TEDWR: Chapter 12

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.

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

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

---

Chapter 12

Zhang Huan spent a fortune to settle that incident back then.

He was already over fifty by that time, his energy and stamina clearly on the decline, nothing like he was now. To make matters worse, he had no worthy successor.

Of his three children, the eldest daughter was rebellious, wasting her life in dissipation outside. The second daughter was too introverted, showing no promising traits and completely incapable of impressing the elders.

His treasured son had genuinely grown into garbage, into scum.

It was then that Zhang Huan finally admitted he had ruined his son.

His temples were streaked with much more gray back then, and he looked far older than he did now. For years, he had clung to the ambition of competing with Zhang Yansheng's eldest uncle. By that point, he had almost completely given up.

His three children were no match for Zhang Yansheng's cousins. Not one of them could get close to Zhang Yansheng's grandmother, not one could earn a place in her eyes.

Zhang Yansheng thought with malicious glee: if the Zhang Huan from that future could also be reborn back to now, would he regret it? Would he pull himself together and properly discipline Zhang Shuocheng?

But the present Zhang Huan clearly had no such awareness. He was still the same as before, dumping all child-rearing matters onto women. And the woman he had now simply didn't know how to raise children.

Zhang Huan wasn't reborn, but Zhang Yansheng was. She couldn't just stand aside.

She didn't care if Zhang Shuocheng went to hell, but she couldn't sit back and watch him repeat that life, harming another innocent girl.

Zhang Yansheng had heard that girl later attempted suicide twice and developed severe depression. Her life was essentially destroyed by Zhang Shuocheng.

Zhang Yansheng couldn't just watch.

No matter how much she detested Zhang Shuocheng, she had to step in and manage him.

"Right now he steals, and you think he's just a kid," Zhang Yansheng said. "In the future, when he's committing murder, arson, or rape, you won't think he's young anymore."

"Don't talk nonsense," Zhang Huan said, displeased.

Zhang Yansheng stared at him. "Your son continues down this path—what kind of person do you think he'll become? A pillar of socialist society? Let me tell you, if this continues, you will live to deeply regret it."

Zhang Huan felt Zhang Yansheng was exaggerating. Zhang Shuocheng was indeed a bit naughty, but he was just young.

Yet he also sensed there was some truth to her words. In theory, everyone knows strict upbringing produces good children. In practice, not everyone can do it.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Especially since Zhang Shuocheng had just made him lose face spectacularly at the grandaunt's birthday banquet the night before.

Zhang Huan rubbed his chin. "But he really is too mischievous. His mother isn't good at managing children either. Anyway, as his older sister, you should step in when needed. You are the eldest daughter, after all. They say the eldest sister is like a mother. I think you handled him quite well today, showed good judgment."

The more he thought about it, the better it seemed. Zhang Huan even slapped the sofa. "Good, very good. You can manage him like this from now on."

Zhang Yansheng was stunned.

She had truly believed Zhang Huan would at least defend Zhang Shuocheng a little, would not let her interfere. But not only did Zhang Huan support it, she could tell he was even in a rather good mood because of it?

"If I discipline your son, will your wife be okay with that?" she sneered.

"As for her..." Zhang Huan rubbed his chin again, his mood indeed quite good. "I noticed you handled her quite well today too. You really have a bit of your mother's presence about you."

Zhang Yansheng instantly flared up. "Don't mention my mom!"

Mentioning her mother and Liang Yingying together again would truly make Zhang Yansheng lose control.

"Alright, alright, I won't mention her," Zhang Huan knew when to stop. "You, though, should control your temper. In the future, if you can avoid using your hands, don't. You scared her thoroughly this time. I doubt she'll dare to spout nonsense at you anymore. Her courage is actually very small."

Zhang Yansheng didn't reply, just gazed thoughtfully at Zhang Huan.

In her past life, how many conflicts had she had with Liang Yingying, how many arguments? When had Zhang Huan ever taken the initiative like this to come chat with her, to talk heart-to-heart?

Today, she lost her temper and resorted to force, suppressing Liang Yingying's momentum in one move, and Zhang Huan came trotting over right away.

She finally understood. So this was Zhang Huan's mindset.

