"Xiao Qin." Zhang Chu began to confess on the spot, "Back then, about those molds, it’s true that Grandpa Zhang was so short on money that I lost my mind. It couldn’t be helped; houses in the city were really expensive. I felt bad for letting only my wife earn money, and the lumber mill salary was so low, so I impulsively used some crooked means..."
Qin Huai also said, "Although my dad couldn’t really use those molds, after I started using them to make snacks, I found that the quality of that set of molds was really good, just a bit challenging for an average snack master. I came here this time to ask you to make a few sets suitable for today..."
The two of them froze, staring at each other.
Zhang Chu: "You want me to make a few sets of molds?"
Qin Huai: "Crooked means, lost my mind?"
After a few exchanges of glances, Zhang Chu confessed everything.
Found a corner to confess.
Back then, when the snack business in Qiu County was booming, it was true, but it was Zhang Chu’s wife, Cao Guixiang, who started it. Those really high-end snack gift boxes, which wealthy businessmen sought after, were all made by Cao Guixiang.
The so-called snack mold set by Cao Guixiang was just a rumor spread by Zhang Chu to make some mold money.
The reason this couple did everything was only for one thing — to save money to buy a house.
Buying a house in the city, at that time Zhang Chu and Cao Guixiang felt that the education in the county wasn’t good enough, and wanted to move to the city for their son and daughter to receive better education, which led to the snack craze later.
As for the rising mold prices, Master Zhang’s craftsmanship was extraordinarily high, so the prices were particularly high, all due to the hype.
Of course, Master Zhang’s craftsmanship was indeed excellent.
The molds he crafted had no issues and were indeed usable.
But regular molds were usable, and molds from the Journey to the West series and the Twelve Chinese Zodiac series were too difficult for ordinary snack masters. Yet, these were the valuable molds, and Zhang Chu, in his quest for quick money, went against his conscience by not disclosing that these molds, although bought, had a threshold. He would only advise when someone was really being a fool, and then continued to make money.
Qin Congwen was undoubtedly one of the top fools back then.
"Xiao Qin, indeed, it was wrong of me to do that back then. It had nothing to do with my wife, it was mainly my fault."
"You are now a pastry snack master, if you need it, I can make a few simple mold batches for you for free."
"You can make anything that kids like nowadays, like Peppa Pig, Pikachu, Doraemon, Hello Kitty, Teletubbies, it’s no problem."
Zhang Chu silently confessed.
Qin Huai listened with eyes shining: "So, your wife was the one using the Journey to the West series and the Twelve Chinese Zodiac series molds for making snacks back then."
Zhang Chu nodded: "Yes, those snacks were expensive, and if handmade, it would have been difficult. Using molds, although not getting it done in one step, ensured quality and sped up the process."
"Do you know how to use those molds?" Qin Huai’s eyes brightened even more.
Over the years, the Journey to the West series molds of Qin Congwen had mostly stayed unused, still almost new. Qin Huai hadn’t really used them either because, in reality, Qin Huai didn’t know how to use those complicated molds.
"I know, but these molds are too difficult for ordinary cooks to handle. Unlike regular molds that are done after pressing, these require individual shaping after pressing."
Why is this Master Qin focusing on such an odd point?
"It’s good you know." Qin Huai was extremely happy, "Grandpa Zhang, let’s add each other on WeChat first."
"Then you can tell me on WeChat how to use the Journey to the West series molds, and make a few of similar difficulty for me. I really need to use these molds to practice my Finger Skill now."
These molds are good tools for practicing Finger Skill.
They can simplify very complex snacks but are still not that simple, making them suitable for the current stage of Qin Huai.
Did he just confess for no reason?
This Xiao Qin is as stubborn as his dad was back then.
Zhang Chu remembered who Qin Congwen was as he was confessing.
He advised Qin Congwen back in the day, subtly saying the Journey to the West series was too hard and expensive, but Qin Congwen didn’t listen and went for the most expensive ones.
"Xiao Qin, the requirement for the chef with these molds..."
"Grandpa Zhang, haven’t had lunch yet, right?" Qin Huai interrupted Zhang Chu.
Zhang Chu: ? Did he forget? Didn’t Qin Huai say this at the start?
"No." Zhang Chu said.
"Then let’s have some snacks to fill up first." Qin Huai led Zhang Chu back to the kitchen door, where the Zhang Family was already eating.
They were gobbling it up.
Zhang Chu’s grandson, Zhang Zhiyun, was eating the most exaggeratedly, holding a big bowl, sitting next to Qin Luo, almost burying his face in the bowl, and still loudly said:
"The tangyuan your brother made is really delicious, just a bit shy of my grandma’s!"
"Nonsense, my brother’s is definitely better than your grandma’s!" Qin Luo retaliated even louder.
"My grandma’s is delicious!"
"My brother’s is delicious!"
"My grandma’s is better than all the restaurants outside!"
"My brother’s is better than all the restaurants outside too!"
"Anyway, my grandma’s is the best!"
"It must be my brother’s that’s the best!!!"