Chapter 4

Little Homnoi woke up earlier than usual, remembering well that the Kind Uncle would come to take him out. The thought of going out didn't excite the boy as much as the chance to meet Homlom. Homnoi put on his favorite dark blue shirt, which, though not new, wasn't stretched out enough to show his small shoulders like his other shirts. He chose to wear shorts that were just a handspan long, but they were the newest he had. The small figure paced back and forth, eagerly looking down the road in front of the temple, waiting.

Before long, the familiar green Beetle appeared. The little face, powdered white, broke into a wide smile, tilting his head as the Kind Uncle turned off the engine. Homlom stepped out of the car with a smile when he saw the boy waiting. He paused slightly, noticing they were both wearing blue shirts and white pants, the only difference being that Homlom wore long pants. The young translator chuckled, feeling happy over such a small thing.

"So cute," he murmured. Today, Little Homnoi had his hair tied in a topknot. His hair, once sticky, was now soft to the touch, likely thanks to Grandpa Kloi washing it for him.

Homnoi was an adorable child, the kind that made you think his parents must be quite good-looking. Without the usual grubby appearance, his fair, delicate skin was revealed, white as a snow doll. The more Homlom looked, the more he felt a fondness for him. He thought about feeding him until those chubby cheeks were even rounder. If he weren't concerned about the boy's health, he'd make sure his cheeks were chubbily saggy.

"Before we go, I need to offer food to Venerable Brother and Venerable Father first," Homlom told the excited little boy. He had left home since six in the morning, and it took over half an hour to reach the temple.

"Venerable Brother and Venerable Father have gone on their alms round, sir."

"Oh."

Homlom looked down at the tiffin when Grandpa Kloi mentioned it. The Venerable Brother was concerned about Grandma having to travel back and forth to the temple every day, so he asked her to rest. After all, as a monk, he had to go on alms rounds, and there were many kind villagers who offered food. There was no need to be worried about her grandson going hungry, because when Grandma came to offer food, Venerable Brother and Venerable Father wouldn't have to go on their alms round. He explained for a long time until the elderly woman agreed to come only three times a week.

"If we're late, we might get stuck in traffic."

Lady Laor-Ong's house was far from the city. It took time to drive to the department store in town, which was why Homlom left early to pick up the boy. But if he didn't wait, who would offer food to the Venerable Brother as Grandma had asked? Seeing the benefactor's hesitation, Grandpa Kloi spoke up, a bit timidly.

"If you don't mind, you can leave it with me, sir."

"Aren't you coming with us, Grandpa?" Homlom asked in surprise, wanting to take both of them to buy bedding and pillows.

"N...No, thank you, sir. Please take care of Little Homnoi for me."

Homlom understood. To think of it, it wasn't ideal for an elderly person to sit in a car for long periods. "Alright, I'll leave it to you. And this is for you and Homnoi. Lom has packed extra for dinner." Homlom handed two tiffin sets to the old man. "You can eat breakfast and lunch, no need to worry about Homnoi."

The young man quickly reassured him, confident that Grandpa Kloi would wait for his grandson to return for dinner. Waiting so long with an empty stomach would be torturous. Besides, he was taking the little one to the city and wouldn't let him go hungry.

"Thank you so much, sir. You're too kind to us." Grandpa Kloi bowed his head in gratitude, tears welling up in his eyes. He turned to his grandson with a gentle reminder, "Noi…don't be naughty with him, okay?"

"Okay, Grandpa," the little boy promised eagerly.

Homnoi wouldn't dare misbehave with the Kind Uncle, fearing that the Kind Uncle might not love him anymore. Homlom looked down at the boy's bright eyes. Homnoi gazed up at him with affection, his eyes shining so brightly that Homlom felt an urge to scoop him up in a hug. How had he been raised to be so adorable?

Homlom glanced at the passenger seat with a smile. Homnoi was looking out the car window with excitement, not complaining about the distance. Homlom was considering installing a car seat for future trips together, so he wouldn't have to worry about the little boy's safety. He chose to drive slowly, a stark contrast to when he left his grandmother's house, fearing Homnoi might be scared.

"Are you tired?"

Homnoi shook his head vigorously. "No, I'm not tired."

