TEDWR: Chapter 31

 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.

·Liang Zheng (梁征): Liang Yingying's nephew from her hometown.

·Xiao Zhou (小周): One of the family drivers.

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

·Liang Yingying's elder brother (梁大哥): Liang Zheng's father.

·Auntie Wang (王姨): The nanny who cares for Zhang Shuocheng.

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Chapter 31

Once Zhang Yansheng got in the car, Xiao Zhou started the engine and pulled away slowly. "Miss Yanyan, where are we heading?"

Zhang Yansheng said indifferently, "Anywhere. Just drive around for a bit."

Xiao Zhou grinned. "Thank you, then."

Zhang Yansheng didn't actually need to go out. By pretending to need the car, she was taking responsibility for the whole matter. If she hadn't taken Xiao Zhou out with her, and the car and driver were available but Xiao Zhou refused Liang Zheng, Liang Yingying would blame him, and he wouldn't be able to handle it.

Now, with Zhang Yansheng taking Xiao Zhou away, she was the one shouldering the issue. It became a matter between Zhang Yansheng, Liang Yingying, and Liang Zheng.

Xiao Zhou smiled and praised, "Miss Yanyan, you're really sharp. You understood what I meant as soon as I called."

He added, "I can't stand that guy. Eating your family's food, living in your family's house, getting paid by your family, and still acting all high and mighty. Who does he think he is?"

Zhang Yansheng smoothed her fingers and said, "I thought... you were very obedient to Liang Yingying. Shouldn't you be on Liang Zheng's side?"

Xiao Zhou gave an awkward laugh. "Look at what you're saying. The one paying my salary is your father. It's just that my assigned job from your father is to drive for the madam and you young ladies. That's my duty. No personal feelings involved."

But in her past life, Zhang Yansheng had truly considered him one of Liang Yingying's people. Not just him, actually. In her past life, aside from Auntie Luo, there was no one in this household she felt was on her side. And the only one who leaned towards her, Auntie Luo, was driven away by her own actions.

Looking back on herself back then, she really felt a loneliness as if she were the only person in the world, viewing everyone with hostile eyes.

Thinking about it now, it was ridiculous.

People like Xiao Zhou and Auntie Wang were just employees doing their jobs for pay. There wasn't really any "sides."

Even someone like Liang Yingying was hard to like. In her past life, Auntie Wang gossiped about her behind her back, even spilling the story about her poking holes in condoms, and had many grievances against her too.

It was just that Zhang Yansheng, blinded back then, couldn't see it clearly.

Under that feeling of "the whole world is my enemy," she was the one who ran away from home, abandoning the place full of memories of her and her mother. She easily left that home to Liang Yingying, letting Liang Yingying become the winner in life.

She was wrong.

In this life, her home—no one else can take it away.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Liang Yingying hadn't even gotten out of bed when she was woken by a phone call. She fumbled for her phone and saw it was her elder brother. She answered with a yawn. "Hello?"

"Yingying! What's the Zhang family's meaning in this? Looking down on us, is that it? Huh?"

Liang Yingying's head throbbed from his shouting. "What's wrong now?"

Elder Brother Liang rattled on, repeating the complaint his son had just made to him, and said to Liang Yingying, "What's going on? Didn't you say a long time ago that you had that little girl under your thumb? Little Zheng says she's really something, managing her younger siblings, not afraid of you at all!"

Liang Yingying cursed inwardly.

What she feared most was losing face in front of her family.

Before, Zhang Yansheng had been foolish, exploding at the slightest provocation, making Zhang Huan like her less and less. She didn't know what had gotten into Zhang Yansheng recently; it was like she was a different person. And Zhang Huan had started favoring her too.

Liang Yingying stubbornly said, "Don't listen to Little Zheng's nonsense! I'm an adult. Would I really argue with a child? That's beneath me!"

Elder Brother Liang said, "Little Zheng says where you live is really inconvenient. He can't even get to and from work easily. And your husband too—going to the same place but not giving him a ride!"

It was only Tuesday, Liang Zheng's second day at work. Zhang Huan hadn't said anything to her about it, and Liang Yingying hadn't paid attention. With her brother saying this, Liang Yingying suddenly realized Zhang Huan might not want Liang Zheng riding with him every day.

Thinking back to how Zhang Huan had said Liang Zheng could "stay for now" and should find a place soon... honestly, such a big house, even the drivers and aunties had a place to stay. How could there be no room for her nephew?

She couldn't help complaining inwardly.

But Liang Yingying could not lose face in front of her family. She put on a casual tone. "It's not a big deal. Our area is all villa districts. It's naturally different from those places near subways or buses where young office workers live. You've been here before. Low density! You know?"

"The work commute is easy to solve. Liang Zheng is an adult; why is he fighting with a kid for a car? Honestly." Of course, Liang Yingying couldn't say she had also lost when fighting Zhang Yansheng for the car and driver.

But Zhang Huan had bought her the Ferrari because of this incident.

In Liang Yingying's mind, this was because Zhang Huan doted on her, because she knew how to please him.

It never occurred to her that if Zhang Yansheng were already eighteen and had a driver's license, this Ferrari might have been bought for Zhang Yansheng instead.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

She said, "Does Little Zheng have a driver's license? There are several cars at home. I'll just give him one to drive."

She spoke with the confidence of wealth, readily promising Liang Zheng a car. Elder Brother Liang's anger turned to delight. "He does, he does! He specifically got it before graduating. Hey, pick him a good one, don't give him something too shabby and embarrassing. He is, after all, the big boss's... nephew!"

