The autumn wind swept across the Hongqi Production Brigade, carrying golden waves of rice. In the threshing ground behind the "Late Autumn Food Workshop," newly harvested corn cobs were piled up like small mountains, their golden kernels gleaming oily in the sunlight. Lin Wanqiu stood by the workshop window, watching the workers deftly pack freshly baked peach shortbread. The sweet aroma of butter and flour filled her nostrils, but her mind was already calculating the details of expanding production—ever since Nian'an decided to go to school in the county town, the workshop expansion plan had become her top priority.

"Late Autumn, this is the order statistics for this month. Mr. Li from the neighboring county has ordered another 500 jin of mooncakes, saying he wants to stock them before the Mid-Autumn Festival." Shen Tingzhou pushed open the door, holding a yellowed ledger in his hand. His fingertips traced the dense numbers, his tone filled with undisguised joy. He had just returned from the commune's supply and marketing cooperative, and his steps had become lighter as he listened to the villagers praising the pastries from "Late Autumn Food Workshop."

Lin Wanqiu took the ledger, her fingertips brushing over the words "neighboring county," her eyes lighting up: "Five hundred jin? This Boss Li is quite generous. But we're afraid our current production capacity can't keep up. Look, there are only three drying rooms in the workshop, and even running at full capacity, we can only produce two hundred jin of goods a day. Add to that the orders from the village, and we simply can't keep up with the turnover." She looked up at the window, where the workers were taking turns using the only dough mixer, their faces showing anxiety. "We need to add two more drying rooms, and we also need to get more dough mixers and sheeters, otherwise we'll really miss the orders."

Shen Tingzhou nodded and placed the ledger on the table: "That's what I was thinking too. When I went to rent a house in the county town yesterday, I also went to the agricultural machinery station to ask. They have second-hand drying room equipment, but it's a bit expensive, costing three hundred yuan. However, we have some savings now, so we can grit our teeth and get it. In addition, I also discussed with the brigade leader about renting that vacant land next to the workshop to expand the factory. He said that as long as we can create jobs in the village, he will give us the lowest price."

"Create jobs? That's a good idea." Lin Wanqiu's eyes lit up, and she tapped her fingers lightly on the table. "We only have eight workers now, and we'll need at least twenty after the expansion. There are quite a few women in the village who are idle at home. If we let them work in the workshop, they can earn work points and supplement their household income. The brigade leader will definitely be happy. In this way, our expansion will be legitimate, and we can also gain a good reputation."

They acted immediately. Early the next morning, Shen Tingzhou took the money to the county town to pick up equipment, while Lin Wanqiu stayed in the village to recruit workers. As soon as the news spread, villagers flocked to the workshop entrance. Aunt Wang, holding Lin Wanqiu's hand, beamed from ear to ear: "Wanqiu, you're truly our village's lucky star! My husband has been bedridden for years, and I was worried about not having enough money for his medicine. If he could come and work at the workshop, it would be a huge help!"

Looking at the eager villagers in front of her, Lin Wanqiu felt a warmth in her heart: "Don't worry, everyone. Let's follow the rules. First, register, then train. As long as you're willing to work hard and quick, you can come and do the work. But let me make this clear: there are rules in the workshop. You can't be lazy or cheat, and you can't leak the formula. If you violate these rules, you won't be able to stay here."

The villagers nodded eagerly, vying to register. Lin Wanqiu carefully checked everyone's information, deliberately placing women from impoverished families at the front, and selecting several strong men to handle the raw materials. Looking at the densely packed names in the register, she seemed to see the workshop's bustling future, and a smile involuntarily crept onto her lips.

For the next two weeks, the workshop was bustling with activity. Shen Tingzhou led the workers in building a new drying room, his coarse cloth shirt soaked with sweat, leaving dark sweat stains on his back, yet he didn't stop for a moment. Lin Wanqiu, on the other hand, was busy training new workers, teaching them step by step, from the strength of kneading dough to the baking temperature, her voice hoarse, but she remained incredibly patient. The modern baking materials in the space came in very handy; she adjusted the mooncake recipe based on the materials, reducing the amount of sugar and oil to make the taste more refreshing, and also developed two new flavors: red bean paste and jujube paste. During the trial production, the workers rushed to try them as soon as they came out of the oven.

"Late Autumn, your new flavored mooncakes are so delicious! They're even sweeter than the ones sold at the supply and marketing cooperative!" Aunt Wang took a bite of the red bean paste mooncake. The smooth red bean paste mixed with the crispy crust made her give a thumbs up. "If my grandson sees this, he'll definitely beg me to buy some."

Lin Wanqiu smiled and handed over a package of oil paper: "Auntie, this is freshly baked. Take it home and let your child try it. Once we start shipping, we'll send some samples to our regular customers so they can also have a taste."

Just as the workshop expansion was in full swing, Mr. Li from the neighboring county suddenly came to visit. He was wearing a smart Zhongshan suit and carrying a black leather bag. As soon as he entered the workshop, he was attracted by the newly built drying room: "Mr. Lin, Mr. Shen, your scale is really big! I'm here this time not only to place additional orders, but also to discuss an idea with you."

Lin Wanqiu poured Mr. Li a cup of hot tea and said with a smile, "Mr. Li, please speak frankly. We are both straightforward people."

Mr. Li took a sip of tea, put down his cup, and said earnestly, "It's like this, I run three general stores in a neighboring county, and customers come to ask about 'Late Autumn Food Workshop' pastries every day. But transportation is inconvenient here; each time we deliver, it takes half a day of bumpy travel, and many pastries break. I was thinking, if you could open a branch in the neighboring county, I'd be willing to provide the space, and we could run it together as a partnership, splitting the profits 50/50. What do you think?"

Lin Wanqiu and Shen Tingzhou exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise in each other's eyes. This was the opportunity they had been dreaming of! Lin Wanqiu put down her teacup and leaned forward slightly: "Mr. Li, your suggestion is indeed tempting. However, opening a branch is no small matter. We need to first go to the neighboring county to investigate, to see the location, the foot traffic, and the local policies, before we make a decision. What do you think?"

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!