"You have an Alpha scent," Feng Bo said sharply, his tone laced with accusation.
Jet tensed but forced himself to stay calm. "I already told you I returned the coat—I just had a little chat, I didn't know the scent would spread to me."
"Ignore it," their mother interrupted, her voice firm but soothing. "I've met this friend of his before. They've done nothing wrong."
"Friends with an Alpha?" Jian scoffed, his arms crossed. "That's unreasonable. You can't just–"
"I don't think it's much of a problem," Zhi interjected smoothly, stepping between Jian and Jet. "Both of you had plenty of Omega and Beta 'friends' before you settled down, right? Or have you conveniently forgotten that?"
Jian and Bo froze, their faces flushing with guilt.
"Exactly," Zhi said, his voice cutting like a blade.
Before the tension could dissipate, their father walked in, his authoritative presence filling the room. He looked at the scene with a furrowed brow. "What's all this commotion about?"
"An Alpha, Father," Jian said quickly, regaining his composure. "Jet's friend."
"An Alpha?" Their father's gaze turned to Jet, his expression unreadable. "The friend who gave you the coat?"
"Yes, Father," Jet said, standing straighter. "He protected me during the storm when I ran away. He made sure I was safe."
Their father was silent for a long moment, his eyes studying Jet intently. Then he nodded. "If that's the case, I want to give your friend my gratitude—for looking after you."
The room erupted.
"What?!" Jian and Bo shouted in unison.
"Father, you can't be serious!" Bo added, his voice rising. "An Alpha friend will ruin Jet's reputation! You've heard the rumours—they'll only get worse!"
"And what if it's more than friendship?" Jian argued. "Jet's still unmarked! This could jeopardize his future marriage!"
Their father raised a hand, silencing them. "Enough. Have you two so little faith in your brother? Jet has always been cautious. If he says this Alpha is a friend, then we should trust his word. Or do you think so poorly of him?"
The accusation struck deep, and Jian and Bo exchanged uneasy glances.
"Father," Bo said, his tone softer but still defensive, "it's not that we distrust Jet, but the village is ruthless. They'll twist this story until it ruins him."
"And do you think causing a scene like this will help?" their father shot back. "The more you push, the more suspicion you'll raise. Let Jet handle this."
Jet felt Zhi's reassuring hand on his shoulder as their father's words hung in the air.
"But Father—" Jian began, only for their mother to cut him off.
"No more," she said firmly. "Jet is your brother, not a child. Trust him, and stop making this harder for him."
Jian and Bo reluctantly fell silent, though their tense shoulders betrayed their discontent.
Jet exhaled quietly, his grip on Zhi's arm tightening for a brief moment. "Thank you, Father," he said softly.
"Just don't make me regret it," his father replied, his tone gentler now.
Jet nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. But as he stepped out of the room, he felt the weight of his brothers' stares, their silent doubts clinging to him like shadows.
Feng Jian and Feng Bo, still simmering with anger, decided to calm themselves with a walk outside. The fresh air helped little, though, as their frustration lingered.
The tranquil stroll was interrupted when a young woman with a basket approached them, her smile polite and welcoming.
"Good afternoon, sirs. Would you like to try some sweet strawberries?" she asked.
The brothers declined with a curt nod, turning to leave, but froze in their tracks when she added, "I hope you both are doing well. I heard some troubling things this morning about a noble Omega in town. My apologies if I've offended you."
Feng Bo turned, his eyes narrowing. "A noble Omega? Who?"
The woman hesitated, her gaze darting between them. "I don't know his name, but I believe his surname is Feng. It was quite the scandal this morning."
Their expressions darkened, and they walked back to her, pressing for details. The woman, who introduced herself as Xiao Yu, insisted they sample her strawberries first. Reluctantly, they took a few before she began to speak.
"I saw the Omega walk to the village early this morning. He entered the home of an Alpha—one who's already mated, if I recall correctly. The scene raised a lot of questions…" Xiao Yu leaned in, lowering her voice as if to emphasize her words.
The brothers' faces contorted in fury as they listened. By the end, they thanked her, though their expressions were tense.
As they walked away, Xiao Yu whispered to herself, rolling her eyes. "Let's hope that Omega finally understands his place."
"Bo! We can't just storm in and drag Jet out!" Feng Jian hissed, grabbing his brother's arm as they stood before the gates. "You know what Father said."
"And what do you suggest?" Feng Bo snapped. "Jet's a liar! He's about to get married, and here he is, running around mating with others!"
Feng Jian's lips twisted into a sly grin. "We find this Alpha and confront him. Let's see who dares to mess with our family."
—-
Jet sighed heavily, setting down his bamboo sword. "The rumours are out again."
Han approached from behind, his hand resting reassuringly on Jet's shoulder. "I know. I've heard them from the villagers too."
Jet slumped onto a nearby rock, frustration evident in his furrowed brow. "All I did was return your jacket two days ago, and now they're calling me a prostitute. It's ridiculous!"
Han knelt down beside him, his eyes filled with concern—not for the rumours but for Jet's obvious pain. "Jet, you know these rumours are baseless. Don't let them get to you. I'm doing everything I can to trace the source, but it's been difficult."
Jet let out a humorless laugh, avoiding Han's gaze. "And I'm supposed to wait until they decide to ruin something bigger in my life?"
"Jet," Han said firmly, grabbing his hand. "I know you're upset, and I am too. But I trust we'll get through this together. You've endured worse, haven't you?"
Jet finally looked at him, his lips quirking into a faint smile. "Yeah. I guess I have."
Han smiled in return, squeezing his hand gently. "Even if it takes another lifetime, I'd endure it all again just to be with you."
Jet chuckled despite himself. "No wonder the rumours never stop—it's because of you acting like this!"
Han smirked. "Let them talk. I don't care, as long as you trust me."
And for the first time that day, Jet's laughter was genuine.