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

The following day, in the evening.

The last vestiges of orange-red sunset were slowly swallowed by gray-blue, and the office buildings on both sides of the financial street gradually lit up with countless lights, like a cluster of stars appearing on the earth.

Li Zhibai squatted at the shop entrance, holding a plastic watering can and watering the potted green plants by the door.

He had just finished watering the plants and was about to get up when a thin figure suddenly appeared in front of him like a ghost, startling him.

Li Zhibai stood up and saw that it was actually Zhao Yunlong.

That food blogger who once went broke after eating a single meal.

It hasn't been long since I last saw her, but she has lost a lot of weight. The flesh on both sides of her cheeks is almost completely gone, her cheekbones are high and protruding, and her eye sockets are sunken. She looks like a skeleton that has been brutally tortured.

The "Choose Your Dish Based on Its Value" talent has been activated.

Customer: Zhao Yunlong

[Personal Finances: Green -]

green.

This guy actually went back to green after going from white? What has he been doing all this time?

"Brother Long, it's only been a short time, how come you've gotten so thin?"

Zhao Yunlong walked to the steps in front of the shop, plopped down, and looked wearily at Li Zhibai: "Boss, do you remember what you told me last time?"

"Which sentence?"

"You said if all else fails, you could work in a factory first, save some money, and then come back to make videos."

After his reminder, Li Zhibai remembered.

He did say that to Zhao Yunlong in a private message that night. At that time, the guy had already gone bankrupt, so he just gave him a little encouragement.

"Did you hear that?"

"I heard it."

"Did you go to the factory?"

"I didn't go to the factory; I went to sort express packages."

When Li Zhibai heard that he had gone to work sorting express packages, his pupils dilated slightly, and he gave him a thumbs up: "Brother, you're awesome!"

Back when he first graduated and couldn't find a job, he was almost at his wit's end, but he never considered doing this because he was afraid of dying suddenly.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Yunlong actually went.

"Someone told me that sorting express packages earns more than working in a factory, three or four hundred yuan a day, it's just tiring. I thought, what's a little tiredness? What kind of hardship haven't I, Zhao Yunlong, endured? When I was a kid, I helped my grandpa harvest wheat in the fields, and I never complained even when my skin peeled from the scorching sun. But after I actually did it myself, I realized how wrong I was!"

"Even Ultraman would fail at that damn job!"

"I started working every night and worked for more than ten hours straight, the conveyor belt never stopped and I never stopped. When I finished the first day, I felt like all the bones in my body were falling apart. If I hadn't been thinking that I had to save enough money to come back and eat the food you cook, boss, and reshoot the videos, I probably would have quit on the first day!"

"Anyway, I just toughed it out for about half a month."

After hearing his story, Li Zhibai gave him another thumbs up: "Awesome! Absolutely awesome! Brother Long, with your perseverance, what can't you do? I believe that one day you'll make my shop a hit!"

"Absolutely!" Zhao Yunlong stood up abruptly, his fighting spirit reignited. "I also believe I'll definitely become famous!"

"Boss, I've come today to tell you some good news."

"What good news?"

"No one has reported me recently."

"Really?" Li Zhibai's eyes lit up. Had those mysterious whistleblowers finally given up?

"Yeah, I've been observing for several days now, and no one reports any videos I post. I just don't know why, but the view count just won't go up. Each video gets less than three digits of views, even when I post from a different account."

"Boss, do you think I'm just destined to clash with your Shaxian snack shop?"

Li Zhibai: "..."

No, how can you blame me for this? It's not like I reported you.

You are the victim who was reported, but I am also an indirect victim, okay?

"So what are you planning to do? Stop filming?"

"Take a picture! Why aren't you taking a picture!"

Zhao Yunlong clenched his fists, a fighting spirit igniting in his eyes: "We used those materials too many times last time, so reposting them will definitely not get any views. Therefore, I've decided to film a new episode today! Let's fight again!"

"I refuse to believe that after all this money I've poured into this project, it still won't get off the ground!"

"Boss, bring me every single new dish in your restaurant! I'll fucking do it! I'm willing to go back to sorting ingredients for another two weeks!"

Li Zhibai looked at him, and a rare expression of reluctance appeared on that cunning businessman's face.

"Brother Zhao, are you really not going to reconsider? You've only just saved up a little money, it wasn't easy for you."

"No need to think about it anymore!" Zhao Yunlong declared with unwavering resolve, "In my life, I, Zhao Yunlong, will either die on the road exploring new restaurants, or I'll become famous on the road exploring new restaurants. There's no third way! Rather than living a cowardly life, I might as well go all in!"

Li Zhibai was immediately infected by his heroic spirit and patted him hard on the shoulder: "What ambition! Today I'll risk my life to accompany you! I'll make sure everything is arranged perfectly for you!"

He turned and called out to the shop, "Sister Su Su! Prepare the ingredients! We have a big customer today!"

……

After half an hour.

The table in front of Zhao Yunlong was filled with a dazzling array of dishes.

