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

Li Zhibai is currently living in a high-end apartment not far from the store.

After Su Su learned that he had nowhere to live after moving from the old shop, she immediately arranged for him to live in one of her vacant apartments by the river for free.

Li Zhibai originally wanted to refuse. He was a man of principle, how could he possibly take advantage of his own disciple?

However, after he finished looking at the house, he felt that sometimes one could do without moral integrity.

This spacious apartment boasts a river view and large floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing you to see the winding river and the skyscrapers on the opposite bank right from the living room.

Li Zhibai never imagined in his life that he would live in such an expensive house.

So he reluctantly moved in, and gave himself a high-sounding reason: this wasn't just freeloading; it was a disciple's filial piety towards his master, and refusing to accept it would be disrespectful to his disciple.

It only takes about ten minutes to walk from the store to the apartment.

Ke Yi and Ding Ling chattered away the whole way until they entered the room, at which point their mouths formed an "O".

The living room is large and decorated in a minimalist modern style with a gray and white main color scheme. There isn't much furniture, but every piece of it exudes an air of wealth.

These are not the main points.

The highlight is the huge floor-to-ceiling window, which offers a panoramic view of the most bustling riverside scenery in Jiangcheng.

"Cousin...Cousin...Is this where you live?" Ke Yi stammered.

"Hmm!" Li Zhibai nodded.

"You bought it?"

Li Zhibai: "Do I look like someone who can afford a house like this? Your cousin just owns a small shop, and I'm far from being able to afford a house like this."

"This house belongs to my apprentice; she lent it to me to live in."

"Your apprentice? I find that hard to believe. Cousin, you're not being kept by a rich woman, are you?"

Li Zhibai: "Keep you as a kept man? Your cousin here is a man of integrity, how could I possibly be a gigolo!"

Ding Ling nodded in agreement: "That's right, Xiao Yi, don't talk nonsense. Your cousin is so handsome, if he were to be kept, it would be by a rich and beautiful woman."

"Is there a difference?" Koy asked.

"Of course there's a difference. 'Rich woman' sounds like she's in her forties, while 'fair-skinned, rich, and beautiful' sounds like she's in her twenties. It's a generational difference."

Li Zhibai: "..."

Are these two really studying medicine? Why are they both so gossipy?

"Alright, alright, stop talking nonsense. That's your room over there. There are bedding in the closet; make your own beds."

He pointed to the bathroom: "That's the bathroom. You guys take a shower first, and then get some rest. We have to get up early for work at nine tomorrow."

"Okay, cousin!"

The two girls happily pulled their luggage into the guest room.

Li Zhibai turned and went to the kitchen, took out a can of iced coffee from the refrigerator, walked to the French windows and sat down, looking at the dreamlike night view of Jiangcheng outside.

For some reason, the image of the wealthy young man in white riding a bicycle involuntarily surfaced in his mind.

It's not easy for someone to start making a living at seventeen or eighteen!

As he pondered, he thought of Zhao Xiaomei again.

The last time we met was when Gao Siqi had surgery. Sister Zhao came to the store to share the good news with him, saying that the surgery went smoothly and that she would treat him to a meal after the child was discharged from the hospital.

Zhao Xiaomei never appeared again, and the fried rice stall was never set up again. He always thought they had gone back to their hometown.

"I wonder how Siqi is recovering."

He put down his coffee, took out his phone, and sent a WeChat message to Zhao Xiaomei.

[Sister Zhao, how have you been lately? Is Siqi recovering well?]

The message was sent but there was no reply for a long time.

"They're probably asleep," Li Zhibai muttered to himself, tossing his phone aside.

A breeze blew in through the half-open window, carrying a hint of coolness. He picked up his coffee and took another big gulp, his brows furrowing at the bitterness.

…………

The next morning at nine o'clock, the new Shaxian store opened on time.

On the second day of the long holiday, the weather was still incredibly good, and there were significantly more tourists on the streets than the day before, a huge crowd.

The first thing Li Zhibai did upon opening the door was to readjust the electronic menu, mainly by adding the Black Gold Egg reservation list and placing it on the newly purchased tablet at the cashier so that interested customers could register first.

Mo Liuzhaohui Eggs are not yet in stock, but he must whet people's appetites in advance, making them feel a sense of hunger that this thing is something money can't buy. Only in this way can he achieve his goal of selling 100 servings as soon as possible once Su Su gets the eggs.

Otherwise, waiting for the goods to be available before selling them would take forever.

Li Zhibai then checked the free meal promotion again, adjusted some details, and then went into the kitchen to prepare the meal.

Ke Yi and Ding Ling were very proactive. After cleaning, when they weren't busy, they even went to the door to solicit customers.

"Don't miss out! World-class Shaxian snacks—make a purchase and you can participate in a free meal challenge!"

"Handsome guys and beautiful girls, come in and take a look! Our food is especially delicious! If you don't like it, you don't have to pay!"

"Since you're already here, won't you come in and have a bite before you leave?"

"If you want to eat it, go for it! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"

"There's a promotion today, it really is free! I'd be a dog if I wasn't lying!"

"..."

Believe it or not, this rustic hawking style actually works.

Some passing tourists, hearing about the free meal promotion, decided to come in. Of course, most people were deterred by the prices on the menu after entering, but a small number, with the classic tourist mentality of "since we're already here," decided to stay and try it out.

I was hooked after just one try.

Once they've been captured, they'll pay up.

I feel bad when I spend money on it.

I feel bad about wasting food, but I still want to eat it.

If you want to eat, keep paying.

A perfect closed loop.

Li Zhibai was chopping vegetables in the kitchen, occasionally glancing at the two maids shouting outside, and he was even more satisfied with them.

These two girls were crying and complaining yesterday that Jiangcheng was not a place to live, but today they're working hard to bring him customers.

Indeed, people are incredibly adaptable when it comes to getting good food.

After finishing a busy period, Li Zhibai took some time to send Su Su a WeChat message.

[Sister Su, are you coming to the restaurant for dinner today?]

Master, I'll be very busy at the shop during the holiday and won't be able to get away... Maybe after the holiday.

【No matter how busy you are, you have to come. Starting today, you must make time to eat at my restaurant every day. That's the requirement! By the way, you'll have to pay for your own meals.】

【But……】

By the way, I probably won't be able to come up with the new dish you requested.

[I'm coming! Master, I'm coming! Wait for me!]

Li Zhibai then closed the chat window with satisfaction. Actually, he didn't urge Su Su to come just to earn more money for her meals. Well, that was partly it, but mainly he wanted to increase her fragment drop rate.

Only when someone arrives and eats will there be a chance to obtain fragments.

Thinking of his apprentice Su Su, he suddenly remembered the job posting he had made online, which he had completely forgotten about.

The store is desperately short-staffed right now.

Ke Yi and Ding Ling won't be able to work for more than a few days. They have to go back to school on the 7th, and once they leave, he'll be all alone in the shop again.

Although Su Su could occasionally lend a hand, her own restaurant sometimes needed someone to be there, and she couldn't possibly stay there every day to keep an eye on things.

Recruiting apprentices is imperative.

Li Zhibai opened his phone again and found the job posting he had made online for an apprentice.

He was initially quite hopeful, thinking that such a sincere job posting would surely attract some ambitious young people to come and work for him... oops!

When he opened the private messages, his face immediately turned black.

"Damn it! Why is everyone insulting me?!"