Sister, Please Have Some Self-Respect, I'm Your Sister-in-Law - Chapter 5

Several days later, Madam Song indeed took Song Qingshuang by carriage to Hidden Cloud Temple outside the city to offer incense.

Lin Yuehe, having been tipped off by Song Zhiyuan, calculated the timing perfectly. She slung a small bamboo basket over her arm, filled with her “carefully prepared” items, and hired a sedan chair to follow at a discreet distance.

Hidden Cloud Temple was renowned for its flourishing incense offerings, but the rear mountain boasted a secluded bamboo forest, known for its tranquil serenity.

Lin Yuehe guessed that Song Qingshuang, after accompanying her mother to offer incense, would likely find an excuse to stroll through the bamboo grove.

Sure enough, after waiting near the forest’s edge for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, she spotted Song Qingshuang emerging alone from the temple’s side gate, walking slowly toward the bamboo-lined path.

Today, she wore a simple, pale jade-green dress, her hair adorned with only a single white jade hairpin, accentuating her chrysanthemum-like purity and ethereal elegance.

Lin Yuehe took a deep breath, suppressing her racing heart, and hurried down another narrow path to intercept Song Qingshuang.

She pretended to have just emerged from the depths of the bamboo forest, timing her appearance perfectly to meet Song Qingshuang face-to-face.

“Elder Sister?” Lin Yuehe feigned just the right amount of surprise. “What a coincidence! You’re taking a stroll here too?”

Song Qingshuang paused slightly upon seeing her, a flicker of surprise crossing her usually cold eyes. “Sister-in-law? What are you doing here?”

Her gaze swept over the bamboo basket Lin Yuehe carried.

“I… I was bored at home and heard the scenery behind Hidden Cloud Temple was beautiful, so I… I came for a walk,” Lin Yuehe said, lowering her head in feigned embarrassment and twisting the hem of her dress, playing the part of a young wife who had snuck out for a day of leisure. “I never expected to run into you, Elder Sister.”

Seeing her demeanor, Song Qingshuang didn’t press further, merely nodding slightly. “It is indeed a tranquil place.”

The two naturally fell into step, strolling slowly along the narrow path winding through the bamboo grove.

The rustling of bamboo leaves and dappled sunlight filtering through the gaps created an atmosphere that was quiet, yet subtly charged.

After walking a short distance, Lin Yuehe discreetly observed Song Qingshuang’s expression. She noticed fine beads of sweat on her forehead and her breathing was slightly heavier than usual.

Though the mountain path wasn’t steep, it was still taxing for someone unaccustomed to physical exertion.

“Elder Sister, you must be tired after walking so far. Why don’t we rest our feet on that stone bench up ahead?” Lin Yuehe suggested, pointing to a clean, blue-gray stone bench nearby.

Song Qingshuang, indeed feeling fatigued, nodded in agreement.

The two sat down on the bench.

Lin Yuehe immediately opened her bamboo basket, first taking out a clean cotton handkerchief and spreading it over the stone bench. “Elder Sister, the stone is cold,” she said softly.

Song Qingshuang glanced at her, accepting this thoughtful gesture.

Next, Lin Yuehe retrieved a small clay jar wrapped in thick cloth and a bamboo cup from the basket.

As she opened the jar, a refreshing, invigorating aroma of mint wafted out.

“This is mint drink I made myself,” Lin Yuehe explained, carefully pouring the clear, emerald-green liquid into the bamboo cup and offering it to Song Qingshuang.

Her eyes sparkled with anticipation. “I crushed fresh mint leaves to extract the juice, then mixed it with a little honey and mountain spring water. It’s perfect for relieving fatigue and quenching thirst. Elder Sister, please try it?”

The mint drink was crystal-clear, its fragrance intoxicating, making it especially tempting in the humid mountain air.

After walking for a while, Song Qingshuang’s throat felt parched. Looking into Lin Yuehe’s sincere and expectant eyes, she swallowed back her refusal.

She accepted the bamboo cup, her fingertips sensing the cool chill of well water.

She lowered her head and took a small sip.

