Chapter 9 – Even a randomly selected pair of strangers would have a closer relationship than this married couple (3)

“I remember! Dad had me remember his phone number and mom’s number. If I ever get lost, I can call you or dad!”

There was even a phone watch on his chubby wrist. Without Ruan Xia telling him the number, he had already called his dad.

Children were so smart these days. Although he didn’t even recognize a single word, he knew how to use the phone watch to call someone. Ruan Xia guessed that there were probably only a few numbers saved on his phone watch, so there was only a slight difference in navigation to the different numbers.

The chubby kid seemed quite familiar with doing this. He probably called his dad often.

The call was quickly answered. In a very gentle tone, Mr. Song asked, “Little Wang, is there something wrong? Why are you calling dad?”

If a child grew up in a household where parents didn’t love and care for him, then the child was very pitiful. Ruan Xia couldn’t help feeling moved that at least Mr. Song was a dependable father. Otherwise, it would be hard to say if this the chubby kid would have a lively personality right now.

Actually, if Mr. Song hadn’t prematurely died, even if the original Ruan Xia was still here, Song Shuyan could have still had a happy childhood.

This child in the novel was very pitiful. At the age of three, he had lost his father that loved him. And then, it didn’t take long for his mother to abandon him by giving him away.

Even Ruan Xia was starting to feel sympathetic towards him.

The kid looked at Ruan Xia, then he loudly answered, “Dad, I miss you!”

This was followed by low-pitched laughter from the other end.

As a single woman, Ruan Xia felt as if even her ears could get pregnant from hearing that sound.

“Dad misses you too. Dad will be back in a few days. I bought lots of toys for you.”

Ruan Xia was sure that Mr. Song had given a lifetime’s worth of patience and gentleness to his son.

Anyways, this man, who had died at the beginning of the novel, was a good father.

“You don’t have to wait,” the little kid happily said, “Mom said she’ll bring me to see you tomorrow!”

“Oh?” It sounded as if he had stopped smiling. After a pause, he asked, “Mom is going to bring you to see me?”

“Yup!”

“Mom said that?”

“Yup!”

Hearing his tone, Ruan Xia was sure that Mr. Song was feeling baffled right now.

She had originally assumed that Mr. Song would want to speak to her to figure out what was going on. And so, she had a speech planned and revised it several times to make sure there were no holes in her argument.

To her surprise, Mr. Song merely said, “Okay, dad gets it. Dad will be waiting to see you and mom tomorrow.”

Ruan Xia: “…”

Even though he didn’t know what was going on, it didn’t even occur to him talk to his wife on the phone. She was wrong. Even a randomly selected pair of strangers would have a closer relationship than this married couple.

He didn’t want to talk to her, and she didn’t want to join their phone conversation either. This was great. If the original Ruan Xia and Mr. Song actually had any sort of feelings for each other or had a good relationship, she wouldn’t know what to do.

After all, although she was Ruan Xia right now, she didn’t see Mr. Song as her husband. She didn’t have the mental toughness to accept a stranger as her husband.

She felt a similar feeling towards the chubby kid in front of her. Even though he was very cute in appearance and personality and was at a child’s most lovable and innocent age, Ruan Xia couldn’t see him as her son.

En, she could just be his quirky aunt. She couldn’t play a substitute role and treat herself as someone else’s wife or mother.

Translator Ramblings: I like that she doesn’t immediately fall in love with the idea of being Little Wang’s mother, but is still willing to be responsible for him. I find her more relatable. I think it would be hard for most people to instantly accept someone else’s child as his or her own or be up for the heavy responsibility of being a parent.

What do you guys think of Ruan Xia?