As long as they were studying, Baosheng would wave her hands and feet excitedly, and her mood brightened upon hearing their voices.

Eventually, they all fell asleep—Baosheng, who had been listening, the readers, and even Jiang Lin, who couldn’t resist and fell asleep as well.

With the long summer days, when they woke up, it was still bright outside, but everyone was feeling lazy.

Baosheng was the first to wake up, making noises and waving her hands and feet.

She turned her head towards Jiang Lin, reaching out.

When Yan Runzhi came over, she noticed that Baosheng’s instinct was to nuzzle towards her mother when she was hungry. Jiang Lin woke up and needed to feed her.

Yan Runzhi helped by holding her so Jiang Lin could lie down and nurse. “Don’t hold her too much; it will hurt your back and arms.”

When Cheng Rushan came back in the evening after dinner, Dabao and Xiaobao had another discussion about how they would sleep at night.

Xiaobao said, “Mom, I think you’re working too hard. Shouldn’t Baosheng sleep with us?”

Jiang Lin smiled, “You all sleep so soundly at night. How can you take care of the baby?”

Xiaobao suggested, “We can take turns, three of us can rotate through the night to care for the baby.”

Dabao said, “I can do it.”

Wensheng added, “I can too.”

Yan Runzhi said, “Alright, you’re still young and might not be able to take care of the baby properly, which would affect your own sleep.”

Dabao protested, “Grandma, that’s not fair. Why don’t you trust us? We can do it.”

Xiaobao added, “Yes, why can’t we be with the baby at night? I want to be with her too!”

Jiang Lin countered, “The baby will cry at night and need to be fed. Do you have milk?”

The argument fell silent.

Xiaobao tried to negotiate, “I can help prepare the milk powder for the baby.”

Jiang Lin explained, “Milk powder can only be mixed in; it can’t replace meals, or the baby won’t get enough nutrients to grow properly.”

Understanding this, Xiaobao and Dabao exchanged glances.

Jiang Lin added, “Besides, if you don’t sleep well, you won’t grow tall like your dad.”

“Okay, then we’ll sleep at night and help with the baby during the day,” the brothers agreed immediately.

They were afraid of not growing tall—one of their classmates was much shorter than them despite being the same age, which they found pitiful.

Since the baby mostly slept from birth, only waking to feed, she didn’t have much time for play.

By nine in the evening, the children went to the south room to sleep, and Yan Runzhi closed the door.

Jiang Lin remained in the main room to stretch a bit.

She had been cooped up in the room all day, only watching Yan Runzhi do needlework and playing with the baby, unable to read or listen to the radio, which had no good programs.

She wasn’t tired at all and felt restless, wanting to go outside for a walk.

But to avoid worrying her family and for her own future well-being, she endured.

After a ten-minute walk, she lay down on the kang (a traditional Chinese heated bed) and did some postpartum exercises, which involved writing characters with her legs and doing breathing exercises to help her uterus recover.

Yan Runzhi came over to check on the baby, “Bao’er’s mother, I’ll take the baby away for now so you can get some good rest. If she wakes up to nurse at night, I’ll bring her back.”

Jiang Lin said, “Mom, you’re already tired; you should get some good rest.”

“Wintersheng has to work tomorrow, and if he doesn’t sleep well, it will be hard for him. I stay home all day and don’t go out, so I’ve had plenty of sleep during the day.” The older she got, the less sleep she needed.

She said this was for Cheng Rushan’s benefit, and Jiang Lin, realizing that Cheng Rushan had been working hard too, decided not to insist further.

Seeing Jiang Lin’s agreement, Yan Runzhi happily picked up Baosheng.

For Yan Runzhi, helping to raise children and watching them grow from soft and tender to more developed each day gave her a special sense of accomplishment.

It felt as though time was infinitely stretched, becoming gentle and filled with hope.

She had raised Dong Sheng, Da Bao, and Xiao Bao, and now she was also raising Baosheng, which made her feel invigorated.

When Cheng Rushan came back from his bath and saw her cheerful expression, he thought it hadn’t changed over the years.

Little did they know, while Jiang Lin and Cheng Rushan had agreed, Baosheng did not.

She had been asleep, but as soon as Yan Runzhi picked her up, she opened her eyes, furrowed her brows, and began to fuss.

Yan Runzhi gently sang a lullaby to soothe her while trying to carry her out.

“Wah~~” Baosheng cried loudly, protesting being taken away without her consent.

Yan Runzhi spoke in the gentlest voice, trying to calm her, but the crying only grew louder.

Jiang Lin said, “Did she just eat before sleeping and now is hungry again?”

Yan Runzhi brought her back to Jiang Lin to try feeding her.

As soon as Baosheng was close to Jiang Lin, she stopped crying immediately, and her little head kept burrowing into Jiang Lin’s arms.

Cheng Rushan took her and she snuggled into his arms, falling asleep right away.

