TEDWR: Chapter 7

 Glossary

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

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

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

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

---

Chapter 7

The room was tidy and clean. The mess from changing clothes before going out had already been cleared away.

Zhang Yansheng took off her banquet dress and went straight into the bathroom. After showering and wrapping herself in a towel, she applied her skincare products. She paused, then wiped the mirror.

A clear patch appeared on the mirror, clearly reflecting the face of a fifteen-year-old girl.

Zhang Yansheng looked for a moment, then pulled the towel away and turned in a circle in front of the mirror.

None on the back of her neck. None on her arms. None on her hips. None on her thighs. None on her ankles. Nothing. Not a single one of her tattoos was there.

A clean, fresh young girl. A life starting over.

Zhang Yansheng wrapped the towel around herself again, went back to the bedroom, changed into pajamas, and lay down. She couldn't figure out why she had been reborn to this particular year. Was there something special about this point in time?

But no matter how hard she thought, she couldn't come up with anything.

Lying there, unable to fall asleep immediately, Zhang Yansheng got up again, found her phone, and scrolled through the messages.

There was nothing meaningful. The fifteen-year-old girl was both juvenile and resentful. The simmering rage that was always on the verge of exploding was evident in those messages.

Zhang Yansheng put down her phone and spaced out for a bit. She stood up and saw several neat stacks of books on the clean desk. Walking over, she saw Auntie Luo had already found all her first and second-year middle school textbooks for every subject and organized them neatly by subject.

Zhang Yansheng pulled out the chair, sat down, and flipped through the books.

No need to look at Chinese. Flipping through the other textbooks, she couldn't remember a single math formula, theorem, or definition. It was the same for chemistry, physics, geography, and biology.

Zhang Yansheng closed the textbook and let out a long sigh.

But as the saying goes, "since we're already here." She was already back to being fifteen, about to start high school. She had to do it, whether she could or not. She had to force herself to go.

Zhang Yansheng pushed the textbooks aside, wheeled her chair to the computer screen, turned on the computer, and made a schedule.

Math, physics, chemistry, taekwondo, sanda, and those refined arts she had abandoned later—music, chess, calligraphy, painting... one by one, she added them to the schedule.

Starting tomorrow, a new life.

Zhang Huan came downstairs early in the morning.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

He was getting older, not like when he was young and could sleep in. His sleep was getting lighter and shorter. It was a sign of aging.

The household staff knew his routine. The maids got up even earlier than he did. The moment he came downstairs, breakfast and the newspaper were already prepared.

Zhang Huan drank his coffee and read the paper, but he heard a rhythmic "thwack, thwack" sound coming from outside. What was going on so early in the morning?

Zhang Huan took his coffee and went over. He saw Zhang Yansheng had set up a practice target in the courtyard. She was wearing a white taekwondo uniform, looking quite impressive.

A side kick landed accurately on the target, producing a crisp, loud "thwack."

Not sleeping in during summer break? Why so diligent? Zhang Huan was a bit puzzled. It seemed like since last night, his eldest daughter had been a little off.

He didn't plan to interrupt her. He glanced at Zhang Yansheng, took a sip of coffee, and was about to go back to his breakfast. He walked a couple of steps away, then stepped back again. This time, he watched more carefully.

Zhang Huan pushed open the glass door and walked over. "Yanyan, how come Dad feels your form is more powerful than before?"

That was a ridiculous question. The twenty-one-year-old Zhang Yansheng had practiced six years more than the fifteen-year-old one.

It was also thanks to these skills that Zhang Yansheng had mingled with that gang of so-called friends without fear. As the saying goes, skill breeds boldness.

She just never expected those scumbags would dabble in underhanded tricks and dare to drug her.

Thinking about how she had wasted her life and youth hanging out with those jerks, and then lost her life because of it, filled Zhang Yansheng with hatred.

A leg swept through the air with force, kicking the target hard and producing an especially loud crack.

Zhang Huan instinctively ducked his head.

"I'm a black belt," Zhang Yansheng answered succinctly.

Black belt, red belt—weren't those things just gimmicks to get students to spend money? Zhang Huan had never been keen on Zhang Yansheng learning things like taekwondo and sanda. It was something Zhang Yansheng's mother had insisted on.

But Zhang Yansheng herself was interested and had kept it up.

Zhang Huan nodded with a smile. "Good, good. It wasn't a waste to learn."

Zhang Yansheng particularly detested this side of Zhang Huan. He wore this expression every time he wanted to smooth things over. It made her angry just seeing it.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Her morning training was about done anyway. Zhang Yansheng wiped her sweat and said, "I'm going back in," then left Zhang Huan behind and went upstairs.

Zhang Huan leisurely enjoyed his coffee in the courtyard.

A cool morning, wife and children still not up, no one arguing, no noise. How beautiful and peaceful.

At this age, finding a moment of peace was hard. Ah.

After finishing this cup of coffee, off to the company. The office was still the quietest and most comfortable place.

Zhang Yansheng took a shower, washing off the sweat, and sat down fresh and clean at her desk.

She stared at the stacks of books for a long time, finally mustering the courage to start with first-year middle school math. She opened the book...

......

It actually wasn't that difficult. It was just that later, Zhang Yansheng had become an academic failure, developing an aversion to and fear of studying in her heart. Now, copying the formulas and theorems one by one, her mind felt exceptionally clear and sharp. A brain past twenty really couldn't compare to a teenage one.

Zhang Yansheng gradually got into it.

Tired of math, she switched to physics. The rest of the household gradually woke up.

Suddenly, shouts came from next door.

