TEDWR: Chapter 34

 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.

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

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

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Chapter 34

In the end, Liang Yingying agreed to pay Liang Zheng's rent. Only then did he, albeit very unhappily, agree to move out. However, his demand for a promotion and a raise was shot down by Liang Yingying: "How many days have you worked? Not even three! What promotion are you talking about!"

Liang Zheng was sullen and muttered his way upstairs.

In the guest room, he complained to a friend: "That damn brat, that deadweight! Always looking down on people! She doesn't even think about who I am—I'm her own father's nephew by marriage. She doesn't think about herself either, not even my aunt's own child. In this house, she's the extra one. If it weren't for her, how harmonious my aunt and uncle's family of four would be!"

His friend said, "Isn't she just a middle schooler? Can't you handle her? You're too soft!"

Of course, Liang Zheng couldn't admit to being soft. He said stubbornly, "I'm an adult. Can I really stoop to her level, a middle schooler? Handling her would be a piece of cake!"

His friend egged him on: "Then show us how you'd handle her."

"Screw you, stop stirring the pot," Liang Zheng said.

Even though he said that, thinking of Zhang Yansheng still made him grind his teeth in hatred.

Zhang Yansheng, of course, didn't know that both Liang Zheng and Liang Yingying had attributed Zhang Huan's words to her. But even if she knew, she wouldn't care.

That evening, she glanced at her phone and saw a few messages from middle school classmates asking her to hang out. She replied that she didn't have time and rejected them all.

Most friends from her middle school days later faded away. Zhang Yansheng had mostly forgotten about them and had no desire to go out and play with middle schoolers. Her soul was, after all, that of a twenty-one-year-old adult. What fun could she have with a bunch of middle schoolers?

She tossed her phone aside, worked through another set of practice problems, and then went to sleep.

On Wednesday morning, breaking all precedent, Zhang Shuocheng came downstairs for breakfast without Zhang Heling having to go up and drag him out. Zhang Huan was quite surprised.

He quickly noticed that the two younger ones were eating absentmindedly, especially Zhang Shuocheng, who kept squirming in his chair.

"What's going on with you two?" he couldn't help but ask.

Zhang Shuocheng glanced at Zhang Yansheng.

Zhang Yansheng ignored him.

Zhang Shuocheng was afraid of her now and didn't dare speak, but he kept shooting glances her way.

Zhang Huan could tell at a glance that something was up. However, after offending his eldest daughter last night, he felt a bit awkward about speaking to Zhang Yansheng directly now. He was afraid she might lose her temper and embarrass him in front of the two younger ones.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Zhang Huan looked around and, in a voice loud enough for Zhang Yansheng to hear, called to Zhang Heling: "Hehe, Hehe!"

He winked at her. "Tell Dad, is today a special day? Is there something fun going on?"

Zhang Heling also glanced at Zhang Yansheng. Unlike Zhang Shuocheng, she wasn't afraid of her. Her voice was clear and cheerful as she said, "Sister promised to take us to the VR arcade today!"

Zhang Shuocheng chimed in loudly: "And to eat cake!"

Zhang Heling corrected him: "It's afternoon tea!"

"Right, afternoon tea! Afternoon tea!" Zhang Shuocheng got excited, banging on the table.

The exciting points were, first, playing VR, and second, the very fact that his two sisters were taking him out.

Zhang Huan was both pleased that Zhang Yansheng had grown closer to the two younger children and a bit worried. He couldn't help but glance at her.

Zhang Yansheng knew what he was thinking. She shot him a look and said, "He won't get lost. Auntie Wang and Xiao Zhou will both be with us."

Zhang Huan felt relieved and gave an awkward laugh. "I'm not worried."

Even as he said that, in his heart, his eldest daughter was still only fifteen, a child herself. Before leaving, he still gave Auntie Wang and Xiao Zhou some instructions.

Liang Yingying, as usual, came downstairs around noon. At the table, hearing the two little ones chattering about going to the VR arcade that afternoon, she yawned and asked curiously, "Who's taking you?"

Zhang Shuocheng rushed to say, "Big sister is taking us!"

Liang Yingying's face immediately fell. "Go where? She's just a kid herself. What if she loses you?"

Zhang Heling quickly said, "I'll help keep an eye on him."

Liang Yingying scolded, "What can you watch? You're a kid yourself! You might both get lost then! No one is going!"

Her words were "no one is going," but both she and Zhang Yansheng understood her real meaning was "you are not going with Zhang Yansheng."

Zhang Yansheng had been ignoring her at the table until now. Seeing the two little ones were bewildered, she finally looked up and said, "Fine, then you take them." Having said that, she pushed her bowl and chopsticks away and went upstairs.

On the stairs, she could hear the commotion from the dining room.

Zhang Shuocheng threw a tantrum: "Take me! Take me! I want to go to the VR arcade! You take me!"

Liang Yingying yelled, "I don't have time! I have plans!"

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

This was followed by the sound of dishes breaking, Zhang Heling's scream, Zhang Shuocheng's loud crying, Liang Yingying's cursing, and the aunties rushing in. It was total chaos.

The corner of Zhang Yansheng's mouth twitched, and she went upstairs.

After about half an hour, someone knocked on her door. "Sister! Sister!"

Zhang Yansheng walked over and opened the door. Zhang Heling was dragging a tear-streaked, disheveled Zhang Shuocheng along. She asked plaintively, "Are you really not taking us?"

Zhang Shuocheng let out a wail and showed immediate signs of wanting to throw himself on the floor.

Zhang Yansheng barked, "Stand up straight!"

