Chapter 62: Membership Cards – Follow Me.
Yihuan stood anxiously outside the Scholar’s Manor, waiting for news. The moment a servant stepped out, she hurriedly asked, “How did it go? Did the young ladies like the soufflé?”
The servant, polite and composed, responded with a smile, “The young ladies loved it. I’ve been asked to thank Miss Yihuan on their behalf.”
Hearing this, Yihuan breathed a sigh of relief and smiled warmly. “Thank you for letting me know. If there’s anything that could be improved, please don’t hesitate to tell me.”
The servant glanced at her, surprised to find that she wasn’t just being polite—her expression was earnest, as if she genuinely wanted to make the desserts even better. Feeling a flicker of admiration, he replied, “The young ladies are very satisfied. Rest assured, Miss Yihuan.”
Only then did Yihuan relax.
“I told you, they’d love it.” Liu Hexiao, who was lazily leaning against the doorframe, looked at her with a teasing smile.
Yihuan curved her lips into a faint smile. “I wasn’t confident at first. I was worried their tastes might differ too much.”
Liu Hexiao strolled over and said, “You should have more confidence in yourself. In all of Shengjing, no one has pickier tastes than me.”
Yihuan couldn’t help but laugh at his audacity.
He smiled along with her and said, “Let’s head back.”
Yihuan nodded in agreement.
In recent days, Shengjing Dessert Shop’s business had only grown busier. Every day, a long line formed outside, filled with eager customers.
As they walked back, Yihuan spoke thoughtfully, “Our customer base currently falls into three categories. First, there are the regulars from Tian Shui Alley—they’ve mostly been satisfied through Qing Nu’s efforts with pre-orders and deliveries. The second category is the noble ladies and gentlemen you’ve helped attract, and the third group consists of the students preparing for their exams in the capital.”
She paused to calculate. Thanks to Liang Wei and his recommendations, dozens of students had already become regulars, with coffee becoming their favorite companion for late-night studying.
Liu Hexiao’s expression darkened. “Are they really here just for the coffee? I think their intentions are far from pure.”
Yihuan glanced at him, amused. “What’s this? Are you jealous?”
Liu Hexiao met her gaze without hesitation. “What if I am? Can’t I be jealous?”
Suppressing a laugh, Yihuan teased, “Petty! They’re just a little enthusiastic, maybe chatting more than usual. What’s wrong with that?”
“What’s wrong?” Liu Hexiao huffed indignantly. “Last time, that nosy brat wouldn’t stop pestering you with questions while buying a coffee. He even tried to find out if you were engaged! If that’s not shameless, what is?”
Yihuan burst into laughter. “Didn’t you already chase him off? Why are you still upset?”
Liu Hexiao retorted confidently, “Chasing him off was the bare minimum. The fact that I didn’t hang him upside down shows how considerate I was.”
Trying not to laugh too much, Yihuan said, “Alright, alright. You’re right.”
He glanced at her and muttered, “In the future, just ignore those types. Let Ah-Miao, or better yet, let me handle them.”
Yihuan giggled. “If I let you handle them, I’m afraid the shop would have to close down for good.”
Liu Hexiao, unconvinced, defended himself. “It’s not that bad… But, speaking of the shop, have you considered expanding?”
Startled, Yihuan stopped in her tracks. “What do you mean?”
Liu Hexiao explained, “Your original customers are mostly from Tian Shui Alley. They’re on a completely different social level compared to your new patrons from the East Market.”
Yihuan nodded thoughtfully. “That’s true. Some of the wealthy families have even started to complain about waiting in line alongside customers from Tian Shui Alley…”
Although this fact made her uncomfortable—it felt wrong to divide people into hierarchies—the reality of this era was that such social gaps were impossible to ignore.
“It’s good that you acknowledge this,” Liu Hexiao said. “If you want your business to grow, you need to cater to different tiers of customers separately.”
As they spoke, they arrived at the bustling East Market. The streets were crowded with people dressed in fine, elegant clothing, a stark contrast to the simple attire of the residents near Changming Street.
Liu Hexiao gestured toward the lively street. “Don’t you want a shop here, right in the heart of the East Market?”
Looking at the bustling crowds, Yihuan whispered, “Of course I do…”
But she hesitated. Opening a second shop would be a huge strain on their resources.
