When Spring Burns - Chapter 15

Seeing the hopeful look in her eyes, Sheng Tingmian’s heart softened. She didn’t want to disappoint her or let her down.

“Alright then…”

Over ten minutes later, Sheng Tingmian stepped out of the fitting room with a hint of shyness, her expression slightly awkward.

He Jianxue caught her movement from the corner of her eye and turned to look. In that instant, she was stunned. The young girl looked unexpectedly perfect in the little black dress, her snow-white skin seemed even fairer against the black fabric, her slender waist appearing almost too delicate to grasp. The skirt wasn’t stiff; it carried the lively elegance and premium feel unique to luxury handmade pieces.

The two thin straps rested on her shoulders, and the subtle curve at her chest was just right.

“Sis… does it look good?” Sheng Tingmian didn’t dare to meet anyone else’s gaze, afraid she might see expressions suggesting she didn’t deserve the dress.

She had never worn such an expensive dress before and felt almost overwhelmed by the favor.

“It looks beautiful, very elegant,” He Jianxue praised generously. “It suits you well. Trust my taste.”

Hearing these compliments, a blush crept up to Sheng Tingmian’s ears. With He Jianxue’s approval, she grew much more confident, her posture relaxing like a princess. “Thank you, sis.”

He Jianxue took her wrist and glanced at the back, the cut was perfect there, too. “Truly lovely.”

Sheng Tingmian glanced at He Jianxue’s hand resting on her wrist, slender, long, with clearly defined bones.

He Jianxue then had her try on more outfits. Considering that Sheng Tingmian wouldn’t often wear such formal dresses for work, she also picked out some everyday clothes and statement accessories to match.

Sheng Tingmian spent the whole morning being styled by He Jianxue. It wasn’t until she felt a little hungry that He Jianxue took her out for a meal.

On the way back, Sheng Tingmian grew drowsy. Her head unconsciously leaned against He Jianxue’s shoulder, and before she knew it, she was resting on He Jianxue’s lap.

He Jianxue didn’t disturb her. Instead, she lowered her gaze and quietly watched her peaceful sleeping face, it was no wonder the girl was tired after half a day of shopping.

“Drive slowly,” she instructed her assistant.

A strand of hair had fallen across Sheng Tingmian’s lips. Noticing she seemed bothered by it, He Jianxue reached out to move it aside, but her fingertip accidentally brushed against the girl’s cheek.

It had the firmness and tenderness of an 18-year-old, full of collagen, like a vibrant green sprout, youthful and full of life.

It was also alive, a warm, breathing being.

A cold, stiff image flashed through He Jianxue’s mind. She closed her eyes deeply, suddenly feeling as if she couldn’t breathe.

“Sis…” Sensing the touch, Sheng Tingmian drowsily opened her eyes and realized she was right under He Jianxue’s chin. The awareness of what she was doing jolted her awake, and she tried to sit up, but a hand gently pressed against her chest, holding her down.

“Keep sleeping. I’m fine.”

Hearing this, Sheng Tingmian carefully lay back down, resting her head on He Jianxue’s lap. When she noticed He Jianxue looking down at her, she quickly shut her eyes.

The journey back was quiet and serene. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the trees outside, casting dappled shadows that swept over the girl’s smooth, glossy hair draped across her knees.

When they arrived home, Sheng Tingmian saw that He Jianxue had all the clothes they bought that day placed in her bedroom, hung right alongside her own.

For a moment, she felt the illusion that she and her sister were living together.

Sheng Tingmian sighed softly. Since her sister had shown her such great kindness, she felt she ought to reciprocate in some way, even if it might seem trivial to her sister.

She wandered around the courtyard where some camellias were blooming beautifully. Suddenly, she noticed a servant carrying fresh ingredients into the kitchen, and an idea struck her.

In the kitchen, the chef was swiftly sharpening his knives to prepare for cutting the A5 wagyu steak. He nearly jumped when he turned around and saw her.

“Miss Sheng, what brings you here?”

Looking at the ingredients he was preparing, Sheng Tingmian made a bold request: “Chef Luo, could you teach me how to pan-sear a steak?”

Chef Luo knew about the young lady who had recently moved in and was practically living with Miss He. “Alright,” he agreed.

He cut the steak into 2cm thick portions, explained the key points to her, prepared a dedicated steak pan, and gathered ingredients like rosemary, sea salt, garlic, and pepper.

Following the steps, Sheng Tingmian first patted the steak dry, then seasoned it with sea salt and crushed black pepper. She heated the pan over high heat and, as Chef Luo had instructed, added a bit of butter.

Chef Luo said, “You can put the steak in now.”

Sheng Tingmian picked up the steak with tongs and placed it in the pan, causing an immediate sizzle.

