Chapter 463: Walnut Pastries Exclusively for the Great World

Zhang Yu was stunned, unsure if this was good news or bad. Hong Huangnan’s mind stirred, and he suddenly remembered something. He asked, “Are your family’s walnut pastries good?”

Chen Shixin interjected, “Chief, although their shop is small, it’s a genuine century-old business. Their walnut pastries are known as a specialty of Panyu… Many teahouses use their products.”

“A specialty of Panyu” was, of course, an exaggeration, but Chen Shixin had sensed a potential benefit for Zhang Yu’s family in the chief’s question, so he quickly offered this introduction.

Zhang Yu also nodded, “Everyone who has eaten my family’s walnut pastries says they’re good.” He blushed a little as he said this. Because of the addition of old walnuts, some regular customers had already complained.

Hong Huangnan nodded, “Alright then, Shixin, buy me a few to try tomorrow.”

Zhang Yu quickly said, “I have some with me. If you don’t mind, chief, please try them.” He took out a grease-stained paper package from his sleeve—it was the snack his mother had packed for him that morning.

Hong Huangnan opened the paper package. The walnut pastries were already broken into several pieces. A layer of fine crumbs had collected at the bottom of the oil paper. The puff pastry was well-made. As a frequent contributor to the food columns of magazines and newspapers in Guangzhou, he had a natural keen sense for food.

He picked up a piece, brought it to his nose to smell it, and asked, “This was baked yesterday, right?”

Zhang Yu quickly said, “Yes. It was leftover from yesterday’s sales. I brought it with me as a snack.”

Hong Huangnan placed the walnut pastry on his tongue, closed his eyes, and slowly chewed. The first words he mumbled were, “Too sweet.”

Sweet, very sweet. Traditional Chinese pastries were often heavy on oil and sugar, but the sweetness of the 21st century was much milder than that of the 17th century—the sweetness of this walnut pastry was comparable to Middle Eastern pastries.

“The lard used for the puff pastry is not old,” Hong Huangnan frowned slightly. “It’s fresh lard, right?”

“This… I don’t know…”

For traditional puff pastry, aged lard was preferred. It was said that the older, the better. Puff pastries made with it were not only fragrant and crispy but also had a long shelf life, lasting for half a year without spoiling.

Suddenly, Hong Huangnan’s eyes opened, “The walnuts are old!” He continued to chew a few more times. “Half new, half old, using the aroma of the new walnuts to cover it up. A clever trick. Unfortunately, the inner skin wasn’t picked clean, leaving a slight bitter taste. Furthermore, walnuts are oily, and old stock from the previous year will change in flavor. Even if you pick all the bitter skin clean, you can’t get rid of that faint rancid taste.”

Zhang Yu’s face immediately flushed red. He couldn’t say yes or no. These walnuts were the biggest secret of his family’s shop. To cover up the taste of the old walnuts, his parents had racked their brains. But they still couldn’t fool some of the more discerning old customers.

“It’s just that my family’s business is small and the profit is meager. The price of walnuts is too high now, and business in the market is not good…” he tried to explain. In fact, a portion of his family’s products was made with good ingredients—those were the orders from prominent households. Although the customers were picky, the price was high and the quantity was small, so they never compromised on the quality.

Hong Huangnan, however, paid no attention to his explanation. Although the boy before him and his small walnut pastry shop were insignificant, he was interested. The Senate often talked about “transforming society,” and he was also very interested in making a name for himself in the business world—now, a natural test subject and white glove had come to his door.

He swallowed the walnut pastry and rinsed his mouth with tea. He said slowly, “The product is decent. You have real skill.”

“Yes, yes, thank you for your praise, chief.” Zhang Yu didn’t know why, but he felt particularly nervous.

“Is this all your family makes?”

“Yes. Oh, no,” Zhang Yu stammered. “My shop can make ordinary pastries, but the walnut pastries have the best reputation, and everyone buys them for that reason…”

“Alright then, go and tell your father and mother that we’re also opening a pastry shop in the Great World, and your family will be the supplier for the walnut pastries. If they sell well, you can make other varieties in the future,” Hong Huangnan said slowly. “As for the quality, it doesn’t have to be too good. The level of today’s sample is about right. We need to control the price…”

Zhang Yu’s mouth fell open, and he didn’t react for a moment. Chen Shixin was quick-witted and quickly nudged him, “Aren’t you going to thank the chief!”

With a thud, Zhang Yu knelt on the ground and kowtowed three times to Hong Huangnan. In and out of Guangzhou, everyone knew that getting involved in the Australians’ business meant soaring to success. At the very least, it meant a secure livelihood for the whole family. His family’s walnut pastries were going to be a success! His ancestors were truly watching over them!

He was so excited he couldn’t speak. It took him a long time to squeeze out a sentence, “Thank you for your grace, chief! I… I… I… can never repay you in this life. I will repay you in the next by being a loyal servant…”

At this moment, he was filled with gratitude for this Chief Hong and didn’t know how to express it. For a moment, he even thought that if Chief Hong wanted him to serve him dressed in women’s clothes, he would be willing…

“Let’s not talk about the next life. Just do your job well,” Hong Huangnan waved his hand and said to the “fake Cropped-Hair” who had been standing by his side, “You take care of this matter. Remind me tonight to send a letter to Old Zhang to finalize it.”

