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Upon hearing this, Yingbao couldn’t help but size up the chubby Shopkeeper Chou.

He possessed a round face with a Fu Manchu moustache, eyes squinted like a Maitreya Buddha, a kind face, but a shrewd man. Astonishingly, he had taken a fancy to her older cousin.

However, her cousin was indeed getting older, and would be eighteen after the New Year. If he didn’t find a wife soon, Auntie might go mad with worry.

She tugged on her cousin’s sleeve, trying to give him a hint.

Seeing her cousin ignored her, she had to say to Shopkeeper Chou, “If I come to your house to learn how to make pastries, Uncle Chou, you really don’t mind?”

Chou Fugui laughed and said, “Miss, you jest. My neighbors also know how to make those pastries. There’s no reason to be uncomfortable about it.”

“Then I can go to your house to look.” Yingbao said with a bent-eye smile, “I can also pay a visit to Auntie Chou.”

She guessed that she couldn’t hide her intention of “stealing” the shop’s recipes from the mistress’s sharp eyes. It didn’t seem right to not mention this beforehand.

“You’re more than welcome.” Chou Fugui then eagerly looked at Jiang Cheng, “Brother Jiang, why don’t we go together?”

With no other choice, Jiang Cheng nodded his head towards Chou Fugui and said, “Then we’ll have to inconvenience you, Shopkeeper Chou.”

So, Jiang Quan stayed behind to watch the house while Jiang Cheng and his little cousin rode on Shopkeeper Chou’s donkey cart, heading to the Chou residence.

On the way, Jiang Cheng bought several packages of candied fruits as gifts.

Shopkeeper Chou didn’t stop him, he watched the young man the entire journey, smiling, and the more he watched the more he loved the sight. He thought he was just like himself when he was younger, handsome and understanding.

When they arrived at the entrance of Rongfu Pastry Shop, Yingbao and her cousin got off the carriage.

In good humor, Chou Fugui led the siblings to the back yard, not forgetting to instruct the shop assistant to choose a few pastries to send to the back yard.

“Rong’er, Rong’er! We have guests, hurry up and prepare some tea!” Even before they entered the main house, Chou Fugui started to call out.

“Coming!” A crisp response echoed and a young girl in a red dress of about fourteen or fifteen years old came from the interior room, lifting the curtain.

On catching sight of a handsome young man wearing plain robes standing in the yard, she was taken aback. She quickly covered half of her face with her sleeve and observed the newcomer covertly.

Chou Fugui laughed, “Rong’er, this is the shopkeeper of Jiang’s Specialties with whom we have business dealings. Hurry over and pay your respects.”

Only then did Chou Rong lower her sleeve and properly greeted Jiang Cheng with a bow, saying, “Shopkeeper Jiang, may you be in good health.”

Fighting the urge to flee, Jiang Cheng barely managed a return bow.

Chou Fu Gui was observing Jiang Cheng’s reaction all this while. Seeing Jiang Cheng, who didn’t even spare a glance at his own daughter, he felt both relieved and disappointed.

Did this young Master Jiang despise his own daughter?

It’s impossible. Although his daughter cannot be considered as a beauty that would overthrow cities and kingdoms, she could be regarded as a pretty young lady. Why didn’t he even lift his eyelid to look at her?

Chou Fugui could only continue, introducing Yingbao to his daughter, “This is Shopkeeper Jiang’s younger sister, named… um, what’s her name again?”

“My name is Jiang Yingbao, greetings Sister Rong.” Yingbao formally greeted Chou Rong.

Chou Rong took her hand and said with a smile, “Sister Yingbao, come sit with me in the room.”

Chou Fugui also pulled Jiang Cheng to enter the room.

Before long, the shop assistant brought a mixed box of pastries. Inside, there were several kinds of cakes and fruits, including their shop’s most famous three-flavor red bean pastry.

This red bean pastry was made with red bean paste, mung bean paste, and chestnut powder which formed three colorful fillings, the pastry was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, it had a sweet taste, and it was very delicious.

Chou Rong brought some tea, personally poured tea for Jiang Cheng and Yingbao, and then sat aside to chat with Yingbao.

