I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 138

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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 138
“I’m going to use the restroom for a moment.”
I picked up my phone and took the call in a quiet spot.
“Chul-soo, it’s Sung-guk.”
– Sung-guk, you’re in the middle of dinner, aren’t you?
“Yes, hyung.”
– Sorry about this… but would you have time later tonight, even if it’s late? Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung wants to see you. We’ll come by your hotel.
[What is Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung scheming about?]
Either way, I’d only understand his true intentions if I met with him.
“Hyung, let’s meet in the Hotel Lobby at 9 o’clock then.”
– Alright, see you later.
* * *
I returned to my seat.
“Sung-guk, is something wrong?”
Grace asked, noticing the serious expression on my face.
“The Samjeon Group chairman keeps asking to see me.”
“Samjeon? That’s the company in Korea that makes home appliances and semiconductors, right?”
Peter seemed to know quite a bit about Samjeon Group.
“Yes.”
“It’s one of the companies I’ve been keeping an eye on. But how do you know them so well?”
“I was a model for Samjeon Electronics before, when I was a baby.”
At that moment, everyone except Grace stared at me.
Lim Mi-mi was the most shocked.
“Boss, could you be… the child star from that ‘Just’ show about raising kids?”
“How do you know about that show, Lim Mi-mi?”
“Of course I know! It was so popular even in North Korea! Do you know how hard I had to work to get illegal videos of it? In Thailand, I spent so much time downloading it! I was a huge fan of ‘Just’! But boss…”
Lim Mi-mi slowly looked me up and down.
[What’s with that look, Lim Mi-mi? I turned out well, didn’t I? Usually cute kids don’t grow up to be handsome, but I managed it.]
I shrugged my shoulders.
At that moment, Mark gently pushed my raised shoulders down and whispered.
“Sung-guk, you were bragging to yourself again, weren’t you?”
I gave Mark a narrow-eyed look.
Mark then let out a soft laugh.
“That’s it. That’s the one. Whenever I see Sung-guk bragging, he always shrugs his shoulders like that.”
[This jellyfish Mark is sharper than I thought. I’ll have to be more careful from now on…]
Lim Mi-mi looked at me once more carefully and then opened her mouth.
“Boss, but where did that cute face go?”
[What? That’s not the reaction I expected…]
“When you were a baby, your cheeks were so chubby and adorable… but now…”
[Now what? Now I’m a handsome man! Lim Mi-mi, finish your sentence! Don’t leave me hanging like this!]
Lim Mi-mi shook her head.
Grace looked at Lim Mi-mi with a puzzled expression.
“Mi-mi, isn’t Sung-guk good-looking enough? Honestly, he’s more than just good-looking. Sung-guk has received many casting offers from famous entertainment agencies in Korea.”
“When I saw young Sung-guk back then, I thought to myself that when he grew up, he’d captivate not just women from South Korea but North Korea too… But the Restaurant Owner doesn’t seem to be quite at that level. First of all, he hasn’t captivated me.”
I clenched my fists beneath the table.
[Lim Mi-mi isn’t my type either! She’s Mark’s type!]
“Then, what’s your type, Mi-mi?”
Grace asked with interest.
“For me, it’s the actor Jung Woo-sung—the symbol of youth.”
“Oh my, he’s an actor I like too.”
Grace chimed in enthusiastically.
“You like him too, Grace?”
“Actually, I’ve seen actor Jung Woo-sung in person back in Korea.”
“Oh my, how was he? He must be stunning in person, right?”
“Mi-mi, I’ve never seen a man more handsome than Jung Woo-sung in my entire life.”
Tsk.
What is this situation?
The two women were absorbed in their conversation about Jung Woo-sung, while Mark, Peter, and I could only blink.
Mark quietly asked me.
“Who is Jung Woo-sung?”
“A South Korean male actor famous for his good looks.”
[He’ll stay handsome for the next twenty years. And he won’t get married either….]
I grimaced at the bitter taste in my mouth.
* * *
Exactly 9 o’clock in the Hotel Lobby.
As I descended to the lobby, Young Secretary Yang was waiting for me.
