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

Li Zhibai deliberately said the 6000 million yuan shop was worth 600 million yuan, just to avoid upsetting his mother, but he still fainted.

I should have said 60.

However, he could understand. His parents were just ordinary farmers who had lived cautiously their whole lives. They couldn't sleep even if they owed 600 yuan, let alone 6 million. So it was normal for them to get agitated when they heard that he had so much debt.

Li Zhibai was getting anxious on the other end of the phone, so he simply sent his mother a screenshot of his bank account balance. This trick worked; shortly after sending it, he heard his mother wake up on the other end of the line and exclaim:

"More than 160 million!"

"Son, you mean you made almost 200 million yuan in just two months running a Shaxian snack shop?!"

"Yes, I was afraid of upsetting you, so I didn't dare tell you." Li Zhibai didn't mention that he had earned 200 million. He did have 200 million in his account originally, but after transferring the property and paying taxes, that's all the money he had left.

Even the remaining money was enough to shock my parents; it was the first time in their lives they had ever seen so much savings.

What followed was a barrage of questions from Li's mother, who asked every single detail related to his shop, leaving Li Zhibai completely exasperated.

"Mom, it tastes really good! I never thought I was such a good cook, that I have such a talent for cooking."

"And you don't know this, but the way people eat in Jiangcheng is different from other places. They don't care how much it costs at all; the more expensive it is, the more they want to eat there."

"..."

After Li Zhibai's repeated explanations, Li's mother finally managed to accept the fact that her son had become a very good chef.

"Son, if I had known you were so talented at cooking, why would I have sent you to university? I should have spent money to send you to Lanxiang Vocational School after you graduated from high school. You wasted four years of your life."

Li Zhibai never expected that his mother would not only accept the fact that he had become a chef, but also begin to reflect on the issue of investing in his education.

The name of this school doesn't sound quite right. Does Lanxiang have a culinary program?

"Mom, studying is still useful. Otherwise, how would I have learned so much about ripping off customers... ah, I mean, about doing business? You don't know how many tricks there are to doing business. Just learning to cook isn't enough."

Hearing this, Li's mother agreed, "Son, you're right. Studying is very useful. I was just being naive. If my family had been able to afford to send me to school when I was a child, I might have already opened a Shaxian snack shop and become a rich woman."

"Mom, you're absolutely right! You're just unlucky because your grandparents couldn't afford to send you to school. Otherwise, with your intelligence and vision, our family would have been rich long ago, and I might have been living a life of luxury as a second-generation rich kid."

A few words of flattery made the mother laugh out loud, and she thought her son made perfect sense. This made Li's father, who had been eavesdropping on the mother and son's conversation, feel embarrassed.

However, I must say, my son is getting better and better at talking.

Li Zhibai then reminded them, "Mom, you mustn't tell anyone that I've made a lot of money! You know all our relatives, if they find out I've made so much money, they'll definitely be asking you for money every few days."

"Mom understands, don't worry. If anyone asks me, just say you took out a loan to buy a house and are under a lot of pressure."

"Yes, yes, that's what I'll say."

As they chatted, Li's mother suddenly changed the subject: "Son, now that you have a house and a career, shouldn't you find a partner? Last time, your third aunt was talking about her niece..."

"Hey Mom! The construction crew called, I have to go now, bye!"

Li Zhibai hung up the phone and let out a long sigh of relief.

Although the process of showing off was somewhat "thrilling," he did not regret letting his parents know in advance that he had achieved some success in his career. Now that they know their son is doing well outside, they no longer need to worry about him.

Now that he's revealed the fact that he has a million-dollar savings account, he should share it with his parents.

Then he sent his parents red envelopes containing 88888 yuan each.

This time, Mr. Li accepted the request in less than a second, which was very decisive.

And I replied with four words: "Well done!"

.............

After settling things off with my parents, the next step was to prepare for the renovation of the new store.

