The Evil Mother-in-law: Torment Children, Work Hard, Be Rich!-Chapter 43: Brand Culture

The pastry stall decided on its name. Jingzhe took out the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, spread the paper on the table, prepared the ink, and wrote the four big characters "Taohua Dessert" on it.

"Jingzhe’s calligraphy is quite good!" Tong Huaqiong exclaimed, clapping her hands.

Gu Jingzhe said calmly, "Thanks to my mother who bought copybooks to urge me to practice since I was young. I remember the first word I learned to write, Gu, was taught by her as well."

Tong Huaqiong was astonished.

It turns out Tong Dajiao can read.

In the morning, when Housekeeper He came to the house with the contract, she read it aloud absentmindedly, and thought Gu Dashu and the others remained calm about her literacy. It turns out Tong Dajiao was half-cultured all along!

Tong Huaqiong, curious, searched through memories of Tong Dajiao’s early years.

When Tong Dajiao’s brother was learning, she also wanted to study. But the Tong Family wouldn’t allow girls to study, so she imitated her brother holding the brush, and while he read, she learned the words alongside him, practicing with tree branches on the ground in her spare time.

Tong Dajiao was smart and clever from a young age, learning even better than her brother.

Though she can’t claim mastery of the classic texts, her cultural level was still appropriate for an introductory level.

Before Gu Jingzhe started reading, the spring couplets at the Gu Family during Lunar New Year were all written by Tong Dajiao, and she was the one who first taught Gu Jingzhe to read.

No wonder the gifted youth is so filial to Tong Dajiao; it turns out she was not only his mother but also his teacher on his path of enlightenment.

Tong Huaqiong thought so as she carefully examined the "Taohua Dessert" in four characters, feeling something missing on the snowy white paper.

Since it’s a signboard, its primary purpose must be to attract people.

Tong Huaqiong suddenly had a bright idea.

"If there were paint, painting a branch of peach blossoms on it would be even better." Tong Huaqiong made a request to Jingzhe.

"Mother, I have paint, and I can paint peach blossoms."

Gu Jingzhe got up and went to the room to fetch the paint.

Gu Jingzhe is indeed a well-rounded talent, not only good at reading but also at painting, definitely a modern five-good student who excels morally, intellectually, physically, artistically, and in labor.

Tong Huaqiong was very pleased with this.

Gu Jingzhe called Taohua to help pour a few bowls of water, then started mixing the paint.

"This paint is expensive; it was gifted to me by the teacher when I accomplished the rank of child student." Gu Jingzhe reminisced, with a touch of melancholy in his tone.

Tong Huaqiong understood Gu Jingzhe’s psychology well.

Whether recalling his mother who taught him basic literacy, or mentioning the teacher’s reward for passing the child student exam, he was trying to remind Tong Huaqiong that his aspiration to study remains unchanged.

Tong Huaqiong remained composed and didn’t respond; she would naturally allow Gu Jingzhe to return to private school when the time was right.

Gu Jingzhe concealed the waves in his eyes, carefully mixing the paint. Afterward, he picked up the brush, dipped it, and painted a branch of peach blossoms next to "Taohua Dessert."

Gu Jingzhe’s painting, like his calligraphy, was excellent. The peach blossom branch was vividly alive, making anyone feel immersed in the bright spring scenery.

Tong Huaqiong found memories of Gu Jingzhe’s painting talents in Tong Dajiao’s recollection; Jingzhe traveled to Shengjing for the imperial exams, and within three days in the Capital, his excellent writing and painting made him famous.

After being named the top scorer, people in the Capital pursued his paintings with high prices.

When he became a second-rank official, those who wanted to cozy up to him exploited this interest, speculating on his paintings extensively. Those who sought favors from him used the excuse of buying paintings to offer huge bribes.

Likewise, in the end, he also fell due to a painting.

He was tricked by Man Er, who got him drunk and induced him to write rebellious words on a painting, leading to the Gu Family’s complete downfall.

