"In our era, every child would be held by their parents and told bedtime stories before sleeping," Lu Wanqing explained.
A strange custom indeed... but it sounded nice?
Mu Sijie was also a little curious, and since Lu Wanqing was Mu Ran's mother, she had the right to choose what she felt was best for her child: "Okay," he nodded in agreement.
"Mu Ran's room is this way," Mu Sijie said, leading the way.
Mu Sijie led Lu Wanqing to the innermost room, stood at the doorway, and gently knocked.
"Knock, knock, knock..."
The sound of the knocking was crisp and clear in the quiet night.
The door opened from the inside. Mu Ran, wearing a miniature version of Mu Sijie's pajamas, looked up at the doorway. A hint of confusion flickered in his deep blue eyes, but it vanished in an instant as his gaze was drawn to Lu Wanqing.
"Your mother wishes to tell you a bedtime story. This is a custom from ancient Earth," Mu Sijie said calmly, looking down at his son from the doorway.
The word "custom" made Mu Ran understand that this was not something he could refuse.
"What is a bedtime story?" Mu Ran's voice was soft and childish, but his tone was serious.
Lu Wanqing paused for a moment, then explained, "It's a story that parents, father and mother, tell their children every night before they go to sleep to help them drift off."
After explaining, Lu Wanqing felt something was a little off, yet also perfectly fine.
It was mainly the little one's question that was so peculiar! Who would ask what a bedtime story was?
Little Mu Ran was also taken aback by Lu Wanqing's explanation. Did father and mother really tell their children stories every night before sleep to help them sleep? He had never heard other children mention it.
"Mhm." Although he hadn't heard of bedtime stories before, little Mu Ran still nodded. He agreed, "Okay."
His father had said it was a custom from ancient Earth, which meant it was his mother's custom, and he had to follow it.
After agreeing, Mu Ran remained standing at the doorway, waiting for his mother's story.
Lu Wanqing looked at little Mu Ran. After a moment, seeing that he had no intention of returning to his room, she couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you going back to your room first?"
Mu Ran looked at her, confused, "Didn't Mother say she was going to tell me a bedtime story?"
Lu Wanqing was stunned, then she smiled. She bent down and scooped the child into her arms.
Little Mu Ran's body tensed up again. No one in his family ever held him like this, not even his father. Yet, his mother, who had only been here for less than half a day, had already held him twice. The feeling was strange, and also... comfortable.
Lu Wanqing carried the child back into the room. She placed him on the bed, knelt by its side, took off his shoes, and tucked his feet into the covers, warming them with the blanket.
"This is how bedtime stories are told. The child lies in bed, ready to sleep. Mommy will stay with you, tell you stories, and help you fall asleep~" Lu Wanqing settled the little one down, her voice softening unconsciously as she coaxed him gently.
Lying in bed, with his father and mother standing by the bedside watching him, Mu Ran felt unaccustomed. He instinctively wanted to get up, but recalling his mother's words, the movement of his raised hand stopped. He hesitated for a moment before complying, lying down obediently, his eyes looking at Lu Wanqing with anticipation.
Lu Wanqing gently stroked the child's forehead. She thought for a moment, then leaned down and placed a light kiss on his fair forehead.
"Then Mommy will tell you a story~" Lu Wanqing finished her kiss and sat down by the bed, looking at the child nestled in the blankets, her voice soft.
Mu Sijie watched Lu Wanqing's entire sequence of actions from the side, finding it peculiar, with a certain indescribable sense of ritual.
After sitting down, Lu Wanqing thought for a moment and suddenly recalled the story of the dragon and the princess.
"Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there was a princess of exceptional beauty. A dragon living in a nearby canyon accidentally heard of her existence, and so it decided to abduct the princess and take her back to its lair to be its new bride..."
Lu Wanqing's voice was soft and gentle, carrying an ineffable warmth. Her tone ebbed and flowed with the story's plot, sometimes surprised, sometimes joyful, sometimes sorrowful, but ultimately happy again. She narrated the fairy tale she had quickly concocted for the child, bit by bit.
Little Mu Ran, from initial confusion and doubt, gradually became captivated by Lu Wanqing's story, listening intently.
"And then what happened?" the child asked, unable to contain his curiosity as the story progressed.
Lu Wanqing couldn't help but smile. She looked at the child, who clearly felt sleepy but was forcing his eyes open, eager to hear the conclusion. Her heart softened. "Later, the dragon was captured by the princess of the Dragon Slaying Kingdom and brought to the castle. He served as a live-in son-in-law for a hundred years. Only after the princess had lived out her hundred years and peacefully passed away in the castle did he transform back into a dragon, circle the castle three times, and fly away."
"Alright, the story ends here. You should get some sleep too."
After finishing the story, Lu Wanqing gently tucked the child in and said in a calm voice, "Goodnight~"
"What does 'goodnight' mean?" little Mu Ran asked again.
Lu Wanqing was taken aback. Had the culture of "goodnight" also disappeared three thousand years later?
"Goodnight means wishing you peace through the night. It was a greeting and a blessing in my era. Everyone would say goodnight to each other before sleeping, wishing each other a peaceful night." Lu Wanqing explained.
"Mhm." Little Mu Ran agreed, understanding.
"Goodnight, Mother," little Mu Ran said, looking at Lu Wanqing.
"Goodnight," Lu Wanqing replied again before standing up.
Lu Wanqing glanced at Mu Sijie, who had been standing by the side watching them from beginning to end without uttering a sound or disturbing them. After a moment's hesitation, she said, "Let's go~"
It was late, and the child needed to rest. They shouldn't stay here any longer and keep him from sleeping.
"Mhm," Mu Sijie nodded.
Lu Wanqing and Mu Sijie left the child's room together. As they exited, she carefully turned off the room light and closed the door.
"Goodnight," Mu Sijie suddenly said as they reached the end of the corridor.
Lu Wanqing paused, then looked up at Mu Sijie. She quickly reacted and also said, "Goodnight~"
"Let's go back and get some rest," Mu Sijie said, looking at her with a clear, gentle voice filled with concern.
Lu Wanqing nodded, "Mhm."
After bidding Mu Sijie farewell, Lu Wanqing turned and returned to the second floor, to the guest room that was hers.
Lu Wanqing took a quick shower and went to bed, then lay down, intending to sleep.
After a day of upheaval, she was tired.
However, waking up in a dream-like state three thousand years later still felt incredible. If...
Thinking about it, Lu Wanqing's thoughts turned to her parents and brothers back on Earth. She wondered if her parents and brothers would be happy if they knew she had woken up, and in this fantastical interstellar era.