Uncle Wen stared at Lin He as he finished speaking. Feeling a bit self-conscious under his gaze, Lin He replied somewhat awkwardly, "Second Young Master is indeed exceptionally outstanding. I’m sure he will find a fine woman to look after him in the future. Uncle Wen, please don't worry too much."

In truth, Lin He was merely offering polite words, but upon hearing her, Uncle Wen nodded seriously, then broke into a hearty, cheerful laugh before walking away. Lin He, unsure what amused him so, also smiled faintly as she escorted him out.

After Uncle Wen left, Ziyu, standing nearby, smiled and remarked, "Miss, it seems Master Wen is aware of the situation between you and Second Young Master, and he is quite happy about it. I suspect he came today specifically to ask you to take good care of Second Young Master from now on."

Lin He glanced at Ziyu. "Uncle Wen merely stopped by to order mooncakes; you are overthinking things. He was just venting his feelings and talking about his son. You, however, seem to have read a great deal into it."

"Miss, a man like Master Wen wouldn't speak carelessly; everything he says carries a certain meaning. I believe Second Young Master must have told him something. What he told you today carries that very implication. Miss, you should prepare yourself; Master Wen might just be coming to our home to propose the marriage any day now."

Lin He looked at Ziyu. In fact, she understood the true meaning behind Uncle Wen's words today. However, she felt it was unlikely Wen Ningxuan had told his father anything. If Wen Ningxuan had spoken to him, Uncle Wen wouldn't have come with such a tentative air; he would have been direct. Moreover, she and Wen Ningxuan had agreed not to mention it to his family until later. Wen Ningxuan had promised, and he wouldn't go back on his word. Still, Lin He thought it didn't matter much that Uncle Wen knew. She hadn't said anything out of line, and judging by Uncle Wen's demeanor, he didn't seem to object—quite the opposite, he seemed pleased. For now, there was no need to fret.

Lin He's guess was, in fact, correct. As soon as Uncle Wen walked out, a smile remained plastered on his face as he thought about his son and He'er. Wen Ningxuan hadn't mentioned their affair to his father upon returning home; in fact, save for admitting it to Xiao Mo, he hadn't brought it up to anyone else. He knew that if his family agreed, they would make a grand fuss—proposing marriage and all the associated formalities. Lin He seemed to dislike such tedious matters. If they disagreed, he feared some family members might harass Lin He. Thus, he had kept silent.

Uncle Wen knew through observation and deduction. He had heard a few days prior that Xuan'er had visited Lin He's home, and yesterday he heard him mention Lin He's pastry shop again. Furthermore, he caught fragments from Xiao Mo mentioning "Second Brother." This struck Uncle Wen as odd. This was his own son; though they weren't close often, he understood him. This son rarely formed attachments, yet he had spent two whole days at someone else's house. Uncle Wen pondered this, connecting it to the fact that his son had refused all the young ladies his grandmother had tried to introduce to him. Uncle Wen suspected his son had developed feelings for someone. It wasn't difficult to deduce; there wasn't much at He'er's home that would attract him otherwise. Hence, Uncle Wen visited Lin He today to test the waters. Although Lin He’s words were polite and revealed nothing specific, Uncle Wen was a shrewd man. Seeing the way Lin He mentioned Second Young Master, he knew his suspicions were correct. Moreover, Lin He had almost let slip the name Ningxuan once, confirming his certainty.

Uncle Wen had always been fond of He'er. In the early years, seeing her close to Mo'er, he thought perhaps something might develop between them, but they were just children, so he hadn't dwelled on it, intending to see when they grew older. He hadn't expected it to be Xuan'er. Actually, it was Xuan'er; Uncle Wen was even more satisfied. Xiao Mo had been pampered since birth, excessively doted upon by his mother; he had never lacked anything. But Xuan'er was different; his mother had left him when he was very young, and he had been raised under the care of Xiao Mo's mother. Though the family didn't slight him, Uncle Wen knew that being raised away from one's own mother was never the same. If nothing else, the distinct contrast between Xuan'er's and Mo'er's temperaments was telling.

Uncle Wen had known He'er since she was very young and had become quite familiar with her over the years. Although she was a girl from a farming family, her character was exceptional. She possessed a wisdom rare in women, coupled with a steadfast nature, kindness, bravery, gentleness, and genuine sincerity. In Uncle Wen's private estimation, such an excellent woman would be a much better match for Xuan'er; she could look after him, which reassured him more. Whether this was his favoritism or compensation, he felt such a fine girl was destined for Xuan'er.

Thinking these thoughts, Uncle Wen walked back to Cai Die Xuan, his face alight with smiles the entire way.

Meanwhile, Lin He had no time for such musings. Uncle Wen required the mooncakes to be finished before the tenth day of the eighth month to avoid being overwhelmed by the rush later. Brother Dabao had already delivered the boxes to Uncle Li for handling. These mooncakes were made in different styles, and this time, the focus wouldn't be on external appearance; the flavors naturally had to vary too. It wasn't about being overly luxurious, but there needed to be some distinction. Many raw materials were scarce at this time, requiring some ingenuity.

Despite the variety required, for a modern person like Lin He, this wasn't an insurmountable task. After pondering for one morning, she devised ten distinct mooncake flavors, such as salted egg yolk, lotus seed paste, osmanthus, shredded pork floss, red bean paste, and several others, including two with fruit infusions. The methods for making the fillings were largely similar; only the ingredients differed. Lin He had made mooncakes in previous years, so she knew she could manage this.

In addition to these ten specialty flavors, Lin He also created some bulk, inexpensive options: common mung bean paste and sesame paste fillings. These were priced at two hundred da qian each, wrapped in small paper boxes. This arrangement ensured that people from every social stratum could afford something; the wealthy could buy the best, and those slightly less affluent could still purchase them if they were willing to spend a little.

Lin He's gift-box mooncakes proved highly sought after. By the time Dabao brought the sample boxes back, Lin He had displayed one set of each type. Within a few days, the two hundred boxes were completely pre-ordered, and many people even came in person, willing to pay extra, but the shopkeepers regretfully stated they had none left for the year.

Ziyu watched a disappointed customer leave after failing to buy mooncakes and asked, somewhat puzzled, "Miss, since these mooncakes are so profitable, why not make more to earn more?"

Lin He smiled and replied, "Do you know the meaning of 'scarcity creates value'? If there were too many, why would people treasure them? Would they still be willing to pay this price?"