Golden Spoon Investment Portfolio - Chapter 468

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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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468. Now the bubble will begin to swell fearfully.

October 29, 1998, Illinois, United States.
Summer’s oppressive heat had retreated, and cool autumn breezes swept across the land.
At the opening ceremony of a newly established free soup kitchen run by the Local Charity Organization, the melodious voice of Amar Cuff—an Illinois state senator and board director of the organization—rang out across the venue.

“I would like to introduce a generous donor who made it possible for us to open this new free soup kitchen. He is Park Seok-won, a young entrepreneur from South Korea and a steadfast supporter of our organization. Please join me in welcoming him with your applause!”

Seok-won, who had been seated below, rose to the stage amid thunderous applause.
Though he wore a simple, unadorned suit, his tall frame and handsome features—reminiscent of a film star—could not be concealed.
Amar Cuff, his close friend and a promising young politician, greeted him with a warm smile.
The two had met by chance at an on-campus gaming tournament that Seok-won had attended because of Roy, and their bond had endured ever since.
Seok-won consistently sent the largest donations to support Amar Cuff’s political activities and distributed substantial annual contributions across the various local charitable organizations with which Amar Cuff was involved.
Thanks to Seok-won’s unwavering support, Amar Cuff—who possessed little wealth and had a short political career—was able to rapidly solidify his base of support within his district.
The free soup kitchen opening today was made possible only because Seok-won had donated one million dollars.
The charity director, beaming with gratitude, presented a plaque to Seok-won and took the microphone.

“Without Park Seok-won’s deep concern and generous support, we would not have been able to establish this new soup kitchen for those in need. This plaque embodies all of our sincere respect for his noble spirit of giving.”

Another round of vigorous applause erupted.
Holding the plaque in one hand, Seok-won stepped up to the standing microphone and looked out at the gathered crowd, speaking in fluent English.

“My connection to Illinois’s 13th District came about because of Amar Cuff, a longtime friend and state senator.”

As he turned to look, Amar Cuff, standing to one side with the director, smiled and met his gaze.

“At first, I simply wanted to support Cuff’s noble intentions. But witnessing Cuff and the members of this charitable organization dedicate themselves so sincerely to helping those in need and hardship, I learned a great deal. Going forward, I hope to continue contributing whatever small strength I can to this beautiful work of service. Finally, I want to express my gratitude to my friend Cuff for giving me the opportunity to participate in this meaningful endeavor.”

Amar Cuff felt deeply grateful for Seok-won’s continued mention and praise of his name even while receiving the plaque, and his expression grew warm with satisfaction.
In Amar Cuff’s eyes as he looked at Seok-won lay profound trust and friendship.
Once the brief ceremony concluded, many attendees approached Seok-won to express their gratitude.
Through Cuff’s introductions, he conversed with local influential figures who had attended the event, becoming acquainted with them.

“Hello. I was wondering if you might be interested in civic organization activities….”
“We have a charity gala next week—would you be able to attend if your schedule permits?”
“A painter I sponsor is holding a solo exhibition. May I send you an invitation?”

Everyone knew that Seok-won was a prominent figure even on Wall Street, so they all showed goodwill and tried to befriend him first.
Throughout it all, I made sure to occasionally reveal my close friendship with Amar Cuff, which made their shoulders rise with envy.
After that busy and hectic time passed, Seok-won received an invitation to Amar Cuff’s home and visited.

“Welcome.”
“It’s been a while, Catherine.”

Catherine, whom I had already met several times and grown close to, greeted me while holding Nellie, the daughter she had given birth to last year, in her arms.

“Hello, Nellie.”
Giggle!

Upon seeing my face, Nellie burst into laughter and reached out her hand.
I gently grasped her tiny palm, which was too small to grip properly, then released it and turned to Catherine with a smile.

“She doesn’t seem to be shy at all.”
“It’s because you’re handsome, Seok-won. You have no idea how picky she usually is.”
“Really?”
“Yesterday, Cuff tried to give her a goodnight kiss by leaning in, but she rejected him. You can’t imagine how much trouble I had consoling him when he got sulky.”
“Ha ha ha. Oh, and here’s a gift for you.”

