“Huh huh huh.”
Yesterday was the long-awaited outing with Master Kang. Although it was morning, Zhuge Xiang couldn’t quite control her emotions on the bed.
“So good!”
I want to spend more time alone with Master Kang. But what if he rejects me? How long have I been worrying about this? It was such a happy time that it made me question why I even worried at all.
Zhuge Xiang recalled the time she went into a bookstore to buy a book. A couple, not caring about the world around them, expressed their affections right in front of her. The agony of watching that was unbearable.
“Please do that somewhere else!”
She didn’t have the courage to say a word. Even if she attempted to talk about it, she didn’t know what kind of looks she would get. She had to sneak glances at them until they finished their affection, feeling both envy and misery.
But yesterday, she was the one doing that!
“To be goofing around with Master Kang at the stall! My heart hurts just thinking about it!”
There was no way to express the feeling of receiving compliments from strangers. And the way Master Kang held her close and looked at her with trusting eyes? It was dangerously overwhelming for her heart.
“Maybe I’m not too bad if I hung out at the stall, right? Huh huh.”
The truth was, she had never actually fooled around at a stall; she had only eavesdropped. But that detail didn’t matter much to Zhuge Xiang.
She barely managed to cover her gaping mouth with her fingertips.
“Master Kang… your fingers. They were so strong.”
Zhuge Xiang gazed at her own hand that had held Kang Yoon-ho’s yesterday. His hand was large enough to cover hers completely, solid and warm. On his fingers were calluses, similar yet distinct, that made it oddly appealing to her.
She held onto that hand until they arrived at the restaurant after leaving the Tea Bookstore.
She felt the gazes of others but couldn’t let go. Thinking back, her heart raced.
Zhuge Xiang rose from the bed and opened her fan after a long time.
“Exclusive is the best! Master Kang is the best! I love exclusivity! Thank you, Sister Hayeon!”
When her mood peaked, it was best to dance the fan dance alone. Zhuge Xiang planned to dance happily until her fluttering excitement took off with the fan.
“Miss Zhuge. Someone from Man Geum Battlefield… Miss Zhuge?”
“The best! So good… Huh?!”
If only her eyes hadn’t met Kang Yoon-ho’s through the open door.
Kang Yoon-ho had to stop Zhuge Xiang, who quickly tried to hide in the box with her face flushed.
*
“Ugh…”
Miss Zhuge was pulled in by me to greet the guests but couldn’t lift her head.
“Miss Zhuge, it’s okay. I don’t mind.”
Why was she dancing the fan dance? Let’s not show any curiosity. Miss Zhuge, stop staring at the box!
I spoke to her, pretending to be indifferent, though I could see she wanted to hide somewhere.
“Uugh… The words of comfort that walk the line between indifference and interest are even more painful!”
Miss Zhuge, unable to fit in the box, hugged her knees and muttered with a pouting face.
Miss Zhuge was on the edge of despair.
There was a way to handle this. I chuckled and looked at her cheerfully.
“It’s alright. That’s all part of Miss Zhuge’s charm.”
The infinite positivity plan!
Miss Zhuge looked at me with surprise, her eyes wide.
I swear it’s true. If she were family, she would be making a fuss about it! Who wouldn’t love a beauty like Miss Zhuge dancing with a fan?
Seeing that my expression was sincere, her expression began to melt like snow.
“Huh?! I-is that so? Huh huh.”
“Ahem.”
An awkward cough sliced through the strange atmosphere between us.
“Ah! I apologize. I got off track while hosting the guests.”
I quickly apologized to the person who had just come from Man Geum Battlefield.
The person in front of me was Jeon Woon-yeop, the son of the Head of Guards from Man Geum Battlefield. He was the one who had come to help when I established the Wuhan branch of the Tea Bookstore not long ago.
“It’s okay. It seems you’re quite close now.”
Jeon Woon-yeop said with an awkward smile. It reminded me of the time I was having lunch with a couple who kept disappearing into their own little world, leaving me in a bind.
The infinite positivity plan was underway!
“You wanted to see how I run my business?”
Instead of making excuses that wouldn’t fly no matter what I said, I hurried to remind Jeon Woon-yeop of his purpose for coming.
