Chapter 1 : I''ll Take Care of You

In a secluded, dimly lit alley, the sound of wailing echoed continuously.

"Get lost. This is just a small lesson for you. Don''t let me catch you again, or you''ll know the consequences."

The boy''s angelic face contrasted sharply with his words and actions, which were as cold and ruthless as a demon from hell.

The men lying on the ground, groaning in pain, had no doubt about the credibility of his threat. They scrambled to their feet and fled the alley.

Only when they were a safe distance away did they dare to shout back, "We didn''t want to gang up on you today. Watch your back next time..."

"Cowards," Damian Heinz sneered at their pathetic retreat. He took off his school jacket and walked towards the whimpering puppy huddled in the corner.

"Don''t be afraid. Come with me. I''ll take care of you." He had once said the same words to me.

Damian''s voice was especially gentle now, his eyes soft and tender, a stark contrast to the fierce fighter who had just taken on three opponents.

He carefully wrapped the injured puppy in his school jacket and took a cab to the animal hospital.

It was a Little Mude. The vet gave it a thorough examination, and fortunately, its internal organs were not damaged.

The most serious injury was a broken front leg; the rest were minor wounds.

As Damian watched the vet carefully clean and bandage the puppy''s wounds, he thought of the man at home who didn''t seem to like animals much.

"Can I leave it here for a few days? I''ve never taken care of a pet before. I''ll come back for it when it''s feeling better, okay?" Damian pleaded hopefully.

"Of course," the vet, charmed by the handsome and compassionate boy, nodded repeatedly.

"Thank you."

After expressing his gratitude, Damian gently patted the Little Mude''s head.

"Be good. I''ll come back for you when you''re feeling better."

The Little Mude seemed to understand, whimpering pitifully in response.

Damian left the animal hospital and took a cab home, arriving at eight o''clock.

As soon as he walked through the door, the butler, Mr. Schwab, rushed to greet him anxiously. "Young Master, you''re finally back. If you were any later, I would have sent Cabot to find you."

Damian smiled apologetically at Mr. Schwab, not mentioning the fight he had gotten into after school with those who were abusing the puppy. He made up an excuse instead. "I stayed at school a bit longer. It''s nothing."

Mr. Schwab never doubted his words because, in everyone''s eyes, Damian was always a good kid.

"You must be hungry. Go wash your hands and eat." Mr. Schwab took his backpack and urged him.

"Is he back yet?" Damian glanced around the house.

"The second master hasn''t returned yet."

Mr. Schwab felt a genuine sense of happiness. This child asked about the master almost every day after school, showing how much he cared for him.

Hearing this, Damian felt a slight pang of disappointment, even though he was used to eating alone.

After dinner, Damian went to his room.

He finished his homework, took a shower, and checked his phone. The class group chat was buzzing with activity, as the school had just finished evening study sessions.

This year, Damian was a senior and didn''t have to attend evening study sessions since he didn''t live on campus. He had fought hard for this privilege from Tristan Pillsbury.

What Tristan didn''t know was that Damian''s reason for not wanting to stay at school was simply to get home earlier and see him.

Damian didn''t know when his feelings for Tristan had shifted from dependence to wanting something more.

But he was timid, insecure, and most of all, afraid of losing him.

He felt like a thief, secretly watching Tristan''s life, observing everything about him.

Damian opened Tristan''s WeChat chat window. Their conversation was still stuck on the messages from last month when he was on a business trip.

...

At midnight, Tristan finally came home, looking a bit tired.

"Sir," Mr. Schwab, who hadn''t gone to bed yet, greeted him respectfully as he saw him return.

Tristan nodded. Mr. Schwab had practically watched him grow up and was almost like family. "Mr. Schwab, you don''t need to stay up. Go get some rest."

Mr. Schwab opened his mouth to speak but hesitated. Thinking of the poor young master, he decided to voice his thoughts.

"Sir, the young master misses you. You should come home earlier. He''s a senior in high school this year. You should pay more attention to him and spend more time with him."

Tristan frowned slightly at his words, a hint of doubt flashing in his deep eyes.

"Alright," he responded softly.

The kid had always been well-behaved since he brought him back, never needing much of his attention in either life or studies.

Mr. Schwab wasn''t sure if he had taken his words to heart but didn''t say more. He knew well that managing a company and supporting thousands of people was no easy feat, and every step Tristan took was hard-earned.

Tristan went upstairs and pushed open Damian''s bedroom door. Seeing the child''s hand hanging off the bed, he gently walked over, tucked it back under the blanket, and adjusted the covers.

"Uncle," the child murmured in his sleep, his voice soft and drowsy. Tristan thought he had woken him up, but then he saw his lips move slightly while still asleep. It was just sleep-talking.

It seemed Mr. Schwab was right. The kid really missed him, even dreaming about him. Tristan suddenly felt a pang of guilt.

He wasn''t alone; he had this little guy.

Looking at Damian''s sleeping face, Tristan realized that the child he had brought back had grown into a handsome young man, his features almost perfectly proportioned.

The sleeping boy was as well-behaved as ever, his porcelain-white and beautiful face evoking a protective instinct in anyone who saw him.

Despite being in a thorny situation back then, Tristan had brought him back and raised him by his side.

But what he could truly give him was only the basics of life.

Tristan gently touched the child''s soft, fluffy hair, feeling a sudden surge of paternal affection.

It seemed he really should make time to care for him more. Unknowingly, the boy had grown up.

"Sleep well, kid," Tristan said, a rare warmth in his usually stern voice, his face softening with a gentle smile.

...

The first rays of morning light struggled to pierce through the curtains.

Damian habitually opened his eyes, got up, drew the curtains, and basked in the beauty of the moment.

He stretched deeply, then washed up and headed downstairs for breakfast with his backpack.

Halfway down the stairs, he instinctively paused and turned to look at Tristan''s room.

The door was still tightly closed.

Damian''s eyes widened in disbelief. At this time, he usually never saw Tristan.

He was either at the office or in the study. Though they lived together, they didn''t spend much time together.

With a hint of hidden disappointment, Damian walked towards the dining room.

As he looked up, he saw Tristan sitting at the dining table, and his eyes lit up involuntarily.

"Damian, come have breakfast," Tristan said, his tone openly affectionate as he looked at the stunned boy.

Hearing his deep voice, Damian quickly sat down obediently at the table. "Uncle," he said, unable to hide his joy, his eyes shining brightly.

Breakfast was millet porridge, bacon, and sandwiches.

Damian took a sip of milk, licked his lips, and glanced at Tristan. Seeing that he seemed to be in a good mood, he casually asked, "Uncle, why haven''t you gone to the office today?"

Tristan looked up at him and softly replied, "I''m having breakfast with you and will take you to school later."

Damian let out a small "oh," his ears turning slightly red for a moment. His fingers tightened around the cup, and he took a few more gulps of milk, trying to suppress the warmth rising in his chest.

Neither of them tried to start a conversation. One was used to silence, while the other was lost in his own world of pink bubbles.

The quiet atmosphere was filled with unspoken emotions.

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