TATSD Chapter 64

After a loud shout from a servant by Lu Zhanhong’s side, the restless crowd quieted down somewhat, and Lu Zhanhong began to read the opening speech.

His words were mainly aimed at the specially invited guests seated in the front row of the stage.

As for the common people gathered behind, eagerly waiting for the performance to start, very few were paying serious attention.

Once he finished reading the blessings, the guests in the front row applauded, and the spectators in the back followed suit. Lu Zhanhong stepped off the stage amidst the enthusiastic atmosphere, and as the sound of drums and gongs intensified, the curtain gradually opened.

A woman in white, playing a dan role, sat at a round table with a jade vase in hand, tears silently streaming down her face.

“Chang’e must regret stealing the elixir; in the blue sea and sky, her heart aches every night.”

This was a classic piece titled “Chang’e Flies to the Moon,” perfectly fitting the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival.

As the performance began, many astute individuals immediately recognized the piece, calling out in approval as they became engrossed in the splendid performance, oblivious to the young servants running by to serve mooncakes to the guests.

— It was the night of the full moon during the Mid-Autumn Festival, and Chang’e, having stolen the elixir, flew to the heavenly palace, feeling lonely and abandoned, accompanied only by the Moon Rabbit.

— The beautiful woman longed for her mortal lover, washing her face with tears. Holding a mooncake in her hand, she sang of the full moon and family reunion.

Seeing this, Ji Wei’s eyes lit up, and he couldn’t help but applaud and call out in approval. The audience, momentarily stunned by the scene before them, gradually snapped back to reality and joined in the applause.

They couldn’t be blamed for their slow reaction.

A classic piece is called so because it has been honed over time, with plots familiar to all.

However, today’s performance of “Chang’e Flies to the Moon” subverted past perceptions by vividly portraying Chang’e’s loneliness and regret after flying to the moon.

Not only that, but it also added a segment where mooncakes conveyed deep feelings.

This segment was precisely the advertisement Ji Wei had arranged with Lu Zhanhong to incorporate into the performance. Given that the Mid-Autumn Festival was approaching, starting with this piece was not out of place.

Thanks to Lu Zhanhong’s guidance, this advertisement became much more natural and appealing.

Especially for the guests seated in front of the stage, when they came to their senses, they noticed that something had appeared on their tables, resembling the mooncake in the dan’s hand.

Curiosity piqued, and they all picked it up to taste.

Instantly, an astonishment swept over them, as many recognized it and began asking each other about the mooncakes.

More of the common people stood about ten steps away from the guests, unable to see the mooncake clearly in the dan’s hand, but they could still discern that it was a round food item.

“What did Chang’e eat? Now I’m hungry.”

“Yeah, I came to see this and haven’t had dinner yet.”

“I see the people in front have some to eat; we’re the ones suffering by standing here.”

“Is that thing called a mooncake? Did Chang’e just sing about it?”

Someone asked uncertainly, instantly sparking curiosity about mooncakes among the crowd, with many clamoring to try one.

They were just casually talking, never expecting that such a precious item would be offered to so many of them.

Amid this commotion, as the performance of “Chang’e Flies to the Moon” came to a close, things began to settle down.

Suddenly, several young servants appeared, holding plates filled with bite-sized white snow-skin mooncakes, weaving through the crowded audience.

“Mooncakes are here!”

“One for each person, come and taste!”

“Don’t miss out; it’s free tasting!”

The servants shouted their lines, all of which Ji Wei had scripted.

As expected, the crowd, which had just calmed down, erupted again. A group of people clamored for mooncakes, pushing against each other until the plates were completely emptied.

Only then did the servants withdraw, retreating to a secluded corner to collect their earnings from Ji Wei.

Each one received ten wens.

The servants left happily.

After tasting the soft, chewy, and sweet snow-skin mooncakes, the crowd couldn’t help but ask everywhere where to buy more.

