âBaby, dad and mom arenât going to divorce, but you donât have to worry. Your dad and I arenât unhappy,â Ruan Xia slowly said, âYouâre too young to understand matters between adults. When youâre a little older, mom will explain it to you. I want to tell you something else. I hope that you can keep it in my mind. Your dad and I love you a lot. Even if one day weâre no longer husband and wife, it wonât affect our love for you.â
Little Wang didnât quite understand her words, but he still nodded. âI got it. You and dad really wonât divorce?â
Ruan Xia didnât know whether to laugh or cry. âYup.â
âThen why donât you guys sleep together?â
Ruan Xia thought it over before suggesting, âWhy donât you go ask your dad?â
She had answered this question before, but it was obvious that the previous answer she gave couldnât fool the child anymore.
And so, she decided to throw the ball to Song Tingshen.
âOkay.â Little Wang was revived. He hopped off of her lap and two quick steps toward the door before turning around and rushing back into her arms like a little cannonball. Hugging her waist, he asked, âMom, are you happy?â
Ruan Xia nodded honestly. âVery happy.â
Even though she woke up as another person and there were moments when she missed her parents, she believed that it was pointless to dwell on those thoughts. It would only be stirring up unhappiness for herself. Besides, from a pragmatic point of view, was there any reason for her to be unhappy?
âThatâs good.â Little Wang was relieved. âI just want mom to be happy. Iâm happy when mom is happy.â
âSuch a good son.â
â
âDad, why donât you and mom sleep together?â
Faced with his sonâs question, Song Tingshen didnât know how to answer.
He thought of Ruan Xiaâs previous answer and used her excuse. âBecause your mom sleeps late and wakes up late. I donât want to bother her.â
Little Wang snorted. âIâm not one of those little kids thatâs easily tricked. Dad, you said that a person has to be honest. Donât be dishonest with me just because Iâm a kid.â
Song Tingshen: â...â
He didnât know what had happened. Ruan Xia hadnât given him the heads up through a WeChat message.
Once again, Song Tingshen was at a loss of words in front of his son.
Why didnât he sleep together with Ruan Xia?
Because they didnât get married out of love. Besides, Ruan Xia had been pregnant when they got married, and the two of them had already come to a common understanding by then. And so, from the first night of their marriage, they hadnât slept together.
But, how could he explain to his son that his parents only got married because of him and they didnât have feelings for each other? Thatâs why they didnât sleep together.
Early on, Song Tingshen had set down the resolution that he would be a good father, an honest father, a father that could be friends with his child. But at this moment, he really couldnât tell the truth.
âDo you want mom and dad to sleep together?â Song Tingshen didnât answer his sonâs question.
Little Wang thought it over and said, âOther kidsâ parents sleep together.â
An indirect yes.
Song Tingshen already knew that their son was growing up, and Ruan Xia and his previous way of getting along wouldnât work. It wouldnât have any benefit to Little Wangâs development. Thatâs why he had forced himself to have a talk with her.
But now, should he and Ruan Xia sleep together in the same bed?
No, that was obviously an undesirable outcome.