I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 264

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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 264
Christie Kennedy led me onto the streets of Beijing, a large camera in her hands.
During this state visit, one of Christie Kennedy’s duties was to cover the streets of three countries—Korea, China, and Japan—and post the footage on the White House’s FaceNote.
I’d visited China several times in my previous life, but I’d never walked the streets like this, observing things up close.
People stared at Christie Kennedy with curiosity as a foreigner, then looked startled when they saw me beside her.
Christie Kennedy whispered.
“Sung-guk, I think people are staring because you’re so handsome.”
Since we were schoolmates, we’d agreed to speak comfortably with each other.
“Christie, I’m used to these kinds of looks.”
“Wow, so this is what life is like for someone blessed with good looks.”
Christie Kennedy continued spouting out fangirl-like comments as expected.
“Christie, don’t people get surprised when they hear your last name is Kennedy?”
“It’s really similar! But when I say I’m Kennedy, people always double-take and ask, ‘Really? You?’ They’re a bit shocked. Everyone assumes Kennedys are elegant and impressive, but I’m not like that.”
“Christie, you have a good personality.”
“Everyone says that too. Ugh.”
[It’s true though.]
But Christie Kennedy didn’t back down and kept chattering away. Her good personality was indeed genuine.
“Sung-guk, do people always admire your appearance whenever they see you?”
“Honestly, the people around me are so used to me now that they don’t marvel anymore. I just assume everyone’s like that.”
“Sung-guk… but seriously, have you ever thought about becoming an idol?”
“Why would I? I hate having my face be my selling point.”
“For someone who says that, you run a YouTube channel and do photo shoots for Bella magazine. You’re basically a global celebrity just like my family.”
[She hit the mark. In that case…]
“I’m already making more money than that.”
“Really… Sung-guk, that’s why you don’t have a girlfriend! How should I put it… it’s true, but it sounds incredibly tactless.”
[People always find it tactless when you state facts.]
“I didn’t believe it when I read that you got rejected at a blind date because you’re boring. But honestly, even if you’re a bit dull, who cares when you’re this handsome? I’d be happy just looking at this face every day and making myself laugh.”
[That’s what I’m saying. If someone with perfect looks like me and a busy schedule was also entertaining, that would be God’s mistake. Wait, am I admitting I’m boring? No! I’m entertaining!]
Christie Kennedy laughed and continued.
“Honestly, I’m a face fanatic… I could live just feasting my eyes on your face every day and the world would feel like paradise. I could even tolerate tactlessness. For your face.”
[Right? Christie?]
Somehow, conversations with Christie Kennedy seemed to flow surprisingly well.
* * *
Downtown Beijing.
Christie Kennedy took me to a local market where Chinese people frequented.
“Sung-guk, when I lived in China, I used to come here often to eat and shop.”
“You’re more modest than I thought.”
This was my first time experiencing such a common people’s market, even combining both my lives.
“I like coming to markets like this to watch people and eat delicious food. Sung-guk, let’s go over there and buy that.”
Christie Kennedy pulled me toward a shop.
It was a shop selling traditional Chinese clothing.
“Sung-guk, I’m planning to buy traditional outfits every time I visit all three countries—Korea, China, and Japan—and take photos in front of each nation’s most iconic building.”
Christie Kennedy was clearly here as a tourist, not to cover behind-the-scenes stories of the diplomatic visit.
“Sung-guk, I’ll buy you one too. What do you say? Let’s take a photo together.”
[I’m not one to turn down free things, but…]
“Christie, watch out. Later, China might claim that Korean hanbok is actually their traditional garment.”
“Later?”
[Oops, I slipped up.]
“China is trying to strengthen its influence over Northeast Asia. And the first thing they do is distort history. If someone as globally famous as me is photographed wearing Chinese traditional clothing, who knows how they’ll use it later. For example, they might say someone like me—someone so accomplished—isn’t actually of Korean descent but Chinese descent. So that’s why I’m wearing this outfit in the photo, right? That’s how they operate.”
“Seriously? Would China really do that?”
[Those communist bastards always pull stunts like that.]
“Anyway, I’m not taking any photos that could be plagiarized. Let’s take photos together in hanbok when we go to Korea. In front of Gyeongbokgung Palace.”
“That sounds amazing! But I’m still going to buy one.”
Christie Kennedy haggled with the merchant in halting Chinese.
For someone who’d only been studying for a few months, she was doing reasonably well, though the negotiation consisted mostly of simple words.
Just then, I heard a man from another shop behind us muttering something.
“Geez, charging several times the price. We really caught a sucker today.”
[Hmm, I suppose it’s time to reveal that I speak Chinese well too.]
I quickly grabbed Christie Kennedy’s shoulder.
“Sung-guk, what?”
“How does the price seem to you?”
“Um… well, I’m not really sure. But it does seem a bit expensive. It doesn’t look like it should be 500 yuan…”
500 yuan?
That was nearly 90,000 won.
“Wait, how is this 500 yuan? I just heard another merchant back there saying they were charging several times more. Are they treating us like complete fools?”
Chinese spilled out of my mouth before I could stop myself.
[Sigh, and so another one of my abilities is revealed to the world.]
Christie Kennedy stared at me in surprise.
“Sung-guk, you speak Chinese?”
“A little.”
“That’s more than a little.”
“Christie, don’t buy here. Let’s go to that shop over there instead.”
“Oh, okay.”
I pulled Christie Kennedy toward the shop of the man who’d been tsk-tsking and inflating prices.
“Wow, they have a much better selection here too.”
