Chapter 52 Cookies "Please come to my Yunlaixiang home to eat in the future. ...

The wind blowing from the Linton River grew even colder. Every day the old locust tree in the yard dropped a blanket of yellow leaves, leaving its branches bare and somewhat flaky.

Wei Jinyun got up early and worked in the kitchen with Gu Xiang, who came earlier, for an hour to prepare all the snacks.

The loofahs and edamame were playing among the leaves on the ground, occasionally jumping out from among the leaves, raising a cloud of fallen leaves.

"Sister Qi, Sister Ling, let's go."

Wei Jinyun was carrying a basket on his back and a bundle in his hands, and he waved towards the two sisters.

"Sister, the gentleman is still sleeping at this hour."

After Wei Fuqiu finished feeding the baby, she turned around and took over her bag. "We should ask Zhaiyue to talk to her about this 'back-to-school anxiety'. How did she get hit so early?"

Wei Fuling went forward to pick up her basket. "Sister, there's no shelter from the wind at the entrance of Su Yuxuan. If we go there at this time, we'll have to squat on the stone steps for half an hour."

Wei Jinyun ate two bowls of rice porridge with steamed bacon and spicy mustard melon, picked up two soup dumplings that Gu Xiang brought, cut Yuanbao's nails and smoothed his hair, trimmed Yiersan's bangs... Finally, the warm sun's light shone into her yard.

She had always been like this, growing up, and whenever school started, she'd get so anxious she couldn't sleep. Even now, she hadn't changed.

Fortunately, it's not her turn to go to school this time...

School starts!

"Go ahead, I'm watching."

Chang Siyan moved a stool and ate fried tofu in front of the shop door. This was the food that the old man sold when he sang Lianhualuo.

He fried the tofu until crispy on both sides, sprinkled it with pickled vegetables and a drizzle of soybean paste, and sold it half the size of a palm for two cents. After deducting the cost, Lao Chang could earn an extra ten or twenty cents a day while singing and selling tofu, which made him happy.

Chang Siyan broke open the steaming bun, put a piece of fried tofu inside, added some minced meat and pickles, and took a big bite.

So delicious!

A lot of gifts were prepared for the two sisters. In addition to the basket behind Wei Jinyun, even Gu Xiang who was following her had his hands full.

The shoulder bags I bought for the two sisters earlier in the morning were finally no longer just for snacks; they were now bulging with books, study supplies, a small bookcase, and, of course, the lunch box Wei Jinyun had prepared.

The two of them held oil-paper umbrellas in their hands, and were asked to prepare rain gear even though the sun was shining brightly.

The distance from Suyuxuan to Tianqing Temple was not as far as Wei Jinyun's trip to Changmen, only taking less than two quarters of an hour. As they passed the prefectural school, they noticed a few more stalls at the entrance, selling fried fruit, stir-fried ginkgo nuts and osmanthus chestnuts, and fried jiaozi (small pieces of dough)... It looked quite lively.

Wei Jinyun gathered the basket behind him and his eyes fell on the familiar white steam.

In front of Madam Qian's egg pancake stall, the aroma of oil mixed with the aroma of eggs and hot steam wafted over. The diners waiting in line all hunched their necks and kept asking for a few more eggs.

"Miss Wei!"

Mrs. Qian's voice cut through the crowd first. She was flipping an omelet on a copper pancake in her hand, and the egg liquid was sizzling.

Seeing Wei Jinyun leading her two younger sisters over, she immediately freed one hand to reach for eggs in the bamboo basket, "Are you sending Sister Qi and Sister Ling to Su Yuxuan? Come quickly, Aunt Qian just fried a few, take some to fill your stomach."

"Aunt Qian's business is booming. Look at the line. It's much busier than when I was here before."

"Well, it's all thanks to that kid."

Mrs. Qian handed the prepared egg pancakes to the diners in line and fried a few more for them.

