Su Xiaoqi saw Du Yiyi worrying about this matter and chuckled to comfort her.
"Even if the mooncake business is down, other pastries still have potential, Yiyi, don't worry about it," Su Xiaoqi smiled.
It's known that Chen Jin Ji in Mianzhou City nets over a thousand taels of profit each month.
The three of them could each get over three hundred taels.
Chen Jinnian listened to Du Yiyi reconcile the accounts. Although she was a young lady who had never done manual labor,
The accounts, when tallied up, were clear and understandable.
Even someone like her, who had never been to this shop before, could hear and understand it clearly.
However, upon hearing that within the profit of over two thousand taels, she alone took three parts, while the other three only received two parts, she immediately declared it unacceptable and that it should be divided equally.
Because Du Yiyi was not familiar with her, and it was their first meeting, with no prior understanding of each other, she assumed Chen Jinnian was just being polite.
So she firmly stated that the matter was settled and she didn't need to say more.
But Chen Jinnian looked at Su Xiaoqi with some urgency, sincerely stating that it must be divided equally, otherwise she wouldn't take a single coin.
"Originally, this shop in Erbing Alley, I've never even been here, and you're giving me money.
I feel unworthy, but to be given more than the others, I absolutely cannot accept it."
Su Xiaoqi knew Chen Jinnian's character; she was definitely not someone who was greedy for money or profit.
It was precisely because she understood this trait that she felt at ease cooperating with her.
And when there was profit to be made, she would bring her along first.
Thus, she said, "Then let's divide it equally. We'll have plenty more opportunities to make money in the future."
Once the matter was settled, everyone sat down to divide the profits.
Because Shen Xiaomei was absent, her share was temporarily entrusted to Su Xiaoqi to receive and deliver to her later.
After the distribution, Chen Jinnian began her important work for this visit: training.
"It will be hard work for Aunt Chen," Su Xiaoqi said with a slight bow.
Du Yiyi followed suit and bowed.
Chen Jinnian hastily reached out with both hands to support them.
For the entire afternoon, Su Xiaoqi and Du Yiyi stayed in the backyard of the pastry shop.
They had tea and tasted the experimental pastries made by the newcomers.
Du Yiyi frowned and said she felt like vomiting.
Looking at the eleventh meat floss bun Su Xiaoqi handed her, she shook her head repeatedly, "No more, no more, I can't eat anymore, I really can't eat anymore."
Su Xiaoqi glanced at the two plates of pastries on the stone table and thought, "We can't finish them, why don't we give them to the employees to take home?"
Du Yiyi nodded repeatedly and agreed.
Then she looked at Su Xiaoqi for help, saying she wanted to taste Aunt Chen's craftsmanship.
She had agreed with her parents when she left.
"Oh, and my grandmother too," Du Yiyi added somewhat awkwardly.
Su Xiaoqi saw that she could proactively think of sending something to Madam Du, which meant that the relationship between the grandmother and granddaughter must have thawed.
Seeing her inquisitive gaze, Du Yiyi nodded and then told her explosive news.
"If you hadn't mentioned it, I would have almost forgotten," Du Yiyi said, laughing exaggeratedly.
Su Xiaoqi waited for her to finish laughing before leisurely asking.
"Hahaha, do you know that last time you deliberately didn't let Sun Jiaojiao taste the lotus root powder, and you even had my grandmother lock the lotus root powder away.
As a result, she was so greedy that she bribed Ping Niang to steal the lotus root powder for her!
On the sixteenth, I went with my parents and happened to discover it.
I followed Sister Xiaoqi's method, using a feint to advance, and said that grandmother doted on her so much that if she wanted to eat it, she just had to say so, and her grandmother would surely allow it.
But she didn't trust her grandmother and wasn't close to her, which is why she thought of stealing.
Grandmother was extremely disappointed in her, and she's too ashamed to show her face now.
She'll probably go back to her own home soon, hahaha, ever since I came to this city from the capital, I haven't seen her suffer such a big loss in so many years."
