The System Wanted Me to Be a Landlady (GL) - Chapter 28: The Vegetable Thief

Chapter 28: The Vegetable Thief

Although the Dragon Boat Festival had passed, the festive atmosphere lingered. Every household still hung herbs to ward off evil and insects at their doorways, and the leaves from eaten rice dumplings were washed and hung on ropes to dry, waiting to be reused. The townsfolk’s conversations still revolved around the festival’s dragon boat races and amusing anecdotes.

Children gathered grass from the roadside, playing a game of comparing herbs. Women who had finished washing clothes and making breakfast stood at their doorsteps, chatting with neighbors.

As they spoke, they saw Tang Zhi storming back, looking furious. The women exchanged glances, their faces showing playful anticipation, as if waiting for a good show.

“I said Song Dalang could never settle down, didn’t I? Just two months, and he couldn’t hold back,” one woman remarked.

“What does this have to do with Song Dalang?” someone asked.

“You don’t know? Last night, Song Dalang was caught stealing from the Tang family and got scolded by their girl!” a woman who had witnessed Tang Zhi’s outburst whispered.

“What? Wasn’t Tang Haogen at home? Song Dalang is that bold?” another asked.

“Cough, I saw Tang Haogen carrying a jar of wine home yesterday. Last night, he drank himself drunk. The Tang girl said he drank a whole jar!”

Another woman who had watched the scene asked, “Did she say that?”

“I think she did, but I didn’t hear clearly. At first, the Tang girl caught Song Dalang at the door and scolded him loudly. Later, her voice quieted, and I couldn’t make it out.”

“Then why did the Tang family let Song Dalang go?”

“What’s strange about that? There’s never any proof. Besides scolding him, what else can they do to Song Dalang?”

“But hasn’t Song Dalang been weaving straw mats and bamboo baskets lately? I often see that broker Lin Yongming taking mats and baskets from the Song family! With honest work, he wouldn’t go stealing, would he?” a neighbor who had noticed Song Yuyan’s change said.

“People’s hearts are hard to predict. Song Dalang’s used to stealing. How could he stop so easily?”

While they gossiped, Tang Zhi stood in front of the Song family’s door. Tang Ye followed behind, carrying a bucket. Seeing her alone, the women asked, “Little Tang girl, what’s wrong?”

Tang Ye looked upset but lacked Tang Zhi’s boldness. She muttered, “Our vegetables were stolen.”

The neighbors exchanged glances, communicating silently: “See, I was right!”

“Song Yuyan, come out!” Tang Zhi pounded on the Song family’s wooden door.

The Song household had been quiet since last night, and no one had seen Song Yuyan fetching water. Just as everyone thought the “three siblings” were still sleeping, a sound finally came from inside.

“Song Yuyan, come out now!” Tang Zhi shouted again.

Her loud voice startled neighbors, who ran out to watch.

“What’s this? After two months, another show?” a man grinned, squeezing into the crowd.

Song Yuyan opened the door, saw Tang Zhi, and tried to pull her into the courtyard. But Tang Zhi wasn’t having it. She said, “What’s wrong? Feeling guilty, too scared to speak in front of everyone?”

“Guilty of what? What’s your problem, Miss Tang?” Song Yuyan glanced around, noticing the crowd of onlookers. Well, good. Too few people, and the show wouldn’t go on.

Tang Zhi sneered, “You dare ask me what’s wrong? Last night, someone stole vegetables from our garden. It wasn’t just a few coins’ worth—it was a full fifty coins!”

Her voice broke with anger by the end.

“Wow, fifty coins? That’s a lot of vegetables!” the crowd gasped.

Song Yuyan frowned. “I feel sorry for your loss, Miss Tang, but what’s that got to do with me?”

“You still deny it, Song Yuyan? What has my Tang family ever done to you? You keep targeting us, again and again. Two months ago, you swore to me you’d washed your hands of thieving, said you’d stop stealing, find honest work, and make a living weaving mats and baskets. You told me to trust you.” Tang Zhi’s voice trembled, tears welling up as she continued.

“These two months, I thought you’d really changed, stopped doing those dirty deeds. But you’ve gone back to your old ways! This time, I won’t let you keep stealing. I’ve reported you to the authorities.”

Her words sparked a wave of heated discussion among the crowd.

No one expected Tang Zhi to take it this far, and it seemed Song Yuyan was in for trouble!

Song Yuyan flinched at Tang Zhi’s words. The crowd thought she was scared of being reported, assuming guilt. One said, “Song Dalang’s a born jinx, cursed to ruin kin. Looks like he’s cursed himself this time.”

Someone asked, “What’s this about a jinx?”

“You’re new here, Chen family bride, so you wouldn’t know. Song Dalang’s got a cursed fate, dooming his parents and kin. While he was still in the womb, his father died. Later, his mother and uncle were cursed to death too. Even the Tang siblings’ parents were killed by his bad luck.”

The young bride gasped, looking at Song Yuyan. “But Song Dalang doesn’t look like someone with that kind of fate. He’s got clear eyes and fine features…”

Her husband, hearing this, tugged her arm, annoyed. “Hey, what are you saying, wife?”

Praising another man’s looks in front of him—how could he stand it?