She carefully glanced at Wei Fuling and Wei Fuqiu beside her, her eyes sparkling with joy. "Oh, it's been so long since we last saw each other, and Sister Qiu's pigtails have grown past her shoulders, and Sister Ling is much taller than when we last saw each other. Children grow up so fast, and they'll be going to Su Yuxuan in no time."

"Aunt Qian's business is booming."

Wei Fuqiu raised her shoulder bag and said, "Look at the necklace you gave me hanging here. It looks really nice."

"Mine too."

Wei Fuling also pointed at her bag and then stood on tiptoe to look a few times in the distance. "Why isn't Grandpa Guo here?"

In the summer, Lao Guo's drink stall was the largest at the entrance to the prefectural school. He not only had two jars of drinks and tables and chairs, but also a tent for people to enjoy the cool air. Now that place has been replaced by a vendor selling fried jiaozi (fried jiao).

"He stops setting up his stall when the weather gets cold. I wonder where he's hiding now, drinking tea. He sells tea on hot days and drinks tea on cold days. You never see him around."

Gu Xiang took the egg pancake and carefully divided it between the two of them. Wei Jinyun chatted with Madam Qian about some family matters.

After hearing Madam Qian talk about Wu Sheng passing the imperial examination, the students from the provincial academy all called it "Scholar's Egg Pancake". Word spread, and business became booming. Even merchants from further away made a special detour to buy it.

This is the star effect.

Wei Jinyun looked at the line for egg pancakes that was getting longer and longer just after he spoke to Madam Qian for a few words, and some thoughts gradually emerged in his mind.

Su Yuxuan was close to the government school, so after saying goodbye to Madam Qian, they walked a little further and soon arrived at the destination.

Its wooden door was open, and Gu Xiang handed all the bundled wages to the servants, pressing them down.

Wei Jinyun half bent over and helped Wei Fuling straighten her crooked bun, then patted Wei Fuqiu's head, "You have to listen to the teacher when you enter school. This is not Yunlaixiang, don't rush around all the time."

She gave them careful instructions and folded their two little hats and put them in her shoulder bag, "Sister prepared some snacks, so you have to eat them when you're hungry."

Wei Jinyun's conversations with her sister now revolved around the things her grandparents had said to her in the past. They argued over who would pick her up from school, who would run the pastry shop, from kindergarten through elementary school graduation. When Wei Jinyun started middle school and rode the bus, they started arguing again about how to distribute her pocket money.

"Don't worry, sister."

Wei Fuqiu reached out and touched Wei Jinyun's face, "We will listen to the Master and take care of ourselves."

Wei Fuling immediately came over and tugged at Wei Jinyun's sleeve. "Sister, you should think more about yourself. After you're done with your work, go take a nap in the rattan chair. I'm very tired. Two days ago, when you were doing the accounts, you mistakenly calculated the glutinous rice money by a few cents. In the middle of the night, you remembered and got up to look through the account book. I heard all the rustling."

My sister would buy the four treasures of the study worth hundreds of coins at will, but she would haggle over the price for things worth only a few coins.

I really can't understand my sister.

As the three of them were talking, a low laugh suddenly emanated from inside the door. Looking up, they saw Master Zhou, wearing a green jacket, drinking tea from a bowl.

She looked at the scene in front of her and continued to smile, "Miss Wei has taught her sister well. She is even more careful than her elder sister."

After Wei Jinyun gave some instructions for a while, a small figure ran out from inside.

The girl was about seven years old, with eyes like grapes, a round face, two buns on her head, and a blue jacket on her body.

"I haven't seen you."

She moved closer to Wei Fuqiu, staring at their identical faces, startled for a moment. "My name is Fu Mei, and my nickname is Tian'er. Master Zhou said there are two new classmates today. I wonder if you are the ones?"

The two sisters were attracted by this lively new friend. They introduced him to each other one by one, and their previous restraint was mostly gone.

Master Zhou smiled and waved his hand, "Come in quickly, the others are waiting inside."

