Chapter 47: The Imitation Crisis
A week after Master Feng's dramatic exit, peace had returned to Qinghe Village—or so it seemed.
Su Yanyue was overseeing the triplets as they arranged buns into neatly wrapped parcels when Auntie Wu came rushing into the courtyard, huffing and fanning herself with her sleeve.
"Yanyue! Trouble again! That Riverbend baker—he's opened a new stall at the market road!"
Su Lin gasped. "Enemy sighted!"
Su Rui narrowed his eyes. "Operation Flour Spy is a go."
Yu Shiming, leaning against the pillar with arms crossed, raised an eyebrow. "What now?"
Auntie Wu waved her hand. "He's selling something called Golden Phoenix Buns!"
Su Zhi blinked. "That's just… our name, but shinier!"
"Exactly!" Auntie Wu said. "He even claimed it's the original recipe. Said you stole it from him!"
Yanyue pressed her fingers to her forehead. "That man…"
The triplets immediately donned their mismatched "disguise gear"—bamboo hats, upside-down aprons, and a pair of charcoal smudges under their eyes.
"We're going in," Su Lin whispered.
Yanyue sighed. "No tripping over cabbage this time."
With Yu Shiming accompanying them as "adult supervision," the group made their way to the crossroad market.
And there it was—a flashy red canopy stall with gaudy gold flags fluttering from the corners. A crude sign hung overhead: Golden Phoenix Buns — A Taste of Royalty!
Master Feng stood proudly behind it, tossing small buns onto trays like they were solid gold.
"They look… deflated," Su Rui whispered.
"More like phoenix pigeons," Su Zhi muttered.
Yanyue approached calmly. "Master Feng. We meet again."
Feng spun around. "Ah! The imposter! Come to sample real phoenix buns?"
She smiled sweetly. "Sure. Let's try one."
He puffed up. "You'll taste the difference."
She took a bite—and instantly regretted it. The dough was dry, the filling too sweet, and the texture like old dumpling skin.
Yanyue swallowed hard. "It's... certainly an experience."
The triplets, already attracting a crowd with their exaggerated reactions, clutched their stomachs.
"I can't taste anything after that!" Su Lin wailed.
"My mouth is confused," Su Rui added.
Su Zhi pretended to faint. "I saw my ancestors!"
Snickers spread among the bystanders.
A nearby merchant whispered, "Didn't taste half as good as Yanyue's buns."
"Didn't even look right. Where's the phoenix shape?"
Master Feng's eye twitched.
Yu Shiming stepped forward with a calm, slow voice. "Master Feng, you may want to consider quality control before making royal claims."
"I—I—" Feng stammered, "My apprentice must've made this batch!"
"Your 'apprentice' is chewing on raw dough behind the stall," Su Zhi pointed out.
More laughter erupted. A few customers began drifting toward Yanyue, asking if she had any buns left.
Feng turned red and shouted, "I'll be back with a better recipe!"
Yanyue smiled lightly. "I look forward to it. Do let me know when that happens."
As they walked away, Su Lin grinned. "That was a sweet victory."
"Revenge, served golden and dry," Su Rui added.
"Let's make new flyers that say: Beware of Imitations!" Su Zhi suggested.
Yanyue shook her head, exasperated—but laughing.
Let them try to copy. Her buns were made with real heart, teamwork, and occasionally chaos. That couldn't be faked.
As they returned home, the triplets skipped ahead, already planning their next "bun upgrade."
And Yanyue?
She simply smiled.
Let the others chase gold. She was building something far richer.