Chapter 15

After settling Yasmine at Dolly's house, Cynthia took a leave of absence from Dolly. She was now fully committed to caring for Mason, determined to help him overcome his autism as soon as possible. By morning, after dropping Yasmine off at kindergarten, Cynthia headed straight to the villa. It was 7:30 am, and the villa was tranquil, with birds chirping and flowers in bloom. When she entered, Zachary had already finished breakfast and was sipping coffee, exuding the refined elegance of high society with every movement. Seeing Cynthia, his cold gaze narrowed slightly. He hadn't specified a time last night, but she actually arrived this early? How diligent of her. His lips curved slightly in a frosty smile. "On the table are Mason's preferences and restrictions. Read them carefully—he can't handle any mistakes." "Oh, alright." Cynthia nodded immediately and picked up the notepad. The notes listed Mason's likes and dislikes in detail—ten points in total, clearly outlined. She said, "Got it. I'll take good care of Mason." Zachary set his coffee cup down and stood with his usual air of nobility. "If anything comes up, contact Jesse." Leaving those icy words behind, he departed swiftly with an air of importance. He was probably heading to work. Cynthia let out a breath of relief. She felt uncomfortable with him around the house anyway. After his car disappeared from view, she went upstairs to Mason's room. "Mason, I'm here!" Mason sat up from under the covers, and upon seeing Cynthia, a sparkle lit up in his eyes. He threw off the blanket and sat up, motioning for her to help him get dressed. Cynthia didn't say anything. She was merely thinking, "Lazybones." She walked over and opened the wardrobe, only to freeze in astonishment. Inside the wardrobe, there were only black shirts, black trousers, and black suits. Even the socks in the bottom drawer were all black! Goodness, were these clothes meant for a child? "Mason, don't you have any other clothes?" Mason shook his head, and Cynthia was speechless once again. Her daughter had always worn colorful, whimsical outfits growing up. Other children were the same. Yet Mason only had black? It was no wonder he seemed so repressed! "For now, you can still wear these. But I'll take you shopping for new clothes later." Mason nodded. After getting dressed and freshening up, he followed Cynthia downstairs for breakfast. Later, he went to the study to read. From start to finish, he didn't say a single word. "How can this go on?" Cynthia lamented. Cynthia had an idea and leaned her head over Mason's desk. "Mason, let's play a game! You can't refuse. If you answer correctly, there's a reward. Imagine you're a poor person, and you're given a choice—either a fishing rod or a bucket of fish. Which would you choose?" Mason, seemingly unaccustomed to playing games, pursed his lips. After a moment, he finally said, "A bucket of fish." Cynthia's heart leaped with joy—he was willing to talk! Such a rare moment! But then she replied, "That's the wrong answer! Giving someone fish isn't as good as teaching them how to fish. A bucket of fish will run out, but a fishing rod can catch many more." Mason frowned slightly and replied coolly, "But if I sell the basket of fish, I could buy several fishing rods. Then I could rent the rods out, charge a rental fee, and use that fee to buy even more rods. I could fish myself or rent the rods out again, repeating the process and earning a steady income. Isn't that better?" Cynthia was choked up. Could it really work like that? This business mindset… Did he inherit it from Zachary? Cynthia was floored, completely convinced by his logic. Still, she couldn't help but wonder, "Mason, you speak so fluently and clearly. Why don't you talk more?"