Wei Fuqiu and Wei Fuling followed Tian'er into the door. After taking two steps, they turned back and waved, "Sister, come pick us up after school!"

Tian'er also turned around and waved her hands.

Wei Jinyun stood at the door, watching the three small figures disappear around the corner of the corridor, and then said to Gu Xiang with relief, "It seems that they can adapt well today."

On the first day of school, she was allowed to pick up and drop off her children, but from then on, the two of them had to go back to the shop by themselves.

The sun has passed its zenith, and it's time for lunch. The chef at Suyuxuan will prepare a delicious meal that is clean, healthy, and tastes good.

Wei Fuqiu and Wei Fuling sat down to rest, and Zhou Zheyue came over to chat with them.

During the morning class, the two sisters listened attentively. Wei Fuqiu answered the teacher's questions clearly and logically, and Wei Fuling's calligraphy was neat and tidy. Teacher Zhou specifically praised them in class, saying, "You are smart and dedicated, and you are quickly adapting."

"Sister Qi, I always get confused about the passage you just recited. Can you teach me after dinner?"

Zhou Zhaiyue was talking to the two of them when Tian'er quickly came over and said in a familiar tone, "You're not shy at all. You're much better than I was when I first started school."

"Okay, my sister taught me how to memorize things. I'll tell you about it later."

Wei Fuqiu opened the snack box that Wei Jinyun had prepared for them, and Wei Fuling also opened it with a "whoosh".

"Wow, what is this? It looks like a real maple leaf."

Tian'er's nose moved closer before anyone else.

More than ten maple leaves lay quietly in the food box. There were beautiful lines on the yellow maple leaves, and a rich sweet fragrance quickly spread.

Several classmates around also put down their chopsticks and stared at the maple leaves in the food box with curiosity.

One of them asked, "Did your sister make this? It smells so good... I know your sister is the owner of Yunlaixiang. I've tried the Red Lotus Rejuvenating Soup that your mother bought. It's very sweet."

"These are the maple leaf cookies my sister made for us."

Wei Fuling picked up a piece and handed it to Tian'er, a little pride in her eyes. "Sister said she was worried we'd go hungry while studying, so she packed some for us. It's even got honey and milk in it, it's really fragrant."

Tianer carefully picked up the maple leaf and poked it gently with her fingers. She slowly took a bite, and Grape's eyes lit up even more. "Delicious!"

When the two saw that their sister's snacks were praised, they stood up and distributed two cookies to the classmates who gathered around them.

I had just distributed a few pieces when a snort suddenly came from the side.

Everyone turned around and saw the round-faced Li Cheng with his hands on his hips and his chin held high. "It's just a shortbread, isn't it? My cook makes almond shortbread and walnut shortbread every day, and they look much better than this. These cheap ones must not taste good."

He was the son of a military officer, a family embittered by the weight of a golden nugget. Though only eight years old, he had grown up to be a chubby, weighing a hundred pounds. He was also considered quite intelligent, earning the nickname "Zhi Duo Xing." When his classmates encountered problems, they would consult him, in addition to Zhou Zheyue.

In the morning, he saw the two sisters being praised by the teacher and taking away his glory, which made him feel a little dissatisfied.

Tian Er frowned immediately after hearing this. "How do you know it's not tasty if you haven't tried it?"

Wei Fuqiu didn't refute, but just pushed the food box to the middle and said, "You can try it."

Zhi Duo Xing walked over and glanced at the maple leaf cookie. Seeing that it looked beautiful and smelled fragrant, he swallowed his saliva.

"Try it if you want. If it tastes bad, don't blame me for telling the truth."

He still turned his face towards the sky, put his hand into his mouth and took a big bite.

The crispy crust of the cookie instantly broke and melted in his arms. First he could smell the aroma of milk, then the sweetness of honey. It was so crispy that it almost fell apart.

As Zhiduoxing chewed, his pouting mouth slowly relaxed.

