Golden Spoon Investment Portfolio - Chapter 3

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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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3. What? How much?

Hannam-dong, Seoul.
In one corner of this affluent neighborhood, grand mansions surrounded by tall stone walls clustered together.
A two-story residence caught the eye, with a single red-leafed maple standing among towering pines—a striking sight even in spring when most maples had turned green.
Built on an expansive 2,084.68 square meters of land with one basement level and two above-ground floors, this mansion was the residence of Park Tae-hong, chairman and owner of the Daeheung Group, where he lived with his family.

Chirp, chirp, chirp!

As sparrows perched on the pine branches lining the spacious courtyard chirped loudly like an early morning alarm, Park Tae-hong emerged from the master bedroom and stepped into the living room.
Born in 1930, Park Tae-hong was now sixty-two years old—a man whose sharp, piercing eyes and angular features unmistakably revealed an extroverted and uninhibited personality.
He had inherited the genes of the late founder Park Yong-joo, who used to boast habitually about riding bulls in wrestling competitions in his youth, resulting in an imposing height and build.
Genuinely passionate about sports, he operated a women’s volleyball team under the group and had served as chairman of the Korean Volleyball Association for over a decade.

“Good morning, Chairman. You’re up.”

The Gunsan Housekeeper, who had managed the household for many years, greeted him promptly from the kitchen where she stood wearing her apron, noticing his arrival.
Park Tae-hong gave a slight nod and settled onto the sofa.

“Bring me a cup of coffee.”
“Yes, sir.”

It was Park Tae-hong’s long-standing habit to have a cup of coffee every morning upon waking.
As the Gunsan Housekeeper returned to the kitchen to brew the coffee with practiced ease, Park Tae-hong picked up the morning newspaper lying on the living room table.

[International Oil Prices Surge. Inflation Expected, Trade Balance Deteriorating.
Late last month, OPEC signaled an unexpected shift at its general meeting—instead of increased production, a reduction appeared imminent. West Texas Intermediate crude surged to $22.40 per barrel, a 17.4% increase from year-end.
Consequently, domestic crude oil import prices have risen sharply, and projections now estimate this year’s current account deficit will reach $8 billion, exceeding the initial forecast of $7.5 billion.
The government….]

Tsk.

After reading the economic section, Park Tae-hong furrowed his brow and clicked his tongue softly.
Just last year, oil prices had plummeted to as low as $16 per barrel on the WTI benchmark.
Yet prices had been creeping upward, and now they had easily surpassed the $20 mark—an unsettling development for any businessman.
Moreover, he vividly remembered the Gulf War erupting unexpectedly in the Middle East two years ago, when oil prices had skyrocketed from $14 to $40 in a single surge, making him all the more anxious.

“There won’t be another spike like last time, but it’s still irritating.”

As oil prices rose, manufacturing costs climbed, which adversely affected the textile industry—the group’s flagship business. The deep furrows etched across Park Tae-hong’s forehead grew more pronounced.

“I’ve brought your coffee.”

Just then, the Gunsan Housekeeper arrived with a steaming cup and set it before him.
Park Tae-hong reached out with one hand, grasped the cup, took a sip, and smiled with evident satisfaction.
With milk and sugar added, it had that perfectly sweet taste that suited his palate exactly.

“What’s for breakfast this morning?”
“Some excellent ox bone came in, so I’ve simmered it thoroughly. I’ve also prepared boiled beef and pickled scallions—they’ll pair wonderfully with it.”
“Ox bone soup sounds perfect.”

The Gunsan Housekeeper, who had worked for Park Tae-hong long enough to know his culinary preferences intimately, smiled faintly as she spoke.

“I’ll have it ready shortly.”

Park Tae-hong typically spent about thirty minutes each morning reading the newspaper and drinking coffee.
Just as the Gunsan Housekeeper was turning to head to the kitchen to begin preparations, the telephone on the living room table suddenly rang out loudly.

Ring, ring.

The Gunsan Housekeeper, who had been heading toward the kitchen, quickly answered the phone.

“Yes, this is the Hannam-dong residence.”
[Auntie, it’s me.]

At the sound of Seok-won’s voice through the receiver, the Gunsan Housekeeper’s face brightened.

“Oh my, it’s the second young master.”

Hearing this, Park Tae-hong, who had been sitting on the sofa finishing an article from the business section, lifted his head.

“What, our second son?”
“Yes, sir.”

As the Gunsan Housekeeper covered the receiver with one hand and answered, Park Tae-hong set the newspaper down on the table and spoke.

“Let me have it.”

Park Tae-hong took the receiver from the Gunsan Housekeeper and immediately called out his second son’s name.

“Seok-won?”
[Father. You were awake, I see.]

Hearing his second son’s voice for the first time in a while, Park Tae-hong recalled a story he’d heard at a business gathering a few days prior—how the chairman of some conglomerate had proposed an enormous donation to get his son admitted to one of the so-called Ivy League universities, only to be rejected and humiliated.

