Chapter 22: Let Ste Come to My House


    All the conditions had pointed out that Noah was diagnosed with autism.


    “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to ask it.” Hayden apologized sincerely. “How about this, in order to show my


    apology, why don’t I treat you the meal today?” Joseph’s mind was pulled back from his thoughts and


    seeing her anxious look, he realized his attitude just now was slightly rude. Having remembered her


    saving Noah back then, he softened his voice and exined, “Noah can speak, it’s just that he doesn’t


    like to.” Hayden nodded and did not ask anymore.


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    Meanwhile, Noah was sitting amidst a sea of colorful balls. Having lost track of Ste’s whereabouts,


    he frowned and looked apprehensive. Suddenly, something exploded before him and the balls all


    scattered everywhere. Ste shot up from beneath the balls and stared at him whileughing. “I’m right


    here!” Noah was obviously shocked. He was stupefied as if it was the first time someone had ever


    yed with him like that.


    Feeling slightly startled, Ste asked, “What’s wrong, Noah?” Noah shook his head and suddenly held


    her hand. He pointed at the dining table’s direction, signifying that he wanted to return. Although Ste


    did not have enough fun yet, seeing Noah’s frightened look, Ste nodded understandingly. “Are you


    hungry? Let’s go back.”


    Noah insisted to sit beside Ste during their meal no matter how Joseph warned him. Luckily Ste


    was carefree enough that she straight away went to the ce beside Joseph and said with a childish


    voice, “Since Noah likes my mommy that much, I’ll let him sit beside mommy. I can sit here.” Seeing


    Hayden did not show any dislike, Joseph then let him be.


    Examining the adorable little girl beside him, he inexplicably thought her looks to be appealing. “His


    name’s Noah Beckham,” Joseph introduced. Ste nodded obediently and a question popped out into


    her mind. She then asked, “Oh yes, how old is Noah? What if he’s younger than me?”


    “He’s five. His birthday falls just one day before the Moonlight Festival.” Having heard that, Hayden’s


    look froze. Just before Moonlight Festival? What a coincidence that he actually had the same birthday


    as Ste. “What about you?” Seeing Joseph asking her back, Ste scratched her head and looked


    towards Hayden for help. She could not remember her birthday as she was just a five years-old kid


    after all. Not knowing why, Hayden deliberately lied that Ste’s birthday was one month before her


    actual birthday. “Ste’s birthday falls on 14 September.” Joseph no longer asked anything about that


    as if he just asked it without any purpose.


    During their meal, Ste and Noah both had same preference for taste : both of them liked sweet


    foods. When thest desert was served, Ste ate hers in great delight while Noah ate his silently. But


    from his clean desert te after finished eating, he seemed to enjoy it very much. Children always had


    immense energy and spirit. Both of them ran to y at the children corner again after finishing their


    meal. Hayden and Joseph waited for them for some time while keeping each otherpany. Hayden


    wasposed at first, but as their waiting time got longer and longer, she started to look at the time


    frequently.


    She then reminded Ste for the umpteenth time, “Ste, it’s time to go home.” Ste looked up from


    the sea of balls and glimpsed at her. “No, I still want to y with Noah for a while.”


    “Ste Downey.” Whenever Hayden called Ste’s full name, it usually meant she was on the verge of


    explosion. That worked well during normal days, but not knowing when had Ste gone bold today, she


    dared ignoring her and continued to y battling games with Noah in the sea of balls. Hayden finally


    went down and dragged her out. “Do you know what the time is now? You should go home with me


    now, Ste.” One of Ste’s arms was grabbed and she immediately used her other arm to snatch


    Joseph’s trouser leg. “Help me mister.”


    Joseph had already nned to keep his sonpany in the first ce as he yed and he did not


    care how long he yed, not to mention he found that the little girl to be especially appealing. He then


    scooped her up and carried her in his arms, saying ndly, “Kids like to y, why not just let them y


    a little longer?” Ste put her arms around his neck and made a face at Hayden. “Mommy, since you


    have nothing to do back home, why don’t you chat more with mister to improve your rtionship!”


    Hayden almost coughed blood hearing her words. “What nonsense are you talking about, Ste


    Downey? Get down here…I’m sorry Mr. Beckham, I’m not hitting you…” Ste clung onto Joseph like


    an ape and refused to get down. Hayden used to pat her butt to threaten her but her trick did not work


    now that she had Joseph’s huge support. After causing amotion due to their quarrels in the


    restaurant, Hayden then gave up and stood there angrily, looking aggrieved. “Mr. Beckham, I think it’s


    better you put her down. I’ve beenck in disciplining, and I’ll lecture her when we return.”


    “It’s okay.” Joseph let out a rare smile. “Ste is actually quite adorable, she’s just active. And it’s rare


    that she could y so well with Noah.” Ste was sensitive enough to hear his words; she then


    immediately crawled into the pool via thedder. “Then could mommy bring me to Noah’s house next


    time?” With a livid look, Hayden gritted her teeth and spoke, “Ste, Downey!” How could an intern


    worker like her visit Joseph’s house that casually? “Mommy, I’ll go home with you if you agree.”


    As Hayden was going to use the hard way to bring Ste home, Noah who was at the side quickly took


    out a stack of sticky notes from his bag and raised it up after writing something on it. He let Joseph saw


    what he had written and it turned out it was: Let Stee to my house.


    Joseph was startled as Noah had rarely requested anything from him, not to mention anything


    regarding making friends. Having remembered the psychiatrist mentioning the necessity for an autistic


    child to form more connections with people, he became indecisive. After a moment of considerations,


    he then said with a serious look, “Why don’t I send someone to pick you up next Saturday? You can


    come over to my house with Ste.”


    Hayden’s eyes bulged and she eximed, thinking she had heard something wrong. Yet Ste had


    already started to cheer up and was as happy as ark. Shended on the ground after escaping from


    Joseph’s arms and seized Noah’s hand, forcibly giving him a high five. “Hurray…I can go to your house


    now Noah.” Since Joseph had given his invitation, it was inappropriate for Hayden to reject the offer


    and she then acquiesced. The only thing to be d was the kids finally agreed to leave the Japanese


    restaurant. Hayden had a feeling that every restaurant staff would soon know her if she stayed there


    any longer.


    After getting out of the shopping mall, Joseph’s chauffeur drove the car over and it was unusual for


    Joseph to be such a gentleman. He rumbled, “I’ll send you back.” Without waiting for Hayden to reject,


    Ste strode forward and scrambled onto the back seat of the car, sitting inside the car and waved at


    Hayden. “Mommy,e in! It’sfortable in here!” Hayden put her hand on her forehead feeling


    speechless. Her instinct told her that after today, Joseph would think she was an irresponsible parent


    that was greatly inept in educating her child!