Sister, Please Have Some Self-Respect, I'm Your Sister-in-Law - Chapter 3

After Song Qingshuang gave her permission that day, Lin Yuehe officially claimed the small vegetable patch.

She didn’t rush things. Every morning and evening, she carried a small wooden bucket, pretending to water the plants and loosen the soil. In reality, she secretly activated her Golden Finger ability, causing the seedlings to grow lush and vibrant, far beyond what was normal.

At first, the Song family servants watched with curiosity and skepticism. But as they saw her tending the garden with such care, and as the patch grew greener and more pleasing day by day, the gossip gradually faded, replaced by whispers of wonder.

Old Mother Zhang remained unconvinced, but out of respect for the Eldest Miss’s orders, she at least maintained a polite demeanor.

One afternoon, after watering the garden, Lin Yuehe gazed at the crisp cabbages and tender green scallions, already planning to harvest some in a few days and send them to the kitchen as an excuse to visit.

She brushed the dirt off her hands, but her gaze drifted involuntarily toward the small study where Song Qingshuang usually handled family affairs.

In recent days, she had only caught fleeting glimpses of Song Qingshuang during morning and evening greetings. That cool, elegant figure always moved with such urgency that Lin Yuehe never found a chance to approach and speak to her.

The phrase “Just ask me directly” tickled the edge of her heart like a feather, again and again.

She needed a reason, a natural and unobtrusive reason.

Her gaze swept across the corner of the room, where morning glories grew with such vigor they nearly climbed the window lattice. An idea sparked in Lin Yuehe’s mind.

She hurried back to the outer room of the chamber she shared with Song Zhiyuan. To avoid suspicion, Song Zhiyuan had long since moved to the inner study, leaving this space almost entirely hers.

From her small bundle of belongings, she retrieved her only two old books: Admonitions for Women and Thousand Character Classic, the pitiful remnants of the original owner’s treasured collection.

Deliberately crumpling the corners of the books and smudging them with a bit of dirt, she prepared her pretext.

With a deep breath, she walked toward Song Qingshuang’s study.

The study door stood ajar. Lin Yuehe knocked lightly.

“Come in,” Song Qingshuang’s clear, cool voice called from within.

Lin Yuehe pushed the door open and entered.

The study was small but meticulously organized and elegant. A pearwood desk stood by the window, neatly stacked with ledgers, brushes, and inkstones.

Song Qingshuang sat behind her desk, writing something. Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a soft shadow over her lowered eyes, highlighting the graceful curve of her nose and the pale pink of her lips.

Seeing Lin Yuehe, Song Qingshuang set down her brush and looked up. “Sister-in-law? Is there something you need?”

Lin Yuehe steadied her slightly racing heart and held out the two worn books. A touch of bashfulness and earnestness colored her face as she spoke.

“Eldest Sister, I’m sorry to bother you. I… I’ve been bored lately and wanted to learn some characters and read. But these two books I brought are nearly falling apart, and I still don’t know all the characters… I heard you have a large collection of books. Would you mind lending me a simple one or two to read?”

Her voice grew softer with each word, carrying just the right mix of humility and longing. Yet her eyes sparkled with anticipation as she gazed at Song Qingshuang.

Song Qingshuang’s gaze lingered on the dog-eared copy of Admonitions for Women that Lin Yuehe held out. Her eyes then shifted to Lin Yuehe’s fingers, smudged with a bit of dirt, and the slightly soiled cuffs of her sleeves, before finally settling on her clear, yet slightly anxious eyes.

She paused, not answering immediately, and rose to walk toward the bamboo bookshelf against the wall.

Her fingertips brushed gracefully across the spines of the books, her movements elegant and unhurried.

Lin Yuehe stood rooted to the spot, her gaze involuntarily following Song Qingshuang’s every move.

She noticed Song Qingshuang was wearing a lotus-purple ruqun with a slanted collar, which accentuated her slender neck and delicate waist.

“If you don’t read much, you might find travelogues and miscellaneous notes more interesting than these,” Song Qingshuang said, her cool voice breaking the silence.

She pulled a blue-covered, slightly worn book from the middle shelf and turned to hand it to Lin Yuehe.

“This is Brief Records of Customs Beyond the Ridges. The writing isn’t too difficult, and it describes the customs and scenery of the southern regions. It’s quite interesting. You can start with this one.”

Lin Yuehe hurried forward two steps and accepted the book with both hands.

Her fingertips accidentally brushed against Song Qingshuang’s palm, and the cool, smooth touch sent a sudden shiver through her.

“Thank you, Eldest Sister!” she said, clutching the book as if it were a precious treasure. A genuine, slightly overwhelmed smile bloomed on her face, her eyes curving into crescent moons. “I… I’ll read it carefully and never get it dirty or damaged!”

Song Qingshuang watched Lin Yuehe’s undisguised joy, a hint of a smile seemed to touch her usually cool eyes.

She nodded slightly. “It’s fine. Just return it when you’re finished. If you come across any unfamiliar words or phrases, you can… ask me.”

Ask me again!

Lin Yuehe’s heart bloomed with delight. She struggled to keep her lips from stretching into a grin that reached her ears.

She nodded eagerly. “Yes! I’ll definitely ask you, Eldest Sister!”