“Yes, chief.”

“You may go.”

Zhang Yu kowtowed again and then walked out in a daze, following the “fake Cropped-Hair.” By the time he came to his senses, he was already back at the investment fair.

After filling out a special supplier information form, the “fake Cropped-Hair” gave him a “supply agreement” and told him to take it back for the shop owner to sign and return, after which he could “wait for the order notice.”

Outside the main gate, he saw Wu Ming and Huang Binkun waiting anxiously. Seeing them come out, Wu Ming quickly came forward and asked repeatedly, “How did it go?”

Zhang Yu was still in a daze, his face pale, his hands and feet cold. He couldn’t say a word. Wu Ming was puzzled, but Chen Shixin smiled and said, “Brother Zhang has hit the jackpot this time!”

He then recounted their meeting with Hong Huangnan. “Now that Brother Zhang’s family is in business with the Australians, prosperity is just around the corner.”

Wu Ming also repeatedly said things like, “Little Zhang is lucky this time.” Huang Binkun smiled wryly to himself: Truly, nothing works better than silver and copper coins. Yesterday, he saw the Cropped-Hair bandits as tigers, and now they are dearer to him than his own father.

“Let’s go, let’s go back quickly and make your parents happy too,” Chen Shixin was almost happier than if it had been his own business. “This is not the same as the shops that got in through the investment fair. Your family was personally chosen by the chief. This status is no ordinary matter! Tomorrow, let’s ask Chief Hong to also send your goods to be sold at the Ziminlou…”

“The Ziminlou sells Australian pastries. What use would they have for your walnut pastries?” Wu Ming smiled. “Don’t be too greedy. I think Brother Zhang should first do a good job with the Great World business. There’s a great future ahead.”

Zhang Yu nodded repeatedly. He had never felt so happy in his life, full of hope. The life path that had seemed boring and even a little bleak suddenly became radiant. Even the image of himself passing the scholar examination, which he had secretly imagined many times, seemed to pale in comparison.

Zhang Yu returned home in this daze—he didn’t even know how he got back. He vaguely remembered being escorted back by Chen Shixin and the others.

When he got home, his mother saw his pale face and was startled, thinking he had caught some kind of illness. But she was congratulated by Chen Shixin and Wu Ming, who praised him for being “capable” and having “the help of a noble person.”

“Auntie, you are truly blessed. Your family’s luck is about to turn,” Wu Ming said with a grin. “I never thought Brother Zhang had such ability.”

After a lot of commotion, they finally understood that he had managed to connect with the Australians today. The Zhang couple was overjoyed. Everyone knew that the Australians had the Midas touch. Doing business with them, whether one got rich or not, one would definitely not lose out. And once their “Great World Walnut Pastry Exclusive Supplier” sign was hung up, the benefits would be more than just a little.

The Zhang couple had been racking their brains over the shop’s business, just barely managing to keep it afloat. Now, hearing of such a turn of events, how could they not be happy? Especially after seeing the “receipt” that Zhang Yu brought back, they knew it was true, and their hands trembled. Besides repeating “good, good,” they couldn’t say anything else.

They immediately brought out a lot of pastries to entertain everyone. Huang Binkun had thought it would only be walnut pastries, but he was surprised to see quite a variety—all custom-made for prominent households.

Wu Ming joked, “Old Man Zhang! I think this Chief Hong is very fond of your son.”

Zhang Yu’s father, his hands trembling, said, “If that’s really the case, it’s his good fortune. To be able to serve an Australian, he’s truly blessed…”

Huang Binkun cursed inwardly, This is simply shameless!

Chen Shixin quickly said that was not the case, that Chief Hong had no such preferences, and that he was only willing to give them this opportunity because he liked the walnut pastries.

“…Don’t overthink it. It’s better to focus on pleasing him with the quality of your goods,” Chen Shixin said. He was secretly pleased that Zhang Yu had gotten this opportunity. After all, he was the one who had made the connection. The fact that Chief Hong was willing to give him this good business was probably also a testament to his own face. At this thought, he felt a little giddy.

“This time, it’s also thanks to Shixin’s help,” Wu Ming patted his shoulder. “Thanks to him knowing an Australian and being able to speak with him, otherwise where would such an opportunity come from!”

The Zhang couple expressed their endless gratitude, and even Huang Binkun, who had done nothing, received many words of thanks. Especially after Wu Ming mentioned that this Young Master Huang was from Lingao and a master of Cropped-Hair studies, the Zhang couple looked at him with awe and couldn’t help but try to curry favor with him, asking him to put in a good word for them with the “Australian chiefs.”

Huang Binkun was at a loss for whether to laugh or cry. Why did everyone in Guangzhou treat him as an incarnation of the Australians? But at this moment, he couldn’t spoil their mood, so he just gave some vague replies.