Chapter 206: Life on a Skewer!

Shen Fei browsed through various investment project websites with great focus.

One year could be seen as long or short—it all depended on how well he used the time. Without other reliable channels, Shen Fei placed his hopes on these platforms to find a few promising projects.

Scanning the project proposals quickly, Shen Fei reviewed dozens of pages before settling on three projects:

1. A car-sharing business named Traveler

2. A sports and personal care brand called Blue Orange

3. A barbecue brand that caught his greatest attention—Life on a Skewer.

All three projects appeared on the same page, but attracting investment for them wouldn’t be easy. Investors with significant capital rarely browsed such websites, and the markets for car-sharing, personal care, and barbecue were already saturated. Many who invested in these areas had failed, and only a few had seized the market’s rewards.

Despite this, Shen Fei remained optimistic about these three projects. In his previous life, they had all achieved remarkable success due to their strengths and strategic investment.

The barbecue brand Life on a Skewer stood out the most. With its excellent service, high-quality ingredients, elegant environment, and affordable prices, it quickly won over customers. These characteristics turned the restaurant into the “Haidilao” of the barbecue industry—a beloved brand known for customer satisfaction.

Within six months of opening, Life on a Skewer became wildly popular through word of mouth. Within three years, it expanded into a robust brand and went public. By year five, its market value reached a staggering 50 billion yuan.

Although the other two projects also performed well in Shen Fei’s previous life, they paled in comparison to the explosive success of Life on a Skewer.

After pondering for a while, Shen Fei decided to focus his investment on just one project. “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket,” he thought, but in this case, maximizing returns while aiming for majority control made Life on a Skewer the perfect choice.

Shen Fei browsed a few more projects but found nothing else worthwhile. Checking the time, he pulled out a paper with the contact information for Life on a Skewer’s founder, Ji Lu, and dialed the number.

The call connected within seconds.

“Hello?”

“Is this Mr. Ji Lu?” Shen Fei asked.

“Yes, who’s calling?” Ji Lu’s tone carried a hint of surprise.

“I saw your proposal for Life on a Skewer on the investment platform. I’m very interested in your barbecue concept,” Shen Fei stated directly.

“You’re interested?” Ji Lu’s voice trembled with excitement.

Though his barbecue restaurant was doing well in its current market, Ji Lu wasn’t satisfied. The hotpot industry had Haidilao—why couldn’t the barbecue industry have its equivalent? He dreamed of providing top-tier service, environment, and ingredients at affordable prices, spreading the spirit of barbecue and a carefree approach to life.

Despite his thriving restaurant, Ji Lu feared being overtaken by market competition. That’s why he had pinned his hopes on the investment platform. However, after days with no responses, he was close to removing the proposal when Shen Fei’s call arrived.

“Yes! I’m very interested. Let’s meet in person to discuss the details. How about it, Mr. Ji?” Shen Fei suggested.

“Alright! And may I know your name?” Ji Lu asked, suppressing his excitement.

“Shen Fei—Shen as in Shen Wansan, and Fei as in soaring to success,” Shen Fei introduced himself.

Ji Lu frowned slightly. He wasn’t familiar with Shen Fei’s name, and based on his knowledge of Shen City’s business scene, there didn’t seem to be anyone notable with that name. Still, he chose to trust Shen Fei.

“Where shall we meet, Mr. Shen?” Ji Lu asked.

“Are you a local of Shen City?” Shen Fei inquired.

“Yes, I am!” Ji Lu replied.

“Great! Let’s meet at Z.G.C Restaurant. When you arrive, just let the staff know. I’ll be waiting there. And don’t forget to bring your proposal!” Shen Fei instructed.

Z.G.C Restaurant—a well-known high-end business venue—gave Shen Fei a moment of nostalgia. Years ago, the first time someone invited him to that restaurant was Jiang Rou, the CEO of Qian Kun Group. Today, however, he was the one extending the invitation.

“Z.G.C Restaurant?” Ji Lu paused in surprise. The restaurant was renowned in Shen City and typically inaccessible to people without wealth or connections. This invitation reassured him that Shen Fei must be someone of considerable background.

“Sure! What time works for you?” Ji Lu asked.

“Let’s meet at 10:30,” Shen Fei replied after checking the clock.

“Got it! I’ll gather my proposal and head over now!” Ji Lu said excitedly.

With only an hour to prepare, Ji Lu quickly organized everything he needed.

After hanging up, Shen Fei chose a casual business outfit. He didn’t believe in judging people by their attire—if Ji Lu did, then Life on a Skewer wouldn’t be worth investing in.

When the time came, Shen Fei drove his G-Class to Z.G.C Restaurant. Reflecting on the big moves he was about to make, his heart swelled with hope for the future.

Although he had a clear advantage with his knowledge of the next two decades, he was constrained by the one-year timeline. His goal of achieving success in Harbor City’s economic zone required seizing every opportunity.

Arriving at Z.G.C Restaurant, Shen Fei informed the staff of his reservation and settled into a window seat, leisurely awaiting the arrival of Ji Lu, the future majority shareholder of Life on a Skewer.