Chapter 20

Chapter 20

A few minutes later, the black Bentley pulled smoothly away from the estate, heading toward the Tai Gong Mountain Forest Park.

The atmosphere inside the car was quiet.

Ari remained immersed in his own world as usual. He kept his head down, focusing intently on the toy car in his hands, showing no interest in the scenery outside the window. Wen Yinong sat beside Ari, a gentle smile on her face, her soft voice flowing like a gentle stream, describing every move he made.

“The little car wheels, spin, spin.”

“Touch the glass, smooth.”

This method is called “ear training.” Through continuous language input, it helps children with ASD build connections between language and objects.

Mo Shaoshang sat on the other side, occasionally shifting his gaze from the documents in his hands to the two figures—one tall, one small—and a rare softness flickered in his eyes before disappearing.

About twenty minutes later, the black Bentley entered the forest park parking lot.

The group got out of the car one after another. Wen Yinong took Ari’s small hand and walked in front. Mo Shaoshang quietly accompanied the pair of them. Following behind at a suitable distance were Chen Jin and the nanny, Sister Tang, both silent and unobtrusive.

Tai Gong Mountain Forest Park is located in the Jinghai section of the Tai Gong Mountain Range, covering a vast area of 1,300 square kilometers, with nearly 60% forest coverage. It is truly a world-class natural oxygen bar and a well-known ideal spot for taking kids in Jinghai.

It was early autumn, with fresh, refreshing air, fragrant grass and trees, melodious bird songs, and unknown wildflowers blooming sporadically. Everything was serene and full of life.

The park was large, with its design fully considering the needs of parent-child families. The children’s play area was set up not far from the entrance.

This area was clearly divided into sections: a non-powered equipment zone, a pet interaction zone, a nature museum zone, and a sightseeing train zone.

Although Monday was a workday, there weren’t many visitors in the park, but the children’s play area still had quite a few preschool-aged kids.

Birds chattered in the branches, insects in the grass held a grand concert, and children played and laughed under the watchful eyes of their parents, their silver-bell laughter drifting toward the blue clouds.

What a lively scene!

A mix of human voices and natural sounds filled the surrounding air. Wen Yinong unconsciously tightened her grip on Ari’s small hand, a flicker of anxiety in her heart. Then she lowered her head, her gaze falling on Ari’s face, carefully observing his reaction.

Wen Yinong knew very well that most children with ASD are sensitive to sensory input. The voices, laughter, bird calls, and even the rustling of leaves in the wind at the park would be quite a challenge for Ari. Before coming, she had rehearsed in her mind several possible emergencies and prepared response plans.

As it turned out, Wen Yinong’s professional judgment was quite accurate. Within five minutes of entering the play area, Ari showed clear signs of anxiety and discomfort.

Seeming unable to process the overwhelming noise around him, he suddenly pulled his hand away from Wen Yinong’s, stopped in his tracks, furrowed his small brows, and tightly covered his ears with both hands, his body went stiff.

The nanny, surnamed Tang, was affectionately called Sister Tang by everyone. Seeing this, she felt heartbroken and couldn’t help murmuring, “The young master really hates noisy, crowded places the most. Bringing him straight to such a lively playground, Ms. Wen, he’s bound to feel uncomfortable and upset. Isn’t Ms. Wen being a bit too impatient…”

Sister Tang was gentle, warm, and meticulous. Since Ari returned from abroad, she had been in charge of his daily care. She genuinely loved Ari as if he were her own child, and seeing him in distress, her instinct was to step in.

Sister Tang took a step forward, ready to pick up Ari.

But as soon as she moved, Mo Shaoshang’s gaze slid over her from the corner of his eye.

Sister Tang understood immediately. She stepped back, lowered her head, and stopped moving.

At that moment, Wen Yinong had already quickly crouched down to Ari’s eye level.

She gently pulled Ari, who was trembling slightly, into her arms, her movements soft and careful. One arm encircled his small body, while the other gently stroked his tender back. At the same time, her soothing voice, like a soothing lullaby, comforted him in his ear: “The sounds around are a little loud and noisy, and Ari doesn’t like it. Ms. Wen knows. It’s okay, Ari is safe. Ms. Wen is here…”

With great patience, she kept giving verbal and physical reassurance, providing the child with a sense of security.

