I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 254

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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 254
I started the engine of my beloved Porsche.
Christopher Nolan stared at me with astonished eyes.
“Sung-guk. Is this your car?”
“Yes. Get in. We have somewhere to go together anyway.”
“A successful entrepreneur really is different. Not even twenty years old, and you drive a Porsche.”
“Someone who sponsored me since childhood gave it to me as a gift. My family was too poor for me to study abroad in the United States on my own.”
Christopher Nolan’s expression showed surprise at those words.
[A compelling backstory really does work on people everywhere in the world.]
“Ah, I was just… commenting on the car itself.”
“Come on, Christopher. Now that we’re out of the hospital, we should go get something delicious to eat.”
“Of course!”
“And we can finish wrapping up our contract discussion.”
“A true businessman never misses a moment, does he?”
Christopher Nolan climbed into the passenger seat.
The place we needed to go was the restaurant where Jeon Tae-guk was waiting.
* * *
As we entered the restaurant, the Manager guided us to a secluded table in the back.
The moment Jeon Tae-guk saw Christopher Nolan, he sprang from his seat and extended his hand.
“Hello. I’m Jeon Tae-guk.”
“My goodness. You’re that villain from The Intern!”
“Yes, I’m that villain.”
“I never imagined Sung-guk had such wide connections.”
“We live in the same house together.”
Before Christopher Nolan could give me a questioning look, I quickly added an explanation.
“My original roommate’s girlfriend moved in with him, so there was a spare room at my brother’s place. The three of us live there—me, him, and his assistant secretary.”
“Koreans abroad really do stick together, don’t they?”
“Is it alright if I call you Christopher?”
“Of course, Tae-guk.”
“You must have had a rough time at the hospital, so I ordered a full course meal for us. And I got a bottle of wine as well.”
“So this is the kind of luxury you get just by following Sung-guk around.”
I shrugged my shoulders and casually glanced toward the entrance.
[It’s about time he arrived….]
The door opened, and a man in a black t-shirt, jeans, and New Balance sneakers walked in.
He then raised his hand when he saw me.
“Sung-guk.”
“Charlie… Welcome.”
Jeon Tae-guk’s eyes widened even more than when he’d met Christopher Nolan.
“Charlie….”
Charlie Jobs had arrived.
“Charlie, welcome.”
“Sung-guk, congratulations on being discharged from the hospital.”
While I exchanged greetings with Charlie Jobs, Christopher Nolan and Jeon Tae-guk watched us with bewildered expressions.
[I suppose it’s time to introduce them.]
“Charlie, this is Christopher Nolan, the director I mentioned. And this is Jeon Tae-guk, the heir to Samjeon Group—you know, the company that created the Galaxy phone while everyone was busy buying Apple’s smartphones.”
Jeon Tae-guk was finally moved by the chance to meet Charlie Jobs, the Apple founder he so adored.
I whispered quietly to Jeon Tae-guk.
“Hyung, I… I kept my promise.”
“Sung-guk…”
Jeon Tae-guk’s eyes grew red with emotion, and he quickly extended his hand to Charlie Jobs.
“Hello, I’m Jeon Tae-guk, heir to Samjeon Group. To be honest, I’m an ardent Apple fan. Would you like to see my phone?”
Jeon Tae-guk pulled out his phone from his pocket and handed it to Charlie Jobs.
Charlie Jobs laughed warmly and gripped Jeon Tae-guk’s hand firmly.
“I’ve heard a lot about you. I’ve seen you in the news too. When I visited Korea before, I met your grandfather… he must be very proud to have such an outstanding grandson.”
So people really do change when death approaches. Here was the heir to Samjeon Group being called an outstanding grandson by the man he’d abandoned Samjeon for—just to buy Apple phones.
In my previous life, such a thing would have been absolutely impossible.
Charlie Jobs then exchanged greetings with Director Christopher Nolan.
“It’s wonderful to finally meet you, Director. I’m a huge fan of the Batman series.”
“When Sung-guk called me from the hospital, it didn’t feel real… but now I’m actually meeting you. I’m also a devoted Apple fan, no less than anyone else.”
