National Tide 1980.

Every businessman needs to know how to utilize resources.

This is the most basic business acumen.

It is also the most basic and cruel business truth that Mi Xiaoran has come to understand after five years of struggling and hard work in the United States.

In the business world, you can't go far by going it alone.

Only by understanding how to assess the situation, leveraging one's network of contacts, and learning to utilize external resources can one gain a foothold and achieve success.

Despite the fact that Ning Weimin had long been a source of heartache for Mi Xiaoran due to their past romantic entanglements.

She simply couldn't let go of her competitive spirit and apply this business principle to Ning Weimin, instead treating him as a target she needed to surpass.

However, this did not prevent her from seeking help from others.

For example, Wang Dadong, who made a special trip to Tianjin to visit her, is one of the most valued assistants she has received since returning to China.

Wang Dadong is the maternal uncle of her late husband Zhao Hanyu, and also the matchmaker who brought them together for marriage.

Especially after she had a conflict with the Zhao family over the custody of the child, Wang Dadong always sided with her and was the only person who ever spoke up for her.

Therefore, firstly, emotionally, Mi Xiaoran trusted the other party more.

Now, she has returned to China alone, shouldering the dual pressures of career and raising children, while the custody battle and the rift within the Zhao family are becoming increasingly severe.

It seems that Wang Dadong is the only person who can mediate between her and the Zhao family, buffer the conflict, and leave room for negotiation.

Moreover, during the five years she was overseas and had no time to take care of her young son at home, Wang Dadong often provided her with financial assistance and visited Mi Xiaoran's parents several times.

Putting aside everything else, just for this act of kindness in her time of need, she must, both emotionally and logically, still treat the other person with the respect due to an elder in her family.

Secondly, Wang Dadong is also a veteran American businessman who entered the Chinese market relatively early and established himself in the mainland.

Starting in 1985, he opened his first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant in mainland China, and now he has expanded Kentucky Fried Chicken to more than a dozen stores in different cities across the mainland.

With such business acumen, he has clearly mastered the local policy trends, interpersonal relationships, and business rules.

Without a doubt, for Mi Xiaoran, who was new to Beijing and still had a vague understanding of the current business landscape, Wang Dadong was a ready-made guide and advisor.

Whether it's avoiding market risks, finding investment opportunities, or connecting with local resources, Wang Dadong's experience and network are of considerable value.

With both public and private needs overlapping, Mi Xiaoran naturally had high expectations for this visit.

Early December was already bitterly cold, and on the first Sunday, Mi Xiaoran made a point of setting aside the entire day for free.

Early in the morning, I took Wang Dadong's favorite imported coffee beans, which are rarely seen in mainland China, and drove to Tianjin.

The apartment rented by Wang Dadong is clean and elegant, and when you push open the door, you are greeted by a warm and cozy feeling.

Even though Christmas is still more than two weeks away, he has already started decorating the Christmas tree with great enthusiasm.

When Mi Xiaoran saw him, he was on the ladder, wrapping colorful LED strips around the branches, with scattered decorative ornaments covering the coffee table, looking relaxed and at ease.

Upon seeing Mi Xiaoran enter, Wang Dadong stopped what he was doing, his expression gentle and warm, showing no signs of unfamiliarity.

"Xiaoran is here, please have a seat. I'm currently decorating the Christmas tree and planning to host a small dinner party at home on Christmas Eve to celebrate with some friends. If you're free then, you can bring Enxia over so the child can join in the Christmas fun."

Mi Xiaoran put down the gifts she was holding and stepped forward to help tidy up the decorations, her tone sincere.

"Thank you for thinking of my child, Uncle. I have been meaning to visit you as soon as I return to China, but I have been kept up with trivial matters. I also did not expect that you no longer live in the capital, so I am late. Please do not take offense."

Mi Xiaoran spoke very politely, while thinking of a way to steer the conversation around what she wanted to ask for.

Unexpectedly, Wang Dadong was not one to tolerate any nonsense. Before she could delve any deeper, he took the initiative to bring up the most thorny private matter.

"Xiaoran, I understand your purpose quite well. I've heard about the Zhao family's fight for custody of Enxia. Emotionally, I'm on your side. I immediately advised my sister that the child has grown up with you since she was little, and the bond between mother and child is deep. Forcibly separating them would only hurt the child and damage the relationship. But the Zhao family is too determined, and despite my repeated attempts to persuade them, I couldn't change their minds. Now that they know you've left America, they're furious, and they probably won't give up easily. So, I hope you can understand that it's really not convenient for me to get involved. Both sides are my children, and it's very difficult for me to be caught in the middle."

