Golden Spoon Investment Portfolio - Chapter 193

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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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193. Look at this for a moment, Mother.

Hannam-dong, Seoul.
Jo Deok-rye sat gracefully on the living room sofa bathed in bright afternoon sunlight, savoring her tea with unhurried elegance. She held a lengthy novel by a Japanese author who had won the Nobel Prize in Literature the previous year.
The book rested in one hand as she enjoyed the leisurely afternoon hours.

“Madam.”

The Gunsan Housekeeper emerged from the kitchen, drying her wet hands on her apron as she approached with a question.

“What shall I prepare for dinner this evening?”
“Hmm, let me think. Ah, didn’t you mention that fresh crabs arrived yesterday?”
“Yes. They’re female crabs from Baengnyeong Island, absolutely brimming with roe. The vendor was boasting about how rarely he gets specimens in such pristine, fresh condition.”

Jo Deok-rye nodded approvingly.

“The chairman is fond of crab soup, so let’s prepare it that way.”
“What about steaming them? The meat is so plump, that would be delicious too.”
“He complains every time about the tedium of picking at the meat. Let’s just make the soup.”
“Understood.”

Just then, the doorbell chimed.
The Gunsan Housekeeper quickly reached for the intercom handset mounted on the wall and answered.

“Who is it? Ah. Yes. One moment, please.”

She pressed the button to unlock the front gate.

“Is it Seok-won? He shouldn’t be home from work yet.”
“No. It’s the younger madam.”
“Oh my. What brings her here?”

Jo Deok-rye tilted her head curiously, having received no prior notice of a visit.
Moments later, Choi Bo-kyung stepped through the inner entrance carrying a Chanel bag.

“Young madam, welcome.”
“It’s been so long.”

Choi Bo-kyung slipped off her high heels with a casual greeting, and the moment she spotted Jo Deok-rye in the living room, her face broke into a radiant smile.

“Mother! I’m here.”

Jo Deok-rye closed the novel in her hands and set it on the table, greeting her daughter-in-law.

“Without even calling first—what brings you here?”
“Mother, I’m visiting my husband’s home. Should I really call ahead like I’m a guest? We’re family, after all.”

As she nestled close and turned on the charm, Jo Deok-rye couldn’t help but smile slightly. She genuinely didn’t mind.
With only men in the house, things had felt rather dreary, so she was grateful to have a daughter-in-law with such a bright and warm disposition.

“What would you like to drink?”
“Just cold coffee, please.”

Jo Deok-rye turned to the Gunsan Housekeeper and said:

“Could you bring an iced coffee?”
“Of course, ma’am.”

The Gunsan Housekeeper acknowledged and headed toward the kitchen.

“But really, what brings you by?”
“I wanted to show you something, Mother. By the way, isn’t my husband home?”
“At this hour? He’d be at the office. Why would he be home?”
“Ah, I see. I was hoping to ask him directly—what a shame.”
“Ask him what?”
“Mother, look at this.”

Choi Bo-kyung picked up the Chanel bag resting on her lap and pulled out a Vogue magazine she’d borrowed from the hair salon, spreading it open.

“Why did you suddenly bring a magazine?”
“Look here, Mother! Look! Doesn’t this male model for Gucci look remarkably similar to my husband?”
“Hmm?”

At her daughter-in-law’s excited exclamation, Jo Deok-rye’s expression turned puzzled.

“Seok-won isn’t even a celebrity, so why would he suddenly be in a magazine spread? It must be someone who just looks like him… right?”

Jo Deok-rye’s eyes widened gradually as she smiled and gazed at the spread page.
The face of an East Asian male model posing alongside a striking blonde female model seemed oddly familiar.

“?”

My son… it is him?
Though he’d changed his hairstyle and had makeup applied for the photoshoot, there was no way I wouldn’t recognize my own son’s face.

“Why on earth is he here!”
“That’s right? It is your son, isn’t it? I was shocked when I first saw it too!”

Just then, Gunsan Housekeeper brought over an iced coffee and set it on the table.
Hearing the loud commotion, Gunsan Housekeeper’s eyes also widened silently as she glanced at the magazine Jo Deok-rye was holding.

“How did this happen?”

Jo Deok-rye, barely calming her startled heart, quickly grabbed Choi Bo-kyung’s hand and asked.

“I happened to see it today when I went to my regular hair salon. Since it’s an American magazine, not many people have probably seen it… so that’s why the rumors haven’t spread?”
“Good heavens. Out of the blue like this—what on earth is going on?”

