The System Wanted Me to Be a Landlady (GL) - Chapter 27: Drunk

Chapter 27: Drunk

Tang Zhi ran back home and immediately scooped cold water from the water jar to splash her cheeks and still-burning ears, as if this could cool them down.

While cooling herself, she secretly decided that she would not let anyone whisper in her ear again, or how could she maintain her dignified image if this happened every time?

After calming herself, she met two pairs of puzzled eyes—Tang Ye and Song Yuzhuan were curiously watching her, unable to understand her strange actions.

“Song Dalang is back,” Tang Zhi said to Song Yuzhuan, hiding her embarrassment.

“Big Brother is back, so I’m going home!” Song Yuzhuan said happily. As she left, she held Tang Ye’s hand and said, “Sister Yezi, I’m going home. Be good and don’t miss me too much.”

Tang Zhi and Tang Ye: “…”

Where did she learn this? Acting like a little adult, and quite cute too.

______

When the little radish head returned, Song Yuyan took out the tofu she bought on the way to prepare dinner. But the little radish head, rubbing her round belly, said, “I ate with Second Brother. So full, so full!”

“I wondered why you weren’t home when I got back. Turns out you went to the Tang family to mooch food,” Song Yuyan said.

“No mooching! Sister Tang invited us to eat. We had wontons, so delicious,” the little radish head replied.

Song Yuyan recalled Song Yuban’s odd behavior and planned to pry the truth from the little radish head. But before she could ask, the girl spilled everything that happened that day.

Song Yuyan didn’t say much, just pinched the little radish head’s cheek and prepared water for her to bathe.

After Song Yuyan ate dinner, the sun had set, and the Song family courtyard grew dim. She lit an oil lamp and sent the bathed little radish head to her room, while she sat in the courtyard sharpening knives.

The Song family couldn’t afford luxuries like candles, and Song Yuyan’s lamp oil was limited, so she only used a little each night. The light wasn’t enough, so she didn’t weave straw mats at night but chose to make simpler bamboo sieves.

Tonight was special, though. She had just gotten a set of small knives and was eager to polish the rusty blades.

There was no light in the house, and even though Song Yuban was there, Song Yuzhuan felt scared. So she dragged a small stool to sit beside Song Yuyan, watching her sharpen.

Song Yuban saw his little sister’s actions and felt sad. Once, she trusted and relied on him like this, but now she depended more on Big Brother.

He knew he often thought the worst of people and things, but he didn’t mean to. Sometimes, though his heart held no malice, his words came out harsh…

“Sun’er,” Song Yuyan turned to him, “the water in the pot should be ready. Get some to wash up. You can do it yourself, right?”

Song Yuban: “…Yes.”

He felt awkward. Tang Zhi must have told Song Yuyan about his words today, so why didn’t Song Yuyan react?

He thought while fetching water to bathe. After he finished, Song Yuyan had polished the knives. He casually asked, “These knives are so small. What can they do?”

“A knife, no matter its size, has its purpose if it’s made. A wood-chopping knife for firewood, a butcher’s knife for pigs, a kitchen knife for vegetables, a bamboo knife for bamboo, a Jianmen knife for scraping… These small knives can do things big knives can’t,” Song Yuyan said, pleased with the shiny tools.

Then, in a good mood, she asked Song Yuban, “Are you upset that your Sister Tang scolded you?”

Song Yuban said, “No.”

Tang Zhi was kind to him. He wouldn’t blame her for scolding him once.

“Then you ate her wontons and ran back without saying thank you?”

Song Yuban fell silent. He hadn’t realized this.

“Tomorrow, when you see her, make up for it. And in the future, when someone does you a favor, say thank you.”

“Got it,” Song Yuban mumbled.

Song Yuyan put away the knives, moved the lamp inside, and sent the two kids to bed. Song Yuban refused to go. He asked, “Why could you bring grain back this time?”

