TEDWR: Chapter 44

 Glossary

· Zhang Yansheng (张雁声): The female protagonist, the reborn eldest daughter.

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

· Zhang Shuocheng (张硕成): Zhang Yansheng's seven-year-old half-brother.

· Zhang Huan (张寰): Zhang Yansheng's father.

· Liang Yingying (梁莹莹): Zhang Yansheng's stepmother.

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

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

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Chapter 44

Zhang Heling celebrated her birthday at a restaurant at noon.

Zhang Huan's secretary had arranged everything in advance, having the birthday cake delivered directly there.

Although her biological mother wasn't present for her birthday, Zhang Heling wasn't unhappy in the slightest. Because this time, her sister had kept her brother in check, and her father had given the first slice of cake to her.

If her mother had been there, the first slice absolutely, without a doubt, would have gone to her brother! And if it didn't, her brother would have wailed, thrown a tantrum, and rolled on the floor!

Only today, her brother watched with longing, but under her sister's intimidating presence, he didn't dare make a scene.

It was truly… a day that was both joyful and poignant.

As Zhang Heling took her first bite of cake, tears suddenly welled up in her eyes for some reason.

Zhang Huan had a vague understanding of what might have touched his little daughter, making him feel quite awkward and stirring a sense of guilt within him. But he didn't know how to comfort her in this situation without making it more awkward, so he looked toward Zhang Yansheng.

Zhang Yansheng reached out and gently patted Zhang Heling's head twice.

Zhang Shuocheng buried his head in eating, completely unaware.

They returned home in the afternoon.

Surprisingly, Liang Yingying was actually home during the day, which took everyone by surprise.

"Didn't go out to play mahjong?" Zhang Huan asked.

"What are you talking about? Today is Heling's birthday. I came back early on purpose," Liang Yingying complained. "Really, how come no one called me to go to the amusement park?"

Zhang Heling felt a slight unease.

Zhang Huan, however, remained expressionless and said, "Everyone knew we were going to celebrate Heling's birthday today and got up early. How come you were the only one who couldn't manage to get up?"

This wasn't entirely true. At the very least, Zhang Shuocheng had also forgotten about it. Zhang Heling had gone upstairs to wake him early in the morning. But as soon as she said "going to the amusement park," he had jumped right up.

But it was enough to make Liang Yingying choke. Instantly, Liang Yingying became the one in the wrong.

Zhang Heling sighed in relief but didn't feel disappointed. This was just how her mother was. If she said she had completely forgotten her birthday, Zhang Heling wouldn't be surprised at all.

She watched as Zhang Yansheng went upstairs without a word, called out "Sister!" and chased after her.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Auntie Wang also dragged Zhang Shuocheng upstairs to change.

Liang Yingying genuinely felt that the children didn't seem as close to her as before. But what was worse was that Zhang Huan's attitude toward her also seemed different from before.

This put Liang Yingying on high alert.

She went over coquettishly and linked her arm with Zhang Huan's. "Really, you know how I am. I was watching dramas until very late last night. How could I possibly get up~"

She had dropped out of school and come to K City to work as a so-called model, was taken by a "sister" to some "dinner gatherings," met Zhang Huan, and followed him while still very young.

Back then, her youthful, invincible energy, her cute, pouting act—Zhang Huan was particularly fond of that.

But now, Zhang Huan's feelings had changed somewhat.

He felt Liang Yingying's cute act wasn't as charming as before. After all, how old was she then, and how old is she now?

At her current age, pulling this act didn't work as well on Zhang Huan anymore.

Especially since this was his own home, with children and aunties present. This wasn't some secret love nest he went to just to enjoy a gentle, romantic escape. At home, in front of the children, a parent always had to maintain a certain dignity.

And he couldn't be the only one acting dignified. Liang Yingying was a mother now; how could she still carry on like this?

Liang Yingying's cute, pouting act hadn't changed from ten years ago, but Zhang Huan's expectations of her had.

What he used to crave was her youthful body; what he now wanted was a wife who could take good care of the home and children. Could the requirements possibly be the same?

Zhang Huan said softly, "At home, don't always act like this. The children are watching."

Liang Yingying was a bit stunned.

After speaking, Zhang Huan even shook his arm slightly, as if trying to shake her off.

