Chapter 57: The Unexpected Article

The next morning, 6 a.m.

Lee Jun-hyuk stood in front of the newspaper stand.

The sun had yet to rise fully, and everything was bathed in a bluish light at this early hour, but the papers had already been delivered.

Brooklyn Daily Eagle.

With trembling hands, he slipped in the cold coins and pulled out a paper.

The sound of rustling pages was soon followed by the sharp scent of ink. The front page was filled with trivial news about local politicians.

He quickly flipped through the pages. Page two, page three…

Finally, in a corner of the economy section on page four, he found an article about La Choy.

And the moment he saw the headline, his heart thudded and sank.

“Brooklyn’s New Challenge: The Emergence of Premium Canned Goods Made by Easterners”

It was nothing like what he had expected.

It wasn’t a provocative article raising suspicions or criticisms. On the contrary…

Under the faint glow of the streetlamp, Lee Jun-hyuk began to read the article, his eyes trembling.

“The La Choy Foods Canning Factory visited by this reporter yesterday was, to be frank, astonishingly clean and well-organized. Under the command of thirty-year veteran American Manager Walter Smith, every stage of production was carried out under strict hygiene control.”

The article was astonishingly fair.

No, it was even favorable.

“What was especially impressive was the almost obsessive attention to quality by this fledgling enterprise. Every production batch goes through strict quality inspections, and if even a single can fails to meet their standards, the entire batch is discarded. This policy clearly shows a Business Philosophy that values customer trust and quality over short-term profit.”

Only then did Lee Jun-hyuk let out the long sigh of relief he’d been holding back.

Mike Sullivan.

That cynical reporter had, in the end, honored his conscience.

At the end of the article, there was even this sentence:

“The United States is a great country that gives opportunities to those who strive. I hope these young immigrants, who are trying to compete fair and square not through skin color or background but through the quality of their products, will see their bold challenge bear fruit.”

He folded the newspaper carefully and headed for the Factory.

As he walked, he wondered.

Why had Sullivan written such a positive article?

Simply because the Factory was clean?

Or was it the reporter’s backlash against the underhanded pressure from Bancroft?

Whatever the reason, this single article was worth a thousand reinforcements to him right now.

When he arrived at the Factory, Yu Ilhan was already there.

He too was holding the same newspaper in his hand.

“Boss! Did you see the article?”

Yu Ilhan’s face was brimming with excitement and delight.

“Thank goodness! I couldn’t sleep at all last night, worried that some vicious article might come out…”

“Looks like Mike Sullivan is a man of real integrity.”

Lee Jun-hyuk set the newspaper down on his desk as he spoke.

Soon, the employees began arriving for work, and he showed the article to all of them.

The Factory was instantly filled with joy and cheers.

Especially Walter, who took pride in seeing his own name in the article like a child.

“Well now, it says here I’m a ‘thirty-year veteran American Manager!’”

He put on his reading glasses and peered at the article, laughing.

“Does this make me a celebrity in Brooklyn now?”

The atmosphere was warm and festive.

But Lee Jun-hyuk knew.

There was no way the snake Bancroft would back off just because of a newspaper article.

Sure enough, around 10 a.m., the office phone rang.

Lee Jun-hyuk answered it himself.

“La Choy Foods.”

“Lee Jun-hyuk.”

Bancroft’s voice was as cold as ice.

“Read the paper. Nice article, monkey.”

“It’s not luck. The reporter just wrote what he actually saw.”

“Is that so?”

Bancroft let out a cynical laugh over the line.

“Then let’s see if this becomes fact too. I’ve received word that a dead Raccoon was found in one of your filthy canned goods made by Orientals.”

It was the lowest and most vicious lie imaginable.

“Do you have any proof of that?”

“Proof? If I don’t have any, I’ll just make some.”

It was a blatant threat to fabricate evidence.

“If you do that…”

“What? Going to report it to the police again? Planning on a lawsuit?”

Bancroft sneered with contempt.

“Go ahead, do as you please. Here in Brooklyn, let’s see whose word they’ll believe—yours or mine.”

The call was cut.

Lee Jun-hyuk slowly set down the receiver.

He’d been gripping it so hard his knuckles had turned white.

“They’d really… put a Raccoon in our product?”

Could he really stoop that low?

No—if it was Bancroft, it was more than possible.

After all, he was the man who’d turned a thriving shop into ruins just five years ago.

Yu Ilhan approached, his expression anxious.

“Was it Bancroft?”

“Yes. This time, he’s threatening to report us for having a dead Raccoon in our product.”

“That… that insane son of a…!”

Yu Ilhan bit his lip, unable to finish the sentence.

