When Spring Burns - Chapter 8

After returning, Sheng Tingmian took off her female robe and headdress, preparing to remove her makeup when she suddenly heard that Miss He was about to leave.

She stood up abruptly. Ever since her last visit to the He residence to ask Miss He for investment, she hadn’t seen her again.

Today was the grand reopening of the theater, and Miss He had come. Sheng Tingmian thought she should personally express her gratitude.

Thank her for truly investing in their troupe.

The exquisite costumes and props they now used were bought with Miss He’s real money.

The improved theater environment was also maintained with Miss He’s funds.

Sneaking out of the dressing room, Sheng Tingmian hurried to the director’s office, only to collide with someone as she turned a corner.

Her feet caught on the footrest of a wheelchair, and she stumbled straight into someone’s embrace.

A crisp, cool scent wafted into her nostrils, accompanied by a softness.

Looking up, Sheng Tingmian saw Miss He’s slightly furrowed brows and a sharp, piercing gaze. Her heart felt as if it were being squeezed, and she flusteredly pushed herself up, using Miss He’s legs for support.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” She bowed repeatedly, her face filled with anxiety. “I didn’t mean to, Miss He…”

The air grew still for a long moment. The only sound Sheng Tingmian heard was Miss He’s cold command to her assistant, “Aren’t we leaving?”

Sheng Tingmian’s face instantly turned pale as she watched Miss He pass by without so much as a glance, as if she didn’t exist.

“Miss He…” Her lips trembled, and her eyes reddened.

Sheng Xiaoyun came out and saw Sheng Tingmian standing despondently in the hallway. She approached and asked, “What’s wrong? Why are you crying all of a sudden?”

Sheng Tingmian felt her hands and feet turn icy cold. Staring blankly at her aunt, she stammered, “Aunt, I…”

It seemed she had caused trouble and angered Miss He.

“What happened?” Seeing Sheng Tingmian still in makeup and without a tissue, Sheng Xiaoyun reached out to wipe the tears from the corner of her eyes.

“Tell your aunt what’s going on.”

“I made Miss He angry…”

“Who is Miss He?”

Sheng Tingmian recounted everything, how she had joined Uncle Guan’s troupe, performed at the He residence, and all that had happened since.

She only omitted the part about her promise to sing for Miss He for a lifetime.

After hearing the story, Sheng Xiaoyun was somewhat incredulous. “You mean you went to ask Miss He for investment, and that’s how the theater was able to reopen?”

Sheng Tingmian nodded. “I went to ask her, and she agreed.”

Sheng Xiaoyun was momentarily dazed. Her niece was truly remarkable to have connected with such a person.

“But Aunt, just now she seemed angry. Did I offend her?”

“Probably,” Sheng Xiaoyun replied, her expression turning serious. This Miss He was, after all, the investor and owner of their troupe.

“If she can’t walk and you threw yourself at her, she would definitely be upset. Go wash off your makeup and change into clean clothes. I’ll take you to apologize in person.”

Feeling as though she had finally found her anchor, Sheng Tingmian obediently removed her makeup, changed into fresh clothes, and followed her aunt to the He residence.

Sheng Xiaoyun carried expensive gifts she had purchased and rang the doorbell.

Standing beside her, Sheng Tingmian waited anxiously. She had never experienced anything like this before and instinctively relied on her aunt.

Seeing the butler approach, Sheng Tingmian hadn’t yet stepped forward when her aunt took the initiative to introduce herself first: “Hello, I am Sheng Tingmian’s aunt, the troupe leader of Liqing Theatre. I am extremely grateful for Miss He’s investment in our troupe. My niece is young and inexperienced. Today, she accidentally offended Miss He. Would it be possible for us to go in and offer our sincere apologies?”

The butler glanced at Sheng Tingmian. “That won’t be necessary. Miss He is not receiving anyone today, no one at all.”

Sheng Tingmian’s eyes reddened again. “Uncle Butler, could you please tell Miss He that I really didn’t mean to? I know I was wrong.”

Butler Liu ignored her and bluntly told them to leave.

After Butler Liu left, large teardrops fell from Sheng Tingmian’s eyes. “Aunt, what should we do? It’s all my fault for being so careless…”

Sheng Xiaoyun sighed and hugged Sheng Tingmian. “We’ll come back tomorrow. Don’t worry.”

Sheng Tingmian’s eyes were as red as a rabbit’s as she followed her aunt back dejectedly.

However, over the next few days, they were unable to see Miss He, repeatedly turned away at the door.

Even though the theatre remained open and events were held daily, Sheng Tingmian couldn’t eat or sleep peacefully.

“It’s alright,” Sheng Xiaoyun comforted her. “It’s just one investor. Even without this investment, I can always go back to teaching. It’s not a big deal.”

“Tingmian, don’t cry.”

Sheng Tingmian tried hard to hold back her tears, but they still welled up uncontrollably. “I’m angry at myself. She was kind enough to invest, and I had to ruin it and upset her.”

If only she had been more careful while walking, this wouldn’t have happened.

Sheng Xiaoyun knew she was worried about the troupe she had painstakingly brought together and feared that Miss He would withdraw her investment. “Tingmian, don’t overthink it. What’s done is done. We’ve done our best to make amends. Whether Miss He forgives us or not is not up to us.”

“Aunt…” Sheng Tingmian looked at her with red-rimmed eyes. “Can I take the day off today and not go to the theatre?”

Sheng Xiaoyun asked, “Where are you planning to go?”

Sheng Tingmian replied, “I want to go see Miss He myself. After all, this mess is my doing.”

