In the late autumn of 1988, the morning mist, like a light veil, drifted through the city streets, painting the red-brick buildings and plane trees into a hazy, ink-wash painting. Steam rose from the breakfast stalls on street corners, the rich aroma of soy milk and the crispy fragrance of fried dough sticks mingling with the cool autumn air, creating the most captivating picture of everyday life. Lin Wanqiu stood before the main store of "Wanqiu Food Workshop" in the city center, gazing at the gilded signboard gleaming in the morning light, a profound and indescribable emotion welling up within her.
Three years ago, she and her frail Nian'an barely survived in a mud-brick house in the Hongqi Production Brigade, relying on limited supplies. Now, "Late Autumn Food Workshop" has not only established itself in the commune but is also officially entering the city, opening a new chapter in chain operations. In the glass display window, golden croissants are stacked layer upon layer, the cream on the chocolate cake is as dense as clouds, and the freshly baked peach shortbread exudes an enticing aroma, attracting citizens who are doing their morning exercise to stop and look through the glass.
"Boss lady, open the door! Is the birthday cake I ordered yesterday ready? My son is turning ten today, and I'm waiting to take the cake to school!" came the voice of a regular customer, Sister Zhang, at the door. She was carrying a cloth bag and had an eager smile on her face.
Lin Wanqiu smiled as she opened the door, and a rich, sweet aroma immediately wafted out: "Good morning, Sister Zhang! The cake was ready a long time ago. I specially made it in the shape of Ultraman, which is the child's favorite. I guarantee he'll love it!" As she spoke, she asked the shop assistant, Xiao Zhang, to take the beautifully packaged cake out of the refrigerator.
Sister Zhang took the cake, opened the box, and her eyes immediately lit up: "Wow, this is so exquisite! Ultraman's eyes are even sparkling, it's even prettier than the cakes from the big cake shops in the city! Wanqiu, your skills are truly amazing, from now on we'll order all our family cakes from you!"
After seeing off the delighted Ms. Zhang, Lin Wanqiu turned and went into the shop. The shop was simply and brightly decorated, with neatly arranged light wood shelves and transparent glass cases filled with various pastries. A plaque on the wall read, "Honest Business, High-Quality Ingredients," a principle she had upheld for many years. Little Zhang was busy weighing freshly baked cranberry cookies. Seeing Lin Wanqiu enter, he quickly said, "Boss lady, a customer from the east of the city just came in. He said your pastries are delicious, but it's too far from his home. He asked when you could open a branch in the east of the city!"
Lin Wanqiu's heart skipped a beat. The eastern part of the city was a newly developed residential area with a dense population, and there were no decent pastry shops nearby, making it a good place to open a branch. She recalled the commendation order and bonus that Shen Tingzhou had handed her yesterday, and her idea became even more firm: "Xiao Zhang, you go ahead and do your work. I'll go to the eastern part of the city this afternoon to check out the shop."
In the afternoon, the autumn sun shone through the gaps in the sycamore leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground. Lin Wanqiu rode her bicycle through the streets and alleys of the eastern part of the city. The buildings here were mostly newly built residential buildings, with clothes drying on balconies and vendors selling vegetables from carts on the ground floor, creating a lively atmosphere. She slowly searched along the street and finally found an empty shop on the ground floor of a residential building. The location was conspicuous, and the size was just right for opening a pastry shop.
"Excuse me, is this shop for rent?" Lin Wanqiu asked as soon as she saw a middle-aged woman standing at the door.
The woman looked her up and down, then nodded and said, "Yes, what kind of business do you want to rent it for?"
"I want to open a pastry shop and sell bread, cookies, and birthday cakes," Lin Wanqiu replied with a smile.
The woman's eyes lit up: "A pastry shop is great! There are a lot of office workers and students living in this area, and we're just missing a decent pastry shop! The rent is negotiable; as long as you're sincere about renting it, we can discuss it."
After some negotiation, Lin Wanqiu successfully signed the rental contract. Holding the contract in her hand, she seemed to see the bustling scene when the branch opened, and her heart was filled with enthusiasm.
When Lin Wanqiu returned home, Shen Tingzhou had already finished work and was tutoring Shen Nian'an with math problems. Shen Nianxi was lying on a small table nearby, diligently coloring the maple leaves she had drawn that morning. Seeing Lin Wanqiu return, Shen Tingzhou immediately greeted her: "How did it go? Did you find a shop in the east of the city?"
Lin Wanqiu handed him the contract, her face beaming with a smile: "Everything went very smoothly! The location of the shop is excellent, and the rent is reasonable. We can start renovations tomorrow."
Shen Tingzhou took the contract and looked at it carefully. He nodded in approval and said, "You have good taste! You don't need to worry about the decoration. I'll arrange for people to do it. I guarantee it won't delay your opening."
Shen Nian'an raised her head, pushed up her small glasses, and said earnestly, "Mom, when the branch opens, I can help out at the store after school! I've already learned how to do the accounts!"
Chen Nianxi put down her crayons and raised her little hand: "Mom, I want to help too! I can help you serve snacks to the customers!"
Looking at the children's sensible faces, Lin Wanqiu's heart was filled with warmth: "Great! Once the branch opens, our whole family will work together to make the business better and better!"
In the days that followed, Lin Wanqiu devoted herself entirely to the preparation of the branch store. Shen Tingzhou hired renovation workers to decorate the store in the style of the main store. The wooden shelves, bright glass cabinets, and warm lighting quickly transformed the empty store into a brand new space. Lin Wanqiu, on the other hand, was busy training the newly recruited staff, personally teaching them everything from ingredient selection and pastry making to service etiquette.
"The most important thing in making pastries is to use high-quality ingredients; you can't cut corners," Lin Wanqiu said to the shop assistants while demonstrating how to make peach shortbread. "The flour we use must be top-quality high-gluten flour, and the butter must be imported. Only in this way can the pastries have a good texture and aroma. Customers can eat with peace of mind, and only then can our business last."
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