Homlom didn't realize that all his thoughts were focused on the little boy. He cared for and loved him more than someone he'd just met, strangely wanting to cherish and protect the child in front of him. Moreover, Homnoi had made him forget about Tatthep completely, as he thought about the boy day and night. On stormy nights, Homlom would wake up with a start, unable to sleep, worried about the grandfather and grandson. Despite it being close to winter, it had been raining almost every day.

When they arrived at the department store, Homlom held the boy's hand tightly. Although the department store wasn't as large as those in the capital, it was crowded on weekends. The two Homs attracted attention from many passersby. The little boy, now clean and tidy, was charmingly adorable, while Homlom himself drew the gaze of many men.

Even though this grandson of Lady Laor-Ong thought he wasn't as striking as his siblings, with a height of only one hundred and sixty-seven centimeters and a weight of sixty-five kilograms, which made him appear slightly chubby, what he disliked the most were his hips. They were both prominent and large, and even wearing clothes to camouflage them couldn't hide them. This often led many people, especially men, to stare at his rear instead of his face.

With a frustrated gesture, he pushed his glasses up with his slender fingers. Some people had enough manners to glance away, but many openly stared at his backside.

"Kind…Uncle."

Homnoi looked up at the owner of the hand he was holding and noticed the displeased expression on the Kind Uncle's face, which made him worried. He wasn't scared but rather concerned, fearing he might have upset the Kind Uncle. Seeing Homnoi's clear, innocent eyes looking up at him, Homlom's heart softened instantly, his mood brightening. He should pay more attention to the little one rather than those rude people.

"What would you like to eat? You can choose anything you want."

Homlom took the boy to the lower level where the food court was located, remembering that neither of them had eaten yet. He could endure hunger until they finished shopping, but he would never let the boy go hungry. Homnoi's round eyes scanned the area, occasionally glancing up at his Kind Uncle, afraid of choosing the wrong place and being scolded.

"I...I think you should choose, Kind Uncle," he said softly. In truth, the boy had a restaurant in mind but was too shy to speak up.

It wasn't that Homlom didn't notice. Homnoi's gaze lingered more on the famous fried chicken brand than any other restaurant. Even as he suggested Homlom choose, he left traces of longing for that fried chicken place. Seeing this made Homlom even more fond of him. He wanted the little one's breakfast to be nutritious, but realizing that the little boy probably hadn't tasted it before and that it wasn't often he drove into the city, he decided to lead the small hand into the fried chicken restaurant, much to Homnoi's delight.

"Go ahead and choose. Which set would you like?"

This time, he decided to make an exception. There was even a salad menu. Homlom was pleased to see there were options for plain rice and salad, which was fortunate because some branches in the capital barely had any. The small finger pointed to the smallest set on the menu, which, if ordered, might not be enough for one adult and one child.

"I'll have this set, and this one...with rice..." Homlom ordered the set the little boy chose and added a medium set. He glanced at the boy's bright eyes waiting eagerly. He found it endearing, knowing that Homnoi chose the smallest set out of consideration for him.

At such a young age, being so small, yet thinking so deeply and complexly. It should be a good thing, but it didn't entirely please Homlom. He didn't want Homnoi to be overly considerate of him, as it felt distant and...not like family.

"Let me help you."

Homnoi called out when he saw his Kind Uncle carrying the tray towards the table. Homlom thought about refusing because he could manage it alone and didn't want Homnoi to carry anything heavy, but seeing the eager eyes waiting, he couldn't help but smile and hand over the lightweight plate of shrimp donuts to the little one.

Such a considerate child.

"I think using your hands would be better."

The small hand gripped the spoon tightly. Homlom thought that if he were to train him to use a plastic spoon and knife now, the little one might not get to eat at all. Besides, eating fried chicken with hands wasn't embarrassing at all. He saw the little one smile shyly before happily digging into the fried chicken. For the little ones, it must be quite a treat. Homlom cut a portion of the fried chicken for the boy to eat with rice. He considered ordering a hamburger too, thinking it might be easier to eat, but upon reflecting, whatever Homnoi ate, he should eat the same.

"Is it delicious?"

