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

Chapter 47 VIP Customers
Tong Huaqiong saw the satisfied smile on Grandma Huang's face.

I thought to myself, this order is secure.

"Did you and your daughter make all of this?" Old Mrs. Huang asked.

Tong Huaqiong said with a smile, "That's right. Farmers don't have many other options, so they just stay at home and work on a few pastry recipes."

"You've really thought of a good way to do this. I think it tastes pretty good," said Grandma Huang.

Tong Huaqiong thought to herself, "These cookies are made with butter, how could they not taste good?"

Let alone this era, even in later generations with such abundant resources, the mere appearance of butter cookies could make diners extremely happy.

"I'm glad the old lady likes it." Tong Huaqiong said modestly.

"Grandma, please try this jujube cake again," Tong Huaqiong said with a perfectly timed smile.

Jujube cake is not only available at the Sushi Garden, but also in the Huang family kitchen, so it's not unusual.

Grandma Huang took a bite, a smile returning to her face, and said, "It's even better than Su Shi Yuan's."

Then I tried the jujube paste pastry, coconut pastry, and walnut pastry, and I was satisfied with all of them.

When Master Huang saw his mother happy, he was happy too.

"It's really kind of you to come up with such a good prescription." The more Grandma Huang looked at Tong Huaqiong, the more she liked her.

"To be honest, I figured out this recipe before, but I usually only bake some for my own family during the New Year. I don't dare to sell it normally because the ingredients are high-quality and I would lose money if I sold it cheaply. It's thanks to Mr. Huang's filial piety that he told me to bake it as a way to show my respect for him that I dared to bake it."

Tong Huaqiong praised Huang Yuanwai's filial piety and the Huang family's wealth at the right time.

Sure enough, the three major benefactors, Mr. and Mrs. Huang, were all delighted.

"I heard that for Master Hong's mother's birthday, he hired the best chef from Pingchuan County. That old hag is so happy and bragging about it everywhere. My birthday has to be better than that old hag's, so you'd better do your best to get me some delicious and beautiful pastries and send them over," said Old Mrs. Huang.

Tong Huaqiong nodded and said, "It's rare to catch the old lady's eye, so I will definitely do my best to make you satisfied."

Once Grandma Huang was satisfied, she wanted to invite Tong Huaqiong and Gu Taohua to stay for dinner. She even held Gu Taohua's hand and praised her for being so lucky, asking about her marriage prospects.

Startled, Tong Huaqiong quickly said that she wanted to keep her chubby daughter for a few more years, explaining that she was there to do business, not to find a son-in-law.

Gu Taohua's marriage cannot be handed over to just anyone; she must personally oversee the process.

"Thank you for your kind offer, ma'am. But there's no need for a meal; I need to hurry and sell the remaining pastries," Tong Huaqiong said with a smile, politely declining.

While Tong Huaqiong was pondering how to ask Master Huang for a deposit, Master Huang called Tong Huaqiong aside and asked her how to charge for the pastry samples delivered to her door, how many pastries to send for her birthday banquet, and how to charge for them.

Tong Huaqiong quoted the price in detail based on cost and profit.

She didn't ask for more.

Master Huang was indeed very generous and paid the money readily.

Tong Huaqiong received a total of thirty taels of silver for today's pastries and the deposit for her birthday banquet.

Even after walking out of the Huang family's gate, Gu Taohua was still in a daze.

Tong Huaqiong was also very happy.

Thirty taels of silver—this was her first real pot of gold in this world.

Since coming into this world, the only meal that satisfied her was the mutton soup she had that day; she has never had a truly satisfying meal.

She planned to set aside some money to buy rice, flour, chicken, duck, fish, and meat, so that her family could have rice and flour for every meal from now on.

"Mother, we actually made thirty taels?" Gu Taohua said.

"Didn't we already give a deposit of fifty taels last time? Why are we giving it to you again this time?" Gu Taohua was a little confused.

Tong Huaqiong managed to brush it off with a few words.

Having wasted the morning at Master Huang's house, Tong Huaqiong decided to hire a carriage to go to the market.

Today's stall is still opposite the Crispy Food Garden.

Tong Huaqiong directed the carriage to the street opposite the pastry garden, gave them silver, and unloaded the pastries from the carriage.

Then, he carefully erected the signboard written by Gu Jingzhe.

Peach Blossom Dessert Shop is now open for business.

"Look, the widow and her big, fat daughter are here again," a waiter at Su Shi Yuan said to the shopkeeper, pointing to Tong Huaqiong's stall.

"Ignore them. Trying to steal Su Shi Yuan's business is just asking for trouble," the shopkeeper said dismissively.