For Zhang Huan, the irreconcilable conflict between his eldest daughter and his young wife was something he was well aware of. These two women living together meant one would always prevail over the other.

Zhang Huan actually didn't care who prevailed.

Whether the daughter subdued the wife or the wife subdued the daughter, they both lived in luxury in this house. There could be no severe beatings or abuse—it was simply a matter of one person being more content, the other less so.

But for Zhang Huan, as long as one of them could thoroughly subdue the other, he could obtain peace and quiet.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Peace was harmony.

Harmony was happiness.

As for who subdued whom, he didn't care. He just wanted his peace, harmony, and perfect happiness. As long as one of them could control the situation, keep the house quiet, and let him live easily and lightly, he would be satisfied.

It was just that in her past life, the young Zhang Yansheng could never possibly subdue Liang Yingying. Later, as she gradually grew up, her personality became more and more extreme. It became increasingly clear to Zhang Huan that if she subdued Liang Yingying, he wouldn't have a peaceful life either.

So later, Zhang Huan instead sided with Liang Yingying.

The Zhang Yansheng of the past could never have understood this kind of male mindset from her biological father—hoping the women in the house could all live in harmony, hoping one woman could help him manage the others, manage them into a state of peaceful coexistence.

But the current Zhang Yansheng, returning to this time, looking at each person, their relationships, those subtle attitudes—suddenly, she saw through Zhang Huan's mindset.

Once, the teenage Zhang Yansheng felt such rage that her father didn't unconditionally support her.

So many of her extreme behaviors were just to make him look at her more, to care for her a little more.

But this man was actually so selfish. He just wanted to live the "harmonious and beautiful" life he envisioned.

Zhang Yansheng once again felt her former self was too laughable, too undeserving.

His daughter's gaze made Zhang Huan somewhat uncomfortable. It felt eerie, not like a child's look.

"Well then, that's settled..." Zhang Huan coughed and stood up. "Don't stoop to their level. Rest early. I'll head upstairs now."

Having comforted his daughter and deeply convinced he was a peerlessly good father, he planned to retreat. He had no idea that his eldest daughter, at this moment, had completely given up on him.

Zhang Yansheng truly had no feelings left for this man.

She watched him woodenly as he was about to leave, then suddenly called out to stop him.

"Zhang Heling is about to start fourth grade. She should have an allowance," she said. "When I was in third grade, my mom started letting me manage my own allowance."

Zhang Huan still had some memory of this.

Back then, his wife had told him: "I don't know when I might have to let go. You're not someone who can manage children well. We should let Yanyan learn to manage money herself."

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

He had gently comforted his wife back then, who was losing large clumps of hair from chemotherapy. Later, his eldest daughter began managing her own allowance. She seemed to have managed it quite well all along.

Zhang Huan was just a bit surprised. His eldest daughter really seemed to have grown up overnight. She could not only discipline her brother and subdue her stepmother but also showed concern for her younger sister.

Wasn't this exactly the family harmony he wanted to see?

"Okay, then I..." Zhang Huan pondered. Previously, Zhang Yansheng completely ignored Zhang Heling. This was a great opportunity for the sisters to bond. He said, "I'm busy. How about this: you get a card for your sister, and you manage her spending. How's that?"

"Fine," Zhang Yansheng said. "Then give me an extra fifty thousand a month."

"Deal," Zhang Huan agreed immediately. "Hehe is still young. Don't let her spend too recklessly."

"Since you're handing it to me, don't interfere," Zhang Yansheng said coldly. "Warn your little wife. Our family doesn't hit children—Zhang Shuocheng being the exception. Tell her to stop randomly slapping or pinching Zhang Heling. Tell her to drop that provincial housewife act right now."

Zhang Huan wasn't too pleased with Liang Yingying's behavior in this regard either. It did, as Zhang Yansheng said, carry a whiff of provincialism. It was utterly incomparable to his first wife.

He used to not involve himself in child-rearing matters. But today, after Zhang Yansheng's words, he suddenly felt Liang Yingying was failing as a mother—she hadn't raised the daughter well, hadn't managed the son well. He instantly felt very dissatisfied with Liang Yingying.

