The wicked mother-in-law doesn't try to whitewash herself; she only abuses her awful children.

Chapter 160 Exceptional Sales Performance

Seeing Tong Huaqiong eating with such relish, the others couldn't help but swallow hard.

Originally, Tong Huaqiong planned to cook these meat dumplings and let the people in the shop have a taste and broaden their horizons, so that they would understand that meat dumplings are no worse than sweet dumplings.

"Come on, everyone, have one each."

After Chen Sufeng and Hu took the meat dumplings out of the water, Tong Huaqiong called everyone over.

Since it's lunchtime anyway, we might as well have meat dumplings as our main dish.

Gu Taohua couldn't resist peeling one open and eating it. She had just taken a bite when she forgot to talk to the others and buried her head in eating.

Then Chen Sufeng, Hu Shi, and Qin Qingyou peeled off the bamboo leaves and started eating.

"I must say, this meat-filled rice dumpling is really delicious," Chen Sufeng said.

“That’s right. Look at the ingredients inside. Big chunks of meat and whole egg yolks. Who would be willing to put in so much stuff? Su Shi Yuan’s sweet rice dumplings are popular every year. They put at most one jujube in each dumpling,” said Mrs. Hu.

Qin Qingyou chimed in, "I think it tastes better than sweet rice dumplings."

Seeing Liu Qiaoyun walk from the shop to the backyard, he called out, "Wife, come and try this meat dumpling. It's really Aunt Tong's cooking, it's delicious."

Liu Qiaoyun, Gu Xiaocao, and Liu Yue'e take turns eating. Today, Liu Qiaoyun came to the backyard to have lunch first.

She had already smelled it from ahead.

Liu Qiaoyun took a bite and exclaimed how delicious it was, saying, "Just now, the customers outside were asking what we were cooking in the yard because it smelled so good. These meat dumplings can be sold this afternoon. I don't think these two baskets will be enough to sell."

Tong Huaqiong laughed and said, "We're just testing the waters. There are still several days until the Dragon Boat Festival. If there are many buyers, we'll pack more."

After Liu Qiaoyun finished her meal, she went to the shop. Gu Xiaocao and Liu Yue'e took turns eating there, and both of them praised the meat dumplings.

Ma Huateng, however, insisted that zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) should be sweet and would rather die than eat meat zongzi.

"Heretical! This is heresy! I won't eat it." Gu Dashu had already peeled open the zongzi and placed it in front of Ma Huateng, but Ma Huateng still wouldn't eat a single bite.

Tong Huaqiong sighed, rubbing her forehead, "Your scholarly spirit doesn't necessarily have to be applied to your dedication to food."

If this were Tong Huaqiong's previous life, Ma Huateng would definitely be a major force in the online battles between the savory zongzi (sticky rice dumpling) faction and the sweet zongzi faction. With his rigorous attitude, he would have loved to write several academic papers to argue with him.

Ma Huateng doesn't eat savory rice dumplings, and Tong Huaqiong can't force him to.

"During the Great Heat, go to the private school and deliver some meat-filled rice dumplings to Master Su," Tong Huaqiong instructed Gu Dashu. "Also, deliver some to Meng Yanping and tell him that you are grateful for his support of Peach Blossom Desserts recently."

Since Peach Blossom Dessert opened, the students of the private school have stopped coming to patronize it.

The reason lies with Gu Jingzhe.

Before Peach Blossom Dessert Shop was just a stall, they didn't know the relationship between Tong Huaqiong and Gu Jingzhe. After Peach Blossom Dessert Shop opened a store, Gu Jingzhe appeared as a smiling life-size standee at the entrance of the store, and the students of the private school learned about the relationship between Gu Jingzhe and Tong Huaqiong.

Given Gu Jingzhe's past reputation for being dismissive of everything in the private school, they developed a bad impression of Peach Blossom Desserts and stopped coming to the store en masse.

The reason Tong Huaqiong sent zongzi to Master Su and Meng Yanping was twofold: firstly, she still wanted to run the private school business; secondly, she wanted to take this opportunity to show goodwill to the students, since Gu Jingzhe had already returned to school and she didn't want him to be too isolated and helpless in the private school.

After all, building a new reputation takes time.

Gu Dashu agreed and went.

Su Shi was from Jiangnan. In his hometown, people ate meat-filled rice dumplings during the Dragon Boat Festival. He had not eaten them since he came to the north many years ago.

He ate the meat-filled rice dumpling that Tong Huaqiong had given him, and his eyes welled up with tears.

Qin Qingyou placed the meat dumplings in the shop, and Gu Taohua wrote a sign. In addition to the name "Fresh Meat and Salted Egg Yolk Meat Dumplings," Gu Taohua also labeled the ingredients in small print.

This was requested by Tong Huaqiong.

