Chapter 100: Chapter 100
The boy blushed when Hua Ren thanked him then peered up with big curious eyes. “Are you really an omega?” he asked.
Hua Ren blinked, then nodded.
The boy’s brows furrowed. “I want to be just like you. How can I be like you?”
Hua Ren laughed softly. Be like him? He didn’t think anyone could be the way he was. An omega with strength that was on par with an Alpha’s but the boy looked so curious and innocent that he didn’t want to crush him.
“I don’t know if you can be exactly like me,” he said truthfully and gently. “but you can be strong in your own way. Never give up. Believe in yourself, even when others don’t. Train your body and train your mind. The more you practice, the better you’ll become. Strength comes to those who work for it.”
The boy hesitated, then frowned. “But my papa says I’ll get married when I turn 18. He says I shouldn’t fight or do martial arts because I’m an omega. He says I should stay home and learn how to cook and take care of babies. But...” his voice went lower as he now stared at the ground. “I don’t want to get married. I don’t want to be marked. I’m scared of alphas. They are big and rough and people say marking is painful.”
Hua Ren’s expression softened, and he glanced up at Sheng Fei, blushing a little when their eyes met.
Sheng Fei’s golden eyes were truly beautiful and they always softened whenever they gazed at him. He couldn’t help but recall their passionate nights and the way he had begged Sheng Fei to continue. He quickly pushed the memories away before turning back to the boy.
“Not all alphas are bad,” he said as he tugged Sheng Fei forward. “Look at him. He’s a good Alpha and he has never hurt me. In fact, I was in trouble once and he saved my life.”
The boy peered up at Sheng Fei with eyes wide in surprise. “Really?”
Hua Ren nodded. “He saved me from a really really bad Alpha.” He reached out and took the boy’s hand, frowning as he recalled the Emperor’s face that night. He never thought the man he loved for years would turn out to be so evil. “That Alpha wanted to forcefully mark me.”
The boy gasped in shock.
“But this Alpha,” Hua Ren continued, glancing at Sheng Fei. “saved me and beat him up. He protected me, so not all Alphas are bad.”
Sheng Fei proudly wrapped an arm around Hua Ren’s waist again. “That’s right. I’m an Alpha, and I would never hurt someone I love.”
He reached out and deliberately took Hua Ren’s hand which was holding the boy’s, raising it. “When you grow up, make sure you choose wisely. Pick someone who treasures you and respects your strength. A good man—like me—who adores his omega.”
Then he leaned down and kissed the back of Hua Ren’s dainty hand.
Hua Ren instantly snatched his hand back, a deep blush rising beneath the veil. The kiss, though innocent in appearance, brought with it a flood of memories he wanted to repress. Memories of hot skin, tangled sheets, and whispered moans in the dark. His breath caught, his mark throbbed, and his chest rose with a quiet, shaky inhale as he tried to steady his heart.
The young boy giggled, clearly not noticing the sudden tension. “Okay,” he said, eyes sparkling with happiness and confidence. “I’ll pick well!”
Sheng Fei laughed and ruffled the boy’s hair. “That’s good.”
Hua Ren then caught movement from the corner of his eye.
The tea stall’s wooden shutters creaked open, and a slender hand reached out to set down a bucket of water. The owner of the tea stall had finally opened for business.
Hua Ren’s eyes lit up and he excused himself from Sheng Fei and the young boy with a nod then made his way to the stall.
The chubby woman emerged, wiping her hands on a faded cloth and she beamed when she saw him approach. “Oh my, come, come, sit,” she said, patting the bench beside her stall. “Let me make you some tea.”
Hua Ren smiled. “I’d like that,” he replied quietly, settling on the bench.
The woman moved fast, with familiarity, fingers selecting the best herbs from her clay pots. “I truly appreciate what you and your husband have done for us,” she said, her voice warm. “I wish I had something proper to give you... but unlike the others, I have very little.”
“There’s no need,” Hua Ren replied, shaking his head a little. The woman had even tried to protect him despite losing her son to those people. She was truly a good person at heart and that was all he needed. “I’m just happy to help.”
“We’re just happy to help,” Sheng Fei’s voice chimed in from behind, emphasis on the first word.
Hua Ren sighed as Sheng Fei sauntered over, grinning wide as he sat beside him. He took Hua Ren’s hand in his own, fingers interlacing easily. “My wife told me about your son,” he added. “I’m truly sorry about what happened. Do you have a picture of him?”
The woman’s eyes brightened and she set the kettle down in a rush, disappearing into the stall. A moment later, she returned holding a carefully rolled portrait wrapped in cloth.
“This is him.” She handed it to Sheng Fei with trembling hands. “This is my Jinghao.”
Sheng Fei unrolled it carefully and a boy grinned back at him. His features were soft, indicating that he was an omega. Innocent eyes and a beautiful smile. “You have a lovely son,” Sheng Fei murmured before passing it to Hua Ren.
“Thank you.” The woman sniffled, already crying. She missed her baby so much. She had no idea what he was going through among those wretched bastards.
Hua Ren stared at the portrait, quietly memorising the boy’s face. “We can’t promise we’ll find him,” he said gently. “But we’ll definitely keep an eye out.”
The woman nodded, holding a hand over her mouth as tears poured fown her cheeks. “Thank you,” she whispered. That was enough for her. “Thank you so much.”
The fact that there would be people out there, who might be able to find him was enough for her.