Cheng You ignored him, having prepared herself mentally and thus felt no sadness now.
After all, if it were the old her, she would have torn into anyone who spoke ill of Cheng Tao.
After finishing her medicine and resting for a while longer, she felt much better.
She got out of bed and walked around, feeling some of the soreness in her limbs recede.
Illness departs slowly, and she still felt weak. Her delicate, palm-sized face looked pitiful.
However, at this time, having food was fortunate enough, and there was no room for being picky about nutrition.
She decided to go out for some sun. As soon as she stepped outside, she saw Cheng Wenyu throwing his change of clothes into a wooden basin.
This clearly meant he expected someone else to wash them for him.
The men in the Cheng family were all like this, never lifting a finger for housework.
Even if the entire family went out to work, they would sit and chat upon their return, while the women would be busy in the kitchen.
Seeing the clothes in the basin, Cheng Tao said with a smile, "Cheng You, don't touch them. I'll wash them."
Cheng You: "..." She hadn't intended to wash them anyway.
Cheng Tao, however, thought that given Cheng You's usual temperament, she would surely rush to wash them.
But when Cheng Tao came out with laundry detergent, Cheng You hadn't said a word.
Feeling unwilling, she turned back, "Cheng You, do you have any clothes to wash? I'll help you."
Cheng You nodded, "Yes, sister. Wait a moment, I'll change into clean clothes. These feel sticky and uncomfortable."
Cheng Tao: "..."
Why was she different from before!
A while later, she indeed saw Cheng You change and come out, logically throwing her clothes into the wooden basin.
She was wearing a short-sleeved blue and white checkered dress that reached her calves, exposing her fair, glowing limbs.
This checkered dress...
"Cheng You, didn't you say you were going to give me this checkered dress?"
Cheng Tao had been eyeing it for a long time.
Living with Song Yulian, she was lucky to barely maintain sustenance, let alone wear such a beautiful dress.
But Cheng You's mother, Jiang Qing, was the only daughter in the family and often received financial support from her parents.
Before Cheng Wenyu was born, Cheng You had been an only child for five years, enjoying her mother's unique affection.
Of course, even after her brother was born, not much had changed, but a person's energy was limited; some had to be allocated to her brother, so she couldn't be doted on one hundred percent.
However, Jiang Qing was never stingy with clothes like this.
Standing next to Cheng You now, Cheng Tao wasn't even a wildflower, merely common grass.
Cheng You bit her lip, looking distressed, "Sister, I've already given you several clothes my mother bought for me. I need to keep the rest as a memento of my mother." httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
With her saying this, Cheng Tao, as an "understanding" sister, naturally wouldn't make a fuss.
Cheng Tao lowered her head, "Then forget it. I've worn nice clothes before anyway, and it will be the same if I can't wear them in the future."
Cheng Wenyu, wiping his head with a towel, came out of the house and overheard, asking casually, "Wearing what?"
Cheng Tao remained silent, looking enviously at Cheng You's clothes.
Cheng Wenyu paused and said instinctively, "Cheng You, weren't you going to give this dress to big sister?"
Cheng You rolled her eyes, "Oh really? I don't want to give it anymore."
"We already agreed, how can you not give it?" Cheng Wenyu exclaimed with displeasure.
Cheng You pouted, her gaze impatient.
Seeing Cheng Wenyu, she realized how foolish she had been before.
"Because this was bought for me by my mother. I think if sister wants it, she can ask her own mother to buy one for her."
Her voice was already soft and sweet, and speaking like this didn't feel out of place, as if she were naturally meant to be spoiled and domineering.
Cheng Tao stared at her in shock, as if disbelieving that such words could come from Cheng You.
"Cheng You, what's wrong with you?" she asked, feigning concern.
Cheng You replied, "Nothing's wrong with me. I just think that there isn't much left that my mother left for me. If I give it all to sister, she'll be unhappy."
Cheng Tao felt a chill run down her spine, sensing that Cheng You was acting strangely.
She forced a smile, "It's okay, keep the dress yourself. I don't want it."
Cheng You hummed, "Then can you give me back that poplin shirt too? And that red skirt."
These were gifts Cheng You had given her before falling into the water.
Cheng Tao's expression stiffened. She hadn't even had a chance to wear these two items yet, as she hadn't washed them.
Seeing Cheng Tao's wronged expression, Cheng Wenyu said angrily, "Cheng You, that's enough! You can't take back something you've already given away!"
Cheng You blinked, her long eyelashes like two small fans.
She pouted, "Then forget it. Aren't we going to wash clothes? Hurry up."
Cheng Tao's gaze fell on the wooden basin, and she reluctantly picked it up.
Immediately after, she heard Cheng You say, "Sister, I wanted to go out and get some sun too, so I'll go with you."
Cheng Tao's heart leaped with joy. She knew Cheng You wouldn't really let her wash clothes.
In the past, although she told others that she washed Cheng You's clothes, it was always Cheng You who insisted on doing it.
Cheng Tao hummed, "Then let's go."
Cheng You walked alongside her, one in coarse cloth, the other in a checkered dress.
In the old society, someone would surely have called Cheng You a capitalist's daughter.
By the river, even after Cheng Tao put down the clothes, Cheng You remained silent.
She deliberately slowed her pace, waiting for Cheng You to snatch the clothes.
But all she received was Cheng You's urging, "Sister, hurry up, it's so hot."
Cheng Tao bit her lip, "Cheng You, there are quite a lot of clothes, you..."
"That's why I'm telling you to hurry up!" Cheng You said in a sweet voice.
Didn't Cheng Tao always like to tell others how much she sacrificed for her?
If she liked washing clothes so much, then wash them well, until she'd had enough.
After walking by the river for a while, she saw her fiancé, to whom she was betrothed in a childhood engagement, approaching.
Zhao Yunlin's eyes lit up when he saw Cheng You in the checkered dress, her appearance captivating.
He walked directly to Cheng You, "Cheng You, you're recovered from your illness?"
"Yes."
Zhao Yunlin seemed relieved, "That's good. You still need to be careful in the future. Even if you're fine, being saved by an unrelated man isn't good for your reputation."
Before Cheng You could speak, he continued on his own, "But it's okay, I don't mind. Just don't let it happen again."
His demeanor made it seem as if he were bestowing a great favor upon Cheng You.
Cheng You sneered inwardly.
At this time, the mutual affection between Zhao Yunlin and Cheng Tao had already begun to sprout, and their feelings would quickly heat up.
And everything Cheng You did would become a stepping stone for their deepening romance.
Until Zhao Yunlin, using the excuse of her being held by a man in the river, kicked her away.
"You don't mind, but I do. You need to be careful not to be held by unrelated women. I'm disgusted by it."
Cheng You slightly lifted her chin, her expression haughty.
Zhao Yunlin's smile froze, his eyelids drooped, and he avoided her gaze.
"You worry too much, why would I?"
If Cheng You hadn't been ill these past few days, he would have suspected she had seen him embracing Cheng Tao.