The drink was refreshing and subtly sweet, with a strong yet gentle mint aroma. It soothed her parched throat, dispelling some of the heat and fatigue from her walk, and instantly revitalized her.

“Excellent,” Song Qingshuang said after another sip, setting down the cup. She looked at Lin Yuehe with admiration. “Refreshing and pure. You have a knack for these things.”

Lin Yuehe’s face lit up with a smile brighter than the sun at the compliment.

“I’m glad Elder Sister likes it. I also brought some homemade mint candies. They’re very refreshing too.” She pulled out a small paper packet from her basket, revealing several translucent, jade-green candies, small and charming.

Song Qingshuang picked one up and placed it in her mouth.

The cool sweetness immediately melted on her tongue, accompanied by an intense mint fragrance that transported her to a cool mountain stream.

She closed her eyes briefly, savoring the rare comfort and tranquility. When she opened them again, her gaze toward Lin Yuehe had softened slightly.

“You’re very thoughtful,” she murmured, her voice losing some of its usual cold detachment.

Lin Yuehe gazed at her relaxed brow and the slight upward curve of her lips, her heart filling with a honey-sweet warmth.

Afraid of revealing too much, she quickly lowered her head, pretending to organize the bamboo basket while murmuring, “It’s nothing, really. I’m just bored at home anyway…”

Bamboo shadows swayed gently in the breeze.

The two sat quietly on the stone bench, one slowly savoring a mint candy, the other fiddling with the bamboo basket. Though few words passed between them, the atmosphere flowed with a tranquil harmony.

For Lin Yuehe, simply sitting side-by-side and sharing this moment of peace was the greatest success of their “chance encounter.”

Ever since returning from Hidden Cloud Temple, a faint smile had lingered on Lin Yuehe’s lips.

She repeatedly replayed the tranquil moment in the bamboo grove, savoring the approving words, “You’re quite insightful about these things.”

Her barely concealed elation naturally didn’t escape the notice of her “ally,” Song Zhiyuan.

That night, just as Lin Yuehe was preparing for bed, the familiar rhythmic knocking sounded from the inner room.

She opened the door to find Song Zhiyuan nimbly slipping inside, closing it quietly behind him.

His face was alight with a gossipy grin as he lowered his voice:

“So? You looked like you were in a daze when you got back, your smile practically stretching to your ears. Seems today’s ‘chance encounter’ was quite fruitful?”

Lin Yuehe’s cheeks flushed. She feigned composure as she walked to the table and poured herself a glass of water.

“Fruitful? It was just a coincidence. We ran into each other, took a walk, and had a drink.”

“Oh… a coincidence?” Song Zhiyuan drawled, drawing out the word as he sat down opposite her, leaning forward with his elbows propped on the table.

“But I heard from the servant who accompanied my mother’s carriage that someone thoughtfully brought the Eldest Young Lady a fatigue-relieving drink while she rested in the bamboo forest—and it was even homemade! How could that be a coincidence?”

Exposed, Lin Yuehe glared at him, a mix of embarrassment and annoyance in her eyes. “If you already know everything, why are you even asking me?”

“I’m just concerned about my ally’s romantic progress!” Song Zhiyuan grinned. “Come on, tell me! What was Elder Sister’s reaction? Did she drink it? What did she say?”

Under Song Zhiyuan’s relentless questioning, Lin Yuehe finally couldn’t resist sharing her excitement. She recounted every detail of her encounter in the bamboo forest that day, from Song Qingshuang drinking the mint beverage and praising it to the softening of her expression at the end.

Song Zhiyuan listened with rapt attention. At the end, he stroked his chin, adopting a seasoned air as he analyzed:

“Hmm, not bad, not bad at all! My Elder Sister is notoriously picky; ordinary things never catch her eye. The fact that she drank your beverage and even praised it shows she has an excellent impression of you! You’ve made a brilliant move, ally!”

Lin Yuehe’s heart fluttered with sweetness at his analysis, but she modestly replied, “Maybe… maybe she was just being polite?”

“Polite?” Song Zhiyuan scoffed. “My Elder Sister would never be polite to someone she doesn’t care about—she’d simply ignore them. The fact that she was polite to you means you’ve already caught her attention!”

