TEDWR: Chapter 8

 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.

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

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

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Chapter 8

Zhang Yansheng finally felt somewhat satisfied. Her eyes swept over and noticed Zhang Heling was still holding the game console with the shattered screen.

"It's broken, why haven't you thrown it away?" Zhang Yansheng casually scooped it from her hand and, with a flick of her wrist, sent it sailing in a smooth arc to land squarely in the trash can.

Zhang Heling stretched out a hand in protest, on the verge of tears. "Ah, that... it was mine..."

Zhang Yansheng said impatiently, "Buy another one."

Zhang Heling's mouth quivered. She looked down. "My mom won't buy me one. This one was bought together with Shuoshuo's."

A game console was only a few thousand dollars. Zhang Yansheng asked offhandedly, "Why won't she buy you one?"

Zhang Heling hung her head lower. "She just won't buy me one..."

Zhang Yansheng froze, suddenly remembering.

Although she had paid no attention to Zhang Heling, they had still lived in the same house for many years, and she had seen and heard many things. Zhang Heling was still a child. Zhang Yansheng didn't know if she understood it herself, but the reborn, adult Zhang Yansheng understood very clearly.

The woman Liang Yingying held a distinct disdain for her own daughter.

This disdain was reflected in the differential treatment she gave her son and daughter. It was actually quite obvious.

Just like this stupid game console—a thing worth only a few thousand dollars. Even Zhang Heling herself knew Liang Yingying wouldn't buy her a new one.

Zhang Yansheng considered Liang Yingying's mentality, and it wasn't hard to understand. When Liang Yingying entered the household, Zhang Heling was already four years old. This woman, who was desperate to marry into a wealthy family and become a lady, had given birth to Zhang Heling and still couldn't enter the family for four years. She finally got in because of Zhang Shuocheng. Her disdain for Zhang Heling, a mere girl, wasn't difficult to comprehend.

Zhang Yansheng paused, then said, "Then buy one yourself."

But Zhang Heling wilted. "I don't have any money..."

Zhang Yansheng asked in surprise, "What about your allowance?"

Zhang Heling said, "I don't get an allowance. I... asked my mom for one. She said children don't need allowances; they don't lack for food or clothes."

Actually, what Liang Yingying said was true. Living in this household, Zhang Heling wanted for nothing in terms of food and drink. She had a chauffeur to and from school. She really didn't have any particular need to spend money.

But Zhang Yansheng had been a child who received an allowance since the third grade.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Back then, her mother's health was growing weaker. She started letting Zhang Yansheng manage her own allowance, patting her head and saying, "Later, if Mom isn't here, you'll need to learn how to spend and manage money on your own."

Unfortunately, she had failed her mother's expectations. Later, she lived a life of debauchery, only knowing how to spend money, not how to manage it.

Every time she came back to see Zhang Huan, it was to ask for money.

Zhang Huan, feeling guilty towards her, gave her money whenever she asked, buying himself peace and quiet, buying himself peace of mind.

Zhang Yansheng paused, got up, walked to the desk, sat down, opened a shopping website, and directly bought Zhang Heling the latest model of game console.

She tossed the mouse aside and said with a cold face, "Done. Bought it for you. Wait for the delivery."

More than the game console itself, Zhang Yansheng's sudden kindness left Zhang Heling overwhelmed and flustered.

"Big sis..." she stammered, not knowing what to say. "You, you..."

Zhang Yansheng, afraid she would say some overly sentimental words of thanks that would make her skin crawl, said brusquely, "I'm studying. Go do whatever you're supposed to do!" She stood up, pushed Zhang Heling out of the room, and closed the door.

Whether the little girl was moved, surprised, or just thought her sister was moody and unpredictable—let her be.

Zhang Yansheng didn't care.

In her past life, she had cared too much about these people and ended up ruining herself. Thinking about it now, it was unnecessary, truly unnecessary. In life, one still has to live for oneself.

The reason Zhang Shuocheng had tried to snatch Zhang Heling's game console was that last night, Zhang Huan, in his anger, had confiscated all of Zhang Shuocheng's game consoles, big and small, and put a password on the computer, forbidding him from playing.

Strictly speaking, what Zhang Shuocheng did at the birthday banquet last night was no different in essence from what he had done before. In the past, Zhang Huan would have just scolded him verbally.

But last night's incident affected Zhang Huan personally, so he got angry and wanted to teach Zhang Shuocheng a lesson.

Zhang Huan's style of discipline only drew a scornful laugh from Zhang Yansheng.

Liang Yingying wasn't seen at lunch either. Her esteemed stepmother, since marrying into the Zhang family and becoming a wealthy wife, had been living a life of leisure.

With the maids around, she didn't need to worry about the children's food, drink, or schooling. She slept her beauty sleep until she woke naturally every day, then went shopping or met friends to play mahjong, living a carefree and comfortable life.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Zhang Huan had also gone to the company. Lunch was just for the three Zhang children.

At the rectangular dining table, with Zhang Huan absent, Zhang Yansheng unceremoniously took the seat at the head of the table.

Zhang Shuocheng was an extremely picky eater, only poking at the things he liked. The maid beside him urged him to eat his vegetables, but he didn't listen.

Zhang Yansheng paid him no mind. With a mother who was a former model, he was already taller than Zhang Yansheng at thirteen.

But Zhang Heling was all slender arms and legs.

Watching her chopsticks try to bypass the green vegetables to pick only what she liked, Zhang Yansheng lifted her eyelids and shot her a glance.

Zhang Heling hesitated. Under her sister's somewhat intimidating gaze, she obediently picked up a serving of green vegetables.

Zhang Yansheng withdrew her gaze and continued eating.

