Chapter 58: Spring Buds, Bitter Guests, and Sweet Relief

Spring arrived like a sigh of relief over the capital, coaxing blossoms from branches and sending a sweet fragrance floating through the open windows of the Jia household. The courtyard, swept clean and dotted with clay pots of narcissus and young tulips, shimmered under soft sunlight. Inside, Jia Lan tied the sash of her celadon blouse, straightening the subtle pleats of her skirt in the mirror.

In the past three months since the New Year, her system had not been shy about its generosity. From a powerful "scrap memory" perk that helped her recall anything she studied in detail, to an almost ridiculous sum of daily monetary rewards that had quietly accumulated into what she could only describe as her personal fortune. She no longer felt the pressure to rely on her family's wealth—she was secretly wealthy enough to buy a courtyard home of her own.

And it didn't stop there. Daily health tonics had her glowing with vitality, and her system had even sent useful gifts for Xu Li's baby—hand-stitched cloth diapers, imported baby lotion, and even educational toys she had stashed carefully in a locked trunk. No one in the Jia household had any idea she was a walking treasure chest.

She looked the part: composed, graceful, the epitome of a daughter from an elite household. But her mind buzzed like a hive.

"Xu Li's family is coming today," Jia Wei whispered while sipping tea in the kitchen. "Hope the sister-in-law keeps her mouth in check this time."

Jia Lan chuckled inwardly. Xu Li was now eight months pregnant, glowing and round-bellied, and the family treated her like a sacred treasure. Even Jia Zhe, normally calm and cool-headed, had started following his wife around with a thermos and a checklist.

By midmorning, the front gate buzzed with activity.

Xu Li's parents arrived with quiet warmth, arms full of wrapped bundles—sweet pear preserves, hand-sewn swaddling cloth, dried lotus seeds. But right behind them came Ding Meiyun, Xu Li's older brother's wife. She wore a heavily embroidered blouse, a crimson scarf too bright for spring, and an expression that soured milk.

"So quiet here," she said upon entering. "I suppose rich families don't need the noise."

Jia Lan welcomed them with her usual serene smile. "We find that peace makes the tea taste better. Please, sit."

Ding Meiyun looked around at the refined decor—the elegant calligraphy scrolls, the carefully arranged vases. Her lip curled.

"All this for one pregnant woman? When I was expecting my second, I still went to the market and carried water."

Xu Li tensed visibly, her eyes darting to her mother, who only offered an awkward smile. Her father began inspecting a potted orchid like it held state secrets.

Jia Zhe, ever polite, served tea. "Please try the chrysanthemum brew, sister-in-law. It soothes the nerves."

"Do I look nervous?" Ding Meiyun muttered.

"Not nervous," Jia Lan said, smile sharp as porcelain, "just perhaps unused to quiet elegance."

The visit carried on with prickly civility. Grandmother Jia joined them, sitting with straight-backed dignity. She asked after Xu Li's health, ignored the snide comments, and kept the conversation in polite lanes.

Jia Lan noticed the undercurrent: Xu Li was smiling, but it was thin and frayed. Her hands trembled slightly when she lifted the teacup.

Later, while escorting her to the inner courtyard, Jia Lan gently asked, "Do they always speak to you like this?"

Xu Li sighed. "They think I married too well. That I became someone they can no longer control. My parents... they don't want conflict. They nod, smile, and let her say what she wants."

"And your brother?"

"He used to protect me. But ever since his wife took over the household, he says little."

Jia Lan's voice lowered. "It's not your fault, jie. Some families confuse silence with peace. But not here. You're loved out loud."

Xu Li blinked back tears. "Thank you. That means more than you know."

Just as they were about to step back into the main room, Xu Li's mother called her aside.

"Xu Li," she said in a hushed tone, glancing around to make sure no one was listening. "Please try to give in a little more to your sister-in-law. She's difficult, yes, but think of your nephew. Think of the family."

Xu Li stiffened. "Why is it always me who has to give in? Why not ask her to behave better?"

Her mother looked hurt. "She may have her flaws, but she's still family. Causing waves doesn't help anyone. You're in a good place now—just endure for a little while longer."

Xu Li looked away, biting her lip, visibly shaken and upset.

Not long after, Xu Li's parents extended a reluctant invitation for her to visit their home during her last month of pregnancy. Xu Li hesitated but nodded politely.

During lunch, tensions rose again. Ding Meiyun took one look at the dishes and scoffed, "So many side dishes for a weekday lunch? Do you eat like this every day? No wonder Xu Li gained weight."

Mother Jia set down her chopsticks. "She's eight months pregnant. Gaining weight is healthy."

Grandfather Jia, who had been quietly enjoying his meal, spoke up, his voice firm. "We take care of each other here. Xu Li is our daughter now."

Ding Meiyun's mouth tightened. "Just saying. My second pregnancy, I didn't have such luxury."

Father Jia looked at her evenly. "That sounds like something your husband should've fixed."

Jia Lan, eyes twinkling, added, "Some families feed bitterness. We prefer vegetables and love."

Ding Meiyun stood up abruptly. "Enough of this! Always with your high and mighty airs!"

"Please sit, sister-in-law," Xu Li said calmly. "It's not good for the baby to witness arguments."

As things calmed down, Ding Meiyun leaned over to Xu Li with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Let's hope it's a boy. That way, at least you'll stay valuable."

The room froze.

Jia Zhe's expression darkened instantly. "We don't differentiate here. Girl or boy, this child will be loved equally."

Mother Jia added with a tight smile, "If it's a girl, we'll raise her to walk the skies. If it's a boy, we'll raise him to respect women. Either way, we win."

Jia Lan leaned closer to Xu Li and whispered with a wink, "We should name her Victory. Just to spite the bitterness."

Despite the difficult moments, Xu Li had found her safe haven.

She had found home.

When the guests finally left in the late afternoon, the entire Jia household felt as though a heavy cloud had lifted. The tension dissolved like steam as the front gate closed behind the departing figures.

Jia Lan flopped onto the couch, kicking off her shoes. "I thought I was going to sprain a smile muscle."

Everyone burst into laughter.

Xu Li was gently helped to recline on the divan, her feet propped up and a warm towel placed behind her neck by Jia Zhe, who hovered beside her like a devoted shadow.

"Now this," Jia Wei said, stretching his arms, "this is peace. Someone bring tea. And let's all pretend today didn't happen."

Grandmother Jia nodded with a soft sigh. "The house feels right again."

Xu Li smiled genuinely for the first time all day. "Thank you all. Really."

Mother Jia leaned down to adjust her pillow and said, "No need to thank family, my dear. You are ours. That's what matters."

And as laughter resumed, the living room glowed with golden light and warm harmony, proving once again that family—chosen or earned—could be the strongest fortress of all.

As Jia Lan sat quietly on the windowsill that night, watching the peach blossoms sway in the evening breeze, she wrapped her shawl tighter and smiled faintly to herself.

"Whoever—or whatever—sent me to this family... thank you," she thought. "If I had transmigrated into a family like Xu Li's... or worse... I don't know what I would've done."

The warmth of the Jia family, their love, their strength—it wrapped around her like a second skin.

She would protect it, no matter what.