Su Qingyan stepped aside and gestured politely with a hand, her voice calm, without a trace of wavering:“Please come in, sir. Our home is simple—hope you will pardon us.”
Housekeeper Fu nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping across the small courtyard—the piled-up stove, the clothes hanging out to dry. Everything spoke of modest means, yet everything was orderly, neat, and clean.
That quiet diligence earned a measure of understanding in his eyes.
When he stepped into the room, barely enough to shelter from wind and rain, Wang Shi and Su Mingxuan, flushed with excitement, froze as if struck by a spell. Scholar Su also tried to sit straighter, his face tight with unease.
The housekeeper of the Xie family! A person of such rank that ordinary families might never see in their lifetimes!
Yet Housekeeper Fu seemed unbothered by their embarrassment. He bowed respectfully toward Scholar Su on his sickbed:“You must be Scholar Su. I apologize for the intrusion.”
The respect in his tone warmed Scholar Su despite his anxiety, and he hastily replied:“Nonsense, nonsense! Please, housekeeper, have a seat!”
But there was no proper chair in the house.
Su Qingyan, seemingly unfazed, brought over the basin of clear water used earlier to rinse the egg whites, along with a clean cloth, and handed it to Housekeeper Fu:“Sir, please cleanse your hands after your journey.”
A simple gesture, yet it immediately dissolved the tension in the room.
Housekeeper Fu observed the crystal-clear water and Su Qingyan’s calm, bright eyes. His evaluation of the young girl rose another notch.
He washed his hands, yet did not sit. Instead, he got straight to the point:“Little lady Su, I have come today by order of our Third Master.”
“Third Master was greatly impressed by your red date egg cakes,” Housekeeper Fu said in a calm but weighty tone. “He wishes to establish a long-term business relationship with you. From tomorrow, he requests ten portions of egg cakes every day. May I ask what you think?”
The room fell silent, quiet enough to hear the flicker of the lamp wick.
Wang Shi and Su Mingxuan held their breath.
Ten portions a day! Every day!
This… this was a golden opportunity falling from the sky!
Su Mingxuan’s small face turned purple with excitement, his clenched fists slick with sweat.
Su Qingyan’s heart jumped too, but her expression remained steady.
She knew the real challenge was just beginning.
“To be recognized by a noble patron is my fortune,” she said with a slight bow. “But I wonder… the cakes, are—”
“Each morning, our servants will come to collect them. We will never delay your work,” Housekeeper Fu interjected, this being standard practice.
Wang Shi and Su Mingxuan thought this perfectly reasonable, their faces full of joy.
Su Qingyan, however, shook her head slightly.
“Housekeeper Fu,”
Her words froze everyone in place.
“For this business, I wish to deliver the cakes myself.”
“Sis!” Su Mingxuan nearly shouted. People are sending someone to collect it—so much easier! Why would she refuse?
Wang Shi tugged at her sleeve in worry.
Housekeeper Fu was also surprised. He looked at the slight figure of the girl, whose courage was extraordinary:“Little lady, this… doesn’t seem proper. And as a young girl, going out every day and running back and forth will be very exhausting.”
Su Qingyan smiled, a clean, calm smile:“Sir, you may not know. These egg cakes are precious because of their lightness and softness. From the moment they leave the oven to the moment they enter the mouth, the time, temperature, and even minor jolts along the way affect their texture. If others deliver them, I cannot be certain. Should the cakes reach Third Master and lose their quality, it would damage the ‘Su Ji’ reputation and betray his appreciation.”
She paused, then gestured toward her nervous little brother.
“My brother Mingxuan, ten years old this year, is small but steady. I can trust him to deliver the freshest cakes to the residence each day.”
Her explanation was airtight, showing respect for her craft and a professional sense of responsibility.
Housekeeper Fu fell silent.
He recalled Third Master Xie’s comment: “Shows thought.” Looking at the young girl before him, he found every word she said reasonable. He knew the Master’s palate better than anyone—if a servant mishandled delivery and ruined the flavor, it would truly be a problem.
Seeing his hesitation, Su Qingyan pressed her advantage:“Moreover,” she lowered her voice slightly, adding a touch of intrigue, “I am also experimenting with other foods—seasonal broths and soups for health, or pastries that aid sleep. If I succeed, my brother can deliver those as well for Third Master to taste first. If others deliver them, the freshness could be lost.”