"Yes, very delicious," he replied with his cheeks puffed out, chewing until his small mouth glistened.

Homlom turned his attention to his own portion. He noticed that Homnoi ate the vegetables without picking any out. Many times, he saw the little one eat spicy food, which he didn't expect a child his age to handle, but since there probably wasn't much choice, he had to eat everything. Before long, the little one became quiet, his small shoulders slumped slightly, his gaze fixed on the nearby table.

"Homnoi..."

Ah... The table next to them had a mother and child chatting cheerfully. He saw Homnoi staring at them without blinking. The little one had always been with his grandfather and remembered his grandmother, who had recently passed away, better than his mother. Yet, Homnoi still wondered why he didn't have parents like his siblings at Grandma's house.

"Kind Uncle..." His round eyes looked up at the person across from him with innocence. "What's it like to have parents…?"

Homnoi had a mother, but she had been gone for so long that he hadn't had the chance to feel those emotions, or perhaps he had felt them, but they were now faint. As for his father, Homnoi didn't have one, had never seen him, and had never heard his grandparents talk about him. The little one knew what parents were but didn't know what they were like.

Homlom felt a lump in his throat, almost unable to speak when he saw the innocent eyes waiting for an answer from him. His parents had passed away suddenly, but at that time, Homlom was old enough to feel the gentle love of his mother and the strong hands that protected them from danger from his father. But he didn't know—didn't know how to explain it to Homnoi.

He had never met Homnoi's parents, and even more so didn't know what they were like, especially the father. What made that man abandon this poor little child? He didn't want to shatter the child's sweet dreams because sometimes having both parents might not mean happiness for every child.

"It's a feeling of happiness, very much happiness."

Yet...letting the little one stay in his sweet dream might be better.

"But I don't have parents. Is it like being with Grandpa? I'm happy when I'm with Grandpa—and Grandma too," his big, round eyes shone without any trace of sadness.

"Yes...it's just the same."

"Just the same," Homnoi muttered, then smiled widely, revealing his baby teeth. If that's the case, he didn't need parents because... "I have Grandpa, and I'm happy, and...and,"

"Now I have my Kind Uncle too. I'm the happiest."

The innocent words were free of any pretense, and his clear eyes appeared with a wide smile of happiness. Homlom saw love in those eyes and felt tears welling up with emotion. Although he had only met the boy a few times, the sincerity he received from Homnoi was far greater than the kindness he had given.

Homlom reached out to gently wipe the sauce from the corner of the boy's mouth, causing the child to pause for a moment before breaking into a full smile. The warmth felt like being embraced by his grandfather. The round eyes looked at his Kind Uncle with all the love in his little heart.

I love Kind Uncle, love him so much.

His Kind Uncle just did the same as the mother of that little girl did—like a mother did with her child.

In China, Beijing Province

When talking about the five main influential families in the Land of Dragons, it's impossible not to mention the Xu Family. Though this family isn't one of the five great families, the Xu Family is respected by those five families. Everyone knows that the Xu Family is directly affiliated with the government, acting as a secret hand for official work in exchange for benefits.

The current head of the Xu Family is Xu Bo Ren, aged sixty-seven, an old man now needing a wheelchair for support, yet still unwilling to hand over the leadership to his eldest son.

"It's surprising that Big Brother agreed to do business with the Zhang Family."

The voice of the younger brother called the tall figure to turn and look before averting his gaze indifferently, sipping tea leisurely. The ignored person sighed but was used to it, knowing his brother's nature well.

Eldest Young Master Xu Tian Chen, the next leader of the Xu Family, stood nearly one hundred ninety centimeters tall, with jet-black hair and a perfect handsome face. He had just turned thirty-eight, but the older he got, the more power and authority he exuded. Yet, it was strange that his father still refused to pass on the leadership of the family.

As for himself, he was Xu Nan Long, the third son, but technically the fourth son after his father's son with the second wife was expelled from the family. The reason was that the other was born with a secondary gender as an Omega, something the Xu Family had opposed for over a hundred years.

"Big Brother," he called out, hoping to engage his elder sibling in conversation.