Song Yuyan thought for a moment. “Do you think the old me, used to petty theft and scolded a thousand times without fear, would feel humiliated by Song Jingde’s insults and fall apart? Now that I don’t steal, I feel ashamed when scolded and should be even weaker against Song Jingde’s insults, right?”

Song Yuban’s silence confirmed this thought.

“I won’t talk about the past. Now I feel shame because I can see my mistakes and fix them. But baseless insults don’t mean I’m wrong, so I don’t need to retreat.”

Song Yuyan took a piece of bamboo and a piece of wood, both about the same thickness. With a wood-chopping knife, she split the bamboo from end to end in one stroke, but when she chopped the wood, it only went in a little.

“This bamboo and wood are the same thickness, so why is the bamboo easy to split, but the wood isn’t?” Song Yuyan asked.

“The bamboo is hollow inside, but the wood is solid,” Song Yuban answered.

Song Yuyan nodded. “The old me was like this bamboo. All my thoughts and skills went into making this tough outer layer. But no matter how strong it looked, once the weak point was found, it could be split entirely. Wood, though? A few chops leave marks, but it won’t split completely.”

Song Yuban half-understood.

Song Yuyan put it more directly. “With enough confidence and inner strength, there’s nothing to fear. Where does confidence come from? From your own abilities. Only then, even if you seem fragile, you won’t be knocked down.”

Song Yuban understood. “Where does your confidence come from?”

Song Yuyan, constantly challenged by Song Yuban: “…I earn a living with my skills, support the family, and do no wrong. That’s my confidence.”

Song Yuban secretly swore to gain earning skills too, so when his little sister was scared, he’d be the first she’d turn to for protection. He wouldn’t have to cook under Song Yuyan’s orders anymore—his hands were for weaving mats and baskets!

Song Yuyan said tactfully, “Also, if you’re worried about saying the wrong thing, think it through first. Not everyone has my strong tolerance.”

Song Yuban ignored her self-praise, found the advice good, and quietly noted it.

______

The bear child’s moral lesson ended for now, and the Song family got their grain. Song Yuyan focused on weaving bamboo baskets and crates as the Lou family requested.

In early May, the Dragon Boat Festival arrived. People busied themselves wrapping zongzi and watching dragon boat races, but Meng Shuituan hurriedly came to find Song Yuyan.

He ran over, carrying two jars of wine, sweating profusely. As soon as he arrived, he shouted, “Song Da, you were right!”

Song Yuyan knew what he meant, stopped her work, and poured him a bowl of water. “Drink some water and catch your breath.”

Meng Shuituan ignored the water. “You told me about the wine tax quota, and it’s true! I heard some rumors mid-last month, but I wasn’t sure. So I waited until the end of the month, checking the winery daily. Sure enough, the court’s decree came yesterday. The wine office posted a notice saying even those brewing wine within twenty miles of the city must buy yeast from them, or face punishment for illegal brewing!”

If it was just the court’s decree on wine tax quotas, Meng Shuituan might not have panicked so much. He naively hoped the wine office wouldn’t be as greedy as Song Yuyan said.

But he overestimated their conscience. Just days after the decree reached the yamen, the wine office acted, confirming Song Yuyan’s prediction. That’s why he rushed to her in a panic.

“Since you know the wine tax quota is real and the wine office means business, do you still plan to brew illegally?” Song Yuyan asked.

Meng Shuituan froze, looking embarrassed. “After you told me last time, I talked to my parents. They thought since the decree wasn’t out yet, there was no rush to deal with the wine in the cellar. But they agreed to stop brewing new wine until things were clearer.”

Song Yuyan showed no reaction. In fact, Meng Shuituan’s parents’ response was within her expectations. The Meng family’s brewing skills were passed down, and his parents had enjoyed the profits, so like Meng Shuituan, they wouldn’t act until they saw the consequences.

But at least they weren’t completely blinded by profit and knew to assess the situation first.

“So you came today just to tell me this?” Song Yuyan asked.