Thus, with Wen Yinong’s persistent efforts, Ari’s body gradually relaxed, and his hands slowly lowered from his ears.

Seeing this, Wen Yinong felt a rush of joy and immediately seized the opportunity. She used short sentences and said softly, “Teacher holds your hand, and we go over there and build an ant castle together, okay?” She raised her hand and pointed to a relatively quiet man-made sandpit nearby.

Ari did not respond, but his thick, curled eyelashes fluttered as if he were struggling to process and understand the sentence. After a long moment, he gently nodded.

Wen Yinong curved her lips, took a pouch of strawberry puree from her small bag, opened it, and carefully fed it to the child. This was positive reinforcement for accepting the suggestion and trying to communicate.

The two figures—one tall, one small—held hands again and walked toward the man-made sandpit.

Mo Shaoshang took in her whole professional handling of the situation, his gaze calm and focused, his thoughts unknown.

A moment later, he spoke up unexpectedly, “Give me the bag.”

Sister Tang was startled, then realized he was speaking to her. She quickly unstrapped the backpack containing Ari’s spare items and respectfully handed it over.

Mo Shaoshang took the cartoon-patterned bag, carried it in one hand, and said casually, “Wait here. No need to follow.”

As his words fell, Chen Jin and Sister Tang exchanged glances, both looking surprised. Though puzzled, they didn’t dare object and quickly nodded respectfully: “Understood, sir.”

*

A light breeze blew, the sunlight was soft, and the sand in the man-made sandpit was fine and clean.

Wen Yinong held Ari’s hand and found a relatively open corner to sit down. Then she took out a small shovel, a bucket, and a toy excavator, guiding Ari to build an “ant castle” together.

She first demonstrated, scooping up sand and piling it up.

Ari initially just watched, but after a while, he began to imitate her movements—he reached out his small hand, clumsily grabbed some sand, and placed it on the “foundation.” The two worked together, and before long, a small “hill” was successfully built.

Seeing the main structure of the castle taking shape, Wen Yinong found a thin twig and began poking small holes in the sand hill to simulate ant tunnels.

When she poked the first hole, Ari’s clear, lake-like blue eyes flickered. He clapped his little hands, and the corners of his mouth twitched very slightly.

Wen Yinong noticed this subtle change and immediately poked a second hole.

Ari’s eyes brightened even more. He even took the initiative to look up at Wen Yinong briefly, a glint of curiosity in his gaze.

Realizing that Ari had developed a strong interest in the “poking holes” activity, Wen Yinong seized this valuable opportunity and intensified her interaction.

She deliberately made exaggerated expressions, and used onomatopoeia: “Whoosh! Whoosh-whoosh! Poke holes! Little ants are going home!”

This time, Ari was delighted and let out a giggle.

The sound was clear and brief, but like a ray of sunlight, it instantly dispelled all of Wen Yinong’s fatigue.

She pressed on, handing the twig to Ari and encouraging, “Ari, here, your turn.”

Ari hesitated for a moment, then reached out his small hand, took the twig, and copied Wen Yinong’s actions, poking around in the sand hill, playing with deep concentration.

Looking at Ari’s delicate face and focused movements, Wen Yinong’s eyes were full of tenderness. She felt that this little starry boy was so adorable it made her heart melt.

She couldn’t help but reach out and pinch his soft, pink cheek.

Just then, a shadow fell over her from the side, blocking the sunlight from above and bringing a slight chill.

Wen Yinong paused and turned around. She saw Mo Shaoshang had also stepped onto the man-made sandpit at some point.

Without caring that his expensive trousers might get stained with sand, he naturally bent down, folded his long legs, and half-crouched, bringing his tall, straight figure down to their level.

Mo Shaoshang lowered his eyelids, looking at the little “ant castle.” After a few seconds, he picked up the unused small shovel beside him, scooped up some sand, and added it to Ari’s castle. In the blink of an eye, the castle expanded, and the “city walls” became more solid.

Wen Yinong’s eyes widened in surprise as she stared at Mo Shaoshang.

