Chapter 64: Sleepless Nights and Tiny Wonders

The Jia household had seen celebration before, but nothing like the joy that followed the birth of little Jia Nuan. Her arrival had brought a burst of vitality and warmth to the home, like the first sunbeam after a long winter. Xu Li and baby Jia Nuan had returned home from the hospital just a few days ago, and since then, the entire house had been lovingly chaotic.

Even the usually composed and elegant Jia Lan found herself caught between laughter and exhaustion.

"How can something so small make me feel like I've aged ten years in three nights?" Jia Wei muttered, yawning dramatically as he sat on the edge of the couch, head tilted toward the soft cooing coming from the nursery.

"Because she's perfect," Jia Lan replied, holding her cup of jujube tea. Her eyes were red from lack of sleep, but they sparkled with affection. "And because she already knows she owns this house."

Inside the nursery, Jia Zhe was holding his daughter like she was made of glass and dreams. He hadn't let her out of his sight since she returned home. Xu Li was propped up on pillows nearby, sipping warm chicken soup delivered earlier by Mother Jia, who now hovered with gentle authority.

"Eat slowly, it's hot," Mother Jia said as she tucked the blanket more securely around Xu Li's legs.

"Mama, I already drank half," Xu Li said, voice soft, eyes drifting toward the baby in Jia Zhe's arms. "But it does help. Thank you."

"You gave us such a treasure. The least I can do is fatten you up with soup," Mother Jia chuckled.

Grandfather Jia peeked into the room, trying not to look too invested, though his eyes shone with pride. "Is she asleep again?"

"She blinked three times," Jia Zhe whispered reverently. "Then yawned. I think she's settling."

"Good heavens," Jia Wei said, entering behind him, "we're acting like a royal heir has been born."

"Correction," Jia Lan said, poking her second brother with a chopstick she'd brought from the kitchen, "a royal empress."

The three siblings gathered around the crib in awe. Jia Nuan lay nestled in layers of soft blankets, her tiny fingers occasionally flexing. She sneezed once, and all three adults gasped.

"Did she catch a cold?!" Jia Wei exclaimed.

"She's fine," Xu Li said, hiding a smile.

"Still," Jia Lan whispered, gently adjusting the blanket, "how is she this small? And yet she already owns all our hearts."

"I used to think I was immune to cuteness," Jia Wei admitted.

"Lies," Jia Lan shot back.

"Alright, I was lying. She's adorable. The moment she made that little grunting noise? Gone. My heart? Gone."

Jia Zhe beamed like a new sun. He placed the baby back into the crib with a reverence that made even Jia Lan sigh.

"Let her sleep. If we're lucky, we might get an hour of silence."

That proved to be wildly optimistic.

Not ten minutes later, a sharp wail pierced the air. The trio leapt to their feet.

"Did she have a bad dream?"

"Maybe she's hungry?"

"Where's the emergency milk bottle kit?"

Xu Li watched the chaos from the bed, laughing

Just as dusk softened the edges of the courtyard and the oil lamps flickered to life, Yao Jing arrived with her usual flair—coat flapping dramatically, arms overloaded with toys and baby rattles wrapped in red silk paper.

"I didn't know what newborns actually play with," she confessed, huffing as she dumped the items onto the tea table, "but I bought everything that made noise or had something dangling. The shopkeeper looked at me like I was crazy."

Everyone laughed as Jia Naun blinked her big curious eyes at the jingling elephant rattle. Jia Wei nudged Yao Jing with a smirk. "You bought enough to entertain a whole kindergarten."

Yao Jing rolled her eyes. "You people are obsessed with this baby. I'm just trying to keep up!"

Jia Lan, sipping warm jujube tea, smiled fondly. No one noticed, but many of the baby clothes folded neatly in Xu Li's dresser, the little socks embroidered with cranes, the imported soft pillows, and the postpartum tonics in the corner cabinet—were all things she had received from her system over the past weeks.

She had quietly given them all to Xu Li and the baby, one by one.

Now, looking at the cozy room with laughter and love circling the tiniest member of their family, she felt content.

Everyone assumed she had spent five or six months of salary to buy it all.

If only they knew she had received everything for free. Blessed by fate. Lucky, indeed.

Later that night, as baby Jia Naun was gently rocked to sleep, Grandfather Jia took out a small wooden box. Inside, nestled in red cloth, was a pair of delicate jade bangles—one with a peach blossom carving, the other etched with clouds and cranes.

"This belonged to your grandmother when she was young," Grandfather said. "And now it belongs to Jia Naun."

Grandmother Jia, eyes moist, nodded and added, "May it protect her, guide her, and carry our love always."

Xu Li burst into quiet tears. She clutched the jade bangles and looked around the room—Jia Zhe holding their baby gently, Jia Lan tucking a blanket over her feet, Mother Jia setting warm chicken soup by her bedside, and even Jia Wei fussing about the room like a flustered hen.

"My own parents haven't even come to see me," Xu Li whispered. "My brother knows I gave birth. But not even a letter. Not even a call."

She paused, then smiled through the tears. "But I have all of you. And that's more than enough."

Jia Lan leaned in and whispered, "Family isn't always about blood. It's about who shows up… with soup, jade, and far too many rattles."

Everyone laughed again, the warmth of that little room sealing itself around them like a treasured memory.

And so, in a house filled with the cries of a newborn, the scent of chicken soup, and the echo of love—baby Jia Naun spent her first week home, safe in the arms of a family that had already vowed to love her forever.