Du Yiyi laughed so hard she clutched her stomach, shaking like a flower.
Upon hearing this, Su Xiaoqi expressed that while it was a little surprising, it was actually within expectations.
Because Sun Jiaojiao was not someone who was good at hiding her little thoughts.
She had noticed it the first time she met her.
As for why she could always suppress Du Yiyi, it was simply due to Yiyi's personality.
If she made even a slight change, Sun Jiaojiao's tactics wouldn't work.
And the reason Sun Jiaojiao resorted to stealing lotus root powder was determined by her upbringing.
She lost her mother at a young age. Although her family was well-off, her wealthy father always educated her to get what she wanted through her own abilities.
It didn't matter what kind of ability it was, whether it was ethical, or whether it followed the law.
"She's too persistent. She won't leave the Du family anytime soon," Su Xiaoqi stated confidently.
Although Sun Jiaojiao wasn't very smart, she was a person with very clear goals.
She knew exactly what she wanted.
And she knew to put in the effort for it, even disregarding the cost, just to achieve her intended purpose.
"What does she want?" Du Yiyi asked, not understanding.
She was used to her carefree life, so how could she understand Sun Jiaojiao's thoughts?
"Alas, everyone has their own aspirations. In fact, if she were truly smart,
She shouldn't have tried to suppress you in everything and fallen out with you."
Su Xiaoqi privately thought that pleasing Madam Du was not as beneficial as befriending Du Yiyi.
Especially with Du Yiyi's loyal nature, if Sun Jiaojiao were friends with her, there would be no fear of not achieving things.
However, she only thought about this in secret.
Some things are never necessary to say out loud in front of others.
"Alas, Sister Xiaoqi is so good. It's just that my father said he will be returning to the capital next year for official duties, and there might be changes in the palace, so my father's position might move.
I don't know where we'll go. At that time... I really don't want to leave here."
Du Yiyi pouted, full of reluctance.
Su Xiaoqi's heart stirred. She recalled that the novel did mention some major changes in the capital during this period.
But it shouldn't have started yet, it should be next year.
And the reason Shen Yun was promoted so quickly and entered the center of power so early was because he backed the right horse.
After chatting for a while, Du Yiyi suddenly became enthusiastic and said that she had seen Su Xiaoqi show her skills at the inn last time and knew she was capable.
Since they were idle now, why didn't they find a place to spar.
Su Xiaoqi became interested at her suggestion, her spirit soaring, and she readily agreed.
Du Yiyi pulled Su Xiaoqi to the backyard, saying there was a small training ground there that was spacious enough.
Upon arriving, they saw a circular area with a roof and wooden flooring.
There were even eighteen kinds of weapons displayed. Du Yiyi asked Su Xiaoqi what she wanted to choose.
Su Xiaoqi clenched her fists.
She indicated that she would fight bare-handed.
"Good, straightforward. Then I won't choose either." Du Yiyi was most skilled with the spear.
In her youth, she followed her maternal grandfather and uncles to practice battlefield combat skills.
She was most skilled with the spear, using thrusts, sweeps, and jabs.
However, Su Xiaoqi had only learned some self-defense techniques in modern times.
Against ordinary people, she had some chance of winning.
But against Du Yiyi, who had been tempered in the borderlands, truthfully, it wasn't enough.
However, her movements were fast and her posture agile, so she didn't give Du Yiyi an easy time.
After the fight, both of them were sweating and had minor abrasions on their bodies.
But both were extremely excited, feeling that the fight was exhilarating and immensely satisfying.
Du Yiyi praised Su Xiaoqi's footwork, while Su Xiaoqi envied Du Yiyi's crisp and decisive moves, each one fatal.
The two even agreed to come again next time.
But soon, Su Xiaoqi's smile froze.
Shen Yun was standing right behind her.
Su Xiaoqi's heart skipped a beat, not knowing how much Shen Yun had overheard.