Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Full Speed Ahead
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"That's unfortunate."
Clink. Choi Yeo-hae set her empty wine glass down on the table. It was a stark contrast to my untouched one.
"May I ask why?"
"Song, what's the rush?"
Choi Yeo-hae turned the question back on me, leaning deeply into the backrest.
"Why act like you're being chased? Running ahead blindly like that will get you hurt. A solid foundation is key in business, as they say."
No one knew that better than I did.
"Greed can backfire. In my view, it's time to solidify what you have rather than chase growth."
"......"
"Don't open too many branches. Nurture them one by one with care. The head office's revenue relies on franchise sales shares, right? If the franchises falter, the head office suffers too."
Her words rang true in principle.
Risk management is essential for any business. Expanding franchises sequentially, as she suggested, would minimize failure risk and maximize success odds—a surefire strategy.
But franchise businesses don't always follow that formula.
Every franchise sign is an advertisement in itself, for one thing.
And that went double for [The Song], which I ran differently from the rest.
"President."
I leaned forward and said,
"I'm not acting like I'm being chased. I really am."
"What?"
"Do you know why Han Do Construction lingers at 15th in the industry instead of first?"
My words must have struck a nerve, as Choi Yeo-hae paused. She glanced at me, then chuckled softly before speaking.
"You'd better choose your words carefully. That's my Achilles' heel, you know."
"You've seen countless reports, I'm sure. Endless analyses laid out in numbers. But in my opinion, there's just one reason Han Do Construction hasn't claimed the top spot."
"Oh? What's that?"
Choi Yeo-hae shrugged, as if daring me to try. Like watching a bold pup challenge a tiger.
She probably saw it as youthful bravado.
"Let's say these two wine glasses represent Han Do Construction and the industry leader. The top firm started early as the frontrunner, while Han Do was a late entrant, right?"
"Correct."
"Then we can view their business scale like this."
Pour.
I filled my glass to the brim with wine. Hers, meanwhile, was already half-empty from her drinking.
My full glass symbolized the top firm; hers, Han Do Construction.
"How does this glass catch up to that one?"
"Who knows. Fill it more and drink till you're wasted?"
"Exactly."
Pour. I filled it once more.
Now the levels were fairly even.
"But here's the thing."
It couldn't be that easy.
"While Han Do grows, will the leader just sit idle?"
"......"
"The top firm keeps growing in its own way, doesn't it?"
Pour into the leader's glass.
"Then we grow more."
Pour.
"But the leader grows too."
Pour.
"Will it just grow? No—it devours smaller firms, invests in new fields, and balloons with massive funds."
Pour pour pour.
Before long, the gap had widened again. The leader's glass brimmed nearly to the rim, wine sloshing.
"...So what are you saying?"
Choi Yeo-hae glared at me with fierce eyes.
"Are you mocking me? 'You'll never catch up, so give up'—is that it?"
"Of course not."
She seemed pretty pissed. Anyone else would have quaked at that look.
Luckily, I had some resistance, so I managed a grin.
"Ordinary methods can't close that gap. I'm running in sneakers while they're in a car."
That's why beating the top is so hard.
"You're right, President. If [The Song] aims for 15th place, we'd follow your advice."
"You..."
"But I'm targeting this."
I tapped the full glass and said,
"To beat a car in sneakers, don't you have to run like mad? Full speed ahead."
Choi Yeo-hae stared at me silently, then spat out,
"Hyunmu."
The name I'd etched in my mind rang out.
"Everyone says Hyunmu for number one in this industry. You're gunning for Hyunmu, Song?"
"Yes."
"This is fun."
Choi Yeo-hae chuckled, sweeping back her hair.
"You're more entertaining than I thought."
Laughter leaked through her teeth. She eyed me and the glasses alternately, weighing something.
I knew that look. Calculating profits and losses.
Before, it was investing in a fledgling startup—small stakes, no big loss if it flopped.
But the investment I sought now was on another scale.
She'd scrutinize everything far more rigorously, starting from details she'd overlooked before.
"Song."
Choi Yeo-hae tapped the report on the table.
"Franchise revenue shares alone aren't enough. You know you need other income streams, right?"
"Of course."
"I can cover the immediate funds. But if you want more."
To target number one, Hyunmu.
"You'll need to bring an even more entertaining report next time."
"Anytime."
I was confident.
Confident I'd wring a 'yes' from her lips.
"You'd better have plenty of cash ready by then."
"I like your audacity."
Choi Yeo-hae laughed gaily, raising her full glass.
"Come on, cheers. We'll devour them all someday. Right?"
"Haha. Don't mind if I do."
I grabbed my glass, careful not to spill, and clinked it with hers.
Gulp. After draining it, I began wrapping up.
"Thanks for your valuable time today, President."
"No problem. These days, I enjoy two things: you, Song, and my husband's bank account. Know why?"
Why Lee In-cheol's account?
"It was always in the red, me filling the hole. Now he's earning on his own—how proud it makes me."
Classic proud wife. Choi Yeo-hae smiled softly, seeking my agreement.
"Isn't he cute? Opening a shop to make it on his own. And now expanding because business booms. Right?"
"I'll be going now."
No reason to stick around. Who'd call graying Lee In-cheol cute? Only Choi Yeo-hae in the world.
What a perfect match they were.
"Next time, all three of us."
"Yes, ma'am."
I bowed once more to her and turned to leave.
'Other income streams.'
I mulled over her condition again.
'Is it time for the next phase?'
Click!
"Whoa. Check this out?"
Kang Yoo-ha whistled sharply, checking the camera photo. It captured Song Woo-yeon exiting a five-star hotel.
Not a vacation—he'd entered with a stack of documents and left empty-handed. Had to be a business meeting.
"Smells fishy."
The deeper he dug, the more intriguing the guy became.
From [Hapjae Neighborhood Gukbap 0212] to [Happiness Snacks] and . Every venture he touched turned to gold.
"Song Woo-yeon..."
A comet streaking in.
Just turned twenty, they said. Where'd the money come from to pull all this off?
"Thought he was some chaebol heir at first. But no Song family fits. Maybe following his mom's surname?"
Illegitimate heirs sometimes did. Couldn't rule it out.
But tailing him led to a shabby villa—no place for a chaebol bastard.
'
Feeling he'd struck out, Kang Yoo-ha scratched his head sheepishly.
But crunch the numbers: [Hapjae Neighborhood Gukbap 0212] profits alone couldn't scale a franchise this big.
And today? A newbie firm holding meetings in a five-star hotel's penthouse, per elevator floors.
'Something's up. Definitely something...'
Kang Yoo-ha smacked his lips and peered through the car window at Song's villa.
"I'll uncover it."
Whether hidden funds or a puppet front— he'd dig up every secret, he vowed.
"Huh?!"
Oops. Dozed off.
Kang Yoo-ha bolted upright. It was still predawn, hours till work. He could catch more sleep.
Yawn.
Stretching a big one, about to close his eyes again—
"?!"
There went Song Woo-yeon, stepping out!
Current time: 5:30 a.m.
Hours before work. Where to?
Reflexively, Kang grabbed his camera, zooming on Song's upper body.
Super casual attire.
Full summer now, so no surprise. Short-sleeve shirt, shorts—not work clothes.
'Whatever it is, tail him!'
And so, shadowing Song Woo-yeon for a full five hours.
He'd rushed onto the same train at the station...
"What, what is this?"
Kang Yoo-ha muttered to himself unwittingly.
"Why here of all places...?!"
It was utterly unexpected.