Chapter 49

Chu Lingyue saw that her guess had gone unconfirmed, and Tang Jin clearly had no intention of dragging out the conversation just for some tasty dishes. She smoothly changed the subject. “Everything’s fine with Father—Second Uncle’s looking after him. It’s getting late, though. Has A-Jin finished writing up today’s menu?”

Tang Jin’s attention shifted in an instant. She turned toward the main hall as she replied, “I forgot all about it. I’ll get it done right now.”

At the same time, a flicker of suspicion stirred in her mind. What was going on with Chu Lingyue suddenly lying to her like that, out of the blue?

Was this woman testing her again? And if so, what was she after this time?

Whatever it was, Tang Jin decided it was best not to stay alone with her any longer. She’d already experienced Chu Lingyue’s sharp instincts and keen mind more than once.

No ordinary person from ancient times would have pieced together so quickly the secret behind her rewards.

On top of that, Chu Lingyue had even suspected before that she wasn’t the original host—though for some reason, she’d never pressed the issue.

Tang Jin knew she couldn’t cover every detail perfectly, and she certainly couldn’t hold up under Chu Lingyue’s relentless probing. Better to make herself scarce for now.

Today was the ninth day of the twelfth lunar month—a simple single-day listing, and with such a variety of dishes available, the menu came together easily.

The signature offerings followed the usual pattern: one big pot divided into three portions. Sweet-and-sour fish chunks, ants climbing a tree, and the newly rewarded mashed potato shrimp balls made six dishes in total.

For a brief moment, Tang Jin considered tweaking the rule of only selling six dishes a day. But then she remembered the goods shelf could hold just thirty-five dishes at most, and she let the idea go.

No changes for now. She could think about a bigger restaurant later.

There was also the principle that rarity drove up value. Even if they could handle a few more tables of guests, they simply didn’t have the manpower.

With those thoughts in mind, Tang Jin stretched out her limbs. Sleeping on the floor wasn’t a viable long-term plan. Next up, she needed not only a larger restaurant but also to rent a proper house soon.

She wanted a room of her own. Sharing one with three other people was far too inconvenient.

She was still lost in thought when Tang Laidi sidled over. “Tang Jin, what’ve we got on the menu today?”

She peered at the writing and silently swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

Tang Jin grinned at her famished expression. “You’re not hurting for silver these days. Craving something good? Head across the street and give it a try.”

Tang Laidi shook her head. “What, you think I’m made of money? I’ve eaten at Tower Beyond Towers before. It’s tasty enough, sure, but it doesn’t hold a candle to your cooking.”

The real kicker was the price tag. She couldn’t bring herself to splurge there.

These days, even if she couldn’t snag one of the daily specials, just the aroma wafting around was enough to tide her over. And every now and then, she managed to sneak a taste of something new. No sense wasting silver at Tower Beyond Towers.

She had a wife to marry someday, and she didn’t even have a home yet. She couldn’t go blowing money left and right.

Tang Jin raised an eyebrow in surprise. “You’ve eaten at Tower Beyond Towers? Tell me what it’s like inside.”

If she wanted to open a big restaurant someday, gathering intel was a must.

A flash of discomfort crossed Tang Laidi’s face. “Once. The food’s just a step above what a regular family cooks at home. The place looks like any old tavern, only bigger.”

Tang Jin noticed the odd shift in her demeanor and didn’t push further. Her sister had basically said nothing at all. She’d have to check it out herself sometime.

She tamped down her curiosity and let the matter drop. Tang Laidi fidgeted for a moment, then seemed to have the floodgates open—as if a powerful urge to unburden herself had suddenly welled up.

“You’re really not curious who I went there with?” She’d slaved away as a constable for a whole year just to scrape together twenty taels of silver. Tower Beyond Towers was way out of her league back then.

Tang Jin finished pasting up the menu and replied curtly, “Not even a little.”

She wasn’t the nosy type, and other people’s private business held zero interest for her—unless someone paid her to care, anyway.