Liang Yingying said irritably, "The Zhang family doesn't have any shabby cars!"

"That's true." Elder Brother Liang smacked his lips. "I saw the Ferrari you just bought that you posted about. Damn, that car must cost over a million, right?"

Liang Yingying said lightly, "Just about three million."

Elder Brother Liang was envious. "The life you lead..."

He changed tack. "Look at you, just a little trickle from between your fingers is enough for our whole family to live well. So, about your sister-in-law's brother..."

"Stop right there!" Liang Yingying immediately shut her brother up. "What the hell does your wife's brother have to do with me!"

"Don't say that, she is your sister-in-law after all..." Elder Brother Liang gave an embarrassed laugh.

Liang Yingying's elder brother, although idle and sponging off their parents without a proper job, had been fairly decent to his younger sister before. It was just that after he got married, it became annoying. His wife had never really liked having such a young sister-in-law in the family.

Who could have guessed this little sister-in-law would later soar to great heights? Now the sister-in-law wanted to curry favor, but it just so happened the sister-in-law held a grudge. "I don't care, and it's none of my business! I'm telling you, whether it's borrowing money or finding a job, they can dream on." Liang Yingying snorted. "Liang Zheng is my nephew. I can handle him. Anyone else? Forget it. Do they think I'm a fool with too much money? Dream on! Your wife's brother wants a job, is that it? Fine, have Liang Zheng go back home and make room for his uncle. I don't care either way. How about that?"

"Nonsense!" Elder Brother Liang said. "Of course not! Fine, I'll go tell your sister-in-law."

The corner of Liang Yingying's mouth lifted.

Having money was good. It gave her weight when speaking to her family.

But after hanging up, thinking about how Zhang Yansheng had made trouble for her again, she ground her teeth in hatred.

She went downstairs for "breakfast" at noon and only saw the two little ones she had given birth to. After waiting a while and not seeing Zhang Yansheng, she asked, "Where's that one?"

Zhang Heling looked up. "Who?"

Liang Yingying snorted. "Zhang Yansheng."

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Zhang Heling said, "Why don't you just say 'my sister'?"

Liang Yingying said angrily, "You really think of her as a sister!"

Zhang Heling was silent for a moment, then asked in surprise, "Aren't I Dad's child?"

Liang Yingying almost choked on her milk, coughing several times. "What nonsense are you talking about!"

"We were born from the same father, so of course we're sisters," Zhang Heling stated firmly.

Liang Yingying felt this foolish daughter was hopeless. She rolled her eyes in anger, then remembered. "Enough nonsense. Where's your dear sister?"

"Sister went out."

Only then did Liang Yingying realize she'd been foolish. Her brother had called her precisely because Zhang Yansheng had taken the car Liang Zheng wanted! Honestly!

Liang Zheng would definitely complain to her when he came back in the evening. After finishing her "breakfast," Liang Yingying took a stroll around the garage and had an idea.

She got dressed up and went out again in her newly bought Ferrari. She basked in the envy and jealousy of her friends, feeling triumphant.

Zhang Yansheng, having gone out in Xiao Zhou's car, thought about it and said, "Let's go to Leili Plaza for a turn."

Xiao Zhou responded cheerfully, "Sure thing!"

Zhang Yansheng went to the escalator where she had seen "that person" that day and lingered in the open space below for a while. It was, of course... impossible to see that person again so easily.

Zhang Yansheng felt rather silly and laughed at herself. She went upstairs, had lunch alone, then bought some cakes from Queen's Cake Shop to take home.

Back home, she had an auntie make fresh juice and called Zhang Heling and Zhang Shuocheng down for afternoon tea.

"This is delicious!" Zhang Shuocheng instantly liked this brand of cake.

"So... sister," Zhang Heling, who thought more, asked carefully, "We're eating this today, but tomorrow... are we still going?"

It had been agreed they would go for afternoon tea and play VR on Wednesday. The child was worried that since they'd eaten today, they wouldn't go tomorrow.

Zhang Shuocheng also became nervous. But he had been thoroughly disciplined by Zhang Yansheng a few times and now didn't dare yell at her. If this were Liang Yingying, he would have been rolling on the floor crying and demanding they must go.

Zhang Yansheng swept a glance at the two little ones, seeing four eyes wide open, and couldn't help but feel amused.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Zhang Heling really was a pretty little girl. Zhang Shuocheng, when not making a fuss, actually looked a bit cute? Zhang Yansheng thought her eyes must be gummed up to think that.

"We're going," she said generously. "I promised you. I have to keep my word."

The two children cheered.

An auntie brought up some fruit and couldn't help smiling at the sight. She went back and whispered to others, "See how harmonious this house is when that one isn't around."

After finishing her snack and returning to her room, Zhang Yansheng found Auntie Luo putting away her newly washed clothes in the walk-in closet. As she worked, Auntie Luo muttered, "That woman, honestly, I've never seen a mother like that. You're the later wife. Isn't it good if the child you gave birth to gets along well with the child from the first wife? She has to go and teach the child bad things."

Zhang Yansheng raised an eyebrow. "What nonsense is she teaching now?"

Auntie Luo recounted the conversation between Liang Yingying and Zhang Heling during lunch and sighed. "The mother's no good, but the child is a good child."

Zhang Yansheng scoffed.

Originally, after putting Liang Zheng in his place today, the matter was over. But Liang Yingying had to go and cause trouble for her.

It's only polite to return the favor.

She sent a text to Zhang Huan: Your nephew is very dissatisfied that you don't drive him to work every day.

She added a mocking sticker.

(End of Chapter)

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