Chapter 3
Zhang Chengyi's Territory
Kewalin excitedly nudged Phapfun. She felt quite guilty that her brother had to take on her burden once again. However, upon meeting Zhang Chengyi, the heaviness in her heart lightened. Not only did he look good, but he also seemed like a decent person. She was sure that spending time together would lead Zhang Chengyi to fall for her brother's charm.
"Brother Fun, you have to win Mr. Zhang over completely."
"What are you talking about, Kew?" Phapfun scolded his sister, glancing into the room where only Zhang Chen, Zhang Chengyi, and Kanda were sitting and discussing something. Meanwhile, he was waiting outside with Kewalin.
"It's Mr. Zhang, Brother Fun. Since you're already carrying his child, why not be his wife too? With someone that handsome and rich, you'd finally have it easy."
"You're daydreaming too much, Kew. I think you've been reading too many novels," Phapfun smiled wearily, looking at the handsome and wealthy man as his sister described, and shook his head.
Zhang Chengyi was truly handsome. In his twenty-three years, Phapfun had never met anyone who looked as good as him. Although they were both from the same continent, Zhang Chengyi had perfectly combined the best features of his parents. He had sharp eyes like Mr. Zhang, a prominent nose, but thin lips and well-shaped eyebrows like his mother. Even though Phapfun had only seen Mrs. Pimchan in a single photo, he had to admit she was a very beautiful woman. Someone so perfect in looks and wealth wouldn't be easily caught, and if she did allow herself to be caught, it would likely be as a mistress.
The idea of being a secret wife to a wealthy man was intriguing. He would live comfortably for the rest of his life, just as his sister had said. However, Phapfun didn't like the chaos that would come with fighting over a husband with the first wife, the second wife, and countless others. It would be a real headache.
While Phapfun was silently gossiping about him, the subject of his gossip looked up and met his gaze. Their eyes unintentionally locked, and for a moment, neither knew what to do. Phapfun was the first to smile at the person looking at him, thinking that making friends wouldn't hurt.
Zhang Chengyi looked at Phapfun's smile and responded with a slight grin. The other seemed like a little rabbit unsure of what to do. Chengyi admitted he was intrigued, just intrigued. But if he was intrigued, why should he show his bad side? Since Phapfun dared to smile at him, he dared to smile back.
"Brother Fun, Mr. Zhang smiled at you."
Phapfun let his sister squeal in excitement, admitting that Zhang Chengyi's smile made his heart race. He had never been close to an Alpha before. Zhang Chengyi was a young Alpha with an overwhelming presence. Yet, he didn't feel intimidated; on the contrary, Zhang Chengyi's unique aura had an inexplicable pull that made him want to get closer.
The conversation went well. Phapfun had to return home to pack his belongings to temporarily move into the Zhang family home as per Zhang Chen's orders. However, Zhang Chengyi objected first.
"Not here, but at my condo."
Zhang Chen paused upon hearing this. He knew his son's personality well. Chengyi had always been a private person since childhood. He disliked being involved with anyone to the extent that when he started working, he built his own house and moved out of the family mansion to escape the chaos of relatives.
"That's ridiculous, Chengyi. How can you let a pregnant person stay in such a cramped place?"
"It's not small, Dad. I need to take care of the mother of my child all the time. This place is full of elderly people. If something happens, will they be able to handle it?" Chengyi sighed at his old-fashioned father who thought the condo was small and cramped.
For some reason, the words "mother of my child" and "take care of the mother of my child all the time" made Phapfun blush. The twenty-three-year-old Omega scratched his cheek with his finger as he felt shy and embarrassed. Kewalin squinted playfully, while Kanda smiled proudly at her Mr. Zhang.
"You can hire a nurse to take care of them," Zhang Chen continued to object, seemingly worried about something. But when his son asked just one question, the father had to fall silent.
"Do you still want a grandchild, Dad?"
Seeing his father quiet down, Zhang Chengyi turned to speak with the former nanny in a gentle voice and polite words that were surprisingly soft for someone with such stern eyes. Kanda was immensely proud that her little Master Zhang had grown into the dignified Mr. Zhang. Before Chengyi turned to tell Phapfun.
"Wait, I'll have someone pick you up from home tomorrow."
Phapfun was quite startled, not expecting the other person to speak to him. He simply nodded in acknowledgment, maintaining a calm demeanor despite feeling extremely nervous inside. Zhang Chengyi furrowed his brow slightly. There weren't many people who could be near him without showing any emotion. Could it be that the mother of his child was emotionally detached? Well, he could test that theory later.
Zhang Chen instructed the driver to safely take all three of them home. The father and son watched the car drive away before the father turned to look at his son, who remained composed despite his probing gaze.
"Do you like him or something?"
"Yes, I do," Chengyi admitted without any intention of arguing, as he turned his back to his father, preparing to return to his residence.
"That kid is suitable to carry your child, but not to be your wife. If you like him so much, keep him hidden away."
Chengyi chuckled softly, glancing at his father seated in the wheelchair. When he wanted Phapfun to carry the Zhang family's heir, his father had extolled the virtues of that young man until it was ingrained in his mind. He described all the benefits, saying that if an Alpha and Omega had a child together, there was a seventy percent chance the child would be an Alpha, twenty percent a Beta, and ten percent an Omega. In any case, he was bound to have a son who was an Alpha. Phapfun was indeed perfect to bear his child, but due to his status, he wasn't suitable to be his wife.
"I'm the one getting married, not you, Dad."
"Chengyi," Zhang Chen said sternly, not wanting to say anything further because he knew his son's nature well. The more he forbade, the more it encouraged him.
