TEDWR: Chapter 35

 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.

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Chapter 35

"So the main requirement is space, at least twenty square meters. If we want several machines, we'll need thirty to forty square meters," Zhang Yansheng said.

"What are you talking about?" Zhang Huan asked, looking at the three siblings chatting.

Zhang Shuocheng rushed to explain: "Sister said we should make a VR room at home! Then we can play at home!"

Zhang Huan: "Oh."

Zhang Heling asked, "So where should we put it?"

Zhang Yansheng said, "That's the issue. We need to clear out that much space in the house. Where can we make room right now?"

Zhang Shuocheng hurriedly said, "My room! My room can be used! Put everything in my room!" He could close the door and play in his own room, and no one could tell him what to do!

Zhang Shuocheng was practically bubbling with joy. Both his sisters rolled their eyes.

The three siblings made Zhang Huan laugh heartily.

Before the laughter died down, his younger daughter said, "What about that room in the basement? The one piled with all kinds of stuff?"

"Oh, that room. I think that could work," the eldest daughter said. "We can have the aunties move everything to the storage room later. No, actually, we should measure the room dimensions first."

The younger daughter volunteered: "I'll measure! I know how!"

Her brother chimed in: "I want to measure too!"

The younger daughter was dismissive: "Don't mess things up!"

The eldest daughter simply assigned the task: "Then it's up to you two. Tell me the measurements when you're done, and I'll handle the purchasing."

Zhang Huan: "..."

Zhang Huan watched helplessly as the three children swiftly and decisively laid out plans for his collection room.

Zhang Huan held his forehead. "My little ancestors, don't mess around! That room is thirty square meters; no need to measure, I remember. Don't touch anything inside. I'll arrange it. Don't touch anything! Wait until I've moved all my things to the storage room, then you can go in!"

"Fine. I'll contact the sellers, and you can transfer the payment," Zhang Yansheng said.

What could a father do? Children were a debt from a past life. Zhang Huan could only say, "Alright then."

Zhang Heling and Zhang Shuocheng cheered together.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Zhang Huan shook his head with a smile.

But among the three children, only the two younger ones were genuinely happy. His eldest daughter, Zhang Yansheng, was still aloof and didn't even look at him.

She was so good to her half-siblings. Why was she so cold to her own father?

Zhang Huan felt a strange, uncomfortable feeling in his heart.

They had finished dinner by the time Liang Zheng returned. His mood was much better than before.

Today, slapping the BMW key on his office desk had indeed made his colleagues envious. They all said, "No wonder you're the boss's nephew, driving a BMW right after graduation. Not like us, working 996 and miserably squeezing onto the subway."

These people were so lacking in experience. A BMW was nothing; in their household, it was just the car the aunties used for grocery shopping.

He really wanted to drive the Cullinan or the Ferrari to show them, to broaden their horizons!

Later, the office folks egged him on, saying they wanted a ride in his BMW. Especially that female intern in their office, a local from K City, also from a prestigious university, who looked at him with such tender affection.

Liang Zheng got carried away. Not only did he give several people a ride, but he also treated them to a meal. He received heaps of flattery at the table and later drove the female intern home. The day had been truly satisfying.

After dinner, Zhang Huan was enjoying some family time with the children.

The two younger ones were chattering excitedly about the VR room. The eldest daughter sat on a nearby sofa, looking at VR machine prices on a tablet.

Zhang Huan drank his tea, feeling nothing but harmony and contentment.

Liang Zheng returned and heard the Zhangs were in the small living room, so he came to join the bustle. "Hey, where's my aunt?"

Zhang Huan thought to himself, If your aunt were here, there likely wouldn't be this much harmony. He actually preferred Liang Yingying to play outside longer; family harmony was more important.

He casually asked Liang Zheng, "How have these past few days been? Adjusting alright?"

This question got Liang Zheng fired up. He immediately sat down and started talking non-stop. "Uncle, these past few days I've been observing the office closely and discovered many problems..."

He started pontificating about what Team Leader Xu was doing wrong, what Manager Wang was messing up, and what he would do if he were in charge, and so on.

Zhang Huan found it quite distasteful.

The office waters were deep; how could a greenhorn like him see through everything?

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Zhang Huan had dealt with many poor relatives in the past and always considered himself broad-minded. But for some reason, he just couldn't seem to like this nephew by marriage.

By the time Zhang Yansheng, unable to listen any longer, closed her tablet case, stood up, and left, Zhang Huan suddenly had a moment of sudden clarity.

In the past, those poor relatives who came seeking help at least knew to flatter the Zhang family. Only this Liang Zheng repeatedly butted heads with the Zhang children—mainly Zhang Yansheng. The subtle attitude of opposition toward Zhang Yansheng emanating from him was something Zhang Huan could naturally perceive.

And precisely because he perceived it, he felt disgusted.

In Liang Zheng's eyes, Zhang Yansheng, the child from the previous marriage, was completely superfluous in the Zhang household.

But in Zhang Huan's eyes, between his wife's nephew and his own biological daughter, only a fool wouldn't know who was closer.

Zhang Huan watched Liang Zheng hold forth boastfully and saw that as soon as Zhang Yansheng stood up, the two younger ones showed signs of following. His precious family time was visibly being destroyed.

Zhang Huan was greatly displeased and had no mood to listen to a kid who hadn't even grown all his feathers yet pontificate. He directly waved his hand, cutting off Liang Zheng, and tried to keep the children. "Stay and chat a bit longer."