The three of them fell silent.

It was surprising how quickly she went from crying to sleeping.

Yan Runzhi laughed, “She’s such a clever little one, even more sensitive than her older brother. She must have recognized her parents’ scent.”

When Xiao Bao was little, he always said that his mom smelled nice and wanted to stay close to her.

Jiang Lin used to hold him to sleep, and he loved it so much that he still says she has a nice smell.

It seems Baosheng is similarly perceptive.

Cheng Rushan said, “Mother, let her sleep here for now. You rest well tonight, and take care of her during the day.”

Yan Runzhi smiled helplessly, gently touching the baby’s little feet. “This little girl is so perceptive at such a young age; she’ll be quite something when she grows up.”

Jiang Lin laughed, “Maybe she’s just sensitive in some ways and less so in others.”

Some people are particularly attentive to what they care about, while they remain oblivious to what they don’t.

Seeing that the baby was sleeping soundly, Jiang Lin decided to let Cheng Rushan sleep.

Taking care of a baby wasn’t easy; it wasn’t just about feeding them at night.

There were also the cries, and dealing with diapers and cleaning up.

In her previous life, she had heard mothers complain about how babies were like little deities—sleeping during the day and crying all night.

It would take hours of holding and soothing before they would settle down.

As a result, many young parents ended up with dark circles under their eyes, yawning through work, and feeling utterly exhausted.

She was wary of this happening with her baby too, worried about disturbing Cheng Rushan.

But it turned out the first night was manageable: she fed the baby once, changed the diaper twice, which was similar to her previous night-time routines.

It was just that at first, she wasn’t very skilled, and needed Cheng Rushan’s help with the feeding.

After a few days, Jiang Lin became very adept, able to feed the baby while half-asleep, simply lifting her clothes to nurse.

Eventually, she could do it without fully waking up.

She would just remove the pillow separating them in her sleep, reach over to the baby’s blanket, and feed the baby.

After feeding, she’d replace the pillow and turn to snuggle with Cheng Rushan.

So, their routine was as follows: when they first went to bed, Jiang Lin and the baby would be at the head of the kang (a traditional Chinese heated bed), with a pillow in between to prevent Jiang Lin from accidentally pressing the baby.

When Cheng Rushan got up, he would hold Jiang Lin and sleep at the foot of the kang, with the baby occupying most of the space.

During this time, Xu Aimei visited with Jiang Min and Jiang Xinglei to see her daughter and granddaughter, wanting to stay and help with the postpartum period.

Jiang Lin and Yan Runzhi declined, saying she should focus on her work.

The warehouse was very busy, and Xu Aimei also had to look after Song Lijuan’s child, leaving her overwhelmed.

Fortunately, Qinqin and Xiaomeng helped with the baby after school.

Children grow fast, changing daily.

By the time Jiang Lin finished her confinement period, Baosheng had become rosy and plump, with a fair and rosy complexion that made him look extraordinarily beautiful, attracting admiration from everyone.

Yan Runzhi and Cheng Yunzhi decided to hold a full-month celebration for the baby.

To make it lively for their family, they scheduled it for Sunday, September 9th.

Since Jiang Lin’s family, along with her good friends like Zeng Hongjie, Lü Hang, and Guo Yanqiu, were coming—a large group—it wouldn’t fit at home.

Cheng Rushan arranged for three large tables at the cafeteria.

Yan Runzhi wanted to hold Baosheng, but the baby insisted on being held by Cheng Rushan.

Cheng Rushan held her in one arm and took her to dinner, letting friends and family see her and share their blessings.

The baby had just woken up, her round, dark eyes seemed to recognize people, and her delicate limbs were as soft as lotus stems.

She wore two old silver bracelets on her tiny wrists, making her even more adorable.

Zeng Hongjie looked at her with envy and said, “Linlin, you’re truly fortunate to have two… no, three handsome sons and such a lovely daughter. Let me hold her.”

She wanted to hold the baby girl.

Baosheng clung tightly to Cheng Rushan’s collar, making it clear that she didn’t want to be held by anyone else.

Zeng Hongjie looked at her with a touch of grievance, “Bao Mei, Bao Sheng, why don’t you let Aunty hold you?”

Xiao Bao laughed, “Xiao Jie, Bao Mei is afraid you’ll take her away. At night, only Mom and Dad can hold her; nobody else is allowed.”

At first, Bao Mei wouldn’t leave her mother at all and only allowed Grandma and the older brothers to hold her.

Now, during the day, she lets the family members hold her, and even Fang Chengguang and He Liang can hold her.

But at night, she must stay with Jiang Lin and Cheng Rushan, and no one else is allowed.

Zeng Hongjie’s voice and scent were unfamiliar to her, so she naturally wouldn’t be held by her.

Zeng Hongjie said, “I understand. I’ll come by often so Bao Mei can get used to me.”