This year, Xu Nan Long turned thirty. He had recently married a male spouse from Hong Kong, who was an Omega, despite objections from the family. Fortunately, Nan Long wasn't a key figure in the family, so the issue didn't last long. However, his spouse was now pregnant, and if the child turned out to be an Omega, they planned to leave the Xu Family and return to his spouse's hometown, rather than entrust their child to someone else's care.

"Who do you think I should agree to do business with, the Li Family or the Lin Family, as Dad wishes?" He glanced at his younger brother.

Of course, Xu Bo Ren wished for his eldest son to strike a deal with the Lin Family, as they were currently connected to them. The other party was considered a brother-in-law to Xu Tian Chen, the husband of Xu Lu Si, the Omega son of the Xu Family leader who had been expelled from the family since childhood.

"Dad wants us siblings to be close. Even though we didn't grow up together, we share the same father."

"Besides Dad, whenever he sees us, he glares as if we've been enemies for a hundred years."

Xu Nan Long understood his brother's calm words. That person had been cast out like an animal; it would be strange not to hold a grudge. But Xu Tian Chen couldn't care less. If not for the Western nations starting to invade their business territories, the proud Xu Family wouldn't even consider working with anyone other than the government.

"Right now, the Zhang Family is thriving and catching the attention of many. Moreover...his wife makes delicious sweets."

Xu Tian Chen smirked, recalling the wife of Zhang Cheng Yi, their latest potential business partner. His younger brother laughed after hearing this. Though they had a towering figure like this, they were so obsessed with sweets. Not just the two of them, but all four siblings, including their father, had a special fondness for sweets, even hiring a chef to make them at home.

"I heard his wife is Thai and an Omega..." the younger brother probed.

"What are you trying to say?"

The stern voice of his elder brother made Nan Long bow his head. Regardless, Xu Tian Chen was the eldest brother whom the younger ones respected and feared, perhaps even more than their father.

Xu Tian Chen wasn't prejudiced against genders, but he did have some bias against Omegas due to a past betrayal in love, especially Thai Omegas.

"Uh... I heard Big Brother found that Thai woman," Nan Long changed the subject, referring to the Thai woman who had once worked as a housekeeper but took advantage of his brother's unconscious state to climb into Xu Tian Chen's bed.

When his brother refused to marry her, the ambitious woman fled back to her homeland, not taking a penny with her. Xu Nan Long believed she might have truly loved his brother, dreaming of marrying and living with Eldest Young Master Xu, not realizing that real life was no fairy tale.

Xu Tian Chen's heart had dried up, devoid of love, and as the future head of the Xu Family, he would never elevate a woman of such low status to be his wife, like in a melodramatic novel.

Her departure caused no trouble for Xu Tian Chen, except for the fact that years ago, they accidentally discovered she was pregnant with a child carrying Xu blood.

"She's dead, but the child is still alive," Tian Chen stated flatly. "Waiting to make sure it's my child before bringing them back to the family."

"Don't you trust her, Big Brother?"

"Should I trust someone who easily climbed into my bed, Nan Long?"

"Is the child a boy or a girl?" The uncle asked, curious to see the child's face.

"A boy. As for the secondary gender, I'm not sure."

"And if..."

"If he's an Alpha, everything's simple. If he's a Beta, he can be raised within the family. Actually, besides Mama, no one in our family is a Beta," Tianchen elaborated, as if anticipating his brother's question.

"And if he's...an Omega?"

"Then we'll send him to the secondary family to be cared for, like Li Yin."

Xu Nan Long's handsome face fell. If the child were an Omega, they would either be sent to the secondary family or abroad. This had been the tradition for over a hundred years. Other families had weakened significantly, like the Zhang Family, whose youngest son was an Omega, as well as the Lin and Li Families. Only the Xu Family remained unyielding, thanks to the old-fashioned patriarchs.

Even the four siblings born of the main wife were all Alpha like their father.

"Did you visit him this year, Big Brother? Li Yin, I mean," he asked about his nephew, Xu Tian Chen's third son.

Nan Long noticed his brother's silence, the coldness in his sharp eyes intensifying when mentioning this child. The atmosphere around him seemed to freeze, the rainy season unable to quell the heat in the young man's heart.

"Dad visiting him is the same as me visiting."

