The Evil Mother-in-law: Torment Children, Work Hard, Be Rich!-Chapter 89: A Seat at the Table

"How is the news spreading about Taohua Dessert opening a shop?"

Tong Huaqiong asked Gu Dashu and Liu Yue Er.

"Mom, don’t worry about that. Dashu and I have been mingling with people, telling everyone we meet. Now, the whole town knows Taohua Dessert is opening a shop," Liu Yue Er said confidently.

Tong Huaqiong nodded, she had confidence in Liu Yue Er’s social skills.

"Oh my, isn’t it Aunt Tong?"

"Yes, yes, and Miss Taohua also."

Tong Huaqiong was being pulled by Gu Dashu past the Crispy Food Garden, and the customers who came to buy pastries at Taohua Dessert but had a wasted trip saw them and shouted excitedly.

"Aunt Tong, do you have any date cakes left?"

"I want mung bean cookies."

A lot of people gathered around Tong Huaqiong.

Tong Huaqiong couldn’t help but laugh, waved her hand, and said, "I didn’t set up a stall today. It was Mrs. Huang’s birthday, so I went to the Huang family to make cakes and didn’t set up a stall. If you want to eat, please come back tomorrow."

Upon hearing this, everyone felt a bit disappointed.

Some people even came from the neighboring town just to visit.

Tong Huaqiong clasped her hands to everyone and said, "Thank you all for supporting our Taohua Dessert. I will definitely set up a stall early tomorrow, ensuring everyone gets to eat."

Everyone laughed, and someone asked, "Is it true that Aunt Tong is turning Taohua Dessert into a pastry shop?"

Tong Huaqiong nodded and said, "Yes, once we find a shop location, I hope you all will support us."

Someone else asked, "Will the prices be higher once you open the shop?" 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Tong Huaqiong laughed heartily and said, "We will have pastries at various price points, and everyone can choose. However, no matter the price, free tastings will continue."

Everyone praised Tong Huaqiong, saying she was honest in business and that she pioneered the idea of free tastings.

The commotion at the entrance of the Crispy Food Garden drew the attention of the people on the second floor.

Manager Feng stood by the bed on the second floor, with a gloomy look in his eyes.

Today, Taohua Dessert didn’t set up a stall, and he thought Widow Tong was afraid of the Crispy Food Garden.

But then word came from the Huang family, saying Widow Tong was invited to the Huang family to make cakes for Old Mrs. Huang’s birthday feast.

Previously, this business was always given to the Crispy Food Garden.

Widow Tong not only took over the Crispy Food Garden’s territory but also seized the birthday feast business. It was a flagrant offense.

He couldn’t stand it!

What made it even more unbearable was that, according to those who attended Huang Yuanwai’s birthday, Widow Tong’s innovative pastries stole the show, with lotus pastries paired with koi, vividly lifelike longevity peach, and a birthday cake that had never been seen before.

He was puzzled, how did a rural old widow come up with so many novel ideas?

At first, he really didn’t take this widow seriously.

A few days ago, he sent his store clerk to buy every pastry Taohua Dessert offered, and he tasted them with the pastry chef.

Aside from the appearance, he couldn’t see what was different in the ingredients compared to Crispy Food Garden’s pastries, but the taste was just better than Crispy Food Garden’s.

He even invited a retired master back, but still couldn’t replicate the taste of Taohua Dessert.

These past few days, he has been biding his time, trying to come up with a strategy.

But the more clueless he was, the prouder Taohua Dessert became. Not only did they build a reputation among the wealthy using Old Mrs. Huang’s birthday feast, but he also heard they planned to turn their roadside stall into a shop.

He absolutely couldn’t allow a second pastry shop to exist in Yan Guan Town.

Does Taohua Dessert really think they can compete with Crispy Food Garden?

He, Manager Feng, didn’t help his master make Crispy Food Garden the number one pastry shop in Yan Guan Town for nothing.

Don’t be fooled by his usual smiling demeanor; it’s necessary for customer service. When it comes to grabbing market share and squeezing out competition, he’s also a ruthless figure.

He must make Widow Tong suffer a setback, hopefully forcing her out of the pastry market in Yan Guan Town.

He had already gathered intelligence on Tong Huaqiong.