Before, when Liang Yingying was his kept mistress, he enjoyed her youth and beauty, his "treasure hidden away."

But now Liang Yingying was already Mrs. Zhang. She should be managing the household and raising the children. Yet Liang Yingying remained completely in her previous state—shopping, beauty treatments, playing mahjong, having fun everywhere.

Her status had risen from mistress to wife, but her competence hadn't kept up.

Zhang Huan was dissatisfied.

But yesterday and today, he was unexpectedly pleased with his eldest daughter. This child had suddenly grown up, showing quite a bit of her mother's bearing.

Filled with contentment, Zhang Huan went upstairs. He also forgot to ask his eldest daughter how she had become so capable now.

When she was little, she indeed participated in various competitions, bringing back certificates and awards to comfort her mother. But ever since his wife passed away, she lost enthusiasm for those competitions and hadn't brought any certificates home.

Maybe she just kept up the training long-term. He truly had never cared about her skill level in those talents she learned. Who knew the little girl had unconsciously become so capable?

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Zhang Yansheng watched him leave and slammed the door shut with a bang.

She sat back on the sofa and extended her hand, clenching her fist.

All those artistic pursuits—music, chess, calligraphy, painting—her mother had arranged for her to learn in childhood were later abandoned. After all, she had even abandoned her proper studies; how could she care about those?

Only taekwondo and sanda were never abandoned. These two sports were excellent outlets for venting. The pent-up gloom and ferocity in her chest could be well released through punches and kicks.

Later, she found sparring partners who were professional athletes. She herself had long reached a professional level.

But today, having calmed down, she also realized her arm strength was somewhat astonishing. It wasn't the strength a fifteen-year-old girl should have, nor even what her twenty-one-year-old self in the future possessed.

That explosive sense of power probably exceeded the strength of many men.

Could it be that rebirth came with the bonus of increased strength?

The next morning, Zhang Huan held his coffee cup and watched his eldest daughter doing her morning exercises in the courtyard.

The crisp, rhythmic pap-pap sound of her gloved fists hitting the pads had a certain aesthetic beauty to it early in the morning.

His daughter had grown up and become sensible. In a good mood, Zhang Huan left for the company.

When Zhang Yansheng finished her shower and went down for breakfast, she didn't see Liang Yingying or Zhang Shuocheng.

Liang Yingying's beauty sleep usually lasted until ten or even eleven. Zhang Shuocheng was either not up yet or off playing somewhere.

Breakfast was quiet. Zhang Heling seemed eager to talk to Zhang Yansheng, but Zhang Yansheng kept her eyes down, eating unhurriedly. Zhang Heling, feeling deflated, also ate her breakfast obediently.

After breakfast, Zhang Yansheng called Auntie Wang, who was responsible for Zhang Shuocheng's care, to the living room.

"Zhang Shuocheng's daily routine has always been your responsibility," she said. "My requirement is for him to do his homework every morning under your supervision..."

She glanced at Zhang Heling and assigned her the task: "Zhang Heling will be responsible for checking it."

Zhang Heling was surprised. "Me?"

"Yes," Zhang Yansheng said. "If he doesn't do it on time, you must tell me immediately."

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Zhang Heling immediately promised, "Okay!"

Zhang Yansheng then turned her gaze to Auntie Wang. Her inspecting look was too cold, making Auntie Wang unconsciously wring her hands and clear her throat.

"Yesterday, my father put me in charge of managing Zhang Shuocheng," Zhang Yansheng said. "I don't care about what happened before. From now on, you watch him closely. He studies when he should study, sleeps when he should sleep. If you help him with his homework, don't work here anymore. If you take money from him..."

Zhang Heling looked at Auntie Wang in surprise.

Auntie Wang's face also showed unconcealed shock.

"Zhang Heling doesn't even have an allowance yet. Where would Zhang Shuocheng get money?" Zhang Yansheng's gaze was sharp. "If this happens again—abetting a minor in theft, illegally possessing employer property—you could spend a couple of years in jail!"

Auntie Wang's face turned pale.

How did Zhang Yansheng know she had taken Zhang Shuocheng's money to do his homework for him?

(End of Chapter)

← prev next →