‘Raising children is just as unpredictable as running a business.’

One could see this clearly from the fact that there were no shortage of second and third-generation chaebol heirs who, though their scandals remained unknown to the public, caused their parents endless grief.
In contrast, his own second son had been admitted to Harvard—the most prestigious among the Ivy League universities—with excellent grades and was even receiving a scholarship, which filled him with pride and admiration.

“How is your health?”
[I’m fine.]

A month ago, when he’d heard that his second son had been shot by an armed robber, he couldn’t describe how shocked he’d been.
The moment he received word, Park Tae-hong had canceled all his scheduled appointments and rushed to the United States with his wife.
Fortunately, heaven had smiled upon them—his second son, who had been in critical condition, made a dramatic recovery and survived, but even now, the mere thought of it made his heart tremble.

“If there’s any discomfort at all, go to the hospital immediately and always be careful.”
[Yes, Father.]
“As I mentioned before, since you’ve been through such an ordeal, if it becomes difficult, don’t push yourself. You can take a semester off if you need to. A year or two delay in graduating from university doesn’t matter at all.”
[I’ll graduate next year, so I’ll just keep studying. And I’m really fine.]

Detecting the subtle stubbornness in his son’s response, Park Tae-hong clicked his tongue in resignation.

“Tsk. Then do as you wish.”

Still, his voice sounded considerably brighter than when he’d seen him at the hospital, which gave him some reassurance.

“But that aside, why are you calling if you’re not coming back to Korea? You’re the one who never calls to check in, no matter how much your mother asks.”
[I had some news I wanted to tell you first, Father.]
“Hmm?”
[Have you ever heard of Powerball?]

Park Tae-hong tilted his head at the unfamiliar word, though it seemed vaguely familiar from somewhere.

“I’m not sure what that is. What is it?”
[It’s a lottery issued in the United States.]
“Ah, like a housing lottery?”

Since lotteries hadn’t yet been introduced in Korea, most people associated the word “lottery” with drawings like housing lotteries.

[Well, it’s similar.]
“But why are you suddenly bringing up lotteries? Did you buy a ticket and win first prize or something?”
[Yes.]
“Huh?”

Park Tae-hong, who had thrown out the question without much thought, blinked blankly upon hearing the response.
Wondering if he’d misheard, Park Tae-hong even cleaned out his ear canal before asking again with a bemused smile.

“What did you say?”
[I won first prize in Powerball.]
“You? In a lottery?”

Even hearing it twice, Park Tae-hong found it difficult to believe and expressed his astonishment at what on earth was happening.

“Is that really true?”
[Yes. I went to the lottery commission yesterday and had the win verified, so I’ll be receiving the prize money soon.]
“Well! This is something.”

Park Tae-hong exhaled a breath of amazement and spoke with a smile.

“They say good fortune follows misfortune, and it seems that’s no lie. Living this long, I’ve seen such things happen.”

Though surprised by something entirely unexpected, Park Tae-hong, befitting an owner leading a major conglomerate, quickly regained his composure.

“Congratulations. Since America has a larger land area and greater population than Korea, the lottery prize must be substantial.”
[It turned out to be quite a bit.]

Up to this point, Park Tae-hong considered it merely a modest stroke of luck.
At that time, the first prize for a housing lottery was 150 million won.
Since a 24-pyeong apartment in Gangnam cost slightly over 100 million won, it was a sum that could transform an ordinary person’s life.
However, for Park Tae-hong, a major conglomerate owner, it wasn’t such a significant amount, so he regarded it lightly.

“Alright, how much are we talking about?”
[190 million dollars.]
“…What?”

Park Tae-hong gripped the receiver tightly as he repeated the question.

“Sorry, how much did you say?”
[190 million dollars. After taxes, it should come out to around 119.7 million dollars, they said.]

Unlike Seokwon, who spoke of it so casually, Park Tae-hong’s mouth hung open in genuine shock, unable to close.
Though the Daeheung Group had once recorded exports exceeding one trillion won, the contraction of their mainstay textile business meant last year’s export figures had fallen to 970 million dollars.
Yet he’d received a sum equivalent to 10% of the group’s annual exports?
Park Tae-hong, who had expected at best a prize of around 100 million won—like winning a housing lottery—couldn’t hide his bewilderment.
Whether Seokwon knew this or not, his unflappable voice continued from the other end of the line.

[Here, they make it a principle to disclose the winner’s identity, so my photo will appear in newspaper articles. I declined the interview, but they said the photo is mandatory.]
“No, wait. Hold on a moment.”

Park Tae-hong drew a deep breath, his expression bewildered.

“So you’re telling me you actually won a lottery worth over 100 million dollars?”
[Yes.]
“Phew!”

