"Dad, brother Ace? I'm home," Kyle greeted his dad and his elder brother.
"Oh, Jaxx? Is that truly you?" Mr. Wang Jun scanned the man next to Kyle.
"Yes, Uncle, it's me. How are you, uncle? And you, brother, Ace?" Jax replied and greeted Kyle's father and brother.
"We're good, and you? Kyle, why didn't you tell us Jax was coming with you, huh?" Jun shifted to Kyle.
"It just happened, Dad. I'm hungry. When are we going to eat?" Kyle is already prancing to the dining room.
"Do you think this is a restaurant where you can come in and out as you please, only to eat?" Jun snarled at him.
"Dad?" Kyle rolled his eyes.
"Okay, fine! Let's go there; the food is already prepared." Jun Wang gestured his hand at the dining table.
"Ahem! Ahem! No one wants to invite me?" Everyone turned to look at the owner of the voice, who'd just arrived.
"Uncle James!" Ace, Kyle, and Jax in unison
"I thought you couldn't make it here tonight. You said you have an urgent surgery to perform." Wang Jun inquired
"The patient's family has backed out, so I am free now." James then walked past them to the dining table.
"Come, let's dig in now. I'm so famished." James mumbled while sitting down, salivating over the food as he was truly hungry since he couldn't have a feast like this in the hospital where he was frantically living for half of his lifetime.
They all went to the dining table and started to wear down while talking about some random topics.
"Kyle, why not quit your job and help your brother manage the company? We are short of people right now," said Jun.
"Dad, I already told you; I have my reasons, and I still have one year left on our contract," Kyle informed his dad.
"I know, son, I'm just worried about you. Your job is too dangerous. Your mom will berate me for sure. How can I face her later?" Wang Jun sighed with a gloomy face.
"Here we go again," Kyle, shoving a piece of meat in his mouth. He doesn't like where the topic is going on.
"By the way, next month is the anniversary of the Xiao Empire. "Ace and Kyle, make sure to be there, okay?" Jun added after deciding to not press the topic on Kyle anymore. He doesn't want to ruin the dinner. It's rare nowadays when they all get together like this while sitting in the same dining room.
"Yes, Dad, but hopefully we can see the face behind the mask of young master Xiao. I admire his diligence in business. Although he is a bit cold, scary, and difficult to approach." Ace commented
"You're right, son; it's just that his life seems so sad as he lost both of his parents at the same time," Wang Jun sighed.
James, just listening to their conversation, continues eating his food silently.
"What about you, Kyle?" Jun shifted his attention to Kyle.
"Mn? What about me, dad?" Kyle frowned
"What do you think about the young master, Xiao?"
"I don't know Dad; I didn't even know him. How can I judge him when I haven't even met him?" Replied Kyle indifferently
"He's pretty and handsome; I'm sure you will like him once you've met him." James butts in with a grin but then covers his mouth instantly after realizing what he spoke out. He blurted out his thoughts.
Wang Jun, Ace, Jax, and Kyle looked at James with "What?!!" written all over their faces, while James just laughed at their reactions.
"What's with that look? huh? Did I say something wrong?" James looked at all of them one by one.
"You know him, Uncle?" Inquire Ace
"Ah, haha, am, haha..." James meekly laughed and patted his lips for being too talkative. James didn't know that he had voiced his thoughts, and it was too late to take them back now.
"James?!" Wang Jun mumbled in a stern tone.
"Geez, I should have learned to zip my mouth," James murmured.
"I've known him since he was 19 years old; I'm the Xiao's family doctor, and—"
"Uncle?!
James?!"
They all said it in unison, cutting James' words.
"What?!"
"Why didn't you tell us?" Wang Jun snarled. Wang Jun groped his chest.
"Hey brother, that's the doctor's and patient's privacy and confidentiality! I'm an honorable doctor, you know?" James retorted
"Is he sick?" asked Kyle, which earned the others suspicious stares.