Chef Luo helped her time it: “Sear all four sides to lock in the juices.”

After flipping the steak, she hastily seared the edges while Chef Luo watched, resisting the urge to take over several times.

Oh dear, it’s over, he thought to himself.

He instructed her to transfer the meat to a preheated plate to let it rest briefly.

Sheng Tingmian inhaled the aroma, feeling confident that she had succeeded. After letting it rest for three minutes, she plated it with a sense of pride.

“Thank you, Chef Luo.”

Chef Luo: “…”

At the dining table, Sheng Tingmian sat opposite He Jianxue. When Chef Luo brought the plate of steak and set it before her sister, she looked at her expectantly.

He Jianxue cut a piece and, with just one bite, noticed that the steak tasted different from usual. Her meals had been consistently prepared for nearly a decade, with little variation in cooking technique.

But this steak was noticeably below the usual standard.

He Jianxue frowned slightly. Chef Luo had been working for her for almost ten years, and she wondered if he was losing his touch. She even considered whether it was time to replace him.

“Sister, how is it? Is the steak good?” Sheng Tingmian asked, her eyes full of hope.

He Jianxue paused for a moment, then understood. “Did you cook this?”

Sheng Tingmian nodded. “I made it for you. Is it good? Chef Luo taught me.”

The aroma was so enticing she could hardly resist drooling.

So, she had cooked it herself. He Jianxue’s red lips curved into a smile as she leisurely cut another piece. “It’s delicious. The juices are well preserved, and your skills are quite impressive.”

“Is this your first time cooking steak?”

Sheng Tingmian nodded, cutting a piece of her own steak. It tasted wonderful to her too. “Sister, I think I might have a talent for cooking. How is this steak so fragrant?”

“You truly are remarkable, Mianmian,” He Jianxue praised with a smile, spearing another piece of steak and savoring it as if it were a divine delicacy.

Sheng Tingmian blushed at the compliment. “Next time, I’ll learn to cook more dishes for you.”

He Jianxue felt a warmth in her heart. “That would be lovely.”

After dinner and washing up, Sheng Tingmian wanted to practice her singing voice since she had work the next day. She intended to find an empty room to practice, but He Jianxue stopped her and asked her to sing directly in the living room.

Sheng Tingmian hesitated, worried about disturbing others.

“It’s fine, I’d like to hear you sing too,” He Jianxue said, suddenly recalling how Sheng Tingmian had sung opera the last time she was drunk, her theatrical voice had shifted and transformed in a way she seemed unaware of when sober.

He Jianxue lowered her gaze. “Mianmian, would you like some red wine?”

Sheng Tingmian didn’t connect it at all to the night she had drunkenly sung opera. “Red wine?”

He Jianxue hummed in agreement, her expression calm as she looked at her. “Because of my health, I can’t drink. There are many wines I can’t taste, would you like to try some for me?”

Sheng Tingmian glanced at her legs, feeling a pang of pity that her sister couldn’t even enjoy a drink. But the next moment, she lifted her head and nodded eagerly like a chick pecking at rice. “Sure.”

He Jianxue had someone bring out several bottles of expensive red wine and invited her to taste them all, to see which one she liked so she could buy it for her in the future.

However, what she really wanted tonight was to hear that tipsy, theatrical voice again.

He Jianxue concealed her intentions and didn’t mention how strong the alcohol was, only reminding her, “Drink a little less.”

Sheng Tingmian watched as the assistant poured her a small glass of red wine, swirling it before handing it to her.

She took it, sniffed the rim of the glass, it had a fragrant aroma, and under both their gazes, took a small sip.

“It’s a bit sour and astringent…” Sheng Tingmian knew she wasn’t skilled at tasting wine, but she felt the flavor really didn’t suit her.

“Do you prefer sweet drinks?” He Jianxue asked.

Sheng Tingmian hummed in agreement, and He Jianxue had the assistant switch to a sweeter red wine.

Looking at the newly poured glass of wine and hearing it was sweet, Sheng Tingmian took a small sip with anticipation.

“This one is much better,” she said, completely unaware that a faint blush had spread across her cheeks.

He Jianxue signaled the assistant with her eyes to pour a little more. Sheng Tingmian took the glass and downed it in one gulp.

That single gulp nearly startled both He Jianxue and the assistant.

“Tastes good…” Sheng Tingmian set down the glass, looking tipsily at He Jianxue. She stood up, gazing at the blurring lights in the living room, and suddenly felt it resembled a stage, lights and all.

She tried to summon the mood, ready to sing a few lines to liven things up, but the alcohol rushed to her head, disrupting her focus. She stumbled straight into He Jianxue’s arms, wrapping her arms around her neck.

“Sis, your chest is so soft…”