Tong Huaqiong labeled all the products in the store with their raw materials.

It must be said that this move has brought more customers to Peach Blossom Desserts.

In this era, food stalls not only didn't list the ingredients, but they also tried to hide the preparation process in the kitchen, for fear that others would learn how to make it.

Peach Blossom Desserts dares to do this to tell everyone that they are not afraid to be copied, since they can't possibly imitate it perfectly anyway.

Su Shi Yuan did try to imitate the taro paste pastry and pork floss cake, but it ended up being a poor imitation.

"Shopkeeper, do you only have meat dumplings, no sweet ones? If we don't have sweet dumplings, won't we be turning away customers?" asked Ma Huateng, a fan of sweet dumplings. The others had the same thought.

Ms. Hu even rolled up her sleeves to help wrap sweet rice dumplings, since all the ingredients were readily available.

Tong Huaqiong said, "We only sell meat-filled rice dumplings, not sweet ones."

Everyone then asked the reason.

This isn't like Tong Huaqiong at all. Why wouldn't she seize such a good opportunity to make money?
Tong Huaqiong said, “Our shop can’t take over all the business. Look, many small vendors have started selling sweet rice dumplings now. There are even old ladies from the countryside who wrap rice dumplings and come to town to sell them to earn some money for oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar. We business people can’t cut off other people’s livelihood. I started from being a small vendor, so I know everyone’s difficulties.”

Tong Huaqiong's words instantly elevated the atmosphere, making all the shop assistants look at her with new respect.

Tong Huaqiong continued, "From now on, we will only make meat-filled rice dumplings for the Dragon Boat Festival, so that when people think of meat-filled rice dumplings, they will think of our Peach Blossom Desserts."

The first brand to launch a product or service will definitely have a brand effect.

"Aunt Tong, your vision is too lofty; I am ashamed of my own inferiority," Ma Huateng said sincerely.

"Aunt Tong, I finally understand why you were able to open your shop in such a short time. It's because you are sincere," Liu Qiaoyun exclaimed.

“That’s right. I could tell that Aunt Tong was no ordinary person when everyone in the village said she was difficult to deal with,” Qin Qingyou said.

Tong Huaqiong did not lose herself amidst everyone's flattery.

The reason she doesn't sell sweet rice dumplings is indeed, as she just said, to give other street vendors a way to make a living.

Secondly, she also had her own selfish reasons. What's the point of everyone selling sweet rice dumplings? Peach Blossom Desserts definitely doesn't follow the mass market route. As a newly popular shop in the town, it's definitely necessary to launch its own unique rice dumplings.

She knew that not everyone in Yanguan Town could accept meat-filled rice dumplings; there were probably quite a few sweet-loving people like Ma Huateng.

But her meat-filled rice dumplings were originally targeted at a group of wealthy and leisurely people, or those who were willing to try something new.

In the afternoon, many people who came to the shop to buy pastries were curious about the meat-filled rice dumplings.

At first, very few people bought them, firstly because they were not cheap, and secondly because meat dumplings were beyond people's taste expectations.

No matter how hard Liu Yue'e and Liu Qiaoyun tried to promote the products, most people just watched and observed, while few actually bought anything.

"Peach Blossom, what kind of novelty is this meat-filled rice dumpling?"

Gu Taohua was busy in the shop taking notes on the birthday cakes ordered for the top courtesan of Yihonglou when she looked up and saw Yuqin, the chief maid of the Huang family, walk in.

Yuqin came to buy pastries for Grandma Huang.

"Sister Yuqin, you're here. I'm busy right now, let my second sister-in-law introduce you," Gu Taohua said with a smile.

Liu Yue'e greeted Yuqin and said with a smile, "These meat dumplings are so fragrant and delicious, I can't describe it. How about I peel one for you to try?"

Liu Yue'e led Yuqin into the shop, then peeled a meat-filled rice dumpling and handed it to Yuqin.

The aroma of the meat-filled rice dumpling became even more enticing after it was unwrapped. The dumpling was handed to Yuqin, and she couldn't refuse, so she had to try it.

Goodness, this is practically a live mukbang (eating broadcast)!

And it wasn't rehearsed beforehand. Yuqin exclaimed how delicious it was before she even finished eating it, saying, "How can there be such a delicious zongzi?"

Yuqin's words made the customers stop in their tracks.

Yuqin was a maid in the Huang family. As the richest family in Yanguan Town, the Huang family had eaten all kinds of delicious food. Even the maid's daily life was more refined than that of a young lady from an ordinary family.

Yuqin said it was delicious, so it must be good.

"Give me two."

"I'll have one, let me try it first."

"I'll take five."

Everyone readily opened their wallets to buy.

It has to be said that Yuqin's ability to sell products is really strong; one and a half baskets of zongzi were sold out in an instant.

(End of this chapter)