I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 184

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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 184
Snore. Snore. Snore.
I jolted awake at the sound of snoring.
Jeon Tae-guk had been sleeping at our house for three days straight.
And today was Lunar New Year.
What started as “just one day” had stretched all the way to the holiday.
I gave Jeon Tae-guk a gentle shove to the side and got out of bed.
How much longer was this guy—my brother from my previous life—going to keep imposing himself on me?
Knock. Knock.
Father peeked his head through the door.
“Sung-guk, it’s morning. Get up and get ready for tteokguk.”
“Sure, Dad!”
At the mention of tteokguk, Jeon Tae-guk sprang up like a ghost.
“Sir, I’ll have an extra-large bowl of tteokguk.”
Then he quickly lay back down.
“Hyung, you need to wash up first before sitting at the table.”
“Sung-guk, the more I look at you, the more you’re just like our mother. All those nagging habits—you sound exactly like her. Wash up. Don’t slurp at the table. Don’t bounce your leg. Sigh… Why does everyone seem determined to drive me crazy?”
“Hyung, that’s not nagging. That’s basic manners.”
“That’s exactly what our mother says every single day when I complain.”
Jeon Tae-guk pulled the blanket over his head.
I got up and left him behind.
[The habits I learned from the Iron Lady still linger, it seems…]
At the dining table, the Iron Lady sat with perfect posture, pointing out every little thing Jeon Tae-guk, Mi-jin, and I did.
Of course, I was rarely criticized, but Jeon Tae-guk and Mi-jin were corrected constantly.
“But Hyung, it’s Lunar New Year today. Aren’t you going home?”
“Mother called me a traitor. She was furious—how could I say that some nameless bossam restaurant’s bossam tastes better than Samjeon Hotel Korean Restaurant? I’m avoiding Father, so now Mother’s come after me instead. Sung-guk, could I stay here a few more days?”
“Hyung, there’s the Samjeon Hotel.”
An article came out calling the Samjeon Hotel restaurant so mediocre that even the owner won’t eat there—written by some hack journalist. The Samjeon Hotel staff has been in full crisis mode since the start of the year. If I show up there, I’ll be treated like a traitor.”
[Tsk, tsk. That mouth of his never stops.]
It was fine that he’d praised Father’s bossam so enthusiastically, but unfortunately there was an internet journalist with an unfamiliar name at that very table.
Because of that, articles about Jeon Tae-guk started circulating online that very night, spreading everywhere within hours.
– The modest palate of Samjeon Group’s heir. When Samjeon Group heir Jeon visited Won Uncle’s Bossam, he praised it as more delicious than Samjeon Hotel Korean Restaurant.
That was the content, but once the hack journalists saw this article, they swarmed like locusts.
– Samjeon Group heir disses Samjeon Hotel.
– Samjeon Hotel Korean Restaurant: so mediocre even the owner won’t eat there.
Hack journalists churned out articles one after another, copying others’ work without doing any real reporting, just chasing clicks.
Of course, Samjeon Group recognized the crisis and tried to contain it, but with the Lunar New Year holiday starting the next day and the articles already copied and spreading across the internet, there was only so much they could do.
“Hyung, don’t you have friends? You know plenty of wealthy friends. And there are other hotels besides Samjeon Hotel.”
In my previous life, all my close friends were people like me.
Either wealthy or powerful.
“I suppose you could call us friends. Well, if I asked, I’d probably get a suite without issue. But Sung-guk…”
“Yes?”
“Your family’s food really suits my palate. I’m not even envious of our hotel’s breakfast buffet.”
“Hyung, we have three children at home. Do you have any idea how difficult it is just to add one more spoon to the table?”
“Sung-guk, you’re probably the only person in South Korea who speaks to the Samjeon Group heir like this!”
Just then, Father’s voice called from outside.
“Everyone stop talking and come eat!”
“Yes, sir!”
Jeon Tae-guk bolted out without even folding his blanket.
* * *
On New Year’s Day, even Soo-hyun came by, making the dinner table more crowded than usual.
