Sneaking out of their residence was one thing, but being told to rest was another entirely. Shengsi simply couldn’t resist the thought of leaving her bread shop closed for an entire day and letting people go without feasting on her goods. Even with her nose and ears still reddish, she stubbornly pushed herself until every product had been arranged upon her three-tiered racks: loaves, flatbreads, steamed buns, and sticky rice dumplings.

However, it was already afternoon, and many had already purchased her baked goods, yet Mrs. Qin was nowhere among the customers who had come to patronize her shop.

“I wonder which filling I got this time,” a noblewoman said as she filled her basket with loaves taken from different racks.

Beside her, another lady dressed in soft peach robes responded between giggles, her tone lively and high-pitched, “Even I wonder! Every day it surprises me! The gimmick alone is enough that I never grow bored of it! Choosing these loaves is always fun!”

Nearby, a commoner child holding his mother’s hand pointed eagerly at a flatbread. “Mother, I want that one. It tastes better than the other flatbread vendors.”

His mother smiled helplessly. “Then we’ll buy twenty today, so your siblings can enjoy them too.”

“The steamed buns here are simply excellent. You should try the meat-filled ones. They’re my favorite.” A young scholar in a long blue round-collared robe lifted his chin proudly as he spoke. “And don’t go spreading it around, alright? I don’t want everyone enjoying them as much as I do.”

“But they’re only steamed buns…” the scholar beside him remarked flatly.

The bakery quieted at once.

Several customers turned to look at him as though he had uttered something sacrilegious.

His companion immediately elbowed him. “You should be careful saying things like that. Everyone in here adores the food from Lizhi Ju.”

“Why?” the newcomer asked, still confused.

“Just taste it yourself.”

The newly arrived scholar reluctantly took one of the steamed buns and bit into it.

Then his eyes widened.

“Why does that taste so different… but in a good way?!” he blurted, drawing laughter from several customers nearby.

“Exactly why it’s my favorite!” his companion declared proudly. “But keep it between us!”

From the side, Shengsi smiled from ear to ear, as though hearing those words had nearly cured her illness outright.

Forget the earnings, shouldn’t she just start giving the bread away for free and let everyone hoard them instead? That was how delighted she felt.

Aunt Li had always been right.

“For a baker,” she used to say, “nothing surpasses the joy of the process… except hearing others recognize the effort you kneaded into the bread itself.”

And truly, Shengsi felt she would never grow tired of hearing it.

When the flow of customers finally thinned and the bakery was left temporarily quiet, Shengsi slipped into the pantry to inspect their inventory. To her surprise, the remaining ingredients could still last for roughly another week.

But that didn’t mean the stock would sustain itself forever, and so she planned to replenish some supplies. Among the things needed were sugar, honey, flour, wheat, cow’s milk, rendered butter, dried fruits, and a few treasured spices that weren’t commonly found within the town.

As soon as she finished, the bells above the shop door rang softly. Shengsi hurried out from the pantry and smiled at the customer now browsing the racks of bread.

It was a tall man dressed in layered crimson robes, the outer garment embroidered subtly near the hems with flowing cloud patterns stitched in dark thread. Beneath it was a lighter inner robe of muted ivory, the collar folded neatly beneath the red lapels. A black gauze cap rested upon his head, befitting a nobleman who no longer needed ostentation to prove his standing. His figure was straight-backed and broad-shouldered, while his face carried a gentleness that softened the dignity in his bearing.

One look, and Shengsi already knew who the customer was.

“Good afternoon, Young Master Qin.” Shengsi smiled as she greeted the eldest son of Mrs. Qin. “It’s a pleasure for such a dignified gentleman to visit my humble bread shop.”

“Still have a way with words, I see.” Young Master Qin glanced at her before picking up the last ten remaining loaves from the rack on the left side of the room. “It’s only afternoon, and the shelves are already nearly empty.” He sighed faintly. “Anyhow, good afternoon, Shengsi. Forgive my grumbling.”

Shengsi dismissed it with a wave of her hand. “If you continue indulging in my products, then all debts are already repaid.”

Young Master Qin shook his head softly. “A gentleman repays kindness not with gold alone, but with remembrance.”

“You and your scholarly thoughts, Young Master Qin. That’s what I missed about talking to you.” Shengsi laughed lightly, though without any deeper meaning behind it, before asking, “I didn’t happen to see Mrs. Qin this morning. Is she well?”

“That mother of mine is as stubborn as ever.” He scratched the back of his neck helplessly. “Yesterday, she came here and learned the shop wasn’t open, but she still waited until dusk because she knew my youngest brother, Lei, would throw a tantrum if he didn’t get even a single loaf.” His expression softened slightly. “You know he only eats bread from this shop. The others simply can’t compare to how you bake your food. It’s…”

He trailed off the moment he noticed the flushed color of her face, and concern creased between his brows.

“Are you alright, Shengsi?”

Shengsi simply smiled and brushed aside his worry. “I’m fine, Young Master Qin. Just a cold. It won’t do much harm.”

“As long as you’re alright.” He picked up three flatbreads and took a bite from one, his mood visibly easing afterward. “My mother’s sick as well.”

“She is?”

He nodded. “That’s why I came in her stead. Our household practically lives on your bread.”

“You flatter me, Young Master Qin.”

Just then, the bells above the shop door rang once more.

This time, both Young Master Qin and Shengsi turned toward the newly arrived customer.

