I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 186
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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 186
Koo Soo-young had always been a steadfast patron.
“Sung-guk, I’d like to join FaceNote myself….”
“Dear, at your age, doing such things would be unseemly. That’s something young people do.”
His wife objected, but Koo Soo-young shook his head.
“Unseemly? FaceNote isn’t particularly famous in Korea yet. If someone like me—a so-called conglomerate chairman—joins, people will take notice.”
[That’s Koo Soo-young for you.]
After all, he was the man who built Hyojin Group into what it was today, one of South Korea’s most prominent conglomerates.
Age hadn’t dulled his business instincts in the slightest.
“Chairman, I’d be delighted. Would you like me to explain how to join?”
“I’ll have my secretary handle it. I can’t afford to waste the precious time of a talent like yourself.”
“Once you’ve joined, please contact me right away. I’ll add you as a friend immediately.”
“Haha. So I’ll be befriending the CEO of the global IT company FaceNote.”
“Yes, Chairman.”
Koo Soo-young’s wife, watching from the side, shook her head.
“There’s no stopping him.”
“Ma’am, my sisters have all joined FaceNote. You should join too.”
“Then we’d be able to see everything our Ye-jung and Ye-ri post on FaceNote, right?”
“Only if you become friends with them.”
At that moment, Koo Soo-young stopped his wife.
“I think it’s better if you don’t join.”
“Why?”
“You’re trying to monitor the children.”
“I’m just keeping an eye on things.”
“See? If you do that, the children won’t post their true selves on FaceNote.”
Koo Soo-young’s words were precise.
He gazed at me warmly as I finished my jjajangmyeon.
“Sung-guk, if there’s anything we need to do together in the future, I’m always welcoming. And regardless of business, if you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to reach out. I’ll help with all my heart in whatever I can. You know I think of you as my own son, don’t you?”
“I’m always grateful for your care despite my shortcomings. I’ll keep you updated often.”
“Don’t feel burdened by what I said. For now, let’s see each other at our Ye-jung’s wedding.”
“Yes, Chairman.”
Koo Soo-young was undoubtedly my greatest benefactor in this lifetime.
When Jeon Jae-hyung was trying to use me, he became an alternative path for me. And he offered unconditional support on top of that.
Father often spoke of such things.
He said that being born an orphan and meeting the Suyu Branch Manager of Won Uncle’s Bossam was like a stroke of fortune in life. And that the Suyu Branch Manager was like a mentor and father to him.
Koo Soo-young wasn’t the one who gave me life, but in this lifetime, he was undoubtedly a father figure to me in a social sense.
* * *
After parting with Koo Soo-young and his wife, I headed to the Samjeon Hotel Bakery.
In my previous life, it was too common for me to eat, but if I bought some now, Min-guk and Ji-hee would surely love it.
[I’m really a good older brother.]
I headed to the bakery and selected the largest cake available.
“Please wrap this for me.”
“Of course. I’ll have it wrapped right away.”
As I lingered at the counter, I heard murmuring from the surrounding area.
I was accustomed to such attention.
Whether in the United States or Korea, my presence always drew this kind of buzz.
[Good looks are recognized the same way in Korea and America, after all.]
At that moment, a sharp scream pierced the air from behind me.
No matter how handsome I was, I rarely heard screams like that.
What on earth was happening?
Just as I turned my head, a man appeared beside me.
He was taller than me, with eyes gleaming with refinement.
[I’ve seen that face somewhere before….]
The man murmured in a low voice.
“What are you buying….”
[That voice is incredibly familiar….]
While I tilted my head in confusion, a woman approached and handed the man a piece of paper and a pen.
“Are you Jung Woo-sung?”
“Yes.”
The man smiled, revealing perfectly aligned teeth.
I looked at the man standing beside me again.
Jung Woo-sung?
That famous actor who represents South Korea’s most handsome celebrities?
Jung Woo-sung signed the paper the fan offered with a refined expression, and then greeted her brightly like a true star.
“Jung Woo-sung, what brings you here?”
“I came to buy a cake. Have you had dinner?”
“We came to have dinner.”
