Chapter 67
Chapter 67
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: Women Need Good Reactions
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Women need good reactions, after all.
"Boss, that was delicious. Thanks for the meal."
"Oh, come on~ No need to pay!"
"Haha, no, I insist. I'll be in touch."
"Sure thing! Take care~"
I took a photo with Simon the boss and even gave him an autograph.
And after exchanging numbers, he begged me to let him try the soy sauce sometime, so I promised to send some once I got back.
His passion for food was overflowing.
The automation system was only for the school meal business.
It was an unavoidable choice to hit the right unit cost.
But for Babsang, we used real traditional soy sauce, so we couldn't stop making it.
We'd already set up quite a few soy sauce jar stands—how could we just shut it down?
Thanks to that, I could confidently tell Simon I'd send him some.
Hmm~ What should I buy to take home~
There was still plenty of time before my flight, so I decided to do some shopping in New York, the holy land of shopping, and pick up some gifts.
I could already call myself plenty rich.
Well, not 'another level' rich, but among regular folks, I was making good money, so it was no burden at all.
Plus, YouTube was doing great, so my income streams were like a double-barreled shotgun.
Spoiling Lily with a gift didn't feel like a waste at all.
I was out on Fifth Avenue in New York with Luke.
New York's Fifth Avenue was the core district where flagship stores of world-famous luxury and jewelry brands clustered.
I stepped into the Tiffany & Co. store, famous for its women's luxury jewelry.
The interior was dazzlingly glamorous.
Under the high ceilings and soft lighting, glass display cases sparkled with diamond necklaces, earrings, and rings.
Sleek furniture and artwork were placed artfully around, and a luxurious fragrance wafted subtly through the air.
A serene yet elegant atmosphere, like the brand's signature sky blue, filled the space.
Even the people browsing moved quietly and thoughtfully, as if in an art gallery.
"Could you show me some platinum accessories that would suit my wife? Her skin's a bit sensitive."
I showed them a photo we'd taken together on my phone and asked for recommendations.
The staff smiled brightly and nodded.
"Of course, sir. Right this way."
The staff kindly explained the various platinum necklaces in the clear glass case.
From simple designs with delicate chains and small diamonds to ornate pendants with intricate patterns.
They were all beautiful, but nothing had hit me with that 'this is it!' feeling yet.
Lily likes simple things...
Then something caught my eye.
A long, thin platinum chain dangled over a pendant where multiple diamonds were densely set in a cross shape.
Tiny round diamonds were perfectly arranged in the cross form, each twinkling brilliantly in the light.
It wasn't over the top but had a strong presence, clean and luxurious—perfect for Lily.
Since Lily was Christian, this cross pendant's simple, refined beauty would shine in any setting.
'Yeah, this is it.'
It matched her pure, innocent image perfectly.
"Can you show me this one?"
I pointed at the cross pendant, and the staff carefully opened the case to take it out.
The product name was 'Cross Pendant'.
Looking at the price tag, it was well over 10 million won in Korean money.
"I'll take this one. Wrap it up, please."
"Yes, sir. One moment."
I followed the staff to the counter and swiped my card.
"Payment complete."
"Thank you."
The staff handed me the gift, beautifully wrapped in Tiffany's signature sky-blue box with a white ribbon.
I left the store holding that small box.
'She'll love it, right?'
Imagining Lily's happy face when she opened it made me smile involuntarily.
Is this what it feels like to give a gift?
Thinking about how much joy it brings the recipient makes the giver happy too.
That's why the receiver should always react big—it's proper etiquette.
Of course, I got something for Ji-min too.
The cheapest little heart-shaped necklace, just in case she got upset if I didn't.
Still cost about 2 million won.
Who knows when I'd see her again after going back to Korea.
I figured it was a belated college entrance gift.
"Alright~ Shall we head out, Luke?"
"Yes, boss. To the airport."
Wrapping up my short New York trip, I was finally heading home to my wife.
Just that fact alone put me in a great mood.
Ah, I miss Lily.
I got into the taxi.
After a flight over five hours, I got home at 4 a.m.
The house was quiet.
Since I'd slept the whole flight, I wasn't tired at all.
Hmm.
I didn't want to wake Lily by going into the bedroom, so I headed to the room with the computer.
Then I started opening the documents the company had emailed me.
[School Meal Unit Cost Status].
That's right. In business, no matter what, you have to turn a profit.
Typically, school meal margins max out at 10%.
Some people doubted how we could offer such generous meals for $4 per person, and there was debate in the communities.
Since we hadn't fully launched school meals yet, skepticism was natural.
But why couldn't we?
I'd already confirmed profits doing meals at Berkeley High.
Why?
Because bulk buying let us contract at wholesale prices—the cheapest possible.
Pork for the popular pork stir-fry in school meals.
Mostly made from shoulder cuts.
$0.78 per kg.
Even at a generous 150g per serving, 1kg feeds 7 people.
100kg feeds 700. Simple math.
Berkeley High had a lot of students since it was prestigious.
California's famous for having tons of schools.
Hundreds of colleges, thousands of elementary, middle, and high schools.
If we provided one lunch a day to all of them?
Unit costs would plummet insanely.
We were already negotiating bulk buys at Hansang.
The school meal division was basing it on an average of 500 servings per school.
$4 per person—$2,000 daily revenue.
The most important staple: rice.
500 servings takes about 50kg of rice, wholesale at $0.50/kg in the US.
That's $25. Pork around $60.
