When Spring Burns - Chapter 42

The next day, He Jianxue woke up early, taking a moment to fully rouse herself.

She couldn’t ignore the figure nestled against her beneath the covers. He Jianxue looked down to see her younger sister resting against her like a defenseless little parrot, utterly at ease.

Her head was pressed against He Jianxue’s shoulder, her complexion vibrant and flushed with health, this was the most immediate impression. But He Jianxue knew that beneath this youthful, beautiful exterior lay a spirit even more remarkable than her appearance, pure, untainted, and burning like a flame against her.

He Jianxue’s gaze drifted indifferently elsewhere, only to be drawn back the next second by the faint, delicate fragrance emanating from Sheng Tingmian, compelling her to look at her again.

She raised a hand, tempted to touch the tip of her nose, her cheek, her lips…

What exactly were her feelings for Mianmian? Was it pure romantic love? Or was it mingled with the affection and admiration of an elder for a younger? Or perhaps it was because her presence happened to fill the void left by He Xiu’s departure?

Was this fair to Mianmian?

Her fingertips halted just an inch from Sheng Tingmian’s nose, then she restrained herself, curling them back before finally withdrawing her hand.

…

By the time Sheng Tingmian woke up, He Jianxue had already left for the group’s office. It was the first time she had seen her sister leave for work so early.

Usually, they would leisurely share breakfast before heading off to their respective workplaces.

Sitting at the dining table, Sheng Tingmian took a sip of milk and glanced at the empty seat across from her, a faint sense of loss flickering in her heart.

Not long after, she heard from the dean that her sister was launching a campaign to solicit new Kunqu opera scripts from the public, offering substantial rewards as the most generous and sincere incentive to attract talents with unique insights into Kunqu creation from all walks of life.

The news immediately caused a public uproar.

Discussions about the activity could be heard almost everywhere in the theater.

It even sparked heated debates online.

“Wow, this is such a fresh and shocking initiative. A Kunqu opera script, with rewards ranging from 1 to 5 million if adopted? How many tickets would they need to sell to break even?”

“Is the Kunqu opera scene really this ambitious?”

“Somehow, this feels more intriguing than the entertainment industry.”

“Is this for real? Could it be a scam?”

“Unlikely. GULAN Group can definitely afford this.”

…

While some discussed it with detached curiosity, others had already started posting their own creations. Arrogant tones invited ridicule, while some were praised as promising, leading to intense arguments.

Upon hearing the news, Sheng Tingmian felt a mix of joy and concern. With her sister going to such lengths, it seemed she wasn’t considering profitability at all.

Du Jingya noticed her worry and asked, puzzled, “Why aren’t you happy?”

Sheng Tingmian gave her a reproachful look. “Spending so much money on soliciting just one Kunqu script, even if it gets staged, how many tickets would we need to sell to recoup the costs?”

Du Jingya replied, “I also think it’s a bit unrealistic. I’d heard she previously invited teachers from the Shanghai Theatre Academy to write one, and I thought she was relying on connections and recommendations. I didn’t expect Miss He to change her strategy again.”

Sheng Tingmian rested her chin on her hand. “Actually, my sister already obtained a Kunqu script adaptation of The Invincible East, but she wasn’t satisfied with it.”

Du Jingya was surprised. “It seems Miss He has quite high standards.”

Sheng Tingmian said, “She’s always loved listening to Kunqu opera.”

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have followed Uncle Guan to the He family to perform opera.

“We can’t consider the matter of recouping the investment on behalf of Miss He, after all, she’s the investor. However, I do think it’s quite possible that Miss He never even considered recouping the investment in the first place.”

Sheng Tingmian: “Hmm?”

Du Jingya connected the dots. “Look, after we gained popularity, the best course of action would have been to open more theaters and perform nonstop in different provinces and cities to make money, sell merchandise, and so on. But Miss He didn’t push us to perform back-to-back. Even now, we only perform once a week, and the rest of the time is spent training.”

“You’re right. I don’t know what my sister is thinking either.”

When it comes to investment, she only puts in money. The ticket revenue ultimately ends up as our salaries and benefits, and if it falls short, she even allocates additional funds to cover the gap.

She used to think her sister had a long-term vision and would eventually make a big profit, but now she’s not so sure.

Du Jingya had a guess: “Do you think she might simply be supporting your career without regard for cost because you’re her sister?”

Sheng Tingmian had never considered this angle. When she first went to ask her sister for investment, she had confidently promised that it would be profitable. But as time went on and the investment grew, she began to suspect that her sister was losing a lot of money on this venture.

Only when Du Jingya brought it up did she realize how valuable the identity of “sister” truly was. Her sister would buy a million-dollar bracelet without a second thought. If it were He Xiu, her sister, she could understand why she was so generous.

After all, that was her sister’s most beloved younger sister.

But as an adopted sister, did she really have such good fortune?

Sheng Tingmian wanted to refute her but didn’t know where to start. All the signs pointed in one direction: it seemed her sister truly treated her as a biological sister.

When she returned home, Sheng Tingmian intended to fulfill some of her duties as a younger sister, but unexpectedly, He Jianxue called to say she had to work overtime and would be back very late, or possibly not at all.

Sheng Tingmian hadn’t expected her to work overtime and comforted her, “Sister, don’t overwork yourself.”

He Jianxue was momentarily dazed by the soft, warm voice on the phone. She realized that her sister’s normal speaking voice was no less pleasing than her delicate opera tones on stage, both were equally captivating and pleasant to the ear.

