I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 265

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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 265
How badly must I have treated Jeon Tae-guk in my past life?
Born as the second son of Samjeon Group after me—talented and perfect—Jeon Tae-guk was always in my shadow.
He was shorter than me, and by any measure, his appearance was inferior.
On top of that, his personality was petty, and his intellect was even worse.
With a mind duller than mine and academic abilities to match, I always despised Jeon Tae-guk for his lack of effort.
When it became clear he couldn’t get into any decent university in Korea, let alone Seoul, I said this to him before he left for the United States.
– Kids like you who go to America are called escapist students. Don’t go abroad and embarrass the country. Just keep your head down and stay quiet.
Of course, Jeon Tae-guk in my past life had his pride and bristled at my words, but the family wouldn’t tolerate the eldest son of Samjeon Group being talked back to.
Even while studying abroad in the United States, Jeon Tae-guk failed classes and dabbled in various drugs.
Trash in Korea remained trash in America.
Each time, I looked at Jeon Tae-guk with contempt, and he only became more twisted.
The decisive event that ended things between us came from Jeon Tae-guk’s rebellion.
When Jeon Tae-guk barely graduated from university in America and returned, he was given control of one of Samjeon Group’s subsidiaries.
It was to test his management abilities.
Unlike me, who had followed the elite track and started at Samjeon Group’s headquarters in the planning department, his starting point was different.
Still, Father and Mother secretly hoped that Jeon Tae-guk, despite being a problem child, might have talent for management.
Of course, their expectations were completely dashed. While running the subsidiary, Jeon Tae-guk engaged in all manner of corruption and bribery, drowning himself in drugs and alcohol, and couldn’t even show up to work properly.
I gathered every weakness of Jeon Tae-guk’s one by one and kept them locked away in a safe.
Because he was my blood brother, I had no intention of drawing my blade first—nor would I unsheathe mine unless he did.
But the most foolish thing in this world was a person who couldn’t read the room.
Jeon Tae-guk, unaware of his own incompetence, attempted to find my weaknesses and bring me down.
He had me followed, and without Father and Mother knowing, he conspired with our third sibling, Jeon Mi-jin, to purchase stocks under false names.
[Sigh… even thinking about it now, how stupid… how could he think Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung of Samjeon Group wouldn’t know!]
Jeon Tae-guk and Jeon Mi-jin, caught by Secretary Yang’s surveillance, were eventually dragged out and forced to kneel before me.
Jeon Tae-guk knelt and shed tears of frustration, but I forgave him. Or so it appeared.
And not long after, when Jeon Tae-guk went to use drugs again in a fit of anger, I quietly tipped off the police to his route.
The next day, Jeon Tae-guk’s name graced the front pages of every newspaper, and he withdrew from management entirely.
Jeon Mi-jin, having learned something from witnessing that incident, never acted out again after that.
– Sung-guk, why aren’t you answering? You’ll tutor me, right? Huh?
Through the phone, I heard Jeon Tae-guk’s desperate voice.
“Sigh…”
I deliberately let out a deep breath.
– Sung-guk… I really didn’t do it on purpose….
My silence was partly because Jeon Tae-guk was frustrating, but also because I was considering what conditions to present to him.
There’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world.
“Hyung, I’ll tutor you.”
– Really? Sung-guk! Really?
“Yes, hyung. But on one condition.”
Before I could finish, Jeon Tae-guk cut in eagerly.
– I’ll lay out the conditions.
[Hmm… Jeon Tae-guk already knows me well. Let me hear what he has to say.]
– Sung-guk, if I don’t graduate this time, I might really get disowned. If you just give a special lecture for me… I’ll give you my Bugatti when I go back to Korea. And you can keep using this apartment until you get married. I’ll keep paying the rent the whole time. Just use it until you buy a house!
[Not bad terms.]
But I needed something different.
“Hyung, I actually need different conditions.”
– Then go ahead and tell me first.
[You didn’t even give me a chance to speak!]
– Come on, tell me. What is it?
“Hyung, in two years I’ll be at the right age to enlist in the military.”