Jo Deok-rye pressed her forehead and looked at the photograph in the magazine again.
Even looking at it two or three times, it was definitely her son.

“This won’t do. I need to find out what’s happened.”
“Are you going to call your son?”
“Yes. Gunsan Housekeeper, hand me the phone.”
“Of course.”

Jo Deok-rye took the cordless phone from Gunsan Housekeeper and quickly called Seok-won.
Beside her, Choi Bo-kyung listened intently with an intrigued expression, sipping her coffee.

[Yes, this is Park Seok-won.]
“It’s me.”
[Oh? Mother, what’s the matter?]
“Are you busy right now?”
[No. Please, go ahead if you have something to say.]

Jo Deok-rye gazed down at the magazine spread across the table, then drew a deep breath.

“Have you ever photographed Gucci models?”

Without beating around the bush, she asked directly, and she could sense bewilderment on the other end of the line.

[How did you know about that, Mother?]
“Good heavens….”

Jo Deok-rye squeezed her eyes shut at the confirmation that her second son had indeed done this.
Beside her, Choi Bo-kyung, who had been listening intently, covered her mouth with her hand and let out a small gasp of surprise.

“What on earth were you thinking taking such photographs!”
[Well… it just happened that way.]
“That’s exactly what I’m asking—why did it happen that way?”

Jo Deok-rye furrowed her brow as she spoke.

[There’s quite a story behind it, so I’ll explain the details when I get home from work.]
“You….”

Though she had mountains of questions, Jo Deok-rye held back for now.

“Fine then, come home quickly.”
[Yes, I will.]

Jo Deok-rye set down the cordless phone without pressing further.

“So it really is the young master, then?”
“It is.”

Jo Deok-rye answered with a complicated expression, never having imagined her son would appear in a magazine like a celebrity.

“My goodness! He seemed completely uninterested in this sort of thing, so how did he suddenly become a Gucci model?”

Jo Deok-rye barely restrained the words that rose to her throat—that she wanted to know that too—and pressed her forehead with a groan.
As Park Tae-hong observed his wife’s reaction, the bedroom door suddenly swung open and he emerged.

“What’s all this noise? Why is the house so loud?”
“Father! You’re home.”

Choi Bo-kyung quickly rose to her feet and greeted him.

“Ah, my daughter-in-law has arrived. But why do you look like that?”
“It’s nothing, really.”

Jo Deok-rye pretended not to know, fearing her husband would be furious if he found out.
He already disapproved of her business trips to the United States, claiming she was neglecting company affairs. If he discovered she’d been dolled up for a magazine photoshoot, there was no telling what he’d say.

“It doesn’t seem like nothing to me.”

Chairman Park Tae-hong glanced at his wife and then moved to the seat of honor at the center of the table.

“Well, it’s….”

Jo Deok-rye hesitated for a moment before letting out a sigh.
Even if she hid it now, it wouldn’t be long before Seok-won’s Gucci photoshoot reached her husband’s ears through his secretariat.
Thinking it better to tell him directly rather than have him hear it from someone else, Jo Deok-rye showed the Vogue magazine on the table to Chairman Park Tae-hong.

“Take a look at this.”
“What is it?”

Chairman Park Tae-hong’s expression hardened as he looked at the magazine.

“Huh? Isn’t this Seok-won?”
“Yes, it is.”

Jo Deok-rye answered, tense with worry that her husband would explode in anger.
Choi Bo-kyung, who was present, also knew how frightening her father-in-law could be when angry, so she swallowed hard and kept watching his expression nervously.
In the tense atmosphere, Chairman Park Tae-hong picked up the magazine for a closer look, then suddenly burst into laughter.

“The boy takes after me—his features are so refined and masculine that I’d believe him if someone said he was a movie star.”
“He might have just done it once for the experience, so please don’t be too angry… Wait, what did you just say?”

Jo Deok-rye, who had been quickly defending Seok-won, blinked and stared at him.
Choi Bo-kyung, too, had expected a thunderbolt to strike at any moment, but when entirely unexpected words came out, she wondered if she’d misheard.

“The original plate looks better, but it doesn’t photograph well.”

Park Tae-hong set down the Vogue magazine he’d been holding, his expression perfectly serene.
Jo Deok-rye stared at her husband in stunned silence, her mouth falling open in disbelief.

“What did you just say?”
“What?”

Park Tae-hong leaned back in his chair, regarding her with a puzzled look.

“You’re not angry after seeing this?”
“Do you think I’m some old fool who flies into a rage at the slightest provocation?”

Jo Deok-rye barely suppressed the retort that threatened to escape her lips.