His hair was gathered into a neat bun secured beneath a dark gauze cap, while his robes were those of a young nobleman, though lighter and finer than most. The outer robe was a pale ash-gray layered over muted silver garments beneath, the fabric thin enough to drape softly along his narrow frame. His waist was slender to an almost delicate degree, not the leanness of a martial man nor the sturdiness of a scholar accustomed to long hours seated at a desk, but something gentler, softer. Even his hands appeared delicate.

His face, though youthful, was strikingly fair, with rounded cheeks and lashes far too thick and graceful for Shengsi not to notice.

At first glance, one might’ve thought him frail from illness.

At second glance…

Well.

Shengsi quickly dismissed the thought before it could settle any further.

Customers were customers, and curiosity had no place in a baker’s manners.

“Good afternoon,” Shengsi greeted with a light smile. “As you can see, the shelves are nearly empty already, so I beg your pardon.” She gave him another brief look before continuing, “I take it you’re a new customer. If there’s anything you wish to ask about Lizhi Ju, don’t hesitate to do so. Connecting with customers is one of this shop’s customs.”

The young nobleman cleared his throat softly. “I heard this place is regarded as a hidden pearl among the bakeries of Ziyou Town.” His gaze swept across the shelves before a smug grin tugged at his lips. “But seeing these now, I don’t find anything particularly remarkable.”

Shengsi didn’t take offense. Instead, she calmly stepped beside him while Young Master Qin silently observed nearby.

“Looking alone won’t prove anything. It would’ve been better if there were still enough loaves for you to sample properly, but that doesn’t mean the rest of my humble goods are unworthy of your taste.” She gestured toward the remaining bread. “They may appear simple, but they’re memorable in their own way.”

Young Master Qin then extended the basket in his arm. “I bought the remaining ten loaves out of greed.” He lifted it slightly toward the newcomer. “If you’d like, take one and judge for yourself.”

The young nobleman narrowed his eyes at the basket before tilting his head slightly. “But they’re only loaves. How different could they possibly be from ordinary bread?” He clicked his tongue lightly. “I heard they cost fifty wen each. Even commoners couldn’t afford to eat them daily. So what exactly makes them worthy of such praise? Merely being foreign and uncommon isn’t enough to justify boasting.”

“There’s more to them than appearances suggest. Take it from someone whose household regularly buys from this bakery.” Young Master Qin offered the basket again before adding mildly, “Unless you came only to stir trouble and speak carelessly.”

The young nobleman sneered faintly but still took one.

“You should split it in half first,” Young Master Qin advised.

The newcomer glanced between the loaf, the baker, and the nobleman before finally obeying.

The moment the bread tore apart, a glossy filling stretched gently between the halves. Thick and jewel-like, it carried a sweet fragrance reminiscent of ripe fruit, its deep crimson hue almost plum-like beneath the afternoon light.

His eyes widened at once.

There was filling inside?

When he took a bite, his expression collapsed entirely. Whatever composure he previously carried vanished as he devoured the loaf in large mouthfuls, as though he hadn’t eaten properly in months.

“Why does it taste like this?!” he exclaimed between bites. “It’s sweet, but not cloying… and this filling…” He stared at the remaining crumbs in disbelief before blurting out, “So this is the gimmick everyone keeps talking about?!”

Embarrassed by his own outburst, the young nobleman hurriedly explained that he had merely been passing through town when he overheard customers praising Lizhi Ju. Some claimed the bakery could rival renowned shops from larger cities, while others spoke of it as though it were a treasure hidden within Ziyou Town itself.

At first, he thought the locals were exaggerating.

Now, he wasn’t so certain anymore.

In the end, he purchased every remaining item within the shop before finally departing, leaving only Shengsi and Young Master Qin behind.

“It’s all thanks to you that I managed to survive today.” Shengsi bowed gratefully toward him.

Young Master Qin merely shook his head dismissively. “You’re giving me too much credit. Even without me, he would’ve left satisfied eventually.” A faint smile surfaced on his face. “At the end of the day, your shop earned another returning customer.”

“Still, you helped greatly. How am I supposed to repay you?” Shengsi truly couldn’t brush the matter aside, especially since he had willingly offered one of the expensive loaves he purchased simply to defend her bakery.

“Shengsi,” Young Master Qin began gently, “this shop isn’t only important to my mother. It’s important to the people of Ziyou Town as well.”

He lowered his basket slightly before continuing.

“It’s true that your loaves are what made Lizhi Ju widely known now, but my mother once told me that Aunt Li founded this bakery through ordinary food first. The steamed buns, flatbreads, fried pastries… those were what built trust among the townspeople.” His gaze softened. “The loaves only came later, first offered as free slices and small samples until people slowly grew attached to them.”

Truly, their loaves had always been peculiar to the locals.

At first, the bakery merely sold ordinary goods much like the other shops in town: steamed buns, flatbreads, fried pastries, and simple sweets familiar to common folk. The loaves, however, were different. Inspired by a foreign recipe Aunt Li once introduced, they were initially treated as little more than a curiosity. Each customer who purchased ordinary bread would receive a small sliced portion of the fifty-wen loaf as a free taste.

Little by little, people grew accustomed to it.

Then they began craving it.

Commoners bought them occasionally, usually during celebrations or after saving spare coin, while wealthy households purchased them almost daily.

There were only three bakeries within the town, but among them, Lizhi Ju had carved out a distinct identity of its own. It wasn’t the largest nor the most prestigious, yet the locals remembered it well, especially because every loaf concealed its own little surprise within.

Young Master Qin gave a soft smile.

“I know you appreciate what I did today, but understand this as well: the people appreciate you too, Shengsi. Along with the bread you work so hard to make.”

Before dusk, he asked for nothing in return and quietly departed with those final words, leaving Shengsi far happier than before.