I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 124

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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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Chapter 124
As I pushed open the cafe door, I spotted Secretary Yang sitting by the window—a young man whose tension was palpable.
His unease was written all over his face.
The moment I took my seat, Secretary Yang sprang to his feet—a habit ingrained in his very bones.
“What would you like to drink, Sung-guk?”
“Would it be alright if I called you hyung?”
“Sure… call me whatever feels natural.”
“I’ll have… milk.”
“I’ll order that for you.”
I watched the solid, youthful figure of Secretary Yang—Chul-soo—as he walked away.
Chul-soo soon returned with milk and a cafe latte, setting them on the table.
[Secretary Yang, true to form….]
I sipped the milk contentedly.
Chul-soo drank his coffee with a slightly nervous expression, then glanced at me.
“Your father suggested that I meet with you and discuss my future path.”
Chul-soo spoke with remarkable deliberation.
Seeing this, I realized blood truly cannot lie. His father, Secretary Yang, was equally cautious to the point of excess.
“I heard a bit from Secretary Yang. You’re reconsidering your major and school choice.”
“Yeah. Honestly, I didn’t choose this university of my own accord… At first, I just went through the motions, thinking of school as another task. But I still can’t seem to adapt.”
“What major are you thinking of choosing?”
“Business.”
It seemed Chul-soo would naturally follow Jeon Tae-guk’s path.
I recalled memories from my previous life.
Chul-soo had attended the same university as me back then, but his major wasn’t business like mine.
I had told him to study what he truly wanted since I’d be spending my life in business anyway.
And what Chul-soo had chosen then was…
“Is there perhaps something else you’d like to major in?”
“Well… there is something.”
“What is it?”
“Psychology.”
Just as I thought….
My memory was precise.
Chul-soo had majored in psychology back then and attended university with me.
“That’s quite a challenging field of study. People say it’s hard to find employment in Korea with that degree.”
“To be honest, I need to make a living, so I’d like to double major in both business and psychology. But realistically, if I’m with Young Master Tae-guk, I’ll be too busy just completing a business degree.”
“You’d want to change schools as well?”
“If I’m going to pursue my own studies, it means I won’t be assisting Young Master Tae-guk, so I’d want to change schools. It might be nice to come back to Korea for university….”
I sipped my milk.
“But isn’t psychology really difficult to make a living from?”
“It probably is. My father would likely try to talk me out of it if he heard this.”
Yang Chul-soo looked uncertain.
[Secretary Yang! You need to plan this out precisely!]
In my past life, I would have pushed him relentlessly, but my temperament has mellowed considerably.
“If I were you, I’d want to study psychology seriously. But I think you should create a detailed plan for your future and discuss it with Secretary Yang. Most American universities offer double majors, and combining business with psychology seems like a field that South Korea will desperately need going forward.”
“You think so?”
“Of course. Understanding people is the foundation of management.”
Yang Chul-soo’s eyes widened instantly.
“Oh… Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung says that often too….”
[Because I was his son in my past life, Secretary Yang.]
I smiled faintly.
“Since I’m planning to start a business myself, I’ve realized that people are the most important factor. Especially since I’ll be partnering with others in the United States. The most crucial element in any partnership is building mutual trust. And that’s ultimately a matter of understanding the human heart.”
“Talking with you is making my vague desire to study into something concrete.”
Now it was time to offer some real advice.
“By the way, Korean parents are incredibly susceptible to school prestige. I specifically chose Harvard because it’s a university my parents actually know.”
“That’s true. There’s hardly anyone in South Korea who hasn’t heard of Harvard.”
“Secretary Yang will probably view it much more favorably if you transfer to a more prestigious university rather than staying at that no-name school.”
“Then… I’d really be separated from the young master….”
“Does your brother want to spend his entire life as a cog in the Samjeon Group?”
I posed the question provocatively.
It was also a test for Yang Chul-soo.
In my past life, he had been a steadfast person who supported me until my death.
But in this life, I didn’t need someone who was merely reliable.