When most of them were asking around, someone suddenly informed them that they could buy them at Zhang’s bakery. This informant had been arranged to blend into the crowd in advance, ready to guide them to Zhang’s bakery when curiosity struck.

Once this was mentioned, those who had just tasted the mooncakes were already imagining their next purchase, eagerly waiting for daybreak to rush to Zhang’s bakery for more.

After “Chang’e Flies to the Moon,” two more popular pieces were performed in succession. Not only were the guests pleased, but even the birthday celebrant, Old Madam Lu, couldn’t stop clapping in delight.

After three performances, it was time for intermission.

Lu Zhanhong returned to the stage to congratulate Old Madam Lu on her fifty-fifth birthday, instructing a servant to bring out the cream cake sitting in the ice basin and place it in front of her.

“What is this?” Old Madam Lu’s attention was drawn to the cake.

The way the berries were arranged to form the character for “longevity” was quite clever, leaving her in awe of the creator’s ingenuity.

Additionally, the vibrant colors and fragrant dairy aroma made her appetite surge, filling her with joy.

“What is this? Who made it? How do we eat it?” Old Madam Lu bombarded the servant with questions.

But the servant, just holding the cake, had no idea.

While he was flustered trying to answer Old Madam Lu, Ji Wei stepped forward with a small knife, bowing to her first.

“Madam, this item is called a cake, specially ordered by Lord Lu for your birthday.”

“Oh? Did you make this?” Old Madam Lu asked in surprise.

“Yes, please allow me to cut the cake for you.”

After Old Madam Lu nodded, Ji Wei used the small knife to cut a quarter of the six-inch cake, placing it on a small plate to present it to her.

“You are the birthday star today; the first piece of cake should be given to you.”

Old Madam Lu accepted it, looking and smelling, unable to contain her curiosity as she took a spoonful of the cake, mixed with cream, berries, and pudding—

The cake was light and soft, filled with sweet, juicy berries, and complemented by the tangy, creamy mango frosting. Each bite revealed a delightful mango pudding nestled in the center, soft and bouncy, sweet but not cloying. The rich aroma of cream mingled with refreshing fruit flavors, reminiscent of summer.

Madam Lu had difficulty chewing, so even slightly firmer pastries were hard for her to enjoy. This cake, however, was soft and fluffy, sweet without being sour, fulfilling all her requirements.

After just one bite, her eyes lit up.

“Hurry and cut another piece for Old Lu,” Madam Lu whispered to her husband beside her, urging Ji Wei to move faster.

Once Old Lu tasted the cake, the elderly couple couldn’t stop smiling, praising Ji Wei enthusiastically until the entire cake was gone.

“At our age, our appetites aren’t what they used to be; just a small piece is too much,” Madam Lu sighed, glancing at the cream cake and then at Old Lu, who shared her sentiment but seemed somewhat relieved.

“Remember to save us another piece to take home tonight.”

Just as Lu Zhanhong walked over from the stage, he heard her words. He looked at the cake, which had been significantly reduced, and teased, “Mom and Dad, is it that good?”

“Of all the birthday gifts you’ve given over the years, this is the one I like the most,” Madam Lu said, patting Lu Zhanhong’s hand, her eyes crinkling with joy.

“Is that so? Then I must try it myself.”

Ji Wei had already prepared and had someone serve it to Lu Zhanhong.

With the six-inch cake divided, only a small portion remained, which Ji Wei arranged in front of Madam Lu.

After the host family had their fill of cake, the servants began distributing pieces to the guests.

By the time Ji Wei finished serving everyone, only two bites remained of the cake.

A new performance had already begun, but the guests had lost their previous interest in the show, now immersed in the sweet aroma of the cream cake.

Only Ji Wei, holding the last piece of cake, sneaked back to her seat and whispered, “I saved this for you; you must try it!”