Liang Yingying quickly tightened her grip on his arm and said cautiously, "The children have all gone upstairs."

"Even so, don't always act like this," Zhang Huan frowned. "How old are you? You're the mother of two children. Stop pretending to be a little girl all the time. Did I talk to you last time for nothing?"

Pretending to be a little girl??? Liang Yingying felt as if she had been slapped in the face, her expression turning pale then red.

A great sense of crisis arose within her, and she refused to let go of Zhang Huan even more. Gritting her teeth, she forced a smile and said, "It's hot outside, right? Come on, let's go upstairs and take a shower."

Zhang Huan tried to shake her off but failed; instead, she clung even tighter. He shook his head and let her lead him upstairs by the arm.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Indeed, summer was quite hot, and taking kids to play outdoors was actually quite taxing for adults.

Especially since Zhang Yansheng had taken charge of Zhang Shuocheng this morning and had worked up a sweat outside. As soon as she got home, she took a cool shower and spent some time blow-drying her long hair—as a girl, it inevitably took a bit more time.

By the time she changed and came downstairs, the two younger ones were already playing video games downstairs.

Zhang Yansheng had just come down when Zhang Huan and Liang Yingying also descended, calling out to her from behind.

Zhang Yansheng turned around. Seeing Zhang Huan, she felt he seemed a bit different. She slightly furrowed her brows. When Zhang Huan walked up to her, she could see he looked very relaxed, with a certain contentment between his brows.

Looking at Liang Yingying, there was still a trace of lingering amorousness at the corners of her eyes and brows. With the soul of an adult, what couldn't Zhang Yansheng understand!

Zhang Yansheng was speechless for a moment. In just the time it took to go upstairs, change, and shower, her father and this woman had managed to have a quickie.

Zhang Yansheng turned her head away abruptly, walking faster to put some distance between herself and these two who had just finished their romp.

In the small living room, she deliberately went to sit next to Zhang Heling because that spot was the farthest from Zhang Huan's usual seat!

Seeing that everyone was downstairs, an auntie brought out some fruit.

Zhang Yansheng didn't feel like eating any for the moment and didn't touch it.

Liang Yingying had always been thorough in attending to Zhang Huan. She picked up a fruit fork, intending to feed him. But Zhang Huan took the fork, gave her a meaningful look, and stopped her from displaying deliberate affection in front of the children.

After finishing her fruit, Zhang Heling put down the game console and went to the bathroom. Zhang Shuocheng only looked up after finishing a round of his game.

Seeing the fruit, he didn't really want any. He wanted a popsicle. Although he had fun in the morning, it was really too hot. Now that he was home, he still wanted a popsicle to cool off.

He jumped off the sofa and ran thump-thump-thump to the refrigerator in the dining room, pulling open the door.

He grabbed a popsicle, then suddenly remembered Zhang Yansheng hadn't eaten any fruit either. He hesitated for a moment. After hesitating, Zhang Shuocheng took another one and ran thump-thump-thump back.

"Here." He said gruffly, handing that popsicle to Zhang Yansheng.

Both Zhang Huan and Liang Yingying stopped and stared in astonishment at this kid who had always been utterly lawless and never considered others.

In the past, when had he ever remembered to bring something for someone else when getting himself a treat? He actually remembered to bring one for Zhang Yansheng?

Zhang Huan and Liang Yingying had been sitting right here the whole time and clearly knew that Zhang Yansheng had been looking at her phone with her head down and hadn't asked Zhang Shuocheng to get her a popsicle!

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Zhang Yansheng was also very surprised.

It was true that since her rebirth, she had been disciplining Zhang Shuocheng. But it wasn't for Zhang Shuocheng's own good. In her past life, she and Zhang Shuocheng couldn't stand each other; she wasn't that kind-hearted or saintly. She just didn't want Zhang Shuocheng to harm others in the future.

But the Zhang Shuocheng before her now seemed to have diverged somewhat from the one in her memory?

Zhang Yansheng was silent for a moment before accepting it. "Thank you."

For the first time in her life, Zhang Yansheng thanked Zhang Shuocheng. This was also a very novel experience for Zhang Shuocheng.