I smiled and handed over several baby items I had prepared as gifts.

“Oh my, thank you so much.”

Catherine happily unwrapped the gifts but tilted her head in confusion at an unfamiliar item.

“What is this?”
“It’s called a baby wrap. Korean mothers have been using it to raise their children since ancient times.”

I unfolded the wrap and helped Catherine feel the soft fabric.

“Before Korea achieved economic development, most people made their living through farming. By using the wrap to carry a child on their back, mothers could keep their hands free to work while still keeping their child safe and close by.”

Catherine, who tried the wrap herself following my instructions, wore an expression of admiration.

“This would be much more convenient than pushing a stroller around.”

Amar Cuff, who had been watching from the side, also showed interest with an approving nod.

“I can easily handle household chores and tend to the Garden while watching the children. But leaving kids alone makes me anxious—you never know what they’ll get into.”
“That’s true. Nellie especially takes after someone, and she’s incredibly curious—quite the tomboy, really.”
“Why are you looking at me when you say that?”

I chuckled softly as I watched the couple playfully bicker.

“As you can see, the material is lightweight, so it’s easy to carry in a bag. Most importantly, it lets the child feel secure pressed against the mother’s body.”
“The Hospital told us that when children hear their mother’s heartbeat and body warmth, they feel reassured.”
“Plus, it helps with the child’s physical development.”
“Really? How so?”

Catherine’s eyes sparkled with curiosity as she asked.

“When you carry a child on your back, you naturally support their head and neck. This helps them develop the strength to hold up their own head naturally.”
“I see.”

Catherine gazed at the baby carrier in her hands with wonder.
Later, when Korean culture spread globally, the usefulness of Korean baby carriers became known in the United States under the name “Podaegi” and gained popularity.

“Caring for a child while working hasn’t been easy, so using this carrier will be a tremendous help.”

Among the gifts I’d brought were baby clothes from renowned European brands, but Catherine seemed to prefer the carrier.
I hadn’t expected such an enthusiastic response, which caught me slightly off guard, but seeing her joy made me feel genuinely pleased.

“Catherine’s been struggling to balance her law practice with childcare lately. You’ve brought exactly what she needed.”

Amar Cuff expressed his gratitude as well.
The three of us enjoyed a delicious dinner with the food Catherine had prepared, sharing stories in a warm and convivial atmosphere.
Though we called frequently, it had been quite some time since we’d met in person, so conversation and laughter filled the entire meal.
After dinner, Catherine excused herself to put her daughter to bed, and we two moved to the Living Room sofa, sipping the wine I’d brought while continuing our conversation quietly.
Then, after taking a sip of wine and setting it down, Amar Cuff looked at me with a serious expression.

“There’s something I need to tell you.”
“What is it?”
“I’m thinking of running for the Illinois 1st Congressional District in two years.”
“…!”

I straightened my posture on the sofa at once.

“Did the party leadership discuss this with you?”

Amar Cuff shook his head at my question.

“No, they didn’t.”
“I see. Then you’ll need to defeat the incumbent representative in the primary.”

Amar Cuff leaned forward as he spoke.

“The current federal representative, Lighter, just parrots vague talk about inheriting Harold Washington’s legacy. He’s a man without clear convictions or resolve.”

Harold Washington was a renowned politician of African American descent who became Chicago’s first Black mayor.

“I can do the job of federal representative far better than an incompetent like Lighter.”

From the passionate way Amar Cuff spoke, I could tell he had already made up his mind about running for federal representative.
I searched through my memories from before the regression, muttering to myself.

‘Was federal representative Amar Cuff’s entry point into national politics?’

But no matter how hard I tried to recall, there was no record of Amar Cuff ever serving as a federal representative.
That meant he would lose the federal representative election.
I opened my mouth carefully toward Amar Cuff, who looked more serious than ever.