The two men fell into a brief silence. The Factory’s machinery, which usually sounded peaceful, now felt like a Security Warning, an omen of Crisis.

“We need to strengthen our security measures much more than before.”

Lee Jun-hyuk spoke first.

“From storage to delivery, at every stage.”

“How exactly do you propose?”

“From today on, all finished products will be stored only in that Warehouse, and we’ll put a double Seal on it. Only you, I, and Walter will have keys.”

“And?”

“Starting tomorrow, every delivery box leaving here will be sealed with a Seal Sticker we make ourselves. That way, if anyone opens a box mid-route, it’ll be obvious right away.”

They began to formulate specific countermeasures.

At that moment, the gentle sound of a car engine came from outside.

Looking out the window, they saw a luxury sedan—different from yesterday—parked in front of the Factory.

The man who got out was…

“Mr. Harrison!”

It was Harrison Wellington, chief buyer for Macy’s Department Store.

An unannounced, sudden visit.

Why had he come, at this timing?

Lee Jun-hyuk and Yu Ilhan hurried outside.

“Mr. Harrison, what brings you here?”

“Ah, Mr. Lee. Sorry to drop by unannounced.”

Harrison held up the newspaper in his hand.

“I saw this article this morning. It was truly impressive.”

It was the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.

“That’s why I wanted to come see for myself. Would it be all right if I took a look around your Factory with my own eyes?”

A completely unexpected favor.

But there was no reason to refuse. In fact, it was a golden opportunity.

“Of course. I’d be happy to show you around.”

The Factory tour began.

Harrison was far more meticulous and sharp than expected. Like a reporter verifying facts, he checked every detail mentioned in the article one by one.

The perfect hygiene, the utterly disciplined work of the employees, and the systematic quality control Walter so proudly explained.

“It’s just as the article described.”

He was genuinely impressed.

“No, it’s even more impressive than the article made it sound.”

He opened a can fresh off the production line right there and tasted it.

“Still excellent. No different at all from what I sampled at yesterday’s Gourmet Deli tasting.”

Harrison wore a satisfied expression.

And then, with a serious face, he got to the main point.

“Mr. Lee, there’s a real reason I rushed over like this.”

“There was an Emergency Board Meeting yesterday. We formally discussed listing your La Choy products.”

Lee Jun-hyuk’s heart began to race.

“And the result…”

“To be honest, some of the board members were strongly opposed. They insisted it was too soon to put Eastern food on Macy’s shelves.”

It was a discouraging development.

“But—”

Harrison continued.

“I took this article to them again this morning and convinced them. With this level of strict hygiene and a true Business Philosophy of quality, we could proudly sell these products under the Macy’s name.”

“So then…”

“We decided to revisit the decision at next week’s Board Meeting. This time, I’ll be on your side, actively persuading the other members.”

The spark of Hope that had been snuffed out now flickered back to life.

Harrison took out another business card from his card holder.

“This gentleman is the Board Chairman of our department store. John Wanamaker II.”

Wanamaker!

A legendary name in the American department store industry.

His grandfather was the very man who founded America’s first department store—the so-called “Father of Department Stores.”

“Would you be willing to meet him in person, next Tuesday at 2 p.m.?”

Harrison said gravely.

“He’s the Final Decision-Maker. If you can persuade him, La Choy’s entry will be all but guaranteed.”

“Thank you. Truly…I don’t even know how to express my gratitude.”

Lee Jun-hyuk bowed deeply, his thanks heartfelt.

“But if I may give one piece of advice—”

Harrison lowered his voice.

“Chairman Wanamaker is a very conservative man. Especially when it comes to foreigners and immigrants…he holds a bit of prejudice.”

A far more difficult opponent than expected.

“But at the same time, he’s a cold, rational businessman. If something is profitable, he can set aside his personal feelings.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. That’s extremely valuable advice.”

After Harrison left, Lee Jun-hyuk and Yu Ilhan returned to the office.

“This is an incredible opportunity, Boss!”

Yu Ilhan could barely contain his excitement.

“To meet the Wanamaker himself… It feels like a dream.”

“But it will also be the hardest hurdle yet.”

Lee Jun-hyuk replied realistically.

“How do we persuade an old, conservative white man with a prejudice against foreigners…?”

“Still, we have to try!”

Yu Ilhan’s eyes sparkled with determination.

“Will we ever get a chance like this again? No, absolutely not. This is our last opportunity.”

He was right.

At that moment, the office phone rang.

“La Choy Foods.”

“Lee Jun-hyuk? It’s Zhen.”

A Chinese merchant from Chinatown. His voice was urgent.

“I just got some urgent news. Word is Bancroft has been paying off local thugs in our neighborhood.”