Xu Nan Long felt disheartened by his brother's indifference towards his little nephew. However, he knew better than anyone that Xu Tian Chen's apparent lack of affection for this child wasn't because he was Omega, but rather due to doubts about the boy's bloodline.

“Eldest Young Master, Third Young Master, pardon my intrusion.”

The deep voice called the two brothers to turn their heads. At the door of the living room stood the tall figure of An Yan Qiao, Eldest Young Master Xu's close confidant. His urgent demeanor made Xu Nan Long suspect that Xu Tian Chen had sent him on an important errand.

"How did it go?"

"Eighty percent indicates he's Eldest Young Master's son. We just need the blood test to confirm. Also, his secondary gender is Beta."

Xu Tian Chen sighed with relief. The three-year search for the child hadn't been in vain, and it was even more gratifying that the boy was a Beta. His fingers tapped the teacup thoughtfully, then he spoke with a firm voice.

"Bring him here."

By the time Homlom brought Homnoi back, it was nearly evening. The two Homs walked until their legs were tired, but neither complained of fatigue or weariness. Homlom was so engrossed in choosing outfits for the boy, as children's clothes were irresistibly cute. Homnoi, feeling considerate, handed him two green banknotes as if wanting to help pay for the clothes. Homlom could only smile at the boy's innocence, willing to give everything he had.

Grandpa Kloi himself came out to sit and wait for his grandson in front of the temple. Seeing the items Homlom bought, he felt grateful and helped carry them back to the small hut. Homlom had bought several sets of clothes for the old man, as well as snacks for the little one and health drinks for the elderly man.

"Tomorrow, the bedding will be delivered," Homlom informed the grandfather and grandson while serving food onto plates. He intended to donate mattresses and pillows to the temple as well. The Venerable Father was very old now, and sleeping on hard floors only caused back pain.

Grandpa Kloi could only thank his benefactor, intending to raise his hands in gratitude, but Homlom stopped him. Homlom asked to stay for dinner with the pair, showing no signs of disdain. The grandson of Loei’s wealthy matriarch sat and ate sticky rice with the two, smiling and laughing.

He had already said it; not only did Homlom want Homnoi to be his family, but he also wanted Grandpa Kloi to see him as family. It might be quick for someone who had just met, but he saw no reason to prolong it.

Grandpa Kloi watched Homlom carefully debone the fish for his grandson, quickly wiping away tears as he remembered his life partner who had gone far away. I wish you could meet him, dear.

"Eat plenty too, Grandpa."

The old man looked at the fish on his plate, meticulously deboned. He looked up at the person who had done it and saw a genuine smile before eating the rice and fish with tears of joy.

He wanted to reach out and pat Homlom's head affectionately, like his own descendant, but didn't dare.

The grandfather and grandson walked out to see Homlom off to his car. It was so dark that the old man had to light a candle to guide the way. Homlom only then realized that the small hut had no electricity and relied on candles when night fell. He couldn't help but worry about the risk of fire and the potential danger to the two of them.

"I always put it out before bed," Grandpa Kloi reassured Homlom to ease his mind.

Homlom simply nodded, not wanting to say anything that might cause the old man concern. He pondered how he could help Grandpa Kloi and Homnoi get electricity. Looking down, he saw the little boy already gazing up at him.

"Kind Uncle, will you come again tomorrow…?"

"Oh, Noi…you've already troubled him for several days," his grandfather gently chided, causing the little boy's face to fall.

It was Homlom who made the promise. "Of course, I'll come. I told you I'd visit every day."

This time, Homlom knelt down and pulled the little boy into a hug. Homnoi beamed and quickly hugged him back, resting his small face on his Kind Uncle's shoulder. The Kind Uncle's embrace was warm, just like Grandpa's, but the Kind Uncle’s body was softer and smelled really nice.

They reluctantly parted, each feeling a pang of longing. Homlom looked up at the dark sky. He had stayed longer than yesterday and found it hard to leave the little boy. How wonderful it would be if he could see Homnoi all the time, without worrying about his safety when out of sight.

Sadly, he didn't have that right. All he could do was pray that little Homnoi would eat well and sleep soundly every night.