“Is it appropriate?” Liu Yimian stretched his neck to glance around, noticing that everyone was focused on eating and had completely ignored the performance on stage.

Still, he felt a bit shy about it.

“Who cares about the show? Just taste it.”

Ji Wei eagerly presented the small plate to Liu Yimian, not bothering with a spoon. Liu Yimian slightly parted his lips, and with a flick of his tongue, he took the small piece of cake into his mouth.

It was cool, fragrant, and soft—truly delicious.

“Is it good?”

Liu Yimian nodded, taking another bite.

“Then next time it’s your birthday, I’ll make you a cake, even bigger and more beautiful than this one,” Ji Wei said proudly, his excitement shining under the bright lights of the lotus pond as if they were fireworks bursting into flame.

At that moment, Liu Yimian’s heart fluttered.

Hiding in the shadows, he watched Ji Wei, secretly setting off fireworks of joy in his heart.

After the birthday banquet, those standing outside to watch the performance were the first to disperse, and the lively atmosphere by the Lotus Pond gradually returned to its usual tranquility.

“Ji Gongzi, I heard that you made those mooncakes. Could I buy some?”

“I’ll pay any price. I just want to know how much that cake costs?”

“Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching, so I’m here to order mooncakes.”

“Oh, Lin brother, we were thinking along the same lines.”

While many people still reminisced about the cake, it was indeed true that with the Mid-Autumn Festival so close, the festival took precedence. The mooncakes carried such auspicious meanings; how could they be neglected?

However, no one expected the mooncakes to be so expensive.

“What?! Two boxes for one tael?”

“… How many are in a box?”

“How big are they? Are they really this big?”

Lu Zhanhong’s cousin, a young man not yet thirty, was visibly pained as he gestured the size, estimating that there should be at least a dozen mooncakes in one box.

Ji Wei shook his head with a smile, “There are six mooncakes per box, with two flavors each. We sell a minimum of two boxes.”

“Can’t you make it cheaper?”

“Sorry, but I can’t.”

“Are these mooncakes made of silver…?”

“Fine, it’s once a year during the Mid-Autumn Festival. I’ll take two boxes!”

“Well, I’ll have four boxes then; I want to take two boxes home for my parents.”

“Please wait a moment while I note this down.” A person with paper and pen had been waiting nearby. Ji Wei casually found a table, handed over the deposit, and recorded the names, addresses, and quantities.

As the hour grew late and the guests gradually departed, the evening breeze dried the ink on the paper, and Ji Wei folded it neatly, tucking it away in her chest.

It was getting late, and Lu Zhanhong invited the two to stay overnight.

However, since there were many guests at the Lu residence tonight, Ji Wei thought it best not to stay and disturb them, so he took Liu Yimian and hopped onto the ox cart, heading home.

Although the day had been busy and exhausting, spinning like a top, just thinking of the enthusiastic response from that night and the heavy bag of deposits made Ji Wei feel that the fatigue and busyness were nothing in comparison.

“I heard a lot of people talking about wanting to buy those snow-skin mooncakes,” Liu Yimian said, feeling somewhat suffocated by the crowd earlier and wandering nearby.

He overheard several onlookers discussing going to the Zhang family bakery to buy mooncakes, realizing that there had been a tasting event right after the performance of “Chang’e Flies to the Moon.”

It was clear that this was Ji Wei’s idea.

“Yes, I had the staff from Zhang’s bakery blend into the crowd. They took the opportunity to do some promotion,” Ji Wei said with a chuckle, clearly proud of his clever plan.

“Some promotion?” Liu Yimian couldn’t help but laugh, “Ji Ge, you’re being too modest. The bakery staff will be busy for days.”

“Aren’t I the one who will be exhausted first?” The bakery relied on Ji Wei to supply the mooncakes.

Zhao Hu had already picked the candidates; he was just waiting for Ji Wei to finalize his selection.

Tomorrow, once the staff was settled, they could begin making mooncakes.