He subconsciously wanted to take another piece, but when he was halfway there he remembered what he had just said. His face flushed a little, and he gritted his teeth and muttered, "Just barely, it's delicious, only slightly better than the almond cookies at home..."

"And you just said it was a bargain!"

Tian'er immediately interrupted her, and the classmates around her also started laughing, creating a lively atmosphere.

Zhi Duo Xing scratched his head and didn't refute. Instead, he whispered to Wei Fuling, "Will you still bring it tomorrow? I...I'll bring my own cloud cake and share it with you."

Wei Fuling looked at his awkward expression and couldn't help but laugh. She handed him a piece of the maple leaf cookie in her hand and said, "Then you can have another one. Two pieces each, otherwise there won't be enough to share."

Zhiduoxing took the cookie and chewed it up in just a few bites without any airs.

He stood there for a while, then leaned his head closer to Wei Fuling. "Well, how about I teach you how to hold a pen more steadily later?"

"OK."

Wei Fuling smiled and replied, "My sister's snacks are delicious, right? Please come to my Yunlaixiang restaurant to eat them in the future."

"Um!"

The two boxes of maple leaf cookies were distributed by the two sisters, two pieces each, and even a few pieces were placed on the teacher's desk and given to different teachers.

The cookies were made with solid ingredients. When the cook came to distribute the food as usual, he saw that the children had only eaten half of the rice in their bowls and had taken all the food to the two new twins to eat.

The air was filled with a rich, sweet aroma.

What does it smell like? It smells so good.

*

There are still many idle young men at the door of Yunlaixiang, coming in and out, and there is a gleam of silver in everyone's eyes.

After a few days of adaptation, Wei Jinyun was no longer in a hurry and was able to pack things with ease.

Zhan Ziming led two people in and smiled as he waved to Wei Jinyun, who was packing behind the counter. "Boss Wei, I've brought the people to you. Come and see if they suit your taste."

Wei Jinyun put down the work in his hands, looked at the people following Zhan Ziming, and quickly walked up to the three of them.

Her eyes first fell on the girl on the left.

The girl was about twenty years old, with a solid build. She wore a light brown short jacket with the sleeves rolled up to her forearms. She had beautiful muscle tones and looked very neat.

Seeing Wei Jinyun coming over, she smiled brightly and said, "Hello, boss. My name is Chaojiu. I used to run a small stall selling drinks, but then the weather got colder and it became difficult to do business, so I wanted to find a job helping out in a shop."

The girl on the right is about the same age as Chaojiu, but she is very thin. She is wearing a gray cloth jacket and looks a little nervous.

"Shopkeeper, my name is Wan Wu. I worked as a laborer in the Changmen grain store for two years. Then I got married and had a child. Now that my child has grown up, I want to find a job."

She quickly added, "I'm not slow."

Wei Jinyun looked at the two men and nodded with some satisfaction. "Lawyer Zhan, have you mentioned the requirements I mentioned earlier to them?"

"rest assured"

Zhan Ziming patted his chest and said, "I didn't directly say that Yunlaixiang was hiring. I just said that there was a dim sum shop looking for helpers. They wanted a three-day trial first. Only those who were willing to endure hardships would be hired. These two agreed."

Chao Jiu immediately responded, "Boss, I know running a pastry shop is not easy. I can learn everything from kneading dough to greeting customers. Just give me your instructions during the three days of trial work."

Wan Wu also raised her head and said, "I can learn it too. I won't cause any trouble to the shopkeeper."

Wei Jinyun looked at them again, pointed to the clean towels hanging behind the counter, and spoke gently but methodically, "I think you all know. Although my Yunlaixiang has only been open for a short time, there are quite a few rules."

"First, you have to be neat and tidy. Wear the uniform apron provided by the shop before going to work every day. Second, you have to smile when serving customers. Even if you are busy as hell, you have to say something kind to the customers. It would be even better if you can chat with the customers more and ask about their food preferences. Third..."

