Aurelius rushed to the house to inspect it, saying, "Dad, it's huge, bigger than all the houses here."
His mother smiled and said, "Because you're your father's son, you deserve a wonderful home, Aurelius."
Aurelius smiled and said, "Dad is the best," as the family entered the house. There, a large man stood holding brooms and cleaning supplies, and when he noticed their arrival, he approached them warmly.
"Welcome, welcome! Hello to the well-known world, Mike! Welcome to you and your family, your home welcomes you. You've lit up the house with your presence," he said, shaking Mike's hand firmly. Mike smiled and said, "Welcome, welcome, my brother. Let me introduce you to my family, my wife Lana, and my son Aurelius."
The man greeted the woman with a nod, then bent down to Aurelius and said, "Welcome, little hero."
Aurelius smiled with bright eyes, looking like someone who had never known fear, as if a grown man were speaking with great courtesy. "Welcome, Uncle. Our house is your house, and I'm glad we're receiving such a warm welcome from someone as kind as you. I believe our time in this village will be filled with peace, with people like you around."
The man was momentarily stunned by the child standing before him. If the man had tried to speak like the child, he wouldn't have been able to do so. Then, he snapped out of it and said, "Wonderful, son. It seems that your son, Mr. Mike, has certainly inherited your intelligence."
The father beamed and said, "Of course, he's my son, and I'm so proud of him." The man replied, "This handsome, elegant, intelligent boy is truly a treasure. I believe he'll be someone of great significance in the future, and he might even surpass you, sir."
The mother spoke up, saying, "Exactly, Aurelius is handsome, elegant, and intelligent. As for his intelligence, that comes from his father, but the handsomeness and elegance are all thanks to me," she said, looking at her husband with a mix of pride and love. Her husband and the man laughed.
The man said, "Exactly. I also think your son's eloquence comes from his mother."
The father replied, "Exactly, my wife is the foundation of everything I love in my life."
Aurelius listened attentively, filled with happiness and pride.
As for Aurelius, he was a child just entering second grade with fair skin, brown hair, and blue eyes. He took after his mother in skin tone and eye color, while his father had dark skin—not quite brown, but with a hint of darkness.
The man eventually began to leave, but then returned with a hint of sadness in his eyes. "How old is Aurelius, by the way?"
The mother replied, "He's in second grade now, and he was first in his school last year." The man smiled with a smile that hid sadness and said, "Wonderful."
He closed the door and went to bring the bags from the car, muttering to himself, "What luck, he's the same age as my son Vitus, the failure."