TEDWR: Chapter 11

 Glossary

·Zhang Yansheng (张雁声): The female protagonist, the reborn eldest daughter.

·Zhang Huan (张寰): Zhang Yansheng's father.

·Liang Yingying (梁莹莹): Zhang Yansheng's stepmother.

·Zhang Shuocheng (张硕成): Zhang Yansheng's seven-year-old half-brother. Nickname: Shuoshuo.

·Zhang Heling (张鹤翎): Zhang Yansheng's nine-year-old half-sister.

·Luo Yi (罗姨): The family nanny who has cared for Zhang Yansheng since birth. Referred to as Auntie Luo.

·Wang Yi (王姨): The nanny who cares for Zhang Shuocheng. Referred to as Auntie Wang.

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Chapter 11

The girl's features were originally deep-set, with handsome eyebrows and striking eyes. But her youth—her skin as smooth and delicate as a peeled egg white, her slender figure—softened this air of heroic vigor.

However, when her brow was filled with ferocity as it was now, the delicate, girlish aura faded away, replaced by a sharp, aggressive intensity.

Everyone in the house was stunned, not daring to step forward.

But Liang Yingying was rolling her eyes, sticking out her tongue, looking as if she were about to stop breathing. Zhang Yansheng's appearance was also too frightening. Zhang Huan, as the head of the household, finally spoke up: "Yanyan! Yanyan! Let go for now!"

Zhang Yansheng also saw Liang Yingying's near-death state and withdrew her hand, standing up.

Her anger had peaked and passed, her calmness returning. She just stood there watching coldly, not agitated and noisy like before, yet the pressure she exerted was far greater than ever.

Liang Yingying clutched her throat, gasping for air, but the large influx choked her windpipe, sending her into a fit of coughing.

Zhang Shuocheng had long been scared stiff. Zhang Huan and Zhang Heling helped her sit up. One of her high heels had fallen off, her hair was a mess—she was utterly disheveled.

Trembling, she pointed at Zhang Yansheng. Finally catching her breath, she burst into tears, pulling at Zhang Huan and wailing, "Your daughter! Your daughter tried to kill me! Tried to kill me!"

Zhang Huan said irritably, "Who told you to shoot your mouth off!"

After all, she was his bedfellow, charming and alluring, and he had married her. He still kindly patted her back to help her catch her breath.

Liang Yingying nearly coughed up blood, trembling as she cried, "I almost died..."

"You wouldn't have died," Zhang Yansheng said. "You're not worth me throwing away my entire life."

"However, from now on, in this house, I don't want to hear constant noise and commotion." Her gaze swept over Zhang Shuocheng as she said coldly, "From now on, behave yourselves."

Zhang Shuocheng shuddered.

His worldview had truly been shattered today.

In his world, as long as Mom and Dad were there, he could run wild, so he had never really feared Zhang Yansheng. But today, Zhang Yansheng shattered that world, planting the first seed in his mind that maybe Mom and Dad couldn't always protect him.

Zhang Yansheng's icy gaze then swept over Liang Yingying. "If you have a garbage mouth and can't speak properly, then shut it! If I hear anything like that again, you'll face the consequences."

Having said that, Zhang Yansheng didn't spare another glance for any of them, turning and going upstairs.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Zhang Heling hesitated, then chased after her. She ran a few steps, then turned back and said, "Dad, you locked up Shuoshuo's game console. Today, he came to steal mine first and broke my game console. Then, while my sister was eating downstairs, he went into her room and stole her game console. My sister caught him red-handed. He already admitted to everything and had apologized to her, but now he's going back on his word! He did steal!"

Liang Yingying grabbed the high heel from the floor and threw it at her. "Shut up!"

Zhang Heling dodged in fright, avoiding the shoe.

In the past, if Liang Yingying yelled at her like this, she would have felt hurt and wronged. But today, that feeling wasn't as strong. Her mother didn't seem so formidable in her heart anymore.

She turned and scampered upstairs.

Liang Yingying started crying again, pulling at Zhang Huan. "Say something! Look how arrogant your daughter is. Is that any way to treat an elder? I am her stepmother, after all! A stepmother is still a mother!"

