The Stars In Your Eyes - Chapter 240

What makes Jian Kang Lu afraid to become a parent in the first place was he knew he was never a patient one, unlike his little husband. He also felt he can’t be a teacher to guide their children. Even though his residents always said he could teach well, deep inside his heart he always felt he lacked the talent of being a good teacher.

Loving your children is different from being a good parent to them. To raise children, love itself was never enough.

For example, when his children turn three years old. A lot of children at that age are sent to preschool and continue to kindergarten when they turn four. Jian Kang Lu and Bai Yutang agreed to send their children to preschool at the end of winter, when they are almost 3,5 year old.

There’s a lot of good preschools nowadays. Jian Kang Lu only chose a good one near their residential complex even though Sun Hongjia told him that he suggested the preschool his son once attended.

That preschool is freaking expensive. Bai Yutang almost bawled his eyes out to see the leaflet, and rejected it immediately.

“What kind of preschool has tuition as expensive as university students!”

Jian Kang Lu only smiled and they agreed to send Bai Jingting and Jian Ying Yue to ordinary preschool.

Jian Ying Yue was extremely excited. She chooses her clothes and shoes for a long time, making her nanny almost explode from holding her laugh.

Because Bai Yutang needs to go to the office earlier and have an important meeting in the morning, the task of sending their children to the preschool falls to Jian Kang Lu.

“Can you record them for me, gege?” Bai Yutang asked pitifully.

Jian Kang Lu of course won’t let his little husband down.

That night, when the couple returned from work, they asked the children about their experience of making new friends.

“So, can both of you tell daddy and papa what you experienced today? Daddy and papa never went to preschool before.”

No need to describe what Jian Ying Yue rambled about. She talks non stop for 30 minutes explaining to her daddy and papa, pity both of them because her daddy and her papa never experienced preschool.

“We’re not crying! We’re so smart! Because I’m a wise and beautiful princess, I didn’t cry. But there are a lot of them crying.”

“Oh, our Ying Yue is so smart, indeed a wise and beautiful princess. Why are your new friends crying?”

“They say because their mommy is gone. What is a mommy, daddy?”

This choked Bai Yutang and he hurriedly detoured the questions. “What about you, Ah Ting? Did you make new friends?”

Bai Jingting were playing with his new puzzle cube, he didn’t even lifted his head and answer, “The miss who teach us to sing is kind, but she’s a little bit dumb.”

“Ah Ting.. What did daddy tell you before? You’re not allowed to call other people with that bad word. We agreed that you can’t play with your cube if you say those words.”

Bai Jingting instantly held his cube tight, “But she really is! She keeps repeating the same word again and again. She even says the number 1 as 7 several times and won’t stop until one of us says the right answer.”

Bai Yutang sighed, resentfully looking at his husband who laughed out loud and ruffled his son’s hair. His husband really is not helping him at all.

Bai Yutang explained that the teacher was playing games with him, waiting for the students to recognise the number. “Just correct the miss if she plays another game. Follow your miss and help your new friends to play with her, okay?”

Jian Kang Lu still laughed and put his princess on his lap, listening to her rambles once more.

Jian Kang Lu rarely scolds and punishes their children, yet both Jian Ying Yue and Bai Jingting fear him the most. Bai Yutang seriously thought maybe he did not look masculine enough. He secretly wants to grow his moustache and beard because of this.

Jian Kang Lu and Bai Yutang take turns sending their children to the preschool. Since they’re having children and moved to the new house, Bai Yutang bought a new small car by himself.

One week after the children attend preschool, the teacher calls Bai Yutang, ask him to meet them. They don’t explain why and just politely ask him when Bai Yutang is free to come.

Bai Yutang immediately took a half day leave and went to the preschool office to meet their children’s teacher. Not only the teacher attended the meeting, the headmistress was also there.

“Mr. Bai.. I do love to teach your children, but won’t you consider putting your son into a special school? He’s so talented! Have you tested his IQ? Honestly we think it would be a shame if he studied here. We’re not capable of bringing the best for your son.”

Bai Yutang speechless. He already talked about this with his husband many times, and they agreed to let Bai Jingting follow a normal life. A life where a kid should have, play with normal children at his age.

“Me and my husband know about it,  Ms. Hua. But we agreed to let him have a normal life. He needs to make new friends and play outside instead of playing with his cubes and numbers. Please continue to teach him.”

One week after that, Jian Ying Yue asks her daddy and her papa, why does everyone else have one daddy and one mommy, while they have one daddy and one papa.

Bai Yutang can’t answer that. He threw the question to his husband. Jian Kang Lu thought for a while before he answered his daughter, “Let’s go to the park next Sunday, okay? Papa will answer that question there.”

The next Sunday, they went to the big park near their residential area. On Sunday morning, a lot of old people do mild exercise, the young run or ride their bicycle, some ride skateboards. A lot of people took their children to play, along with people who took their dogs to play together.