It was as if she were whispering sweetly in her ear, just like when she told ghost stories the night before, clinging to her fearfully as she spoke.

It wasn’t until her secretary came in with documents that He Jianxue snapped out of it. She glanced over calmly and said, “Assign me more work.”

The secretary was taken aback: “Huh?” There was already so much.

He Jianxue didn’t waste words: “Just arrange it.”

For several days in a row, He Jianxue worked overtime, doing her best to minimize her returns to the He family and avoid contact with her sister.

…

Sheng Tingmian hadn’t seen her sister for several days and guessed that the company’s business must be keeping her extremely busy.

After thinking it over, she decided to call Ji Siyi.

When Ji Siyi received a call from Tingmian, her heart skipped a beat. Was Tingmian coming back to her? Thankfully, she hadn’t started dating anyone new yet.

“Hello, Tingmian, what’s up?”

“It’s like this, Sister Siyi. I wanted to ask what my sister’s hobbies are?”

“…” Ji Siyi fell silent for a moment. So, it wasn’t about her, she was just being used for information. Her emotions rollercoastered before she finally replied, “She didn’t tell you?”

Sheng Tingmian: “I want to surprise her.”

Ji Siyi let out a sour, somewhat envious hum. How did He Jianxue manage to have both her biological and sworn sisters treat her so well? “What aspect do you want to ask about?”

Sheng Tingmian thought for a moment. “Food, drinks, entertainment… mostly entertainment.”

Ji Siyi: “For fun, she’s been inviting me to go swimming lately, play golf, and occasionally hang out with old classmates.”

Sheng Tingmian: “Anything else besides that?”

Ji Siyi: “Reading, I guess. That woman really enjoys reading.”

After getting the information she wanted, Sheng Tingmian had just finished thanking her when a loud rumble echoed from outside the window. The trees in the courtyard rustled wildly in the night wind.

It seemed it was going to rain tonight.

But her sister still had to work overtime.

Remembering she didn’t have work the next day, Sheng Tingmian decided she could go to the company to see her sister and bring her a coat.

With her mind made up, she headed to the walk-in closet to pick out clothes, selecting one of her sister’s luxurious mink coats before leaving.

It hadn’t started raining yet, but the impending storm was palpable, the wind in the courtyard was so strong it nearly swept her off her feet as she stood by the black car.

The butler opened the door for her, and Sheng Tingmian climbed in, holding the bag containing the coat.

On the way, the rain poured down relentlessly, shrouding the sky in a dense, dark curtain that obscured the view.

The car moved slowly, surrounded by other vehicles with windshield wipers swishing and horns honking intermittently.

After passing one traffic light after another, they finally arrived outside her sister’s corporate building.

Peering through the car window, Sheng Tingmian glanced up at the brightly lit office tower. Ten minutes later, she reached the office.

“Sis, it’s raining heavily outside. I brought you a coat.” Sheng Tingmian’s eyes curved into a smile as she saw the woman busy at work. As expected, her sister had been too preoccupied to remember to dress warmly.

Her timing as a sister couldn’t have been better.

He Jianxue looked out the window, the nightscape was almost invisible, obscured by the torrential rain. Then she turned her gaze to the younger sister standing before her, holding a bag and looking at her with soft, gentle eyes.

She couldn’t bring herself to scold her. To come all this way in such heavy rain, just to deliver a coat…

Unaware of her sister’s thoughts, Sheng Tingmian stepped closer, took out the mink coat, and draped it over her arm. “Sis, you should put this on. It wouldn’t be good if you caught a cold.”

He Jianxue reluctantly took the coat and put it on. It was a knee-length mink coat, and Sheng Tingmian reached out to fasten the single rose-gold button on the chest.

Perhaps because the texture was so exquisite, Sheng Tingmian couldn’t resist stroking it after buttoning it up. “Sis, this mink coat is so warm.”

With it on, she probably wouldn’t feel cold anymore.

He Jianxue watched her fasten the button and then caress the fabric. “Should I buy you one someday?”

“No, this kind of coat doesn’t suit me,” Sheng Tingmian politely declined the offer. “Mink coats look beautiful on you.”

Elegant and refined, she loved seeing her sister wear clothes that were both stylish and accentuated her grace. Though her sister was ten years older, age was never a sign of decline but rather a sediment of maturity and depth. Nearing 30, her sister possessed a sophisticated and meticulous wisdom, the poise to handle grand occasions, and carried herself like a walking mannequin, stylish and uniquely highlighting feminine beauty.

“Sis, you can get back to work now.” Sheng Tingmian let go.

He Jianxue asked her, “Are you heading back now?”

Sheng Tingmian shook her head. “I’ll stay with you, sis. I’m off work tomorrow, so don’t worry about me. I’ll just read on the sofa, and if I get tired, I’ll sleep.”

He Jianxue watched as she walked toward the sofa, hesitated as if wanting to say something, but ultimately sighed and sat back down at her desk to continue working.

Sheng Tingmian noticed a book on the table and guessed it must be the one her sister was reading. She picked it up, imagining that after finishing it, she and her sister could have a meaningful conversation about it.

If she could share her own insights, her sister would surely be impressed.

However, the moment she opened the first page and saw it was entirely in English, she silently closed the book again.

Her heart sank: she had forgotten that, at her current level, she couldn’t handle a book entirely in English…

Quietly, she placed it back where it was.

Left with no other choice, Sheng Tingmian turned her attention to swimming. She secretly signed up for an expensive class, thinking that once she mastered it, she could accompany her sister for a swim.

Surely, her sister would appreciate having someone to swim with, right?