The Evil Mother-in-law: Torment Children, Work Hard, Be Rich!-Chapter 25: The Big Client’s Big Order

"No wonder people say there’s no one more filial in Manyan Pass Town than Mr. Huang. Seeing it today, it’s truly so."

"Mr. Huang, you’ve entrusted me with such an important task; I can’t let you down. The birthday of your elderly parent is so significant, and I definitely won’t take it lightly. How about this: I’ll make some samples of various pastries for you to taste first. Once your elderly parent is satisfied, it won’t be too late for you to place an order with me."

Tong Huaqiong showered compliments on Huang Yuanwai as if they cost nothing.

She had to take this order.

But there are rules for accepting an order. She couldn’t just make a pile of pastries and deliver them on the birthday itself without knowing if the client will be satisfied or change their mind.

She had to prepare tasting samples first. Only once Huang Yuanwai and his mother were satisfied could she proceed with the order.

Of course, a deposit was indispensable.

In this way, even if Huang Yuanwai reneged midway, she wouldn’t incur any losses.

Upon hearing this, Huang Yuanwai visibly brightened with joy.

Taking the mung bean cakes and pastries, he fanned himself with a smile and said, "Little sister, you really think things through. My elderly parent has gone to the temple for blessings and will return the day after tomorrow. Please come to my house the morning of the day after tomorrow."

Huang Yuanwai held Tong Huaqiong in higher regard after this.

Say what you will, this widow does business with a method—she didn’t hastily accept his order but rather offered samples for tasting first.

With this insight, he had confidence in this widow.

"Everyone, come and have a taste. This little sister’s mung bean cakes and pastries are really delicious."

Before leaving, Huang Yuanwai even advertised for Tong Huaqiong.

It must be said, Huang Yuanwai had quite the talent for promotion; the remaining mung bean cakes and pastries sold out quickly, and even the dry ones were gone in no time.

"Mom, we made a total of five taels of silver." Gu Taohua counted the copper coins, her face full of excitement.

What a sense of accomplishment!

All her worries were for nothing.

They managed to snatch business right next to the Crispy Food Garden.

Anyone who tried their mung bean cakes said they were delicious!

Initially, Gu Taohua thought that if they didn’t sell, she could keep them for herself to satisfy her cravings; but now, compared to eating mung bean cakes herself, new clothes enticed her more.

After all, on the way here, Mom promised her that she’d get her new clothes if they earned five taels of silver.

Tong Huaqiong was equally delighted. With her own two hands, she managed to earn her first reasonable profit.

Admittedly, after deducting costs, she only earned about three taels, but she had established the name of her pastries.

After the birthday of Huang Yuanwai’s mother, she believed her pastry business would be firmly established.

Soon, she could rent a shop and compete with the Crispy Food Garden.

Just thinking about it was thrilling.

"Mom, you promised to get me new clothes once we made five taels of silver." Gu Taohua grinned, her face jiggling with joy, her eyes squinting with happiness.

"You’ve only seen the five taels earned, not the costs." Tong Huaqiong sternly lectured Gu Taohua, "If you think like this—earning a bit and then spending it all—our family will be back to struggling. You should think more about the future."

But on second thought, Gu Taohua was only a fourteen-year-old girl. At her age, Tong Huaqiong was still in school, acting spoiled to her parents, while Gu Taohua had already started doing business.

This chubby girl had it hard.

She shouldn’t dampen Gu Taohua’s spirits.

With this realization, Tong Huaqiong’s tone softened as she saw Gu Taohua’s crestfallen look and said, "I’ll keep my promise. After our meal, I’ll take you to get your clothes, and I’ll get one for your sister-in-law and Man Er too."

Gu Taohua’s disappointment vanished, and she got excited again, saying, "I knew Mom loves me."

"By the way, Mom, why did you refuse when Huang Yuanwai wanted to buy all the leftover pastries? Wouldn’t selling them all to him be better?" asked Gu Taohua while packing up the baskets, revealing her lingering question.

She didn’t understand her mother’s decision.

Wouldn’t selling everything at once be better than selling piece by piece?

