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

Four hundred thousand!

Li Zhibai's face, which had been somewhat numb from exhaustion, suddenly seemed to be infused with mysterious energy, and the corners of his mouth began to stretch out uncontrollably.

The left corner of her mouth turned up.

The right corner of her mouth also turned up.

The corners of his mouth kept sprinting wildly towards the base of his ears.

No! I have to hold back!

He still vividly remembered the painful lesson of his face cramping from smiling so hard last time, and he didn't want to have to show his face with a poker face again.

What's more, his apprentice was right there beside him.

Li Zhibai quickly lowered his head and rubbed his face hard with his hands, forcibly rubbing back the overwhelming joy that was about to burst forth. When he raised his head again, his expression had returned to calm, and he even put on a little show of arrogance.

"Hmm, not bad, today's performance is just so-so."

Su Su: "...Master, are you serious?"

You're still not satisfied with a daily revenue of over a million? Master, how big is your mind?

Li Zhibai: "Sister Su Su, you know I don't really care much about money. Money is just a number, no matter how much you earn. Enough is enough. The most important thing is bringing joy to our customers, letting them enjoy a heartwarming and delicious meal during the Mid-Autumn Festival. That's more important than how much money we make, don't you think?"

Su Su simply nodded in agreement as she listened to her master's righteous words.

She didn't believe a single word her master said. After all, they had known each other for so long, how could she not know what kind of person her master was?

The two chatted for a while longer. Li Zhibai yawned, rubbed his neck, and said, "Sister Su Su, I need to go back and catch up on my sleep. I have to go to the new store tomorrow to oversee the renovations. The contractor said it will be finished by next Monday, and I need to personally supervise the inspection."

He had just stood up to leave when Su Su suddenly called out to him.

"Master, wait a minute, there's something I almost forgot to tell you."

"What is it?" Li Zhibai asked.

Su Su took an envelope out of her apron pocket and handed it to him.

"This is an invitation letter from Chef Fang of Hefeng Xiyu, which he asked me to pass on to you. Jiangcheng is about to hold a competition for renowned chefs, and he hopes you will participate. Chef Fang himself will also participate."

"Chef Fang? He invited me?" Li Zhibai was stunned for a moment, took the invitation and looked at it over and over, and couldn't help but mutter to himself.

I haven't eaten at his restaurant recently, so what does it mean that he suddenly sent me an invitation?

Could it be that he's not convinced and wants to challenge him to another duel?

"What's the deal with this invitational tournament?"

"This is one of the more prestigious annual competitions in Jiangcheng's catering industry. This year marks its seventh edition, and the competition starts this Saturday. It has invited well-known chefs and restaurants in Jiangcheng, so it's quite prestigious. Originally, you weren't included, but Chef Fang asked someone to get you a special spot."

Su Su was too embarrassed to say that it was because his master's Shaxian County was really not presentable, and the organizer would definitely not give him an invitation letter. If it weren't for Master Fang asking for an invitation letter, his master wouldn't even have been able to get the qualification to participate.

To her shame, she had completely forgotten to ask her master if she wanted to participate in the competition. If Master Fang hadn't sent her the invitation, she wouldn't have even remembered.

After opening the invitation and glancing at its contents, Li Zhibai said nonchalantly, "What's the point of participating in a competition? It's a waste of time. I have to keep an eye on the new store's renovations. I don't have time to compete with a bunch of people."

He had no interest in these cooking competitions. What were all those trophies, medals, and certificates of honor compared to opening for business early and ripping off gullible customers? Besides, even if he won the competition, he'd only get a small prize, which was probably less than a fraction of his daily revenue. Why bother?

Su Su seemed to have anticipated his response and added, "Master, are you really not going? This time, four or five mainstream local media outlets will be broadcasting the entire event live, and Jiangcheng Radio will also be broadcasting it simultaneously. It is said that the number of viewers is conservatively estimated to be over a million. In addition, many food investors and people from chain restaurant brands will be going to watch the competition live. The champion will not only receive a prize of 100,000 yuan, but will also receive the officially certified title of 'Jiangcheng Master Chef'."

As soon as she finished speaking, Li Zhibai's eyes lit up instantly, as if they had two little light bulbs inside.

"etc!"

"How many media outlets did you just mention? Was it Jiangcheng TV? Did it really have over a million viewers?" He asked three questions in a row.

"That's right!" Su Su nodded and said, "After all, it's a highly anticipated event in Jiangcheng's culinary scene, and many local famous chefs participate. It's a very large event."

"We absolutely have to go!"

Li Zhibai immediately changed his tune, declaring righteously, "Promoting the culinary culture of our nation is the mission of every catering professional. As the contemporary inheritor of Shaxian cuisine, how can I be absent from such a grand event? I must go! Not only must I go, but I must also bring back a championship, so everyone can see that our Shaxian snacks can also grace the halls of high culture!"

He suddenly realized that this was a golden opportunity for publicity.

If there are really that many local media outlets and millions of viewers, even if only one percent of them are interested in coming to the store, that would still be tens of thousands of potential suckers.

With the new store opening soon, I was just worried about not having anywhere to play games. This competition is like a free data traffic delivered right to my door.

When he shows up and demonstrates his skills, all the foodies in Jiangcheng will know that a high-end Shaxian snack shop has opened at No. 99 Jiangdong South Road. Once it opens, people will flock to the store in droves, and the lottery machine will probably be spinning out of control.

Also, he almost forgot that he still had a fragment of his Gourmet Heart that he hadn't collected yet. The system had said that he needed to participate in influential culinary competitions, so wasn't this a ready-made opportunity?

Chef Fang's gift came at just the right time. I'll definitely go to his restaurant for a meal after the competition to support his business.

"No, I need to prepare in advance." Li Zhibai stuffed the invitation into his pocket and muttered to himself, "Battle robe! It has to be a brand new battle robe! The last one was rejected before it even had a chance to be shown. This time, I have to go all out and get an ultimate battle robe that will make every audience member remember my restaurant at first glance!"

When Su Su heard Li Zhibai muttering something about battle robes, she instinctively thought of the gaudy GG shirt her master had taken out in Shaxian back then, and she immediately felt a jolt.

In such a high-profile invitational tournament that gathers all the famous chefs in the city, if my master were to actually go on stage wearing that kind of thing... I can't even imagine the scene.

"Master, there are uniform chef outfits for the competition. The organizers will provide them, so you don't need to prepare your own clothes." She couldn't help but mention it.

"Wearing uniforms is a good thing," Li Zhibai nodded at him, completely ignoring her words.

What's wrong with wearing uniforms? Just wear the battle robe underneath, and that's it.

When he wins the championship and goes on stage to receive the award, he will definitely attract a lot of attention and leave a deep impression by tearing off his clothes in front of the media and audience.

Jie Jie Jie...

Seeing him start smiling like a sly merchant again, Su Su couldn't help but ask, "Master, what are you laughing at?"

"It's a secret that can't be revealed." Li Zhibai said mysteriously, "Sister Su Su, you'll find out when the time comes. Master guarantees that he will amaze the entire audience and leave a lasting impression on the judges and viewers."

"By the way, Sister Su Su, would you like to participate as well? I can help promote your restaurant for free."

At worst, he could just add a few words to his battle robe, saying "Chestnut Flavor Restaurant." His apprentice was truly amazing, and he had no way to repay her, so he would just give her a free GG spot.

Su Su seemed to have guessed something and quickly shook her head: "Really, there's no need, Master. I appreciate your kindness, but I'm fine promoting it myself."

Her master may be shameless, but she is, and she doesn't want to be embarrassed in front of all the media and judges in Jiangcheng.