Meng Shuituan suddenly felt Song Yuyan seemed angry. Though she looked calm, her presence felt like a gentle spring breeze mixed with a cold chill, making him uneasy.

He explained, “I really don’t plan to brew illegally anymore. Seeing the wine office’s actions, I know they’re serious. If my family wants to brew again, we’ll buy yeast from them.”

Song Yuyan said, “So how will you live from now on?”

“To be honest, we’ve saved some money from selling wine over the years. My father and I discussed and decided to buy a few acres of land. More land means more security.”

“That’s good.”

The Meng family had land, but the difference was in quantity. A few acres seemed like a lot, but with current crop yields, it was less than a fifth of later times. For a family of five to barely get by, they needed at least a dozen acres.

Whether they could farm it wasn’t the issue—neighbors helped with planting and harvesting, or they could hire help. The net profit just wouldn’t be high.

The Meng family had little land before, so they brewed wine to survive. Now, with more land, they’d have more harvest. With taxes still reasonable, their family’s basic needs should be met.

Meng Shuituan didn’t come just to share news. To thank Song Yuyan and Tang Haogen for the heads-up, he brought two jars of home-brewed wine—one for her, one for Tang Haogen.

“Why not give Tang Haogen’s wine to him yourself?” Song Yuyan asked.

Meng Shuituan gave an awkward smile. “I don’t know him. It feels improper to go directly.”

Song Yuyan saw through him and smiled. “He’s not like other officials. He won’t bully or extort you, so don’t worry about him looking down on you.”

Meng Shuituan got anxious. “I didn’t mean that! It’s just, he’s not home, right? Only Miss Tang is there. It’s not proper for me to go. You’re more suitable!”

He was trying hard to create an opportunity for his good friend. Why was this guy so clueless now?

He winked desperately at Song Yuyan, who thought his eyelid was twitching. It took her a while to get his meaning, and she was speechless.

She laughed and scolded, “I told you, she’s just a fourteen-year-old girl. Stop putting these crooked ideas on me.”

But thinking it over, Tang Haogen wouldn’t be back until evening, and Meng Shuituan couldn’t wait that long. If he went directly, it would indeed be improper for him and Tang Zhi to be alone.

So she agreed, “Fine, I’ll deliver it for you!”

Meng Shuituan thought she got his hint and grinned at her. Seeing it was getting late, he left.

Before going, Song Yuyan gave him a return gift—a newly woven basket, enthusiastically pitching, “Shuituan, look at this basket I made. Pretty good, right? If your family needs baskets, crates, or sieves later, come to me. Since we know each other, I’ll sell them to you cheap.”

Meng Shuituan nodded, holding the basket. “This basket is really nice. If my family needs any, I’ll definitely come to you!”

Back home, Meng Shuituan set the basket down and called his parents, but got no reply. After a while, he saw them come out of the brewing shed. From their smell, he guessed what they were doing.

“Father, Mother, didn’t you promise me you wouldn’t brew new wine?” Meng Shuituan said.

Meng Father looked guilty and stayed silent. Meng Mother glared at him. “We’re doing this for you!”

Meng Shuituan was puzzled. “For me?”

Meng Mother nodded, her brows furrowed. Seeing their worried faces, Meng Shuituan softened and said, “If something’s wrong, just tell me. Since you promised, why do it secretly?”

“We see you’re eighteen and want to arrange a marriage for you! But you know, in these villages, better families look down on us, and we don’t want those worse off than us. So after picking for so long, we found a good girl. She’s pretty, hardworking, and filial, but her family asks for a high dowry…”

Meng Mother rambled on. Meng Shuituan felt irritated but said nothing.

“Mother, I know you’re worried about my marriage, but look at the situation!” he said quietly after she finished. “Song Da told me the wine office is targeting small-time brewers like us. If caught, it’s a death sentence!”

Meng Mother glared at him. “We know what kind of person Song Da is! He’s always taken advantage of you. His words are just to scare you. No conscience!”

