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

9:50 AM.

The red carpet in front of the new Shaxian store was already packed with people.

Yu Shen, Lu Qianshan, Pang Yi, Cha Xiaochai, Mu Cixuan... almost all the core members of the Anti-Black Alliance were present, along with Grandpa Huo and his family, etc. Looking around, they were mostly familiar faces, with only a few new faces joining in the fun.

Li Zhibai stood at the entrance of the new store, holding a microphone, and delivered a passionate opening speech.

"Dear friends and family, loyal customers, and new customers who will soon become loyal customers... good morning everyone!"

"Today is a day that will go down in history!"

"Today is a day that countless foodies in Wuhan have been eagerly anticipating, losing sleep over, and gradually gaining weight from eating!"

"Because, the world's Shaxian is about to grandly open today!!!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a round of applause erupted from the crowd.

Their applause was heartfelt, because only they knew how difficult their lives had been during the period when Shaxian was not open for business; some of them had even lost several pounds from hunger.

Now that Li Heizi has not only not run away, but has reopened, it is indeed a good thing for them to celebrate.

After the applause subsided, Li Zhibai continued to recount his heartbreaking experiences.

"To be honest, when I was evicted by my landlord at the beginning of this month, I was really sad and anxious. What if the people of Jiangcheng can no longer eat such expensive... no, such delicious Shaxian snacks? Wouldn't I become a sinner!"

"So I decisively bought this shop. I want everyone who supports me to know that even if I'm burdened with huge debts, even if I can only earn a tiny bit of profit, I'm still determined to open this shop, just to live up to everyone's love for Shaxian cuisine!"

Those in the audience, hearing his words, were inwardly cursing: "You're selling a piece of meat for 100 yuan, and you still have the nerve to tell us your profit margin is meager? If your profit margin is meager, then there are no unscrupulous merchants in the world."

"Today, Shaxian snacks are officially reopened!"

"I want to say that this is not just a Shaxian snack shop; it's a great leap forward for Shaxian's civilization! From today onwards, Shaxian is no longer synonymous with ordinary fast food; it can be high-end! It can be international! It can even surpass Michelin!"

"Everyone! Let's work together today to make Shaxian great again!!!"

The crowd applauded and cheered again.

Li Heizi was born in the wrong era. If he had that kind of eloquence, he would have a limitless future if he were giving a speech in a bar abroad.

After hearing Li Zhibai's speech, Xiao Zhang, the doorman standing at the Michelin entrance, became even more nervous.

Oh no, Shaxian County is declaring war on Michelin!

After the applause subsided, the ribbon-cutting ceremony began.

Li Zhibai stood in the center, with Su Su on his left and Uncle Huo on his right. The three of them cut the ribbon together.

After all, one is his best apprentice and the other is his new creditor, so there's nothing wrong with them cutting the ribbon together.

Grandpa Huo looked quite dashing today, dressed in a dark red Tang suit, with a beaming smile. He seemed even happier than if he were opening his own shop.

"Sir, you look more like the boss than I do today."

Huo Wang nodded: "Indeed!"

Li Zhibai: "..."

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was very simple: a red ribbon, three golden scissors, and someone shouted "three, two, one!" The three men raised their scissors and cut the red ribbon in one fell swoop. At the same time, the red cloth covering the signboard behind them was also torn down.

"The world's Shaxian County is officially open!"

The onlookers applauded enthusiastically once again.

"Tsk tsk... Li Heizi has really upgraded his equipment this time."

"With this name, someone who didn't know better would think it was run by the United Nations."

[Shaxian of the World]

【ShaXian of the World】

I must say, this signboard is just as high-class as the Michelin-starred restaurant next door, and it completely blows away that old Shaxian restaurant across the street.

After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, a group of people entered the store and began ordering food.

The new store is at least two to three times larger than the old one. The seating has changed from six small long tables to more than a dozen individual booths, and there are even large round tables for family gatherings. The overall dining environment is much better than before.

The kitchen has been enclosed, with only one serving opening remaining. Above the cashier is a huge electronic menu that displays the name and price of each dish, making it much more visible and clearer than the previous handwritten menus.

Li Zhibai stood at the door, watching the customers enter the store one after another, his face constantly smiling.