Even for America, Park Tae-hong hadn’t imagined the prize would be that substantial, and he exhaled sharply once more.

[Only my name and age will be disclosed in the article, but I wanted to give you a heads-up just in case. I have other matters to attend to, so I’ll call you again later.]
“Yes, yes, alright.”

So stunned he’d forgotten how to respond, Park Tae-hong sat motionless on the sofa, his expression vacant as if possessed by a ghost.

“What on earth is happening?”

* * *

Austin, Texas.
Seokwon set down the receiver on the hotel sofa and smacked his lips slightly.

“He seemed quite surprised.”

Even someone as composed as myself would likely be flustered if suddenly told they’d won a massive lottery jackpot.
Imagining Park Tae-hong, the chairman who carried himself with the gravitas and weighty charisma befitting a major conglomerate owner, standing there bewildered with a dazed expression, I couldn’t help but let out a quiet chuckle.

“Since I’ve already told Father, there’s no need to contact the rest of the family.”

I briefly recalled the faces of my mother and older brother back in Korea, then let the thought drift away.
When I first awakened, Kim Gwang-seop’s sense of self had been far more dominant, making it somewhat uncomfortable to interact with Seokwon’s original family, but now it felt completely natural.
Through the process of the two sets of memories intertwining and merging into one, even the emotions tied to family had been entirely absorbed.
After recovering my composure and escaping the shock of returning to the past.
The first thought that struck me was: why, of all places, did I have to possess the body of the Daeheung Group owner?
I was born with a silver spoon so incomparably superior to my previous life that it was practically a diamond one, but the real problem came after.
It was all the more troubling because I knew that from this point forward, the family fortune would gradually decline, and ultimately the group would meet its demise when it failed to survive the IMF crisis.
Park Tae-hong, who appeared healthier than anyone, desperately struggled to prevent the group’s collapse, but when bankruptcy became inevitable, he couldn’t bear the shock and suffered a fatal heart attack, dying prematurely.
The eldest son who succeeded Park Tae-hong also attempted to revive the group by any means necessary, but ultimately failed and ended his life in lonely obscurity abroad—a tragedy that had become a well-known story.

“If only it had been Samsung or Hyundai, or even ST Group instead…”

It was a regrettable thought, but a privileged one at that, and truthfully, simply obtaining this new life was already tremendous fortune.

“Since I know the future, I can simply avoid the misfortunes that lie ahead.”

I didn’t want to lose my family again so futilely, as I had in my previous life.
And now that I’d been given this new opportunity, the desire to pursue the dream I’d always harbored in my heart began to stir.

“Hearing stories of Wall Street legends like George Hamilton who left behind their own legends, I always wanted to become someone like that.”

It had been nothing but an impossible fantasy in my past life, but now that I’d returned to the past, it was different.

“Now is when I begin.”

Murmuring as if making a vow to myself, I rolled up my sleeves to check my watch, then rose from the sofa.

“He should have arrived by now.”

Leaving the suite and taking the elevator down to the lounge bar on the first floor of the hotel, I heard the soft strains of piano music.
Beyond the expansive floor-to-ceiling windows, darkness lay thick, and on stage a pianist played slow yet mellifluous jazz.
Standing at the entrance to the lounge bar and surveying the surroundings, I spotted Landon seated at a table inside and headed straight toward him.

“You’ve arrived.”

Landon, who had already ordered beer, looked up at him with a bright smile and rose to extend his hand.
After exchanging a light handshake, Seokwon settled into the empty seat across from him and spoke.

“I apologize for asking you to meet at such a late hour.”
“Ha ha! Not at all. You’re a client bringing in substantial funds, so it’s only natural. Please call me anytime you need something done.”

Since I had decided to pay Landon $100,000 as a commission fee for taking on the job, his words were not without merit.

“Will you be ordering something?”

At the Hotel staff member’s question, I glanced sideways at the beer Landon was drinking.

“I’ll have the same, please.”
“Understood.”

Once the Hotel staff member had stepped back, I surveyed the surroundings briefly before turning to Landon and speaking.

“I’m looking to establish a corporation in the Bahamas. Would you be able to handle that for me?”

Landon’s eyes sparkled as he heard the proposal.

“Are you perhaps trying to create a shell company to hold and manage the lottery winnings?”
“Exactly.”

Landon drew a knowing smile across his lips.

“Considering taxes and various other factors, that approach is far more advantageous. An excellent choice indeed. If you entrust this to me, I’ll handle it cleanly and efficiently.”
“I’d like to have the establishment completed by the end of this month. Is that feasible?”
“Ah, this is because of the investment you mentioned before.”

As I nodded, Landon’s eyes rolled as if he were calculating something in his head.

“It’ll be tight, but I’ll do my best to meet the deadline. However, the costs will be somewhat higher….”
“That’s not a concern.”
“Then there’s no problem.”

Landon drained his beer and laughed with confidence.

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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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