I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 216

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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 216
Friday, September 12, 2008
Chaos erupted on FaceNote.
Mark had posted about selling his stocks on Thursday.
Everyone cornered me as I arrived at the office that morning.
“Sung-guk, should I really sell the stocks I’m holding?”
“I believe a crisis is coming, but the decision is yours. And with stocks, when they fall, there’s always a time when they soar again. However, I can’t guarantee how deep or how long the fall will be. Enduring that is entirely up to you.”
“This is really stressing me out.”
Anxious voices erupted from my employees all around.
[I should at least help our employees.]
I quickly opened my FaceNote account and changed the countdown date.
Three days until Lehman Brothers’ bankruptcy.
And I added an explanation.
Today is Friday.
Exactly three days until September 15th.
That means today is the last day you can sell your stocks.
Lehman Brothers will file for bankruptcy at 2 AM on Monday, September 15th.
So when you wake up, the American stock market will be in hell.
What’s certain is that all choices are yours to make.
For reference, I’ve sold all my stocks, and Mark—the one who was even suspected of acquiring Nokia—has also disposed of all his Nokia shares in recent days.
Everyone, nothing in this world is eternal.
And I pressed enter.
10 AM.
The last day had begun to save stocks that would soon plummet.
* * *
Mark burst through the door.
I was calmly reviewing the list of investors withdrawing from FaceNote.
They would never have another chance to get back in.
“Sung-guk.”
“Mark, what’s wrong?”
“Can you even focus on work right now?”
“Mark, we’re the CEOs of this company.”
“You just dropped a bomb through FaceNote and you’re acting fine?”
“It’s a bomb that was going to explode anyway.”
“Besides, I sold my stocks because investors are pulling out right now, which is dangerous.”
I stood up with my laptop.
“Sung-guk, where are you going mid-conversation?”
“Mark, you’re not having a conversation with me—you’re just nagging. I have The Intern filming starting this afternoon. I need to go.”
Mark shook his head in disapproval.
Just then, Lim Mi-mi burst through the door, her face furious.
“Boss, why aren’t you answering your phone?”
“Hmm… I turned it off.”
“I knew it! Boss, right now all sorts of media outlets are flooding each department with calls looking for you!”
“Lim Mi-mi, calm down. If it’s annoying, just unplug the phone and get back to work.”
“Really, boss, you have no intention of doing interviews?”
“Of course not. Nothing has happened yet. I’ll do interviews on the day my analysis proves correct.”
Mark tried to stop Lim Mi-mi.
“Sung-guk can’t be stopped by anyone.”
[There’s no need to stop me, Mark.]
I shrugged and left the office.
* * *
Before filming for 【The Intern】 began, I had a cola with Donald Trumpet.
“Sung-guk, that article was interesting. You really think America is heading toward near-bankruptcy?”
“It’s going to get incredibly difficult.”
“As a real estate tycoon, am I going to go under?”
“Honestly, Donald. Aren’t you embarrassed to call yourself a real estate tycoon anymore? You seem more like a broadcaster to me.”
I deliberately needled Donald Trumpet.
To be honest, Donald Trumpet had developed properties and then filed for bankruptcy on casinos and resorts when they ran into trouble, so it was fair to say he hadn’t really succeeded as a real estate developer.
Donald Trumpet shrugged and took a sip of cola.
“Sung-guk, living like me is harder than you think.”
“Donald… I think you’re a genius at image-making.”
“What’s with the sudden compliment?”
“Wouldn’t it hurt the ratings if the successor to Samjeon Group gets eliminated early?”
“Are you lobbying me right now, Sung-guk?”
I took a sip of cola.
“It’s not lobbying—it’s advice from 【The Intern】’s idea writer. Jeon Tae-guk is an interesting character. The successor to South Korea’s Samjeon Group. Starting today, he’ll probably appear in luxury brands that ordinary people can’t even afford. He’ll likely use his status as a chaebol heir to get expert help or do whatever it takes to complete missions. People hate characters like that while loving them.”
Donald Trumpet smiled.
“Sung-guk, I really like you.”
That meant Donald Trumpet would never eliminate Jeon Tae-guk for the sake of 【The Intern】’s ratings.
* * *
Filming finally began.
I deliberately told the production team to include Jeon Tae-guk’s love of Apple’s iPhone and the nude photo leak scandal in his introduction video. I also polished the introduction text.
– Successor to South Korea’s Samjeon Group. However, a devoted fan of Charlie Jobs who loves iPhones. An issue maker filling gossip columns with a messy personal life!
Jeon Tae-guk looked slightly flustered by his introduction video, but quickly composed himself and walked out arrogantly. From head to toe, there wasn’t a single item that wasn’t a luxury brand.
I deliberately had the camera capture Jeon Tae-guk’s wrist.
The watch Jeon Tae-guk wore was one of only a few in the world. At the same time, the watch’s price would appear as a subtitle on the side.
Elizabeth Brown, the main writer of 【The Intern】, approached me.
“Sung-guk, Jeon Tae-guk is confirmed as the villain character for this 【The Intern】.”
This was exactly what I wanted.
A villain character wouldn’t be eliminated so easily.
Even if I die, I’ll resurrect myself somehow, but the crown will slip from my grasp regardless.
Soon Donald Trumpet appeared and announced the first team mission.
It was to generate the highest revenue using food trucks and donate that amount.
Naturally, the lowest-earning team would produce the first elimination.
I quickly held up a message card for Jeon Tae-guk to see.
I wrote it deliberately in Korean so the other contestants wouldn’t understand.
