TEDWR: Chapter 36

 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 36

If Zhang Shuocheng weren't standing right next to Zhang Huan's leg, if this weren't in the Zhang family's house, if he weren't currently receiving a salary from the Zhangs, if he weren't driving the Zhang family's BMW... If it weren't for all these "ifs," Liang Zheng would have slapped this brat across the face and taught him a harsh lesson about respecting his elders!

But Liang Zheng managed to hold back. However, the look of suppressed fury and indignation on his face was too obvious, and the glint in his eyes was too fierce.

Zhang Shuocheng was a little scared and shrank back. His father, Zhang Huan, steadied him with a firm hand, giving him support, and then glanced at his wife's nephew.

Seeing the situation was turning sour, Liang Yingying hurriedly stepped in to smooth things over. "Alright, alright, stop arguing."

Everyone has their own priorities regarding closeness. Between her nephew and her son, she would unquestionably side with her own son. She chided Liang Zheng, "You're a grown man. Why are you picking on a child?"

Liang Zheng felt like he was choking on a mouthful of blood he couldn't swallow.

Fine. Now he knew. His aunt couldn't be relied on either. In her heart, her son was ultimately closer.

He glared resentfully, looking from one person to another. His aunt, his cousin, his cousin's sister—none seemed sensible. He finally couldn't help but say to Zhang Huan, "Uncle, look at these two kids! Even if our family has money, it shouldn't be spent like this!"

Spending a few million on a car, Liang Zheng felt, was acceptable. After all, a car was a person's face, representing their social status.

But spending tens of thousands to buy a few game machines for the house? With kids' short attention spans, they'd probably lose interest in less than a week.

Wouldn't it be better to use those tens of thousands to buy him a car!

Back in his hometown, that could buy him an apartment!

Unfortunately, the person Liang Zheng thought should be the most sensible in this household, Zhang Huan, did not support him either.

Zhang Huan patted Zhang Shuocheng's head and said indifferently, "It's just a little money. If it makes them happy, that's fine. A man earns money precisely for his children, after all."

He picked up Zhang Shuocheng, gave him a loud kiss, and bounced him in his arms. "Son! Your dad earns money just to spend on my dear son! Wow, you've gotten heavier!"

He looked down and met Zhang Heling's expectant eyes. His younger daughter had become increasingly adorable recently.

Zhang Huan quickly freed a hand and ruffled Zhang Heling's head. "And to spend on my dear daughter too!"

Zhang Heling said seriously, "And on my sister too!"

What a thing to say! So full of sisterly affection!

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Zhang Huan's heart melted. Daughters are so considerate, he thought. I wish my son could be like this too.

He ruffled Zhang Heling's head again, praising her. "Hehe is right! Dad's money is for the three of you to spend."

He then habitually asked, "Do you want anything? Dad will buy it for you."

Liang Zheng screamed internally: I want a car!

Sadly, this wasn't his dad, and the question wasn't directed at him.

Liang Yingying cut in, "She's just a kid. She doesn't lack anything. Don't bother about her."

Zhang Huan had always believed children's matters were for women to handle; they had a mother, after all. This was also part of why he hadn't listened to his mother and elder brother's advice and had gotten the marriage certificate with Liang Yingying.

With a mistress of the household present, he felt justified in not worrying about the children's daily needs.

But recently, with Zhang Yansheng repeatedly pointing it out, Zhang Huan had finally noticed Liang Yingying's harsh treatment of Zhang Heling.

In a wealthy family where material needs were met, this kind of mistreatment wasn't so glaring. But once Zhang Yansheng highlighted it, it seemed to be everywhere upon closer look.

After all, if Zhang Shuocheng said he wanted something, Liang Yingying would buy it for him immediately. The contrast in attitude couldn't be more stark.

Zhang Huan suddenly felt very uncomfortable.

Zhang Huan also favored sons over daughters, mainly shown in his "desire" for a son and his excessive pampering of him. But he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and had lived a life of wealth. He had never thought of mistreating any of his own biological children, including his daughters.

Zhang Huan's face darkened. "Who asked you?"

He looked down at Zhang Heling and his tone turned gentle again. "Dad is asking our Hehe."

Zhang Heling, sweet and obedient, said, "No, I don't. If I want something, I can buy it myself. Dad, I haven't spent a single cent of my ten-thousand-yuan allowance this month. When I do spend it, I'll keep a proper account and show it to you."

Well, the eldest daughter had taken an extra fifty thousand a month, but only gave the younger daughter ten thousand in allowance.

Zhang Huan was both amused and exasperated.

But if his eldest daughter was willing to care for her younger sister and help him worry about her matters, he could consider that extra forty thousand as her salary.

After all, the money wasn't flowing into an outsider's hands.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

What he said earlier was the truth: wasn't earning money precisely for the family to live well?

As for others, who were on his payroll, what business was it of theirs to worry about things that didn't concern them!

"Let's go, let's go, back to the room," he said, holding Zhang Shuocheng.

Zhang Shuocheng was already big, about to enter second grade, and was impatient with being carried. He squirmed a couple of times, slid down from his dad, and ran off quickly, eager to get back to his room to play on his game console.

"Slow down! Slow down! Don't trip!" Zhang Huan called after him.

Zhang Heling also wanted to leave but was grabbed by Liang Yingying. "I almost forgot about this allowance business!"

The last time Liang Yingying found out her younger daughter had an allowance—without anyone informing her—she had thrown a fit. But instead, she got scolded by Zhang Huan, followed by a bunch of other messy incidents. So she had forgotten about it.

"You're just a kid! What do you need money for! Hand it over to me!" Liang Yingying said.