Meng Shuituan wanted to defend Song Yuyan but realized his parents hadn’t seen her change. Why argue?

He said, “If you don’t trust him, trust the yamen official. His neighbor is a yamen official who tipped me off half a month early. Now the wine office has acted, just as he said. This is serious!”

Seeing his parents’ hesitation, he added, “If I cause you to get caught by the wine office for my marriage, I’d be unfilial! How could I stay in the village then? No one would marry their daughter to an unfilial man like me!”

Meng Mother wavered. “We know you’re filial, but your marriage…”

Meng Shuituan pressed on. “I’m only eighteen. Waiting a couple of years when things settle won’t hurt.”

His parents were persuaded and dropped the marriage talk. Meng Shuituan quietly sighed in relief. He hadn’t wanted to be so firm, but he didn’t want to marry so soon, so his stance was stronger than before.

______

After Meng Shuituan left, Song Yuyan went to deliver the wine to the Tang family. Though she used Tang Haogen as an excuse to convince Meng Shuituan, she didn’t plan to keep the wine.

When Tang Zhi heard why she came, her focus was odd. “He gave you a jar too?”

“Yes…”

“Doesn’t he know you can’t drink?”

Song Yuyan shook her head. Though Meng Shuituan was generous and occasionally treated the original owner to wine, she always passed it to her friends. So the original owner didn’t know her limit, and Meng Shuituan knew even less.

Compared to Meng Shuituan and Shi She, those friends were true scoundrels. Like the original owner, they roamed the streets, either stealing or working for powerful local thugs, doing shady things.

But for them, there was little sense of loyalty—just profit. When the original owner was young, they could order her to do dirty work. But after her uncle died, her aunt remarried, and she had two young siblings to feed, she went from “eat enough for one, the whole family’s fine” to needing to provide for them. Her ties with those scoundrels lessened.

By the time Song Yuyan transmigrated and took over, she didn’t seek them out, and they seemed to forget she existed, never coming to find her.

Tang Zhi’s words reminded her. What use was this jar of wine to her?

“Why don’t I give my jar to Official Tang too? I’ll go get it!” she said.

Tang Zhi stopped her. “I didn’t mean that! Who’s greedy for your wine? Just, if he doesn’t know you can’t drink, next time he offers, don’t foolishly accept.”

Song Yuyan hadn’t thought of that. No one came to her place to drink now, but what if they did later? If they found wine at her house, a small cup could turn into a whole jar, and she’d be drunk out of her mind.

“You’re right. Only you know my drinking limit, Miss Tang. If someone enthusiastic comes, I might not handle it. I’ll hide the wine when I get back!”

“Only you know my drinking limit…” Tang Zhi’s mind echoed the phrase. Though it was a casual remark, it felt like she knew a small weakness of Song Yuyan’s. A strange emotion grew in her heart, but it wasn’t unpleasant.

She studied Song Yuyan closely. Unlike the sloppy figure from before, she now kept herself clean. Her sallow face lacked color, but her eyes were lively, and she smiled more—sometimes gentle like a spring breeze, sometimes bright like the sun, and occasionally silly.

Even without smiling, she seemed calm and composed.

Such a person was worlds apart from Song Dalang. Why was she here, and why had she become Song Dalang? Tang Zhi couldn’t figure it out.

______

Though Song Yuyan planned to hide the wine, and Tang Zhi meant to warn her against overdrinking, when Tang Haogen returned that evening and learned Song Yuyan delivered a jar of wine for someone, he asked Tang Zhi to invite the three Song siblings for dinner.

Tang Zhi said, “The Song family already ate at this hour.”

Tang Haogen scratched his head. “True, normal families don’t eat this late. You guys always wait for me. But it’s the Dragon Boat Festival, so we should drink realgar wine. Invite Song Dalang over for a couple of drinks!”

Tang Zhi was even less willing. “Song Dalang can’t drink.”

Tang Haogen, unaware of the day’s events, insisted, “He helped deliver wine today. How can I not show some appreciation?”

