I Returned to the Day He Brought His First Love Home-Chapter 136: Involution Maniac Grace Winslow
"That new student in our class, Grace Winslow, is gorgeous. She looks like a movie star."
Grace Winslow turned many heads on her first day of classes.
After all, with her bright, striking features and sense of style, she stood out from the crowd of students who hadn’t yet learned how to dress themselves. She was truly eye-catching.
But Grace Winslow didn’t spare them a single glance.
After her first class, she immediately rushed off to another department.
Her schedule was packed. Aside from meal times, nearly every moment was filled with classes.
There was only a ten-minute break between classes, and Crestwood University’s campus was huge. The classrooms were often far apart, so any delay meant she risked being late.
Grace attended her classes with a ravenous appetite for a week, and her dorm mates couldn’t help but be impressed. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢
She was so disciplined.
Every day, she was up at five to go for a run, back to the dorm for a shower, and out the door for class at 6:30 on the dot.
She wouldn’t return until eight or nine at night, at which point she’d shower and go straight to bed.
They had initially assumed that Grace, looking like a pampered young lady from Coronet, would be difficult to get along with. But after a week, they realized they hadn’t even had the chance to interact with her.
She simply had no intention of socializing with them.
Her other dorm mates, however, got along just fine. They would make plans to eat together and even go shopping on the weekends.
Since it was everyone’s first time in Coronet, they were naturally eager to explore the unfamiliar city.
Grace still had class on Saturday, so she didn’t head home until it ended at 5:30 PM.
By the time she arrived, Irene Lynch and Gregory Winslow were already eating dinner.
They were both a little surprised to see her.
"Grace, what brings you back at this hour? Have you eaten?" Irene Lynch asked, getting up to greet her.
Grace shook her head. "I have tomorrow off, so I came back to check in. Have you bought everything for the house?"
Grace set down her backpack and took a tour of the rooms.
The beds and wardrobes had been purchased. While the rooms still looked a bit bare, it was a huge improvement.
A lot of things weren’t essential and could be added gradually later. There was no rush.
When Grace came back out, Irene Lynch had already cooked a bowl of noodles for her, complete with two eggs.
"Eat up, then get some rest. I’ve been making a lot of pastries lately, and the neighbors all say they’re delicious. If we really open a shop, I think they’ll sell. You can give me your opinion later." Irene Lynch pushed the bowl of noodles toward Grace.
Grace nodded. After finishing her noodles, she took a quick, hot shower and went to bed.
The new quilt was nice—thick and warm. Grace slept very soundly that night.
She was up bright and early the next morning.
Irene Lynch had already made steamed buns.
Grace loved the soft, fragrant steamed buns. She ate four in one sitting, leaving her with a full, round belly.
Irene Lynch went back to kneading dough for more pastries.
Gregory Winslow had plans to play chess, so he left with his tea mug right after breakfast.
"’Dad’s already made friends here?’ Grace asked, her face full of curiosity."
Irene Lynch smiled. "You bet. Some of the friends he plays chess with at the park have even come over a few times. They all live nearby. They’re nice people, easy to get along with."
"’Later, you can help me taste-test my pastries. If you think they’re good enough, we should start seriously looking for a storefront.’"
Grace leaned in closer to watch her mother make the pastries.
Osmanthus cakes, almond cookies... many were specialty pastries from the southern regions.
Irene Lynch could only make the simpler ones. She couldn’t make the more complex pastries or those that required rare ingredients.
Here in the north, ingredients like almonds were easy to come by, which actually made them easier to prepare.
Irene Lynch stayed busy all morning, making a wide variety of pastries.
White sugar cake, Malay steamed cake, water chestnut cake, red bean cake, mung bean cake...
They were all fragrant, soft, and delicious pastries with flavors most people would enjoy.
Grace watched thoughtfully. "Mom, I think we could also make things like walnut crisps. I remember you used to make them at home. They use a bit more oil, but if we make them well, I’m sure they’ll be a bestseller."
"’The pastries you’re making now are great, but they don’t have a long shelf life. And even though people’s living standards have improved a little, they aren’t going to buy fresh pastries every single day.’"
"’We could also look into making some Western-style baked goods, like cakes and breads. Those can sell for a good price, too.’"
"’I don’t have classes next Saturday, so I’ll have a two-day break. I’ll come home and we can work on them together.’"
Grace was very familiar with Western baking.
Back then, both Ivy White and Timothy Dunn loved her baking, so she made them often when she had free time at home.
’Thinking about it now, I really have them to thank. Because of them, I honed my culinary skills.’
"’That’s true. I’ll make some more, then,’ Irene Lynch agreed with a nod."
’Grace had plenty of ideas, but they were impossible to execute for now, mainly due to a lack of ingredients.’
’Pastries are always best paired with tea.’
’If she had the means, she wanted to acquire a small, two-story building. The ground floor would be the storefront, and the second floor would be a teahouse where customers could enjoy tea and pastries. It would be even better if she could add some private booths.’
’Unfortunately, there was still no news about the shop. She’d have to see what was happening on Sean York’s end.’
Grace didn’t expect Sean York to show up that very afternoon.
Talk about the devil.
He was covered in sweat; he had clearly run all the way there.
"’Doesn’t Boss York have a car? Where is it? Why didn’t you drive?’ Grace teased."
Sean York didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. "Don’t even ask. That car belongs to my old man. I snuck it out last time and he found out. He nearly broke my legs."
"’I came looking for you because I found a great storefront that’s up for sale. If you have the cash, I strongly suggest you buy it. The location is incredible.’"
Grace’s eyes lit up.
’If even Sean York thinks the location is great, then it must be fantastic.’
"’Can you take me to see it?’ Grace asked excitedly, jumping to her feet."
Sean York thought for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, but we’ll have to take the bus. It’s a bit far. If I’d known you’d be this eager, I’d have risked swiping my old man’s car again."
"’Let’s go. Keep up the hard work, Boss York, and you’ll be able to buy your own car soon enough.’"
Grace couldn’t wait to see this supposedly prime-location storefront.
As they headed out and waited for the bus, Sean York explained, "It’s located right in the bustling city center. The asking price is a bit steep, which is why no one has taken it yet."
"’We’ll try to negotiate the price down as much as we can. Roughly how much capital do you have to work with? I need a baseline so I know how much to haggle.’"
Grace rubbed her nose, looking a little embarrassed.
’Her salary from the factory wouldn’t come in for a few more days. She had started with ten thousand, but after giving three thousand five hundred to Quentin Colton, fifty to Andrew Aldridge for his agent fee, and another three thousand to Irene Lynch, she was left with less than four thousand.’
"’Right now, I only have a little over three thousand in cash,’ Grace admitted with a helpless look."
Sean York was speechless.
"’Could you find a partner to buy the shop with you?’ he asked hesitantly after a moment of thought."
Grace immediately thought of Hayley.