Undeterred, Tang Laidi pressed on. “I’d gone out on cases a few times with the higher-ups before, but I was always just watching them eat. Finally got to have a meal there myself once… and it cost me my entire future.”

At the time, after tracking down leads for ages, she’d finally uncovered a major clue in a theft case. On instinct, she’d mentioned it to her brother nearby, then planned to head straight to the county yamen to round up her fellow constables and make the arrest.

But her dear brother Tang Yaozu had insisted it was getting late and she’d been working so hard—she should rest up. Capturing the thief was no big deal; he’d handle it. The head constable position was as good as theirs in the Tang family.

Her parents chimed in from the side, urging her to let her brother take care of it so they could all share in the credit.

They called her the real hero and said she deserved a proper reward.

She figured it was family, after all. Sharing the merit didn’t seem like a bad deal. So she hadn’t thought twice about it and happily tagged along with her parents to Tower Beyond Towers, where she ate her fill with glee.

By the time they finished, her brother came bounding back all excited, announcing the thief was caught and that he was the new head constable.

It took Tang Laidi half a day to process what had happened. Sure, the head constable spot had gone to the Tang family—but not to her.

Her parents flipped on the spot, telling her not to make a fuss and to just hand it over to her brother.

She refused. Her dream had always been to become a renowned head constable, famous across the land. She wasn’t about to let all her hard work turn into a wedding dress for Tang Yaozu.

In the end, she lost her position and got kicked out of the house by her parents.

Tang Laidi rambled on and on, inwardly cursing her rotten luck with free meals. First the head constable gig slipped away, then her share of the profits. Talk about a run of bad fortune.

Tang Jin listened in silence, offering no opinion.

Most people were greedy—for money, sure, but even more for power.

When those two things were on the line, it paid to stay sharp and keep your guard up.

All she could say was that her sister had it rough. Getting schemed against by the very family she trusted most? Unheard of.

Once Tang Laidi finished, her face flushed red with anger. “That Tang Yaozu… I’ve always looked out for him, given way to him at every turn since we were kids. And what does the ungrateful wolf do? Makes my blood boil! From now on, I refuse to recognize him as my brother. My parents too—they always said they treated sons and daughters the same, so how come when push came to shove…”

The memories still stung her heart.

Unable to hold back, Tang Jin remarked dryly, “Naive. If your parents really saw sons and daughters as equals, they never would’ve given you names like that in the first place.”

The first child, a girl named Laidi. Then a boy named Yaozu. The favoritism was plain as day from the names alone.

Tang Laidi’s eyes dimmed. Her face turned even redder as she stewed for a long moment before blurting out, “Tang Jin, you’re the educated one. What name should I change mine to?”

Laidi, Laidi—might as well be “Come Get My Dowry” or “Come Fetch the Crap.” She wanted nothing to do with this awful name anymore.

Tang Jin arched a brow. “You want to change your name?”

Tang Laidi nodded vigorously. “Damn right I do. Something fierce and domineering. And it shouldn’t have a thing to do with that punk.”

From here on out, Tang Jin was her only sibling. No more Tang Yaozu.

The corner of Tang Jin’s mouth twitched. What even counted as “domineering”? She was terrible at naming things. Better pass.

“What others come up with might not suit you. I’m no good at picking names.”

“Oh, come on, don’t be modest. You named Lingyue, didn’t you? Sounds great to me. Just think of something fierce—I won’t be picky.” Tang Laidi’s eyes shone with anticipation.

Tang Jin shot her down without hesitation. “Figure out your own name. Hurry up and tidy things; it’s time to open for customers.”

“Stingy as always. Fine, I’ll do it myself.” Tang Laidi furrowed her brow in thought for ages before her eyes lit up. She bolted for the door, beaming. “I got it! I’m off to the county yamen to make it official right now.”

Tang Jin glanced up but didn’t bother closing the door. There was still half an hour until dusk, but opening early couldn’t hurt.

