The wicked mother-in-law doesn't try to whitewash herself; she only abuses her awful children.

Chapter 22 The opportunity has come
It looks like we won't be able to take the car.

The only option is to continue measuring the road from Qinghewan to Yanguan Town on foot.

Tong Huaqiong thanked Tong Dajiao for giving her big feet, and also thanked Tong Dajiao's mother for not binding her feet into three-inch golden lotuses.

Otherwise, it would be too tiring to walk with those bound feet.

Gu Taohua carried two large baskets of pastries, cursing Old Master Xu for favoritism, and walked panting heavily.

These past few days I've been working myself to the bone with Tong Huaqiong to make money. Although it's fulfilling, it's also incredibly tiring.

If she weren't afraid of being beaten or scolded by her mother, she would have really wanted to throw down the big basket.

As the youngest and most pampered daughter of the Gu family, she had never experienced the hardship of earning money.

Isn't it wonderful to live a life like before, where all you do is eat and sleep, and your sister-in-law takes care of you?
However, with his mother's strong intervention, those carefree days are unlikely to return.

Gu Taohua sighed, weighed the basket in her hand, and said to Tong Huaqiong, "Mother, can you help me switch? You carry this basket of dried biscuits. It's lighter."

Tong Huaqiong pretended not to see the basket that Gu Taohua handed her.

Gu Taohua, her hands aching from carrying the baskets for so long, complained, "Mother, you can't keep making me carry these two big baskets forever. It's exhausting."

Tong Huaqiong, hands on her hips, scolded, "You think this little bit of work is tiring? You unfilial daughter, I raised you from infancy, and it's only right that I make you carry two baskets? I work hard to earn money to support the family and I've even lowered myself to ask for favors, and you're not even willing to carry two baskets?"

Tong Huaqiong was also tired from traveling, and this mother who had undergone a sex change was unwilling to carry the large basket herself.

Gu Taohua looked aggrieved.

These past few days, Mom has been like a powder keg, ready to explode at any moment. She'll ignite anyone except my sister-in-law and Man'er.

"Don't feel wronged. What am I after when I help you make money? It's so that our family can live a better life as soon as possible. Once we've earned five taels of silver, I'll buy you a new set of clothes."

"Just wait and see, things will get better in a few days. Once our business is better, we can open a shop and it won't be so hard."

Tong Huaqiong also had to manage her chubby daughter; she couldn't just slap her, she had to give her a treat from time to time, and also paint a rosy picture of her future.

Otherwise, if she really quits, who will carry such a heavy basket? Anyway, Tong Huaqiong doesn't want to carry it.

Regardless of whether it was a shop or not, as soon as Gu Taohua heard that she would have new clothes to wear, all the grievances on her face disappeared, and she was full of energy again.

He said, "Then I want to choose the satin myself."

When we arrived in town, the sun hadn't risen yet, but vendors were already hawking their wares in the market.

Tong Huaqiong looked around the market and had an idea in mind.

"Let's go somewhere else today," Tong Huaqiong said.

"Where shall we go next?" Gu Taohua asked.

These past two days, the mother and daughter have been selling steamed buns and dried biscuits near the inn or their work stops. Business is booming, and they've quickly built up a group of regular customers in just two days.

Moving to a different location means having to start advertising and recruiting people all over again, which is a waste of time.

Gu Taohua didn't understand why Tong Huaqiong wanted to change locations again.

"Let's move to the vicinity of Su Shi Yuan," Tong Huaqiong said.

"What? Near Su Shi Yuan?" Gu Taohua was so surprised that she almost knocked over the two baskets of pastries.

Su Shi Yuan is the most famous pastry shop in Yan Guan Town. During the Spring Festival and other holidays, Su Shi Yuan pastries are a standard gift when visiting relatives.

Tong Dajiao loves to eat pastries from Su Shi Yuan, and Gu Jingzhe buys her a pound every time he goes home.

Gu Taohua thought to herself, "My mother is really good at this. Setting up a stall at the entrance of Su Shi Yuan, and selling Su Shi Yuan's signature mung bean cake, is tantamount to handing over a head and cutting off her own livelihood."

Who would choose to buy a widow's new mung bean cake instead of buying from an established shop?

She wouldn't!

How did Mother manage to win over the Crispy Food Garden? By throwing tantrums and making a scene?
"Mother, what are you talking about?" Gu Taohua thought her mother was being delusional.

“I’m not kidding, we’ll be selling it near Su Shi Yuan.” Tong Huaqiong made the final decision.

"Alright, since Mother has said so, then I will listen to Mother."

I don't know where my mother got her confidence from.

Gu Taohua thought that if she couldn't persuade them, she wouldn't try anymore, so she stopped trying. Even if the mung bean cakes and pancakes really didn't sell, she wouldn't lose anything; she could just eat them all.