Health broths! Sleep-aiding medicated pastries!
Housekeeper Fu’s heart leapt. Third Master had been constantly weary lately, with poor appetite. The imperial doctors’ remedies had little effect. If this young girl could truly produce something…
Looking into Su Qingyan’s seemingly all-seeing eyes, Housekeeper Fu finally felt no hesitation.
“Good,” he said at last. “As you say, let your brother deliver the goods to the Xie residence’s procurement office every morning. The price remains thirty wen per portion, with payment every seven days. How does that sound?”
“Thank you, Housekeeper Fu!” Su Qingyan bowed deeply.
It was done!
Housekeeper Fu took a small pouch of money from his chest and placed it on the table, the coins clinking crisply.
“This is two taels of silver as a deposit, covering the first few days’ payment. Anything extra can be used to buy some supplements for Scholar Su.”
Polite words that combined business and personal consideration.
After the formalities, Housekeeper Fu took his leave.
Until the nanmu carriage disappeared at the alley’s corner, the three in the house still felt as if in a dream.
Wang Shi trembled as she touched the heavy pouch, tears streaming:“Father… we… we really… have a business with the Xie family…”
Su Mingxuan stared at his sister, full of awe:“Sis, you’re amazing! I… I really get to deliver things to the Xie residence?”
“Of course.” Su Qingyan patted his head, her expression growing serious.“Mingxuan, remember: from tomorrow, you aren’t just delivering goods. Watch and listen more, speak less. Observe the customs of wealthy households, see how they treat others. Most importantly, stick to our duties. Deliver the goods, then leave. No lingering, no extra words. Understood?”
Mingxuan nodded earnestly, half-understanding:“Got it, sis!”
That night, the lights in the Su family’s small home burned past midnight.
…
Days passed, and the family’s life changed drastically.
Every morning, Wang Shi helped Su Qingyan, and within an hour, ten fluffy, soft red date egg cakes were ready.
Then Su Mingxuan changed into the cleanest clothes Wang Shi had repaired overnight, carefully placed the ten small bamboo baskets into a larger carrying box, and hurried off toward the grand residence he had once only dared to admire from afar.
At first, his palms sweated and words stumbled. But after a few trips, he grew used to it. He followed his sister’s instructions—every time at the Xie residence’s procurement office, he handed over the cakes to a steward surnamed Li, collected the previous day’s empty baskets, bowed, and left without looking or speaking further.
Yet his eyes never rested.
He saw the radishes delivered to the Xie household thicker than his arm; the whole pigs and sheep carried in; the live fish in water basins, scales gleaming in the morning sun. Everything amazed this child from Mai Shao Lane.
Occasionally, news trickled back from the Xie residence.
Sometimes a small note from Housekeeper Fu:“Why does this cake stay so soft without leavening?”
Su Qingyan replied briefly:“Egg whites, light by nature, can trap air when beaten—similar in principle to wind puffing up dough.”
A few words, concise yet explaining the modern physics of aeration in a way anyone in that era could understand.
Another time, Housekeeper Fu asked privately about sweet-and-sour appetizing snacks, noting: “Our Master has been picky with food during the summer.”
Su Qingyan had Mingxuan deliver a small jar of green plums pickled with sugar.
That day, the Third Master reportedly ate an extra bowl of rice.
Through such exchanges, the young lady of “Su Ji” gained a reputation—not only skillful but thoughtful—quietly spreading throughout the Xie household kitchen.
Seven days later, Mingxuan brought back the first official payment: a total of 2,100 wen.
That night, Su Qingyan cleared all household debts. Lin Grandma’s drink money, the pharmacy’s owed medicine, the borrowed rice from neighbors—each item was settled cleanly.
Handing the last coins to neighbor Zhang, she felt the invisible weight pressing on her spine finally ease.
After settling all debts, the family still had ten strings of cash left!
Wang Shi, holding the smooth, shiny silk sent by Housekeeper Fu alongside the heap of coins, cried like a child:“Feels like a dream… I can finally make some new clothes…”
Su Qingyan looked at it all, feeling not satisfaction, but a stronger sense of urgency.
Relying on a single noble patron was never a long-term solution. The Third Master might enjoy her creations today, but tire of them tomorrow.
She had already won the survival battle. Next came the accumulation of capital. She needed a truly independent shop of her own.