“Sung-guk, over here!”
“Where’s the Chairman?”
“He’s inside. Go on in.”
“You’re waiting out here?”
“Yeah, that seems to be the way it should be.”
“Have you had dinner?”
“Of course I have. Don’t worry about me.”
Young Secretary Yang smiled warmly, just as he always did.
I quietly handed him an envelope.
“Sung-guk, what’s this?”
“I heard there’s a famous bagel shop on the way here, so I picked some up. Please make sure to eat, even if you’re busy.”
It was the bagel shop that Young Secretary Yang had loved back when we studied abroad together in New York.
“This is something… I should be taking care of….”
“Yang Chul-soo, you’re not even my secretary, so why are you looking after me like this?”
[Secretary Yang, you’re not my secretary in this life….]
I gazed at Young Secretary Yang with a pitying expression.
When I lived as an ultra-elite in my past life, I hadn’t noticed, but now that I’d been born with a dirt spoon in this life and clawed my way up from the bottom, Young Secretary Yang’s struggles weighed heavily on my heart.
Young Secretary Yang seemed slightly moved.
“Sung-guk, thank you… I’ll enjoy the meal.”
“Yes, hyung. The hotel latte here is quite good.”
“Ah… thank you. The chairman is waiting. Go on in.”
Young Secretary Yang quickly guided me into the bar where Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung was waiting.
* * *
In the dimly lit bar, Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung sat alone.
“Chairman, hello.”
“Sung-guk, have a seat.”
“Yes.”
I sat across from Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung and ordered without hesitation.
“Milk, please.”
“We do have milk, but we also have a non-alcoholic cocktail menu if you’d like to take a look.”
The waitress explained kindly.
“That’s fine. Just milk, please.”
[I’d rather have milk than some alcohol-free cocktail anyway.]
Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung stared at me intently.
[Why is he looking at me like that?]
Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung had been my father in my past life. Even though I thought I knew everything, there were still many things I couldn’t grasp.
It was certainly different from when we’d met as wealthy men—the dynamic had shifted now.
Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung took a sip of whiskey and opened his mouth.
“You have an appointment with Charlie Jobs tomorrow?”
“Yes….”
Both Charlie Jobs and Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung had made the proposal almost simultaneously, but Young Secretary Yang had handled it well by calling it a prior appointment.
He knew Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung’s prideful nature well, and at the same time, he’d created a reasonable excuse for my refusal.
“How do you know Charlie Jobs?”
“Peter knows Charlie Jobs personally and introduced us. I also visited Apple.”
“I see. Your grandfather met Charlie Jobs once before….”
[I know that too, Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung. Stop beating around the bush and just say what you want to say.]
I gulped down the milk the waitress handed me.
“Sung-guk, so aside from the fund that Peter runs, you don’t have any other investments yet?”
“That’s right….”
“Hmm… would it be alright if I offered some advice as someone who’s been involved in economics for a long time?”
“I’d appreciate your advice.”
There was no harm in listening to advice. What mattered was developing the ability to filter it properly.
Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung took another sip of whiskey.
“The thing about ventures is that it’s really about how much investment you can secure from reliable companies. Especially with something like FaceNote—the idea is good, but when the founders are young people, they often lack business experience and make mistakes. I’ve seen that happen many times.”
[Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung, I have twenty years of business experience.]
I pretended not to hear and sipped my milk slowly.
“That’s why I’m saying this….”
[Finally, we’re getting to the main point….]
“Sung-guk, how would you feel about Samjeon becoming an investor in FaceNote?”
As I suspected….
The late hour and his sudden urgency in summoning me had already given me a hint of what this was about.
I deliberately continued sipping my milk slowly.
[How can I navigate this situation wisely?….]
Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung stared at me persistently, and I deliberately lowered my head slightly, feigning deep thought.
[Should I ask about his conditions?]
I set down my milk glass and looked directly at Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung.
“Chairman, do you have specific conditions in mind?”
“When you talk like this, Sung-guk, it’s really something… I suppose I’d call it strange….”
Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung suddenly changed the subject.