Zhang Huan said irritably, "You shut up for me. Don't mention that again in the future; you're poking at Yanyan's sore spot. If you dare say it and she really hits you, don't come crying to me. She's trained, you know! A black belt!"

He then pointed at Zhang Shuocheng. "You, go to your room. Where's Auntie Wang? Auntie Wang?"

Auntie Wang had been hiding in the hallway, peeking and watching. Hearing him call, she hurried out. "Sir, I'm here."

Zhang Huan said, "Take him to his room and watch him! How much of his summer homework has he done? Make sure he does it!"

Hearing "summer homework," Zhang Shuocheng's face fell. Auntie Wang went over, pulling and tugging at him until she finally dragged him upstairs.

"Go upstairs, wash your face, clean up," Zhang Huan said. "Don't let people laugh at you."

Liang Yingying's dress was wrinkled, her hair a mess, she only had one shoe on, her makeup was smeared—she was a pitiful sight.

Liang Yingying's face turned pale with anger. "You're really not going to do anything?"

"Do what? If you control your mouth, I won't have to do anything. How old is Yanyan? How old are you? Why are you always picking fights with a child?" Zhang Huan said impatiently.

Liang Yingying was stunned. She was a woman who depended on men, and she keenly sensed a subtle shift in Zhang Huan's attitude.

A chill ran through her, and she began to reflect on whether, after a few years as Mrs. Zhang, she had gotten a bit carried away. She quickly adjusted her attitude, softening into a delicate, aggrieved tone. "But she still shouldn't have resorted to violence. Look, look, isn't there a red mark on my neck?"

Pouting and acting coquettishly, her attitude had clearly softened.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Zhang Huan fell for this act. He actually looked and said, "No, no, how strong can Yanyan be? There's no mark at all."

There actually was a red mark, clear fingernail impressions that were somewhat startling. Zhang Huan didn't want to say so. Admitting it would just give Liang Yingying a ladder to climb. So he placated her.

Only when his attitude softened did Liang Yingying feel relieved.

The reason Liang Yingying had dared to provoke, challenge, and secretly bully Zhang Yansheng in the past was precisely because she saw that Zhang Huan didn't particularly defend his daughter, which made her bolder and bolder.

Now that Zhang Huan's attitude had subtly changed, Liang Yingying instinctively reined herself in.

Sniffling, she also went upstairs.

Only then did Zhang Huan sigh in relief. He paced around the living room for a moment, then went to the second floor.

Both daughters lived on the second floor; the only son lived with him and his wife on the third floor. Coming upstairs, Zhang Huan saw his daughters' room doors were tightly shut. He went and knocked on Zhang Yansheng's door. "Yanyan, it's Dad. Yanyan?"

Soon, Zhang Yansheng came and opened the door. But she stood in the doorway, showing no intention of inviting Zhang Huan in.

"If you're here to speak for your concubine, save it," she said coolly.

Once again, Zhang Huan was taken aback by Zhang Yansheng's attitude.

In the past, Zhang Yansheng was always full of resentment and bitterness. Any topic involving Liang Yingying would easily make her furious and agitated. He simply couldn't talk properly with her.

But she had just graduated from junior high—how had she suddenly seemed to grow into a young woman?

Although her demeanor was cooler now, that ever-present readiness to explode seemed to be gone. For Zhang Huan, this was a huge relief.

He had kept a mistress and fathered children outside while his wife was still alive—it wasn't honorable. He wasn't entirely without a conscience and felt some guilt towards his daughter. Zhang Yansheng's emotions used to activate that guilt.

But who wants their conscience pricked every day? Zhang Huan certainly didn't want to live in guilt daily. Nearing fifty, he just wanted to live lightly and easily.

Zhang Yansheng was a teenager. She was angry, resentful, full of loathing. Adolescence amplified these emotions, and over the past two years, Zhang Huan felt it was becoming increasingly difficult to communicate with her.

Now, as she grew older and seemed to have figured things out on her own, it was really for the best.