The family of four laid their thin mattress. Bai Yutang opened his bag and took out the drinks along with their simple breakfast. He makes soft little buns with various fillings. Soft savory meat, sweet green beans, honey cream, cheese, and Jian Ying Yue’s favorite, soft sweet coconut. Bai Yutang also brings fresh fruits and steamed broccoli.

Jian Kang Lu watching his children eating and chatting with their daddy. After eating, Bai Jingting asked him with big eyes widened. His expression was filled with curiosity.

“Papa, you promise us you will tell us why we don’t have mommy.”

Jian Kang Lu brings his son to sit on his lap, and gestures to Jian Ying Yue to come and sit together with her brother in her papa’s lap.

Once both children sat obediently, Jian Kang Lu pointed to a man who played with his golden retriever.

“Can both of you tell papa, what is that animal playing with the man wearing the red hat?”

“A dog!”

“Mmm.. So smart. And.. Mmm, could you tell papa, what animal playing with the girl in black t-shirt over there?” Jian Kang Lu pointed at a girl who ran slowly with her poodle.

“A dog!” Jian Ying Yue shouts once more, while Bai Jingting seems to be thinking. “A poodle.” He answered after that.

Jian Kang Lu didn’t correct both of them, and kept asking his children about different dogs playing in the park this morning.

After he pointed out six different dogs, all Jian Ying Yue’s answer is dogs, while Bai Jingting only recognised three kinds of dogs. If he didn’t know the answer, he would keep silent. His face clearly shows his dissatisfaction from his lack of knowledge.

“Now.. Do you see that all the dogs here are different? But they are all still dogs. Even that and that, is the same dog called retriever, but their fur colour is different, right? One is white while the other is brown.”

Jian Kang Lu then pointed at himself, “Now, what is this called?”

Jian Ying Yue shouted, “Papa!”

Bai Jingting slowly said, “Human.”

Jian Kang Lu smiled, “Yes. A human called papa. Now look at that one.” Jian Kang Lu pointed at the woman who ran past them. “What do you call her?”

“Human!” Jian Ying Yue shouted again.

“A woman.” Bai Jingting said.

“Yes. Human, but with a different gender. That one is called a woman, while your papa is a man. But we are all human. Now, dog and human, are we the same, or different?”

Jian Ying Yue looked at her papa, pitying him. “Of course it’s different.”

Bai Jingting didn’t answer, he knew his papa must ask another trap question.

Jian Kang Lu raised his eyebrow, “Why different?”

Jian Ying Yue explained slowly, afraid her papa didn’t understand. Like her miss in preschool said, she needs to explain things to her new friends slowly because some of them are not as smart as her.

“Dogs have hair all over, while papa only has little hair.”

Jian Kang Lu almost choked while Bai Yutang laughed out loud. Honestly, the words his daughter said right now trigger painful memories for Jian Kang Lu. He still remembers how his kitten rumoured to have a relationship with a bald, fat, old man.

“Dogs walk with four legs while papa walks with two legs. Dogs have long ears, while papa has small ears.” Jian Ying Yue keeps mentioning the differences between dogs and humans one by one.

Jian Kang Lu waited until his daughter finished, then he asked Bai Jingting, “Ah Ting didn’t want to answer?”

Bai Jingting slowly shook his head.

Jian Kang Lu hugged both of his children. “Yes, dogs and humans are different. Ah Yue’s eyes are so sharp, even papa can’t mention the many differences between humans and dogs like Ah Yue just did. But.. There are some similarities between humans and dogs. Both humans and dogs are classified as animal kingdom. Not a kingdom as the prince and princess live in. It’s called biology. Later when Ah Yue and Ah Ting grow up, you’ll learn about that.”

Jian Kang Lu then points at man and woman who run together passing them, “Even humans have differences between them. A man, a woman, light skin, darker skin, black eyes like Ah Ting, brown eyes like Ah Yue.”

Jian Kang Lu kissed both of his children, “But.. All of us are the same human even though we’re different. Just like your friends having one mommy and one daddy, both Ah Ting and Ah Yue are different from them, since Ah Yue and Ah Ting have a daddy and a papa. But it doesn’t mean being different is a bad thing. Even though Ah Yue and Ah Ting are different from your friends, it doesn’t mean that you’re really different. Your friends have a mommy and daddy, who love your friends. Just like papa and daddy love Ah Yue and Ah Ting so so so much.”

“I love papa and daddy too!” Jian Ying Yue turned around and hugged Jian Kang Lu’s waist with her little hands.

Jian Kang Lu smiled and kissed his children again.

“Thank you. So, today’s lesson is that you know that both you and your friends are called human. Little humans are called children. All of you studying in the same class, teached by the same Ms. Hua. Even if some are different from each other, it doesn’t matter. The important thing is Ah Yue and Ah Ting become a good children, didn’t say bad words or disturb your friends, follow your miss in the class. The most important thing is, Ah Yue and Ah Ting need to become good children who love daddy and papa as much as we both love you.”

The result from deep conversation in the park is that Bai Jingting asks his daddy and his papa to go to the bookstore and buy a bunch of encyclopedias about dogs, cats, birds, and many more.