When Spring Burns - Chapter 47

The next morning, the scent of rain still lingered in the air, with occasional birdsong echoing through the neighborhood.

Sheng Tingmian slowly opened her eyes, first seeing a white wall. After a moment of confusion, she realized she was at her aunt’s place. As her consciousness returned and she was about to move, she immediately froze.

The warmth against her back, the restraint around her waist, and the fact that her legs were pressed against another pair of legs, the familiar fragrance of camellias seeped into her senses from all directions. Sheng Tingmian’s eyes widened in surprise.

Had her sister been holding her like this all night?

Wasn’t this a bit too intimate?

But the next second, Sheng Tingmian found a reason: it must be because the bed was too small, forcing her sister to hold her like this to sleep.

Feeling a pang of pity for her sister, Sheng Tingmian decided to quietly get up and leave the bed for her.

However, as soon as she moved, the hand around her waist tightened, preventing her from shifting.

“?”

It must have been an unconscious reflex, even in her sleep, her sister was still worried about the small bed and didn’t want to crowd her.

Sheng Tingmian reached for the hand on her waist, trying to lift it. But as soon as she did, a slightly hoarse voice came from above her head: “Awake?”

Trying to ignore the sensation of her shoulder blades pressing against her sister’s chest, Sheng Tingmian replied softly, “Yes, I’m awake, Sister.”

The hand around her waist withdrew, and Sheng Tingmian sensed the person behind her turning over. When she turned to look, her sister was already sitting up, expressionlessly checking the time on her phone.

“What time is it, Sister?”

“Seven.”

“That’s good, we still have two hours.”

Sheng Tingmian sat beside her. “Sister, how did you sleep last night?”

He Jianxue glanced sideways at her, her slender, well-proportioned legs extending from beneath her skirt as she leaned forward, hands braced on the edge of the bed.

“Not bad.”

At nearly 30 years old, it was the first time she had experienced the benefits of a human-shaped pillow.

It helped her sleep, and she slept well. It would’ve been even better if there were less fabric.

Sheng Tingmian smiled faintly. “I’m glad you didn’t mind my small bed.”

Sheng Tingmian went out to find her aunt, as they still needed to prepare toiletries. As soon as she stepped out, she saw her aunt cooking porridge. “Aunt, do we have toiletries for Sister at home? If not, I’ll go buy some.”

“Yes, yes, I bought new ones this morning. They’re on the table. Let her use those.”

When Sheng Tingmian saw He Jianxue come out, she immediately went to prepare them for her. “Sister, your toiletries are here.”

Sheng Tingmian stayed by her side, ready to squeeze out new toothpaste for her. He Jianxue frowned slightly and took the toothpaste from her hand.

“Sister?”

“I’m not an invalid.”

He Jianxue lowered her gaze and squeezed the toothpaste herself, then glanced at her. “And you’re not my servant. You’re my sister.”

Sheng Tingmian’s surprised expression slowly softened into a warm smile. Even standing in such a cramped space to wash up, her sister’s noble aura remained undiminished.

Seeing that she had finished brushing her teeth, Sheng Tingmian immediately handed her a cleansing towel.

After He Jianxue finished washing her face, she turned around to find Sheng Tingmian still standing in front of her. She stepped aside to make room in the bathroom.

“Go wash up. No need to stand guard over me.”

“Okay~”

He Jianxue went to the kitchen and ran into Sheng Xiaoyun, who was checking the porridge. “The porridge smells wonderful.”

Sheng Xiaoyun laughed. “Not at all, it’s just average. By the way, what do you usually eat for breakfast? I’ll prepare it for you.”

He Jianxue stopped her. “Xiaoyun, no need to trouble yourself. I often have porridge at home too.”

Sheng Xiaoyun finally stopped her fussing, and the more she looked at He Jianxue, the more she found her quite likable. “Alright, then hurry back inside and sit for a while.”

He Jianxue didn’t sit in the living room but instead went up to the rooftop to look around, overlooking the lush green woods surrounding the community.

In the distance, the sky was clear with pristine clouds, crisp as an autumn day.

Several large racks for airing bedsheets were set up on the rooftop.

Turning around, she noticed a few vegetables and tomato plants growing in the corner.

In the center of the tomato seedlings stood a bamboo or wooden stick, meant to support the entire plant. Unfortunately, last night’s heavy rain had nearly flattened all the seedlings, leaving a mess.

He Jianxue thought of the tomato salad she had made last time, the servant had said it was made from tomatoes Mianmian had grown herself. Could these be the very seedlings that produced those tomatoes?

She crouched down, hooking a broken stem with her fingertip. The stem, covered in sticky glandular hairs, felt damp. Letting go, she rubbed her thumb and forefinger together, a sensation she couldn’t quite describe.

“Sister, what are you doing?”