"What does that look on you guys mean? I'm just asking,'' Kyle glared at them and then rolled his eyes.
"You are interested in him, aren't you?" Jax teases him.
"Shut up! Kyle shoved a piece of meat into Jax's mouth, and the others just laughed at him.
"He's not sick; I was his attending physician when he got into an accident ten years ago and also his parent's personal doctor," James explained.
"So what does he look like?" Asked Kyle.
James gaped at him with a suspicious smirk. "I already told you; he's cute, handsome, and pretty," said James.
"Pretty? Uncle, how can you describe a man as pretty?" Kyle said, narrowing his eyes.
"I'm just telling the truth; he's pretty." truly pretty for a man. Why do you care how I described him?" James stared at Kyle mischievously.
"Duh, I don't care!" Kyle rolled his eyes and suddenly remembered the pretty man he bumped into at the hotel. Heat comes rushing up to his neck, but he manages to vanquish it before it spreads all over his face. However, he couldn't hide the red on the tips of his ears, and it didn't pass through James' keen eyes. A mischievous thing came up in his mind
"I know a little secret about the young master Xiao. If you are that interested in him, I will tell you about it." James covered the side of his mouth and whispered to Kyle, but loud enough to be heard by everyone sitting at the dining table.
"And why should I be interested in him?" I'm just curious why he's always wearing a mask, that's all." Kyle then chugged down a glass of water.
"And I am not interested in his secret either," he added.
Ace and Jax exchange glances and shake their heads.
"But I'm interested; please, uncle, tell us; I want to know him more. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone," said Ace, and then gestured as he zipped his mouth and winked at his uncle, who understood what he implied.
"I'm interested too, Uncle," was seconded by Jax. Kyle rolled his eyes.
"Okay then, I know a little about him, but not everyone knows this, so don't spread it, boys," James said, and the two nodded.
"Master and Madam Xiao lost him when he was still a baby. They only found him after 19 years of separation. That's when young Master Xiao got into an accident 10 years ago. I was the one who did all the DNA tests, and I am also his doctor." James said and continues:
"And what's more interesting is that he has a very high IQ; he is gifted. That's why he easily solidified his position in the business world. Just like I said earlier, he is pretty and handsome as well. But unfortunately, as brother Jun said, he had a very heartbreaking life. His foster parents died when he was eleven years old, on the exact date of his birthday.
He went abroad to study with his friends at a very young age when he was 12 years old.
At that time, Master and Madam Xiao, who are sponsoring his scholarship, didn't know that he was their long-lost child. not until that accident happened when young Master Xiao needed an urgent blood transfusion. Our blood bank didn't have enough stock that matches his blood type. So when Madam Xiao's blood matched his, that's when I found out about their relationship. And the rest, you all know what about that," explained James.
"But why is he wearing a mask?" inquired Jax
"I don't know, but I think he doesn't want to attract too much-unwanted attention. and to protect himself as well. '' James added.
"He had a very traumatic life indeed," said Wang Jun.
Kyle, who was listening to his uncle's story, couldn't figure out why he had this feeling of discomfort, and his heart felt like it was twisting.
"He settled his hand over his chest and gripped it to ease the foreign feelings that were creeping inside him.
"Hey, son, what's wrong? Are you okay?" His dad asked, noticing his discomfort.
"I'm fine, Dad; maybe I'm just too tired today," replied Kyle.
"No! You don't seem fine; let your uncle do a check-up for you," Jun ordered, as Kyle's complexion was a bit pale.
"Dad, I'm fine; don't worry." Kyle insisted. He was sure he was fine and didn't have any sickness. It's just a foreign feeling of discomfort that he couldn't fathom.
"What exactly do you feel about right now?" asked James with genuine concern. "Why did you grip your chest?"
"It's just that I feel my chest hurt a little after hearing your story. I mean, that Xiao story. But I'm all good now; please excuse me." Kyle got up from the seat and hurriedly walked out of the dining room, leaving the others stunned.