Huo Junmin was the last to enter the store. As soon as she stepped through the door, she noticed a strange machine placed in the corner.

The machine is about a meter tall, with a transparent box containing many colorful balls. There is a hand crank on the side, and at first glance it looks a bit like the lottery drawing device in a lottery shop.

"Boss Li, what is this? Is it for a lucky draw during an event?"

"You mean this? This is a lottery machine I bought online."

"A lottery machine?"

"It's for customers to draw lots. My original plan was to use this machine to draw lots when the store was busy and there were long queues. Each time, there were two options: a luxury version and a regular version. Customers would choose whichever one they drew. It was fair and just, all based on luck, and there was no deception."

"How about it? Isn't it creative? I even bought the most expensive one. Look at the workmanship, the texture, and how smooth it feels when you shake it."

Li Zhibai even gave a demonstration, shaking the handle with his right hand. The colorful balls inside the machine started spinning, and a few seconds later, a gold ball came out of the outlet. He picked up the gold ball and handed it to Huo Junmin: "See? The gold ball represents the luxury version, and the silver ball represents the regular version."

After listening to his introduction, Huo Junmin's expression gradually became meaningful.

"So, you mean customers have to use this machine to decide what type of food they can order when they come into the restaurant?"

"Yes, that's roughly the idea."

"What if a customer only wants the regular version? But they win the deluxe version, do they still have to accept it?"

"That's right! As the saying goes, luck is also a part of ability! Besides, being able to draw the luxury version means this customer is destined for good fortune, wealth, and great luck!"

"What about the probability?"

"What's the probability?"

What percentage of the units are luxury or standard versions?

"Uh... well, of course it's half and half, absolutely fair and just," Li Zhibai said somewhat guiltily.

Huo Junmin knew immediately that this guy wasn't telling the truth, and it seemed necessary to remind him not to go down the wrong path.

"Mr. Li, I feel it's necessary to remind you that, according to Articles 9 and 10 of the Consumer Rights Protection Law, consumers have the right to choose goods or services independently. By restricting customers to only one version through a lottery system, you are legally depriving consumers of their right to choose and constitute a form of disguised forced transaction."

"If a complaint is filed with the market supervision bureau, the minimum fine starts at 3 yuan, and in serious cases, the business license may be revoked."

Li Zhibai: "..."

A fine? And revocation of the business license?

It turns out that his grand plan for the lottery machine, which he had been brewing for so long, was a complete trap!

"Attorney Huo, it's not that serious, is it? My intention with this machine was to enhance the fun and experience for customers. You see, other restaurants have those blind box set meals, right? They also serve random dishes."

"Blind box packages and your lottery machine are two different things."

Huo Junmin explained, "The premise of blind box套餐 (set meals) is that consumers are aware of and agree to the rules before purchasing, and they don't restrict consumers from ordering other dishes separately. Your lottery machine essentially deprives customers of their right to choose what to order; customers can't even decide what they want to eat. Do you think that's reasonable?"

"Mr. Li, if I may be so bold, I suspect that your machine is probably not truly 50/50. It's likely been tampered with, right? If this is discovered, it won't be a simple consumer dispute anymore; the penalties will be much more severe."

"..."

Li Zhibai's forehead was already sweating. Attorney Huo had guessed his little scheme perfectly; he had indeed adjusted the proportions of the golden ball.

"Attorney Huo, then I've wasted my money on this machine! I spent several thousand dollars on it!"

Looking at his tearful expression, Huo Junmin couldn't help but laugh. "So this is what happens to you!"

Before you try to rip off your customers, you should think about who I am. I'm not only a customer but also a lawyer. How could I possibly allow your illegal methods of overcharging to exist?

"This machine isn't completely unusable. You can turn it into a number-dispensing machine, where customers can take a number and wait in line when they arrive, and that will solve the problem."

Ticket dispenser.

The lottery machine I bought for several thousand yuan can only be used as a regular ticket dispenser.

Li Zhibai really felt like he had lost out.

Why is it okay for large corporations to conduct similar activities without any problems? Why is it illegal for him?

Could it be because he runs a Shaxian snack shop?

Damn it!!!