Zhang Yaying

Biodata

Background / History

Supporting the Family

Zhang Yaying supports her two children by processing Weird Beast hides in their shabby but spotless home. She earns 500 yuan per hide, handling at most seven or eight each month for an income of no more than 4,000 yuan. The work is laborious and involves prolonged contact with harmful Weird Substance 6.

The original Xu Yuan takes 2,000 yuan from her every month, supposedly for body-tempering liquid, but spends it on entertainment. He also despises her work and forbids her from processing hides while he is home, forcing her to work outside 6 8.

Xu Yuan’s Change

When Xu Yuan returns home after his transmigration, Zhang Yaying steps between him and Xu Kexin, begging him not to hit his sister. His promise to stop surprises both mother and daughter. After he explains that nearly being stabbed changed him, her first concern is whether he has received medical treatment 6 7.

Xu Yuan subsequently promises to cover the household expenses. He also intervenes when Zhang Dahai demands immediate compensation for a phone Xu Kexin broke after Zhang Yu pulled her hair. Fearing that her son might kill an ordinary person and face execution, Zhang Yaying tries to restrain him. Xu Yuan pays the compensation, then forces father and son to apologize 8 11 12.

Stunned that her formerly abusive son has defended them, Zhang Yaying retreats to her bedroom and cries. That evening, he transfers his remaining three thousand-plus yuan to her and asks her to stop skimping on food and daily necessities 12.

The Martial Arts Assessment

Zhang Yaying questions the source of Xu Yuan’s money and accepts his explanation that he earns it through martial arts instruction. Believing his low cultivation makes passing the assessment impossible, she urges him to seek teaching work rather than join the dangerous Divine Guard Army. She also worries that failure might drive him back to his old behavior 13 14.

Her expectations are overturned when he returns with an Azure Cloud Martial Arts Base pass. She verifies his ninth-place finish and score of 80.2 on the school’s published list. Although Sister Wang has just belittled him, Zhang Yaying does not retaliate by boasting; she quietly takes custody of the pass and promises to make it a sleeve 22.

After learning that a Transformation Realm martial technique secured his high score, she researches the achievement online and discovers the teaching opportunities it offers. She reassures him that he need not rush to earn money 23 24.

Improving Household Circumstances

Despite Xu Yuan’s offer to support the family, Zhang Yaying insists on accepting another batch of hides, saying she is still young and should not simply live off him. He agrees to one final batch and tells the suppliers not to bring more the following month. She is still processing hides in a later home scene 22 36.

She relays Sister Wang’s bulk leather-armor discounts and calls her over to finalize Xu Yuan’s purchase. Zhang Yaying initially doubts that he can secure thirty orders and is astonished when he announces eighty-three. Xu Yuan later buys her new clothes 24 29 32.

When the Spirit-Binding Soul-Control Talisman escapes Xu Yuan’s room and approaches hers, he fears it will seize her soul and knocks it outside. He afterward reassures his mother and sister and leaves money to repair the damaged door and windows 38 39.

Later, Zhang Yaying buys the expensive spirit meat jerky Xu Yuan requested, spending much of the money she has while retaining enough for living expenses. He responds by transferring her 50,000 yuan 49.

Appearance

• Years of toil make her face look several years older than those of her peers, with wrinkles at the corners of her eyes 12.
• After Xu Yuan stands up for the family, her face appears newly radiant and her wrinkles seem less pronounced 12.
• Carrying eight hides weighing roughly 130–140 jin downstairs leaves her drenched in sweat, with hair sticking to her forehead 22.

Personality

Zhang Yaying is gentle, accommodating, and reluctant to trouble others. She declines Old Man Lu’s help with heavy hides and apologizes readily during tense exchanges with Sister Wang. Her submissiveness also leaves her vulnerable to people such as Zhang Dahai, who pressures and insults her over his son’s phone 11 22 30.

Her children’s safety matters more to her than their status or earning potential. She worries about Xu Yuan’s injury before questioning his changed behavior, discourages a dangerous military career, and feels content simply watching her children banter peacefully 7 13 24.

Although indulgent toward their needs, she maintains household rules. She makes Xu Kexin wash her hands before eating and forbids her from earning money by doing classmates’ homework, warning that they may blame her if their grades worsen 24 49.

Abilities & Skills

Weird Beast Hide Processing

• Beats hides with a thick wooden club and uses medicinal soaking to remove harmful Weird Substance 6.
• Produces seven or eight processed hides per month; Master Zhao accepts her eight-hide batch after inspection 6 22.
• Carries the entire delivery downstairs at once because losing even one hide—worth 20,000–30,000 yuan—would be financially disastrous 22.

Needlework

• Knits Xu Yuan a red sleeve for his martial arts base pass overnight 27.
• Embroiders it with “peace and safety” in golden thread; nearby students admire the finished sleeve 27.

Relationships

• Xu Yuan — Her son. Their relationship changes from fear and financial exploitation under his predecessor to mutual care after his transmigration 6 12 49.
• Xu Kexin — Her daughter, whom she protects from her brother’s former violence and raises with affectionate but firm discipline 6 24 49.
• Old Man Lu — A concerned neighbor who offers to help carry her hides 22.
• Sister Wang — Her hide-work contact and intermediary for Xu Yuan’s leather-armor purchase 22 24 29.
• Master Zhao — The worker responsible for inspecting and accepting her processed hides 22.

Notable Quotes

“Whatever you choose, Mom will support you...” 22

“You wanted to eat it, didn’t you? Of course I had to buy it!” 49