Sensing her worry, Liu Hexiao said, “Most of the wealthy families buying your desserts don’t care much about the price. If you’re short on funds, you could even borrow from them.”
Yihuan followed his train of thought, and suddenly, an idea struck her. Her eyes lit up with excitement. “I’ve got it!”
Curious about her enthusiasm, Liu Hexiao asked, “Got what?”
With a mischievous smile, Yihuan exclaimed, “We can introduce membership cards!”
“Membership cards?” Liu Hexiao repeated, puzzled.
Yihuan nodded eagerly. “It’s a way to retain customers. For example, we could invite customers to ‘load’ money onto a card in advance. The more they load, the more they can use it later at the shop. It’s convenient for them and helps us secure some upfront funds!”
Yihuan continued to elaborate on her idea, excitement sparkling in her eyes. “As the balance on the membership cards grows, we can allocate part of the funds to opening a new shop. Of course, the portion we use mustn’t compromise the stability of the current business.”
Liu Hexiao nodded thoughtfully as he organized her reasoning. “So, you want to issue membership cards for two purposes: first, to encourage loyal customers to visit more often, and second, to raise money in advance. Is that correct?”
Yihuan nodded. “That’s exactly it.”
After a moment of contemplation, Liu Hexiao asked, “But how will you convince people to load their money onto these cards ahead of time?”
“That’s the key,” Yihuan replied. “From what I know, there are two main strategies. One is to offer promotions when they load money. For example, if they load a hundred wen, we could give them a balance worth a hundred and ten wen.”
Liu Hexiao shook his head. “That kind of discount won’t appeal to them. These people aren’t worried about saving a few coins.”
Yihuan frowned slightly. “Then what would work better?”
After a brief pause, Liu Hexiao’s eyes lit up with an idea. “How about this—membership cardholders get to skip the line.”
Yihuan froze for a moment before her face broke into a bright smile. “That’s brilliant!” She looked at him, admiration sparkling in her eyes. “Why didn’t I realize before how clever you are?”
Liu Hexiao chuckled softly. “There are a lot of things you don’t know about me.”
The summer afternoon heat left most of Changming Street deserted—except for Shengjing Dessert Shop.
Sitting outside Jinxiu Restaurant across the street, Manager Luo watched the long line of customers outside Shengjing Dessert Shop with envy.
Nearby, Bai Laoban (Boss Bai) from the pastry shop wandered over, idle and curious. “Manager Luo, what brings you out here to enjoy the shade today?”
Manager Luo smiled and replied, “It’s slow this afternoon, so I decided to take a break.”
Bai Laoban glanced across the street and frowned. “I just don’t understand it. What’s so special about that Shengjing Dessert Shop that people are willing to line up for an hour just to buy some snacks?”
Manager Luo gave him a knowing look. “Bai Laoban, you haven’t tried their desserts yet, have you?”
Bai Laoban scoffed. “I’ve heard it’s just a bunch of dainty little snacks—not worth my time.”
Despite his dismissive words, there was a faint tinge of bitterness in his tone.
Manager Luo chuckled. “If you’d tried them, you wouldn’t say that.”
Curiosity piqued, Bai Laoban asked, “So, you’ve had their desserts?”
“Of course,” Manager Luo replied. “And I’m also familiar with Miss Yihuan, the owner. She’s quite the businesswoman.” He glanced again at the line of people. “I hear they recently started offering something called a ‘membership card.’ That’s why so many people are lining up—to hand over their money willingly!”
“Membership card?” Bai Laoban repeated, puzzled. “What’s that?”
Manager Luo explained, “It’s simple. Customers prepay for their purchases, and Miss Yihuan gives them a small wooden card as proof. They can use it to buy things whenever they want.”
Bai Laoban clicked his tongue in disbelief. “Are these people stupid? Why would they hand over their money in advance?”
Manager Luo chuckled again. “Because cardholders get to skip the line.”
Bai Laoban glanced skeptically at the long line outside Shengjing Dessert Shop. “Then why is there still such a long line?”
Manager Luo ’s grin widened. “They’re lining up to buy the membership cards.”
Bai Laoban was utterly speechless.
After a moment, his disbelief turned into grudging admiration. “I heard Shengjing Dessert Shop owes a lot of its success to the Prince Qi’s household.”