Zhang Shuocheng shuddered and didn't dare lie down. Sniffling, he looked at her.

Zhang Yansheng asked Zhang Heling, "What's wrong with him?"

Zhang Heling also sniffled, looking miserable. "My mom wouldn't take us. She had a mahjong game, so she was going out. Shuoshuo held onto her leg and wouldn't let her go, and he tore the seam of her dress. So she hit him."

Zhang Shuocheng wailed at the top of his lungs. Zhang Heling tried to break up the fight and even got hit a few times in the mess. In the end, Liang Yingying still changed her clothes and went out.

Nothing could stop Liang Yingying from going out. She was a woman who simply couldn't stand staying at home.

Zhang Shuocheng lay on the floor howling. Auntie Wang came to comfort him but couldn't calm him down. It was Zhang Heling who was clever. She pinched his ear and said, "Let's go beg Sister again..."

Only then did Zhang Shuocheng stop crying and, trailing snot all over his face, let Zhang Heling drag him upstairs.

"Are we really not going?" Zhang Heling was very upset.

It had been promised. They had been looking forward to it for days. And it was all ruined by her mom. It wasn't their fault.

Zhang Yansheng raised her gaze to avoid Zhang Heling's tear-filled, pleading eyes and said irritably, "Go take him to wash his face and change his clothes. He's disgusting!"

Snot was all over his clothes.

Zhang Heling's eyes widened, and she cheered! She dragged Zhang Shuocheng away!

Zhang Shuocheng was still confused. Zhang Heling urgently patted him. "Go wash your face and change quickly! Sister agreed to take us!"

Zhang Shuocheng also cheered. This time, he didn't need Zhang Heling to drag him. He took off running upstairs himself, shouting, "Auntie! Auntie! Change my clothes!"

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Zhang Heling came back and poked her head through the doorway. "Sister, which matching set are we wearing today?"

Zhang Yansheng thought for a moment. "The pink and blue one."

"Okay!" Zhang Heling ran off.

Zhang Yansheng also changed her clothes. She thought about putting on some makeup—definitely not like her past life, but at least some lipstick. However, after rummaging around, she realized her fifteen-year-old self hadn't started wearing makeup yet.

I'll have to remember to buy some lipstick later, she reminded herself.

Because the two little ones were eager to go out and play, their movements were remarkably fast—much quicker than when getting ready for school.

Zhang Heling and Zhang Yansheng wore their matching sister outfits, looking lovely. Zhang Shuocheng was also cleaned up nicely by the auntie. When he wasn't making a fuss, his looks were quite deceiving. Only those close to him knew what he was really like.

Zhang Yansheng went out with Auntie Wang and the two little ones, walking with firm, decisive steps. Xiao Zhou was waiting outside. When he saw them come out, for a moment he had the illusion that Zhang Yansheng seemed like a very authoritative parent. Looking more closely, although she was pretty, her features weren't fully matured yet, and her figure was still that of a teenage girl.

It was really strange.

That afternoon, Zhang Yansheng fulfilled her earlier promise, taking the two little ones to play at the VR arcade and for afternoon tea.

Auntie Wang and Xiao Zhou accompanied them the whole time. Both had received Zhang Huan's instructions and focused their efforts on watching Zhang Shuocheng. Sure enough, Zhang Shuocheng was full of energy, running all over the plaza.

Without Liang Yingying, the group had a quite enjoyable afternoon tea.

Zhang Shuocheng, having played to his heart's content and eaten happily, didn't really act up.

They even discussed the possibility of setting up a VR room at home.

"I'll look it up online later," Zhang Yansheng said.

The two little ones were full of energy, their eyes shining as they looked at her. At least at this moment, Big Sister seemed much more impressive than Mom and Dad!

Zhang Yansheng went and bought herself a full set of lipsticks. She casually bought two skincare gift sets, giving one to Auntie Wang and one to Xiao Zhou.

Both were all smiles.

Auntie Wang said, "It's a waste for me to use it. I'll give this to my daughter."

Xiao Zhou said, "Perfect! My girlfriend's birthday is coming up. I was just worrying about a gift!"

Everyone got something satisfying. All were happy and returned home relaxed and cheerful.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Zhang Huan originally had a dinner engagement tonight, but it was canceled last minute, so he came home for dinner. Seeing the happy faces of his younger children at the table, Zhang Huan also felt lighthearted. He asked with a smile, "So, did you have fun today?"

Zhang Shuocheng rushed to say: "It was fun! Super fun!"

Zhang Heling, however, said, "We almost didn't get to go. Shuoshuo even got a beating."

Zhang Huan: "...Huh?"

Only then did Zhang Shuocheng remember—oh right, he did get beaten! "It was Mom!" he loudly complained. "Mom wouldn't let us go out with Big Sister! Big Sister told her to take us, but she said she was going out. I tried to stop her from leaving, and she hit me! It really hurt!"

Zhang Shuocheng felt wronged all over again.

Not just him. Zhang Heling was also upset: "I tried to pull her away to stop her from hitting Shuoshuo, and I got hit a few times too. It still hurts."

Zhang Huan's social engagement tonight was canceled last minute. Liang Yingying didn't know and therefore didn't come home for dinner. It was precisely because she wasn't there that Zhang Heling dared to speak up.

The eldest daughter didn't say anything, but just from the younger ones' description, Zhang Huan could easily imagine the cause, effect, and the entire messy scene.

What the hell...

Before, the main source of instability in the household was the eldest daughter. Since when had it become his wife?

(End of Chapter)

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