He kept a straight face and said a bit stiffly, "Y-you're welcome."

The etiquette of "thank you" and "you're welcome" was something Zhang Yansheng had taught him with a ruler and her fists.

Zhang Huan blinked in surprise, watching this sibling interaction. What was just normal courtesy for any child seemed… simply astonishing and touching when it came from the brat Zhang Shuocheng.

Since Zhang Yansheng started disciplining Zhang Shuocheng, he had become so much easier to handle!

Liang Yingying felt the exact opposite.

She found it unbelievable.

This was the son she had personally given birth to and raised. How many times had she drilled into him that "Zhang Yansheng is an extra, unwanted thing"? How… how could he suddenly become close to Zhang Yansheng?

Even she, his biological mother, had never received any food or drink from his hands before!

Liang Yingying remembered what her friends had said about Zhang Yansheng very schemingly trying to win over her children. At the time, she hadn't paid much attention, thinking that since she was their mother, they would know who to be close to. But now, the evidence was right before her eyes!

Zhang Yansheng! What a damn schemer she was!

She had underestimated her!

Liang Yingying was so angry she felt faint, glaring fiercely at Zhang Yansheng.

She didn't realize that in the short half-month since Zhang Yansheng's rebirth, she had already lost her former composure and confidence when facing this fifteen-year-old girl.

Before, it was always her, smiling, eyes taunting, words sarcastic, provoking the young girl into flying into a rage or even hysterics.

Now, it was the teenage girl who was calm, silent, and indifferent.

In this kind of standoff, the one who gets impatient and agitated first loses.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Zhang Yansheng lowered her head and took a small bite of the popsicle.

A popsicle given to her by Zhang Shuocheng. How unusual.

Just as she was thinking this, she suddenly felt a gaze on her. She looked up and found both her father and his young wife staring at her. Only their looks were completely different.

Zhang Huan's gaze was one of admiration and gratification, as if he wanted to say something but couldn't find the words. Liang Yingying's gaze was venomous, fierce.

Zhang Yansheng took another slow bite of the popsicle, ignored Zhang Huan's moved, speechless expression, and met the other gaze directly.

Zhang Huan had been feeling emotional when he suddenly felt Zhang Yansheng's gaze was off. He followed her line of sight and turned his head to see Liang Yingying sitting beside him with a fierce look in her eyes.

Zhang Huan: "..."

Zhang Huan flicked the back of his hand against Liang Yingying. "Hey, what are you doing?"

Liang Yingying snapped back to reality. How could she have shown her true colors in front of Zhang Huan? Really.

She quickly put on an ingratiating smile and said, "I was looking at Shuoshuo. Shuoshuo is so polite now."

"Yeah," Zhang Huan said nonchalantly. "Yanyan has taught her brother so well."

Liang Yingying was left speechless, secretly resentful.

Zhang Huan turned back to look at his daughter again.

His eldest daughter had a slight, crooked smile at the corner of her mouth, slowly eating the popsicle, her gaze already back on her phone. As if she hadn't seen or heard their conversation at all.

His little daughter returned from the bathroom, saw her son eating a popsicle, and said she wanted one too. Her son laughed. "The last two of this flavor were taken by me."

His little daughter puffed out her cheeks in anger and went to get a different flavor.

The two children chattered away.

Amidst this liveliness, the teenage girl quietly looking at her phone gave off a distinctly different sense of maturity.

Making this comparison, Zhang Huan sighed quietly to himself.

His own wife, almost thirty years old, actually still couldn't measure up to his fifteen-year-old daughter in many ways.

Soon Friday passed, and it was Saturday.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Young Master Liang, who had moved out of the Zhang residence a week ago, came to visit again.

"Is my aunt home? I came to play with Heling and Shuoshuo," he said cheerfully.

He presented a flawless, magnanimous front, as if holding no grudges whatsoever.

Unfortunately, neither Zhang Huan nor Liang Yingying was home. Even Zhang Yansheng had gone out for her scheduled combat practice.

Hearing this, Liang Zheng's eyes lit up. "That's perfect, no—I mean, perfect, I can go see my little brother and sister. Hey, don't worry about me. I'll go upstairs to find them myself."

And so, the auntie let Liang Zheng go upstairs.

(End of Chapter)

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