“Of course, someone like you could excel at even greater responsibilities. But being elected multiple times in your district regardless of ability means you have a solid base of support there.”

When I adopted a cautious stance, Amar Cuff nodded.

“You’re right. But after consulting internally and conducting polls, I’ve determined there’s a real chance of winning.”
“Did you commission an official poll?”
“No, I gathered information through trustworthy people.”

That meant the accuracy of the results was considerably questionable.
Seeing that he was proceeding despite knowing this, it was clear he would run regardless of what I said.
I couldn’t tell an eager Amar Cuff that he would lose, so I inwardly grimaced.

‘He’s built a relatively smooth political career so far. Perhaps experiencing a setback here and tasting defeat wouldn’t be so bad.’

Perhaps the lessons and insights gained at that moment would become the foundation for him to don a federal senator’s badge and be elected as the first Black president in American history, confidently stepping into the White House.
After collecting his thoughts, Seok-won looked at Amar Cuff sitting across from him and spoke.

“When you first said you’d enter politics, I never thought you’d remain just a state representative. Since we’ve started, we should see it through to the end.”
“Then….”
“If you decide to run in the primary, I’ll provide support, so don’t worry about campaign funds.”

As Seok-won demonstrated unwavering support, Amar Cuff, who had resolved to run but harbored anxiety in a corner of his heart, wore a moved expression.

“I’m truly grateful!”

Seok-won smiled faintly and spoke.

“Between friends, there’s no need for such words.”
“I suppose so.”

Amar Cuff also laughed, regarding Seok-won with a gaze full of trust.
The two continued to drink wine late into the night, engaging in profound conversation.

***

Seok-won leaned back in his spacious private jet seat, skimming through documents in his hand before letting out a low murmur.

“It seems the general election aside, even passing the primary will be difficult.”

What he was reviewing was information about Lighter, the representative whose district encompassed the Illinois 1st Congressional District where Amar Cuff intended to run.

“As Cuff mentioned, he’s not particularly talented and his leadership is weak, but having won four House elections, his name recognition is incomparably higher.”

Moreover, during his tenure as a representative, he had accomplished nothing noteworthy, but conversely, he had caused no scandals either.
This meant that Cuff’s call for reform would likely fall on deaf ears and instead provoke backlash.

“This will indeed be difficult.”

Seok-won shook his head and muttered to himself.
Just then, his phone on the table rang, and seeing Landon Shore’s name on the screen, Seok-won immediately answered the call.

“It’s me.”

At that moment, Landon Shore’s urgent voice came through the phone.

[Just now, Federal Reserve Chairman Monroe testified before the Senate that he would lower the benchmark interest rate once more at the next FOMC meeting.]

Since we had consecutively cut the benchmark rate by 0.25 percentage points in September and again on the 15th of this month, another cut would make it three consecutive reductions.
It was quite an unusual move, but I showed no particular surprise, responding with composure.

“The Federal Reserve must be getting desperate, seeing the global economy—not just America’s—contracting rapidly despite cutting rates twice already.”
[With more than two weeks left until the FOMC meeting, signaling rate cuts like this does seem to suggest that.]
“If they lower rates as stated next month, it would bring us to 4.75%.”
[That’s correct.]
“With a 0.75 percentage point drop in the benchmark rate, liquidity will flow freely again, and the rigid market will rebound. For us, who’ve already shifted to long positions, this is excellent news.”
[If they were going to do this anyway, I don’t understand why they’re dragging their feet and playing catch-up instead of just cutting everything at once.]

Landon grumbled with frustration.

“They had to be cautious because of fears that inflation might occur. Either way, thanks to their hesitation, we gained time to adjust our positions.”
[That’s true.]
“With the dot-com frenzy still burning and additional liquidity injected, the rebound will be massive and intense. So let’s align our investment strategy accordingly.”
[Understood.]
“We’re about to take off soon, so let’s continue this conversation after I arrive in Korea.”
[Yes. Have a comfortable flight.]

After ending the call, I lowered my phone and murmured to myself.

“Now the bubble is about to inflate ferociously.”

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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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