Just as she saw the three children beside Jian Xiu, she immediately realized the situation.

Thinking about the matter of Xuewen Academy, Shopkeeper Wu more or less understood why Jian Xiu had come today.

It would be a lie to say he wasn’t disappointed. However, when he noticed the basket on her back, his eyes lit up instantly.

Because he seemed to see something inside that he needed.

“What’s this? Seeing your expression, Shopkeeper Wu, it seems like you’re not too happy to see me?” Jian Xiu was the first to speak.

With the expression written all over his face, even without thinking too hard, Jian Xiu knew exactly what he was thinking.

Hearing her words, Shopkeeper Wu burst into laughter.

“You, you! Come on, come on, let’s go upstairs and talk!” he said, leading Jian Xiu and her children to a private room on the second floor.

It was almost mealtime, and the lower floor was about to get busy.

With that in mind, Wu Mingtang brought them upstairs to a private room.

Lately, thanks to Jian Xiu’s new and innovative foods, Yuexiang Restaurant was packed with guests every day.

For this, Shopkeeper Wu felt very grateful toward Jian Xiu.

As soon as she entered the private room, Jian Xiu didn’t waste time. She took out the last two pieces of cake from her basket and handed them to Shopkeeper Wu.

“Shopkeeper Wu, try this! It’s a new pastry I made!”

“A pastry? Oh, I never expected you to have such skills, Jian Xiu! Just looking at it makes me hungry.”

As he spoke, Shopkeeper Wu didn’t hesitate to pinch off a small piece to taste.

“Oh, the texture is nice! Jian Xiu, be honest with me, what did you use to make this?” Shopkeeper Wu asked with a smile.

Having interacted with her so many times, he no longer held back and even started calling her by name directly, instead of addressing her formally as “young lady” like before.

“Why don’t you take a guess?” Jian Xiu teased.

“Hmm, then I’ll have to taste it carefully!”

With that, Shopkeeper Wu called out to a passing waiter, “Bring a few of our specialty dishes up here in a bit!”

“Yes, boss!” the waiter responded cheerfully.

Shopkeeper Wu was not just the manager of Yuexiang Restaurant—he was also its owner.

Most restaurant owners would hire a manager to run the business, but Wu Mingtang was different. He liked to be hands-on with everything.

Yuexiang Restaurant was his pride and joy. Those who knew him understood that he had built it up from scratch.

So, calling it his “life’s work” wasn’t an exaggeration.

After the waiter left, Shopkeeper Wu finally put the small piece of cake into his mouth.

He didn’t have high expectations—he thought it would just be an average pastry.

However, the moment he took a bite, his eyes widened in surprise.

“Jian Xiu… is this really just a pastry?” he stammered.

“Of course! 100% authentic!” Jian Xiu said with a grin.

“This is too good! The texture is so soft, not greasy at all, and it has a delightful fragrance without being overwhelming. Amazing, amazing… I knew you wouldn’t disappoint, Jian Xiu!”

Wu Mingtang beamed as he spoke.

After saying that, he eagerly took another big bite.

Just like that, he finished the entire piece of cake in just a few bites.

When he reached for another, he realized there was only one piece left.

That meant Jian Xiu had only brought two pieces in total.

Seeing this, Shopkeeper Wu lifted his head and gave her a resentful look.

“You only brought two pieces?” he complained.

Jian Xiu couldn’t help but chuckle helplessly.

She cleared her throat lightly and explained, “Shopkeeper Wu, you can’t blame me for this!”

“Oh? How so?” he asked.

But right after asking, as if realizing something, his eyes widened in anger.

“You should have come to me first and left the pastries here before heading to Xuewen Academy. Let me guess—that old man ate my share, didn’t he?”

Jian Xiu: “…You really know him well.”

Even now, she still couldn’t figure out how there were only two pieces left in her basket.

She clearly remembered that she had refused to give him more.

Yet somehow, after hearing him say a few more words, she had ended up handing over the pastries willingly.

“Be honest, how many did he take?” Wu Mingtang gritted his teeth.

Jian Xiu hesitated.

But seeing the way he was glaring at her, as if ready to eat her alive, she instinctively replied, “Two servings—the same amount as you have now.”

“What? You’re telling me he took two whole servings?”

Hearing this, Wu Mingtang shot up from his seat in anger.

“Shopkeeper Wu, you really like this cake that much?” Jian Xiu asked with amusement.

Wu Mingtang knew Jian Xiu well enough to sense that she had something in mind.

So, he forced himself to calm down and sat back down.

“Be honest, Jian Xiu. Do you have a new idea in mind?”

At this point, he already had a rough idea of what she was thinking.

“Shopkeeper Wu, must you ask when you already know the answer?”

“Hahaha…”

“Shopkeeper Wu, let’s be straightforward. Do you think a pastry shop would be a profitable business?” Jian Xiu asked bluntly.

Initially, she wasn’t too confident.

But after visiting Cai Fang Zhai earlier, she felt reassured.

Cai Fang Zhai was the most well-known pastry shop in Quanyong County.

Judging from its fancy decor, it was clear that it wasn’t just a single shop—it looked more like a chain store.

Even though their pastries were quite ordinary, they still managed to attract plenty of customers.

So, if such a mediocre shop could do well, what about her chiffon cake?

Even in her previous life, during the apocalypse, chiffon cakes were still popular.

What she made today was just a basic version using simple ingredients.

If she had access to the right ingredients, the taste would be even better.

Thinking of this, Jian Xiu became even more confident.

Seeing the determination on her face, Shopkeeper Wu naturally understood what she was thinking.