Tang Zhi didn’t want to go, so he said he’d go himself. Reluctantly, she went to knock on the Song family’s door.

The three Song siblings had indeed eaten half an hour earlier, but with such a warm invitation, Song Yuyan couldn’t refuse, so she took the two little radish heads along.

She didn’t want to go empty-handed, so she brought a few eggs, traded from the chaff of the coarse rice she’d milled into fine rice, originally meant for tomorrow’s egg porridge. The menu would have to change.

Tang Haogen didn’t want her eggs, but seeing them, he told Tang Zhi to give the two little radish heads some zongzi.

The Song family hadn’t made zongzi this Dragon Boat Festival, so the kids were eager. Though they’d eaten just half an hour ago, they sat nibbling zongzi.

Tang Zhi and Tang Ye had finished dinner and started clearing the table. Tang Haogen opened a jar of wine and poured Song Yuyan a big bowl. “This is realgar wine someone gave me. You have to drink realgar wine on Dragon Boat Festival. Try it!”

Song Yuyan froze, staring at the bowl like it was poison… and realgar wine did have some toxicity, made from ground realgar, whose main component was arsenic sulfide—arsenic, like in arsenic trioxide.

If heated, realgar wine became arsenic trioxide—pure poison. Drinking it was like drinking poison.

“Official Tang, do you drink realgar wine every Dragon Boat Festival?” Song Yuyan asked.

“No, when I was young, I didn’t drink. I only tried it two years ago, but not much.”

“You’d better drink less realgar wine in the future,” Song Yuyan said, unsure how to explain its toxicity. “I have a jar of wine someone gave me. How about I get it, and we drink that instead?”

Tang Haogen saw she didn’t want the realgar wine. “Is something wrong with this wine?”

“Realgar wine can kill poisons and ward off evil, but medical books say realgar is bitter, neutral, cold, and toxic. It can turn bl00d to water and is highly poisonous!”

Song Yuyan couldn’t recall which medical books, but piecing together bits worked.

Tang Haogen swallowed hard, looking at the wine, unsure whether to drink or not.

“But I’ve seen many families drink it…”

Song Yuyan could explain most things, but she was stumped by this “everyone does it” mentality. With a thousand-year gap between her and Tang Haogen, she couldn’t convince him except with medical talk.

Tang Zhi took her words seriously, came over, and poured the two bowls back into the jar. “If you’re not sick, don’t drink it. We have plenty of other wine!”

Tang Haogen didn’t dwell on it. What did it matter what wine he drank? Realgar wine didn’t even taste as good.

With regular wine, Song Yuyan couldn’t refuse. She took a big sip, and Tang Haogen downed a whole bowl, laughing, “Drinking with someone is great! A-Zhi and Little Ye don’t touch wine. Usually, I drink alone under the moon, and the wine tastes worse.”

Song Yuyan remembered her roommate saying something similar: drinking together wasn’t about the wine but about having someone to talk to. Like when her roommate got drunk after a breakup—she could’ve bought a case of beer to drown herself, but she dragged Song Yuyan along to listen to her woes.

“Too much wine harms the body. A little now and then is fine,” Song Yuyan said.

“Well said!” Tang Haogen drank another bowl. As the wine hit, he began to sigh.

Song Yuyan, seeing he wasn’t usually so gloomy, asked, “Official Tang, got something on your mind?”

“It’s Demen Village. Last time, there was a fight over river water. The magistrate handled it. The river is public, meant for the people, but those big families took it over…” Tang Haogen cared for the common folk and had grand aspirations, but as a mere official, he was powerless against influential bullies.

Someone once said Song Yuyan was a great listener. She rarely interrupted, responded appropriately, gave advice, and never seemed distracted or impatient. She also kept secrets.

So once Tang Haogen started talking, he couldn’t stop, from yamen matters to daily trifles, to Song Yuyan’s past deeds and his changed view of her now.

He didn’t even wonder why, though he tolerated her past, he never thought to sit and drink with her before, yet this “Song Dalang” now made him so open.