“Sung-guk, bring the rice cake soup.”
“Coming!”
I began carrying the rice cake soup Mother had prepared.
“This one’s for Tae-guk. Extra noodles.”
[Really, coming to someone else’s home and acting like this. I’m only tolerating it because it’s New Year’s Day, I swear.]
I glared at Jeon Tae-guk as I handed him the bowl.
Jeon Tae-guk calmly greeted Mother as well.
“Thank you for the meal, ma’am.”
“Eat plenty. Soo-hyun, you too.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Jeon Tae-guk began eating the rice cake soup eagerly.
But then Ji-hee stared at her rice cake soup and looked at me.
“Oppa, do you really get a year older when you eat rice cake soup?”
“Yeah. Why, Ji-hee?”
“I don’t want to get older.”
When I was eight, all I could think about was growing up and earning money, but Ji-hee was different.
[I guess smart kids really do think differently.]
I asked gently.
“Ji-hee, why don’t you want to get older?”
“Because Mom and Dad are getting older.”
For a moment, everyone held their breath.
Mother and Father gazed at Ji-hee with tears in their eyes.
“And… big brother is getting older too. I don’t like it when big brother gets older. I wish he could always play with Ji-hee.”
[This girl doesn’t want her brother to age either.]
My heart clenched again.
How could a younger sister be so adorable?
Tae-guk let out a long sigh.
“Sung-guk, you’re truly blessed. To have such a wonderful younger sister… My sister can’t stand the sight of me. I’m envious. Really envious.”
“Hyung, I’m an orphan. I envy you for having a younger sister like that.”
Everyone held their breath again at Soo-hyun’s words.
At last, a formidable rival had emerged to challenge Father’s storytelling supremacy!
“Soo-hyun, we’re family. Let’s not do this from New Year’s Day onward—come on, eat your tteokguk.”
[Father is actually managing these storytellers… This is worth watching.]
For some reason, the tteokguk tasted especially sweet today.
Just then, Jeon Tae-guk glanced at Ji-hee.
“Ji-hee, want me to teach you how not to get older?”
“How do you do that?”
“You go to the Land of Innocence.”
[Jeon Tae-guk, you just want to play, so you’re sweet-talking the kids.]
I could see right through Jeon Tae-guk’s tactics and shook my head with a wry smile.
“The Land of Innocence? Where’s that?”
“Neverland in Yongin! Ji-hee, if you go there, you won’t get any older. Want to go with your oppa?”
“Hyung! Can Min-guk go too?”
“I’m really generous. Min-guk, let’s go together.”
Soo-hyun gazed at Jeon Tae-guk with envious eyes.
I gently nudged Jeon Tae-guk in the ribs.
“Oh… Soo-hyun, do you want to come?”
“Can I go too?”
“Let me show you what the chaebol class is really about today. You’ve never been on a Neverland VVIP tour, right? None of you have. Only our family uses the VVIP tour. I’ll show you how it’s done properly.”
“Tae-guk, you don’t have to go that far.”
Mother tried to stop him, but Jeon Tae-guk was already beyond hearing anyone’s words.
“Father, Mother, please get ready too. I can’t be responsible for Ji-hee and Min-guk alone.”
Mother and Father didn’t look displeased.
Jeon Tae-guk glanced at me.
“Isn’t this proper payback for all the meals and lodging you’ve given me?”
“Fair enough.”
I answered briefly.
* * *
Quiet classical music.
And warm coffee.
[It’s been so long since I’ve had time alone like this.]
I took a sip of coffee.
Mother and Father, telling me to rest well, took my younger siblings and departed for Neverland in a private car that Jeon Tae-guk had arranged through Secretary Yang.
[Maybe I should read a book….]
I turned a few pages, but something felt off.
Usually when I’m doing this at home, Min-guk comes running to dive at me, or Ji-hee comes to hug me….
Without those interruptions, everything felt strangely empty.
I endured the silence and turned another page.
Yet my progress was even slower than when I was being interrupted.
It didn’t even register in my mind.