Sheng Tingmian, noticing she wasn’t inside, had come up to the rooftop to find her. Who would have thought she’d be looking at her tomato seedlings!

Seeing her approach, He Jianxue asked, “Did you plant these?”

Sheng Tingmian came to her side, crouching next to her with her hands on her knees, gazing sadly at the ruined seedlings. “Yes, I planted them, but last night’s rain destroyed them.”

He Jianxue took in her heartbroken expression and looked at the toppled tomato plants. The lush, sturdy seedlings had sprouted many healthy, full leaves, and some had even begun to bear fruit. The tomatoes weren’t fully ripe yet, some entirely green, others half-green and half-red. They were full of vitality and vigor, much like her younger sister.

But a single night of rain had knocked them all down, broken.

He Jianxue reached out and plucked one of the half-green, half-red tomatoes, about to take a bite, when Sheng Tingmian, in a panic, grabbed her hand. “Sister, that’s dirty, it hasn’t been washed yet…”

Under the vast sky, the wind brushed between them. He Jianxue looked at her calmly. “After being drenched by the rain all night, do you still think it’s dirty?”

Sheng Tingmian was stunned, watching motionless as He Jianxue opened her mouth and ate the tomato, unable to snap out of it for a long time.

Only after she finished did Sheng Tingmian hesitantly ask, “Was it good?”

He Jianxue’s gaze swept over her apricot-colored lips. “Sour and sweet.” Just like her.

“Sister…” Sheng Tingmian looked into her deep eyes, as if captivated, losing herself, nearly drowning in her gentle gaze.

“Would you like to grow cherry tomatoes at my place?” He Jianxue smiled softly and suggested.

Sheng Tingmian snapped back to reality. “Grow them at your house?”

Her first thought was of the precious camellia varieties planted in the courtyard, she couldn’t imagine how out of place growing vegetables at her sister’s house would seem.

“Yes, we’ll clear out a small patch of land and plant them together.”

“Together?!”

Sheng Tingmian was even more astonished. Her sister actually wanted to grow cherry tomatoes with her. “Why?”

He Jianxue glanced again at the ruined tomato seedlings. “Can’t your sister want to grow something with you? I don’t know much about other vegetables, but with you here, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

Sheng Tingmian bit her lip. Her sister wanted to grow vegetables with her and even said that with her around, it wouldn’t be a problem. What high praise must that be for her sister to say such a thing?

“Sister, do you really want to grow cherry tomatoes with me?”

“Yes.”

Sheng Tingmian’s thoughts shifted, and she agreed. “Alright then, I’ll plant them with you.”

In the evening, when Sheng Tingmian returned home from the theater, she saw that her sister had already cleared a small plot of land by the courtyard wall. The soil had been turned, and the surrounding area was paved with octagonal and square stones and turf to prevent muddiness. Three sides were bordered by ten-centimeter-high triangular railings.

Sheng Tingmian immediately halved the freshly bought cherry tomatoes, placed them in a glass bowl, and carried it over.

“Sister, we just need to plant these,” Sheng Tingmian said, looking at the prepared plot, which was far better than the rooftop conditions.

He Jianxue crouched down and used a small hoe to loosen the soil. Sheng Tingmian held the bowl, taking and scattering the seeds one by one, while He Jianxue covered them with soil.

Working together, they planted the entire bowl of cherry tomatoes in no time.

Holding the empty bowl, Sheng Tingmian said to her, “Now we just need to water them and wait for the miracle. They’ll sprout, grow to about this height, and then we’ll support them with bamboo sticks.”

He Jianxue, holding the mud-stained hoe, was momentarily captivated by her radiant smile and seemed infected by her enthusiasm. Her red lips curved upward. “Alright, we’ll do as my sister says.”

Under her sister’s affectionate gaze, Sheng Tingmian inexplicably felt her ears grow warm.

“Do as my sister says”, wasn’t that the same as doing as she said?

Beneath her dark hair, a faint blush spread across her ears. “When the tomatoes grow, I’ll make tomato salad for you.”

“Good,” He Jianxue raised an eyebrow, taking her hand to head back inside. “I’ll look forward to that day.”

As the sun set, one woman led a girl holding an empty bowl into the distance, their shadows stretching long and faint in the evening light.

Meow…

Tyrande walked proudly behind them, its four paws stepping leisurely on their shadows.

…

The annual Top Ten Program Awards Ceremony kicked off.

The audience was filled with guests and spectators, including station directors, department heads, and directors from various networks. The grand stage, unparalleled in its magnificence, showcased the sophisticated aesthetic of CCTV.

The program’s chief director skillfully managed the event. As the CCTV hosts delivered their opening remarks and announced the sponsors, the camera swiftly panned across the guest seats, where the chairman of GULAN Group, the program’s sponsor, was seated.