After half a jar, Tang Haogen, who thought he could hold his liquor, passed out.

Tang Zhi, hearing her brother pour out his heart from inside, occasionally peeked at them. She saw her brother, slurring nonsense, collapsed on the table.

Song Yuyan sat upright. Tang Zhi thought she hadn’t drunk much, knowing her limit.

As she cleaned up, she saw Song Yuyan staring blankly and called, “Song Dalang?”

Song Yuyan’s gaze slowly turned to her, and she said, “Hmm.”

Tang Zhi, seeing her flushed face, was speechless. “Your brother’s drunk.”

“Hmm,” Song Yuyan said again.

Tang Zhi got annoyed. “What, everyone’s drunk, and you’re not leaving? Planning to stay the night or have me escort you back?”

Song Yuyan glanced outside and mumbled, “It’s so dark.”

Tang Zhi rolled her eyes. “Look at the time! Sun’er and Bing’er are already resting.”

Song Yuyan said, “Gotta wash up before resting.”

Tang Zhi: “…”

Why did she think this person was already drunk?

Testing her, she asked, “Do you still know who you are?”

“I’m Song Yuyan,” she answered, her gaze clearing and deepening.

Tang Zhi’s heart skipped, thinking her trick was seen through by a fake-drunk Song Yuyan. She hurriedly said, “It’s late. Go home already!”

“Then I’ll go,” Song Yuyan said calmly, standing. But as she stepped out the gate, she nearly fell.

She leaned on the wall, clutching her stomach, her limbs weak. Though she didn’t vomit, her head and stomach felt awful.

Tang Zhi, hearing the noise, ran out and confirmed she was drunk. She scolded, “I thought you’d learned your lesson, but you ignored my warning!”

A neighbor, hearing Tang Zhi’s scolding, peeked over the low wall. By the Tang house’s lamplight, they vaguely saw Song Yuyan.

The neighbors whispered:

“See, I said Song Dalang never changes. Quiet for two months, and now back to stealing, caught by the Tangs!”

“Doesn’t feel like that to me.”

“You heard the Tang girl’s scolding, right? I’ve heard her curse like that for two years. How could it not be?”

“Whatever, let’s go. The Tangs won’t report him anyway.”

Tang Zhi heard their whispers and wanted to explain, but Song Yuyan grabbed her hand and said softly, “This is a good chance to lure out the ‘thief.’ No need to say anything.”

Tang Zhi understood and gave up explaining. Seeing Song Yuyan drunk but still thinking of catching a thief, she felt a bit guilty for trying to shoo her away so coldly. So, though she didn’t like Song Yuyan holding her hand, she didn’t pull away.

Song Yuyan’s stomach churned, but she couldn’t vomit. Tang Zhi got angry again and whispered, “Think you can handle your liquor? This is the second time!”

“I didn’t drink much,” Song Yuyan said.

Tang Zhi rolled her eyes, wanting to throw the wine jar at her. “You drank most of the jar! You think my brother drank it all, and you just had one bowl?”

Song Yuyan: “…I forgot how much I drank. Didn’t feel like much.”

“You suffer for drinking too much, not me!” Tang Zhi huffed. “No drinking at my house next time!”

With that, she broke free, slammed the gate shut with a cold, final sound, the crack exuding ruthlessness.

Song Yuyan stared at the closed wooden door, her mind clearing a bit. She frowned and muttered, “Is she mad at me? For drinking with her brother and getting him drunk?”

Like when her mother found her father drunk like a puddle after friends egged him on, her mother would resent those friends.

She wasn’t keen on drinking, but her new identity meant adapting to new survival rules, so she had to change.

“Fine, no more drinking with Official Tang,” Song Yuyan decided, stumbling home.

When the lane quieted, a gate a few houses from the Songs creaked open. A head peeked out, glanced toward the Tangs, then stared at the Song house for a while, letting out a low laugh. “Heaven helps me!”