“It feels like just yesterday when I saw you as our group’s baby commercial model. And now you’ve grown into a young man before my eyes… and on top of that, you’ve started your own business and are sitting here having this conversation with me. It’s quite remarkable, really.”
[Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung, I’m no longer a commercial model for Samjeon Group.]
Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung leaned forward slightly, lost in nostalgia.
“Sung-guk, Samjeon would like to become the primary investor in FaceNote. What that means is we’d like to acquire FaceNote.”
Perhaps I was naive to expect something different.
In the end, Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung was proposing to me in exactly the same manner that Samjeon Group devoured small enterprises in South Korea.
Samjeon Group’s strategy was to absorb small and medium-sized companies with unique ideas or technology through capital investment.
I took another sip of milk and looked at Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung.
Though Samjeon Group was merely known in the United States as a manufacturer of electronics and semiconductors, their influence in South Korea was undeniable.
“Chairman, we’ve already entered into a contract with Peter. And since Mark and I are co-founders with equal shares, there’s nothing I can unilaterally decide on my own.”
I stated only the facts.
“Then couldn’t Samjeon participate in FaceNote under the same terms as Peter?”
[Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung, you’re persistent….]
In that case….
“Chairman, Mark and I don’t choose investors based solely on contractual terms.”
“Then how?”
“We ensure that potential investors share our vision and that we understand each other sufficiently before making an investment decision. Peter went through the process of working with us in the office and sharing our thoughts together.”
I added a small lie to my explanation.
“Are you saying that Samjeon needs a period or procedure to verify whether we’re investors who can share FaceNote’s vision?”
“Yes, Chairman. Please don’t take offense. It’s a principle that Mark and I established when we decided to run FaceNote together.”
I conveniently used Mark as an excuse.
“Does that mean Samjeon should send someone, or should I come myself?”
“It would be best if you came directly, but would you be able to spare the time, Chairman?”
[More persistent than I expected, Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung?]
It was evident from Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung’s expression that he was unwilling to miss this investment opportunity.
“Hmm… In that case, would it be alright to send Jeon Tae-guk as the investment director for FaceNote?”
[Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung, even if you hate him, he’s still your son, isn’t he?]
Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung intended to give Jeon Tae-guk practical experience while also securing impressive results—perhaps even landing a major deal.
[If it’s Jeon Tae-guk, I can certainly handle him….]
“Chairman, would it be alright if I suggested an internship for Tae-guk?”
“You’re saying to send Jeon Tae-guk to FaceNote as an intern, right now?”
“Our company is still small, as you can see, and we’re made up of people around the same age. We share our thoughts freely and comfortably with each other. Since Tae-guk is the same age as Mark, I think spending time together will help him understand our vision and such things.”
“Hmm… That sounds good. Let’s take a chance. I’ll send Jeon Tae-guk to your company during summer break.”
“Yes, Chairman.”
I finished drinking my milk.
* * *
Click.
As the hotel room door opened, I saw Mark with his face buried in his laptop screen.
“Mark, what are you doing?”
“Oh… I was looking up Jung Woo-sung, some Korean actor.”
Mark alternated his gaze between Jung Woo-sung and me, then tilted his head in confusion.
“Sung-guk, I think you’re actually better-looking….”
[Mark, you really do have an eye for people.]
I started to shrug but quickly lowered my shoulders.
“I think so too, Mark.”
Mark grinned widely.
“Sung-guk, you’re handsome, I’ll give you that. But why did Samjeon Group want to meet?”
“They want to invest in our company.”
Mark straightened up in his seat.
“Sung-guk, you know Samjeon well. What do you think of that company?”
“First, I agreed to hire their son as an intern at our company for a month.”
“What?”
Mark looked slightly taken aback.
It was certainly a surprising situation—asking someone who wanted to invest to come work for us instead.
“We decided to accept the investment only after confirming whether Samjeon shares our vision, and I thought we could verify that vision by spending time with Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung’s son, who’s the investment director.”
“Sung-guk, what’s this son like?”
“Hmm… In a word….”
[He’s an idiot!]

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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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