Rebirth: Not Being a Waste - Chapter 24

Zhang Shu doesn’t know how to vent his frustration. He wants to grab a knife and cut those people into pieces, but doing so would only cost him his life.

He wipes his face with the tea cloth on the table, and once he feels like he looks somewhat calmer, he slowly walks outside.

Grandma Zhang is cooking in the kitchen. Seeing Zhang Shu enter, she quickly ushers him out. “Ah’shu, you’ve been working hard all day. Go wait outside. The food will be ready soon.”

“Grandma, who’s that person outside?” Zhang Shu sits down in front of the stove. His rough, powerful hands snap a handful of thin firewood and stuff it into the stove. The blazing flames cast flickering shadows on his face, making it hard to discern his emotions.

Grandma Zhang is frying vegetables in the pot. Hearing his question, she glances at Zhang Shu and smiles. “Ah’shu, are you thinking about getting married?”

Zhang Shu lowers his head, his expression cold. His voice remains as steady as ever. “Grandma, I will only marry one husband in my life.”

“Alright, alright, Grandma knows you like—” She abruptly stops, not wanting to embarrass him. Instead, she changes the subject. “The person outside is a distant relative of your second aunt’s family. Her surname is Wu. You can call her Sister Wu.” Since Zhang Shu shows no interest in her, and their families aren’t closely related, it’s best to tread carefully.

“I’ve never heard of any marriageable relatives in Second Aunt’s family,” Zhang Shu remarks casually.

“She’s had a tough life,” Grandma Zhang sighs. “She’s the granddaughter of your second aunt’s uncle. Her birth mother died two years ago, and her stepmother mistreated her, so her uncle took her in. Since she had nowhere to go for the banquet, your second aunt took pity on her and brought her over for a few days.” Grandmother Zhang sighs again, feeling sorry for the girl. It seems Wu Liniang has left a good impression on her.

“Second Aunt is really a kind person,” Zhang Shu says lightly.

Grandma Zhang finds his tone a little off, but when she turns to look at him, Zhang Shu is focused on tending the fire. She figures she’s just overthinking things.

But why didn’t this happen in his previous life? Zhang Shu wonders. In his last life, he never saw this woman until the day of his arranged marriage.

Could it be that his second uncle and second aunt have noticed his changes and are now trying to tie him down with this woman? He can’t help but assume the worst.

In fact, Zhang Shu isn’t wrong—Wang Cuilan has indeed thought this through.

The other day, Zhang Shu brought home pork, yet she didn’t get any. Because of that, her mother-in-law scolded her, leaving her frustrated. Then, the whole family went to town to buy birthday gifts, and spent a considerable amount of money, which only made her feel worse.

She initially considered hiring a Taoist priest to exorcise any lingering bad luck, but after telling her mother, she is given another explanation—Zhang Shu might simply be growing stronger because he wants to marry a wife.

If they want to keep him under control, they have to start with his wife. If he marries someone powerful, and she whispers in his ear against them every day, wouldn’t their years of effort be wasted?

Wang Cuilan thinks about it, but finding the right person is tricky. An ordinary girl would naturally side with her husband. Would she support her second uncle’s family instead?

At that moment, Wu Liniang enters her sight.

If she were looking for a wife for her own son, Wang Cuilan would never choose someone like Wu Liniang. Her sharp features and upturned eyebrows make her seem restless, like someone who wouldn’t settle down. But as a wife for Zhang Shu? She’s just right to suppress him.

With this misguided confidence, Wang Cuilan and her family bring Wu Liniang back.

During dinner, Grandma Zhang sets the table and invites everyone to eat. Grandpa and Grandma Zhang sit at the head, Zhang An and Wang Cuilan to their left, while Zhang Huai and Zhang Rong sit at the bottom. Two seats remain on the right.

Wu Liniang shyly takes the seat at the lower right. She clearly understands why Wang Cuilan has brought her here—and she’s willing to go along with it.

Zhang Shu coldly observes everyone before serving himself a bowl of rice, picking up some dishes, and heading to the yard to eat.

Wu Liniang turns deathly pale, her eyes welling up with tears. If she can’t even recognize such blatant rejection, then she might as well stay under her stepmother’s thumb forever.

Grandma Zhang is embarrassed. After all, a guest is a guest. She doesn’t expect Zhang Shu to be so averse to sitting with women. Seeing his reaction, she sighs—Ah’shu really does only like young gers.

Wang Cuilan’s expression darkens. To put it mildly, Zhang Shu is looking down on Wu Liniang. To put it more seriously, he’s looking down on her, Wang Cuilan! She has swallowed her anger ever since Zhang Shu starts changing, but now he’s repeatedly humiliating her!

Fuming, Wang Cuilan slams her chopsticks down and storms out. Seeing this, the others follow her.

“Zhang Shu, what do you mean by this?” Wang Cuilan glares at him as he eats in the yard, her eyes filled with fury.

“What do you mean?” Zhang Shu doesn’t even look up. “Second Aunt, what are you talking about?”

“Why aren’t you eating at the table? Are you looking down on my relatives?”

“Second Aunt, I don’t blame you for being uneducated.” Zhang Shu finally lifts his head, his face full of mockery. “My own knowledge is limited, but even I remember what my teacher said—men and women should sit separately after the age of seven. To me, Miss Wu is an outsider. If she has no sense of shame and sits down without consideration, that’s her problem. But I have my own boundaries, so naturally, I choose to avoid her.”

After speaking, he even gives Wang Cuilan a look as if she’s making a big deal out of nothing before taking another bite of rice.

He hasn’t planned to be so blunt. In his mind, it’s Wu Liniang and Zhang Huai who have wronged him. Even if his second uncle and aunt have known and kept quiet, that’s just human nature—who wouldn’t be biased toward their own? He has already decided not to associate with Zhang Huai anymore, but he still acknowledges their family ties.

Yet they actually bring that woman back and try to pair them up? The mere thought of it makes him sick. He has no choice but to sever ties completely.

Wu Liniang wants to disappear. Being called “shameless” in front of everyone—if this spreads, how will she ever find a husband?

Wang Cuilan trembles with rage. “We’re all relatives! It’s just a meal! Why make such a fuss?”

“Don’t say we’re relatives when we’re not. Even real relatives have to maintain propriety. Or do you think the villagers wouldn’t talk?” His gaze flicks toward Zhang Huai and Wu Liniang, his meaning unmistakable.

Wu Liniang can barely process what’s happening. Her reputation is being crushed right here.

Zhang Huai has been silently listening, but when Zhang Shu’s words suddenly implicate him, he loses his temper. Amid Grandma Zhang’s exclamations, he lunges forward and kicks over Zhang Shu’s bowl.

Caught off guard, Zhang Shu is momentarily stunned. But when he looks up at Zhang Huai, all the anger he has suppressed over two lifetimes erupts. He tackles Zhang Huai to the ground.

Zhang Huai kicks him off, but Zhang Shu immediately lunges again. The two exchange blows—Zhang Huai has more combat experience, but Zhang Shu has raw strength and has even learned a bit of boxing from Li Yan.

In the end, Zhang Shu pins Zhang Huai down and slaps him across the face.

“I tell you to respect your brother!”

Another slap.

“I tell you not to steal!”

Another slap.

“I tell you to stop being a scoundrel!”

Grandma Zhang sobs, trying to pull them apart, but Zhang Shu is like a rooted tree. Even Grandpa Zhang can’t move him.

Wang Cuilan panics. Seeing her son being beaten, she grabs a heavy earthenware jar from the yard and smashes it toward Zhang Shu’s head!