The System Wanted Me to Be a Landlady (GL) - Chapter 1: I Have No Money

Chapter 1: I Have No Money

March was already the tail end of spring.

Although it was late spring, a sudden “spring chill” made it feel like the early spring days when it was neither warm nor cold.

At dawn, a monk coming from the temple for ascetic practice had to face the cold wind, holding an iron plate and striking it along the streets. The crisp sound of the strikes seemed to carry a bit of chill.

The sound of the iron plate was like a rooster’s crow, serving as a time signal. After hearing it, some households would bring out prepared vegetarian meals for the monk. The meals varied, including steamed cakes, vegetable-stuffed buns, and flatbreads. Wealthier families might give eggs, and with that, the monk’s three meals for the day were settled.

As the monk chanted scriptures and struck the iron plate, passing by a household at the alley’s entrance, a girl of about thirteen or fourteen came out.

She looked like she had been awake for a while, not only neatly dressed but also showing no trace of sleepiness on her face.

The girl respectfully bowed to the monk and then handed her a few copper coins.

The monk chanted her scriptures with even more vigor.

Although vegetarian meals could fill her stomach, there were many daily necessities that only money could buy, so when someone gave her money, she couldn’t help but feel a bit more delighted, despite her vows.

Satisfied, she passed by the next household’s door. The girl was about to close her door but noticed her pause, so her movements slowed.

In her view, not every household was willing to offer vegetarian meals or money to the monk who signaled the dawn.

The monks from the nearby temple who came out to practice knew the situation of every household here well. They were aware that the neighboring Song family never gave alms, so they usually didn’t linger.

But this time, the monk stopped, looking with astonishment at the sky above that household. She even forgot the Buddhist precepts, craning her neck to peer inside.

The girl followed the monk’s gaze toward the sky above the neighboring house but saw nothing.

…

The girl didn’t see anything, but the monk did. There was a golden light shining above that household, though it appeared only briefly, it didn’t escape her eyes.

She hesitated for a moment before stepping forward to knock on the door.

The old wooden door was knocked on for a while with no response. Seeing this, the girl reminded her, “Little master, that family has no vegetarian meals to give. Don’t waste your effort.”

The monk paused, then smiled slightly, “The donor misunderstands this poor monk.”

She glanced at the tightly closed wooden door and asked, “Can the donor tell this monk who lives here?”

The girl raised her eyebrows and scolded bluntly, “A bunch of chicken-stealing, dog-snatching thieves!”

The monk’s expression turned awkward, seemingly puzzled about how such a phenomenon could be related to a chicken-stealing, dog-snatching person.

She thought perhaps her practice was Lacking, and she didn’t have the wisdom to see through worldly affairs. She could only thank her regretfully and leave.

…

Tang Zhi closed the door, and behind her came her brother Tang Haogen’s rough voice, “Zhi, who were you talking to just now?”

Tang Haogen was an eighteen-year-old young man, with a refined and gentle appearance, but a voice that didn’t match his looks. Just hearing his voice, one might think he was a burly, broad-shouldered man.

“It’s the dawn-signaling monk. She looks unfamiliar and is asking about Song Yuyan!” Tang Zhi mentions Song Yuyan’s name and can’t help but roll her eyes.

Tang Haogen, also puzzled, says, “Why is she asking about Song Yuyan?”

“No idea. Maybe she’s curious about what kind of shameless person never gives vegetarian meals!” Tang Zhi says as she walks back into the kitchen.

Tang Haogen, somewhat helpless, says, “Cough, you know the Song family’s situation.”

Seeing her brother about to make excuses for that scoundrel again, Tang Zhi quickly says, “It’s too early in the morning to talk about this. I feel like mentioning that scoundrel brings nothing but bad luck.”

The siblings dropped the topic of “Song Yuyan,” and the frown on Tang Zhi’s young face finally relaxed.

She prepared a few hot vegetable-stuffed buns and a gourd of hot water for her brother, packing them into a cloth bag.

Seeing this, Tang Haogen said, “Two vegetable-stuffed buns are enough for me. Keep the rest for you and Little Ye. You two need to tend the vegetable garden and are still growing, so you should eat more.”

“I remember you said yesterday that there was a brawl in Demen Village over the river canal, and today the magistrate is going to handle it himself. As a clerk, you have to go too. You might not be back by noon, so take a few more buns to avoid going hungry.”

Tang Haogen patted his head and laughed, “Look at my memory, I almost forgot. You’re so thoughtful, Zhi. Alright, I’ll take a few more. But you and Little Ye mustn’t skimp either. Eat more to grow strong.”

“Got it. It’s getting late, Big Brother. You’d better head out. The magistrate hates tardiness, and you don’t want to get scolded.”

With Tang Zhi’s urging, Tang Haogen hurriedly ate a few vegetable-stuffed buns and left.

…

After her brother left, Tang Zhi went to wake her younger sister Tang Ye for washing up. Since the weather had suddenly turned cold, Tang Ye wasn’t eager to get up so early.

But even if she was reluctant, she knew that staying in bed would delay the family’s vegetable-selling chores, so she groggily got up.

