Fei’s presence lingering just behind the market crowd, watching him but he refused to turn. He clenched his jaw, forcing himself to look away, fury bubbling just beneath his skin.
Since his body was now aware of Sheng Fei’s presence, every step he took sent a dull throb through his back and hips, a punishing reminder of just how long those nights had gone on.
He closed his eyes and shook his head, not wanting to remember the way he had cried and begged for Sheng Fei to continue.
The sun blazed overhead and coupled with his hunger, he felt exhausted. He spotted a shaded stall tucked beneath a large, faded red umbrella and immediately made his way toward it. With a quiet sigh, he sank down on one of the stools outside, finally allowing his limbs to rest.
A moment later, a chubby woman stepped out from the stall. Her grey robes were worn and faded from years of use, a stained apron tied tightly around her generous waist. Her black hair was pulled up into a frizzy bun, a few white strands escaping around her wrinkled face.
She carried a simple clay teacup and a matching jug, the scent of herbal tea drifting gently through the air as she approached.
Before she could pour, Hua Ren sat up sharply. “Oh—no, please don’t,” he said, flustered. “I do not have any money.”
The woman chuckled warmly, a deep, motherly sound. “That’s okay. You’re new here, aren’t you? Don’t worry. It’s on the house.”
His cheeks burned faintly under the veil. He looked away but dipped his head slightly in thanks. “Thank you... um, what’s the name of this town?”
“Oh, it’s Water River Town” she said, pouring the tea carefully. “We just have a lot of rivers in this town. Not much to it, but we like the peace.” She paused, looking at him curiously. “What brings you here?”
Hua Ren suddenly felt stuck. He wasn’t good at lying. Thankfully, yet another boy ran up with a fresh rice cake wrapped in lotus leaf. He didn’t even give the boy a chance.
“Return it!” he barked. “And tell him to leave me alone!”
The boy flinched, then scampered off in the direction of a tall man standing across the street.
The woman followed the child’s path with her eyes and the moment she saw a man—tall, broad-shouldered, strikingly handsome in his dark robes, his golden eyes fixed longingly on Hua Ren—she understood.
As Hua Ren lifted the teacup with both hands, she caught a glimpse of the slender gold ring gleaming on his finger and her lips curled knowingly. “Ahhh... you’re angry with your husband.”
Hua Ren almost choked. “He’s not my—”
But he stopped. What was the point of denying it? An unmarried omega traveling with an Alpha? The woman would get suspicious. He lowered his gaze and muttered instead, “Yes, I’m angry.”
The woman smiled and patted his hand. “You’re allowed to be. But don’t stay angry too long. He looks like he’d starve just to make it up to you.”
Hua Ren glanced briefly across the street—just once.
Sheng Fei was still there, unmoving, eyes never leaving him. There was a rare sadness in his expression that made Hua Ren’s throat tighten against his will.
He looked away quickly and took a slow sip of the tea, as if to wash away the emotions threatening to rise.
He wasn’t ready to forgive the brute.
Still sipping the last of his tea, Hua Ren looked up at the woman, then glanced at her stall. It was old, patched wood with splinters and faded paint. The smile she wore didn’t reach her eyes, and he could see the exhaustion weighing down her shoulders.
“...What can I do here to earn money?” he asked, voice quiet.
The woman chuckled as she poured tea for another customer nearby. “Oh, sweet boy... you want to be independent I see. That’s a good thing you know. You won’t always have to rely on your husband for money. Sadly, there’s not much to do in this small town. Only bounty hunting.”
Hua Ren blinked. “Bounty hunting?”
The woman’s smile faded, and she looked over her shoulder before leaning in closer, her voice dropping to a low whisper.
“Lately, there have been attacks on our town. Every night, just after dark. A group of bandits. They steal our food, burn our stores, and worse...” Her voice cracked. “They take our omegas.”
Hua Ren’s eyes widened. Kidnapping omegas? Even in such a remote part of the Kingdom?
She paused and sniffled, pressing her sleeve to her eyes. “It’s been three weeks since they took my Jinghao... He’s only seventeen. He was gathering herbs outside the gate when they found him.”