Zhang Yansheng didn't even glance at him. "It's too noisy. I'm going back to my room."

She left without giving him any face at all.

Perhaps because the household had been too tumultuous these past few years, Zhang Huan was especially attached to the recent harmony. Unable to keep Zhang Yansheng, he could only keep the two younger ones. "Hehe, Hehe, don't go. Keep Dad company a bit longer."

Zhang Heling had always been obedient. When Zhang Huan said this, she stayed obediently and also held onto Zhang Shuocheng.

Zhang Huan pulled Zhang Shuocheng onto his lap. "Tell Dad again, which machines did you want?"

Zhang Shuocheng said excitedly, "The driving one! And the shooting one!"

No one was paying attention to Liang Zheng now. Liang Zheng, with his bellyful of brilliant ideas, various opinions and suggestions, hadn't even had a chance to present them all. He felt both awkward and annoyed.

Of course, he wouldn't direct this annoyance at Zhang Huan. In his mind, he and his dear uncle were family.

So, naturally, this annoyance was once again credited to that superfluous deadweight, Zhang Yansheng.

He couldn't just sit there in silence, left hanging. He brazenly interjected, "What are you all talking about?"

Although Zhang Heling didn't like him, she was a polite child and wouldn't ignore him like Zhang Yansheng. She answered, "We went to the VR arcade today. Sister said we should make a VR room at home."

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

She then told Liang Zheng about their evening discussion on what machines to buy.

Liang Zheng was surprised. "That must... cost quite a bit, right?"

Zhang Heling said, "Not much. Sister said it won't even cost fifty thousand."

Liang Zheng: "..."

Fifty thousand could buy him a car! And when little Zhang Heling said "fifty thousand" wasn't much, she said it so naturally.

Liang Zheng sat on the sofa, feeling uncomfortable all over.

He watched Zhang Huan tease Zhang Shuocheng on his lap, as if he hadn't heard their conversation at all.

Just moments ago, he was full of passion, wanting to offer his uncle good suggestions for the company. Suddenly, he felt it wasn't worth it. With the measly few thousand his uncle paid him, was it worth him worrying and exerting himself over this?

Whenever he got promoted to manager or director, then they could talk.

His bellyful of grievances had nowhere to vent, so his tone turned unpleasant. "If you want to play, can't you just go out?"

Zhang Heling was more sensitive and already sensed something off about his attitude.

Although Zhang Shuocheng couldn't perceive it, he didn't like what he heard and yelled, "The VR arcade is too crowded! You have to queue!"

It was still summer vacation. These entertainment places were especially crowded. Today when they went, they had to queue for two machines. Zhang Shuocheng was the most impatient with queues. If Liang Yingying had taken him, he would have pushed to cut in line. But Zhang Yansheng took him and firmly made him follow the rules and queue. It nearly drove him crazy.

Spending tens of thousands just to avoid queuing? What spoiled brats!

"What's wrong with queuing? Don't you have to queue everywhere?" Liang Zheng said discontentedly.

Zhang Heling was about to speak when Liang Yingying walked in.

Liang Yingying had just gotten home and heard from the aunties that Zhang Huan had canceled his engagement last minute and come home early.

Actually, Liang Yingying had been Mrs. Zhang for several years now but could never shake the habits formed when she was Zhang Huan's mistress. When Zhang Huan was around, he was the center of her solar system; she had to revolve around him.

Hearing Zhang Huan was in the small living room, she handed her shopping bags to an auntie and went straight there.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming back early?" she said coyly.

As soon as she entered, she saw her husband holding their son, her daughter standing nearby, and her nephew from her side keeping them company. The scene was truly harmonious. Especially since that annoying deadweight Zhang Yansheng wasn't present—it was such a comfortable sight for the eyes.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

She asked with a smile, "What are you all talking about?" Liang Zheng, full of resentment, felt no need to beat around the bush with his own aunt. He said bluntly, "Aunt, look at the children you're raising! Just because they don't want to queue outside, they want to spend tens of thousands to buy the machines for home! How can they be like this!"

Was he trying to stop them from building the VR room?

Zhang Heling felt both angry and anxious but didn't know how to refute Liang Zheng.

Zhang Shuocheng, however, without thinking, jumped down from Zhang Huan's lap and said loudly, "We're spending our family's money! What's it to you! What right do you have to meddle!"

This little brat, how dare he be so rude to an adult!

Liang Zheng flared up. He was the only male heir and eldest grandson of the Liang family, his status at home similar to Zhang Shuocheng's in the Zhang family. Putting up with colleagues and superiors at the company was one thing, but how could he let a little brat point fingers and scold him in his own home?

He immediately stiffened his neck. "I'm your elder brother. I have the right to discipline you."

Although Zhang Shuocheng was young, he had met many relatives. Those relatives all flattered and praised him. He didn't understand the intricacies but naturally knew these "relatives" wouldn't dare do anything to him.

At the very least, they absolutely wouldn't dare to beat him up for real like his own big sister did.

Besides, both his dad and mom were here. He had nothing to fear.

"You can't! You just can't!" He planted his hands on his hips and glared angrily. "Pah!"

Spitting at someone was really rude behavior.

For the very first time, Zhang Heling wanted to give her brother a thumbs up!

(End of Chapter)

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