This had become a customary practice in the industry.

The hosts began announcing the Top Ten Programs one by one, with the massive screen displaying clips for the audience to appreciate.

When “The Jade Hairpin” was announced, Sheng Tingmian stepped onto the stage amid applause, wearing a strapless evening gown. Her confident and radiant appearance earned wave after wave of applause. Standing at the center of the stage, she accepted the trophy, her eyes immediately finding her sister seated in the audience.

Sheng Tingmian smiled slightly on stage, her eyes sparkling with joy. While maintaining eye contact with her sister, she listened to the host’s questions. After the host finished, she took the microphone, thought briefly, and answered with grace and confidence, showing no sign of stage fright.

The final question, of course, circled back to the inheritance of traditional opera culture. In front of everyone, Sheng Tingmian expressed her gratitude:

“I’d like to thank my troupe leader and dean for teaching me how to perform opera well and for their unwavering belief in opera culture. I also thank my partner, Du Jingya, for training with me day after day. My gratitude goes to all my friends at Liqing Theater Troupe for their support. Lastly, I want to thank my sister for her tolerance, appreciation, and encouragement. I love my sister.”

Below the stage, He Jianxue smiled without a word and applauded for her. Especially when the last sentence reached her ears, even though she knew it was just a superficial expression of gratitude, Sheng Tingmian’s radiant and sincere smile struck her heart again and again.

After the ceremony ended, Sheng Tingmian sat backstage, holding her trophy for photos.

Her assistant filmed vlog footage and asked, “Mianmian, how do you feel about winning the Top Ten Programs award?”

Sheng Tingmian thought for a moment, then smiled brightly into the camera and said, “This is my first trophy in life, and I’m incredibly happy. I’ll continue to work hard and strive to win more trophies in the future.”

The assistant, holding a gimbal stabilizer, remarked, “Your dress today is so beautiful.”

Sheng Tingmian covered her chest lightly, her eyes curving into crescents as she thought of something. “My sister picked it out for me, so of course it’s beautiful.”

Just as the footage was finished, the assistant spotted He Jianxue approaching. “Your sister is here.”

Sheng Tingmian, seated on the sofa, turned around and indeed saw He Jianxue walking toward her. She wasn’t wearing a dress, just a simple, custom-made top and trousers, yet the combination exuded an indescribable elegance and nobility.

“Sister, is the ceremony over?”

“It’s over,” He Jianxue replied naturally, wrapping an arm around her waist to support her. “Let’s get ready to go back.”

Sheng Tingmian, in her high heels, walked with He Jianxue out of the backstage area.

When they reached the car, the door opened. Whether it was due to the height of her heels or not, Sheng Tingmian stumbled, her body suddenly lurching downward. Fortunately, He Jianxue caught her in time, preventing her from falling.

Clutching her trophy tightly with one hand, Sheng Tingmian patted her chest with the other, relieved. “Thank goodness I didn’t embarrass myself on stage.”

“Go get a pair of shoes from the car,” He Jianxue instructed the assistant.

Sheng Tingmian was about to say she could just get into the car and didn’t need to change shoes, but under her sister’s gaze, she swallowed her words.

Alright, let her sister take care of her.

The assistant quickly brought a pair of flat shoes. Sheng Tingmian lifted her dress and sat in the car seat, placing one foot on the edge of the car frame as she prepared to bend down and change her shoes. Unexpectedly, her ankle was suddenly gripped tightly!

“Sister?!”

Sheng Tingmian was both flustered and touched, instinctively trying to pull her foot back. But He Jianxue shot her a calm glance, and a simple “Don’t move” made her close her mouth.

“Sister…” Sheng Tingmian wanted to refuse the gesture. She had thought having the assistant bring her shoes was already considerate enough, never expecting her sister would go so far as to help her change them.

He Jianxue half-knelt, gently removing the white diamond-encrusted high heels from Sheng Tingmian’s feet and replacing them with soft, flat shoes.

Sheng Tingmian lightly lifted the hem of her dress to make it easier for her sister to change the shoes, trying hard to ignore the warmth of He Jianxue’s hand against her skin. When her foot was held, her eyelashes fluttered involuntarily, and a strange electric current shot through her heart.

She stared blankly at the woman kneeling before her. Even her aunt had never treated her this kindly.

“Sister…”

“Hmm?”

“Such a beautiful pair of shoes, and I only wore them once before they broke. What a pity.”

“They’ve already served their greatest purpose, making you shine on stage. There’s no need to feel sorry.”

“But they’re diamond-encrusted, like Cinderella’s glass slippers.”

“I’m not a prince, so I don’t need to search the city with a shoe in hand.”

“Then what are you, sister?”

He Jianxue paused, putting on the last shoe before standing up and looking down at her with a profound gaze. “Do you want a prince or a sister?”