Tong Huaqiong explained to Gu Taohua, "Our foundation is thin, and what we need isn’t a one-off deal but a long-term business."

"If Huang Yuanwai bought out all the leftovers, then he’d have to eat mung bean cakes and pastries for days. If he got tired of them and stopped buying, wouldn’t we lose a big customer?"

Gu Taohua seemed to understand, nodded, and smiled, "You’re smart, Mom. Huang Yuanwai went ahead and ordered a large quantity of pastries."

Tong Huaqiong thought to herself that she hadn’t mentioned it was a hunger-marketing strategy.

The key was exclusivity; in this way, people would be curious about her pastries.

Once people were curious, they would be willing to try them, and that’s how business came about.

"Oh no, Mom, we forgot to ask where Huang Yuanwai lives," Gu Taohua said, stamping her foot.

"We can just ask around," Tong Huaqiong said without worry.

With Huang Yuanwai’s reputation for charity, how could it be hard to find out where he lived in town?

With the pastry baskets packed up, Tong Huaqiong and Gu Taohua headed over to the nearby noodle stall.

"Owner, six bowls of noodles, please," Gu Taohua ordered and then turned to Tong Huaqiong, "Mom, keep an eye on the noodles. I’ll go get a basket of meat buns."

Tong Huaqiong couldn’t help but twitch her lips.

Gu Taohua sure could eat.

Six bowls of noodles: she herself would eat two, and Taohua four, and that still wouldn’t fill her, as she’d have a basket of meat buns.

The noodles were served quickly. Clear soup noodles with a drizzle of sesame oil and a sprinkle of green onions, which Tong Huaqiong found delightfully tasty.

Gu Taohua handed the meat buns she bought to Tong Huaqiong, who waved them off, indicating she didn’t like them.

Gu Taohua thought her mother was holding back for her sake, deliberately leaving them for her, and was moved, planning to save two for her sister-in-law.

It wasn’t that Tong Huaqiong disliked meat buns, but due to the era, the pork had a gamey taste.

She remembered her second son’s wife mentioning that Pingchuan County had castrating specialists. Once she paid off the Zheng family’s loan, she’d send Gu Dashu to invite a specialist to their home to castrate their pigs.

With their bellies full, the mother and daughter energetically headed to the fabric shop.

After buying the fabrics, there was still a lot to do, like buying various ingredients for making pastries.

She had to carefully think about what kind of pastries would secure Huang Yuanwai as a long-term customer.

After today’s interaction, she knew that Huang Yuanwai was a person who liked to show off.

For his mother’s birthday, he would certainly invite many people, so she needed to make pastries that would make Huang Yuanwai proud in front of his guests, and meanwhile, it would also serve as advertising for herself.

...

"Are you sure you saw clearly? Is it really my deceitful stepmother?"

In the Nie family courtyard, Gu Baishuang, Tong Dajiao’s stepdaughter, took a break from her chores, sitting down with a cup of tea, hearing Fei Pozi, who had gone out to buy vegetables, mention her deceitful stepmother was selling pastries at a stall.

"Madam, I couldn’t have mistaken it; your sister was there too. With her weight, who wouldn’t notice her in Manyan Pass Town?" Fei Pozi said.

What Fei Pozi didn’t mention was that the deceitful stepmother was also her enemy. To exact revenge, she sneakily took several pieces of mung bean cake from the sample box, causing the plump girl to roll her eyes at her.

Gu Baishuang thought it seemed that her deceitful stepmother was really forced to a dead end, looking for ways to make money.

A few days ago, Gu Dashu had come to apologize, but she didn’t open the door for him.

From her life experience, she knew when the weasel pays a visit to the henhouse, it’s never with good intentions.

Especially the bad bamboo raised by Tong Dajiao, it bore no good intentions.

"Madam, you have to admit, her mung bean cakes and pastries taste even better than those from the Crispy Food Garden. I bought a few for you to try," Fei Pozi suggested, offering the cakes to Gu Baishuang, who didn’t take them.

Anything made by Tong Dajiao, she wouldn’t eat even if given for free.