The late spring sun carried a hint of summer heat, and the midday market was bustling with noise.
"Young man, it's been a few days since you last came by." The old woman with a face full of pimples lifted the lid off the steamer, and the sweetness of the pastries enveloped in white mist wafted over.
"We're rushing work at the Forging Workshop.
A tall, thin hunchbacked old man brought over a tray of freshly baked pastries and chimed in.
"I passed by Golden Iron Long Street yesterday when delivering pastries. The hammering sounds at the Forging Workshop were as incessant as summer rain. Is it the usual box of osmanthus cake?"
"Yes, wrap me a box of date pastry and qingtuan as well."
Su Mu paid and waited a while. Soon, the old woman from Xinghua House wrapped the pastries in lotus leaves, handing over a lotus leaf package before he left.
"Inside are a few molten core mung bean cakes. Young man, take them home and try them."
"Alright, thank you."
