I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 144

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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 144
– Natalie Portman becomes the first Hollywood actress to join FaceNote, the SNS created by a Harvard student!
I read the newspaper article on the plane heading to San Francisco.
Mark looked at me with a disappointed expression.
“Sung-guk, how could you possibly meet Natalie Portman alone?”
“You and Lim Mi-mi were too busy dancing to pay attention.”
“I’m really a Natalie Portman fan, you know. I’ve watched every single one of her movies without missing a single one.”
“I’ll pass that message along to her on FaceNote right now.”
When I signed Natalie Portman up for FaceNote, I expected it would generate some buzz.
But her registration produced far more impact than just a single news article.
Natalie Portman practically lived on FaceNote, actively sharing her schedule and collaborating on assignments with classmates.
And she enthusiastically promoted FaceNote whenever she appeared on talk shows to publicize her films.
“I’m so obsessed with FaceNote these days that I can barely function in my daily life. To know what my friends are doing and what comments they’ve left on my posts, I have to check FaceNote constantly before the notifications even come through.”
Thanks to her words, FaceNote attracted even more attention from the public.
When I appeared on the Ellen Winfrey Show, many people still dismissed it as merely a networking platform for students.
But now that a Hollywood actress was using FaceNote, ordinary people began to take increasing interest in it.
[Celebrity marketing really is the most effective marketing.]
And because of this, Mark, Lim Mi-mi, and I headed to San Francisco much faster than we’d anticipated.
“Mark, we need to upgrade our servers quickly. Once Natalie Portman’s Hollywood friends start signing up, the number of new users is going to explode.”
Mark smiled contentedly.
“Sung-guk, you really are a business genius.”
[After twenty years of thinking about nothing but business, this is child’s play, Mark. I used to be a conglomerate heir, remember.]
Moreover, doing business in America was the journey I had truly dreamed of in my previous life.
In my past life, I was born as the successor to Samjeon Group, and I often chose preservation and imitation over change and reform.
But in this life, I didn’t need to do that, and I shouldn’t have.
Without taking risks, it would have been impossible for someone born with nothing to become a conglomerate heir.
I gazed out the window.
Finally, the night skyline of San Francisco came into view.
Now the real beginning in Silicon Valley starts!
* * *
Click.
The door opened, and the dormitory that Peter had chosen for us opened before us.
We all stared blankly at the dormitory.
The dormitory looked far more impressive than it had in the photos.
“Wow!”
Mark rushed into the dormitory in one bound and immediately opened the door to his room, which he’d already picked out after seeing the photos.
“Sung-guk! This is my room! My room!”
Lim Mi-mi’s face was also filled with emotion.
“There won’t be any cockroaches or mold here, right?”
“Of course not. Lim Mi-mi, go ahead and unpack and rest. Let’s have dinner together this evening.”
Lim Mi-mi quickly darted into her room as well.
I stood in the living room and gazed out the window. I could see the Apple Campus.
[Finally, Silicon Valley….]
Of course, I already knew the outcome—that FaceNote would succeed—but when I first met Mark, I never imagined I’d be participating in the process like this.
I heard Mark emerging from his room.
“Sung-guk, the rent here doesn’t seem like a joke. The house itself looks amazing… and all the furniture is brand new. I wonder if Peter is spending too much money. I’m grateful, but it feels burdensome.”
“Mark. There’s no need to feel burdened.”
“Sung-guk, how can I not feel burdened about this?”
“We just need to succeed enough to match it.”
Mark broke into a slight smile.
“Sung-guk, I wish I had as much confidence as you do.”
[I don’t know the process, but I know the outcome for certain. Mark, we will definitely succeed. So don’t worry.]
Ding-dong.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
Mark and I exchanged glances.
“Sung-guk, who is it?”
“I have no idea….”
I quickly checked the intercom. There was the familiar face of Young Secretary Yang.
