CHAPTER 218: THE WARM WELCOME

Was this real? Or was he still dreaming? His thoughts were scattered, his heart struggling to keep up with what was happening.

As he stood there, Jude, who had been quietly standing at the side shifted his attention toward the stairs.

Dominic turned to see Shiao Yi coming down whilerubbing his sleepy eyes.

"Dominic? What’s going on?" Shiao Yi asked softly, he blinking his eyes in confusion at the emotional scene before him.

A warm wave of joy surged up inside Dominic overflowing from his chest.

He reached out and pulled Shiao Yi close to his side. Then, with a clear, proud voice, he said,

"Shiao Yi, let me introduce you. These are my father and my mother."

Shiao Yi’s eyes widened in surprise, but almost immediately, a bright, joyful smile spread across his face.

The warmth in that smile reached straight into Dominic’s heart filling him with peace.

He was certain that he was smiling the same way openly, happily, without hesitation.

Ashe heard his words and broke down again, unable to hold back her sobs. But this time, her tears were not of sorrow.

Gabrant wrapped his arms around her trembling shoulders and held her close as she cried both of them finally freed from years of silence and pain.

He was happy.

Seeing such a bright, peaceful smile on Shiao Yi’s face made him feel truly happy.

...

For the first time in his life, Shiao Yi had found a family. He was finally feeling the gentle love of a father and mother.

Yes... that’s right.

There aren’t many parents in the world who don’t love their own child.

When the authorities came to take him away after discovering his strange power, his mother had fought against them fiercely.

His father had been terrified of him, he looked at him as if he were some kind of monster, but his mother had always protected him with love.

He had been only four years old at the time.

"That thing’s a monster! Give up! Give it up!"

"He’s my son! Give him back! Don’t take him from me!"

His father had held his mother back, shouting over and over, while she struggled desperately to break free.

"Shiao Yi! Shiao Yi!"

Even now, he could still hear her voice crying his name through tears.

Mother... I wonder if you’re happy somewhere.

I hope you are.

We’ll never meet again, but that’s all I wish for you.

Watching Dominic with his parents had brought back memories he didn’t need to remember. He felt a little sentimental, so he decided to shake it off and change his mood.

"Lady Ashe," he said softly, "my name is Shiao Yi. It’s an honor to meet you."

A proper greeting came first. Whether or not she would accept him a man as her son’s partner was another matter entirely.

"So, you’re Shiao Yi?" Lady Ashe said while wiping her tears away with a silk handkerchief. "You’re the one my son chose as his companion?"

Her emerald eyes fixed firmly on his face. It was a gaze full of motherly strength and grace. There was no disgust or rejection in her expression, it’s quite the opposite of the complicated look on General Gabrant’s face behind her.

"Well now, let me see you properly," she said, taking both of Shiao Yi’s hands in hers and peering at him closely.

The intensity of her gaze made him a little uneasy.

"My goodness, how adorable! But aren’t you a bit too young? Shiao Yi, are you sure you’re not being tricked by him?"

Then she turned sharply toward Dominic, her tone firm and commanding.

"Dominic! You haven’t done anything inappropriate with a child, have you? This would be a crime!"

Ah, yes, she was definitely a mother. No matter what guilt she carried, she still knew how to scold her child properly.

Caught off guard, Dominic’s eyes went wide, his expression flustered. It was honestly adorable.

He would have loved to keep watching that cute reaction, but since the misunderstanding also reflected badly on him, it was better to clear things up quickly.

"Lady Ashe," he said hastily, "I... I’m 19 years old. I’m not a child. I just don’t have the height to prove it."

Ugh... saying it out loud hurt more than he expected.

"What? No way. You can’t be serious. You look about thirteen!"

"My race... doesn’t grow as tall as yours," Shiao Yi explained quickly, his voice trembling just a little. "Even among my people, I’m on the smaller side, and... well... I have a baby face, so... I haven’t, um, grown as much as I’d like, but I am considered an adult in my world. I really am..."

Explaining it to Lady Ashe made him feel even more miserable. Could he cry now? No, if he cried, he’d just look even more like a child.

"Mother," Dominic said firmly, wrapping an arm around Shiao Yi’s waist, "you don’t need to worry. Shiao Yi is of age, and I haven’t done anything indecent. He is my one and only partner."

Yeah, Dominic hadn’t done anything indecent. He was just a little too passionate, relentless and overwhelmingly intense sometimes.

After that, they all sat together for tea that Jude had brewed and ate the cookies Eline had baked.

General Gabrant stayed quiet the whole time, his expression still unreadable.

Even so, he didn’t deny or reject them anymore.

Shiao Yi could tell the general still struggled inside, still trying to accept what his son had become but that was fine. For Shiao Yi, that was already enough. He felt nothing but gratitude toward Gabrant.

Later, he and Dominic stood outside the house while watching the general and Lady Ashe leave in the carriage driven by Lambard.

Lambard was apparently busy retraining his former assistant, Jenomis. Now that Lady Ashe had returned to the main estate, Lambard didn’t think Jenomis was capable enough to handle things alone. He felt responsible, so he was commuting daily between the mansion and this house.