I started haggling with the man in Chinese again.
“I heard everything you said earlier. What’s the honest price?”
“Just give me 200 yuan. When this is done, I’ll have to buy my friend at that shop over there a drink. I feel bad about it, you know. Stealing your business.”
The man chuckled as he spoke.
“Christie, he’s saying 200 yuan. What do you think? It doesn’t seem like an unreasonably low offer, and it’s a pretty good price.”
“Right, after hearing 500 yuan, 200 yuan sounds incredibly cheap.”
Christie Kennedy readily handed over 200 yuan and broke into a bright smile as she admired a traditional Chinese outfit she’d selected.
* * *
– Exploring Beijing with Jeon Sung-guk.
– Exploring Tokyo with Jeon Sung-guk.
Christie Kennedy’s FaceNote feed was filled daily with photos of our outings together.
[I’m starting to feel like I’m being used here….]
And somehow, with that massive camera she carried everywhere, I always seemed to be the focal point of every shot.
It felt almost like she was filming a home video centered entirely on me.
Most of the photos were even edited in Photoshop, coming out looking like professional magazine spreads.
The comments were nothing but praise, and the White House’s FaceNote followers had doubled.
Then came a knock at the hotel door.
Knock. Knock.
Followed immediately by Gary Oldman’s voice.
“Sung-guk, it’s Gary.”
I opened the door right away.
“What brings you by so late?”
“Sung-guk, you’re heading back to South Korea tomorrow morning, right? The President is here now and wants to talk with you.”
“I’ll get ready and head over right away.”
* * *
Barack Obama studied various documents with a grave expression.
The most critical objective of this Asian tour was to contain China from America’s perspective while strengthening the South Korea-United States-Japan relationship.
America’s intentions were transparent.
It was to expedite the South Korea-United States-Japan agreement that had been repeatedly delayed due to the historical tensions between South Korea and Japan.
From his perspective, while Japan was an economic powerhouse, South Korea was still a developing nation, and he viewed Japan as more crucial to Northeast Asian security.
Barack Obama began speaking the moment I sat down.
“Sung-guk, I’ll be frank with you. Japan is favorable toward us. They’ve taken the position that they’ll cooperate closely with America to contribute to peace in Northeast Asia. But… what do you think about South Korea?”
“Naturally… South Korea cannot be favorable toward any agreement with Japan.”
“Is that stemming from the effects of colonial rule? Honestly, India was under British rule for a long time, and Latin America was under Spanish rule for ages, but they’re not nearly as adversarial in their current relationships as South Korea and Japan are…”
“Germany declared surrender in World War II and apologized for the atrocities they committed. They also swiftly executed war criminals. While historical wrongs in starting a war aren’t erased simply by such apologies and the punishment of war criminals, Japan hasn’t even done that much. To this day, they continue to deny knowledge of comfort women and forced labor, offering nothing but evasions. How can one have any meaningful dialogue with someone who refuses to acknowledge the past?”
“Hmm… this is a difficult issue.”
Barack Obama dragged his large hand across his face.
“Sung-guk, how should I conduct myself in this situation? Sigh… not me. America, I mean.”
“Doesn’t America need the strength of both South Korea and Japan to contain China?”
“That’s true. But….”
Barack Obama trailed off.
Of course, what followed would be the opinion that Japan was ultimately more necessary.
“Barack… America should stay out of Japan’s historical apology issue. That’s how you avoid making South Korea an enemy.”
I offered the most pragmatic advice I could.
“This is a difficult matter….”
But I know the truth.
Barack Obama will act in the interests of the United States, and South Korea’s politicians will move for their own benefit, not the people’s.
“Oh, by the way, Sung-guk, the meeting with business leaders from Hyojin Group and Samjeon Group is tomorrow evening. We’ll need your help.”
“Of course.”
* * *
When I returned to my hotel room, there was a message asking me to call urgently.
What was this about?
The caller was Jeon Tae-guk.
I checked my phone.
I hadn’t noticed the calls because I’d turned off my phone while talking with Barack Obama.
Jeon Tae-guk had called me over ten times.
And I had a bad feeling about this.
Could it be… that he’d failed the exam?
I quickly called Jeon Tae-guk back.
The moment the line connected, I heard his urgent voice.
– Sung-guk! What are you doing? Why haven’t you been answering!
“Brother, I’m overseas on a special envoy mission. It’s actually strange that you can reach me at all, isn’t it?”
– Ah, I suppose… sorry… I’m just in a panic.
“Brother, don’t tell me… you failed the exam?”
– Well, Sung-guk, the thing is… I actually wrote down the correct answer.
The fact that his explanation was getting longer was an ominous sign.
– The question was about predicting the future of SNS platforms like FaceNote five years from now.
“And?”
– So… I wrote that I would ask Jeon Sung-guk, the CEO of FaceNote, and have him answer it.
“What? Who writes an exam answer like that!”
– No, I wrote the most accurate answer possible. You’re the one running FaceNote, so you’d know best about its future and potential. Doesn’t the professor understand that?
“So what? Do you have to retake the exam?”
– Well, the thing is… I did poorly on the other exams, but this one looks like I’m going to almost fail it. So I went to the professor and tried everything—even offered a bribe—but he refused everything. Then he asked if I could get him to hear the answer to this question directly from Jeon Sung-guk.
“What do you mean by that?”
– Sung-guk, is there any way you could come to our school and give a special lecture just once?
I let out a deep sigh that rose from the depths of my being.
I don’t believe in religion.
But I was certain that the karma from my past life was real.

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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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