“Did you already know he was photographed as a model?”
“No. I only found out when you showed me the magazine.”

Jo Deok-rye’s confusion deepened as she pressed further.

“Yet you’re completely unbothered.”

Choi Bo-kyung, who had been quietly observing from her seat, nodded along before catching herself and hastily stopping.
Fortunately, Park Tae-hong seemed not to notice.

“That boy’s always been unpredictable. He probably ended up doing this photoshoot by chance. With his height and handsome face, it’s hardly surprising someone asked him to model.”
“That makes no sense. When did you become so magnanimous?”

Jo Deok-rye folded her arms across her chest, eyeing her husband with deep suspicion.

“I’ve always been this way.”
“Listen to you lie without even blinking.”

Jo Deok-rye’s expression shifted from exasperation to narrowed eyes of keen interest.

“Tell me the truth. There’s something I don’t know, isn’t there?”

Choi Bo-kyung, too, sensed something was amiss—her father-in-law’s reaction was far too different from his usual demeanor.

“Well, there’s nothing to tell, really.”

I averted my gaze with a casual deflection, but Jo Deok-rye pressed closer, her posture demanding answers.

“Seok-won will find out everything the moment he comes home from work anyway. Don’t hide it—just tell us now.”

Choi Bo-kyung didn’t dare speak, but her face was alive with curiosity as she studied her father-in-law.

“This is difficult.”

Under the piercing gazes of both women, Park Tae-hong’s expression grew troubled, and he smacked his lips nervously.

“The thing is… that company actually belongs to Seok-won.”
“…What?”

Jo Deok-rye didn’t immediately grasp his meaning, her brow furrowing as she looked at her husband.

“That makes no sense whatsoever. Stop dancing around the issue and explain properly!”

As she raised her eyebrows and pressed him further, Park Tae-hong’s face took on an aggrieved expression.

“I’m telling you, it really is Seok-won’s!”
“What belongs to our son?”
“Gucci—I’m talking about Gucci!”

Choi Bo-kyung couldn’t hold back and interjected.

“Father-in-law, please stop joking. Gucci is a European luxury brand—how could it possibly be Young Master’s company?”
“Seok-won bought Gucci!”
“Pardon?”
“What did you say?”

Both Jo Deok-rye and Choi Bo-kyung went rigid simultaneously.

“I didn’t believe it at first either, so I understand your skepticism. But it’s the truth—what can I do about that?”

Seeing the gravity in her husband’s expression, Jo Deok-rye realized he wasn’t joking—he was utterly serious.

“No… but how could that even be possible? Gucci’s reputation may have declined compared to before, but it’s still Gucci.”
“That’s right, Mother.”

Choi Bo-kyung also couldn’t hide her astonished expression as she chimed in.

“I mentioned it before—my second son has a real talent for making money multiply. Turns out his trip to Europe last time was actually to negotiate the acquisition of Gucci.”
“My goodness. Unbelievable!”

Jo Deok-rye gasped, her mouth hanging open in shock.
Beside her, Choi Bo-kyung’s eyes sparkled as she listened to what Park Tae-hong was saying.

“Do you know what’s even more impressive?”
“There’s more to be surprised about?”
“He acquired Gucci with money he earned himself, without taking a single won from me.”
“What did you say?”

Jo Deok-rye responded as if it were absurd.
Acquiring a renowned brand like Gucci would require an enormous sum, so she naturally assumed Park Tae-hong must have provided the necessary funds.

“Have you ever seen me joke about money? I’m serious. That boy took the seed capital he built up in the United States and multiplied it tremendously.”

Park Tae-hong chuckled, his expression brimming with pride.
Though they knew he wasn’t the type to speak nonsense, the claim was so difficult to believe that both Jo Deok-rye and Choi Bo-kyung couldn’t muster a response.
Then Choi Bo-kyung quickly leaned in close beside Jo Deok-rye and whispered.

“Mother, is what Father just said really true?”
“I have no idea what’s going on either.”

Jo Deok-rye shook her head slowly, as if her head ached.

“If Young Master really did acquire Gucci, that would be an incredible achievement!”
“It would be, but… sigh… isn’t it too large a company to say he simply bought it with money?”
“That’s true. It’s not some mediocre brand—it’s Gucci.”

Jo Deok-rye pressed her forehead and glanced sideways at Park Tae-hong.
Seeing him leisurely admiring the suit he wore in the photo shoot, saying it looked quite fine, it seemed the story he’d told was indeed true.

“Seok-won will be home from work in a bit, so we’ll know for certain once we hear it from him.”

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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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