I've been possessed by a culinary genius, and I've turned Shaxian snacks into a rip-off!

Just as Li Zhibai was thinking about whether to serve the Huo family several more large bowls of braised pork to recoup his lawyer fees with interest,

Huo Junmin suddenly changed the subject: "I can symbolically charge you one dollar for your case."

Li Zhibai was stunned.

"One dollar? Really?"

Just now it was 3,000 per hour, and suddenly it's only 1 yuan. Is there any difference between this and it being free?

He firmly believed in the idea that free things are the most expensive, and felt that the other party must have some hidden conditions.

"Attorney Huo, do you have any additional conditions? For example, you want me to transfer the business to you because my shop is doing so well. That's not impossible. You can add more money or exchange your shop with me."

Huo Junmin: "..."

This boss is really shameless! Not only is he shameless, but he also has some pretty grand ideas.

"There are no extra conditions, I'll only charge you one dollar."

"Why?" Li Zhibai asked curiously.

Huo Junmin turned to look at his smiling father and his son, who was engrossed in eating, and pointed at them, saying:

"I haven't seen my dad this happy in a long time."

"Ever since Mom passed away, he hasn't been very happy at family gatherings every year. But after coming to your shop today, I noticed that he's been laughing more often, and it's the kind of laughter that comes from the heart."

"And my son."

"As you can see, this child is very rebellious. He never speaks to me properly at home, and we always end up arguing whenever we try to communicate. He has never eaten properly, and I haven't seen him eat so happily in a long time."

"Actually, it's also my fault for being too busy with work. He was basically raised by a nanny from childhood to adulthood. When he reached adolescence, I realized that I no longer knew how to communicate with him. I am not a qualified mother."

Huo Junmin gave a helpless bitter smile as he spoke, his mood slightly somber.

Who would have thought that this lawyer, who was invincible in the legal profession, would be so unsuccessful in communicating with his son?

After hearing what she said, Li Zhibai had some guesses in his mind.

The fact that her son shares her surname suggests that the lawyer is likely divorced or widowed. Given her busy work schedule and lack of time to spend with her son, his rebellious behavior is understandable.

"Attorney Huo, don't blame yourself too much. Look how well he's eating now, isn't that a good start?"

"If all else fails, bring him to my place for dinner every day. I guarantee he'll eat this well every time. Over time, your relationship with your son will definitely improve!"

He could tell that this boy, who was going through puberty and growing taller, had the biggest appetite. If he came to eat here every day, it would definitely increase his average order value.

Huo Junmin was unaware of Li Zhibai's thoughts, but after hearing his honest words, he seriously considered them for a moment.

"I'll think about it."

"No matter what, this meal meant more to me than just a meal. It was like helping me solve a family problem. I helped you with the lawsuit and charged you one dollar, which is fair and reasonable."

When Li Zhibai heard her say that, he stopped being coy; he had never been one to be coy.

"Attorney Huo, since you've put it that way, then I won't stand on ceremony with you."

Li Zhibai took a coin out of the drawer and handed it to her.

"The one dollar lawyer fee is settled."

Huo Junmin took the coins and put them in his pocket: "I'll have my assistant draft an agency agreement and send it to you tomorrow."

"Alright! Since Attorney Huo is so generous, I, Li Zhibai, am not a stingy person either."

Li Zhibai then took out a black, metallic-looking card from the very back of the cashier's drawer.

This is the store's prized possession—a finely crafted and very high-class diamond VIP card.

If you ask what this card is used for, its uses are very limited.

No discounts, no free meals, no reserved seats, no priority service; its only purpose is to have a tiny bit of collectible value.

Oh, and by the way, there's also a chance to be among the first to try the new product.

"Here, Attorney Huo, this is for you!"

"This is our store's exclusive Diamond VIP status, a limited edition worldwide. Money can't buy it; it's an exclusive and prestigious status, never to be shared!"

Huo Junmin took the card and touched it; the texture was indeed quite good.

As a woman whose wallet was stuffed with VIP cards for various high-end hotels, airlines, and private clubs, she didn't really care about such things.

