Chapter 45: Phoenix Buns Take Flight
The scent that wafted from Su Yanyue's courtyard the next morning was nothing short of heavenly.
Warm rose petals, golden honey, and a hint of toasted orange peel drifted lazily through the early breeze, making even the hens pecking in the yard pause and sniff the air.
Inside the kitchen, the triplets stood in a row—aprons tied, faces scrubbed, and anticipation high.
"I call dibs on naming it," Su Zhi whispered.
"You named the last one," Su Rui argued. "I want to call it the Crispy Blossom Bomb!"
"That sounds dangerous!" Su Lin hissed. "Let's call it the Phoenix Bloom Bun—something elegant!"
"Quiet!" Yanyue warned, elbow-deep in dough. "You nearly burned down the kitchen yesterday. You're lucky I even let you in here again!"
"But Auntie," Su Zhi piped, "we didn't explode anything this time!"
Yu Shiming, leaning in the doorway, nodded with mock solemnity. "No kitchen fires yet. Truly a milestone."
Yanyue rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her smile. "Just keep stirring."
They had followed Yu Shiming's suggestion precisely this time—petal-infused syrup, candied orange peel, crushed walnuts, and a light glutinous dough. Yanyue had even shaped each pastry into a delicate phoenix tail swirl.
They were light, flaky, and—against all odds—delicious.
By midmorning, the first curious customers arrived, drawn by the irresistible aroma.
"Did you make something new again, Yanyue?"
"What is that smell? It's floating all the way from the river!"
"I'll take three!" shouted old Granny Liao before even tasting one.
Su Lin, now self-appointed Pastry Manager, cleared his throat and presented a tray with great ceremony.
"Introducing the Phoenix Bloom Bun—crafted by the Three Culinary Geniuses of Qinghe Village!"
Su Rui handed over the sample while Su Zhi counted imaginary coins behind his back.
The first bite drew gasps. The second brought moans of delight.
By the third customer, a small crowd had gathered, demanding buns faster than Yanyue could bake.
One young woman clutched her face and exclaimed, "It's like eating sunshine with petals!"
Another muttered tearfully, "I can finally forgive my husband."
Yanyue stared, dumbfounded. "It's just pastry."
But Yu Shiming leaned closer with a smirk. "You've created a miracle. Accept it."
Word traveled fast—by midday, people from neighboring hamlets had arrived with baskets, demanding dozens of the new treat. Some even bartered eggs, cloth, and live chickens to get more.
Su Rui swaggered past with a broomstick slung over his shoulder like a merchant's pole. "We need a cart, Auntie. For brand expansion."
"Brand expansion?" Yanyue blinked.
"Phoenix Bloom Bakery," Su Lin explained. "Tea is good. But pastry and tea is legendary."
Yanyue opened her mouth to protest—but Yu Shiming was already setting down a stack of flour sacks with a calm, "We'll need a bigger oven."
She narrowed her eyes. "Are you enabling them?"
"Not at all," he said, completely unconvincing.
And so, amidst sticky fingers, flour fights, and arguments over decorative sprinkles, Su Yanyue's tea business quietly grew a new wing.
From herbal brews to phoenix buns, her little courtyard was now the heart of Qinghe's sweet revolution.
And as the triplets proudly handed out "membership cards" scribbled on scrap paper, Yanyue couldn't help but laugh.
Maybe chaos really was good for business.