“Enjoy your meal. My parents are waiting for me.”
[A lie. He’s going to see his girlfriend.]
After sending the fan off, Jung Woo-sung pointed to the exact same cake I’d chosen.
“Please wrap this one for me.”
“Oh… that one just sold. It was the last one.”
It appeared to be the cake I’d purchased.
I shrugged slightly.
Jung Woo-sung pointed to another cake with a resigned expression.
“Then, please wrap this one instead.”
“Please wait a moment.”
Jung Woo-sung and I stood side by side, waiting for our cakes.
Is this what they call a handsome man standing next to another handsome man?
I lifted my shoulders slightly.
Jung Woo-sung approached me with a friendly greeting.
“Haven’t we met somewhere before?”
“Jung Woo-sung, this is actually our first meeting.”
[In my past life, we did several Samjeon Group commercials together. He’d invite me to every film premiere without fail. Of course, I was always too busy to attend. I feel a bit sorry about that now.]
Jung Woo-sung tilted his head curiously.
“Really? But why do you seem so familiar?”
At that moment, Jung Woo-sung’s eyes began to waver.
Could it be… Jung Woo-sung too?
“Are you that mysterious man?”
[Good grief… just how many people watched that morning news broadcast?!]
I lowered my head in despair.
“That’s right, isn’t it? The founder of FaceNote? That famous genius, correct?”
“Yes, I am the founder of FaceNote, but I’m not a mysterious man. I’m still a minor.”
“That doesn’t matter to me. I want to join FaceNote. How exactly do I do it?”
It seemed Jung Woo-sung hadn’t managed to join FaceNote yet.
If that’s the case, why not use this opportunity with Jung Woo-sung?
I gazed at Jung Woo-sung with a faint smile.
“Jung Woo-sung, would you like me to show you how to join FaceNote?”
“That would be wonderful.”
Jung Woo-sung nodded eagerly.
In the United States, FaceNote’s influence was growing by the day.
Among students, there were rumors that not using FaceNote meant being ostracized.
However, not many people in Korea were using FaceNote yet.
If Chairman Koo Soo-young and a famous actor like Jung Woo-sung started using it, it would certainly create a different kind of ripple effect.
“I’ll pay for the cake too. Please, just show me how.”
Of course, I already had more wealth than Jung Woo-sung. But I found it nearly impossible to turn down something free.
“Then I’ll show you right here. Do you have a laptop?”
“I’ll have my manager bring one right away.”
Jung Woo-sung quickly contacted his manager and smiled brightly.
Jung Woo-sung is currently the most handsome actor in South Korea. And he will be for the next twenty years as well.
Moreover, he’s an actor who actively engages with fans on various social media platforms.
Soon the manager came running with the laptop.
I opened the laptop and accessed FaceNote.
“Is joining FaceNote difficult?”
“Not really… it’s just that I’m practically computer illiterate. My typing is hunt-and-peck.”
“Well, you could ask someone good with computers. Joining FaceNote is incredibly easy.”
“I was about to do that anyway. But then I happened to meet the founder of FaceNote by chance—there’s no reason not to take advantage of this, right? I was heading home after work, and I just felt like stopping by Samjeon Hotel on a whim… I guess fortune smiles on me too.”
Jung Woo-sung flashed his characteristic radiant smile.
[Jung Woo-sung, that charm works on women, not on me. Still, he is quite handsome.]
I quickly registered Jung Woo-sung on FaceNote through the verification process.
Jung Woo-sung examined FaceNote with curious interest, turning it this way and that.
“Wow, so you just write posts here and upload photos and things like that?”
“Yes, think of it simply as Dotori World.”
“But this is a place where people from all over the world can see it, right?”
“That’s precisely the difference.”
Jung Woo-sung explored FaceNote with genuine interest.
Then he suddenly looked at me.
“Can I… send you a friend request?”
“Of course.”
I nodded readily.
Just then, the packaged cake arrived.
Jung Woo-sung handed me the cake I’d selected.
“You’re spending the Lunar New Year holidays with your family, right?”
“Yes, what about you, Jung Woo-sung?”
