Chapter 23 — Preparations for Something That Doesn't Exist
Li Ming sat at his desk with a blank sheet of paper.
On it, he wrote:
"Things a burger restaurant needs that will cost a fortune."
By the time he stopped, the list had twenty-two items.
Some made sense — grills, fryers, seating, signage.
Others… less so — like "private delivery fleet," "oversized cold storage warehouse," and "custom bread factory with imported ovens."
An Innocent Order
That afternoon, he called Old Hu, his logistics manager.
"I need you to get quotes on refrigerated trucks. Big ones. No, bigger than that. Yes, for the Italian chain. Don't ask why."
Old Hu scratched his head. "But the Italian chain doesn't—"
Li Ming cut him off. "Research, Hu. It's all research."
The truth was, if he started buying these things before launching the burger brand, nobody could accuse him of wasting money on a failed idea. It would all be "general company expansion."
The Meat Question
At dinner with Wu, Li Ming stirred his soup absentmindedly.
"Where do we get most of our beef now?"
"From three suppliers in the province," Wu said. "Why?"
"Hypothetically… what if they all went bankrupt at once?"
Wu blinked. "That's not—"
"Humor me."
"Well, we'd have to bring it in from out of province. Transport costs would double. Why?"
Li Ming smiled. "Just thinking about how to prepare for a catastrophe. You never know."
In truth, he was already eyeing a struggling ranch two towns over. Buying it would be expensive and require constant investment in feed, equipment, and staff — exactly the sort of "bottomless pit" he loved.
Seeds in the Ground
Over the next few weeks, quiet orders went out:
Survey land near the capital for a "future warehouse site."
Draft plans for a cheese processing line that could "serve multiple brands."
Negotiate bulk flour shipments, "in case prices go up."
To his managers, it all looked like overcautious preparation for the Italian chain.
To Li Ming, it was the first bricks in a foundation for something much bigger — and in his mind, much more unprofitable.
A Familiar Smile
One evening, Li Ming stood on the balcony of his office, looking over the city.
The Italian restaurants were still running perfectly. Too perfectly.
He grinned.
"If one chain can make me this much money," he muttered, "imagine how much two will lose me."
Far below, the lights of his busiest store flickered on. Customers were lining up for dinner.
He didn't know it yet, but those same lights would one day glow over burger shops, delivery trucks, cold storage depots, and a supply chain that no competitor could touch.