He paused, then leaned closer, lowering his voice conspiratorially:

“But ally, I must warn you…”

“My Elder Sister is a woman of exceptional beauty and character. Though her… well, certain past events have caused some delays, she still has plenty of admirers.

You’d better step up your game and make sure no one else gets to her first.”

Lin Yuehe’s heart skipped a beat as a sudden sense of crisis washed over her. “Admirers? Who are they?”

“Well, for starters, there’s Steward Zhang from the Zhang family, who owns the silk shop in town. He’s hinted multiple times about wanting to arrange a marriage between his scholar son and my Elder Sister.

And the County Deputy’s son has also been testing the waters with my father.”

Song Zhiyuan listed them off like treasured possessions. “Even though my parents still harbor some reservations about Elder Sister’s… you know, that incident… and are being picky, who knows when they might finally give in?”

As Lin Yuehe listened, her brow furrowed involuntarily, her fingers tightening around her teacup.

She knew Song Qingshuang was wonderful, but she hadn’t realized there were so many potential “rivals.”

Scholar Zhang? The County Deputy’s son? They were nowhere near worthy of Qingshuang-jiejie!

“Don’t worry too much, though,” Song Zhiyuan said, noticing her grave expression. He offered a reassuring smile, his eyes glinting mischievously.

“My Elder Sister wouldn’t give any of those guys the time of day.”

“Ah, she’s a deep thinker,” Song Zhiyuan said, his gaze lingering meaningfully on Lin Yuehe. “Ordinary men simply can’t capture her heart.

But you…” He gave Lin Yuehe a knowing look. “Your subtle, almost imperceptible approach might be exactly what she needs.”

Lin Yuehe’s cheeks flushed under his gaze, but his words brought a measure of reassurance to her heart.

Yes, she mustn’t rush or retreat.

No matter how impressive those men might be, they have nothing to do with her.

She just needs to continue as she is, drawing closer little by little, letting Song Qingshuang grow accustomed to her presence and sense her feelings.

“I understand,” Lin Yuehe said, taking a deep breath. “Thank you for telling me this.”

“Don’t mention it!” Song Zhiyuan waved his hand dismissively, then adopted a pained expression. “Ah, compared to you, I’m the one who’s really troubled. Eldest Madam Su is quite lovely, but I dare not approach her rashly for fear of offending the fair lady… oh, I mean, fair gentleman.”

The two continued to discuss their respective “romantic dilemmas” in hushed tones, offering each other advice (though most of it was rather unreliable), sometimes whispering conspiratorially, sometimes chuckling softly.

The moonlight outside the window was hazy, while inside, the candlelight flickered gently.

After Song Zhiyuan’s “rival analysis,” the vague affection in Lin Yuehe’s heart grew increasingly clear.

She knew her position was precarious and her future uncertain, yet her desire to draw closer to Song Qingshuang continued to grow uncontrollably.

That day, she meticulously prepared several small pastries.

Using the freshest fruits and vegetables from her garden, combined with a touch of ingenuity and the assistance of her supernatural abilities, she created crystal-clear fruit and vegetable jellies—refreshing and not overly sweet.

She also carefully marked several passages in A Brief Account of the Scenery and Customs Beyond the Ridge that she still couldn’t understand. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into Song Qingshuang’s study once more.

“Elder Sister,” she called softly from the doorway.

Song Qingshuang, who had been practicing calligraphy by the window, set down her brush at the sound of her voice and looked up.

Seeing Lin Yuehe, her gaze fell on the food box in the younger woman’s hand and the familiar book. Her expression showed no surprise; she merely nodded slightly. “Come in.”

Lin Yuehe approached and gently placed the food box in a corner of the desk. Opening the lid, she revealed the neatly arranged, vibrantly colored jellies within.

“Elder Sister, I tried making some lianggao using freshly picked fruits from the garden. They’re sweet, refreshing, and perfect for beating the summer heat. Would you like to try one?” Her voice carried a cautious anticipation, like a devotee offering a precious treasure as a sacrifice.

Song Qingshuang’s gaze swept over the delicate pastries before settling on Lin Yuehe’s lips, which were pressed slightly together in nervous anticipation. After a pause, she murmured, “How thoughtful of you.”