Bodhi Jade Noodles, Fragrant Mixed Noodles, Crystal Steamed Dumplings, Chicken Leg Rice, Secret Recipe Braised Pork, Vegetarian Meat... He ordered everything on the menu.

Total expenditure: 12888 yuan.

Zhao Yunlong's financial situation inevitably changed from green to white again, and he fell back into poverty.

It was even more thorough than last time.

Last time I at least had a few hundred yuan left, but this time it's only enough to buy a subway ticket.

Zhao Yunlong looked at the payment screenshot on his phone, then at the table full of delicious-looking dishes in front of him, took a deep breath, and gave the camera a bright yet somewhat tragic smile.

"Hey everyone! Brother Long is back!!!"

"Today I'm taking you to explore a restaurant that bankrupted me with just one meal..."

…… ...

More than two hours later.

Zhao Yunlong leaned against the wall as he walked out of the Shaxian snack shop, letting out a satisfied burp.

"Boss, this time I'm going to be a hit! Just you wait and see!"

Li Zhibai stood at the door, waved to him, and expressed his utmost respect for him.

"Brother, I believe in you!"

After Zhao Yunlong disappeared from sight, Li Zhibai couldn't help but exclaim, "He truly is a warrior who dedicated himself to the cause of food!"

……

Not long after Zhao Yunlong left, two figures walked over from the parking lot of the Michelin restaurant across the street, laughing and joking.

Yu Shen and Pang Yi.

As the two chatted, they happened to talk about Zhao Yunlong.

"Fatty, don't you feel like something's missing lately?"

"Is it less? I don't feel it. We're still getting ripped off by Li Heizi every day."

"That's not what I meant. I meant that restaurant review blogger. How long has it been since we reported him?"

Pang Yi thought for a moment and said, "It seems like it's been almost half a month. Ever since Lao Lu said there was no need to report him, I haven't paid any attention to him. I had completely forgotten about him until you mentioned it."

"Yeah, it's been over half a month, and none of this guy's videos have gone viral. The views are all in the double digits. What's going on? We haven't reported him, and the platform isn't promoting him anymore? Has he been blacklisted by the platform?" Yu Shen said.

"Perhaps the algorithm has already determined that it's a low-quality account."

"After all, we've reported him so many times, the system has probably tagged him and stopped pushing his content."

"That makes sense. In any case, no matter what the reason, Li Heizi's shop won't become popular anytime soon."

The two were in a much better mood after talking about this.

It would be best if Li Heizi's restaurant never became popular, so they wouldn't have to queue up to eat there.

"Speaking of which, why hasn't Lao Lu come to eat lately?" Pang Yi asked again.

"He's away on a business trip. He said he has a project to discuss in another city and won't be back for a few days."

"What about the aged tea?"

"Old Cha also goes on business trips. This guy feels uneasy if he's not on a business trip for a day."

"Sigh, everyone's either on business trips or working overtime, and it's just the two of us who still insist on coming to Shaxian to eat. It's really a bit deserted."

"Why do you think that is?"

"Why else? Because we're the two most free."

"..."

The two chatted as they walked into Shaxian Snacks. Li Zhibai saw them and greeted them with a smile.

"Here we go again. What should we eat today?"

"One serving of mixed noodles, one basket of steamed dumplings, and a chicken leg rice, please."

"I'd like two servings of steamed dumplings."

"..."

Half an hour later, the two of them, having eaten and drunk their fill, came out of the store satisfied.

Yu Shen even let out a burp.

"Cool!"

After returning home, he quickly washed up, lay down on the bed, turned on the air conditioner, scrolled through his phone, and enjoyed his carefree life as a second-generation demolition beneficiary.

Just as he was enjoying watching videos, his phone suddenly started vibrating wildly, flooded with group messages.

[Anti-Black Alliance Core Group (without Boss Su version)]

Don't fill the teacup so full: [@DeepSeaFish @MountainsAndSeasCanBePushedFlat @I'mNotFatty @TwilightForest...]

Don't fill the teacup so full: [Something terrible has happened!!!]

Don't fill the teacup so full: [The sky is falling!!!]

Cha Xiaochai sent more than a dozen messages in a row, each followed by a string of exclamation marks, indicating that she was very anxious.

Yu Shen yawned and lazily typed a few words.

Deep Sea Fish: [Old Tea, have you taken the wrong medicine? What big thing could make you so anxious? Does your dad think you're hopeless and have to start over?]

Don't fill the tea cup so full: [Get lost! This isn't my problem, it's that food blogger, that Brother Long!]

Don't fill the teacup so full: [He's furious!!!]

Don't fill the teacup so full: [Video went viral!!!]

Everyone: [? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ]

Everyone: [What did you say?!]

I'm not fat: [Impossible, wasn't his account banned? How could he get back up after being reported so many times?]

Don't pour the tea too full: [Go see for yourselves, his restaurant review video he just posted today got over 10 views in two hours! The comments section is full of people asking which restaurant it is, and some people have already started digging up the address!]

A fish in the deep sea: [...]

I'm not fat: [...]

Mountains and seas can be leveled: [...]

【….】

A fish in the deep sea: [Holy crap, I'm doomed!]