“Yes. I want to see how you operate your business.”
“Did the Master of Man Geum tell you to do that?”
The Master of Man Geum, Jang Noya.
He had given me a test under the pretense of the debt from the Tea Bookstore in Yichang.
The only reason someone from Man Geum Battlefield would come to visit me was one: I asked Jeon Woon-yeop with a serious expression.
“Yes. He said to inspect if it’s not just on paper but actually running well.”
Jeon Woon-yeop nodded in agreement.
“It’s a bit sudden. Was there something lacking in your report?”
Was there something questionable in the paperwork? I’ve double-checked and carefully written it to avoid flaws.
I glanced at Miss Zhuge, as if to seek her agreement.
“W-we worked on it overnight together!”
Miss Zhuge cautiously brought it up, as if sensing something odd.
Why is he bothering a young man who seems to be doing well all of a sudden? If he has nothing to do, he should enjoy a nice break somewhere with good air and water.
Hiding my dissatisfaction, I looked at Jeon Woon-yeop, who unexpectedly said,
“It’s just a confirmation process. If the Master of Man Geum is satisfied, after this report, he says he won’t have to receive any more formal reports.”
“Are you saying the test will soon be over?”
So he’s really Jang Noya.
He’s not the Master of Man Geum for nothing. Thinking about it, passing the test means all debts will be forgiven. Truly a distinguished person from Hubei Province.
He’s the grandfather of Zhuge Xiang, who is lovely and has a beautiful heart.
“As long as you satisfy the Master of Man Geum.”
“…”
Wait, now that I think about it, he was also the grandfather of Jeon Gil-san.
After the long holidays, it seems like I’m dealing with company-like elders. I don’t want to meet him, but I suppose I must.
It’s surprising. He seemed like someone who would cling onto me forever, yet he’s clearly laying out a timeframe for the test.
“Of course, I understand it’s sudden. But this has to be a surprise visit…”
“Well done.”
I could end my test with the Master of Man Geum. Filled with joy, I jumped to my feet.
“Huh?”
“Just in time. I have something to show you today, so follow me.”
Today was just perfect to showcase how my business was running.
——
“Club Leader! Inform the owner you have arrived!”
“Where is this?”
Jeon Woon-yeop seemed startled by the unexpected destination as he got out of the carriage and surveyed the surroundings.
“This is a new franchise of the Yungi Inn. It’s opening tomorrow, so I thought it best to explain in this quiet new establishment.”
Explaining in a busy inn would only be noisy and disruptive. Although I’ve been extremely busy lately with many things, I was lucky to pick such an unexpected place.
“I see.”
“Of course, I’ll explain here, and later we’ll visit the branches to show you the work in action.”
“Welcome, Club Leader!”
As I approached the store, a middle-aged man with a bright face came to the door.
“Mr. Choi! You’re really starting to shape up. No one can mistake you for the owner now.”
The man’s identity was Mr. Choi, the owner of the new inn.
“Hehe! I’m just embarrassed. This isn’t mine; it’s all thanks to our Club, and to you, Club Leader. I couldn’t even imagine this happening just a while ago…”
Mr. Choi’s face was filled with emotion as he constantly looked at his inn, as if he might cry any moment.
“Congratulations once again. May I take my guest around the store for a moment?”
“If they are a guest of the Club Leader, they are my guest too. I’ll prepare food right away.”
Mr. Choi said with a warm smile, pointing to the inside of the establishment.
“We already ate. You really don’t have to.”
“Since the Club Leader has arrived, I can’t let you go without treating you to a meal, or I’ll be seen as a lowly, shameful person by the members. Don’t worry, I’ll serve the food right after your tour.”
“Understood. I’ll take my guest for a tour first.”
This is why I can’t ever walk around fully satisfied! I was contemplating whether to reject again when I nodded and stepped inside the inn.
—-
“Welcome, Club Leader!”
As I stepped inside, a group of younger employees gathered around a large bell.
“Is everything ready for the opening?”
“We’re memorizing the map of the area! We’re thinking of wandering around together to get familiar with the geography.”
Were they studying the map of the surroundings?
“Good. It’s always the hardest on a first trip. You have to be prepared early. Work hard.”
