Chapter 25 Let the Facts Speak for Themselves

Spending tens of thousands on drinks and desserts—who wouldn't be shocked by such a grand gesture?

"Holy crap, buying that much? They're buying by the case!"
"It's almost sixty thousand."
"This isn't shopping; it's practically wholesale!"
"Talk about the rich!"
"But if even the wealthy are willing to buy so much, doesn't that mean the products must be good?"
"Could they be shills for the shop?"
"You're overthinking it. With the current popularity of this shop, do they even need shills?"
"You really don't have to worry about the products here not being up to par."
"Just look over there—those mountains of boxes, they all seem to be online orders."
"But what about the effects?"

The tourists in the shop were still a bit skeptical. After all, there have been too many "internet-famous" shops hyped up by marketing these days.

No sooner had the words been spoken than they were countered by the shop's regulars. They had experienced the effects firsthand, and those effects were exceptionally good.

"I’m very sensitive to heat. After drinking the iced black tea, it feels like I’m carrying a portable air conditioner around—it’s so comfortable. Plus, the quality of this tea is much better than what I usually drink. If you heat it up, it’s incredibly fragrant for tea tasting."
"My appetite was poor, but after drinking the sour plum juice, I’ve been eating so much more."
"I have indigestion, and the sour plum juice works for that, too."
"I drink the oolong tea and have lost several pounds. I haven't felt any discomfort at all; I eat and drink as usual, and there’s no rebound."
"The milk is great, too! It solved my chronic stomach discomfort."
"It’s not just those effects, actually. I feel like my overall health has improved significantly."
"Me too, me too."
"My skin seems to have become more refined."
"..."

To prove their points, the regulars shared their personal experiences, detailing the benefits they had encountered one by one. Some listeners, hearing this, actually went to pick up the products themselves. They wanted to test the effects; in fact, one could say that was exactly why they came. To many people online, the claims did sound a bit mystical.

However, many tourists who hadn't tried Yu's Grocery Store yet felt it was all quite alarming. Is this shop a front for a pyramid scheme? With effects this good, are they sure nothing has been added to these products? Looking at the people speaking, many were older. While there were young people among them, aren't young people easily fooled these days? A few tourists thought about reporting the place later. If there were no issues, everyone would be happy; if there were, they would be doing the food industry a favor. How could a shop be this incredibly busy without anyone reporting it?

The regulars were unaware of the tourists' inner thoughts. Seeing them fall silent, they assumed their words had been persuasive. Meanwhile, in the crowd, a professional "fake-buster" livestreamer was recording the scene.

The events on the ground were being broadcast to the livestream audience via a hidden camera. The viewers in the chat couldn't help but discuss it.

"Are the effects really that good? I feel like I should try it."
"I looked it up, the shop has only been open for three days. What kind of miracle drug is this? It works so fast!"
"Exactly, it feels like a gimmick."
"But the desserts do look beautiful."
"True, they look like works of art. Most importantly, each one has its own distinct character, like they were handmade."
"Come to think of it, this shop doesn't even need to rely on special effects to attract people."
"But without special effects, how could they sell them for so much?"
"Doesn't that make it fraud?"
"That's why we need a fake-buster to expose them!"
"Yeah, the host should buy some and put them to the test."
"I've already followed the shop. If it actually works, heh heh..."
"I trust the host's professional skills in busting fakes. He’s gone up against major brands before."
"Waiting for the results."
"But can the host go film the counter? I'm curious: are those wealthy people buying tens of thousands worth of goods actually rich, or are they just shills?"

"Fake-Buster" was actually checking the viewer comments on his phone to stay updated on what his audience wanted. He immediately headed toward the counter.

At the counter, seeing Bai Jinglan and her sister become the center of attention, Yu Zui felt a bit embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I didn't expect Xiao Ka to be so loud." It seems being too smart isn't always a good thing!

"It's fine," Bai Jinglan said indifferently. She couldn't afford to offend a shop owner with such skills! Bai Jingzhu looked at Xiao Ka with curiosity. Based on what the owner said, she didn't know the specific functions of her own self-checkout machine? She had just noticed that the smart machine reacted differently to every customer—it was exceptionally intelligent. She then took her sister's card to complete the payment.

Once Yu Zui realized Bai Jinglan wasn't bothered, she began preparing the goods. Opening the warehouse door, boxes of merchandise were lined up. Yu Zui started pushing them out one by one. As she prepared to move them, someone spoke up, "Let me help you." Before Yu Zui could refuse, the person began moving them to the entrance. Yu Zui paused, then joined in to help. Five cases of drinks and twenty boxes of pastries were stacked right at the door. Bai Jinglan immediately had her driver, who was waiting outside, handle the transport.

Yu Zui then specifically retrieved two new sets and one single box of the latest arrival from the warehouse.

"As an apology, please accept this new arrival," Yu Zui said, handing a box to Bai Jinglan.
"A new arrival?"
"Yes, it's the newly released Qiongye Cake. It will be delivered later, but this is a sample. It's made with millet and glutinous rice flour. It has a soft, light texture, is quite filling, and is good for the spleen and stomach," Yu Zui explained. Whenever she released a new product, she made sure to understand its origins and unique qualities.

"Thank you." Bai Jinglan accepted it and opened it immediately. The cakes were shaped like leaves and looked tender and white. When she picked one up, she noticed it was quite bouncy. Bai Jinglan tried it without hesitation. It felt elastic to the touch, but the moment it entered her mouth, it was soft and delicate. As she chewed, the flavor became sweet and delicious, accompanied by a subtle fragrance of rice. Most importantly, the more she ate, the better it tasted.

By this time, Yu Zui had given a single box to the "Fake-Buster" who had just helped. "Thank you for your help. Please, try the new arrival."

"Fake-Buster" had originally just wanted to film material. Seeing the gift offered, he paused, then accepted it. "You're too kind, thank you."

Sensing the situation, some regulars swarmed over. "Boss, new product? Can we have a taste?"
"You've been so busy lately, you rarely arrange tastings for us anymore!"
"I miss the days when there were fewer people."

Seeing this, Yu Zui said, "I have one box left specifically for sampling. I'll cut it up for you." She immediately began preparing the samples.

Everything happening was watched by the viewers in the livestream, who couldn't help but comment.
"This owner seems quite nice!"
"Looking at the regulars, they don't seem like they're acting."
"True, it feels very genuine."
"I can tell they truly love the things in this shop."
"I'm actually starting to be moved."
"The other single boxes of desserts cost 88. The price for this shouldn't be much different."
"Exactly!"
"The host won't stop the investigation just because the owner is nice, right?"
"Impossible! He'll be even more thorough. If it's real, everyone wins. If it's fake, then sorry."
"Exactly, that's better for both sides."

"Fake-Buster" saw the viewers' comments. Indeed, he would only let the facts speak for themselves. He went to the counter, picked up one of every product, and paid. After checking out, he headed home to begin his review of the drinks and desserts. Whether it's real gold or not, a trial by fire will tell.