Liang Yingying was now Mrs. Zhang. She usually shopped with credit cards, and Zhang Huan paid the bills. As for cash, she kept it all to herself—even as the legitimate wife, she couldn't shake the habit from her kept-woman days of hoarding money from the man.

However, she was much more financially comfortable now. After all, she had borne Zhang Huan two children and was his legal wife. Zhang Huan was quite generous with money toward her, so she didn't really lack ten or twenty thousand.

But the fact that Zhang Heling quietly had her own allowance, as if slipping from her control, irked her deep down.

Zhang Heling's face changed.

She hadn't yet formed a mature concept of money and wasn't particularly obsessed with it.

However, opening an account for her, giving her a fixed allowance, instructing her to learn to manage money—these things her sister had done for her were the first time in her life she felt truly valued.

Moreover, if the money her sister gave her was taken away by her mom, given the relationship between the two of them... her sister would be extremely, extremely angry!

At that moment, Liang Zheng, his eyes also red, chimed in, "Exactly! What does a kid need an allowance for? What could you possibly lack? Look at you—you eat well, dress well. What more do you need? What do you need money for? You're just a little kid! You, with so much money! You!"

Hearing Zhang Heling say she had a ten-thousand-yuan monthly allowance had shattered Liang Zheng's worldview!

His monthly salary wasn't even ten thousand yet!

Was the world insane? How could a little brat have more allowance than his salary? How!

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Two adults, one domineering, the other ferocious.

Zhang Heling felt a little scared.

But she instinctively felt that handing the money over to her mother would be a betrayal and a letdown to her sister. Besides, her dad hadn't said anything against her having an allowance!

The little girl mustered her courage, looked up, and said, "I won't give it. My allowance was given by my sister. She even told me to learn how to manage money properly. She said she would check my accounts."

Liang Zheng was greatly surprised. "Your money is from Zhang Yansheng? Not from your dad?"

"No. It was given by my sister. She said she'd give me ten thousand a month and that I should manage the money myself," Zhang Heling answered, then said to Liang Yingying, "If you take it, my sister will definitely come and ask for it back!"

And even if she got it back, she might be disappointed in her and might not give her an allowance anymore, maybe even stop caring about her altogether.

These thoughts floated vaguely in the little girl's mind. She couldn't articulate them clearly, but she could intuitively sense them.

Liang Zheng's eyes grew even redder!

He had thought Zhang Heling's allowance came from Zhang Huan. Zhang Huan was, after all, the children's father, a big boss with vast wealth. That would still be somewhat understandable.

But Zhang Yansheng was still a kid herself! And she could casually give her elementary school sister ten thousand yuan a month?

Then... how much allowance must she have herself?

Liang Zheng felt his entire worldview crumbling.

Damn it! The Zhang family is so rich, and they just give him a lousy BMW to drive! What nonsense!

Liang Zheng had forgotten that in his past daydreams about the future, his grand ambition was merely "to one day drive a BMW or a Mercedes."

His eyes bloodshot, he shouted, "Confiscate Zhang Yansheng's money too!"

His shout was like a needle popping a balloon. Liang Yingying, who had been aggressively confronting Zhang Heling, suddenly deflated.

If the money was from Zhang Yansheng to Zhang Heling, then she really couldn't take it. With Zhang Yansheng's temper, she would definitely start a fight.

In the past, she often subtly provoked her with words. Zhang Yansheng would make a noisy fuss, often not in the right, and Zhang Huan wouldn't help her either. But now, for some reason, Zhang Yansheng had become somewhat frightening.

Say she was crazy? She was quiet and didn't make a scene. Say she was mature? She could choke her nearly to death!

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Liang Yingying had been quite wary of Zhang Yansheng recently.

Moreover, for the first time, Liang Yingying realized: Is my nephew... an idiot?

Leaving aside whether she could even confiscate money from Zhang Yansheng, if she really did take Zhang Yansheng's money, the first one to object would be Zhang Huan!

Liang Yingying understood Zhang Huan's bottom line very well—no matter how much she bickered with Zhang Yansheng, she must never mistreat her materially. Of course, she didn't have the ability to anyway.

What was this foolish nephew thinking!

"Confiscate it! Confiscate it all!" Liang Zheng, eyes red, spat his words at Zhang Heling. "You're just a little kid! What do you need so much money for?! A bunch of wasteful women!"

This last sentence dragged Liang Yingying into the insult as well.

"Enough. I know," Liang Yingying said irritably, letting go of Zhang Heling's arm. "Since Zhang Yansheng gave it to you, you keep it."

Liang Zheng was incredulous. "Aunt, you're not going to control them?"

Liang Yingying thought, If I could control them, would I need you to tell me? But she refused to admit in front of Liang Zheng that she couldn't handle Zhang Yansheng. She could only say dismissively, "Forget it. It's not much money anyway. They're older now and have their own things to spend money on."

No, you clearly didn't say that a moment ago, Zhang Heling thought.

No, is ten thousand yuan considered 'not much money'? Liang Zheng screamed internally!

Suddenly, Liang Yingying's mind turned a corner, and she adopted a new approach. She said to Zhang Heling, "She only gives you ten thousand a month? How stingy! Her mother left her a lot of money. Don't save it for her; ask her for more money!"

She shared Zhang Huan's logic: money ending up in her own biological child's hands was better than keeping the wealth within the family.

Was ten thousand a month considered stingy?

Liang Zheng felt he was about to vomit blood.

To make matters worse, although Zhang Heling said, "How can I ask my sister for money from her own mother!" she added very practically, "Sister said I'm still young and might spend recklessly, so she'll give me ten thousand a month for now. We can talk about it later if it's not enough."

Liang Zheng: "..."

Liang Zheng perished from a mouthful of old blood he could neither spit out nor swallow.

(End of Chapter)

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