For 500 servings including sides, ingredients cost roughly $200.
Of course, that's the bare minimum setup.
Onions and green onions, which we use a lot, come straight from our farm, slashing costs massively.
Generously, daily ingredients at $300.
For 500 servings, need about 5 cooks.
In the US, lunch starts unusually between 10:30 and 11 a.m., with 45 minutes to eat.
Cooks work 7 a.m. to noon—5 hours. At $25/hour (a bit over minimum wage), labor's $625/day.
Nutritionists plan monthly menus, covering and supervising multiple nearby schools.
For a 500-student school, conservatively, $500–700 profit.
Just 1,000 schools? $700,000 a day.
Over 100 million won pure profit in Korean money.
More schools mean even cheaper raw materials.
Dominate California, then the whole US?
It'd be enormous.
We'll hire local low-income moms whose kids go to that school and aren't working.
How hard would they work on meals for their own kids?
Short hours too.
Win-win with the community, good image.
Honestly, if we don't aim for huge margins, $4/person is plenty profitable.
My main income is the Babsang chain anyway.
If these kids grow up on Korean food, when they're adults with money, on a gloomy day they'll say, "Weather's crap—let's grab some gukbap," becoming future Babsang customers.
That's my real goal with this school meal business.
Ugh...
After reviewing the docs, marking changes, and emailing them back, the sky was turning blue.
Already two hours gone?
I didn't feel tired.
"Guess I should shower and get ready for work."
Sitting so long stiffened me up, so I stretched and stepped out.
The living room was still quiet.
I cracked open the master bedroom door.
Lily was sleeping soundly under the covers.
Was she prettier after a few days apart? Or was that my imagination?
With a little time left, I slipped into bed to hug her.
—Squish(?)
"Aaah!!!!!!"
"Eek!!!!!!"
Whoa, shit. That scared the hell out of me.
Ji-min had popped out from under the covers next to Lily.
What the hell, you crazy girl! Not a mole—why crawl in there to sleep?
"Ugh... s-sorry..."
Ji-min sat up with her messy bedhead, whining.
Lily woke startled at the noise, eyes wide.
"What are you doing sleeping there?!"
"What do you mean?! You were gone, so I slept with sis! What if you just flopped down? And why are you so damn heavy?!"
Anyone wanting to sleep with Lily, bear my weight.
"Mm... hubby... missed you~"
Lily's sleepy, husky voice was nice too.
She spread her arms for a hug.
I chuckled and gave her a light embrace.
"Hehe, hubby smell."
I patted Lily's back.
"Everything okay while I was gone?"
"Yeah!"
After a quick hug, I noticed Ji-min glaring from the side like she'd seen something gross.
"What."
"Nothing~ So much love."
Ji-min replied curtly.
"Awake already? What time is it?"
"6 a.m."
"Yawn..."
Now awake, Ji-min shuffled to the living room.
Lily followed, saying she'd make breakfast.
I didn't want to be alone, so I went too.
In the living room, half-asleep Ji-min lounged on the sofa fidgeting, while Lily bustled in the kitchen.
How can she look so comfy lying like that.
Makes me wanna mess her up.
I went to the sofa and plopped my butt down on her spot, squishing her.
"Ugh~ Stop it!"
"It's been days since you saw your bro—aren't you happy?"
Ji-min smirked at me.
"Say that to sis over there."
She fiddled with her phone again.
I got up, rummaged in my bag, and pulled out the New York gifts.
The brand every woman dreams of.
Sky-blue box, white ribbon.
Any woman would recognize it.
"Oh yeah? Lily~ Come here a sec~"
Lily trotted out from the kitchen, apron on.
"Yeah? What, hubby?"
Curious expression.
"Ahem. Lily, on my New York trip, I got you a gift thinking it'd suit you."
"Really!? Awesome!"
Her beaming smile at getting a gift from me lifted my mood too.
"Here. Open it."
"Hehe."
Lily opened the box and lit up at the shimmering cross pendant.
"So pretty...!"
"Come here. I'll put it on."
"Okay!"
I fastened it around her slender white neck—it suited her perfectly.
"Thank you, hubby...!"
Lily hugged me tight in thanks.
Yes.
This is the reaction that makes gift-giving fun.
Ji-min on the sofa watched the whole thing.
Her face screamed, 'What about mine?'
I spun the small wrapped box for her on my finger.
"Ahh~ No need to give to an ungrateful little sis. Guess I'll give this to Dong-hyun. Save it for when he gets a girlfriend."
Before I finished, Ji-min crawled over lightning-fast.
"Big bro~~~! This maiden spent sleepless nights missing you, tears streaming~~~"
"Hah, you rascal. Those puffy eyes—from crying, huh?"
"Yesss~~ Indeed~"
She bowed, showing her head, hands politely raised skyward—pretty funny.
Lily giggled at our sudden sibling skit.
"My heart softens. I bestow upon you this Tiffany!"
"Yaaay~! Thank you so much, big bro~!"
I placed the wrapped box in her hands; she dashed back to the sofa to open it.
"Kyaa~ So cute~!"
She loved the little heart pendant.
"It's expensive. Don't lose it."
"Yeah yeah! Thanks, bro!"
Gifts first thing, she's in a good mood.
"Hey, help sis out with stuff sometimes."
"Okay! Bro, relax here. I'll help sis!"
Ji-min dragged Lily into the kitchen.
Damn... all for a necklace.
But their great reactions made it worth it.
Women need good reactions, after all.