Lu Hang and Guo Yanqiu looked enviously at the scene.

Lu Hang nudged Guo Yanqiu and said, “Doctor Guo, let’s get married soon. If we wait any longer, we’ll miss the excitement.”

Although Guo Yanqiu had forgiven him and her parents were satisfied with him, Guo Yanqiu still wouldn’t agree to marry.

Lu Hang didn’t understand.

She wasn’t intentionally ignoring him and was even nicer than before, with more affection and touch.

So, it seemed like they were almost there.

She wasn’t opposed to him, but he wanted to be more straightforward about wanting to get married.

Who knew she still wouldn’t agree… sob sob…

Guo Yanqiu’s gaze was gentle. “It’s a pity you can’t have children as beautiful as Bao Sheng.”

Lu Hang replied, “But Doctor Guo, you’re here.” He signaled to Jiang Lin and Zeng Hongjie for help, hoping Jiang Lin would persuade her.

Jiang Lin just smiled.

Doctor Guo enjoyed the feeling of romance.

Da Bao whispered, “I have an idea for you.”

Lu Hang’s eyes brightened. “What is it?”

Da Bao said, “Write love letters! Write one every day.”

Lu Hang’s face fell.

He whispered, “Da Bao, if I could write love letters, I’d be a writer. How about… you write them for me?”

Da Bao shrugged, “I don’t know how to write them either. But… I know you could copy from the library.”

Wen Sheng softly sang, “To you, with a beauty like flowers and a passing of years. It is a leisurely search for you, in the lonely chamber, self-pity…”

Da Bao said, “Wen Sheng, that’s too old-fashioned. It should be modern. How about something in the style of capitalism… Oh, Pushkin! Shakespeare!”

Although he didn’t understand the romance between men and women, his keen sense of words made him think this was suitable for Lu Hang.

Wensheng, who had also rehearsed Shakespearean plays at the provincial university, naturally understood and smiled, “I can help you copy it.”

Lu Hang bumped fists with the two of them, saying, “Thanks, Dabao and Wensheng. If I ever get married, I’ll definitely thank you both.”

Dabao replied, “We’re brothers. No need to be formal.”

Guo Yanqiu, who had been listening nearby, said nothing.

Fang Chengguang and Wensheng were sitting together, smiling as they listened, with Fang Chengguang giving Dabao a wink to keep him in check.

Xiaobao whispered to Fang Chengguang, “Xiaoguang, is Baosheng good?”

Fang Chengguang nodded, “Yes, very good.”

Xiaobao asked, “Then, don’t you want one?”

Fang Chengguang replied, “I’d like one, but I don’t have one myself.”

“That’s easy. Just find a beautiful wife. You’re so handsome; if you have a beautiful wife, you’ll definitely have a beautiful little sister,” Xiaobao said.

After seeing his little sister, Xiaobao quickly grew up and, listening to the adults talk about children, especially with Wu Shuxian’s loud voice, he had quietly learned a lot.

Wu Shuxian said that Dabao, Xiaobao, and Baosheng were good-looking because Cheng Rushan and Jiang Lin were both good-looking, so Xiaobao remembered it.

Fang Chengguang asked, “Where is it so easy to find a wife?”

Wensheng responded, “Our theater troupe has many. Do you want one?”

Fang Chengguang didn’t answer.

Wensheng said seriously, “There’s a girl who’s inquiring about you.”

Fang Chengguang replied, “Don’t tell her.”

Wensheng laughed, “You’re done for; you’re going to be single.”

Dabao and Xiaobao laughed heartily.

Time flew by as friends chatted and laughed, and by around five o’clock, they all started to say their goodbyes.

Zeng Hongjie asked, “Linlin, don’t you have school tomorrow?”

Jiang Lin, feeling liberated, said, “Of course, I’m so restless.”

Everyone laughed and said their farewells.

Cheng Rushan, holding their daughter, accompanied Jiang Lin outside to see them off and also to take a walk.

Jiang Lin had been cooped up for over a month, and although she could finally go outside, Yan Runzhi felt that since she had already endured twenty days, why not endure another ten days to complete the month?

She also thought it would be safer to stay for another five or ten days.

Since the old traditions recommended it, there must be a reason.

Yan Runzhi rarely made demands of Jiang Lin, so Jiang Lin had to hold on a little longer even if she was eager to go out.

After finally finishing her confinement, Jiang Lin said it was like a breath of fresh air.

After seeing their friends and family off, Jiang Lin decided to have a race with Dabao, Xiaobao, and Wensheng to see who could run the fastest.

Cheng Rushan held their daughter, who seemed excited as well, gripping Cheng Rushan’s thumb tightly and making “ah-ah” noises.

Cheng Rushan understood that his daughter was urging him to hurry up.

He raised his arm and looked down at her, smiling gently, “You little thing, you have quite a few demands.”

The little one’s eyes darted around, and she blew a bubble from her mouth.