Zhang Heling yelled, "Put that down! That's mine!"

Zhang Shuocheng was unreasonable. "Give it to me!"

"Play with your own!"

"Mine's gone!"

Zhang Yansheng: "......"

Zhang Yansheng walked over and slammed her bedroom door shut with a bang.

It was slightly better with the door closed, but she could still hear the commotion next door. The two little ones were fighting over something. Let them fight; they were from the same mother, fighting amongst themselves.

The problem was, their mouths wouldn't stop. They kept yelling nonsense while fighting.

When Zhang Heling suddenly let out a sharp cry, Zhang Yansheng, caught off guard, pressed down too hard and snapped the tip of her gel pen. The paper was torn too.

Zhang Yansheng: "......"

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Dammit, she wanted to hit someone.

She crumpled the paper, threw it and the broken pen into the wastebasket, and took out a new pen.

The sound of "thump thump thump" running footsteps echoed in the hallway.

Zhang Heling shouted curses as she chased. Following that, a louder crash sounded—clearly the two little terrors had tangled together and fallen.

It sounded like something also fell to the ground with a sharp cracking sound.

Zhang Yansheng: "......"

Zhang Yansheng's anger finally overflowed.

She was originally a powder keg, ignited by the slightest spark. It was only because she had died and been reborn that she wanted to reform, be more zen, and strive to improve.

She hadn't shrunk into a sick kitten!

Zhang Yansheng scraped her chair back loudly as she stood up, strode to the door, and yanked it open.

Zhang Shuocheng was small but clever. Hearing the doorknob turn, he scrambled up. By the time Zhang Yansheng came out, she only saw his retreating back as he vanished.

Zhang Yansheng fumed.

Turning her head, she saw a broken game console on the floor, its screen cracked.

Zhang Heling sat on the floor crying. On her pink cheek was actually a teeth mark! Quite deep! It almost drew blood!

Zhang Yansheng frowned, crouched down, pinched the little girl's chin, and turned her face to look. She said mockingly, "You're two years older than him, and you can't even beat him?"

The primary school years were practically the only time in a female's life when she could surpass male peers in height and physical strength. Moreover, Zhang Heling was the older sister and considerably taller than Zhang Shuocheng!

Zhang Heling was in pain and angry, tears hanging on her lashes. "He's little. I can't really hit him."

Zhang Yansheng understood immediately.

How are spoiled brats created? Naturally, by parents who forever say, "He's just a child," "He's still little," "Don't stoop to a child's level."

To protect her precious son, Liang Yingying always made Zhang Yansheng yield to Zhang Shuocheng and constantly reminded her to love and care for her younger brother.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Zhang Heling was an obedient child. Even when tussling with Zhang Shuocheng over something, she remembered in her heart not to actually hit her brother.

But Zhang Shuocheng didn't care. As they wrestled over the game console, the little terror opened his mouth and bit Zhang Heling! Hence the earlier scream.

"The good get bullied, the tame get ridden," Zhang Yansheng said with a cold laugh. "Since you love and care for your brother so much, just let him bite you a few more times. A few more tooth marks on your face would look lovely."

Her game console was broken, her face hurt, and her sister wasn't comforting her. Zhang Heling's mouth quivered. She tried desperately to hold back, her lips twitching downward jerkily, but tears streamed down anyway, accompanied by little whimpers.

Wronged, pitiful, laughable, and... kind of adorable.

Zhang Yansheng gritted her teeth, stood up abruptly, and commanded her, "Stop crying. Come in." After saying that, she turned and went back into her room.

Zhang Heling picked up the game console, wiped her tears, and entered Zhang Yansheng's room.

The room felt quite unfamiliar to her. Who in the house dared to enter Zhang Yansheng's room casually? They'd get yelled at.

Zhang Heling's big eyes blinked as she looked around her sister's room.

Zhang Yansheng pointed to the sofa. "Sit over there."

The slender-armed, slender-legged girl with tooth marks on her cheek immediately sat down obediently.

Zhang Yansheng brought over the first-aid kit from the room. Opening it, it had everything. She took out a spray, pinched Zhang Heling's chin, and said, "Don't move."

It didn't look like it was bleeding, but there were spots that might have broken the skin. When she sprayed the disinfectant, Zhang Heling flinched violently, indicating there was indeed broken skin.

"What a little dog!" she cursed Zhang Shuocheng.

Zhang Heling sniffled, her voice still tearful. "Exactly!"

Zhang Yansheng snorted coldly, looking down on her with disdain.

"You're just a fool. 'He's little, so I can't hit him'?" she sneered. "Did he think about giving way to you when he bit you?"

Zhang Heling couldn't answer. She knew deep down that her brother had never yielded to her. Her brother was like a hyena—small but fierce.

Zhang Yansheng tidied up the first-aid kit. "Everyone has to protect themselves first. You're older, taller, and stronger than him, yet you still get bullied. That's just asking for it."

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

"But if I hit my brother," Zhang Heling said quietly, "my mom will scold me."

Zhang Yansheng asked, "Which hurts more, getting scolded or getting bitten?"

That wasn't even a question. Zhang Heling answered honestly, "Getting bitten."

Zhang Yansheng tossed the first-aid kit onto the coffee table, leaned back, crossed her legs, and stopped talking, just looking at Zhang Heling.

Zhang Heling looked back at her for a long time.

She felt this little sister was cute but a bit simple.

Finally, just before the older sister's patience ran out, the little sister blinked and said cautiously, "Then next time... I'll try?"

(End of Chapter)

← prev next →