Under the autumn sun, the man’s sharp profile stood out against the sun, a small shadow cast by his straight nose, his thin lips slightly pressed together, his jawline clean and elegant.

After reinforcing the castle, Mo Shaoshang picked up another small mold, scooped up sand, and lightly pressed it beside the castle, forming a “little house” next to it, full of childlike charm.

Occasionally, he would glance up to observe Ari’s reaction, strictly following the parallel play technique—first participating, then attempting to guide. Without saying a word, he simply stayed by his side through actions.

Ari seemed to sense the change in the “castle.” He stopped poking holes, examined the expanded result, and then he actually broke into a smile.

Mo Shaoshang curved his lips into a slight smile as well and ruffled Ari’s soft blond hair.

After that, the child’s attention shifted to the toy excavator, and he became absorbed in digging and moving sand.

Watching the scene before her, Wen Yinong couldn’t help but speak softly, her tone carrying sincere admiration: “You’re such a fast learner.”

Hearing this, Mo Shaoshang turned to look at her, a hint of puzzlement in his eyes.

Wen Yinong smiled at him and explained, “Just now, when you interacted with Ari, you used many of the techniques and methods I taught you in class—like parallel play, following the child’s lead, and using non-verbal responses… You did it really well, and it felt very natural.”

Her voice was gentle and friendly, full of encouragement, sweet and warm.

Just like when she praised children.

Mo Shaoshang raised an eyebrow and replied casually, “Thanks for the compliment, Teacher Wen.”

“You’re welcome.” Wen Yinong picked up the small shovel and idly scratched the sand beside her. Recalling a question that had been on her mind, she added, “By the way, Mr. Mo, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”

Mo Shaoshang: “What is it?”

Wen Yinong lifted her bright eyes to look at him, her expression probing: “When I came for the interview, I noticed that the questions you asked about ASD intervention were very professional, almost all hitting the mark. And after seeing you interact with Ari, those techniques come so naturally… I guess you’ve had systematic exposure to this kind of knowledge before, right?”

Mo Shaoshang paused for a few seconds, then nodded calmly.

So that was it.

With her guess confirmed, Wen Yinong suddenly understood—Ari’s parents had passed away, and in this world, Mo Shaoshang was his only direct relative.

Conversely, Mo Shaoshang’s closest kin in this world was probably only Ari.

For this nephew connected by blood, this man must have deep feelings and bonds. So, no matter how busy his work or heavy his duties, he had never neglected to follow and learn about Ari’s rehabilitation treatment.

He had been doing his best all along.

Thinking of this, Wen Yinong’s heart tightened, and she couldn’t help but feel a touch of sympathy for this man who seemed cold and indomitable.

After a moment, she called softly, “Mr. Mo.”

Mo Shaoshang turned his gaze sideways, his eyes landing on the girl’s serene and radiant face.

At that moment, the sunlight happened to filter through the sparse clouds and spill onto the earth. She was bathed in a soft glow, her skin fair and translucent, her eyes clear as water, even the fine fuzz on her face clearly visible—beautiful to the point of being unreal.

Mo Shaoshang’s Adam’s apple moved almost imperceptibly, his expression calm and unruffled: “Yes?”

Wen Yinong looked at him and said, “If we work together, Ari will get better.”

Mo Shaoshang gazed at her, a dark current seeming to stir in his blue-black eyes. After a long pause, he spoke again, suddenly asking, “And what about you, Teacher Wen?”

Wen Yinong was puzzled and blinked: “Me? What about me?”

Mo Shaoshang: “Why did you choose to become a special education teacher?”

At this question, the light in Wen Yinong’s eyes dimmed slightly, as if touched by a buried memory. She stared blankly into the distance at the children playing, a faint trace of melancholy in her gaze.

But soon, she forced herself to return to normal, a smile returning to her face: “Just a coincidence, nothing special.”

*

After finishing digging in the sand, the two adults and one child walked together toward the nearby non-motorized play area.

As they passed a brightly colored swing that was gently swaying, Ari unconsciously turned his little head, his gaze resting on the swing with a hint of longing.

Wen Yinong keenly caught this subtle change in the child’s eyes. She bent down to Ari’s level and asked softly, “Ari wants to play on the swing, right?”