Clutching the Brief Records of Customs Beyond the Ridges, Lin Yuehe practically floated out of the study.

Only after returning to her own room, closing the door, and leaning against the panel did she finally exhale a long breath. Her heart still pounded in her chest.

She carefully placed the book beside her pillow, her fingers gently tracing the blue cover. She could almost feel its cool touch and inhale its faint, crisp fragrance.

Just a pretext to borrow a book, a brief encounter, a few simple words, yet it was enough to linger in her thoughts for days.

Her secret crush had quietly blossomed through these small moments of closeness and insignificant interactions, twining around her heart with a bittersweet tenderness and a burning anticipation for their next meeting.

*****

In the days after borrowing the book, Lin Yuehe practically wore out the pages of Brief Records of Customs Beyond the Ridges.

She wasn’t particularly interested in the mountains and rivers described within, but since Song Qingshuang had personally handed her the book, every word seemed precious.

She even carefully copied down a few rare characters with charcoal on paper, preparing an excuse to “ask for guidance” next time.

The day was stiflingly hot. By afternoon, not a breath of wind stirred; even the dogs under the eaves lay panting, listless and limp.

Lin Yuehe sat by the window, gazing at her thriving vegetable garden, yet her mind was preoccupied with something else.

Song Qingshuang hated the heat.

She had once overheard a young maid murmuring that the Eldest Miss found summer the most unbearable season. The saying “a calm mind naturally cools” was a lie; Song Qingshuang simply endured in silence, never complaining.

An idea sparked in her heart.

She rose and went to the small kitchen.

At this hour, the kitchen was mostly empty, save for Old Mother Zhang dozing in a corner.

Lin Yuehe quietly gathered dried plums, hawthorn berries, licorice root, and rock sugar.

Having spent countless hours in the lab brewing plant extracts, Lin Yuehe had mastered the art of controlling heat. Making a sour plum drink was child’s play for her.

The stove fire crackled to life, and the small pot bubbled gently, releasing a sweet-sour aroma that gradually filled the air.

Lin Yuehe watched the fire intently, ignoring the fine beads of sweat that dotted her forehead.

Once the drink was ready, she strained the deep crimson liquid into a white porcelain pot and carefully placed it in a basin of freshly drawn well water to chill.

When the pot felt icy to the touch, she carefully carried it back to Song Qingshuang’s study.

The study door remained slightly ajar.

Lin Yuehe took a moment to steady her breath, still a little hurried from her efforts and nervousness, before knocking again.

“Come in,” Song Qingshuang’s voice carried a hint of midsummer afternoon languor.

Lin Yuehe pushed the door open and found Song Qingshuang still seated behind her desk, pen in hand, studying account books.

Her other hand held a round fan, which she waved absently. Her brow was slightly furrowed, clearly bothered by the stifling heat.

“Eldest Sister,” Lin Yuehe called softly.

Song Qingshuang looked up and saw Lin Yuehe carrying a white porcelain pot. The tip of her nose still carried the faint scent of kitchen smoke, and a few strands of sweat-dampened hair clung to her smooth forehead, giving her a slightly disheveled appearance.

“Sister-in-law? What’s this…?”

Lin Yuehe gently set the white porcelain pot on the corner of the desk, her face breaking into a shy smile. “It’s so hot and stuffy. I… I made some plum juice and chilled it in the well. It’s perfect for cooling down. I thought Eldest Sister might be tired from managing the household, so I… I brought some over. I hope it suits your taste.”

As she spoke, she deftly picked up a clean teacup from the desk, poured a little less than half a cup of deep crimson, translucent plum juice, and presented it to Song Qingshuang with both hands.

Water droplets instantly condensed on the icy cup, and a refreshing, sweet-and-sour aroma wafted toward her.

Song Qingshuang glanced at the teacup held out before her, then at Lin Yuehe’s eyes, which shone with anticipation, and the tiny bead of sweat at the tip of her nose. The hand holding her fan paused slightly.

After a moment of silence, she finally set the fan down and reached out to take the cup of plum juice.

She lowered her head and took a small sip.

The sweet and sour flavor was perfectly balanced, and the icy coolness slid down her throat, instantly dispelling the stuffiness and heat in her chest.

She couldn’t resist taking another small sip before setting down the cup and looking up at Lin Yuehe, who was anxiously awaiting her feedback. A barely perceptible curve appeared at the corner of her lips.

“It’s very good. The sweet and sour balance is just right, and it’s refreshingly cool. You put a lot of thought into this.”

Her tone remained calm, but the weariness and irritation in her eyes seemed to have faded considerably.

Lin Yuehe’s heart, which had been hanging in suspense, suddenly settled back into place. Joy bubbled up like effervescent bubbles, lighting up her entire face.

“I’m so glad Eldest Sister likes it! I’ll leave the whole pot for you. I… I should get back now!” Afraid she wouldn’t be able to control the silly grin spreading across her face, if she stayed any longer, she hurriedly excused herself.

Rushing back to her room, Lin Yuehe leaned against the door, her heart pounding like a drum.

She hadn’t even tasted the sour plum soup, yet her heart already felt filled with the same sweet and sour sensation, both refreshing and comforting.

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