Chou Fugui also made small and light conversation with Jiang Cheng. Occasionally he would indirectly inquire, and finally got a detailed understanding of the Jiang family’s situation.

When Chou Fugui learned that the Jiang Family were farmers, their children were educated, and Jiang’s third uncle was the village head, he became even more pleased. He couldn’t wait to find a matchmaker to propose a marriage to Jiang Cheng right away.

Being able to serve as the village head meant that the Jiang Family held high prestige in the village, and they were either second or first-class farmers.

If his daughter was married into their family, though she might not become extremely wealthy, at least she would not starve.

Soon, Chou Fugui’s wife, Madam Chou, also arrived, with a boy around five or six years old in tow.

“Ah, if it isn’t Shopkeeper Jiang! What a rare guest!” Madam Chou, who bore a striking resemblance to her husband, was also rotund with a round face. When she smiled, her eyes almost disappeared into crescent shapes.

Jiang Cheng hastily stood up to greet her, “Madam Chou, I hope I’m not interrupting.”

“Nonsense, your presence has added luster to our humble home. Please have a seat.” Madam Chou’s gaze wandered from her daughter and Jiang Cheng to Yingbao, her smile even more benevolent. “Why, it’s little Madam Yingbao! Come over here, let me have a look.”

Yingbao politely bowed to her, “Greetings, Madam Chou.”

Madam Chou drew her closer, praising her, “Little Madam Yingbao, you’ve become more and more beautiful, just like a fairy child from a painting. It would be nice if you were my daughter.”

She grabbed her son who was next to her, and chuckled, “Together, you two look like the golden boy and jade girl.”

Yingbao glanced at the boy, Jin Tong, who was sniffling, her eyes twitching.

Jin Tong gave her a big smile, sucking his runny nose back in, and said, “Yingbao.”

“Jin Tong…” Facing a boy her own age, Yingbao just couldn’t bring herself to call him brother.

Yes, the boy’s name was Jin Tong. He was the only child of the Chou family. Yingbao had once seen him outside the Chou’s shop, where he was poking at ants with a twig.

Chou Fugui subtly signaled to his wife, “Yingbao wants to learn how to make our new pastry. Why don’t you show her?” This also provided an opportunity for his daughter and Jiang Cheng to spend some time alone together.

Madam Chou caught on immediately, taking Yingbao’s hand and asking, “We have just introduced a new pastry in the shop, would you like to see it?”

Yingbao nodded without hesitation, “Yes, thank you, Madam Chou.”

Not everyone was allowed access to the kitchen of Chou’s pastry shop. When Yingbao and her sisters, and Jiang Quan came last time for business, only she was allowed in the kitchen for a long time just because she was young.

So, Madam Chou led Yingbao and Jin Tong to the kitchen.

From a distance, they could already smell the sweet aroma emanating from the kitchen, their mouths watering.

Two or three women, around thirty to forty years old, were bustling about in the kitchen. They were all hired helpers of the Chou family.

Madam Chou led her to one of the women and said, “Mrs. Xue, please teach Yingbao how to make crispy milk cakes.”

Mrs. Xue acknowledged and glanced at the little girl, slightly puzzled.

Teaching such a young child to make pastries, she wasn’t sure if Yingbao could remember everything.

But, well, since the boss asked her to teach, she just had to teach. It wasn’t something too complicated, anyway.

Since she was teaching Yingbao how to make pastries, they had to start from the beginning, not missing any step.

Mrs. Xue took out a few large buns and told Yingbao, “First, peel off the skin of the buns, we’ll use them to make crispy crumbs.”

Yingbao did as she was told, washing her hands and starting to peel off the bun skin with Mrs. Xue.

After peeling off all the bun skins, Mrs. Xue chopped them into small pieces, drained them over a clean iron pot on low heat, until they became crispy.

The crispy bun crumbs were then scooped out and left to cool on a plate. Once cooled, they were put on a chopping board, covered with a cloth, and ground into small pieces with a rolling pin.

The ground bun crumbs then had to be sifted to remove the coarser pieces, leaving the finer crumbs for later use.