This clearly means that Wang Dadong wants to distance himself from this dispute and is unwilling to get involved.

Mi Xiaoran was slightly disappointed, but she could understand.

After all, if you put yourself in her shoes, you wouldn't want to get involved in such trouble.

Regardless of the outcome, it will offend one side. From Wang Dadong's perspective, he did the right thing and there was no need to get involved in this mess.

“I know my uncle has done his best. And these past few years I have been overseas and unable to help much. Thanks to you for taking care of the children and supporting the family, I will always remember this kindness.”

She thanked him softly, her eyes filled with genuine gratitude.

Wang Dadong waved his hand, unwilling to dwell on the past, and only gave a faint bitter smile.

"Business people should know how to leave room for maneuver in relationships. Especially since you and Hanyu have a child together. It's a pity my sister didn't understand that. That's why she made things so ugly. But don't worry, although I can't interfere in your lawsuit with the Zhao family, I will definitely not take their side. Now that you're back, if you need my help in any other way, feel free to ask me. After all, I am still Xiao Enxia's maternal uncle."

These words reassured Mi Xiaoran even more. In fact, Wang Dadong's ability to remain impartial was quite fair.

He was right about one thing: at least he didn't side with the Zhao family. And his promise just now is already a strong support for Mi Xiaoran's future career.

So Mi Xiaoran stopped treating herself like an outsider. Just like when Zhao Hanyu was still alive, she took the initiative to participate in decorating the Christmas tree, helping Wang Dadong and working together.

"Uncle, by the way, why did you move to Tianjin? Don't you care about Beijing anymore? That's where the core of your business is located."

As Mi Xiaoran handed the ribbon to Wang Dadong, she casually asked him a question.

She said it unintentionally; she just wanted to steer the conversation toward business so she could ask Wang Dadong for his views on investment directions.

Unexpectedly, he said the most hurtful thing.

Upon hearing this, Wang Dadong sighed softly, his tone revealing an undisguised weariness and helplessness.

"Hey, I'm also forced by circumstances. In my early years, I was determined to establish myself in Beijing, thinking that I could seize the opportunity and allow Kentucky to firmly establish itself in the Beijing consumer market. Then, based on the purchasing power of Beijing, I would develop rapidly and expand to other cities. But in recent years, the situation has changed drastically. The stores in Beijing can no longer support the business and are barely breaking even."

"How could this be? Is it just barely breaking even?" Mi Xiaoran was extremely surprised and couldn't believe it at all. This was not only because Kentucky is a global fast food chain giant, but also because when it opened, Wang Dadong had personally informed her and Zhao Hanyu of the good news that the business was booming.

Moreover, she had eaten there once during her recent trip back to China.

From her perspective, while the business at the front door Kentucky Fried Chicken couldn't compare to that of the gingerbread men, it was still thriving and didn't seem like it was failing to make money.

"You've probably heard that a gingerbread man fast food chain has appeared in Beijing. Your neighbor next door owns a stake in that chain. It's that guy named Ning... Ning Weimin. I have to admit now, my Kentucky Fried Chicken is no match for them at all, and has been suppressed by this gingerbread man chain in Beijing."

Mi Xiaoran paused, her heart filled with astonishment.

The gingerbread man's business is good, and her son loves it.

The problem is that in her preconceived notions, Wang Dadong has always been a spirited, confident, and flamboyant figure.

He's a legend at the Kentucky US headquarters, a figure highly valued by the president, who specifically invited him to come out of retirement to take charge of mainland business.

When he first entered the mainland market, he had foreign brands and advanced concepts at his disposal. When he talked about his "highly profitable" business strategy, his eyes were full of confidence that he was in control of the whole situation. He had never been so dejected and frustrated.

She couldn't tell whether these words were humble or truthful, and felt a mix of emotions. Not knowing how to comfort her, she could only silently lower her head and help tidy up.

But when her fingertips touched the Christmas ornaments on the coffee table, she was completely stunned again.

Even stranger things happened.

She suddenly realized that these exquisitely crafted, novelly designed, and brightly colored little pendants in her hands were actually the things her son loved to play with at home every day.

These are all exclusive souvenirs given away by Gingerbread Man Restaurant during holidays and as part of a points-based reward program.

You simply can't buy it anywhere else; the details, texture, and style are all exactly the same.

Mi Xiaoran looked up at Wang Dadong in surprise.

Wang Dadong understood her surprise, and an awkward, bitter smile appeared on his chubby face, his tone full of helplessness.