When I opened the door, Young Secretary Yang thrust forward a bag brimming with fruit.
“Sung-guk, can I come in? This is fruit, but it’s incredibly heavy.”
“Chul-soo, please give it to me. But… how did you get here?”
I accepted the luggage from Young Secretary Yang.
“Ah… we rented the place right next door. It’s where the young master and I will be staying for a month.”
“What?!”
I stared at Young Secretary Yang with wide eyes.
Young Secretary Yang closed the front door and whispered.
“The Chairman told the young master to keep you close and learn from you. The young master did throw a fit asking me to book a five-star hotel suite nearby… but I can’t go against the Chairman’s wishes. Sung-guk, even though it’s next door, you won’t run into each other that often.”
I first set the fruit on the kitchen table.
Mark’s eyes widened as he examined the fruit.
“Wow, I really couldn’t eat fruit while living in the dormitory…. I won’t have to worry about fruit for a while.”
Young Secretary Yang scanned the surroundings, then wiped the sweat from his forehead.
“Sung-guk, this place really seems nice.”
“Hyung, but… aren’t you quitting your job now?”
“I decided to stay by the young master’s side until the end of this summer break. I wanted to watch FaceNote up close like this.”
[This is the perfect timing to secure Secretary Yang….]
I peeled a banana and popped it into my mouth.
“By the way, hyung. Has Tae-guk… has he arrived yet?”
“Of course not yet. Once I finish organizing the dormitory, he’ll probably arrive next week.”
“Hyung, but why did you lower your voice as soon as you came in? Tae-guk isn’t even here.”
Young Secretary Yang scratched his head.
“I’ve lived that way my whole life, so it became second nature without me realizing it. Always being cautious….”
“From now on, don’t do that anymore.”
[Young Secretary Yang, you’ve been through a lot.]
Young Secretary Yang broke into a bright smile. His expression was genuinely radiant.
“That’s how it should be from now on! Oh, I brought one of the company cars. None of you have a car, right?”
“No.”
I answered while munching on a banana.
“It’ll be inconvenient to get around without a car here. When we go to the Mart or places like that, let’s go together.”
“Uh… ah, hel…lo!”
Mark greeted Young Secretary Yang in awkward Korean.
“Mark, speak English. It’s more comfortable.”
“I wanted to practice Korean a bit. But this is my limit.”
Mark scratched his head sheepishly.
While Mark and Young Secretary Yang exchanged greetings, Lim Mi-mi still hadn’t come out of her room.
[Lim Mi-mi, is something wrong?]
Young Secretary Yang grabbed my shoulder.
“Sung-guk, since we’re talking about it, let’s go to the Mart now.”
“We should ask Lim Mi-mi too!”
Mark knocked on Lim Mi-mi’s door with childlike excitement.
Knock. Knock.
“Lim Mi-mi, let’s go to the Mart!”
Mark called out to Lim Mi-mi, but there was no response from inside the room.
“Lim Mi-mi, we’ll go to the Mart and be back soon.”
Just then, the door creaked open, and Lim Mi-mi stared at Mark with reddened eyes.
“Lim Mi-mi… is something wrong?”
“Mark, this place… it’s so wonderful. I’ve never lived anywhere this nice…. Hot water flows freely…. There are no cockroaches…. The bed is so soft. And perverts can’t peek into my room!”
Lim Mi-mi hugged Mark tightly, overwhelmed with emotion.
In that moment, I saw Mark’s earlobes turn bright red.
[Mark, hurry and comfort Lim Mi-mi by patting her! Go!]
But Mark stood there trembling like an electrocuted scarecrow, unable to utter a single word.
Young Secretary Yang whispered to me.
“Sung-guk, why is Mark like that?”
“Hmm… he’s always like that.”
I shook my head.
* * *
After calming down Lim Mi-mi’s emotional outburst, Mark, Lim Mi-mi, and Young Secretary Yang headed to the Mart.
