Different audiences, different pricing…
When the younger sisters returned from their round, Wei Fuling clamored for Wei Jinyun to do their hair.
After all, it was a great-aunt they had never met before. The two had risen early and picked out their prettiest clothes.
Wei Fuling wore a goose-yellow ruqun embroidered with small birds holding flowering branches, while Wei Fuqu chose a pale jade-green one with a pattern of butterflies chasing flowers at the collar.
In their haste to help their elder sister deliver the lotus flower pastries, the sisters had run so much that their hair buns had become disheveled.
Their jet-black hair was soft and fluffy. Wei Jinyun tied each of them a Double Maid Bun, combing it neatly and wrapping silk ribbons that matched their dresses around the buns, then adorning them with two small flowers.
Wei Fuling stood on tiptoe and twirled around, while Wei Fuqu straightened her sleeve cuffs. Standing side by side, although they looked as if carved from the same mold, one was quiet and the other lively. After spending a little time with them, one could easily tell them apart.
During dinner the previous evening, Wei Jinyun had already informed Xiao Zhang and Er Niu that they would not be visiting today. She carefully stored her grandmother’s land deed, locked away the remaining money, and securely fastened the main door before leaving with the others.
Their great-aunt had married into Wujiang County under the jurisdiction of Pingjiang Fu. Taking the waterway would require at least two hours. The four of them hired a small boat, paid twelve copper coins, and set off.
Their mood during this boat ride was quite different from the previous two days. The two sisters chatted and laughed as they watched the shops and stalls along the banks. For them, the two hours passed in a flash.
Upon arriving in Wujiang County, the four inquired for directions, crossed winding bridges, and entered a small alley before finally finding their great-aunt’s home.
When Wang Qiulan had considered returning to Pingjiang Fu from Gaochun Town, she had already written to her elder sister, saying she would visit her upon arrival.
Having long received news of her younger sister’s visit, Sun Wangshi had been leaning on her cane at the alley entrance every day, hoping to see her. Today, her wish finally came true.
Wang Qiulan’s elder sister was named Wang Chunlan. The two sisters were three years apart, one born in spring and the other in autumn. Her husband had passed away two years earlier, and she herself had trouble with her legs and rarely went out.
She had a son and a daughter and currently lived with her son and daughter-in-law, Li Shi.
Forty years had passed since they last met. When her elder sister had married, her hair was styled high and dark, but now it was full of white strands. The two looked at each other, momentarily unable to speak more than a few intimate words, and simply wept.
The Sun household was kept very clean. The front yard was planted with many vegetables, and smoke already curled from the chimney at the back.
“All is well, all is well.”
Sun Wangshi patted the back of her younger sister’s hand, holding a handkerchief that was soon half-soaked.
Wiping her tears, she looked at the three sisters. “Oh my, these are…”
Sun Wangshi pulled the two younger sisters into her embrace, gently stroking their heads as tears fell again. “I’ve always read about these twins in your letters. Finally seeing them today, they’re like peeled water caltrops—so alike. How wonderful, how wonderful.”
“The one in the yellow dress is Fuling, and the one in jade-green is Fuqu.”
Wang Qiulan wiped her tears and introduced them.
“Great-aunt and grandmother look alike too.”
Wei Fuqu looked up from Sun Wangshi’s embrace and said.
“Let me wipe great-aunt’s tears.”
Wei Fuling took out her own handkerchief and gently dabbed under Sun Wangshi’s eyes.
“Such good girls.”
Sun Wangshi nodded, then turned to Wei Jinyun, taking her hand and examining it closely.
Wei Jinyun wore a half-new green beizi, its cuffs worn thin, her hair simply tied in a double-coil hairstyle, yet it made her skin appear fair and bright, her eyes clear and lively.
"Is this Yun girl?"
Sun Wangshi sighed, "Good, she's a fine girl too, looks careful and thoughtful… Everyone, sit down. You must be hungry after the journey. Wanrong has stewed lotus root soup and braised pork with bamboo shoots. Let your grand-aunt fetch you some."
The main hall was small, with just a square table and a few long benches, but everything was wiped clean.
"This cane is only for going out. How could I need my feet to stir-fry?"
Despite the protests of the four and Li Shi, Sun Wangshi, overjoyed, cooked a few extra dishes by the stove.
Li Shi had no choice but to assist. In two quarters of an hour, the table was filled with shredded pork with water bamboo, stir-fried river shrimp, steamed reeves shad, along with braised pork with bamboo shoots and pork rib soup with lotus root chunks.
"Wang Da and Cheng'er are busy with work and eat outside. You all eat more, especially Yun girl. You've just recovered from illness and are so thin—you need nourishment."
Sun Wangshi ladled soup and served meat, piling the rice bowls of the grandmother and grandchildren into small mountains.
"Mother, let me do it. You rest."
Li Shi served her soup and, seeing Sun Wangshi panting from exhaustion, quickly stood up to pat her back.
"Mother isn't tired. Mother is happy today."
They chatted and laughed at the table. To cheer Sun Wangshi, Wei Jinyun and her two sisters ate until they were stuffed, the food nearly reaching their throats.
Sun Wangshi wanted the grandmother and grandchildren to stay overnight, but Wei Jinyun knew the renovation couldn't be delayed. After much persuasion, they agreed to leave after the evening meal.
After the meal, Li Shi brewed a pot of jasmine tea, cut open a sweet melon, and chatted leisurely with them.
"That shop your mother left you, I remember it being quite old."
Sun Wangshi took a sip of tea. "Those Weis are truly despicable. Fortunately, Wei Qiang treats you well. It must have been hard for all of you."
