"Don't worry—look, even Kevin isn't worried," Leo said, pointing toward Kevin.
With his face flushed from alcohol, Kevin laughed heartily and said, "It's inevitable that Jones Realty and Fox Realty will adopt new materials. That's a rule in the real estate industry. I used to think we had no chance because real estate has high entry costs—we simply couldn't afford to play. But now, boys, new materials have driven costs down. With your money and some bank loans, we can absolutely get started. At the very least, we can afford to buy materials. As long as I'm the one designing, what I build will blow those two companies out of the water."
Watching his father speak with such authority, Daniel grumbled, "You haven't designed anything in ten years. Who knows if you've still got it?"
The two immediately launched into their usual father-son bickering.
"Boss, aren't we missing out on the benefits of these new materials?" Sean asked, slightly dissatisfied.
"Not necessarily," Leo replied. "For the next six months, we should be fine. Beyond that, it depends on how fast those companies react."
That was what Leo said aloud, but deep down he was confident: the building materials revolution from 1945 to 1960 was rapid and transformative. He was sure he could continue to ride the wave.
Leo knew the market was full of new materials. Only he knew which were future all-stars and which would flop. While other companies like Jones and Fox would need constant trial and error to figure things out, Leo didn't have to. They'd never catch up to him.
"But as Kevin said, materials are only part of it. Quality construction, marketing, and design style matter too."
As someone who had sold real estate for three months and paid off a mortgage for thirty years in his past life, Leo didn't find the field all that difficult.
"The problem is, he really hasn't drawn anything in ten years. And even if he does design something, it doesn't mean people will like it," Daniel said, pushing away his father's hand.
"Well, let's try and find out."
Leo handed Kevin a few hand-drawn sketches and said, "This is my family's grocery store, located across from Lynchburg College. It's in the Cape Cod style. Let's use it as our first project. Once it's done, it can serve as a model home."
"Boss, I knew you were good at maps, but I didn't know you could draw!"
Everyone was surprised.
"Hmph, let me see. I'm not your soldier, Leo, so don't expect flattery. Not everyone can be a designer."
Kevin stopped mid-sentence. The sketches weren't technical, but they were highly detailed—low-budget versions of architectural renderings.
In his past life, Leo had enjoyed drawing on a tablet. Now, with his enhanced memory and manual dexterity, his skills had only improved.
The structure used steel frames with large storefront windows, an elegant British-style entrance that provided great lighting, and slender steel columns instead of bulky center supports, maximizing retail space while retaining some nostalgic charm.
"I can only sketch the concept, Kevin. I need you to turn this into a buildable plan. Include all-new plumbing, drainage, and ventilation systems. I want this grocery store to be the best in Lynchburg."
"Not bad at all, Leo. I'd shop there myself," Kevin admitted, then grinned smugly. "But design alone isn't everything. This layout wastes too much space. Your sales floor is huge, and you've placed it right in the middle. You can only put tall shelves along the walls. Everything else will need low glass cabinets. That's costly and inefficient."
Leo pulled another sheet from the bottom of the pile. "Look at this one, Kevin. I don't want low cabinets. Have the carpenters build shelving like this."
What he had drawn was essentially a modern supermarket shelf. Each shelf was slanted and included open wooden bins on top for easy browsing and self-service.
Sure, it would cost more—but Leo believed in staying half a step ahead. One step ahead and you're a genius. Two steps ahead, and you're a lunatic. Sam Walton took twenty years to build Walmart; Leo wasn't about to sprint through it all in a day.
"Very creative," Kevin said. "But with open shelves like this, how many employees will you need?"
"One," Leo replied.
"Impossible! Shelves this tall block the cashier's view. You'll get robbed blind."
Leo shook his head. "Not with this layout." He pointed to a flowchart. "The store will be divided into two zones: one for shopping, one for resting. The shopping area will be completely enclosed with only one entrance and one exit. Sure, every store deals with shoplifters, but this setup makes it harder for them to get away—and it saves on labor."
Kevin set down the plans, visibly impressed. "Leo, I have to say—you're a genius. I didn't think you had it in you. Daniel, you've picked the right guy to follow. No problem, the blueprints are simple. I can finish them by tomorrow morning."
"Great. Have Daniel calculate the renovation cost. Add 30% profit on top. I'll pay the company out of pocket."
"But don't give me any discounts—this cost will be shared publicly with the town. It's part of our marketing strategy."
Thus, the third meeting of the Lynchburg Real Estate Company concluded successfully.
The next morning, Leo and Jonathan headed to Lynchburg Town Hall, where they entered Mayor Patrick's office together.
Patrick had a large, hooked nose and small eyes, unlike most Anglo-Saxon men, which gave him a gloomy, intimidating presence.
Patrick's gaze locked onto Leo, as though trying to see through him.
Leo met the gaze squarely, calm and composed.
The room grew quiet.
Jonathan was used to this routine—Patrick always started meetings this way. If the other party looked away or glared back, Patrick would treat them like a coward and press the attack. But if they held firm, like Leo was doing, he'd soften and switch to charm.
Sure enough, Patrick smiled and said, "Welcome, Mr. Valentino. Please, have a seat. Jonathan, fetch some water for our war hero."
He emphasized "war hero" heavily, his gaze once again sharpening.
Leo wasn't surprised. Patrick had access to records others didn't—he would certainly know about Leo's service.
"I made a serious mistake, so let's skip the 'war hero' title," Leo replied calmly.