During the investigation earlier, Su Liuyue had already overheard from the crowd that Manyifang’s business had not been doing well in recent years. She immediately understood—Madam Guo had returned the shop to her so readily because she had no good intentions!
Her lips pressed together slightly as she asked: “What exactly happened?”
Shopkeeper Yuan sighed: “Third Young Lady, you know Manyifang was opened by the old master in the year your mother married. The old master had only one daughter, the eldest lady, whom he cherished like a jewel. Since she loved sweets from childhood, he opened this shop especially for her, even naming it after the character ‘Fang’ from her maiden name. All the clerks here were personally chosen by the old master. He even went to great effort to travel south and invite a renowned pastry chef. Thanks to that chef, when *Manyifang* first opened, it caused a sensation in the capital. For more than ten years afterward, our shop held a respected place among the city’s pastry houses…”
Su Liuyue looked enlightened. “And now that pastry chef has retired?”
That was what Shopkeeper Cao had mentioned earlier.
Shopkeeper Yuan nodded bitterly: “Talented chefs are fought over everywhere. The old master invited him partly because the chef admired his character and partly because the chef was already old. He couldn’t endure the strain of working in large, busy restaurants, so our small shop suited him better. He gave us all he could. In later years, his back and knees grew worse, but out of loyalty to the old master, he persevered. Only when he could no longer even stand did he finally retire. Third Young Lady, with your wisdom, you surely understand—losing the master we relied on means everything to a pastry shop…”
Su Liuyue quickly asked: “Then who makes the pastries now? And how are the monthly profits?”
Shopkeeper Yuan’s face grew more awkward. He coughed lightly: “I dare not deceive you. After Master Tian left, I hired a young chef named Song. He had worked in other restaurants before, and his skills are decent—but he cannot compare to Master Tian. Now, the shop’s monthly profits barely cover operating costs…”
Su Liuyue frowned. The situation was even worse than she had imagined.
Under Shopkeeper Yuan’s anxious gaze, Su Liuyue suddenly stood up and slowly walked around the shop.
The shop was not small. Though the décor looked somewhat old, it was clear it had been well-maintained. Aside from the counter at the entrance, the walls were lined with neat wooden display shelves, each holding delicately arranged containers of various pastries for sale.
In the center of the shop were several tables and chairs, for customers to wait or enjoy their pastries.
In the upper left corner was a door leading to the kitchen. Since ancient times had no refrigerators, pastries that could not be stored had to be made and sold the same day. Running a pastry shop was no easy task—it required arriving early each morning to prepare the goods.
Su Liuyue finally stopped before the pastries on display. Pointing to the two varieties with the fewest pieces left, she said: “These two must be the shop’s best sellers? I’d like to try them.”
Shopkeeper Yuan immediately replied: “Yes, those are the mung bean ice cakes and the snowflake crisps that Madam Ding often came to buy. They are also what our young Chef Song is best at! Ada, quickly bring two pieces for the Third Young Lady to taste!”
The young clerk, who had been following Shopkeeper Yuan closely, answered at once. He carefully placed one of each pastry on a plate before Su Liuyue.
She first picked up a mung bean ice cake. Under the eager gazes of Shopkeeper Yuan and Ada, she took a bite.
Shopkeeper Yuan asked impatiently: “What does Third Young Lady think?”
Su Liuyue chewed slowly, swallowing completely before answering: “Not bad.”
Shopkeeper Yuan and Ada brightened with joy.
“But… only just that.”
Both froze, their raised brows collapsing instantly.
Shopkeeper Yuan couldn’t help asking: “Third Young Lady, is that good or bad?”
Su Liuyue did not answer immediately. She picked up the snowflake crisp, took a bite, swallowed, and said: “This one is the same. Not bad, but nothing distinctive. If it’s just to satisfy a craving, it suffices. But if I came for flavor, I wouldn’t buy it a second time.”
Her evaluation was harsh indeed.
Shopkeeper Yuan opened his mouth to speak, but Su Liuyue continued calmly: “These two pastries are already the best that young Chef Song can make, and they are the shop’s best sellers. That means the other pastries are even less worth mentioning. Selling pastries like these, no wonder business has been poor.”
Shopkeeper Yuan: “…”
Heaven above! Was this truly their Third Young Lady? Her words were far too sharp!
Before he could respond, a man in an apron and headscarf suddenly rushed out from the kitchen like a gust of wind. His pale, slender face was full of anger as he spoke with forced restraint: “I don’t know who you are! But what right do you have to criticize my pastries like this? My mung bean ice cakes and snowflake crisps—no one who has tasted them has ever said they were bad!”
It was one thing for her to disparage his other pastries—but she had chosen to attack his very best!
Shopkeeper Yuan looked at him in surprise and quickly stood up: “Chef Song, this young lady is—”
But Su Liuyue had already guessed his identity the moment he appeared. She raised her eyes slightly, her lips curving faintly: “Oh? Has no one said they were bad? Then, after tasting them, did they all come back to buy them again?”
Chef Song—Song Zhuo—clenched his fists tightly. “Of course! These two pastries have plenty of repeat customers! More than half the people who come to our shop are here for my mung bean ice cakes and snowflake crisps…” Though he tried to stay calm, his voice rose higher and higher.
Su Liuyue fixed her gaze on him and suddenly raised her voice as well:
“Then those repeat customers are far too few. Otherwise, why has the shop’s profit never risen?”
Her words clearly infuriated Song Zhuo. His eyelids shot up, his jaw tightened, and he shouted: “E‑even so, the flavor of my mung bean ice cakes and snowflake crisps is perfectly fine! I know my skills don’t match Master Tian’s, but I learned this craft through years of hard apprenticeship in the great restaurants! You—an outsider who knows nothing—what right do you have to judge my pastries!”