At this thought, Tong Huaqiong felt a bit dazed.

Gu Jingzhe’s destructiveness is too great; she couldn’t easily relent and let him study, his temperament needed more tempering.

"The painting is good," Tong Huaqiong calmly complimented.

"Third Brother’s calligraphy and painting are both excellent," said Gu Taohua.

"Wow, this peach blossom is painted so well, it’s just like the real thing," Gu Dashu walked in, jokingly saying, "Anyone can see our family’s Taohua is this beautiful. Third Brother also writes very well, you can tell if someone is a scholarly material just by their handwriting. When I was young, my mother taught me too, but my writing looked like scribbles, clearly showing I’m not scholarly material."

Gu Dashu admired and praised while appreciating.

Upon hearing Gu Dashu mention his studies, Jingzhe’s eyes darkened a bit.

Soon he hid his gloom, raising his head to say, "The quality of writing isn’t linked to studying."

"Second Brother, it’s because you didn’t study well. My small regular script is also quite good; I’m a girl and can’t study, otherwise, I’d have gone to private school with Third Brother," Gu Taohua quickly said.

"Mother used to say I was destined to marry into a wealthy family as a wife, so she taught me to read so I could manage the household well."

Tong Huaqiong looked surprised; Tong Dajiao’s three bad bamboos all knew how to read.

Even Gu Taohua wasn’t an exception, making Tong Dajiao not entirely a person without merits.

Tong Huaqiong felt a hint of regret; if she’d known Gu Taohua could write, she would have had her write the signage, creating a marketing buzz.

But since Gu Jingzhe already wrote it, so be it. For future pastry types, poems on packaging paper and such could be written by Taohua.

Those who followed the trends of elegance would surely go all out in their pursuit.

"Taohua, I have more work for you. Aren’t you good at regular script? You can write on our pastry packaging papers," Tong Huaqiong said to Gu Taohua.

Gu Taohua looked startled.

Writing on packaging paper? And she’d be doing it?

Tong Huaqiong saw Taohua’s doubts, explaining, "We are just a small stall and can’t compare to big pastry shops, so we must take a distinctive approach for people to remember us. Other shops use uniform packaging paper; ours can’t. We can write different pastry names on packaging paper, each type of pastry matching different paper. It’s our specialty; customers can tell what pastry it is without opening it."

The branding must highlight its uniqueness from the start.

Packaging paper is part of the brand culture too.

Gu Jingzhe agreed with Tong Huaqiong’s idea, saying, "Mother, the idea is great, writing pastry names on the packaging paper, we might even add corresponding poems."

Tong Huaqiong again sighed; no doubt Jingzhe had some knack for creatively expanding ideas.

"Wow, mother’s brain is really full of everything; I think Third Brother’s brain is just like mother’s. I can’t think of these things," Gu Dashu confessed.

Selling pastries alone had so many insights.

Gu Dashu sincerely admired his own mother.

No wonder she could earn fifty taels of silver in just a few days; if she continued like this, the Gu Family would soon become the richest in Qinghe Bay.

"Since you can’t think of these tricks, don’t offer random opinions in the future. Just honestly follow my instructions," Tong Huaqiong said in exasperation.

"Yes, yes, yes, I shall follow mother’s orders! I’ll first tend to our family’s few acres of wheat field," Gu Dashu replied.

"Taohua, where did we put the packaging paper we bought? Write it all down today," Tong Huaqiong said to the dazed Gu Taohua.

"Mother really wants me to write?" Gu Taohua’s voice quivered.

"If not you, would you rather tire me out to death?" Tong Huaqiong said impatiently.

"I’ll write, I’ll write."

Gu Taohua leapt with excitement, quickly took a stack of packaging paper bought at the market the day before yesterday, spread it on the table, and pondered with Gu Jingzhe over what else besides pastry names would attract people.

Seeing everyone’s efforts toward a better life, Tong Huaqiong felt quite pleased.