I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 70

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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Chapter 70
“You have two hours from now. During that time, please transform your dishes into convenient meal options. Let’s begin!”
The competition started at Koo Sung-hyun’s announcement.
Since the dishes would be produced using a large corporation’s factory system, the primary objective was to create meals that could be conveniently launched within two hours.
Father and the Suyu Branch Manager of Won Uncle’s Bossam had focused over the past month on launching dishes suited for convenient meals.
It was Father’s idea to make bossam and jokbal available for easy purchase at convenience stores and supermarkets by packaging them as single-serving appetizers and lunch boxes.
Since bossam and jokbal required lengthy preparation, timing the cooking process perfectly was Father’s highest priority.
From the cheering section set up around the Competition Venue, our family watched intently as Father and the Suyu Branch Manager cooked. My palms grew damp with nervous sweat. Deep creases formed on Min-guk’s forehead as he gripped my hand tightly.
Having worked in sync for so long, Father and the Suyu Branch Manager seamlessly alternated roles, cooking without a single wasted movement.
Mother clasped her hands together, her eyes fixed on Father as he cooked.
I couldn’t tear my gaze away from Father’s cooking either.
Before I knew it, I was gripping Mother’s hand tightly.
Mother gently patted my hand.
“Sung-guk, your father is truly amazing….”
“Yeah!”
I answered emphatically.
Father had always been a dependable provider, quietly fulfilling his duties. Today, he was truly magnificent—a man doing what he loved.
Koo Sung-hyun picked up the microphone again.
“Thirty minutes remain. Please arrange your dishes to fit inside the convenient meal lunch boxes we’ve prepared.”
Clang!
The sound of a plate crashing to the floor echoed through the venue.
It was the braised monkfish team cooking right next to Father.
“What do we do now?”
In her panic, the Restaurant Ajumma touched the broken plate and blood began pouring from her hand.
“Wait! We’ll pause for ten minutes. All other teams, please stop as well!”
Koo Sung-hyun quickly brought the emergency responders to the braised monkfish team. One of them hastily stopped the bleeding and administered first aid to her injured hand.
Father put on several thick gloves and quickly cleaned up the broken plate.
The Restaurant Ajumma kept apologizing to Father.
“There’s no need to apologize.”
“I’m just relieved you weren’t hurt. It’s fine.”
The event staff came and quickly cleared away the broken pieces.
Nearly all ten minutes had elapsed.
Flow was crucial in cooking.
The momentum Father and the Suyu Branch Manager had built while slicing the freshly cooked bossam and jokbal was broken. And only thirty minutes remained!
The clock started moving again.
Koo Sung-hyun began the countdown.
“Now, five minutes left. Please begin your final touches.”
All thirty teams were frantically finishing up.
I could see Father and the Suyu Branch Manager making one last check to ensure nothing was overlooked.
Father was arranging the bossam neatly in the convenient meal lunch box, adding shrimp sauce to the empty space, with white rice, pickled radish, and kimchi on the side.
“Alright, thirty seconds remaining. When the bell rings, please remove your hands and step back. Five, four, three, two, one!”
The bell chimed in unison with Koo Sung-hyun’s countdown.
Father and the Suyu Branch Manager exchanged glances and smiled before stepping back.
Sweat poured down Father’s face like rain.
“Well, everyone has worked hard. Five professional judges specially invited for today will now begin their evaluation.”
Koo Sung-hyun set down the microphone and picked up the scoring sheet, then began making rounds with the five other professional judges, evaluating each team.
Father’s team was scheduled for the latter half.
The experts scrutinized the composition and taste of the convenience foods with hawk-like intensity, their poker faces revealing nothing of their true assessments.
Father and the Suyu Branch Manager wiped their sweat, waiting anxiously for their turn.
Finally, Father’s turn arrived.
Koo Sung-hyun greeted them with a smile and examined the bossam lunch box.
“You’ve created a bossam lunch box.”
“Yes. While people typically view bossam as a drinking side dish, the slow-boiled meat and kimchi actually make an excellent single meal. I designed it to be both filling and nutritionally balanced for one serving.”
“And the pig’s feet—you’ve positioned that as a drinking snack?”
“Pig’s feet actually develop better texture when chilled. Many people enjoy that chewy quality. Given that convenience stores and supermarkets require refrigerated distribution, I created the pig’s feet as a drinking snack. Plus, with the growing trend of single-person households, I sized it for individual consumption.”
Koo Sung-hyun nodded approvingly.
The experts tasted the bossam lunch box and pig’s feet snack, meticulously noting their assessments on the scoring sheet.
“Thank you for your presentation.”
Koo Sung-hyun offered an inscrutable farewell to Father and the Suyu Branch Manager before moving on.
Father finally exhaled and looked toward his family.
I gave him a thumbs up.
“Dad, you were the best!”
My voice echoed through the competition venue, and everyone burst into laughter.
Father beamed at me brighter than ever.
I felt genuinely proud to be Father’s son in this lifetime.
* * *
The process matters more than the result.
Since we tried our best, that should be enough.
That’s all nonsense!
I waited anxiously for Father’s evaluation results.
“Honey, you worked so hard today.”
“The results… I’m so nervous.”
“Sung-guk’s father, you were truly amazing today. My palms were sweating the whole time.”
“But the results need to be good too.”
[Obviously. If the results are bad, everything’s bad!]
I clenched my fists.
“Sung-guk, Dad was cool today, right?”
“Yeah. A little.”
“But you just said I was the best?”