Seeing the guilt on Sheng Tingmian’s face, Sheng Xiaoyun sighed. “Alright, I’ll have someone else perform your part today. But don’t do anything foolish.”

“I know. I just want to apologize to Miss He.”

With her aunt’s support, Sheng Tingmian went to the He residence alone and rang the doorbell.

Butler Liu, seeing it was her, repeated the same line, Miss He was not receiving anyone today.

Sheng Tingmian grew even more convinced that Miss He was angry with her. “I’ll wait until Miss He is willing to see me.”

Butler Liu seemed to want to say something but ultimately remained silent.

From morning until sunset, Sheng Tingmian stood until her legs grew sore, but there was no movement at the main gate.

In the courtyard, He Jianxue was resting with her eyes closed.

Her assistant stood nearby, aware of why Miss He had been refusing to see the young actress.

In truth, her disabled legs were a sensitive subject for Miss He, a taboo.

Because of her legs, she had lost too much. Her younger sister had been forced into a marriage alliance due to her own helplessness at the time.

And that Sheng Tingmian had recklessly rushed straight toward her, careless and impulsive.

The sun set, and night quietly descended.

Just as the assistant began to ask if Miss He wanted to return indoors, a flash of lightning split the sky, followed by a rumbling clap of thunder.

“Miss He, it looks like it’s going to rain.”

No sooner had these words been spoken than raindrops as large as beans began to fall at a visible pace.

In the blink of an eye, a curtain of rain had descended outside. The lights in the courtyard blurred abruptly, and the air was thick with the damp mist of rain.

“Miss He, let’s go back inside.”

The assistant wheeled her back into the house to freshen up. Miss He kept a very regular schedule and would retire for the night at ten o’clock.

By the time she finished washing up, it was already nine. Unexpectedly, Butler Liu suddenly appeared, announcing that Sheng Tingmian had fainted.

He Jianxue: “She didn’t go back?”

Butler Liu: “She never left. She’s been standing there since morning until now. When it started raining, she stood in the downpour for over an hour.”

The assistant was also surprised. She had assumed the young girl would have left after being turned away, never expecting her to have stood there for nearly an entire day, even enduring an hour in the rain.

Butler Liu: “Miss He…”

He Jianxue’s brow furrowed tightly. “Bring her inside and call a doctor.”

Butler Liu understood her meaning and summoned the doctor for treatment, while the assistant went out to carry the girl back.

He Jianxue watched as the assistant carried in the drenched young girl, her hair soaked, her face pale, and her slender ankles beneath the hem of her dress devoid of any color.

The servants helped her change out of her wet clothes and gave her a warm bath. Just as her hair was dried, the doctor arrived.

After an examination, it was determined that she had a fever, and the doctor prescribed an antipyretic IV drip.

Sheng Tingmian felt a sting on the back of her hand and instinctively flinched, only to have her hand held firmly. As the needle was inserted, the pain jolted her awake.

“It hurts…”

The first thing she saw was a doctor in a white coat, wearing a mask, applying medical tape to the back of her hand.

Before she could process the situation, her eyes fell upon Miss He, seated in a wheelchair by the bedside.

Finally seeing her, Sheng Tingmian grew emotional, her eyes reddening. “Miss He, I didn’t mean to do it. Please don’t be angry with me…”

He Jianxue said nothing. Only after everyone else had left, leaving the two of them alone in the room, did she cast a calm gaze toward the figure on the bed, who had thrown off the covers and sat up.

The girl’s pale complexion had finally gained a hint of rosy color, though her frame still looked frail.

She reminded He Jianxue of He Xiu.

Seeing the urgency in her reddened eyes and anxious expression, He Jianxue was momentarily transported back to her childhood, when He Xiu would follow behind her, calling her “big sister.”

“Don’t do something so foolish again.”

After so many days, finally hearing her voice, Sheng Tingmian felt a surge of emotion, her nose tingling with overwhelming grievance. “Then… Miss He, you’re not angry with me anymore?”

“I was wrong that day. I shouldn’t have been so careless. I’m truly sorry…”

He Jianxue watched as tears fell from her eyes like pearls and found her heart softening despite herself. “Just don’t be so reckless next time.”

“I know, I won’t be like that again.” Sheng Tingmian was filled with deep remorse. “Miss He, these past few days, my aunt and I came to see you to apologize, but you refused to see me. I knew you must still be angry.”

“I’ve been feeling so guilty these days, thinking how terribly I’ve wronged you. You were kind enough to invest in my aunt’s theater troupe, and I was so careless as to offend you.”

“I just wanted to thank you in person. I was afraid you’d leave, so I ran over without thinking. I never expected…”

Sheng Tingmian gazed at the woman before her, tears once again blurring her vision. “I truly didn’t mean to, Miss He…”

He Jianxue took in the sight of the young girl earnestly apologizing, her reddened nose and the corners of her eyes, like cherries in June, tinged with a flush of crimson, both alluring and pitiful.

Slowly, she raised her hand from the armrest and gently wiped away the tears at the girl’s flushed eyelids.

The moment the teardrops touched her fingertips, they slid down her fingers, passing over the ruby ladies’ ring. The tears felt scalding, much like the day He Xiu had smiled through tears and told her, “Of course, I’m marrying you with sincerity.”

“Don’t cry anymore. I’m not angry with you.”

Sensing the elder-like compassion in her tone, Sheng Tingmian’s tears flowed even more freely, her sobs coming in ragged bursts, her voice choked with emotion. “Miss He…”

“From now on… call me sister.”