Christopher Lee didn't want kids initially out of love for Fann Wong

"When are you having kids?"

Five simple words, but underneath the surface of the seemingly innocuous question lies the expectations society places on a woman's reproductive cycle as well as the sobering awareness of one's ticking biological clock.

In fact, it got so much for actress Fann Wong that her husband, fellow actor Christopher Lee, decided against having kids at one point after seeing how much stress she was under.

Speaking to Lianhe Zaobao in celebration of their 10th wedding anniversary, Christopher, 48, said: "It was a stressful time for us before we had a kid. We were of a certain age, we were celebrities, everyone had their eyes on us, everyone kept asking and unknowingly, it gave us a lot of pressure.

"Everyone kept asking why haven't we had a kid and hurried us to do so. We were emotionally affected at that time."

According to Fann, 48, Christopher repeatedly said he "didn't want a kid anymore" during that trying time.

However, it wasn't because of a shift in his own desire to have a child. It was because Christopher couldn't bear to see Fann suffering.

He explained: "For a period of time, whenever Fann saw a child, she looked like she wanted to 'kidnap' them. It broke my heart. I didn't want to add on to her stress so I told her that I didn't want kids anymore."

Thankfully, the high-profile celebrity couple are now parents to Zed who was born on National Day (Aug 9) in 2014.

ZED IS FANN'S "GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT"

Fann even lauded Zed as her "greatest achievement" in her 10-year marriage to Christopher and said that having a child made her aware that there are bigger things in life than herself.

"It feels like I'm not alone. Having a kid made me look beyond myself, like I'm no longer that important. It's a wonderful experience," she described.

And the changes don't just stop there, according to Christopher, who teased his wife for being particular about how she's seen in public.

He joked: "In the past, it was impossible for her to dress casually for a trip to the market!"

Fann laughed: "Now, I'm thankful that we're able to leave the house. I don't care if my clothes look pretty or if they match. I'm also lazy to change my bag."

It's almost as if she's "transformed into another person", said Fann, who revealed that her "perspective on life" has changed dramatically.

"I know what's important to me — for example, enjoying the morning in the garden with my son is more important than sleep."

LIVING IN THE MOMENT

Perhaps this change in mindset could account for the sudden change in Fann's attitude on having a second child.

It's an open secret that the celebrity couple was hoping for another addition to their family but in a recent media interview, Fann admitted that her dreams of having a second child will most likely be impossible.

She told the media then: "I don't think I want one now. I've already reached a certain age. Things are good the way they are."

ALSO READ: Married for 10 years, Fann Wong and Christopher Lee ain't got time for temptation

However, the loving couple doesn't seem to be letting this revelation put a damper on their marriage as they told Lianhe Zaobao that being married for 10 years has taught them to focus on "living in the moment".

When it comes to raising Zed under the spotlight though, both Fann and Christopher hope to live freely and provide as normal a life as possible for him.

Christopher said: "We'll still bring Zed to the hawker centre and let him live a normal life. We hope to let him understand that his parents are celebrities as soon as possible. I don't want to hide, I hope we can live well."

Fann added: "In his own little world, everyone is friendly, everyone knows his parents and everyone knows each other. He will even speak to strangers."

bryanlim@asiaone.com