Ari’s clear blue eyes were still a bit unfocused, and he didn’t answer directly. His small hands fidgeted nervously with the hem of his clothes.

Wen Yinong smiled gently, didn’t press further, and softly took Ari’s hand, leading him toward the swing.

The swing was a bit high. Ari stood on tiptoe, trying several times but couldn’t get on by himself.

Wen Yinong reached out, ready to bend over and lift the child up, but before she could, a figure moved in front of her. When she looked again, Mo Shaoshang had already taken the child in his arms, gently yet deftly, and placed him on the swing seat.

Ari seemed quite intrigued, turning his little head to look around.

Then, Wen Yinong and Mo Shaoshang worked together in tacit coordination, taking turns pushing the swing.

The swing swayed slowly and rhythmically, a gentle breeze brushing Ari’s cheeks. The little boy thoroughly enjoyed it, his expression relaxed to the point of contentment. When the swing reached its lowest point, Wen Yinong seized the moment, stopped pushing, and softly prompted: “Push, swing. Push, swing.”

Finally, on the seventh attempt, Ari imitated a vague phrase: “Push… swing…”

Wen Yinong was overjoyed and immediately gave enthusiastic praise and encouragement.

Just then, from not far away, lowered voices reached her ears—two young girls who looked like college students.

“Wow, look over there. That family’s looks are so high,” said a girl carrying a backpack, her eyes full of admiration. She couldn’t help but nudge her companion.

“Really,” the other girl whispered in agreement, her gaze sweeping over Mo Shaoshang, Wen Yinong, and Ari. “Is the dad mixed-race? So handsome! And the mom is beautiful too… Wow, their kid is adorable, like a little doll.”

…

Hearing the undisguised whispers, Wen Yinong suddenly flushed all the way to her ears, her heartbeat skipping a beat.

She thought: Oh no. She, Mo Shaoshang, and Ari—this rehabilitation trio—had been mistaken by passersby for a family of three.

Wen Yinong instinctively wanted to explain that she was just a rehabilitation teacher. But then she reconsidered—these were just two strangers passing by, who would go their separate ways. What did it matter if they misunderstood?

Going out of her way to explain would only seem strange.

Thinking it over, Wen Yinong’s gaze inadvertently drifted sideways, sneaking a glance at the man beside her.

Mo Shaoshang was pushing the swing, his expression calm and relaxed, as if completely isolated from the outside world.

Wen Yinong withdrew her gaze, steadied herself, and quietly let out a breath.

Her employer hadn’t heard those words at all. Or if he had, he simply didn’t care.

Forget it.

The thought of explaining was completely abandoned. Wen Yinong turned her slightly flushed face to the side, refocusing her attention on Ari, putting the matter out of her mind.

*

At a little past five in the afternoon, the sun began to sink in the west, dyeing the horizon a warm orange-red. The group headed back from the forest park.

After a full afternoon of intense play and sensory stimulation, Ari was completely exhausted. On the way back to the parking lot, he started rubbing his eyes, his little head bobbing, drowsy.

Mo Shaoshang, seeing this, bent down, scooped up the child in one motion, then adjusted his posture so that Ari's little head lay on his broad, firm shoulder.

Seeming to sense an incredibly safe presence, Ari's little hands unconsciously curled, grabbing at the fabric on Mo Shaoshang's shoulder. Before long, he fell into a deep sleep. His thick, curled lashes quietly veiled his eyelids, he breathed evenly and deeply, and he even softly snored.

Wen Yinong, carrying the small bucket of sand toys, walked beside the two.

She saw the tall, stern man gently cradling the sleeping child in his arms, the golden sunset bathing them in a warm halo of light.

Wen Yinong felt a tender flutter in her heart.

This employer, who was usually unsmiling and distant, and even kept several cold-blooded animals as pets, was unexpectedly patient and gentle when taking care of a child.

She thought quietly to herself.

The lingering light of the sunset filtered through the lush green branches of the tall trees lining the road, casting dappled, swaying shadows, stretching the three figures into long shadows, creating a warm and delicate atmosphere.