The only thing she found interesting was that she never imagined she would one day receive a VIP card from Shaxian Snacks.

"Thank you! I really like it!" She still thanked him politely.

The two then briefly discussed the details of the case.

Huo Junmin, as expected of a top partner at a leading law firm, quickly and clearly explained the case.

"Keep the transfer agreement, transfer records, and chat logs you have safe. These are all crucial evidence."

"Your classmate Zhao Lei deliberately concealed the fact that the previous tenant was in arrears with rent before signing the contract, causing you to bear debts that you should not have borne without your knowledge. This is a typical case of civil fraud."

"Furthermore, the fact that he blocked you after receiving your equipment transfer fee can itself serve as evidence that he had the subjective intent to defraud."

"If we approach this case from a civil standpoint, we have a very good chance of winning."

"I'll have my assistant send you a power of attorney later. Once you sign it, leave the rest to me. It should take at most half a month. I guarantee he'll come to you to negotiate compensation. At that point, it's up to you whether you want him to pay money or to spend a few days in jail to teach him a lesson."

After listening, Li Zhibai showed a hint of reluctance on his face and sighed, "Well, he is my best brother in college. We were classmates for four years, slept in bunk beds, and had a very deep bond. I really can't bring myself to do it."

Upon hearing this, Huo Junmin smiled and said, "I didn't expect you to be so sentimental."

"Yes! I'm a very sentimental person, so I suggest we don't be too harsh. Make him pay a hundred or two hundred thousand in compensation, and then let him go to jail for ten or eight years. That should be enough. After all, he and I are good brothers, so we should be forgiving."

Huo Junmin: "..."

Good heavens, paying out hundreds of thousands and then putting someone in jail for ten or eight years, is this what they call being lenient when you can?

"Didn't you say he was your best brother?"

"That's right, that's why I'm taking special care of him! Think about it, he'll get into trouble sooner or later if he cheats and swindles outside. I'll put him in jail for a few years first, so he can reflect on his actions and I can also protect him from being retaliated against by bad people outside."

"I'm protecting him!"

"Besides, he didn't care about our brotherhood at all when he cheated me. Now that I'm giving him a chance to repent and start anew, he should be thanking me."

Huo Junmin suddenly felt that it was a real shame that this young boss didn't become a lawyer.

With that kind of eloquence and shameless behavior... wait, how did he almost get himself into trouble?

"I may not be able to meet your conditions. Making him pay money is fine, or even putting him in jail for a few days is acceptable, but putting him in jail for several years is obviously unrealistic. His behavior will most likely be considered contract fraud. The reason is simple: the transaction itself is real, not a scheme to get something for nothing. Concealing the rent arrears is a defect in the transaction, not criminal fraud, unless the other party never intended to transfer the restaurant's operating rights to you in the first place, in which case it would constitute criminal fraud."

"Of course, the specific determination will depend on the court's ruling."

"That's such a pity," Li Zhibai said with some regret. "Well then, Attorney Huo, I'm not the kind of person who's heartless. Tell him I'll give him two choices: either he pays me 60 and I won't pursue any other responsibilities, or he goes to jail for a few days and then pays me 60."

"I already gave him a discount of 40 yuan because of our brotherhood. I originally wanted him to pay 100 million yuan in compensation."

Huo Junmin: "..."

She suddenly felt a little sorry for that guy named Zhao Lei. Of all people to mess with, he had to mess with this money-grubbing fellow.

Also, does he see her as omnipotent, as if she can handle any situation?

"I can only try my best to get you the maximum compensation. His actions were indeed wrong from a legal point of view, so it's only right that he pays more compensation."

"Okay, then I'll leave it to Attorney Huo."

Li Zhibai also gave up his idea of ​​ruthlessly fleecing the Huo family today. The top lawyer was already helping him with the case for free, so it would be too much of a waste for him to go even further.

As human beings, we should all have some bottom line.

As long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood to burn; there will be plenty of opportunities to take them down later.