Sell out sooner, sleep sooner.

Perhaps the regulars hadn’t expected them to open ahead of schedule. Their first customer of the day was a stranger.

He was a boy in his mid-teens, dressed in fine clothes. He didn’t rush to take a seat or place an order. Instead, his gaze fixed squarely on Tang Jin.

She shot him a glance and pointed to the wall nearby. “The menu’s right over there, sir. What would you like?”

What was with this kid staring at her? No manners at all.

The boy politely cupped his hands in greeting, though his eyes stayed glued to Tang Jin’s face, as if confirming something. “If I may ask, are you Miss Tang Jin of Tang Village?”

Tang Jin nodded. “And you are?”

The boy drew a portrait from his sleeve and compared it to her for several moments before saying, “Cousin! I’ve finally found you. How’s Grandmother? What about Second Uncle and Second Aunt?”

[Ding, insufficient shelf space, reward revoked.]

As the boy’s voice faded, the System’s announcement chimed in Tang Jin’s mind.

She grew wary at once. “Who are you? I don’t have a younger cousin.”

From the original host’s memories, Eldest Uncle had left home unmarried, with no children. There was barely any recollection of him at all—just a vague sense that he’d departed without a family.

Where had this so-called cousin popped up from? And he wasn’t even telling the truth right off the bat.

The boy held up the portrait earnestly. “Cousin, there’s much you don’t know. Father left the village years ago and has since married and had children out there. He’s always wanted to bring Grandmother and all of you Second Uncle’s family to live comfortably in Prefecture City. But he’s been tied up with all sorts of matters until recently. That’s when he finally had this portrait made of you all and sent me to find our kin.”

With that, he offered the portrait.

[Ding, insufficient shelf space, reward revoked.]

Tang Jin took it and examined the image. It showed four people: a somewhat younger Old Madam Tang cradling the child version of the original host, flanked by the original host’s late father and remarried mother.

They were unmistakably members of the Tang family. But this boy’s story was clearly bogus—every time he spoke, the System chimed in.

Tang Jin steadied herself and feigned excitement. “You’re really my cousin? Little brother! Have a seat—I’ll go fetch Grandmother right away.”

She hurried into the backyard but made a beeline for the kitchen instead. In one go, she cleared out all eight bowls of century egg lean meat congee from the goods shelf, freeing up space. Only then did she saunter into Old Madam Tang’s room and fill her in.

Old Madam Tang’s expression didn’t brighten at the news. Instead, fury clouded her face.

“That unfilial wretch! This old lady knew he wouldn’t dare show his face. Sending his son in his place changes nothing. I’m not going anywhere—scratch that, I’m heading straight to Prefecture City to break his damn legs!”

The mere thought of her eldest son, who’d been gone for years, sent Old Madam Tang into a rage. She snatched up her cane and charged toward the main hall.

Tang Jin rushed to block her path.

Something felt off—deeply so. There had to be more to Eldest Uncle’s departure all those years ago. Old Madam Tang’s reaction wasn’t normal.

Chu Lingyue stepped in to help hold her back. She shot Tang Jin a meaningful look and soothed, “Grandmother, please calm down. Let A-Jin go question him first and confirm the boy’s really Eldest Uncle’s son.”

Tang Jin wasn’t sure what to make of that look but went along with it. “I’ll go talk to him. Wife, stay here with Grandmother for a bit.”

After seeing Old Madam Tang seated, Chu Lingyue followed Tang Jin to the doorway. In a low voice, she said, “You verify the visitor’s identity. I’ll get the story out of Old Madam Tang about what happened back then.”

With that, she turned and returned to the room.

Meanwhile, Tang Jin headed back to the main hall.

The boy shot to his feet the moment he saw her. “Cousin!”

[Ding, reward: a plate of blueberry yam cake]

Though Tang Jin kept a calm and composed expression on her face, her heart was shocked beyond belief. What was going on? Was that cry of “cousin” fake?