The aroma wafting from the basket wafted straight into her nose; she had been holding back all the way and was eager to have a big meal.

It's better if they don't sell.

Gu Taohua carried the basket and strode towards the direction of Su Shi Yuan.

The aroma of pastries grew stronger as they walked. Tong Huaqiong and Gu Taohua passed by Su Shi Yuan and saw the first batch of pastries freshly baked at the top pastry shop in Yan Guan Town. Following the scent, Tong Huaqiong looked over and saw, wow, quite a few people were queuing up early in the morning.

Its popularity was just like the famous jujube cake shop near her school in her past life.

High popularity is great!
She was also worried that the popularity of Su Shi Yuan was inflated.

Tong Huaqiong's wicked thoughts turned into a smile. All these customers queuing up were actually benefiting her stall from the Su Shi Yuan (a food stall chain).

"Peach Blossom, let's go to the opposite side of the Crispy Food Garden."

Tong Huaqiong directed Gu Taohua to carry the pastry basket to the opposite side of the Su Shi Yuan (酥食园).

Selling it across from the Crispy Food Garden, isn't that asking for trouble?

However, Gu Taohua was already numb and did whatever Tong Huaqiong said. She followed Tong Huaqiong and carried the two large baskets of pastries to the opposite side of Su Shi Yuan.

"What's going on? We've been waiting for ages, and they still haven't started selling."

"That's right, I'm waiting for the first batch to be fresh and hot to buy for my mother at home."

You're squeezing me.

"I was here first. Didn't you see me? You have such big, round eyes, you can't see me standing right here? No way you're trying to cut in line."

……

As the rich aroma of pastries from Su Shi Yuan filled the air, the queue to buy pastries began to stir.

"Don't rush, everyone, we'll be selling soon!" A staff member from Su Shi Yuan shouted to announce the progress.

Tong Huaqiong carefully observed the sales situation at the Crispy Food Garden.

The queue grew longer and longer, and several batches of pastries were sold out as soon as they were served.

“Mom, I think it was a mistake for us to set up a stall at the Su Shi Yuan. I’m too embarrassed to even call out to sell.”

They had been selling steamed buns and dried biscuits for a few days and thought they were incredibly successful. But compared to the huge Su Shi Yuan shop with its long queues, they realized how pathetic their business was.

"Trust me, we'll definitely sell out today," Tong Huaqiong said confidently.

Gu Taohua naturally didn't believe it. She took out a handkerchief and carefully wiped the sweat off her face, then took out another clean handkerchief and placed it aside.

My mother said that cleanliness is the most important thing when selling food.

"Peach Blossom, when someone comes to ask, the dry cakes will still be priced the same as before, and the mung bean cakes will be 1.6 yuan each, and the mung bean pancakes will be 1.8 yuan each," Tong Huaqiong told Peach Blossom about her pricing.

"What? Mother, are you crazy? A piece of mung bean cake costs five coins at Su Shi Yuan, and we're selling it for such a high price right in front of Su Shi Yuan. Aren't we cutting off our own livelihood?"

Gu Taohua was speechless; her mother was stepping on landmines at every turn.

Tong Huaqiong did not offer any explanation.

Gu Taohua doesn't know anything. Su Shi Yuan's prices seem lower than hers, but there are barriers to buying Su Shi Yuan's pastries.

Su Shi Yuan's pastries are generally sold in portions starting from half a pound.

This one step alone deterred many people.

In those days, not everyone could afford pastries. On ordinary days, if people in Qinghewan wanted to buy pastries at the market, they would sometimes have to pool their money and order together from three or four families.

Since Su Shi Yuan focuses on volume, she sells in smaller quantities, starting with one piece.

Given this, the price for selling them individually will definitely be slightly higher.

Moreover, her mung bean cakes and mung bean pancakes are made with high-quality ingredients; those in the know can tell just by tasting them.

Therefore, Tong Huaqiong did not feel that her prices were too high at all.

The two set up their stall, covering the mung bean cakes and mung bean jelly with a snow-white cloth.

The small box next to it was filled with small pieces of mung bean cakes and mung bean pancakes; this was part of the tasting session organized by Tong Huaqiong.

Many passersby were attracted by the aroma emanating from Tong Huaqiong's stall and stopped to look. Upon turning around and seeing that it was mung bean cake and mung bean pancake, they quickly walked to the Su Shi Yuan (酥食园) to queue up without asking any questions.

"Mom, you see, I told you it wouldn't work. There's no one to even ask."

Looking at the long queue at the Su Shi Yuan (a type of pastry shop), Gu Taohua couldn't help but feel envious. Then she looked at her own stall and thought it was too shabby.

"Don't worry, what's meant to come will come." Tong Huaqiong seemed unhurried at all.

At this moment, an argument broke out at the front of the Su Shi Yuan queue.

Tong Huaqiong listened and smiled slightly; here comes the opportunity.

(End of this chapter)