Wei Jinyun said slowly and seriously, "That's the most important point. Many of Yunlaixiang's cake recipes are unique. If we officially approve it and sign the contract, it clearly states that if the recipe is leaked, not only will all wages be deducted and double the compensation be imposed, but I will also take the contract to the government office to appeal. Don't blame me for being ruthless then."

The cheerful look on Chaojiu's face faded a little, and he subconsciously straightened his back.

Both of them were stunned for a moment, then nodded heavily, "Don't worry, boss, we are tight-lipped. We will never say anything that shouldn't be said, and we will definitely not leak it."

"I'll just be greeting customers in the shop for the first time."

Wei Jinyun shouted towards the backyard, "Xiao Gu, come over and give me a hand!"

Gu Xiang was about to cook another pot of red lotus rice when she ran out carrying a freshly washed cloth. "Manager Wei, what do you want to talk to me about?"

"Of course it's a good thing."

Wei Jinyun smiled and pushed Chaojiu and Wanwu towards her. "These two are Chaojiu and Wanwu. They will learn from you first. You can guide them and they will be considered your apprentices."

"ah?"

Gu Xiang's eyes widened as he stammered, "I, I've only been in the shop for a short time. I'm still learning how to knead the dough, and I'm already taking on an apprentice?"

She can't teach you how to make snacks right now, but she can give you some pointers on how to beat a scoundrel with a stick.

"It's because Master Gu is so capable."

Wei Jinyun spoke in a long tone, his eyes full of smiles, "From greeting customers to helping in the kitchen to keep an eye on the fire, what haven't you done perfectly? Ever since I hired you, my shop seems to have brightened up a lot, it's really flourished."

Gu Xiang is truly capable, with the strength of three men and a quick mind. Yunlaixiang's regular customers often praise her, saying that Gu Xiang is a caring man with a beautiful smile.

Gu Xiang blushed after hearing this. She reached out and scratched the back of her head, "Manager Wei, you're teasing me again!"

Wei Jinyun stopped smiling and turned to face Chao Jiu. Wan Wu said seriously, "You two should learn from Master Gu and call her Boss from now on. Remember everything she teaches you and work hard."

Chao Jiuben was cheerful and immediately took a step forward and said in a loud voice, "Boss!"

Evening Mist also whispered, "Boss."

The word "Boss" scared Gu Xiang so much that he staggered and almost hit the screen behind him.

She looked at Wei Jinyun with a bitter face, "Boss Wei, I'm only eighteen years old! How can someone so young be the boss of someone older than me? Won't this shorten my lifespan?"

"A master's age doesn't matter; skill is what counts."

Wei Jinyun patted her shoulder and said, "Take good care of them. Once we bring them out, we'll officially hire them. From now on, you'll be the shop's lobby manager, in charge of the front-of-house work. Wouldn't that be more comfortable than what you have now?"

"Who said that? I still like kneading dough."

Although Gu Xiang said this, he still stood in front of Chaojiu and Wanwu responsibly and said, "Then come with me. I will first teach you the types of snacks in the shop, as well as the etiquette of greeting customers. And this Red Lotus Youth Soup, you have to pack it well..."

What is a "lobby manager"?

She thought about it for a long time but couldn't figure it out, so she went to find the Yunlaixiang aprons that Aunt Wang had specially sewn for them.

Chang Siyan held the tea bowl, stood up from the chair, and walked over slowly.

Seeing Wei Jinyun solemnly instructing Chaojiu and Wanwu, she couldn't help shaking her teacup and jokingly said, "Manager Wei, those words you just said were really harsh. You were talking about fines and going to the government office. If you didn't know better, you would think you were going to try a case."

Wei Jinyun glanced at her and tapped the maple leaf cookies on the counter. "Alright, you're just saying something sarcastic. Have you decided on the subject for today's story? What story will go with the new cookies, and how will you promote them to customers? Have you thought about all that?"