A poor widow from Qinghe Bay, dragging a bunch of freeloaders, couldn’t afford to continue her youngest son’s education after he passed the child student exam, had a second son who was gluttonous and lazy with no ambition, and a stepson who was perpetually disappointing. Her biological daughter helped her sell pastries. The only one somewhat successful was her stepdaughter, who remarried into the Nie Family, a ceramics trading family, but Widow Tong didn’t get along with them, so the Nie Family probably wouldn’t help.

In Qinghe Bay, Widow Tong was known to be difficult to deal with, always causing a scene and taking a bite out of every unjust situation.

This might have given her the illusion that doing business in Yan Guan Town and competing with Crispy Food Garden was as simple as fighting for water and land in the village. If she thought this was enough to win, she was thinking too simply.

Widow Tong and her Taohua Dessert must leave Yan Guan Town.

After greeting the enthusiastic customers, Tong Huaqiong rode her cart past Crispy Food Garden.

Her sixth sense made her feel a piercing gaze from above, and when she looked up, the window was drawn closed.

"Hey, it’s not like I’m a tigress."

It looked like she really had become a thorn in Crispy Food Garden’s side, and Crispy Food Garden would likely make a move soon.

She vaguely felt a bit excited.

The biggest fear wasn’t being targeted, but having no capital to even sit at the table.

This meant she was already at the pastry industry’s gaming table in Yan Guan Town, and with proper use, it could be the selling point for the opening of Taohua Dessert Shop.

Wouldn’t a pastry shop that even the number one pastry shop in Yan Guan Town, Crispy Food Garden, feared gain more enthusiasm from customers?

She just wondered how Crispy Food Garden would deal with her.

Would it be civil or aggressive?

She wasn’t completely in the dark about Crispy Food Garden, and she would investigate Manager Feng as well.

She didn’t underestimate Manager Feng, but neither did she overestimate him; she would give it her all.

Before the sun had set, Tong Huaqiong arrived in Qinghe Bay.

"Mom, you’re back," Chen Sufen greeted her.

"Was everything smooth?" Gu Dahuan, carrying a hoe after coming back from the fields, asked. He still felt a bit unsure when he saw Tong Huaqiong.

"Smooth, very smooth."

Liu Yue Er, excited like a loudspeaker, broadcast the news in her own courtyard.

"Mom not only made our family pastries famous at the Huang family, but also acknowledged the County Magistrate Liu’s son as a god-grandson..."

Gu Taohua and Liu Yue Er sang in harmony, recounting how Tong Huaqiong saved County Magistrate Liu’s son at home.

Despite Tong Huaqiong repeatedly instructing a few bad bamboos not to spread the news of the County Magistrate’s son calling her god-grandmother, Liu Yue Er, Gu Dashu, and Gu Taohua felt it was for outsiders, not a rule for home.

As expected, the news of Tong Huaqiong being acknowledged as a god-grandmother by the County Magistrate’s son stirred the Gu Family.

Goodness, who would have thought going to the Huang family to make pastries for a birthday would lead to such a miraculous event.

Tong Huaqiong calmly swept her eyes over a few bad bamboos and lectured without haste.

"Don’t think saving the County Magistrate’s son is something exceptional, it was my luck that I could save him. Do you really think we can rely on the County Magistrate?"

"Be cautious, don’t dream of unrealistic things. Even if we saved the emperor, it doesn’t mean we can rise to power. Live honestly and work hard for our living."

"If anyone dares to harbor improper thoughts, watch out, I’ll break your legs."

Everyone listened obediently, vowing to Tong Huaqiong they wouldn’t act arrogantly due to being the County Magistrate’s benefactor, and wouldn’t spread the news of the County Magistrate’s son calling Tong Huaqiong god-grandmother widely, promising to live more straightforwardly and work diligently for a better life.

"How’s the oven?"

Tong Huaqiong was satisfied with the bad bamboos’ attitude and let it go for now, heading to the courtyard to check the oven.

"It’s already built; it just needs to dry for a day before we can use it. Whether it satisfies you, we will know only after trying," said Gu Jingzhe, pointing to the oven.

Gu Jingzhe supervised the construction and, with Qin Qingyou, pondered over it for most of the day until they finished it before Tong Huaqiong returned home.

Tong Huaqiong walked around the oven.

Indeed, Qin Qingyou had some skills. The oven was well built, meeting her requirements based on appearance.