Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 382 Multi-Layer Cake

There were customers looking at birthday cakes in the cake shop. It was clearly a family: a husband and wife with their daughter. Li Wen and a pastry class student were standing to the side explaining the cakes. Pastry internships mainly focus on hands-on practice, so they weren't arranged to work in this shop. However, students who want to open their own shops would come here on their own to experience what it's like to run a shop, which is also a kind of learning experience.

Li Wenhe is making cakes. He doesn't like lecturing; he prefers to work quietly. Moreover, he's quick-witted and has excellent cake decorating skills, so Xiaowei is happy for him to work full-time at the shop.

Li Wen glanced at Xiao Wei as he walked in but didn't greet him, chattering away to tell the customers about the cake and cream. Xiao Wei sat down on a stool and watched quietly. The birthday person was the family's elder, celebrating his sixtieth birthday.

"Birthdays should be different from usual. In the past, we would eat delicious food and make it feel like New Year's. Now that living conditions are better, we have everything we need, so it doesn't matter what we eat, right? Besides, this is a big birthday celebration for your family, so you must be hosting a party, right? A big cake would be much more impressive, and our cakes are delicious. Oh, by the way, let me get you a slice to try. See if you've ever had a cake like this before."

Li Wen turned and went to the counter to get a piece of cake that was being sold loose. She spread some cream on it, cut it into three small pieces, and presented it to the family of three on a tray. She said, "My cakes are different from those sold in the market. Hundreds of people come to my shop to learn how to make them. Look at these." She pointed to several finished cakes on the counter and said, "If they weren't delicious, would so many people buy them?"

The man, dressed in a suit and looking quite serious, tilted his head and looked at it without taking a bite. The woman took a piece, then gave another piece to her daughter beside her. She took a bite, raised an eyebrow, nodded, and said to her husband, "It's really good, better than the one we bought last time. You should try a bite." She held the half-eaten cake to her husband's lips. The man frowned slightly, but still took a bite and nodded.

The woman turned her head and gestured to Li Wen, asking, "Can you make one of those, with multiple layers, not just piled up like this, but propped up?"

Li Wen blinked and looked at Xiao Wei, who pointed to Li Wenhe who was busy inside.

Li Wen ran to the back to ask Li Wenhe. After a while, Li Wenhe came out, smiled, and asked, "Which floors do you want to buy? How big do you want the bottom floor?"

The woman looked at the cake and thought for a moment before saying, "Four layers, right? It has to be at least four layers, right? And the bottom layer, the biggest one, is that okay?" She turned to her husband and asked. He looked at it and nodded, saying, "Okay, how much?"

The woman turned to Li Wenhe and asked, "How much would it cost if it were this big, four stories high? Not the kind with four stories stacked together, but the kind where each story is built on its own."

Li Wenhe nodded and said, "Understood. The fourth floor is 450. It's a bit different from these and will be more expensive."

The woman turned to her husband and asked, "Is it okay? Four hundred and fifty, I think it's alright."

Her daughter finished the rest of the cake, clapped her hands, and said, "Okay, let's settle on that. Hurry up, I still need to go look at clothes."

The man glanced at his daughter and said to Li Wenhe, "Then let's make it. How long will it take to prepare? How do we pick it up?"

Li Wenhe said, "When do you need it? We have to deliver it to your home; you can't carry it yourself."

The man nodded and said, "Okay, just deliver it to the restaurant up ahead at 11:00 AM tomorrow. I'll handle it here." He pulled a large wallet from his suit jacket, took out five blue bills, and handed them to Li Wenhe, saying, "11:00 AM sharp, don't make it late."

Li Wen took the money and said, "Don't worry, Uncle, my family has good stuff and good people, I guarantee it won't be bad." She took out fifty yuan from her waist bag and handed it to the man. The girl reached out and took the money, casually stuffed it into her pocket, and pushed her mother, saying, "Alright, alright, let's go, they'll be closing up shop soon."

The man said, "What's the rush to buy clothes? You can't just run away, can you? Go to the restaurant first, reserve a table and order the food. Lots of people are coming tomorrow, so don't go on a business trip." The girl pouted, and her mother said, "Listen to your dad, I'll arrange the food and then go buy it for you."

Li Wen was stuffing money into her fanny pack, her head down. She had a habit of neatly arranging her money. Without looking up, she said, "Uncle, you're not done yet. On top of the cake, is it a peach or the birthday person?"

The man looked at the woman and said, "Shall we put in longevity peaches?"

The woman nodded and said, "Okay." Turning to Li Wen, she said, "Let's put out longevity peaches. How is the birthday person supposed to eat them? Holding them and biting into them? It doesn't look right."

Li Wen paused for a moment, and just as she was about to speak, Li Wenhe said, "Okay, I'll make a big longevity peach on it for you, no problem."

Li Wen glanced at Li Wenhe, scratched her head, turned to the man and said, "If you want to book a table, just tell him directly. We're affiliated with the restaurant. Just tell him what your requirements are." She pointed to Xiao Wei.

The man glanced at Xiaowei sitting to the side, and Xiaowei quickly stood up, smiling and greeting him. The man asked, "How much does it cost to set up a table and order something nice?" Xiaowei asked, "Approximately how many tables do you have?"

The man thought for a moment and said, "Four tables? Is four tables enough?" he asked his wife. The woman thought for a moment and said, "How about five tables? It would be embarrassing if we couldn't fit everyone. Let's have five tables."

The man said to Xiaowei, "Five tables."

Xiao Wei said, "Then let's have it on the second floor. I'll reserve it for you there for lunch tomorrow. As for the food, it's up to you—whether you order from the menu or I'll prepare it for you according to some standard. Will you prepare the wine yourself, or will you get it from me?"

The man took out a cigarette, lit it, and said, "Three hundred for the table, I'll take the drinks myself. You can arrange the dishes as you see fit; my father is quite traditional, so please put in some effort." Xiao Wei nodded and said, "Okay, then we'll follow the old customs, don't worry."

The man then took out his wallet, counted out a thousand yuan, and handed it to Xiaowei, saying, "Here's your deposit. The banquet starts promptly at 11:30 AM tomorrow, okay?"

Xiao Wei took the money and said, "Okay, it would be best if someone from your family could come early tomorrow so we can see if there's anything that needs to be adjusted."

The man nodded, and the family of three left. Li Wen saw them to the door, and after watching them walk away, she came back and sighed, saying, "This family is really rich. Why is it so hard for my family to earn money?"

Xiao Wei smiled and said, "If you work hard, you'll earn more money in the future, right?"

Li Wen nodded and made a fist.

Xiao Wei asked Li Wenhe, "Master Li, how do you make this cake?"

Li Wenhe said, "Go and buy twelve stemmed glasses, the kind with small sips and long stems, and also get a few pieces of plastic sheeting."

Xiao Wei thought for a moment and said, "The department store can get wine glasses, but where am I going to get plastic sheets?"

Li Wen pointed outside and said, "Find Fifth Brother, he can definitely handle it."

(End of this chapter)