“We’ll do it perfectly!”
“Follow me. I’ll show you the direction of the Nine Black Qi Hands.”
“Who are they?”
Jeon Woon-yeop turned his head to ask about the employees.
“They are delivery workers.”
“Ah! So those are the delivery workers trained in Light Body Movement. I’ve never seen any because there isn’t a Yungi Inn where I live.”
“Haha! Really? We need to expand our business further! You’ll be able to receive hot food in no time.”
“I’ll definitely order later. But if the delivery workers can perform Light Body Movement, their martial arts skills must be quite impressive, right?”
“It’s called Dalbaeshinbeop. It’s a technique that can be used with little internal energy, but consumes internal energy quickly. While it falls short of conventional techniques, it’s perfect for delivery workers.”
“These delivery workers, having learned martial arts, won’t they be unsatisfied with their treatment?”
Jeon Woon-yeop’s gaze sharpened.
He’s asking if they’d quit now that they have martial arts training, that it won’t just look good but ultimately fail. Is he inquiring about the sustainability of our business?
He did say it’s a mere confirmation process.
Seems he’s genuinely here to inspect properly.
“That’s a good point. But most of the delivery workers have basic martial arts skills. They haven’t learned other techniques or are barely third-rate. Their wages are considerable, so changing jobs might not be easy for them.*”
“Indeed… So the third-rate martial arts, which seem lackluster, become the most suitable for delivery workers.”
The woman who created Dalbaeshinbeop is a genius martial artist who can walk on water. Although it was a modification I spent time considering; she would probably get angry if she hears this.
“While one delivery worker recovers their energy, another sets off. Thanks to this, late deliveries are uncommon.”
Our delivery drivers don’t use motorcycles; they rely on internal energy instead. Plus, they don’t have to think about the fuel cost per liter.
“The franchise business model is quite fascinating. One could call it a mini-guild. But without a master-servant relationship, wouldn’t it be easy for the guild to lose influence?*”
Go along with your words for now; when the time comes to make money, won’t we be strangers? The current earnings don’t seem to equal future earnings.
It was a similar inquiry to the sharp point he just made.
“The key is to hold the monopoly on the crucial elements.”
“Crucial elements?”
“I exclusively supply the carrier pigeon. Plus, the delivery workers belong to the franchise stores; they are under the main store’s command. Without those two, the stores can’t sustain themselves, so there’s no risk of losing influence.”
“Holding the monopoly on these important aspects. Just like how silk can be made anywhere, but the raw materials for silk are only found in Sichuan.”
“That’s similar.”
Indeed, it’s no surprise he’s the son of the Head of Guards. He catches on quickly.
“I heard you’re also using some other methods to turn a profit.”
“Oh, look! The ingredients cart is coming.”
I pointed towards the cart headed for the inn.
“A cart?”
“We buy food ingredients in bulk at low prices under the main store’s name, then mark them up for sale. The franchises don’t have to shop separately, and we provide consistent food quality. Plus, we know the sales of each establishment easily because we supply bulk ingredients.”
“For ingredients to be handled that way…”
“Since we hold exclusive rights, we can mark them up from several places.”
Subtly mentioning renovation costs and franchise fees, referring to the several avenues of profit I could achieve.
“I thought of you as merely a middleman, but this is a truly innovative method I’ve never seen before.”
Jeon Woon-yeop looked at me with astonishment, unable to close his mouth.
The franchise model is the first of its kind in this world.
I don’t need to boast to someone here for an inspection. There’s no need to flaunt my idea if they already know it.
“Is there really anything completely new under the heaven? I merely found a way to utilize what I have.”
I intentionally feigned humility.
It’s best to showcase the appearance of a merchant making the best of every given situation. I’d later tell the Master of Man Geum how good my attitude was.
“Truly a reflection of the Master of Man Geum’s…”
“Huh?”
“Ah, no. The Master of Man Geum asked me to confirm a few more things.”
Jeon Woon-yeop forced a smile and then quickly changed the subject.
“What are you referring to?”
“As the scale has grown, he wanted to see how you manage your people as well.”
Not about the business model but about managing the people?
I turned confidently with a bold grin.
“Follow me.”
I have something to show!
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