*

After several hours of intense babysitting, requiring focused guidance for Ari and adapting to the changing surroundings, Wen Yinong was naturally exhausted. After dinner, she returned to her third-floor bedroom, quickly took a hot shower to wash away the fatigue, and then burrowed into the soft covers.

Not wanting to think, she took out her phone and played chess.

Whether it was due to luck or her opponent being too weak, after a few rounds, she won decisively.

At around nine in the evening, Wen Yinong yawned, sleepy tears welling up at the corners of her eyes. Just as she was about to turn off the light and go to sleep, she heard a crisp "ding" from a WeChat notification.

She rubbed her eyes and opened the green icon.

The sender was Ms. Shen Yulan.

Shen Yulan: "Sweetie, are you resting?"

Wen Yinong curled up under the covers, lazily typing a reply: "Not yet. What’s up, Mom?"

Shen Yulan: "Nothing, just missing you, want to chat a bit."

Shen Yulan: "Oh, by the way."

Shen Yulan: "Little Sa actually contacted me today, we made plans to go grocery shopping together again. When are you free?"

Wen Yinong was confused: "Who’s Little Sa?"

Shen Yulan: "Oh, that foreign guy! Last time we went grocery shopping, didn't he add me on WeChat? That young man is quite likable."

Wen Yinong: "Oh, right. I remember now."

Shen Yulan then added: "By the way, sweetie, that Little Sa—I think he’s pretty good. He's handsome, cheerful, and seems interested in you. You’ve been single for a while, maybe you could give it a try?"

Wen Yinong: "..."

Wen Yinong was exasperated, and she quickly typed to cut it off: "…Mom! Don’t make such lame jokes, okay! I’ve only met him twice, we’re not even proper friends!"

Afraid her mother would keep pushing the topic, she hastily added: "I’m sleepy, so I'm going to sleep. Good night."

Shen Yulan: "Oh, you, I’m not forcing you to date Little Sa. It’s just a suggestion. If you don’t want to take it, that’s fine. Treat my good intentions like dirt."

Closing the chat window with her mom, Wen Yinong turned off the screen and tucked the phone under her pillow. But as soon as she closed her eyes, her mind kept dwelling on her mother’s overly eager and misguided matchmaking suggestion. The more she thought about it, the more annoyed and amused she felt, even driving away some of her drowsiness.

Too agitated to sleep, she sat up again, grabbed the phone, and unlocked it with her fingerprint.

The screen lit up. Without looking, she opened WeChat by muscle memory and typed out a line:

"For crying out loud! I have no interest in Sebastian whatsoever, he’s just a friend! Please don’t misunderstand, okay!"

After typing, she moved her finger to the send button and pressed firmly.

The message was sent successfully.

Wen Yinong let out a sigh of relief, feeling that the slight annoyance had been vented. She threw off the covers, got up, poured herself a glass of warm water, sipped it slowly, and walked back to the bed. After finishing, she set the cup down, picked up her phone to check the time, and casually glanced at the screen.

There it was—the message she had just sent—quietly sitting in the chat window. And at the top of the window, the contact label read: Mr. Mo. ??!!

Wen Yinong nearly blacked out from shock.

She thought, dear Ms. Shen Yulan, you really did a number on me. Why did she suddenly change her profile picture to a dark, starry space image… Half-asleep and blurry-eyed, she had mistakenly sent the message meant for my mom, Shen Yulan, to Mo Shaoshang!

Disaster!

Wen Yinong froze completely, as if struck by lightning, her cheeks burning like fire. She wanted to cry but couldn't, her scalp prickling. Her mind was in a frenzy: What to do, what to do? Recall the message? It had already been more than two minutes! Explain? How? Say it was sent by mistake? That would be protesting too much.

Even a clumsy cover-up is better than this awkward mess.

Better to explain clearly!

Better to just explain it!

Thinking of this, Wen Yinong bit her lip and quickly typed another line: "Sorry, Mr. Mo, I was chatting with my mom and accidentally sent the wrong message. Sorry, sorry, sorry! Hope I'm not disturbing you QAQ"

After sending, she waited nervously.

In a few seconds, her phone "dinged" a few times.

The reply from the other side popped up.

M: "No bother"

M: "Receiving this message from Teacher Wen made me very happy."

Wen Yinong: ... (-_-)