[I did say that then, but now we’re waiting for results. Don’t make Dad lose his nerve.]
I tapped Father’s back repeatedly, urging him to stay composed.
The Suyu Branch Manager looked at me and chuckled.
“Sung-guk seems even more nervous than you are. Thanks to you—or rather, strictly speaking, thanks to Sung-guk. Participating in a competition like this has been a truly wonderful experience.”
[Sir, it’s not over until it’s over! Why are you talking like everything’s already decided!]
I shot the manager a sharp glance and waited anxiously for the results.
Finally, Director Koo Sung-hyun emerged holding the judging results.
The murmuring crowd fell silent in an instant.
Every eye fixed on Director Koo Sung-hyun.
“Thank you all for your patience. Before we begin, I want to express my gratitude to everyone here today for their hard work and dedication.”
[Enough with the pleasantries. Just announce the results already!]
“Well then, since you’ve all been waiting, let me announce the results. As planned, we’ve selected eight teams total—two from each category: Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and Western cuisine. Let me start with the Western cuisine category. The winners are 【Homey Pasta】, which created Italian pasta convenience meals, and 【King Steak】, which created steak bento boxes!”
“Wow!”
Cheers erupted alongside applause.
The eliminated competitors from the Western cuisine category clapped graciously.
Indeed, the world only makes room for winners.
Japanese and Chinese cuisine categories were announced in turn.
Now, finally, it was Korean cuisine’s turn.
Just as I reached out to grab Father’s hand, Mother had already seized it firmly.
[I’ll let you have this one.]
I crossed my arms and waited for Director Koo Sung-hyun’s announcement.
“Now, for our final category—Korean cuisine. Everyone worked hard to transform this demanding cuisine into convenient meals. So, the first team to partner with Hyojin Food is… you broke a plate today, but you’ve passed. It’s the 【Masan Agujjim】 team!”
“Yay!”
The Restaurant Ajumma, her hands wrapped in bandages, stood up and cheered.
Father watched her with envious eyes.
[Come on, announce the next team!]
Director Koo Sung-hyun glanced at the judging chart and smiled warmly.
“This team received excellent scores for both creativity and taste today. The winners are the 【Won Uncle’s Bossam】 team, who created bossam bento boxes and single-serving pig’s feet snacks! Congratulations!”
Father jumped to his feet instantly.
Then he scooped up Min-guk and me in his arms and showered us with kisses.
“Sung-guk, Min-guk. Dad did it!”
[Dad, I’ll pass on the kisses.]
“Sung-guk, Dad loves you.”
Father continued kissing us relentlessly.
[Okay, I’ll allow it just for today. But starting tomorrow, there’s no soup for you, Dad.]
I turned my cheek slightly toward Father.
* * *
Father and the Suyu Branch Manager were carefully reviewing the contract at the restaurant.
Kim Mi-young assisted them from the side.
“There are no major issues with the contract. The terms match what was offered during the application. You’ll launch convenience meals under each brand name within a year, with a guarantee of 10 percent of net sales.”
“Should I sign, Representative Kim?”
“From what I can see, there don’t appear to be any major issues. Congratulations to both of you!”
At Kim Mi-young’s words, Father and the Suyu Branch Manager finally broke into smiles.
“Wow, is this a dream or reality? Our brand name products are going to be stocked across every mart and convenience store in the country.”
The Suyu Branch Manager looked like he was about to cry.
“By the way, I think it would be good for both of you to draw up a contract as well.”
Kim Mi-young poured cold water on the two elated men.
“Between us too?”
“Yes. Partnerships are inherently complicated, aren’t they? I know you’ve both worked hard and that you both wish for each other’s success, but I think it’s wise to formalize the profit distribution clearly through a contract. For the future, if nothing else.”
Kim Mi-young’s words were precise.
Businesses that start with loyalty and friendship inevitably end in conflict and separation, whether they succeed or fail—that was the natural course of partnerships.
“I think the Suyu Branch Manager should take a larger share of the profits.”
[Dad, what are you saying?]
Sitting at the next table sipping cider while listening to their conversation, I bristled.
“What do you mean? This opportunity and everything else—it’s all thanks to you. The ideas for the lunch boxes and single-serving side dishes, you came up with all of them. The most important thing in this competition was the convenient food concept you created.”
[Suyu Manager, now that’s what I call understanding.]
But Father shook his head firmly.
“If you hadn’t taught me the techniques for bossam and jokbal, we wouldn’t even be here.”
“Then let’s make it equal—fifty-fifty for both of you. Fifty-fifty on shares as well. And whatever related business you undertake in the future, you’ll start at fifty-fifty. Neither party can unilaterally break the contract, and it cannot be transferred to anyone else.”
“Of course. I’m going to run a bossam restaurant until the day I die.”
The Suyu Branch Manager laughed heartily.
“Me too. Manager, whatever we do, let’s keep it equal at fifty-fifty.”
“Thank you.”
“What are you saying? I’m always the one who should be grateful.”
“You suggested I try running a bossam specialty restaurant instead of just a makgeolli bar, and you’re the one who pushed me to enter this competition. Thanks to you, I feel like I’m growing too.”
[Manager, never forget that gratitude going forward.]
The Suyu Branch Manager patted my head.
“This Sung-guk, always muttering something. Sung-guk, you’re truly a blessing. Ever since you were born, your family’s fortunes have turned around, and mine have too because of you.”
[Of course. Being reborn as a tycoon is a blessing harder to come by than winning the lottery!]

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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