Zhang Shuocheng finished, wiped his mouth, and ran off without a word.

This little terror had always been ill-mannered around Zhang Yansheng. She couldn't even be bothered to give him a glance. She also finished quickly, wiped her mouth, said, "I'm done," and went upstairs.

Zhang Yansheng had just reached the second floor when Zhang Shuocheng came charging head-on, clutching his stomach.

Zhang Yansheng reacted quickly, grabbing him in one motion. "What are you doing?" she demanded.

Zhang Shuocheng struggled. "Let me go!"

When Zhang Shuocheng was thirteen, he was already taller than Zhang Yansheng and strong, which was why he caused so much trouble.

But the current Zhang Shuocheng was only seven, about to start second grade in September—a little sprout!

Zhang Yansheng could easily hold him down with one hand. As he struggled, a bulge under his shirt dislodged and something fell to the floor with a clatter.

Zhang Yansheng looked. It was a game console. This one was luckier; it didn't shatter its screen like Zhang Heling's had.

But this also meant it wasn't Zhang Heling's console.

Only Zhang Yansheng and Zhang Heling lived on the second floor. Zhang Yansheng looked up. Her bedroom door was open. She distinctly remembered closing it before going downstairs for lunch.

Looking down again, a layer of dark anger settled over her face. "Did you go into my room to steal?"

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Caught red-handed by the family rival, Zhang Shuocheng struggled wildly. "Let me go! Let go!"

He was small and not strong enough. With his wrist caught in Zhang Yansheng's grip, he couldn't break free. So, planning to do to Zhang Yansheng what he had done to Zhang Heling, he opened his mouth and tried to bite her arm!

Zhang Yansheng was no delicate little girl like Zhang Heling. Quick as lightning, she reached out and pinched Zhang Shuocheng's jaw!

Zhang Shuocheng's face hurt. Moreover, he couldn't open his mouth, nor could he close it, only able to make "uh, uh" sounds.

"You've got some nerve!" Zhang Yansheng said through gritted teeth. "You dare to enter my room?"

This whole house had been invaded by Liang Yingying. The ten-year-old Zhang Yansheng had hated that fact. But she was just a child; even with all her screaming and tantrums, she was powerless against it. She had watched helplessly as that woman moved into the room her mother once lived in, replaced her mother's position, and became the lady of the house.

All the little Zhang Yansheng could do was retreat to her own room. This room became her last sanctuary. She never allowed that mother and her two children to set foot in it, and she even refused to let Zhang Huan enter.

Zhang Shuocheng, with his sky-high audacity, not only dared to enter her room but also dared to steal from her!

It showed that all those years of the teenage Zhang Yansheng's shouting and fighting were utterly useless, except for making her relatives weary of her. Even a little terror like Zhang Shuocheng wasn't afraid of her.

Zhang Yansheng gritted her teeth in hatred.

She yanked Zhang Shuocheng and headed into her room!

Zhang Heling came upstairs a step later than them and happened to see this scene. She was dumbfounded.

"Big sis? Big sis, you... what are you doing?" The bewildered little girl trotted after them, accidentally kicking something on the floor. Looking down, she saw the game console and immediately understood everything.

"Zhang Shuocheng! You went into Yanyan's room?" Zhang Heling was both angry and anxious.

People really do have their sense of closeness and distance. Even though Zhang Heling psychologically wanted to be close to Zhang Yansheng, she also understood that she and Zhang Shuocheng were born to the same mother. Although she didn't know the term "collective punishment," she vaguely understood a sense of shared honor and disgrace. When Zhang Shuocheng did something bad, she felt embarrassed by association.

Especially since Yanyan had just started being nice to her—buying her things and showing concern.

Zhang Heling felt even more embarrassed and angry!

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

She really wanted to give Zhang Shuocheng a beating!

The little girl was practically fuming!

Zhang Yansheng paused her steps, shot a sharp glance at Zhang Heling, and commanded, "You come in too!"

Zhang Heling bit her lip and followed into Zhang Yansheng's room. Her heart was uneasy, unsure how her big sister was going to deal with the two of them.

Inside the room, Zhang Yansheng released her grip on Zhang Shuocheng's jaw. Like a dog, Zhang Shuocheng immediately snapped his teeth towards Zhang Yansheng's hand!

Truly small but fierce!

Fortunately, Zhang Yansheng was quick. She withdrew her hand swiftly, avoiding the bite.

The spoiled brat, having never received a real lesson, truly feared nothing. Zhang Yansheng gave an angry laugh, reached out, and pinched Zhang Shuocheng's jaw again. "Not afraid of me, huh? I'll give you a lesson today!"

She threw Zhang Shuocheng onto the sofa. He rolled off onto the floor and, sensing keenly that he might be outmatched, immediately scrambled up to try to escape.

Zhang Yansheng yanked him back and threw him onto the sofa again. This time, she held him down. Ignoring Zhang Shuocheng's pig-slaughtering howls and cries for help, she turned and barked at Zhang Heling, who was standing by the door, "Close the door! Lock it!"

Zhang Heling didn't dare disobey. She flusteredly locked the door. Leaning her back against it, she didn't dare go forward, scared into stillness by the way her sister had just spoken.

Zhang Yansheng hauled Zhang Shuocheng into the walk-in closet and soon emerged, one hand holding Zhang Shuocheng, the other gripping a wooden clothes hanger.

She looked at Zhang Heling's pale little face and sneered. "I'll teach you today how to be an older sister!"

As she spoke, she raised the hand holding the hanger.

It came down hard on Zhang Shuocheng's fleshy bottom!

The spoiled, lawless little terror Zhang Shuocheng was getting his bottom spanked by his big sister for the first time in his life!

(End of Chapter)

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