I needed someone willing to stake their future on an uncertain path alongside me.
Yang Chul-soo looked at me with considerable bewilderment.
Probably every South Korean would consider a life as a Samjeon cog to be the ultimate success.
University students desperately wanted jobs at any Samjeon subsidiary, and they’d spend their entire lives intoxicated by the intoxicating salaries while working themselves to mental exhaustion.
As they aged, they’d accept being replaced like worn-out parts—an inevitable truth of the system.
I was asking Yang Chul-soo whether he wanted to continue living that way.
“That’s….”
Yang Chul-soo paused thoughtfully, then looked up at me.
[That look in his eyes is good, Secretary Yang!]
“My father has lived as a cog for so long. I don’t want to live that way. Even if it’s small, I want to find work that I can truly call my own.”
“Then challenge yourself now. Brother! Twenty years old is not an advanced age at all. In ten years, you might regret what you didn’t do today.”
“Sung-guk, talking with you feels like I’m conversing with a forty-year-old executive.”
Yang Chul-soo smiled gently.
[Forty is accurate, but executive isn’t quite right. I nearly became the chairman of the Samjeon Group, after all.]
I pretended not to hear and sipped my milk.
“Sung-guk, you’re right. I should map out my life plan precisely and discuss it with my father, and transfer schools too. If I want to stand alone without Samjeon’s shadow, I’ll need exceptional credentials in everything. Thank you for today’s conversation. By the way, when are you heading to the United States?”
“Next week.”
“I’m going in two weeks. Will we be able to see each other in the States?”
“Of course. I’m opening a studio in March near the school. Come visit me then.”
“Absolutely! I’ll bring something delicious and definitely stop by!”
Yang Chul-soo rose from his seat with a noticeably lighter expression.
[Secretary Yang, I’m counting on you again in this life.]
* * *
On my way home, I stopped by Father’s Bossam Restaurant, which was still located in the Apartment Shopping Complex.
I’d visited frequently during school breaks, so the staff working there had already become familiar faces.
As I opened the door and stepped inside, a young man in his early twenties who was serving greeted me.
It was Jeon Soo-hyun, whom Father and Mother had met at the Seochon Orphanage where they grew up.
He was now learning the trade step by step, starting with serving in the dining hall at the Bossam Restaurant.
“Sung-guk, you’re here?”
“Hello. Father, are you inside?”
“Yeah. One moment. Boss!”
Jeon Soo-hyun called for Father.
After combining with the chicken restaurant next door, the dining hall now had quite a few tables, and there were part-time servers and people learning kitchen work.
Father poked his head out from the kitchen.
It was the timing when the evening rush would begin.
“Sung-guk, what brings you here?”
“I came to help you work. The evening shift gets busy.”
“Have you eaten?”
“Not yet.”
“Come inside. Eat something quick and then help your old man.”
“Okay!”
I headed into the kitchen.
I could see bossam being continuously boiled for the evening service, along with well-seasoned kimchi.
Father handed me a rice ball.
“Eat this for now to tide you over, and we’ll have a proper meal together later.”
“Okay.”
The man learning kitchen work at Father’s restaurant looked at me with admiring eyes.
“The boss has a striking appearance, but your son could really make it as an actor.”
“Our son was in 【Five Men and a Baby Basket】.”
[Here we go again, Father.]
Father was a typical proud parent.
He never tired of bragging about me.
“Oh my, boss. I’m going to get calluses on my ears. Actually, I already have.”
“I’m sorry. Since I don’t see him often, I guess I just want to brag like this.”
“Good-looking, smart, and all. If I hear one more time about how Hyojin Group asked your son to compete in their competition, I swear I’ll have heard it a thousand times. Just pay to brag at this point.”
“Hehe. Did I really talk that much?”
Father laughed sheepishly.
Just then, the bell above the restaurant door began to chime. Customers were starting to arrive.
At the same time, I heard an order call from the dining hall.
“One medium bossam and a bottle of soju, please.”
“Sung-guk, go help Soo-hyun out front.”
“Got it!”
