Chapter 14 Outsiders (Part )
When investigating the case just now, Su Liuyue learned from the discussions of people around her that Man Yifang's business has not been very good in recent years.

She knew that Guo would return the shop to her so readily and that she had no good intentions!
She pursed her lips slightly and asked, "What's going on?"

Shopkeeper Yuan sighed and said, "The Third Miss also knows that this Man Yifang was opened by the old man when the eldest Miss got married.

The old man had only one daughter, the eldest daughter, and he always treated her like a treasure. The eldest daughter loved sweets since she was a child, so he opened this store specially for her and named the store after the "Fang" in her maiden name. All the shop assistants were selected by the old man himself.

The old man even went to great lengths to personally go south and hire a famous pastry chef. Thanks to this pastry chef, Man Yifang caused a sensation in the Imperial City right after it opened. For the next ten years or so, Man Yifang has always had a place among the pastry shops in the Imperial City..."

Su Liuyue suddenly realized, "Now this pastry chef has retired and returned home?"

This is what Shopkeeper Cao said just now.

Shopkeeper Yuan nodded with a bitter face, "A skilled chef will be snatched up by everyone no matter where he is. The reason why the old man invited this pastry chef was because, firstly, the pastry chef respected the old man's character, and secondly, the pastry chef was already quite old. If he were to work in a big restaurant, he would not be able to endure the busy and stressful work. It would be better for him to come to a small shop like ours.

He had done his best. In the following years, his back, knees and waist were not in good condition. He managed to hold on because of his gratitude for the friendship he had with the old grandfather. But later on, he even had difficulty standing, so he retired and returned home.

The third girl is so smart now, she should know what it means for a pastry shop to lose the chef it has always relied on..."

Su Liuyue asked quickly: "Who is responsible for making the cakes now? How much profit does Man Yifang make every month?"

Shopkeeper Yuan's face became even more embarrassed, and he coughed lightly and said, "I dare not deceive the third lady. Our last pastry chef's surname was Tian. After Master Tian left, I hired a young chef named Song. He used to work in a restaurant somewhere else. His skills are not bad, but... after all, he is not as good as Master Tian.

Nowadays, the monthly profit of the store can only barely maintain the turnover of the store..."

Su Liuyue frowned.

The situation was even worse than she thought.

Under the anxious gaze of Shopkeeper Yuan, she suddenly stood up and slowly walked around the store.

This store is not small. Although the decoration looks a bit old, you can see that it is well maintained.

Except for a counter right at the entrance, the rest of the walls are neatly lined with solid wood display racks, on which various pastries sold in the store are placed in exquisite containers.

There are several tables and chairs in the middle of the shop, for people to wait in the shop or eat cakes.

There is a door in the upper left corner leading to the kitchen at the back. In ancient times, there were no refrigerators, and some pastries that could not be stored had to be made and sold on the same day. Therefore, running a pastry shop was by no means an easy job, and people often had to come to the store very early to make pastries.

Su Liuyue finally stopped in front of the cakes sold in the store, pointed at the two types of desserts with the least left and said, "These two desserts are the best-selling ones in the store, right? I want to try them."

Shopkeeper Yuan immediately said, "Yes, this is... the mung bean ice cream and snowflake crisps that Madam Ding often bought before. These two snacks are also what our chef Song is best at!
Ah Da, quickly take two pieces and give them to the third girl to try!"

The young man who had been following Manager Yuan responded, put a piece of dessert on each plate, and carefully placed it in front of Su Liuyue. Su Liuyue first picked up a piece of green bean ice cream, and under the extremely expectant eyes of Manager Yuan and Ah Da, she put it in her mouth and took a bite.

Shopkeeper Yuan couldn't wait to ask, "What do you think, Miss San?"

Su Liuyue chewed slowly until the food in her mouth was completely swallowed before she said, "Not bad."

Shopkeeper Yuan and A Da were delighted.

"But, that's all."

Shopkeeper Yuan and A Da were startled, and their eyebrows, which had just been raised, immediately drooped again.

Shopkeeper Yuan couldn't help but ask, "Third Miss, this... is this good or bad?"

Su Liuyue did not answer immediately. She took a bite of the snowflake crisp and swallowed it before saying, "This snowflake crisp is the same. It's not bad, but... it doesn't have any special features. If you just want to satisfy your craving, it's completely qualified, but... if I come here for the taste, I won't buy it a second time."

This evaluation can be considered harsh.

Shopkeeper Yuan opened his mouth to say something, and then he heard Su Liuyue say in a calm voice: "These two kinds of cakes are the best made by Master Song, and they are also the best-selling in the store. As you can imagine, the other cakes are even less worth mentioning.

Selling cakes like this, it’s no wonder that the store’s business has been slow.”

Shopkeeper Yuan: “…”

Oh my God! Is this... is this their third daughter? This is too cruel!
Before Shopkeeper Yuan could say anything, a man in an apron and a scarf on his head suddenly rushed out from the kitchen. He appeared in front of Su Liuyue like a gust of wind, with an angry look on his pale and thin face. He said with great forbearance: "I don't know who you are! But what right do you have to criticize the cakes I make like this! No one who has eaten the mung bean ice cream and snowflake crisps I made says they are not delicious!"

This woman could have criticized his other pastries, but she chose to criticize his two best ones!
Shopkeeper Yuan looked at him in surprise, and quickly stood up and said, "Master Xiao Song, this girl is..."

Su Liuyue had guessed who he was the moment he appeared. She raised her eyes slightly and said with a twitch of her lips, "Oh? No one who has eaten it said it was bad. Then... after eating it, they all came back to buy these two kinds of cakes?"

Master Song - Song Zhuo clenched his fists, "Of course! These two kinds of cakes have many repeat customers! Most of the people who come to our store to buy cakes are here for my mung bean ice cream and snowflake cakes..."

Although he tried his best to remain calm, he couldn't help but raise his voice higher and higher.

Su Liuyue stared at him closely and suddenly raised her voice and said, "You have too few returning customers. Otherwise, why is it that the store's profits have never increased?"

Su Liuyue's attitude obviously annoyed Song Zhuo. His eyelids suddenly lifted up, his cheeks tightened, and he said loudly: "Even so...even so, the taste of my mung bean ice cream and snowflake crisps is completely fine! I know that my craftsmanship is not as good as Master Tian, ​​but I also learned this skill of making pastries as an apprentice in various restaurants since I was a child!
You are an outsider who knows nothing, how can you judge my pastries! "

　Today is also two updates! Thank you for your support and votes! I hope you can leave more comments, check in and talk~ Otherwise, the backstage is so deserted and pitiful.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)