"Besides, I might not even need medical intervention, because I'm going to try the natural method," Chengyi stated with a calm expression, causing both his father and his father's personal secretary to look at him in astonishment.
The heir apparent of the family turned his back on his father, speaking merely to tease him. While Chengyi did like Phapfun, he had never considered remarrying. His previous marriage hadn't been as beautiful as he'd imagined, leaving him wary. His ex-wife was a good person, but she couldn't provide what he needed. Chengyi understood that temporary attraction or suitability couldn't truly define a family.
Phapfun might perfectly bear Zhang Chengyi's heir, but as a wife or lover, it was nearly impossible.
Phapfun woke up early to pack his belongings and help his aunt prepare to sell snacks, as he did every day. The money received from Mr. Zhang was used to pay off Boss Songphon entirely. No matter how wealthy the Zhang family was, five million was still five million. Since that was the agreement, that's all he got. Phapfun couldn't help but think he should have asked his aunt to demand a bit more. Even though five million was a substantial amount, it was all gone paying off his uncle-in-law's debts.
By noon, a luxurious car pulled up in front of the old wooden house, so extravagant that the neighbors stopped to stare. Phapfun bid farewell to his aunt while his uncle, relieved after settling his debts, would likely return to the gambling den as usual. As for Kewalin, who intended to skip school to see him off, he insisted she go to class. He wondered why everyone was making such a fuss, as he would be back soon enough.
As Phapfun stepped into the territory of the young Alpha, he was taken aback by the vastness of the luxurious condo that occupied nearly the entire floor. His relaxed demeanor shifted to a tense posture, fearing he might accidentally touch something valuable belonging to the other party.
"Mr. President."
Phapfun looked at Zhang Chengyi, who was engrossed in his work, and felt even more tense. As soon as he heard the voice calling out, Chengyi looked up. The president of Zhang Chan Group smiled when he saw the Omega with the scent of fresh milk clutching his bag tightly, resembling a little child overwhelmed by new experiences. After all, Phapfun was nine years younger than him.
"Welcome. Can you manage here?" he asked, walking over to stand in front of him.
Phapfun glanced around the room and nodded. More than just managing, the space designed by Zhang Chengyi was elegantly harmonious, leaving no sense of discord. Moreover, the other's personal scent didn't make him feel uncomfortable at all.
"And this is Luohe and Jenjop. They're close associates of mine. Luohe doesn't speak Thai, but he understands it. If you have any questions, it's better to ask Jenjop," Chengyi introduced his left and right-hand men to Phapfun. If it weren't for the fact that both were Alphas, he would have had Jenjop look after the future mother of his child.
Phapfun bowed his head in greeting to both Luohe and Jenjop. Luohe was a strikingly handsome young man with pale skin, seemingly reserved, yet he nodded in acknowledgment of the greeting. Jenjop, on the other hand, was equally good-looking but had a playful demeanor, waving at him cheerfully.
"But they're both Alphas. It's best if you don't stay too close to them. If you need anything, ask me."
Luohe and Jenjop exchanged surprised glances. If they hadn't been serving Mr. Zhang closely since childhood, they might have thought the young president was jealous of the Omega before him. Phapfun nodded in understanding once more. Besides Zhang Chengyi and his two close associates, there were several men in black suits in the room.
"Your room is opposite mine. I'll have someone take you there."
Phapfun nodded in understanding again, but this time Zhang Chengyi pressed his fingertip against Phapfun's full lips, making him startle, before gently rubbing them with his finger.
"Don't just nod. I want to hear your voice."
Not only was Phapfun shocked, but even the subordinates of President Zhang were stunned. They quickly lowered their heads and sighed, as if fearing the image would haunt them into nightmares. But for Phapfun, his heart was pounding, threatening to leap out of his chest.
"Y…yes," Phapfun replied. "Where are you going, Mr. Zhang?"
"I'm heading back to the office. And make sure you're prepared... tomorrow I'll have a doctor come to check your health."
"Okay."
Phapfun almost nodded again but, catching Zhang Chengyi's gaze, he opted to respond verbally instead. His round eyes followed the broad back as it walked away with close associates and men in black suits, beginning to understand. It seemed the Zhang family had more than just a jewelry business; otherwise, Zhang Chengyi wouldn't have so many followers.
"This way, please. I'll show you to your bedroom."
Phapfun obediently followed the stout man, who wasn't dressed in black but in dark gray. He guessed this man might be the butler, given his friendly demeanor, which was a stark contrast to the men in black earlier. As soon as they stopped in front of the bedroom, the man quickly introduced himself.
"You can call me the butler like Mr. Zhang does, Mr. Phapfun. If you need anything, feel free to call on me. Enjoy your new bedroom and get plenty of rest," the butler said smoothly, leaving Phapfun no time to object. Before he knew it, the man had already walked away.
"Everyone..."
He muttered to himself, shaking his head in exasperation. But when he saw the new bedroom Zhang Chengyi had given him, Phapfun nearly jumped for joy. The room was more spacious than his old bedroom, perhaps even three times larger. A king-sized bed was covered with a white duvet. Phapfun gently closed the door, ensuring no one was watching, before he happily leaped onto the bed.
"So soft..." he moaned contentedly.
His slender body rolled around, hugging the large pillow with a smile. He had only seen beds like this in dramas and couldn't believe he had the chance to actually sleep on one. He couldn't help but think that coming here to carry the Zhang family's heir wasn't so bad. For the next nine months, he planned to live in comfort, just wait and see!
Phapfun smiled with satisfaction, unaware that his life was about to change forever...
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