“Me too. When are you going to the United States?”
“I think I’ll go after the holidays end.”
“I’ll contact you when I get to the United States, so don’t pretend you don’t know me.”
“Of course. By the way, Jung Woo-sung.”
An idea suddenly occurred to me.
“What is it?”
“You’re already recognized as the most handsome man in South Korea by everyone. On SNS like this, instead of those polished, carefully composed photo shoot images, why don’t you try uploading casual selfies like people who don’t know much about this stuff post? I think people will go absolutely crazy, saying you’re wasting that handsome face, demanding you use it their way.”
“Ah, is that why you’re a genius? That’s really a great idea. I’ll try doing that.”
Of course, the reaction would be explosive without even needing to see it.
A handsome face would look good no matter how it was used.
“I’ll enjoy the cake. Happy New Year.”
With that, I left Jung Woo-sung behind and headed home.
* * *
My family gathered around the dining table for one cake.
Of course, there was one uninvited guest.
Jeon Tae-guk let out a deep sigh and shook his head.
“You said to bring chicken.”
“The chicken place wasn’t open because of the holidays.”
“Ugh, I’m tired of Samjeon Hotel cake…”
“You might be tired of it, but this is our family’s first time.”
“You should have told me. Then I would have had it delivered.”
“I bought it while I was out. If you don’t want to eat it, don’t.”
When I spoke firmly, Jeon Tae-guk grabbed a fork and rushed at the cake eagerly.
“I didn’t say I didn’t want to eat it!”
Jeon Tae-guk gripped the fork tightly in one hand and waited for the cake.
I asked casually.
“Brother, are you really not going home?”
“Jeon Sung-guk, have some conscience. I’ve treated you to lifetime Samjeon Hotel jjajangmyeon and taken you on Neverland VVIP tours. How could I leave when you’re asking me to go home? That’d be insulting.”
[Fair point….]
Jeon Tae-guk wasn’t entirely wrong.
In this life, Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung had maintained a careful distance from me ever since recognizing me as a competitor—cautious yet gathering just enough information to stay informed.
But Jeon Tae-guk possessed none of that business acumen whatsoever.
[How is he supposed to lead Samjeon like this… I’m genuinely worried about the company’s future.]
I started shaking my head, then suddenly looked at Jeon Tae-guk again.
[Wait… could this be some sophisticated strategy to maintain connections with me as I become a global entrepreneur? Could Jeon Tae-guk really be that clever?]
I stared intently at Jeon Tae-guk, who was devouring the supposedly stale cake like a madman.
“Sung-guk, what are you looking at?”
“Oh, well… Brother, didn’t you say it was stale?”
“It tastes good after all this time. By the way, I’ve booked plane tickets to San Francisco. Come with me.”
“Brother… are you really planning to stay at our house indefinitely?”
“I even reserved first-class seats. How could you say that to me….”
“That’d be insulting!”
Min-guk echoed Jeon Tae-guk’s words from beside him.
* * *
First class to San Francisco.
I sat beside Jeon Tae-guk.
Throughout the Lunar New Year holidays, Jeon Tae-guk never went home, simply stayed at our house eating and playing, and ultimately boarded the San Francisco flight with us.
The moment Jeon Tae-guk stepped onto the plane, he drank heavily, then put on an eye mask and fell asleep.
In the meantime, I read through several domestic newspapers.
Then, a striking article caught my eye.
It was from a newspaper affiliated with Hyojin Group.
– Hyojin Group Chairman Koo Soo-young Opens FaceNote Account. Explosive interest as he pledges to become a CEO who keeps pace with global trends while communicating comfortably with employees, posting this commitment as his first message.
Below it, another unusual article appeared.
– In fact, the first Korean conglomerate executive to join FaceNote is Jeon Tae-guk, the heir to Samjeon Group. However, with zero friends, there’s growing doubt about whether this is truly the FaceNote account of Samjeon Group’s actual heir.
After reading that article, I opened my laptop and accepted Jeon Tae-guk’s friend request to me.
Finally, Jeon Tae-guk’s FaceNote account had a friend.
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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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