Instead of immediately taking one, she glanced at the book in Lin Yuehe’s hand. “Are there passages you’re still struggling to understand?”

“Yes,” Lin Yuehe quickly flipped the book open to the dog-eared pages, pointing to the charcoal pencil marks she had made. “These classical allusions and the rhetorical devices used to describe the scenery… I’ve pondered them for ages, but I still can’t quite grasp their subtle nuances.”

As she leaned closer, she could detect the crisp scent of ink mingling with the faint aroma of aged paper emanating from Song Qingshuang.

Song Qingshuang took the book, her slender fingers brushing over the pages, tracing the somewhat immature yet earnest annotations.

Instead of immediately answering, she picked up a piece of lianggao and took a small bite.

The pastry melted instantly in her mouth, releasing a burst of sweet, fruity fragrance.

“It’s delicious,” she said, setting down the remaining half. After wiping her hands with a handkerchief, she turned her attention back to the book and began explaining in a calm, measured tone.

“Here, the author employs synesthesia, describing the visual mountain scenery through the tactile sensation of ‘coldness.’ This technique enhances the sense of verdant depth, making it deeply refreshing…”

As she explained, her pace was measured and deliberate, drawing on classical references while simplifying complex concepts.

Lin Yuehe stood beside her, leaning slightly forward, her gaze fixed on the characters Song Qingshuang’s fingertip traced across the page, listening with rapt attention.

Perhaps it was the flutter in her heart, but Lin Yuehe found Song Qingshuang’s explanations clearer and more insightful than those of some seasoned lecturers.

Occasionally, Song Qingshuang would glance up to check if Lin Yuehe understood. Each time, Lin Yuehe felt her heart skip a beat, nodding hastily as a faint blush crept up her ears.

“…So, do you understand now?” Having finished her explanation, Song Qingshuang closed the book and turned to Lin Yuehe.

“Yes! Thank you, Elder Sister!” Lin Yuehe nodded vigorously. “You know so much and explain everything so clearly!”

Seeing the undisguised admiration in Lin Yuehe’s eyes, Song Qingshuang’s fingers tightened slightly around the book.

She returned the book to Lin Yuehe, her gaze sweeping over the remaining cold cakes in the food box. Her tone remained even as she said, “These pastries are quite good.”

A simple affirmation, yet Lin Yuehe’s heart bloomed like fireworks.

Suppressing her elation, she lowered her head, her voice brimming with cheerfulness. “If Elder Sister likes it, I’ll make it often!”

Song Qingshuang offered no response, merely unfurling a fresh sheet of xuan paper, picking up her brush, and saying calmly, “If there’s nothing else, I’ll continue practicing my calligraphy.”

This was clearly a dismissal.

Though reluctant to leave, Lin Yuehe understood the boundaries. She quickly said, “Then I won’t disturb Elder Sister any longer. I’ll head back now.”

Clutching the book and food box, she retreated with light steps.

As she reached the doorway, she couldn’t resist glancing back.

Song Qingshuang sat upright at her desk, her posture impeccable. Her wrist hovered as she held the brush, each stroke deliberate and steady. The side profile, bathed in the soft light, radiated an extraordinary serenity and beauty.

Only after Lin Yuehe’s footsteps faded down the corridor did Song Qingshuang slowly set down her brush.

She gazed at the newly written character “静” (tranquility) on the xuan paper, noticing that the brushstrokes seemed slightly less rigid than usual.

Her gaze shifted to the delicate, translucent cool cakes in the food box. She reached out, picked up another piece, and placed it in her mouth.

The refreshing sweetness remained, carrying the same vibrant vitality as the person who had brought them, along with a clumsy yet sincere warmth.

Back in her room, Lin Yuehe cradled the book, still warm from Song Qingshuang’s fingertips and fragrant with ink, against her chest. She replayed every moment in the study. Each glance, each word and couldn’t help burying her face in the soft pillow, laughing silently.

Unrequited love was a one-person show, yet she found joy in this solitary performance.

It was, indeed, an excellent one-person show.

Support Sister, Please Have Some Self-Respect, I’m Your Sister-in-Law