12:Tasting
The first batch of pastries was finally ready, and Tao Qingmiao, standing nearby, had never felt time drag on so long. The pastries smelled absolutely divine! Even more fragrant than those she’d eaten at previous New Year celebrations! She could barely stop herself from drooling.
Zhao Liniang, though she didn’t drool at the sight of the pastries, was utterly astonished inside. Goodness me, was this really something Qinghe had made? She hadn’t smelled such a wonderful aroma in all these years!
Tao Qinghe carefully scooped the pastries out of the pan and glanced at Tao Qingmiao. The little girl’s eyes were fixed on the pastries, staring at them and swallowing hard. She teased, “Qingmiao, your eyes are about to pop out of your head.”
Tao Qingmiao gave a chuckle. “Big Sister, these pastries smell so good. The whole room is filled with the scent. I wonder if I’ll be woken up by the smell when I go to sleep tonight…”
“I don’t know about waking me up, but I can see a little girl right here who’s already been driven mad with craving.” Tao Qinghe burst out laughing. She reached out to touch them; the pastries weren’t quite so hot anymore, so she handed them out to the two of them one by one.
Tao Qingmiao didn’t dare take one. These pastries were made with so much sugar and oil—they were meant to be sold for money; how could she possibly eat them herself?
Seeing the little girl’s conflicted expression—full of longing yet too afraid to eat—Tao Qinghe simply pressed the pastries into their hands. “Since we’ve made these ourselves, let’s have a taste first!”
Zhao Liniang pushed Tao Qinghe’s hand away. “You and Qingmiao eat them; Mother won’t. I’m not craving these.
“Eat! All three of us shall eat! There’s no reason for me and my sister to eat without giving some to Mother.” Seeing that she wouldn’t take it, Tao Qinghe brought the pastry right to her lips. “Mother, try the flavour. If we eat this pastry, our days ahead will be just as sweet and fragrant!”
Zhao Liniang was touched and, not wishing to refuse such kindness, took the pastry and began to nibble at it.
Freshly baked pastries are at their crispiest when hot; the layers of pastry wrap around one another, and with a gentle bite, crumbs began to fall. Tao Qingmiao quickly reached out with her other hand to catch them, afraid they might fall to the ground and be lost forever. The flaky pastry, along with the fresh flower filling, entered her mouth; the aroma instantly filled her palate, and the sweetness spread throughout her mouth. At that moment, the pleasure derived from the food was incomparable to anything else.
“It’s absolutely delicious!” Tao Qingmiao squinted her eyes in contentment. She ate slowly, afraid that one more bite would mean it was all gone. “This must be the sort of food only immortals get to eat~”
“Qingmiao is right,” Zhao Liniang chimed in. “This is no ordinary treat—it’s better than any pastry I’ve ever tasted!”
Seeing the pair’s high praise, Tao Qinghe’s smile grew even broader. She too picked up a pastry and took a gentle bite. The moment she tasted it, the weight on her mind finally lifted; she no longer had to worry about making a living!
However… why did this flower pastry taste so much better than she remembered? The floral aroma was richer, the flavour sweeter and more delicate, and the texture of the pastry itself had been elevated to a whole new level.
In the blink of an eye, Tao Qinghe considered a possibility: had the quality of the flowers improved? Her heart began to race. This was simply the best news imaginable! If that were the case, even if a rival pastry shop managed to reverse-engineer the recipe for the flower pastries, they would be unable to replicate the exact same flavour! At this thought, Tao Qinghe was overcome with joy.
“Mother, whilst the pastries are still fresh from the oven, let’s send some over to Auntie Li for her to try.” Tao Qinghe took an empty bowl and placed four pastries inside.
“Oh, yes, do send some over so she can have a taste of something new.” Zhao Liniang rose as well, took the bowl of pastries, and covered it with a cloth. After a moment’s thought, she added, “Qingmiao, cook some rice at home and add an egg for your elder sister.”
Tao Qingmiao replied, “Right,” and having just finished the pastries, she was now full of energy. Before Zhao Liniang could say anything else, she had already risen to wash the rice.
Mother and daughter set out once more, walking towards the village.