Li Zhao's attitude was extremely firm.
Li Chuan's recent words benefited him greatly, enough to change his political fortune.
"Alright, Brother Jie, when you settle the bill, have them issue an invoice for this one too." Li Chuan took out the receipt from last time's meal and handed it to Hu Junjie.
Hu Junjie took the receipt and headed straight to the cashier: "Bill for Room 777."
Liu Min did not expect a different person to settle the bill today, but still immediately printed out the list: "Sir, Room 777, expenditure 99,800."
"Cough, cough..."
Hu Junjie was smoking, and upon hearing this, he nearly choked on a puff of smoke, looking incredulous: "Ninety-nine thousand?"
Liu Min seemed natural: "Yes, 99,800, pay up."
"Did we eat dragon meat or phoenix meat? How did you calculate this price? This is absurdly extortionate!" Hu Junjie was infuriated, having seen corrupt businesses before, but never one so outrageous.
Then, he took the itemized receipt and scrutinized it carefully.
"What on earth? Why are your items priced per gram?" Hu Junjie was furious, as a driver for the county party secretary, he had never been so blatantly scammed!
"Aren't our prices posted over there?" Liu Min replied indifferently.
Hu Junjie stepped forward to take a look, then wore a scowl: "The prices are posted indeed, but can you see the 'grams' part without a magnifying glass?"
Liu Min: "If you don't look carefully yourself, how can you blame us?"
Hu Junjie lost his temper, slamming his hand on the counter: "This is fraudulent charging, and I will report you."
Liu Min sneered: "Report? Go ahead. What good is a report to you! But before you report, you must pay. Are you planning on eating and running?"
"Damn! Do you think I am a fat sheep to slaughter? Do you know who I am?" Hu Junjie was also angry; he never expected such a ridiculous price tag in Wulin County, a poor county.
"I don't care who you are! Even if Jesus comes today, you'll still have to pay." A cold laugh sounded, and the owner of Eight Directions Seafood City, with a cigarette in his mouth, came down the stairs.
Hu Junjie: "Sorry, but I'm really not paying this bill, let's see what you can do about it."
The owner laughed heartily: "Trying to dine and dash? Then I have to call the police. The police will know how to make you pay up obediently."
Hu Junjie paused, then laughed along: "Fine! Call the police! Go ahead."
"I'm saying it now, I really plan to eat this meal for free today." With that, Hu Junjie walked to a table, pulled out a chair and sat down, putting his feet on the dining table and lighting another cigarette, smoking leisurely.
The owner witnessed this scene, his mouth twitching, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes: "Fine! Since you're asking for trouble, I'll call the police!"
"Xiao Min, call the police quickly, have them arrest this kid!"
"Let's see how arrogant he can be then."
"Alright!"
Five minutes later, the sound of sirens wailed outside as the police arrived at Eight Directions Seafood City.
The owner pointed at Hu Junjie: "Officer Cai, this is the guy trying to dine and dash here, what do you suggest we do about it?"
Cai Bo glanced at Hu Junjie, his eyes narrowing: "Secretary Hu, is it really you?"
Cai Bo was the police chief of the area nearby.
Though only the chief of a peripheral area, he knew Hu Junjie.
Because Hu Junjie was not only the driver of the county's party secretary but also a concurrent secretary, a prominent figure by the secretary's side.
Hearing Cai Bo call him Secretary Hu in such a respectful manner, the owner of the seafood city was dumbfounded.
Any competent owner is no fool; he already sensed some unease!
Clearly, this person trying to dine and dash was not an ordinary individual.
Hu Junjie casually: "Old Cai, I was just looking for you. Tell me, in our port town Wulin County, how much for a table of seafood and two bottles of Moutai?"
Cai Bo hesitated: "Seafood is cheap, but the booth is expensive; it's probably around six or seven thousand yuan."
Hu Junjie nodded: "That's what I thought, but I just spent 99,800, could you help me figure this out? I can't make sense of it myself."
Cai Bo turned his head to look at Wang Datong: "Boss Wang, what's the meaning of this? Did you miscalculate your prices?"
Wang Datong, slightly embarrassed, nodded and bowed: "It was calculated wrong, definitely calculated wrong, this meal's on me, please Secretary Hu, calm down."
At this time, Wang Datong was panicked, recalling who Secretary Hu was, the important figure beside the county party secretary.
No choice, to avoid offending him, this meal had to be on him.
Otherwise, his seafood city might as well close down.
"Hmm? What are you saying? It's just a dinner. After all these years of working, I can still afford a meal." Hu Junjie sneered, "You did just say that even if Jesus came, they'd have to pay."
Hu Junjie turned to Liu Min: "And you, the waiter, were just so arrogant, saying reporting is useless. I want to test if reporting actually works!"
"I'm curious, does your word rule Wulin County?" With that, Hu Junjie took out his phone, dialing a number, "Director Ma? I'm having dinner with Secretary Li at Eight Directions Seafood City, come over now."
"Yes, right now."
Hearing that Secretary Li was dining here, cold sweat broke out on Wang Datong's forehead; he almost peed his pants. Just Secretary Hu was enough to overwhelm him, not to mention the county's top official dining here too.
Meanwhile, Hu Junjie took out the receipt Li Chuan had just given him, seeing the price, a helpless smile appeared.
He finally understood why Li Chuan chose Eight Directions Seafood City.
Turns out, the guy had also been scammed here before.
Hu Junjie clearly understood Li Chuan's intention; they were to get an explanation for this receipt.
However, did this guy really need to go through so much trouble?
With his means, he could shut down this restaurant effortlessly.
Without anyone knowing.
Soon, Ma Dayuan from the Administration for Industry and Commerce arrived at the scene.
Entering the lobby and seeing Hu Junjie, he was excited: "Secretary Hu, is the secretary inviting me for dinner?"
Hu Junjie sneered: "I think you are in for a cold wind dinner by our secretary."
Ma Dayuan was taken aback, his expression slowly solidifying, turning awkward.
He had thought the secretary was inviting him to dinner.
But now, it seemed he was wrong.
Hu Junjie directly took out the receipt: "I want to make a formal complaint, Eight Directions Seafood City is engaging in fraudulent pricing, with blatant price gouging; the prices on this list are more than ten times the market rate, and this receipt is evidence of my friend's previous being screwed! Director Ma, take a look!"
Ma Dayuan took a look and his face turned dark; the prices listed were outrageously unreasonable, visibly irregular.
"Boss Wang, aren't your practices too heartless?" Ma Dayuan looked at Wang Datong coldly, knowing Wang had backing and wasn't straightforward.
But this was too outrageous.
And this time, they even dared to mess with the city party secretary.
Isn't this suicidal?
"It must have been a miscalculation! Definitely a mistake!" Wang Datong was frantic, repeatedly wiping sweat off his forehead.
Hu Junjie sneered: "This time it's a mistake, what about last time? That money was definitely received."
Wang Datong: "..."
Just then, Li Chuan and Li Zhao came down from upstairs.
"Good evening, Secretary Li!" Cai Bo and Ma Dayuan hurried to greet them.
Li Zhao, face stern, "Tonight, my mood was decent but is now utterly ruined."
With that, he turned directly away.
"Director Ma, handle this matter appropriately, according to the regulations!"
Hu Junjie coolly left a remark, swiftly followed Li Zhao out.