After several busy days, the new recipe for candied fruit was finally ready. The honey apple preserves were golden and translucent; one bite revealed a sweet but not cloying flavor with a hint of honey and floral aroma. The licorice hawthorn preserves were an enticing red, perfectly balanced between sweet and sour, with a subtle licorice fragrance. The osmanthus pear preserves were pale green and translucent, exuding a rich osmanthus aroma, and were soft, chewy, and sweet. When Nian'an came home from school, she ate three pieces in one go, her little face full of satisfaction: "Mom, these candied fruits are even tastier than before! I'm going to take some to school so my classmates can try them."
Lin Wanqiu picked out several new types of preserved fruit, packed them in an elegant paper bag, and went to the county supply and marketing cooperative with Shen Tingzhou. Director Wang's eyes lit up immediately when he saw the new preserved fruit. He picked up a piece of osmanthus-flavored pear preserve, tasted it, and couldn't help but exclaim, "Comrade Wanqiu, your new preserved fruit is so delicious! The osmanthus fragrance is so strong, even better than the ones I bought at the regional supply and marketing cooperative last year!" He immediately had the new preserved fruit placed on the most prominent shelf, with prices marked: honey apple preserves for one cent per ounce, licorice and hawthorn preserves for nine cents per ounce, and osmanthus pear preserves for one cent and one cent per ounce.
Although the price of the new dried fruit is a bit higher than before, customers are still flocking in. A man who looks like an official, dressed in a Zhongshan suit, bought half a jin of osmanthus pear dried fruit at once: "This dried fruit is so fragrant. I'm going to take it back for my boss to try. Maybe in the future, when the company gives out welfare benefits, we'll order dried fruit from your company." A young woman bought two liang of honey apple dried fruit and said with a smile: "This dried fruit looks so good. It'll be a nice snack at home, and it'll impress our guests."
In less than a morning, the new candied fruit sold out. Director Wang held Lin Wanqiu's hand and said, "Comrade Wanqiu, your new recipe is amazing! Those imitators' candied fruit are no longer selling; everyone is coming to yours. Let me tell you, Director Li from the regional supply and marketing cooperative was asking me about your candied fruit yesterday, hoping you could supply them as well!"
Lin Wanqiu was very happy, but not arrogant: "Director Wang, thank you for your support. We will continue to work hard to make more and better candied fruits and live up to everyone's expectations." Shen Tingzhou also smiled and said: "In the future, we will launch more new products, such as candied dates and dried plums, so that everyone will have more choices."
Back at the workshop, Lin Wanqiu shared the good news with the villagers. Everyone cheered. Aunt Wang said excitedly, "That's wonderful! Our dried fruit has finally gained everyone's recognition. Those imitators can no longer steal our business!" Lin Wanqiu smiled and said, "This is just the beginning. In the future, we will sell our dried fruit to even more distant places and let more people know the name of our 'Wanqiu Food Workshop'."
The lights in the workshop were still on that night. Lin Wanqiu and Shen Tingzhou sat under the lamps, checking orders together. Since the new candied fruit was launched, orders had doubled. Not only was the county supply and marketing cooperative in demand, but supply and marketing cooperatives from surrounding communes were also placing orders. Nian'an leaned on the corner of the table, calculating the day's income with a small abacus. Her little fingers moved nimbly across the beads, and she muttered to herself, "I sold fifty catties of candied fruit today and earned twenty yuan. I'll make more tomorrow."
Looking at her son's earnest expression, Lin Wanqiu felt a surge of pride. She reached out and patted his head, saying softly, "Nian'an, our workshop will grow bigger and bigger in the future. You must study hard so you can help your parents manage the workshop in the future, okay?" Nian'an looked up, his little face full of determination: "Mom, I will definitely study hard and become a useful person in the future, helping you and Dad to run the workshop even better!"
Shen Tingzhou held Lin Wanqiu's hand, his eyes full of love and support: "Wanqiu, with you here, our lives will definitely get better and better. Now that the dried fruit is selling so well, we can consider expanding the workshop and recruiting more villagers so that everyone can get rich together." Lin Wanqiu nodded: "You're right, it's better to share happiness than to enjoy it alone. We not only need to live our own lives well, but also lead our fellow villagers to prosperity so that everyone can live a good life."
Outside the window, moonlight spilled onto the signboard of "Wanqiu Food Workshop," the gilded characters gleaming softly in the moonlight. Lin Wanqiu knew that although there were still many difficulties, as long as she and Shen Tingzhou worked together and led the villagers in their efforts, "Wanqiu Food Workshop" would surely become a well-known brand in the county and even the region, and their lives would be as sweet and prosperous as these newly launched candied fruits.
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