BABHFD : Chapter 52 Change

 

Ren Zhouyuan always thought Leonid must have scored full marks in the art of sweet talk. But even though he knew these were likely just sweet nothings, Ren Zhouyuan couldn’t help but be moved.

 

Leonid’s words helped him break free from his years-long mental shackles. Though Leonid’s logic was simple and straightforward, as he himself said, Chinese is indeed a fascinating language. Ren Zhouyuan’s understanding of his own name wasn’t wrong, and similarly, Leonid’s interpretation had its own merit.

 

That night, Ren Zhouyuan slept soundly for the first time in a long while, feeling unprecedentedly relaxed. The things that had subconsciously been holding him back seemed to disappear that night and didn’t resurface for a long time.

 

Their conversation that night seemed to have never happened, and the topic of a second child didn’t come up between them again. Everything felt so natural, and their lives gradually got back on track. Occasionally, when Fan Wenfeng brought up similar topics, Ren Zhouyuan could face them with a smile, as if the idea of having another child had never troubled him.

 

Initially, Leonid worried that Ren Zhouyuan’s behavior might be masking his true feelings. He secretly observed Ren Zhouyuan, feeling anxious whenever he saw him with An An, and even accompanied them to pick up An An, fearing that seeing other children would trigger Ren Zhouyuan’s anxiety.

 

But gradually, Leonid realized he was making a mountain out of a molehill. Ren Zhouyuan neither reacted excessively nor seemed depressed, which finally allowed Leonid to breathe a sigh of relief. But not long after, he found himself on edge again when he discovered Ren Zhouyuan reading the parenting books he had hidden!

 

Before discovering this, Leonid had already noticed some changes in Ren Zhouyuan. Although he used to spend a lot of time with An An, recently, he was spending even more time with him, talking in hushed tones and occasionally even sleeping in An An’s room. An An even secretly came to ask Leonid if he had quarreled with his father.

 

They hadn’t quarreled. In fact, their relationship was better than ever, which only made it stranger.

 

Leonid later noticed that Ren Zhouyuan would sometimes stare blankly at the children playing in the community garden, looking thoughtful, which alarmed Leonid, especially when Ren Zhouyuan would snap out of it and go about his business as usual, leaving Leonid bewildered.

 

The most obvious change was during their intimate moments. Every time Leonid tore open a condom, Ren Zhouyuan would stare at it as if trying to bore a hole through it. If it weren’t for Leonid’s remarkable self-control, he would have been overwhelmed by Ren Zhouyuan’s intense gaze.

 

Accumulating all these changes, it was hard for Leonid not to notice something. He thought Ren Zhouyuan was still bothered by the idea of having another child, so he subtly hinted multiple times that he really didn’t mind. However, the progress of events was beyond his expectations.

 

That afternoon, he came out of the study and saw Ren Zhouyuan in the living room reading a book. Initially, he didn’t think much of it, but as he glanced at the cover, it looked increasingly familiar. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was the parenting book he had hidden away earlier!

 

Leonid’s heart started racing. He had hidden the book after their last argument, fearing Ren Zhouyuan would overthink and believe he still wanted another child. Trying to act calm, he walked over, sat beside Ren Zhouyuan, draped an arm over the back of the sofa, and asked casually, “What are you reading?”

 

Ren Zhouyuan instinctively snuggled closer, finding a comfortable position in Leonid’s arms. He showed him the cover and continued reading, saying, “This book is quite good. I’ve found that Chinese and foreign parenting philosophies are really different. Look here,” he pointed to a section, “Chinese parents tend to pick up their child when they cry, but Western parents let them cry it out before comforting them.”

 

Ren Zhouyuan gave a few more examples, marveling at the differences in education between East and West. Leonid carefully observed Ren Zhouyuan’s expression, finding that he was genuinely discussing the book’s content without any signs of distress or obsession.

 

A thought struck Leonid, making his heart race faster. He pondered for a moment and said, “Yes, raising children is an art with a lot to learn.”

 

Ren Zhouyuan fell silent for a moment, then closed the book, placed it on the coffee table, and turned to face Leonid, sitting cross-legged. He looked at him for a while, then silently took Leonid’s hand and placed it on his heart, looking into his eyes. He slowly said, “If I can’t do it well, you have to help me.”

 

This sentence seemed to respond to their last conversation. Leonid’s heart pounded even faster, almost leaping out of his throat with excitement and a hint of uncertainty. He turned Ren Zhouyuan’s hand over, holding it tightly, and asked excitedly, “Does this mean what I think it means?”

 

Ren Zhouyuan suddenly laughed. The afternoon sunlight streaming through the window illuminated his face, making his smile even warmer. He placed his other hand on Leonid’s face, leaned in to kiss him, and nodded, saying, “I hope it’s not too late.”

 

Leonid immediately pulled Ren Zhouyuan into his arms, holding him tighter and tighter, as if wanting to meld him into his body.

 

He kissed his head several times, repeatedly whispering in his ear, “It’s not too late, never too late. Thank you, thank you…”

 

Ren Zhouyuan relaxed, hugging him back, burying his head in Leonid’s shoulder, feeling a sense of peace. Perhaps this time, he still wouldn’t do well, might hide, and might fear others’ eyes, but some things had become blurry over the years. Yet, the moment of holding An An would be a lifelong memory he would never forget.

 

He never imagined he would one day consider having another child. But Leonid gave him the courage to believe he could face his body without fear of others’ eyes. This time, he hoped Leonid could share this joy with him, not missing a single moment of their child’s growth.

 

After Ren Zhouyuan agreed to try for another baby, Leonid wasted no time. He acted like a newly expecting father, his face constantly filled with a smile, actively buying baby supplies. Even though Ren Zhouyuan’s belly showed no signs yet, Leonid was already planning for the child’s university.

 

Ren Zhouyuan watched him do all this, feeling a moment of guilt for rejecting him before. But the guilt couldn’t outweigh the growing ridiculousness of Leonid’s actions. When he saw piles of baby clothes being delivered, Ren Zhouyuan finally put a stop to it, dousing Leonid’s enthusiasm with a bucket of cold water.

 

Ren Zhouyuan pinched his brow and reminded Leonid, “Aren’t you forgetting something important?”

 

Immersed in fantasies of a large family, Leonid looked at him, confused.

 

Ren Zhouyuan sighed helplessly, glanced down at his own belly, and seeing Leonid still puzzled, he pointed at his stomach and said, “I’m not pregnant yet!”

 

His words were like a wake-up call, jolting Leonid back to reality. He immediately stopped browsing baby items online, stood up, and scooped Ren Zhouyuan up, carrying him straight to the bedroom.

 

Ren Zhouyuan was startled. After realizing what was happening, he patted Leonid to put him down. Seeing the serious look on Leonid’s face, he gave up struggling and buried his head in his arms.

 

Well, he had to take responsibility for his own decisions.