After Tang Ye washed up, Tang Zhi and her sister ate two vegetable-stuffed buns before heading to their family’s vegetable plot, carrying a wooden bucket and a bamboo basket.

Although Tang Haogen worked at the yamen, his wages were low, and the family’s main income came from their half-acre vegetable plot.

The Tang family consisted only of the three siblings, who depended on each other. With Tang Haogen working at the yamen, tending the vegetable plot fell to Tang Zhi and Tang Ye.

The Tang family lived in Xingxian Ward, west of the county. Their vegetable plot was less than half a mile west of Xingxian Ward, a short walk from home.

The half-acre vegetable garden was divided into ten plots, filled with fresh green vegetables. Five plots had cabbage, two had mustard greens, two had coriander, plus ginger, onions, and garlic.

Tang Ye was responsible for picking the ripe vegetables to sell, while Tang Zhi fetched water from a small river a mile away to irrigate.

While the sisters were busy, some women appeared around the vegetable plot, carrying wooden basins and clothes.

Tang Zhi recognized them at once, as they were the neighbors who regularly bought vegetables from her.

They usually bought vegetables early in the morning, then took them along with their clothes to wash by the river. After washing, they’d go home to cook breakfast, saving the need to fetch well water separately.

When the women arrived, as usual, they started chatting with Tang Zhi, making small talk to haggle prices.

Their haggling tactics were endless, almost overwhelming. But Tang Zhi had been managing the vegetable plot for two years and had learned to keep accounts at her mother’s side since childhood. When it came to calculations, the neighbors couldn’t outsmart her.

In just a short while, one plot of vegetables was nearly half sold.

While Tang Zhi expertly handled the buyers, Tang Ye, who was picking vegetables, suddenly exclaimed. Hearing the noise, Tang Zhi hurried over and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Sister, look!” Tang Ye points to a corner of the vegetable plot. A patch of cabbage, due to ripen in a couple of days, is missing four rows. The soil looks recently turned, clearly showing the vegetables were stolen.

The thief, whether careless or bold, didn’t bother picking sporadically but took a whole patch, leaving an obvious empty spot anyone could notice.

One row of cabbage could sell for three coins, so four rows meant twelve coins. It didn’t seem like much, but with a peck of rice costing only seven or eight coins, it was no small amount.

Their vegetable plot had been stolen from before, and if it happened a few more times, the monthly loss would be significant.

Tang Zhi’s face showed no expression, as she already had a suspect in mind.

…

After selling one plot of vegetables, Tang Zhi sent Tang Ye home with the bucket, while she grabbed a carrying pole and went to the neighbor’s door.

She passed by this place every day and was so familiar with the old wooden door that she knew every worm-eaten spot. She had cursed Song Yuyan in front of this door countless times, nearly breaking it a few times.

She banged on the door, “Song Yuyan, I know you’re home. Don’t hide inside silently. If you’ve got the guts to steal vegetables, have the guts to open the door!”

There was no response. She pressed her ear to the door crack and heard a clanging sound inside. Furious, she slammed the pole against the door, “Song Yuyan, if you don’t open the door, I’ll report you to the authorities!”

The other side seemed worried about her reporting her, and soon the door scraped the ground, opening with a dull creak.

Dressed in dirty coarse cloth, wearing tattered straw shoes, if not for her refined face, anyone meeting her for the first time would think she was a beggar.

Tang Zhi, full of momentum, stretched out her hand, “Pay up!”

Song Yuyan blinked, “What money?”

Tang Zhi froze, feeling something was off. Although Song Yuyan had always played dumb when she chased her for debts, she sensed something wasn’t right.

But she didn’t think much of it and launched into a scolding, “Don’t play dumb again. I know you stole our vegetables last night. The mud on your shoes isn’t even dry yet! It’s only the fifth day of March, and you’ve stolen three times already. If this continues, I’ll really report you!”

Song Yuyan looked down at her straw shoes and dirty feet, rubbing her forehead, “Hold on, let me think…”

By now, the men from nearby households had gone to work, and the women were washing clothes by the river. But many children, hearing the commotion, peeked over their low walls, laughing gleefully.

Song Yuyan glanced around, feeling embarrassed, and quickly pulled Tang Zhi inside.

Tang Zhi didn’t expect her to grab her, so she struggled, “Don’t touch me, or I’ll deal with you!”

Song Yuyan accidentally got hit on the chin by her pole, wincing in pain, but managed to pull her inside.

The wooden door closed, blocking the children’s curious gazes.

Tang Zhi wasn’t flustered. Her eyes scanned the courtyard and soon spotted a hint of green in a haystack. Quick as a flash, she uncovered the stack, revealing a stash of cabbage.

“What do you have to say for yourself?!”

Song Yuyan’s eyes widened at the sight of the vegetables. After a moment, she rubbed her temples, touched her body, and said awkwardly, “I… I have no money.”

Tang Zhi, of course, knew she had no money, but the sense of something being off grew stronger. She stared at Song Yuyan, trying to figure out what was wrong.