“Once upon a time, there was a princess. Like all princesses, she was very, very beautiful. Her eyes were like stars gathered from the sky, like your favorite nursery rhyme – they would twinkle, twinkle little star, making people want to keep looking at them. Her hair was as smooth as a waterfall, her skin as white as snow, and her lips as red as the cherries baby loves to eat…”

“But this princess also had something different from all other princesses. Unlike other princesses who lived in castles every day, only needing servants to bring tea and water while living exquisite lives, this princess’s dream was to become a doctor and heal the sick.”

“To become a doctor, she had to study hard and spend all her time quietly struggling.”

“But Dad, if the princess studies so hard, does she still have time to swing on swings, play on slides, and eat ice cream?”

Yan Ming touched his daughter’s soft little head. The little one was nestled in warm blankets with only her head showing, two bright black eyes that looked just like Yu Tian’s, curious and puzzled.

“She had to control herself. She couldn’t spend all day swinging and sliding, only occasionally. Ice cream had to be eaten even less, because otherwise she’d get cavities, and princesses can’t have cavities.”

The little one made a disappointed sound: “Then maybe she shouldn’t be a doctor and just be a princess!”

“But every princess must have a dream and persist for that dream. Only this way can she become a qualified princess worthy of the princess title.”

The little one nodded with half understanding.

Yan Ming smiled and continued: “Then our princess worked very hard and was about to succeed, but she encountered difficulties. Like every princess, she faced trials. While helping others, her hand was injured, and for doctors, hands are most important.”

“What happened then?” The little one poked her head out, a bit nervous. “Could the princess still be a doctor?”

“She couldn’t perform surgeries anymore, so the princess was very sad. She was heartbroken, and during the process of almost giving up her dream, many bad people wanted to deceive her and make her change from a princess to an ordinary person.”

“What kind of bad people? How could they be so bad!”

Facing his daughter’s shared indignation, Yan Ming deeply agreed: “Some, for example, pursued the princess, wanting her to give up her efforts and dreams to become a housewife – bad men; others pretended to be good people, deceiving the princess and wanting to be her big brother; and those who only saw the princess’s beauty without discovering her efforts and inner beauty – bad men who didn’t understand the princess at all but kept circling her, wanting to occupy her time and prevent her from studying and improving…”

The little one’s eyes widened: “Why are there so many bad people! Dad, what happened to the princess later? Did she give up her dream?”

“No, the princess didn’t give up, because she was a smart princess. She knew these bad men were all there to harm her. Around her, a handsome and brave prince also appeared to help her, fight the bad people together with her, support and encourage her, and finally accompany the princess to find her dream again.”

The little one’s eyes brightened: “Did the prince heal the princess’s hand? Did the princess still become a doctor?”

“No, the prince couldn’t heal the princess’s hand either. The princess didn’t become a doctor again, but became a teacher for doctors, just like your kindergarten teacher, teaching you many things and helping you become amazing people in the future.”

“What does the prince do, Dad? The princess is so capable – the prince isn’t just a prince who can’t do anything else, right?”

Yan Ming smiled: “Of course, the prince must also have dreams. No one can casually become a prince or princess. The prince also has his work, must also work hard to heal and save people, must have dreams, and must work very hard to be a prince.”

The little one nodded solemnly: “So being a prince and princess is so difficult. I thought it was like in fairy tales – you just need to dress beautifully and attend balls.”

“Princes and princesses who dress beautifully for balls are only because they were born as princes and princesses. But to truly become princes and princesses in everyone’s eyes, just dressing beautifully and looking beautiful isn’t enough. You also need to truly be a very good person, useful to others, not only happy yourself but also willing to share your happiness and strength with people who need it.”

“Dad, does that mean even if you’re not born a princess, you can become one through your efforts?”

Yan Ming also nodded solemnly: “That’s right. So, does the baby want to be a princess?”

“Yes!”

“Then you need to work hard, persist in everything you do, practice piano, and can’t act spoiled and lazy with Mom and Dad every time it’s practice time, okay?”

“Okay… Dad, I’ll get up and practice tomorrow morning! Because I want to be a princess too!”

Yan Ming touched his daughter’s little head: “Baby is so good.”

“Dad, what happened to the princess later?”

“Later?” Yan Ming thought for a moment. “The princess and prince got married, were very happy, and had a lovely little princess.”

He thought this was a perfect ending, but heard the child on the bed make a disappointed “ah” sound—

“Then isn’t the prince also a bad man? He also tricked the princess in the end, making her marry and have children! This way, the princess won’t have time to continue studying and working hard!”

Just as Yan Ming was about to explain, he heard the little one say righteously, “So Dad, this prince isn’t a good person either. I think he’s the worst!”

“…”

Just as Yan Ming was at a loss for words, Yu Tian opened the door: “Baby, Mommy very much agrees with your opinion. I think you’re right – the prince is a very bad guy.”

Yan Ming was somewhat amused.

“But the princess still liked him very much, because he was bad in a cute way. Also, the princess loved her little princess very much and didn’t think marriage and having children meant she couldn’t work hard anymore. She accompanied her baby, just like Mommy accompanies you, learning lots of new knowledge every day. Look, Mommy learned what little children like, how to handle when little children get sick, how to pay attention to children’s mental health…”

“Mommy didn’t know this knowledge before, but now Mommy has learned it. So the princess can also accompany her child while continuing to study and improve.”

“But now it’s time to turn off the lights, because bedtime story time is almost over.”

The little one was a bit reluctant: “Can Dad tell one more?”

Yan Ming smiled and tucked the child in: “No more, because besides accompanying you at night, Dad also needs to accompany Mommy. You’re Dad’s treasure, and Mommy is also Dad’s treasure.”

The little one waved her small hand: “Okay, good night, Mom and Dad.”

Yan Ming and Yu Tian looked at each other with smiles, then looked at their child together, their voices gentle—

“Good night, sweetheart.”