I quickly rolled up my sleeves and headed into the dining hall.
As evening approached, the hall filled to capacity with no empty seats. Takeout orders began flooding in as well.
“One small bossam to go, please.”
“Yes!”
I swiftly grabbed a tray and cleared a table.
In the meantime, another group of customers claimed their seats.
“We’ll have one large bossam and a bottle of soju, please.”
“Yes!”
“Excuse me.”
A female customer seated at a table quickly called me over.
She wore distinctly unconventional makeup and clothing that set her apart—nothing like a typical office worker.
“Yes, ma’am? What do you need?”
“Are you a student working part-time here?”
“Yes. Why do you ask?”
“Just a moment….”
The woman rummaged through her handbag and produced a business card.
“I work at SH Entertainment. Have you ever thought about becoming an entertainer?”
[Not street casting, but… what would you even call this? Bossam restaurant casting?]
The woman stared at me intently, waiting for my response.
“I’m a student, so I haven’t thought about becoming an entertainer.”
“What are you saying? You’re going to waste a face like that? Student, I can tell from you working here that your family’s having some financial difficulties, but if you debut with SH Entertainment, we’ll have your family back on its feet in no time.”
Just then, Soo-hyun, who was serving with me, approached with a smile.
“Ma’am, this kid is actually the restaurant owner’s son—he’s just helping out.”
“Really?”
“See that photo on the restaurant wall over there?”
On the wall hung a very old photo of me from the “Five Men and a Baby” days, taken together with Just, displayed alongside a family photo taken at Harvard.
Father truly couldn’t be stopped.
“That’s….”
“This kid right here is the star of that ‘Five Men and a Baby’ show.”
“I was a huge fan of that show! Now that you mention it, I can still see the baby face!”
The woman’s exclamation prompted the regular customers to chime in with their own comments.
“That baby’s a Harvard student now!”
“The owner here brags all the time about his eldest son being a genius. He’s a Hyojin Group scholarship student.”
“Their second son’s quite the looker too. This family’s got good genes all around.”
The astonished woman still managed to slip her business card into my apron.
“Just take it for now. You might change your mind later.”
“What do you do at SH Entertainment?”
“I’m a visual director. I’m responsible for creating and determining the overall image of groups within the company.”
SH Entertainment was, in any case, one of the two most successful entertainment companies in South Korea alongside JP Entertainment.
I caught a glimpse of her business card.
Jung Ha-neul?
I wasn’t particularly knowledgeable about idols, but I made sure to remember her nonetheless.
An idol group’s concept was often the determining factor in their rise or fall.
“I’ll reach out to you next time if the opportunity arises.”
“Please do contact me! Actually, even if it’s not for work, just come by sometime. I’ll give you a tour of the company.”
“Yes, thank you.”
I quickly picked up the tray and cleared the table.
* * *
Past 9 PM, I hadn’t sat down for a moment, and Father hadn’t emerged from the kitchen either.
As the takeout orders were nearly finished, Father finally came out of the kitchen and took over the dining area.
“Thanks to you, Sung-guk, I can close up early. Sung-guk, shall we take some bossam home and eat?”
“Sure, sounds good, Father.”
“That Min-guk kid says he’s tired of Dad’s bossam and doesn’t want me to bring any. He says he prefers chicken instead.”
“Min-guk eats it so often in Korea that he’s probably had his fill.”
“I’ll wrap it up quickly and be right out. Just wait a moment.”
Jeon Soo-hyun, who was tidying up the dining area, handed me a beverage.
“Sung-guk, drink this. The owner bought several bottles for us to have one each when we finish.”
“Thank you. You work hard, hyung.”
“What hard work? Learning to work here was my dream. The owner teaches me a lot about kitchen work even on his days off. To the owner, you’re his pride, Sung-guk. But to our friends from the orphanage, the owner is our pride. They all want to become self-made like him.”
I gazed intently at Father as he cleaned up in the kitchen.
“Hyung, Father is my pride too. My dream is also to become self-made like him.”
[Though I intend to become a self-made tycoon!]

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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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