"Shopkeeper, their mung bean cakes and mung bean pancakes are all sold out from last time," the shop assistant said.

"Has this affected our crispy food shop's business?" the shopkeeper asked.

The waiter thought for a moment and said, "No, not at all."

"Then what are you worried about? Hurry up and go serve the customers." The shopkeeper waved his hand. Trying to compete with Su Shi Yuan for business is like an ant pushing a cart—too presumptuous.

Su Shi Yuan's ability to devour other pastry shops and become a monopoly is no accident.

To think that a small stall can compete with Su Shi Yuan is pure fantasy!
"Peach blossom desserts? What do you sell?"

Just as Tong Huaqiong had predicted, as soon as the Peach Blossom Desserts sign was put up, people came to the stall with curiosity to inquire.

"Selling pastries, all kinds of pastries. Mung bean cakes, mung bean pancakes, jujube paste pastries, jujube cakes, honey-glazed pastries, chestnut pastries, cookies."

Gu Taohua pointed crisply at the pastries and began her product introduction.

There were a few novel pastries I'd never seen before, but most of the pastries and desserts were available at the pastry shop.

"Why buy from a small stall when you won't buy the proper pastries from Su Shi Yuan?" The man's wife dragged him away.

Gu Taohua was stunned.

A bad start.

They left without even asking the price.

"Mother, why aren't they interested?" Gu Taohua asked, a little disappointed.

Tong Huaqiong cut up the samples and arranged them on a plate, then patted Gu Taohua's chubby wrist and said calmly, "Isn't this how business is? No one buys just because they ask. Take Su Shi Yuan for example, there are so many people coming and going on the street, but not everyone buys pastries."

"Don't rush. Someone who knows its value will definitely come."

Tong Huaqiong's confidence inspired Gu Taohua, so she stopped being impatient and started calling out to passersby with her standard smile.

"Mung bean cake, sweet and fragrant mung bean cake."

"Coconut pastry, only my family in the whole town makes coconut pastry."

"Chestnut pastry, a fragrant and crispy chestnut pastry that will make your teeth ache."

"Take a look, have a taste. There are free samples available. It's okay if you don't buy after trying them; if you buy them and don't like them, you don't have to pay!"

Gu Taohua's shouts indeed attracted many people.

Several of them were customers who had bought mung bean cakes and mung bean pancakes that day. They were wondering why the mother and daughter had only set up their stall for one day and had not been seen for the past two days.

They came today, and it looks like they sell more than just mung bean cakes and mung bean pancakes; they also have many other snacks.

The aroma was so enticing; you could smell it from afar.

"Auntie, do you still remember me?" A shy voice came from a young man standing in front of Tong Huaqiong's stall.

"How could I not remember?" Tong Huaqiong said with a smile. "How was your mother's mung bean cake? Was she satisfied?"

This young man was the first customer to place an order at Tong Huaqiong's stall, and Tong Huaqiong remembers him vividly.

“My mother said it was delicious and it really whetted her appetite. I came to buy some again yesterday, but you weren’t here,” the young man said with a smile.

"I've been working on new recipes at home these past few days," Tong Huaqiong said with a smile, pointing towards the visitors. "I've made these new dishes, take a look and try them."

Tong Huaqiong pushed the sample in front of the young man.

The young man ate coconut pastries, chestnut pastries, and jujube paste pastries. These pastries had a soft outer crust and a sweet filling. They were smooth and sweet but not greasy.

“If it’s for your mother, I suggest a few coconut shortbreads, jujube paste shortbreads, cookies, and of course, mung bean cakes. These pastries are neither too soft nor too hard, which is good for her teeth,” Tong Huaqiong said.

She recommends these products because they are her flagship products.

"Alright, I'll do as you say, three of each." the young man said generously.

"Then I'll give you two more pieces of Sachima," Tong Huaqiong said.

By a twist of fate, this young man was her first customer both times she set up her stall.

Just like Master Huang, he automatically became a VIP customer in Tong Huaqiong's mind.

While Tong Huaqiong collected the money, Gu Taohua deftly picked up the pastries through her handkerchief, wrapped them in oil paper, and handed them to the young man.

"There are words on this packaging!" the young man exclaimed in surprise.

"I wrote it," Gu Taohua said proudly, raising her head.

The young man looked at Gu Taohua with admiration; this plump girl could actually write.

In those days, people looked up to girls who could read and write, and Gu Taohua was no exception. Not only did the young men look at Gu Taohua with admiration, but others around her also stopped and looked at her.

"My name is Gu Taohua. See? Peach Blossom Dessert is named after me," Gu Taohua said loudly, pointing to the signboard.

Soon, the fame of Peach Blossom Dessert spread throughout the entire street.

(End of this chapter)