Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 1159 Classmate (Given to Wenrunruyu +6)

Xiao Hong pulled Qin Xuemei to the counter by the wall to look at it: "Are these all made of cream? If they're all real, won't they grow mold in the summer?"

The owner said, "The cream on top is real, and the bottom is foam. If we used real cake, it would grow mold. The cream also needs to be replaced about once a year."

Xiao Hong pointed at the sample and said, "Boss, don't give us such a dark color. Forget it, just don't add any color and use the original color. What you've done is too scary. The red flowers look bloody."

Xiao Wei said, "You only used cream? Didn't you use fresh milk?"

The shopkeeper laughed and said, "Brother, you're joking. Who would I sell fresh milk to in this small county? I use butter, I don't even dare to use shortening, it won't fetch a good price."

Yellow butter is made from refined beef tallow, while white butter is made from refined mutton tallow. Refined lard is also white, but it can't be used for piping; it's only suitable for making puff pastry, like layered cakes, egg tarts, and mooncakes.

Yellow butter, even after being whipped with sugar, turns white, but it's not as translucent as white butter.

Xiao Wei said, "Fresh milk doesn't cost more than cream. Who told you that? Never mind, let's make it. Get four cups of fruit juice powder and make it thick."

The shopkeeper said, "Brother, a 32-yuan cake is 40 yuan, and if you want a stronger fruit juice, I'll give you a cup for 8 yuan, okay? It's usually 5 yuan."

Xiao Hong said, "A bag of fruit juice is only twenty yuan, but you charge five yuan for a cup? And you still say you can't sell it for a good price?"

The shop owner laughed and said, "Not many people usually drink here. We mainly sell birthday cakes. Look, this 32cm cake is only 40cm, while a similarly sized one in Langwen's shop in the city costs over 80cm. It's half the price."

Xiao Wei said, "Okay, okay, go get it done. Were the dough baked today? I'm telling you, it's not that I don't want to pay."

The boss walked to the back and said, "It must be. You guys have a seat first. Xiaojing, bring the heater over and make some fruit juice for them."

There were two small tables in the room, and the four of them sat down casually. The girl pushed the electric heater to the side of the table and went to rinse Guozhen's mouth.

Xiao Hong clung to Qin Xuemei's arm, the two sitting close together near the electric heater. She said, "It's so cold, why don't we make it warmer?"

Xiao Wei sat looking at the samples and said, "These are all made of cream, so they really can't be heated up. They need to be left out for a while. Do you feel anything when you see them like this?"

Xiao Hong turned her head to look over: "How does it feel?"

Xiao Wei said, "I'm familiar with it. He probably learned how to make this shop from people in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. The designs are also made by people from there. They used to use powdered sugar, so the colors are darker, and the designs are simpler."

The girl prepared the fruit juice and brought it over; the four of them held it in their hands to warm them up.

As soon as the door opened, several people walked in. Xiao Wei turned his head and saw Liu Xiaodong leading the way. He asked, "What are you doing here? Is it someone's birthday?"

Liu Xiaodong laughed and said, "What a coincidence! Didn't you go back to the village? What are you doing here?"

Xiao Wei said, "I'm just going back to visit the grave. I didn't eat lunch, but my sister said she'd come over for a piece of cake. We're having dog meat for dinner, so I won't call you. You and Xia Qiu can just go there directly. It's the place Uncle Xia usually goes to, Sanqianli, right?"

Liu Xiaodong said, "Yes, it's the Sanqianli Dog Meat Restaurant, run by North Koreans, absolutely authentic."

Xiao Hong said, "How did you all end up together? Chen Degang, don't you work at Nanfen? Zheng Xiaoqiu, you're still so handsome, your hairstyle hasn't changed."

Zheng Xiaoqiu was indeed quite handsome, sporting a hairstyle reminiscent of Aaron Kwok's. He smiled and said, "Long time no see, Miss Wang, you're still as charming as ever. Where do you work now? You're studying engineering, right?"

Chen Degang, who was very thin, ran to the electric heater and stretched out his hand: "Wang Xiaohong, where did you get assigned after graduation?"

Xiao Hong said, "Just coasting along, coasting along in the office. You're at Beigang, right? Zheng Xiaoqiu, where are you?"