“This is truly an honor. The heir to Samjeon, a world-renowned director—everyone loves Apple so much.”
“Charlie, I’m here too.”
I quickly added my own comment.
And finally, the ordered food began to arrive.
The wine that Jeon Tae-guk had ordered also came out.
[That’s… Pinot Noir from the finest winery in Napa Valley!]
It was a wine I had truly loved in my previous life as well.
At that moment, Jeon Tae-guk handed me a bottle of water.
“Sung-guk, you’re having water, right?”
[You know that already, so why ask?]
I smiled bitterly.
* * *
The meal, which I had expected to be brief, stretched on for over three hours.
During that time, another bottle of wine was added to the table, while Charlie Jobs and I ordered another bottle of water.
Our conversation then shifted to the fourth-generation iPhone coming out next year and film production.
Charlie Jobs explained the fourth-generation iPhone with great enthusiasm and dedication.
“The iPhone has reinvented the mobile phone. Now phones will replace all other devices. You take photos with them, use SNS like FaceNote, and even shoot and edit videos right there on the spot.”
Jeon Tae-guk’s mouth fell open.
“Charlie, I truly believe this is a revolution. The Galaxy simply cannot match the unique sensibility that only the iPhone possesses.”
The heir to Samjeon, Jeon Tae-guk, nodded along without any backbone whatsoever.
If I were the old me, Jeon Tae-guk would already be finished in my eyes.
Charlie Jobs was intoxicated by the praise from the Samjeon Group heir and rambled on about the iPhone 4.
“Actually, after receiving Sung-guk’s call, the iPhone 4 aims to provide camera performance and video editing technologies that we’ve never experienced before. If a director like Christopher were to film short movies with that technology, what more could we ask for?”
Christopher Nolan absorbed the food and wine while listening to the conversation.
Hospital food really was tasteless.
[I suppose it’s time to clarify the exact contractual terms.]
I clasped my hands together and alternated my gaze between Christopher Nolan and Charlie Jobs.
“Well then… shall we finalize the contract details here?”
“Sung-guk, if you say we’re not signing now, the atmosphere suggests they’d throw us out of the restaurant?”
Christopher Nolan, with alcohol slightly warming his cheeks, threw out the joke with a laugh.
[It’s not a joke—if you don’t sign, I’m throwing you out immediately, Christopher. Of course, I’m charging you for the food. And the wine! You do realize the wine you’re drinking costs over a thousand dollars a bottle, right?]
Charlie Jobs tapped my shoulder meaningfully with a smile.
“Christopher, Sung-guk doesn’t joke when it comes to business. Let’s draft the contract right here and leave.”
Charlie Jobs was smiling, but he too wanted to finalize the contract with Christopher Nolan at this very moment.
“Of course we should sign and leave.”
Just then, Jeon Tae-guk interjected.
“Charlie… since I’m covering the bill for this restaurant, you’ll invite me to the iPhone 4’s first presentation next year, right?”
“Of course, Tae-guk. I’ll invite you as a VIP!”
“Wow! That’s amazing!”
Jeon Tae-guk was delighted, but I couldn’t help but sigh.
[The image of the Samjeon Group heir sitting in the VIP section will be plastered across every media outlet… Charlie Jobs is banking on that, you fool….]
I shook my head in disapproval.
* * *
The moment I opened the door to the FaceNote office, I spotted a temperature scanner.
Mark and Lim Mi-mi greeted me with faces that looked like they hadn’t slept all night.
“Sung-guk, congratulations on your discharge! Don’t forget—you have to pass through this temperature scanner to enter our office.”
Of course, I passed through the temperature scanner without issue.
“Mark, why do you both look like you haven’t slept?”
“Sung-guk… didn’t you think it was strange that Mi-mi and I, who live next door, haven’t been around?”
“I’m a CEO who respects my employees’ personal time after work.”
“FaceNote’s user base is growing by the day, so Mi-mi and I have been pulling all-nighters.”
The spread of the novel influenza had only activated SNS further.
People were obtaining information while sitting at home and engaging in non-face-to-face interactions.