"Oh my."

Chang Siyan's face immediately fell, and he put the tea bowl on the table and sighed exaggeratedly, "Manager Wei, you think I'm a literary star. I just finished writing the story of the Moon Palace Fairy for the Osmanthus Cake yesterday, and today I have to put together a new book for Cookie. How can I come up with inspiration so quickly?"

"Since I have no inspiration..."

Wei Jinyun pretended to reach out and grab her tea bowl, "Then don't sit there and slack off. Get up and help Xiao Gu greet the guests. There's no one to help introduce the freshly baked cookies yet."

“No, no, no!”

Chang Siyan quickly picked up the tea bowl and held it in his arms, pointing at the cookies and saying, "I've got it, I've got a great idea. Let's say these maple leaf cookies are about 'the Autumn Forest Fairy gathered maple spirits, kneaded them into a crispy fragrance and gifted them to mortals.' When telling a story, add in a little story about a scholar meeting a fairy and finding relief from the cookies. I'm sure the guests will be captivated and remember our new creation... I'm going to the backyard to see how the Red Lotus Anti-aging Soup is going."

Chang Siyan was about to run to the backyard when Wei Jinyun stopped him, "No!"

She turned around and saw Wei Jinyun pointing at her. She sighed helplessly, "Why do you always write about scholars meeting fairies and spirits? It's always the scholar who gets all the benefits. It's really unfair. The guests will be tired of hearing it too much."

Chang Siyan laughed as he held the tea bowl in his hand. "Then what else should I write? Is Shopkeeper Wei furious for his beloved?"

"If you don't want to live, just say so."

Wei Jinyun called her back, cleared his throat, and waved his hand, "I'll give you a few ideas. For example, a domineering prince makes a cookie for his beloved, or a newly-appointed scholar, after passing the imperial examination, doesn't attend the banquet but runs a thousand miles to chase his wife to give her the cookies she just bought. Or, a pure-hearted prince sees his beloved sharing cookies with others, and his eyes turn red, hoping that she can look at him too..." Chang Siman laughed so hard that he held onto the edge of the table and couldn't straighten his back. "Shopkeeper Wei, what's wrong with your brain? It's okay for a prince to chase his wife and for the prince to be red-eyed, but you can come up with so many new ideas. It makes my cheeks hurt from laughing so hard."

She took a deep breath, glanced at Yuanbao lazily sitting in the rattan chair, and agreed, "How about I think of one for Shopkeeper Wei, too?"

"Speaking."

"One winter, a pastry shop lady found a frozen raccoon curled up into a ball at the dock and fed it cookie crumbs every day. When spring came and the weather warmed up, the raccoon suddenly transformed into a handsome young man in red. He said he was a spirit creature from the mountains and owed a favor to someone, so he would repay it with his body. From then on, he would stay in the shop kitchen every day to make cookies, and his cookies were the most delicious ever."

Chang Siyan's eyes lit up as he spoke, his inspiration rising to his head. "I need to add one more detail! That raccoon-like boy hasn't completely changed his habits. When the pastry lady is making pastries, he'll definitely come over and rub against her sleeves. He's incredibly clingy. If she touches his head, he'll be so happy that his tail will pop out."

She smiled with her eyes curved. "What's even more surprising is that he still remembers that he used to love fishing. Every now and then he would bring a fresh fish from the dock to repay his gratitude, and put it in front of the dim sum lady with a very serious look in his eyes. He..."

Chang Siyan was speaking excitedly, but suddenly he fell silent and stared at the door.

The wind chimes rang softly, and Wei Jinyun turned around.

Lu Lan, wearing a red suit that made him look tall and straight, was standing at the door, holding a large, fresh sea bass in his hand.

-----------------------

The author has something to say: Promote the new product to my sister. [Cat’s Paw]

Jinyun: I want something exciting. [Rainbow fart]

Mr. Lu: Eat, eat fish. [Pitiful]

(with roles