Li Zhibai contacted several decoration companies, compared prices, and finally chose a relatively more reliable company to finalize the decoration arrangements.

According to his idea, the new store's decoration doesn't need to be as high-end as the Michelin restaurant next door; simple and simple is fine.

Anyway, none of the customers who come to his shop are there for the ambiance.

His requirements were just a few: maximize space utilization, ensure the comfort of each guest while cramming in as many seats as possible, provide ample space in the kitchen, and ensure a reasonable flow of movement. Meeting these requirements would be sufficient.

"The decorating style should be simple and bright, with warm yellow and natural wood tones for a cozy feel. There's no need for an open kitchen in this large space, but the layout must be logical: the cooking area, the food preparation area, the dishwashing area, the serving area... these areas must be arranged as I've suggested."

"The ceiling doesn't need to be too complicated. Install several rows of lights, the brighter the better. Ideally, the food should glow like it's in an animated film when illuminated by the lights, so it'll be more reasonable for me to charge a higher price. Also, clear out this area near the entrance; I want to put a lottery machine there."

"A lottery machine...?" The contractor was taken aback.

"Yes, the lottery machine! Don't worry about what it's for, just make sure there's enough power and space for it. Run the power cord inside the wall, don't leave it sticking out, it's unsightly."

Li Zhibai led the designer through the new shop, only stopping when all the details and requirements were clearly explained.

To ensure that no one cut corners, especially when it came to the building materials, Li Zhibai specifically emphasized that the best and most environmentally friendly materials must be used, including zero-formaldehyde and zero-VOC materials—the best of everything.

He runs a restaurant, and he not only has to ensure that the food is delicious and fresh, but also that the customers are safe... There is only one safety he cannot guarantee, and that is the safety of the customers' wallets.

"Boss, use only the best materials, this budget is not low," the contractor said.

"Just tell me how much it costs."

"Based on your requirements, it won't be less than 50."

50? And that's just for a simple renovation.

It's so typical of Wuhan!

If this were in his hometown, the same renovation could be done for around 100,000 yuan.

Li Zhibai gritted his teeth and agreed to the budget.

"Okay, let's go with this standard! But let me make this clear: if I find out that you've used inferior materials or cut corners, you won't get a single penny of the final payment, and I'll hire a lawyer to sue you for compensation."

"Don't worry, boss, we're all about integrity! You can inspect the materials yourself when they arrive on site, and don't pay me if there's a single nail missing," the contractor said honestly.

"OK!"

During the following period, Li Zhibai would go to the store every day to personally oversee the construction progress.

Firstly, he wanted to prevent anyone from cutting corners, and secondly, he wanted to open for business and make money as soon as possible; his hands were really itching to get started.

That afternoon, Li Zhibai was standing at the entrance of the new store watching the workers work when suddenly a fierce argument broke out from the entrance of his old store across the street. He could hear the commotion even across the street.

"Damn it, give me my money back! What kind of crap is this Shaxian? They charge 800 yuan for a bowl of noodles, and it tastes awful! Why don't you just rob me!" a young man roared.

Soon, two people came out of the shop; they were Zhao Lei and his uncle, Wang Dafu.

"What are you yelling about! The prices are clearly written on the menu, don't you have eyes to read them? You complain about the price after you've eaten, but why didn't you complain about the price when you ordered!"

"You...you're ripping us off! I'm going to file a complaint!"

"Go ahead and sue! Go find whoever you want!"

"And you'd better get out of here right now. If you interfere with my business, I can call the police to arrest you! The police come very quickly around here."

"Damn, you guys are too arrogant! Running a shady business and then calling the police to arrest your customers."

"Get out of here!"

"..."

Seeing another argument breaking out across the street, Li Zhibai pulled out a handful of sunflower seeds he had prepared beforehand, leaned against the door frame, and started cracking them while watching.

This kind of thing happens almost every day, and he sees it almost every day; he's gotten used to it now.

I wonder how much longer we can keep watching this amazing show.