"No," Zhang Huan said with a smile. "She has a foul mouth, serves her right. I'm not speaking for her. Hey, let Dad in. Let's have a father-daughter chat."

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Zhang Huan was surprised by Zhang Yansheng's change, and Zhang Yansheng was equally astonished by Zhang Huan's attitude.

In her memory, Zhang Huan had never taken the initiative to communicate with her at this stage. He always looked like he had a headache just seeing her, always trying to escape.

Zhang Yansheng was silent for a moment, then stepped aside, letting Zhang Huan in.

Zhang Huan and Zhang Yansheng sat down on the sofa.

"Why such a bad temper today?" Zhang Huan said. "Even though your Aunt Liang is young, she's still an elder. You absolutely cannot resort to violence with an elder."

Zhang Yansheng lifted her eyelids. "Liang Yingying becoming my elder? Maybe in her next life. You heard what she said. With words like that, strangling her would be her own fault."

Zhang Huan coughed. "She's just… blunt and speaks without thinking…"

"If she can't speak properly, make her shut up," Zhang Yansheng said, ferocity rising in her brow again. "My mother passed away—is that something a mistress is fit to bring up? She has some nerve. If she doesn't want face herself, don't blame me for not giving her any."

This wasn't just about not giving Liang Yingying face; it was fundamentally about not giving Zhang Huan face.

Zhang Huan cleared his throat again and asked, "What happened with Shuoshuo today? Hehe said he took your game console."

"I gave him a beating."

"He's still young…"

As soon as Zhang Huan said this, he saw Zhang Yansheng glance at him. Her pitch-black eyes held a gaze that seemed full of mockery.

Zhang Huan felt inexplicably uncomfortable.

"Do you know he's much taller than other kids his age?" Zhang Yansheng asked.

This was a point of pride for Zhang Huan. "His mother is tall."

"I bet by junior high, he'll be taller than me," Zhang Yansheng said. "Tall and strong, like an adult."

Zhang Huan was pleased. "I estimate he'll grow to at least six-foot-one."

Zhang Yansheng continued, "Then have you ever thought about what he'll grow up to be?"

Zhang Huan said, "He'll definitely be like me. Our family doesn't have ugly people; your brother will definitely be handsome."

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Suppressing her anger, Zhang Yansheng said, "He's only in first grade, and he already dares to steal."

"Hey, in our own home, can you really call it stealing?"

"Taking without asking is stealing. I learned that in elementary school classical literature class!" Zhang Yansheng grew agitated. "And my room—is it a place he can just enter?"

The topic of rooms touched on a teenage girl's sensitive sense of territory. Zhang Huan tried to gloss over it again. "I'll scold him later."

Zhang Yansheng understood that Zhang Huan hadn't taken her words to heart at all. He had a son in middle age and was genuinely somewhat doting on Zhang Shuocheng.

He was, in fact, a father who didn't like to be involved in child-rearing. In the past, Zhang Yansheng's childhood was filled with her mother's presence. This father, Zhang Huan, only took her out to show her off once she was dressed up nicely, or bragged about her grades and awards when relatives and friends talked about children.

He was the epitome of an absent father in a widowed-style parenting model.

However, not every wife could raise a child as meticulously as Zhang Yansheng's mother had.

Zhang Yansheng had once heard Liang Yingying point at her own children and say, "I found you a rich dad, let you live in a big house, go to private school, get chauffeured around—that's good enough for you."

For Liang Yingying, struggling to become "Mrs. Zhang" was the end goal. There was no need to strive further; the rest of her life was for enjoyment.

As for the children? Weren't there nannies for that? Someone was taking care of them; no need for her to bother.

With parents like these, it was a miracle Zhang Heling hadn't turned out crooked.

And Zhang Shuocheng?

A teenage boy with the height and weight of an adult.

When he lifted a female teacher's skirt, Zhang Huan said, "He's still young."

When he harassed a female classmate outside school, Zhang Huan said, "He's still young."

When he finally became a rapist, Zhang Huan could no longer utter those three words: "He's still young."

(End of Chapter)

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