– Hyung, recruit the head chef from San Francisco’s most famous bulgogi restaurant. Use money!
Upon hearing my instructions, Jeon Tae-guk nimbly began insisting to his teammates that they should sell Korean food, and he launched into a spiel about hiring the most delicious bulgogi restaurant’s chef with money to learn cooking from them.
To anyone watching, he was a thoughtless chaebol heir. Moreover, he was the villain’s entrance for this season of The Intern—someone willing to do anything with money!
* * *
Friday night, September 12th.
I shut myself away at home and brewed coffee.
Jeon Tae-guk was busy with filming again tonight, and Secretary Park Sung-hee was at the film set supporting him.
Since I’d locked Jeon Tae-guk in as this season’s villain, there was no worry about him being eliminated in episode one.
[Ah, how long it’s been since I had this kind of peace….]
I sipped my coffee, opened the window, and breathed in the cool night air.
I remembered my phone was off.
[Everyone should have settled down by now….]
The moment I turned on my phone, countless messages poured in. I even had 137 missed calls.
The messages were all from reporters wanting interviews.
Then I noticed Father had left over 10 missed calls.
[Did something happen at home?]
I hurriedly called Father back.
The time difference between here and Korea was 17 hours, so it should be Saturday afternoon in Korea.
The phone rang, and Father picked up.
– Jeon Sung-guk, why haven’t you been answering your phone?!
Father’s voice sounded slightly angry.
“Father, I’m sorry. So many reporters have been contacting me today. I turned it off for a bit, but I got caught up being busy and forgot about it.”
– Jeon Sung-guk….
Father’s voice softened slightly as he said my name.
“Father, I’m sorry.”
– What do you have to apologize for! Your birthday already passed. Did you at least eat the seaweed soup yesterday?
[Ah, that’s right!]
September 12th was my birthday.
– The fact that you’re not answering means you forgot your own birthday, didn’t you? Min-guk and Ji-hee kept trying to call you to talk to their oppa, but you should have answered.
“Father! It’s only 10 PM here. My birthday hasn’t ended yet!”
– Really?
“Yes, Father.”
– 10 PM at night? Hold on.
I heard Father quickly calling for Min-guk and Ji-hee through the phone.
– Ji-hee! Min-guk! You two need to sing me a birthday song!
Soon I heard the quick patter of Min-guk and Ji-hee’s footsteps rushing over, and then Mother’s voice joined in from beside them.
– Sung-guk, I’ll sing along too.
Then came the birthday song my family sang for me.
– Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to our beloved Sung-guk, turning eighteen!!! Woohoo!!!
I bit my lower lip gently.
[Why are my eyes getting teary over something like this? I’m Jeon Sung-guk, for crying out loud….]
I heard my family’s voices through the phone.
– Sung-guk, happy birthday!
– Oppa, happy birthday! I miss you!
– Hyung! It’s Min-guk! I’m going back to America during winter break!
– You should be the one wishing your hyung a happy birthday.
Even their bickering sounded endearing.
[Sigh… I miss Korea.]
In my past life, I’d wanted to stay as far away from my family as possible, but now it was the complete opposite.
– Sung-guk, why aren’t you saying anything?
“Yeah, Dad. Thanks. I’ve been so caught up with work that I forgot about my birthday.”
– Oh my, your mother’s heart is breaking. Did you at least have dinner?
“Yeah, I did.”
A hamburger.
But I didn’t mention that. I didn’t want Mother to feel worse.
– Sung-guk, even though you’re far away, never forget that your family is always thinking of you. Understand?
“Yeah, Dad… Thanks.”
– Oppa, I love you!
“I love you too….”
And then I hung up the phone.
[Ugh… it was my birthday….]
Suddenly, a complex tangle of emotions washed over me.
[What good is Lehman Brothers? What does the American economy matter to me… when I can’t even remember my own birthday….]
It felt like I’d been chasing such grand goals that I’d forgotten about the small things.
Ding dong.
The doorbell rang.
[Who could that be at this hour?]
Mark’s face appeared large on the intercom screen.
“Mark, what’s going on?”
The moment I opened the door, Jeon Tae-guk stepped in carrying a cake.
“Sung-guk, congratulations on turning seventeen!”
By American age, I’d just turned seventeen. Barely….
“Boss, I made some seaweed soup. Mark tried it and said it was delicious, so absolutely don’t expect much from the taste.”
Secretary Park Sung-hee came in behind them carrying a bundle of items.
“I happened to be cooking today for the restaurant, and since it’s the Owner’s birthday, I set aside some bulgogi for him.”
Jeon Tae-guk quickly presented the cake.
“Sung-guk, come on and blow out the candles. Make a wish….”
I closed my eyes quietly and made my wish.
[My wish is… for Ji-hee to keep studying like this and become a doctor. For Min-guk to grow well at Bang Mu-hyuk Entertainment and definitely become a member of Sevens. And for FaceNote to go public soon. And for YouTube to skyrocket…. What else was there….]
I heard Jeon Tae-guk chattering beside me.
“Why is your wish taking so long?”
“Sung-guk’s always been a chatterbox anyway.”
I cracked one eye open briefly.
“I can hear you all. Everyone be quiet while I’m making my wish.”
“Jeon Sung-guk, my arm’s getting tired. I have another shoot tomorrow.”
I closed my eyes again and made my final wish.
[Please keep our whole family healthy and happy. Please grant this last wish!]
And then I blew out the candles with a sharp breath.
And so September 12th, 2008—my birthday and three days before Lehman Brothers’ bankruptcy—passed by.

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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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