Chapter 56 - 51: Sugar Cake

Chapter 56: Chapter 51: Sugar Cake

The fact that Leitel and his group had come all the way from the First Ring last time proved that as long as her food was good enough, she could attract customers from other districts. She had already built up a customer base from the food-sharing group, so she didn’t need to worry about finding patrons.

’With that in mind, I can completely forget about upgrading the stall.’

Ning He couldn’t help but beam with joy.

Between her work at the cafeteria stall and her new gig with the Black Panther Company, she really wouldn’t be able to manage if she added running her own stall on top of it all.

’The ideal situation would be to run the stall when I feel like it and just slack off when I don’t.’

When she met with Connie and Ah Huai at dawn the next day, Ning He had them try samples of the two new items. Connie hadn’t expected her to work so fast and was pleasantly surprised. After tasting them, she was even more certain she had made the right choice.

"I don’t know where you get so many ideas," she praised sincerely. "It’s all the same flour, but you manage to make so many different things, and every single one is delicious."

Ning He laughed and gave them a general overview of the recipes and ingredients.

"...So, what do you two think? Which one should be next month’s new item?"

Connie was the expert in this area. She carefully compared the two pastries in her hands.

"...Both are on the sweet side. This square cake is denser, costs more to make, and the recipe is more complex. If we were to sell it, the price would have to be about the same as the red bean rice cakes. The sugar cake is relatively simple to make, it just uses a lot of sugar. But on the bright side, the ingredient list is small, so the price only needs to be slightly higher than the fried dough sticks."

"Right now, our best-sellers are the fried dough sticks and the sweet fermented rice balls. We can’t keep up with the demand for them each day. We sometimes have a few rice cakes and glutinous rice cakes left over. If we add another square cake at the same price point, I suspect it’ll be the same story once the novelty wears off. I think the sugar cake is a better fit."

"I agree, the sugar cake is a better fit," Ah Huai said. "But there’s another problem. We’re already stretched thin just making what we currently offer. If we add another item, we might not have enough hands on deck."

Ning He thought for a moment. "Why don’t we stop selling the glutinous rice cakes for now? They’re our worst-seller and they’re time-consuming to make. If we replace them with the sugar cakes, we’ll definitely have enough time."

Connie nodded. "I think that could work. It’ll be a good chance to see the customer feedback. If a lot of people are still craving that kind of thing, we can launch the square cakes as the next new item and ride the momentum."

’What a genius!’

Ning He gave her a thumbs-up in admiration.

"That’s a great idea! Let’s do it."

The three of them discussed pricing and daily output for a little longer. After settling on some rough numbers, Ning He asked Connie about her plans for the coming cold wave.

"Same as always. Ding Xiang and the others will go to the shelter, and we’ll head over after we’re done with the stall."

"You’re still setting up at the usual spot?"

The pocket buns and the two types of flatbreads weren’t cheap. Connie’s current spot was near the best part of the Fourth Ring, and the residents in the vicinity were considered high-earners for the district.

But even so, Connie didn’t run her stall every day. Selling twice a week allowed customers to build up their spending money. Any more often than that, and few could afford her food.

Even special customers like Leitel couldn’t be expected to show up every day.

Plus, there was always a several-day gap between shipments from Ning He’s so-called "supplier." Sourcing ingredients from other channels would drive up costs considerably. It was better to take a few days off and reappear when the customers were craving her food again—it was guaranteed to be a huge hit.

But Connie said, "I was just about to talk to you about that. Once it gets cold, the flatbreads and buns will cool down the second they’re off the heat, so they might not sell well. On the other hand, something with a hot broth like the fermented rice balls will be more popular. I was wondering, could you make more for us to sell at the stall?"

’Talk about a timely solution.’

"Of course. I’m planning to sell them along with the fried dough sticks and sugar cakes right at the entrance of the shelter. Everyone coming and going will see the stall, so we won’t have to worry about customers."

"Hmm, none of those are too expensive, so we don’t need to be picky about the location," Connie said. "They aren’t hard to prepare, either. We could sell them every day. I think it’ll work."

"Then it’s settled. I’ve already applied for a stall permit. We’ll do it together."

Connie, of course, had no objections.

Considering the crops in the black mud definitely wouldn’t survive the extreme cold, Ning He suggested Connie run the stall that afternoon. It would be one last chance to sell the flatbreads and buns before the Cold Front hit. She even gave Connie another discount, using the excuse that the "supplier" was clearing out inventory.

According to the forecast, the Cold Front was due to arrive in Beiluo City around eight o’clock that evening, so they had enough time. Connie hadn’t planned on opening the stall, but in the end, she couldn’t resist the temptation and agreed.

At 3:30 p.m., Connie and Ah Huai showed up at their spot, and Ning He came along to help.

It was only then that she realized Connie’s stall was located right on the border of the Third and Fourth Rings. Not far away stood a high city wall, with a steady stream of vehicles passing through its gate.

Ning He glanced at it once before looking away.

Even though she was a resident of the Fourth Ring, she could come and go from the academy every day without any trouble. Ordinary people could also travel freely between the rings, so it seemed the wall was just for show.

Schools and factories were letting out early today, giving everyone time to prepare. As a result, the streets were crowded. Numerous vehicles carrying uniformed government and military personnel hurried back and forth, completing last-minute deployments and inspections.

At the designated stall area, however, there were only a handful of carts and very few customers. Ning He felt a little anxious, but fortunately, the foodies from the group chat had gotten the message and customers soon began to arrive.

As the aroma of food wafted through the air, many passersby also stopped, drawn in by the scent.

When the regulars learned they wouldn’t be able to get this food for the duration of the Cold Front, their purchasing enthusiasm was reignited. Many bought several items at once, and the three of them were soon working at a frantic pace.

Before six o’clock, they had completely sold out. Ning He was happily counting their earnings when a shrill siren suddenly blared through the air.

A moment later, a grim female voice crackled from the loudspeakers on the streetlights.

"Emergency alert. Due to an unforeseen change, the Cold Front will reach the city within fifteen minutes. All residents of all rings are instructed to immediately change into thermal gear, secure all doors and windows, activate all heating devices, and prepare for emergency conditions. Shelters will close in five minutes. All residents must cease outdoor activity immediately."

The color drained from Connie’s face.

"Damn it! We have to find shelter, now!"