When Gu Wenqiu first took over the shop, she was full of fire, determined to outshine her parents and carve ou…
When Gu Wenqiu first took over the shop, she was full of fire, determined to outshine her parents and carve out something of her own. In one ambitious burst, she introduced four new pastries.
Jade-dew Buns carved with fine patterns... Rice Cakes so translucent they caught the light... She learned these recipes from books, polished by hand, which were beautiful to look at, delightful to eat. Compared to them, the sturdy old Five-colored Cakes suddenly seemed rustic and dull.
The first month, Wenqiu held the account book like a trophy and congratulated her parents with a smile.
By the second month, the numbers collapsed. Revenue plunged. Even the Five-colored Cake, once the shop's bestseller, was left untouched. When she tallied the cost, two months had gone by, and she hadn't even earned back the money she'd poured into those new recipes.
"Plenty of shops nearby have tried these fancy tricks," her mother said softly. "But look, none lasted more than a few months."
Wenqiu nodded, but her heart rebelled.
She even heard people whisper that the shop's taste had changed. How? The same ingredients, the same care. If anything, she worked harder, staying up night after night, perfecting new doughs under flickering lamplight.
"When you started selling other things," her mother said, "Naturally, people think you're no longer focused on the Five-colored Cakes."
Wenqiu felt deeply wronged, but she couldn't explain herself to every passerby and couldn't drag them in after midnight to watch her hands at work.
Her parents never blamed her. Still, she refused to let the family name fade on her watch. By the third month, the shop was back to selling only Five-colored Cakes.
Bit by bit, the earnings came back. Not as strong as before, but enough to stand.
Seeing Wenqiu's spirits dim, her mother told her, "Why not listen to the customers first, before planning the next step?"
So the next day, Wenqiu sold cakes and started conversations.
Madam Du from the west said that the Five-colored Cakes were best enjoyed with a cup of wine, and that was where the real flavor lay.
Elder Huang from the east said the real joy was at the Double Ninth Festival, climbing high, sharing cakes with friends, and admiring chrysanthemums in the breeze.
Then a new idea stirred. "Here for the Five-Color Cakes? You'll want a jug of chrysanthemum wine to go with that!"