Many considered the Mauve river the lifeblood of Fiore. It wasn't the longest river in the nation, that was the Bo river, but it was the river that connected all five regions of Fiore.
Though it wasn't the only thing that made the river so distinct because the waters of Mauve river, as its name would suggest, were purple, however, this was only a trait unique to the Medinian section of it. It was a phenomenon that modern research now understands was due to the unique pondweed that grew on the lakebed there, which releases a chemical that reacts with the metals in the water and dyes it purple.
"Can I drink it?" Yuliang asked.
"Don't be an idiot. That's unfiltered water. Even if the dye is harmless, the factory chemicals and all the trash in it would either make you really sick or kill you."
"What about swimming? Do people swim in it?"
"No! Not unless you want to test the effects of factory chemicals on your skin!"
What the hell was the point of a river you couldn't either swim in or drink from? What did the animals here do?
Drop-dead?
Honestly, this city had no problem spending money building infinitely tall towers that just obstructed the view and added even more pollution into the air at the drop of a hat. At the same time, they couldn't bother spending even a fraction of that money on cleaning a damn river?
People had such fucked up priorities.
Eric sighed, "Everyone thinks you're this incredible genius, but the more I get to know you, the more I start to question that."
Yuliang snorted, "Not my fault people make assumptions about me. I'm not stupid, but I ain't some genius either. The only reason I'm as good as I am today is that I had the biggest baddest bitch in Fiore for a teacher. That woman pushed me fucking hard. She pushed me to the ground and didn't let up till I got up and fucking pushed back."
A cold gust of wind enveloped them, making Yuliangs long hair whip back dramatically as he leaned on the railing of the cliff's edge overlooking the banks of the Mauve river.
He looked back at Eric only to find the other omega staring at him with a strange look on his face.
"What?"
Eric cocked his head and continued to study him with curious amber eyes. "I don't think a lot of people usually notice, with how intimidating and grumpy you always look, and your crappy clothes, but you're rather good looking," Eric said. "Like, don't get me wrong. I see you as the kid brother I never had, but objectively you're an attractive guy. If we ignore your personality,"
"Fuck you."
"Seriously, you've got it all; nice face, nice body, nice ass, high career prospects. I'm surprised the people from Society haven't snatched you up already."
Yuliang sneered, "The last thing I'm looking for is to get engaged."
Eric laughed, "That's because you're still young, but trust me, you won't get better offers than you will at this age. Society prefers people who would have an easier time learning and adapting to their customs and lifestyles to join their family rather than someone 'old' like me. From one omega to another, Yuliang, it's something to start thinking about, even if you don't want to accept anything right now."
Yuliang turned to glare fiercely into the purple waters sweeping in and out of the sandy banks with dark amber eyes.
This conversation was stupid.
Everyone here talked to him as if they expected him to stay, when in reality, if things went right, he'd be back in his cabin back home by the middle of next February. They talked to him as if his only worth was in what marriage prospects he would attain rather than anything he would achieve himself.
They all talked about his young age and how much easier it would be to groom him into a different lifestyle, which made him extremely uncomfortable.
Was this what young omegas went through? Being groomed into little child brides for the wealthy and popping out baby after baby to satisfy the ego of some lord? The fact that Eric, of all people, said all of this to Yuliang as if it was something completely normal. Something completely acceptable. It was disturbing, and Yuliang refused to be held to the same standard.
He was already so on edge after suppressing his transformations for two full moons since he had been too afraid to risk doing anything that could draw attention to himself, but now he knew that he drew attention for simply existing.
For simply being born an omega.
For simply following his parents' footsteps and becoming a Healer.
Yuliang liked and respected Eric.
The older omega filled a part of the void his parents' death had left behind like no one ever had.
But no one was going to ever pressure Yuliang fucking Davos into doing anything he didn't want to do.