I stayed behind alone and took photos of the Apple Campus visible from the Dormitory with my digital camera, then posted them on FaceNote. I announced my entry into Silicon Valley to everyone.
– Finally entering Silicon Valley!
Comments began pouring in.
And the comment I had been waiting for from YouTube’s Chad Chun also appeared.
– Sung-guk, you finally made it? Come visit our office right away!
I replied to Chad Chun’s comment, which I’d been waiting for.
– Chad, thank you. Let’s meet up soon!
Then I curled the corners of my mouth into a sly smile.
[Chad, don’t get too excited. I’m here to ride YouTube’s coattails, after all.]
* * *
“Min-guk, you need to pack your bag properly.”
“Mom, I’ve packed everything.”
Mother sighed deeply as she inspected Min-guk’s suitcase.
There were only a few books inside, but it was completely stuffed with all sorts of toys.
“Min-guk, pack more clothes. And please leave these useless toys behind. You’re going to the United States to study, so why are you taking these things?”
“I need to study and play too.”
“Brother, you’re busy, so I shouldn’t bother you too much. Okay?”
Suddenly, Min-guk stared intently at Mother.
“Mom….”
“What is it, Min-guk?”
“Mom, my brother is only two years older than me, so why is he so busy all the time?”
“Huh?”
Mother paused, caught off guard by Min-guk’s unexpected question.
“There are lots of older students at my English Academy who are the same age as my brother. They’re busy attending academy too, but they still play a lot in between. They go to PC bangs. They’re always saying they don’t want to go to academy, but when they’re there, they’re always hanging out with friends. So why doesn’t my brother do that?”
“Well….”
Mother found herself at a loss for words.
Normally, Sung-guk should be like that too—his age to attend school like other children, go to academy, watch movies with friends, visit PC bangs….
“Min-guk…. Your brother is different from other people. He’s much smarter than others….”
“Mom, my IQ is really high too!”
“I know… but your brother….”
Mother trailed off, her heart troubled by the thought of Sung-guk living differently from everyone else.
At that moment, Min-guk seemed to sense Mother’s worry and hugged her tightly.
“Mom, you’re worried.”
Min-guk patted Mother’s back gently.
“Mom, I’ll go to the United States and play properly with my brother!”
Min-guk clenched both his fists with determination.
Mother quickly pinched Min-guk’s cheek lightly.
“What did you hear from what I said? I told you your brother is busy. And you’re not going to play—you’re going for an English language program. You said you’d study, so that’s why Mom is sending you. If you’re just going to play, let’s unpack this luggage right now.”
“No, I can’t! Mom, I’ll study. I’ll study and play with my brother in my free time!”
* * *
I brewed coffee for Lim Mi-mi and Mark, then pulled milk from the refrigerator and gulped it down.
Lim Mi-mi came out and naturally sipped her coffee.
“You can’t even drink coffee yourself, yet you brew it so well.”
[Lim Mi-mi, I was originally a serious coffee enthusiast. I’m the kind of person who’s even traveled to Brazil to buy beans….]
Lim Mi-mi glanced at me sideways.
“Boss, did something good happen?”
“No.”
“Your younger brother is coming, right?”
“How is that something good?”
[Lim Mi-mi, a younger brother is a burden in life. I’ll have to take responsibility for him my whole life.]
Lim Mi-mi tilted her head in confusion.
“Well, for someone saying that, you’ve been buying an awful lot of things for when your brother arrives. Anyway, think about me teaching your brother in the Kim Il-sung University style. I’ll give you a special discount.”
“Lim Mi-mi, you’ve adapted to capitalism quite well.”
Just then, my phone rang.
It was a message from Min-guk.
– Hyung, I’m on the plane. Taking off now. See you later!
The corners of my mouth lifted as I read the message.
Min-guk was coming.
And at the same time, Jeon Tae-guk was coming too.

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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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