"Don't be so surprised. If I could, I wouldn't want to use the competitor's stuff either, but I have no choice. There's simply no suitable Christmas tree decoration to be found in mainland China right now. These gingerbread man freebies are the only ones that are exquisitely designed, beautifully styled, and of good quality. They're perfect for hanging on the Christmas tree. I don't know where they found the manufacturer. They're much better than the state-owned toy factory I work with. The quality and details are far inferior; they're incomparable."

Seeing her elders so humble and openly admit that their opponent was excellent, Mi Xiaoran felt increasingly uncomfortable.

Remembering how the older women in the courtyard would boast all day about how gingerbread men were a city-wide sensation and how factories in the neighborhood were benefiting from it, she carefully considered her words and tried to offer help.

"Uncle, if you need this kind of supply, I might be able to find out some channels for you and try to make a connection."

“No need.” Wang Dadong shook his head gently, his eyes clear yet heavy. “Xiaoran, you still don’t understand what I mean. These little things are just one aspect of the gingerbread man’s advantage. The gingerbread man can beat me because it is advanced in all aspects and in a systematic way, and it has the advantage in every way.”

He simply stopped decorating, sat down, and earnestly analyzed with Mi Xiaoran the market battle that had led him to utter defeat. Every word he spoke was the hard-earned experience gained from years of real-world combat.

"Let's talk about recruitment first. Gingerbread Man never looks at education or appearance when hiring; they only look at discipline, execution, and attitude. Their employees are paid much less than the people I hire. Moreover, they have clear rewards and punishments, transparent management, and a fair atmosphere. Nobody slacks off or tries to cheat. Their service standards are not much worse than KFC's. And because their operating method is different from most fast food restaurants, they use a completely central kitchen for pre-prepared food, which is then processed at the store. Their employees handle the entire process from using ovens and microwaves to cooking food, serving it, and clearing tables. There's no need for chefs at all. In this way, one person can do the work of two or three people. This results in their labor costs being almost half of mine."

"Let's talk about the product. Its ability to replicate dishes is terrifying. All flavors are standardized and streamlined, the food is served quickly and consistently, and there is never a mishap. The product categories are updated very quickly, always keeping up with popular tastes, and the pricing is extremely affordable, maximizing the cost-effectiveness. Ordinary people can afford it, and there is a constant stream of repeat customers."

At this point, a self-deprecating smile appeared in Wang Dadong's eyes, and he also revealed a secret incident from a few years ago.

“I’m not afraid you’ll laugh at me. To be honest, three years ago, I actually had some ulterior motives. Since our products couldn’t compete on the surface, I wanted to use my connections and foreign investment status to get our official partners involved on the grounds of ‘malicious monopoly and market disruption’ to ask the relevant departments to intervene and force the gingerbread vendors to raise their unit prices. Or I wanted to prohibit them from arbitrarily holding promotional events and offering discounts during holidays.”

Mi Xiaoran's breath hitched; she had never imagined that there was such a past.

“But he never confronted me directly, nor did he argue or defend himself.”

Recalling the past, Wang Dadong still felt a pang of sadness. "The person negotiating with me back then wasn't your neighbor; he happened to be abroad. But Shen Cun, the general manager of Gingerbread Man, wasn't someone to be trifled with. He simply took me to a quiet little pub and had the chef make two servings of fried chicken. The moment I tasted it, I was completely stunned—their original fried chicken, in terms of texture, cooking time, and flavor, was 90% similar to KFC's classic fried chicken, even more tender and juicier. In addition, there was a unique secret-recipe fried chicken, with a distinctive flavor that seemed even better than the original."

"At that moment, without anyone saying anything, I understood: KFC's most valuable recipe had been obtained by someone else. I don't know how they did it; it's completely impossible. But they did it. Now that they have the core recipe, they've got Kentucky by the skin of their teeth. It would be too easy for them to bring me down with low prices. The fact that they haven't made it available for sale shows their kindness. As for my attempt to win through off-field tactics, it's simply asking for trouble."

Wang Dadong readily admitted defeat, his tone calm.

"From that day on, I proactively withdrew all my underhanded tactics. To survive, Kentucky had no choice but to passively cut costs, replacing a large number of full-time employees with part-time workers, drastically reducing labor costs to the minimum, and even lowering the price of fried chicken in Beijing stores by 20%. It was only through these price reductions that we managed to retain customers and stabilize our basic market share in Beijing. Frankly, from then on, I abandoned the Beijing market and instead focused our store expansion on Tianjin, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. Fortunately, Gingerbread Man has always been dedicated to developing the Beijing market, without choosing to expand elsewhere, content with its dominance in Beijing. This gave me the opportunity to rise in other cities. Otherwise, I fear I would have truly suffered a Waterloo in the inland market and been forced to apologize to headquarters." (End of Chapter)