Manager Luo shook his head. “That’s not entirely accurate. Miss Yihuan built up the shop almost entirely on her own. The heir, Liu Shizi, only got involved recently.”
Bai Laoban’s eyes widened. “So, the heir is working there?”
Manager Luo laughed. “Not only is he there, but he’s also actively helping Miss Yihuan run the business. With his extensive connections across Shengjing, he’s recently introduced her desserts to the noblewomen’s circles. Who would’ve thought it would take off so quickly?”
Bai Laoban looked incredulous. “Are you telling me she’s managed to take her business from Changming Street all the way to the circles of high-ranking officials—and the heir himself is helping her do it?”
Manager Luo nodded with a smile. “Exactly. Miss Yihuan is a natural talent when it comes to business, and she just so happened to meet the heir, who’s willing to pave the way for her. That’s why her shop has flourished so quickly.”
By now, Shengjing Dessert Shop was a household name among food lovers in Changming Street and beyond.
With a deep sigh, Bai Laoban admitted, “Well, their success is theirs to enjoy. I’ll just focus on my own shop. These days, taxes keep going up—it’s getting harder and harder to make a living.”
Manager Luo ’s expression stiffened slightly. “You’re right. Times are tough.”
Bai Laoban muttered bitterly, “I don’t know what the Emperor is thinking. Every year, taxes and levies increase, but I hear they can’t even find the funds to provide disaster relief for the floods out west.”
Manager Luo frowned. “The Emperor is obsessed with luxury. Since his ascension, he’s built countless exclusive hunting grounds, wine cellars, and gardens filled with rare treasures…”
The two men fell into silence, gazing wistfully at the bustling Shengjing Dessert Shop. If only their own businesses could attract such crowds.
Inside Shengjing Dessert Shop, Yihuan and Ah-Miao were busy collecting payments and recording membership fees, their hands almost too tired to move.
Yihuan asked, “Where is everyone? Why aren’t they helping?”
Ah-Miao replied, “Qing Nu is out making deliveries. As for the Shizi… I have no idea what he’s busy with.”
—-
At Chengji Hall
Doctor Yu’s expression was complicated as he asked in a low voice, “Shizi… are you certain about this?”
Liu Hexiao’s tone was firm. “My mind is made up. Whatever the consequences, I’ll bear them myself. I won’t let them fall on you, Doctor Yu.”
Doctor Yu opened his mouth as if to speak but ultimately said nothing.
Seeing his hesitation, Liu Hexiao asked, “Have you made up your mind, Doctor Yu?”
Doctor Yu’s face darkened slightly.
He had spent his life childless, but he and his wife had once adopted a young girl.
The girl had grown into a beautiful young woman by the age of fifteen.
One night, when the Empress Dowager fell ill, Doctor Yu stayed overnight in the palace to tend to her.
Following her adoptive mother’s instructions, the girl brought a warm cloak to Doctor Yu at the palace.
But fate was cruel. At Cining Palace, Emperor Li Ze happened to catch sight of her.
The Emperor took a liking to her at first glance and summoned her to his chambers that very night.
The girl, who had already been engaged to Doctor Yu’s nephew, was devastated by the humiliation. Overcome with despair, she took her own life.
Doctor Yu and his wife were heartbroken, but Emperor Li Ze dismissed their grief coldly, saying, “A girl from a lowly household was never destined for great fortune.”
Forced to suppress his anger for the sake of his family’s safety, Doctor Yu endured silently. But the Emperor continued to find ways to torment him, until a direct conflict arose, prompting Doctor Yu to resign from his position and retreat into seclusion.
Lost in thought, Doctor Yu was startled by a knock on the door. A young man called from outside, “Uncle, there are many patients waiting. Could you hurry up?”
Doctor Yu quickly responded, “I’ll be right there.”
“Is that your nephew?” Liu Hexiao asked casually, having heard bits and pieces of the old tale.
Doctor Yu nodded. “Yes, this is Young Master Yu. He opened Chengji Hall—it was all his doing. A filial child.”
Liu Hexiao nodded slightly, sipping his tea in silence as he waited for Doctor Yu’s answer.
After a long pause, Doctor Yu finally made up his mind. “Come with me.”