“You’ve worked hard. By the way, have there been any more cases of novel influenza among our employees?”
“None so far. We immediately sent any employee with even a slight fever to work from home, and everyone is required to drink ginger tea as soon as they arrive at the office.”
“Oh, and sir, the Broadcasting Station said they want to interview our company.”
Lim Mi-mi spoke with exhaustion etched across her face.
“What kind of interview? Is it about the FaceNote CEO who overcame the novel influenza and returned?”
“The novel influenza virus couldn’t kill your narcissism, sir. It’s not that—the media selected FaceNote as an excellent company in defending against the novel influenza. They want to know the secret behind it, something like that.”
“Ms. Lim Mi-mi, I don’t need to appear personally, do I?”
“That’s entirely up to you, sir.”
“First, I’ll do the interview. But before that, I need to stop by the Korean Mart.”
“Why the Korean Mart all of a sudden?”
“Once that broadcast airs, ginger tea will sell out everywhere. I need to go stock up on all of it. Mark, you cover the north side. I’ll handle the south. Grab every bottle of ginger tea you see!”
Mark shook his head vigorously.
“Sung-guk, but listen. You asked to borrow fifty thousand dollars from me, right? What did you do with it?”
“Bought Gilead Sciences stock.”
“The company that makes Tamiflu?”
“Yeah.”
Actually, after that I’d called Sam and Adam to borrow another hundred thousand dollars total and bought more stock.
“Sung-guk, buy some for me too.”
[Then you won’t be able to lend me fifty thousand dollars.]
Just then, Lim Mi-mi smacked Mark on the back.
“Mark, I told you not to even think about making money off stocks.”
“I figured you’d object, Mark.”
“Too bad. That stock went way up, didn’t it?”
“It went up a bit. Once I liquidate, I’ll buy us all a nice meal.”
“The way Sung-guk’s acting, it must have gone up a lot.”
Just then, Sam approached from behind and grabbed my shoulder.
“Sung-guk… about that stock you mentioned back then.”
“Gilead Sciences?”
“Yeah… it’s tripled now.”
“Sam, did you buy some stock like I suggested?”
“I… bought about a hundred thousand dollars worth, and Adam bought about the same.”
“The interest on the money you lent me is covered by that, right?”
“Sung-guk… I’m really grateful. But when should I sell this?”
“You can sell now if you want… but if it’s spare capital, holding onto it could see it rise even more within the next ten years. Think of it as a retirement gift from me.”
“A-are you firing me?”
“That’s just how I’m putting it.”
Going forward, Gilead Sciences would develop multiple treatments beyond just the novel influenza cure, and its stock would skyrocket.
Mark put his arm around my shoulders and teased me.
“Sung-guk, that’s not even your money—Sam and Adam invested their own. Taking credit for it is a bit much.”
“Mark, what I gave them was premium information. Some information is worth far more than money.”
Information from a second life was something money couldn’t buy.
* * *
“I’m now at the FaceNote Office Building, where the CEO’s swift response to the anticipated global pandemic of this novel influenza strain is demonstrating an exemplary quarantine system.”
The reporter opened the office door and spotted the thermal imaging camera, her expression turning to surprise.
“It’s thorough from the moment you step in. My temperature is normal.”
The reporter and all the staff members completed their temperature checks and entered the office.
I distributed the ginger tea I’d prepared in advance to the reporter and staff.
“This is Korean-style ginger tea. In Korea, it’s traditionally enjoyed as a preventative measure against colds. Perhaps because of that, aside from me, not a single employee here has contracted this novel influenza yet.”
The Reporter sipped the ginger tea, then broke into a gentle smile.
“So this is the secret that protected FaceNote from the novel influenza.”
“Yes! The gingerol and shogaol—that pungent, slightly bitter taste you get from ginger tea—possess antimicrobial properties against various pathogenic bacteria. This is the Korean way of preventing colds.”
“Ah, the Korean way! The answer was right here all along.”
The Reporter drank the ginger tea with a satisfied expression.
[This is what you call bringing honor to one’s nation!]
I straightened my shoulders with pride.

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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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