The young bride shifted her gaze to Tang Zhi, who had twin buns in her hair and tearful eyes, looking pitiful. “If Song Dalang really cursed his neighbors, why is the Xu family next door fine? And if he killed the Tang parents, with such a deep grudge, why would the Tang girl wait until now to report him?”

Those who believed Song Yuyan was a jinx were stumped by her questions. Instead of arguing, they snapped, “What, are all the people he cursed fake? You’re defending him—planning to stray?”

“Go home!” Her husband, fed up with the crowd’s teasing stares, dragged her away.

Song Yuyan and Tang Zhi overheard the chatter but ignored it. Song Yuyan was indeed startled by Tang Zhi, not out of guilt but because her sudden tears caught her off guard.

“Miss Tang, I didn’t steal your vegetables. Last night, I was drunk and sleeping at home. Where would I find the energy to sneak into your garden?” Song Yuyan explained.

“You say you were drunk, so you were drunk?” someone in the crowd shouted.

Song Yuyan glanced at the speaker, recognizing Chen Erming, a “freelancer” like her former self. He did odd jobs, like carrying goods at the docks or working fields during harvest. Lately, though, he’d been lazing at home, not working, and getting scolded by his parents—passersby could hear the yelling.

In her memories, Chen Erming had no fixed job but no record of theft either. Song Yuyan’s gaze lingered on him briefly.

“I was drinking with Tang Haogen last night. Miss Tang knows that,” Song Yuyan said.

“What’s going on? Didn’t they say Song Dalang was caught stealing at the Tangs’ last night?” the crowd murmured.

Tang Zhi said, “But you weren’t drunk at all last night! You know what you did!”

She didn’t confirm Song Yuyan was drunk but didn’t deny she drank with Tang Haogen, leaving room for speculation.

The crowd naturally thought, “Did Song Dalang take advantage of Tang Haogen’s drunkenness to steal from the Tangs, and Miss Tang caught him?”

It seemed plausible until someone asked, “Why would Tang Haogen drink with Song Dalang?”

“Probably because Song Dalang tricked him too well. You know Tang Haogen’s kind-hearted, so he got fooled…”

“Makes sense!”

Song Yuyan: “…” Your imaginations are wild. Should I write a play for you?

Chen Erming shouted, “Song Yuyan, stop pretending. Everyone knows you love stealing the Tangs’ vegetables!”

The Song family’s door swung open, and a little kid rushed out, yelling, “She didn’t steal vegetables! We don’t have any vegetables at home!”

It was Song Yuban, the Song family’s wild child. Hearing the commotion, he feared Song Yuyan had stolen, so he searched the house for hidden vegetables. Finding none, he ran out.

Chen Erming scoffed, “You say there’s none, so there’s none? What if she hid them somewhere else? You’re her brother, of course you’d cover for her. You’re lying!”

Suddenly, Chen Erming got a faceful of sand, nearly in his mouth. He looked and saw Song Yuzhuan, the little kid, angrily grabbing sand from the doorstep to throw at him.

“You looking to die?!” Chen Erming lunged to discipline the kid, but Song Yuyan blocked him.

Just then, two yamen officers pushed through the crowd, their voices booming, “Who’s the thief?”

“It’s Song Yuyan!” Chen Erming, seeing the officers, cleared a path and eagerly pointed at Song Yuyan.

The officers eyed Song Yuyan up and down. “We got a report about a thief stealing vegetables from Tang Haogen’s house. Was it you?”

Song Yuyan shook her head. “Not me.”

The other officer looked at Tang Zhi. “You’re Tang Haogen’s sister? Tell us, who stole your vegetables?”

Tang Zhi composed herself and, under everyone’s gaze, pointed into the crowd. “Him.”

The crowd: “???”

What just happened? Did Tang Zhi’s eyes go crooked, mistaking Chen Erming for Song Yuyan? That’s a wild mistake!

Chen Erming froze, then stepped aside. But Tang Zhi’s finger followed him, still pointing at him.

He exploded, “Tang Zhi, what’s that supposed to mean?!”

“Yeah, wasn’t the thief supposed to be Song Dalang?” the crowd buzzed.

“What do I mean? I suspect you’re the vegetable thief!” Tang Zhi said.

“You’re slandering me!” Chen Erming roared, grabbing a bystander. “Tell them, she was just pointing at Song Yuyan!”

“Yeah, yeah!” the person beside him nodded.

The officers were confused. “Who’s it really?”

“It’s Chen Erming. I was just acting with Song Dalang to lure out the real vegetable thief!” Tang Zhi’s face no longer showed grief but confidence.

Her words hit like a thunderbolt. The crowd questioned reality. Tang Zhi teaming up with the notorious thief Song Yuyan to stage a play? Did the sun rise in the west today?

Then, a middle-aged couple pushed through, shouting, “Don’t wrong our boy! Our Erming’s been home these past days, not going anywhere. He couldn’t have stolen anything!”

“You’re sure he didn’t go anywhere?” Song Yuyan asked.

“Of course! It’s the Dragon Boat Festival, and he said he’d rest a few days. He’s been home, not even stepping out the door. We scolded him plenty for not finding work,” Chen Erming’s parents insisted.

Song Yuyan and Tang Zhi exchanged a glance, smiling knowingly. “Then the vegetable thief is him, no doubt.”