More bad news.

“What do you think he’s going to have them do?”

“Probably…mess with your goods. Maybe target your delivery Truck, or slip something into your deliveries at the shops…”

So, the morning’s talk of Raccoons wasn’t just a threat.

“Be careful. Especially during deliveries.”

“Thank you for the warning, Zhen.”

After hanging up, Lee Jun-hyuk immediately gathered the employees.

“Everyone, please gather for a moment.”

The workers paused their tasks and assembled.

“From today, our company’s security will be at the highest level.”

Lee Jun-hyuk explained Bancroft’s latest scheme.

The employees’ faces darkened again.

“Would they really stoop that low?”

A young female employee asked, her face incredulous.

“It’s highly likely. That’s why I need everyone’s cooperation, starting now.”

Walter clenched his fist in anger.

“Don’t worry, Boss. We’ll put our lives on the line to protect this Factory and our products.”

The others nodded with resolute faces.

“I’ll personally manage the finished goods Warehouse from now on. Only you and I will have keys, Boss.”

“When delivering, I’ll always ride along in the Truck and keep an eye on things to the end.”

“We’ll double and triple check during packing to make sure nothing suspicious gets in.”

Everyone pulled together voluntarily, with one mind.

Lee Jun-hyuk’s heart grew warm. The more Crisis pressed in, the more tightly his comrades banded together. It filled him with gratitude.

By 6 p.m., the day’s work was finished.

The 500 cans produced that day were placed in the Warehouse and locked with double and triple Seals.

The keys were split among Lee Jun-hyuk, Yu Ilhan, and Walter.

“Starting tomorrow, let’s put our own Seal Sticker on every delivery box.”

Yu Ilhan suggested.

“If someone opens a box along the way, it’ll be immediately obvious.”

“That’s an excellent idea. I’ll place the order first thing in the morning.”

Even after the employees left, Lee Jun-hyuk remained alone in the Factory.

He sat in his office chair and began preparing for his historic meeting with John Wanamaker II.

What should he say, and how? How could he possibly persuade the conservative old white man whose mind was closed?

He took out a clean notebook from his desk drawer.

He wrote “La Choy’s Strengths” at the top and began listing them, one by one.

Unique flavors and textures not found in the New York market.

A Premium Canned Goods strategy targeting high-end gourmet shops.

The growing potential of the Eastern foods market.

Strict, perfect quality control, as proven by the newspaper article.

Then, his pen paused.

Emotional appeals alone weren’t enough.

To persuade a giant like Wanamaker, he’d need something stronger, something more direct.

“Money.”

Yes, in the end, it was about money.

How much profit could La Choy bring to Macy’s Department Store?

That was the core of everything.

He picked up his pen again.

“Profitability Analysis”

Higher margin than competing products: over 40% (regular canned goods: 20–25%)

Targeting high-income customers, so less price resistance

High repeat purchase rate expected (over 80% of Gourmet Deli tasting participants placed extra orders)

Speak with numbers.

That was the surest way to convince a cold-blooded businessman.

It was past 9 p.m. when he finally left the Factory.

The streets were dark.

Only the occasional streetlight glowed in the night.

He quickened his pace.

Then—

He heard faint footsteps behind him.

Tap, tap, tap.

Someone was following.

Lee Jun-hyuk deliberately walked faster.

The footsteps behind him quickened as well.

He was sure now.

He was being tailed.

He turned the corner into a dark alley.

Then, pressing his back to the wall, he held his breath and waited.

Soon, a man appeared.

A young white man with his cap pulled low.

He looked around, searching for Lee Jun-hyuk.

“Who sent you?”

As Lee Jun-hyuk suddenly emerged from the shadows, the man flinched in fright.

“Uh, uh, well…”

The man stammered in fear.

“Bancroft, was it?”

When Lee Jun-hyuk pressed, the man nodded furiously.

“H-he just said to check where you live, that’s all…”

“Go back and tell him this.”

Lee Jun-hyuk’s voice was cold as ice.

“No matter how dirty his tricks get, it won’t work. We’ll never stop.”

The man fled into the darkness as if running for his life.

Lee Jun-hyuk let out a deep sigh and stepped back onto the main road. Bancroft’s pressure had now grown so relentless, he was even sending people to tail him all the way home.

But Lee Jun-hyuk felt no fear.

On the contrary, his determination burned even brighter.

The very fact that Bancroft was going this far was clear evidence that La Choy was a true threat to him.

He reached the hotel and entered his room.

On the desk lay the morning’s newspaper he’d bought. The headline, “Brooklyn’s New Challenge,” stood out boldly.

This was a small victory.

But the real battle was just beginning.