Wang Qiulan's husband, Wei Qiang, met her when he came to Pingjiang Fu for business. He was the second son in the Wei family, with an elder brother above him and parents who doted on the younger brother, leaving him like an invisible person, seemingly unloved by both parents, which shaped his honest nature.
Back then, the Wei family agreed to the marriage largely because Wei Qiang was honest. The Wei brothers were difficult to deal with, and since it was a distant marriage, Wang Qiulan's parents gave her the family shop for support.
"Jinyun is capable. The shop is being properly renovated now, so sister needn't worry."
Wang Qiulan opened the box she had brought, her tone light and cheerful. "Sister and Wanrong, try her skills. It's no worse than the pastries we used to eat."
Inside were pastries Wang Qiulan had ordered from a pastry shop, along with a packet of lotus flower pastries Wei Jinyun had made early that morning.
Since Wang Qiulan praised them, the two naturally tried the lotus flower pastries first.
The lotus flower pastries were still slightly warm. With one bite, the flaky crust crumbled, infused with the fragrance of oil. The red bean paste inside was mildly sweet, not cloying, melting in the mouth with a gentle press. Even after swallowing, the aroma lingered on the lips and teeth.
"This pastry is beautifully made and tastes wonderful."
Li Shi took a sip of tea to cleanse her palate, exclaiming in admiration, "Yun girl actually has such skill. If only you had come to Pingjiang Fu earlier, I wouldn't have needed to ask the wedding planner to order wedding cakes—I could have asked Yun girl to make them… Unfortunately, I've already paid and signed the contract."
"Is Cheng'er getting married?"
Wang Qiulan chimed in from the side.
"Yes."
At this point, Li Shi couldn't contain the smile on her face. "We've settled on the daughter of the Zhou tailor at the end of the alley. The two grew up together since childhood—truly childhood sweethearts. Cheng'er was so overjoyed that he went with the matchmaker to several shops just to select the wedding cakes, and only then was it finalized… The date is set for next spring, in March. Aunt, you must bring Yun and her sisters along to the feast then."
Wei Fuling was lying on a rattan chair nearby, taking an afternoon nap. Seeing her great-aunt so excited, she couldn't sleep and looked up, saying, "That's still over half a year away. Sister Ling hasn't attended a wedding feast in so long—I really want to go."
The last time she attended a banquet was when Wei Fuling was five years old. There were so many dishes at the wedding feast that she couldn't even count them all. She had wanted to taste every single one, but unfortunately, she couldn't eat that much.
Now that she was seven, she should be able to handle it.
"Indeed," Li Shi continued. "First, we must carefully select an auspicious date, wait for the wedding gown to be embroidered, and pay respects to the ancestors. And then there are the wedding cakes I mentioned earlier—this shop is the most popular in Wujiang County, and we're still waiting in line."
"Getting married is so particular nowadays," Wang Qiulan chuckled beside her. "Back when we got married, wedding cakes were ordered from ordinary pastry shops or made by family members."
"It's different now, Qiulan," Sun Wangshi said, soothing the drowsy Wei Fuqu in her arms. "Everyone's lives are getting better, so who wouldn't want everything to be perfect for their wedding? I've tasted the wedding cakes—they're about the same in flavor, but the price is higher. Still, that shop is famous, just like Xu Ji on Shantang Street, where people line up every day. Yun's pastries taste so good—maybe one day people will line up for them too."
"Yes, yes," Wei Fuling murmured in her sleep, already dozing off. "Sister's line…"
It seemed the thinking of ancient people wasn't so different from that of modern folks.
Wei Jinyun took note of everything she heard.
Different audiences, different pricing.
She had wandered around Caoshi the day before, where many vendors sold pastries that tasted quite good. Yet, for the same begonia cake, Caoshi sold it for three wen a piece, while Xu Ji charged five wen.
The people of Pingjiang Fu loved pastries—you could buy them anywhere. But when it came to famous shops, Xu Ji alone monopolized half the market.
While making delicious pastries, she also needed to innovate.
As for wedding cakes, such as Dingsheng Cake and Yunpian Cake, she could make those too.
After this visit, Wei Jinyun's mind was already spinning with ideas.
The grandmother and her three granddaughters had gone with pastries and gifts but returned loaded with bundles of all sizes.
By evening, Sun Wangshi's son and grandson had also returned. After dinner, they not only arranged a boat for the four of them but also loaded a basket of salted chicken and duck, cured pork hocks, and a basket of lotus roots.
When parting, Wang Qiulan and her sister hugged and cried again.
Wei Fuling and Wei Fuqu comforted their grandmothers, saying, "It's only a two-hour boat ride anyway. When we have free time in the future, we can come with Grandmother to visit Great-Aunt."
On the return boat ride, they weren't as excited as they had been that morning. They quickly asked the boatman to row slower, their bellies so full that any more rocking might have made them sick on the boat.
Although they traveled by boat the entire way, the round trip took nearly five hours. By the time the grandmother and her three granddaughters returned to their shop, they fell asleep as soon as their heads touched the pillows.
The next morning, the sun was shining brightly again.
The well water in the courtyard had settled and was perfectly usable, sparing Wei Jinyun the need to fetch water from outside.
After finishing their morning meal, Xiao Zhang and Er Niu waited early at the door. Wei Jinyun chatted with them for a while, thinking of going to Caoshi again to browse for some small household items.
Zhang Renbai from the Wenfang Sibao Shop had also opened early.
"Miss Wei, the lotus flower pastry from yesterday was delicious."
Zhang Renbai’s ears turned red as he lowered his head. "I truly don’t know how to thank you."
Author's Note:
[Cat Paw]