I set the book down with a soft thud and pulled on my padded jacket.
[I should go for a walk…]
I’d thought that once the bustling family disappeared, I’d have peaceful time to myself, but everything seemed to move at a glacial pace instead.
* * *
Ding.
The elevator arrived on the first floor.
As I stepped out through the apartment entrance, I spotted people coming and going with gift sets in hand.
Most of the shops in the Apartment Shopping Complex where Father’s Restaurant was located had shuttered their doors, save for a few.
In any case, thanks to Jeon Tae-guk, Father’s Restaurant was reaping the full benefits of publicity.
Review posts about Father’s Restaurant were already appearing regularly online.
Fortunately, everyone’s feedback had been positive.
As I passed Father’s Restaurant, I noticed a male student about my age in a black padded jacket lingering in front of the shop.
[What’s this? A thief?]
My hackles rose instantly.
Ever since that encounter with the street robber, I’d become sensitive to such situations.
I tried to slip past the black padded jacket as quietly as possible, but his face caught my eye.
[That face looks familiar…]
In that instant, I froze in place.
The boy in the black padded jacket looked at me with confusion.
“Is this shop closed today?”
“Yes, we’re closed today.”
“Ah… I must have gotten the day wrong. Thank you.”
Just as the boy in the black padded jacket bowed politely.
“Wait.”
“Me?”
I nodded.
“Could you be… Choi Jung-woo?”
“Huh… how do you know my name… Could you be… Sung-guk? Jeon Sung-guk?”
“Yeah! I’m Sung-guk!”
The boy in the black padded jacket was Choi Jung-woo—my first and only friend in this life.
* * *
We ducked into a small coffee shop nearby.
I quickly pulled out my wallet and headed to the counter so Jung-woo wouldn’t feel awkward.
“Jung-woo, what would you like to drink?”
“Sung-guk, let me…”
I could guess what he was about to say.
“Jung-woo, I ate at your place plenty when we were kids. Let me treat you today.”
“Okay then… I’ll have a hot chocolate.”
Jung-woo took a sip of the hot chocolate that arrived shortly, and his expression visibly relaxed.
“Sung-guk, I never dreamed I’d run into you here.”
“You didn’t come looking for me?”
“That’s… Sung-guk… you actually remember?”
Jung-woo’s eyes glistened with emotion.
[Of course I remember. I’m Jeon Sung-guk. I can recall first grade at Elementary School just fine.]
I had told Jung-woo, who was hastily moving away after his family’s business collapsed, to find me whenever he wanted to rebuild his household.
I’d also made sure he remembered my father’s restaurant.
Today, Jung-woo had finally come looking for me.
“Jung-woo, how have you been all this time?”
“I’ve changed a lot, haven’t I?”
“You sure have! You’re not the chubby Choi Jung-woo I remember!”
Jung-woo had transformed completely.
The plump, gentle-looking boy I’d known was gone, replaced by a tall, lean, and adorable middle schooler sitting across from me. Though he still looked kind-hearted.
“Let’s forget about my chubby past. Back then, my mom really overfed me.”
“Your mother is well, I hope?”
“Yeah. Mom’s still the same. Honestly, after Dad’s business failed back then, things were really tough for my parents—they even talked about divorce. But a few years ago, their relationship improved, and once Dad opened the Convenience Store, things gradually got better for us. Dad still has debt and we can’t live like we used to, but I’m happy now.”
I was genuinely relieved to hear that.
I often thought of Jung-woo, my only childhood friend.
“What brought you here today?”
“My maternal grandmother lives around here. I came to pay New Year’s respects. My parents said they didn’t even want to look in this direction, so I came alone.”
[A lie.]
I knew the real reason Jung-woo had sought out this place.
“Jung-woo, you deliberately came looking for my father’s restaurant, didn’t you?”
“Well, that is…”
“You can tell me the truth.”
“Sung-guk, you said it yourself. If I wanted to rebuild my household, I should come find you.”
[So he did remember. Choi Jung-woo.]
I took a sip of warm milk.

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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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