Zheng Xiaoqiu said, "I also work at Beigang, with Degang, but in a different workshop. There's also Liu Bin; a few of us lived together in the dormitory. He was in shift three, do you know him? He used to hang out with us all the time." He pointed to another person.

Xiao Hong shook her head: "How am I supposed to know you boys hanging out together? What are you doing here? Where are Liu Xiaodong and Xia Qiu?"

Liu Xiaodong said, "He went back to be with his parents. They're planning to open a cake shop, and Xiao Qiu, who learned the craft here, came to discuss it with her mentor."

The group sat down, and Liu Xiaodong took out cigarettes to offer as a gift: "Xiaojing, bring a few more drinks, make one for each of you." Xiaojing agreed and went inside to get the drinks.

Xiao Hong said, "Are you all still here tomorrow? I'm treating everyone tomorrow night. I'm getting married. This is Zhang Wei, this is my boyfriend, this is my sister, and this one you can call Brother Wang." The group called him "Sister" and "Brother Wang," and shook hands with Xiao Wei, saying, "Never seen him before, are you from our school?"

Xiao Hong laughed and said, "He's not from our school. He didn't go to high school. He's from the same village as me, from Honeybee."

Chen Degang said, "Isn't your family from the county town? I remember your dad worked at the agricultural machinery station."

Xiao Hong said, "That happened later. My mom and his mom grew up together, we've been together since we were little."

Liu Bin laughed and said, "A marriage arranged since childhood? That's pretty impressive. Where do you live now?"

Xiao Hong said, "We're in Fengtian. We're getting married and coming back to visit the graves, and we'll treat our classmates to a meal, but it's a bit difficult to get everyone together."

Liu Xiaodong said, "Xia Qiu is helping to make the connections. Several people in the city can come back, and we can gather a dozen or twenty people. We need to pick up a few people in the fort below tomorrow. Can you come with me in your car tomorrow? It's not very convenient to take a bus from here."

Xiao Hong said, "Okay, what time tomorrow? Let Brother Wang go with you."

Liu Xiaodong said, "In the morning, around nine o'clock."

Wang Jiwei said, "Okay, come over to the guesthouse later, and we'll go together. I'm not familiar with this area."

Chen Degang asked, "A guesthouse? You're staying at the county guesthouse? Why aren't you staying at home?"

Liu Xiaodong said, "Her family moved to Fengtian a long time ago, several years ago. Both families moved away, and the houses here have been disposed of."

Chen Degang said, "Damn, I don't know. How did your dad get his job?"

Xiao Hong said, "It's been transferred."

The boss brought out the cake, carefully placed it in the middle of the table, and greeted Liu Xiaodong and the others with a smile.

Xiaojing also prepared the fruit juice and brought out a cup for each person.

The owner placed several paper plates and plastic cutlery on the table: "Try it, and see what you think. My cake is pretty good."

Xiao Wei said, "Go get another one, there aren't enough to go around."

Liu Xiaodong waved his hand: "No need, we'll just sit and talk for a while. It's lunchtime, you guys eat your food."

Qin Xuemei took a knife and cut the cake in half, giving a piece to Xiaohong. She whispered to Xiaohong, "It's different from ours; the hole is this big."

Xiao Hong glanced at it, nodded, and said, "People from Jiangsu and Zhejiang are all like this. We've bought this before." She cut a piece for Wang Jiwei, and Qin Xuemei cut a piece for Xiao Wei. Xiao Wei said, "Eat it, help yourself."

Liu Xiaodong pulled a chair to the side and said, "Come on, boss, let's sit here and let them eat. They didn't eat lunch." The group sat down to the side.

Zheng Xiaoqiu said to the boss, "The house over there is rented out, and they'll start cleaning it up in the next couple of days. You'll have to go over there to help with the sample making, and you'll also have to bring some packaging boxes."

The boss smiled and said, "You paid to learn the skills, and I've taught you what I was supposed to. You can't try to cheat me. Prototypes will cost extra. As for the packaging boxes, although they're not worth much, I'll give you the cost price. And for other materials, I'll give you the cost price as well."

(End of this chapter)