– Ah, Sung-guk. Is that what this is about? So you don’t want to go to the military either? I can introduce you to our doctor. I have a herniated disc, so you could do a torn ACL. Something like that? But I already said I’d do that for you before anyway.
“That’s not it.”
– Then what?
“Please designate one of the Samjeon Group subsidiaries in IT as a military service alternative company. Then I’ll apply there.”
– Not a military exemption… you’re saying you’ll go to the military through alternative service right now? Sung-guk, is that really all you need?
[Of course. I’m Jeon Sung-guk. If I apply, it would be strange if they didn’t accept me.]
But I couldn’t afford to be careless.
“However, I might need a little assurance.”
– Got it. I’ll talk to Father about it. That’s really all you need?
“Hyung, of course everything you mentioned before is included too.”
– Understood. The Bugatti plus the rent! Sung-guk, I’m really grateful!
[Jeon Tae-guk, you don’t seem to realize… but I’m the one who should be thanking you.]
A smile naturally spread across my face.
Working at a Samjeon Group IT subsidiary as an alternative service company would let me apply my major, and as an industrial technician, I could pursue personal projects and part-time work after hours.
It was exactly the position I needed.
Moreover, this was my first real opportunity in this life to penetrate deep into the Samjeon Group and understand the current situation.
Before I knew it, I was doing a little shoulder dance.
The reason I was dancing was… the Bugatti that made me smile just thinking about it.
The car of my dreams was becoming mine with just one lecture!
The shoulder dance simply wouldn’t stop.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Just then, I heard a knock on the door.
Who could it be?
I was startled and quickly pushed my rising shoulders down with one hand, then opened the door. Christie Kennedy stood there.
“Christie Kennedy, what’s wrong?”
“Sung-guk, there’s something I want to write about. I think I need your help.”
“What is it?”
“It’s a bit awkward to talk about here.”
“Then come in.”
“Ah… well… it’s not proper for me to enter a man’s room alone.”
[Hmm, I suppose I do cut quite the figure. I’m confident I can control myself one hundred percent, but Christie… well, it would be difficult for her to maintain that same level of control.]
“Sung-guk, my parents always say that men become beasts when confined in tight spaces.”
“Christie, I’m still a minor.”
“Anyway. There are staffers watching us here… Should we head to the Hotel Lobby?”
“Sure…”
* * *
“Christie, you want to write about the comfort women issue right now?”
“Yes.”
Christie nodded firmly.
“Where are you planning to post this? The White House FaceNote, perhaps?”
“That’s what I want to do.”
“Do you understand what kind of shockwaves an article like this could create at such a sensitive time?”
“I do. I might even get kicked out of my White House internship.”
“You understand well.”
“But… I really want to write about it. I’ve been interested in this issue since Harvard. I realized that in war, it’s women who suffer the most profound destruction of their humanity.”
Christie began to articulate her thoughts with unusual clarity and organization.
“While studying history, this was the first time I encountered such brutal violation of human dignity, and I was astonished that survivors still exist today. That’s why I absolutely want to write about this issue.”
“You know Japan still denies at the national level that they did such things, right?”
“Yes.”
“And Korean survivors are demanding a national apology from Japan?”
“I understand that point well too. I naturally believe Japan should apologize for this issue. How could comfort women have existed during the war without national approval? There’s even abundant evidence that Japan led this effort at the state level.”
“Good… Christie, if that’s what you believe, I’ll help you with anything.”
“Thank you, Sung-guk.”
We spent more than an hour after that searching for materials, and I explained the Korean-language sources to Christie in English.
“Sung-guk, I’ll write about this issue as objectively as possible.”
“I know. But the fact that you—a citizen of the world’s most powerful nation and a member of the Kennedy Family—are bringing attention to the history of the voiceless that no one else has noticed will be enough to make it an issue. You’re prepared for the consequences, right?”
“Yes, I’ll probably get kicked out of the White House and… get scolded by Father?”
Christie Kennedy smiled softly.
“If you get kicked out, I’ll rent you a room somewhere.”
“If I get kicked out, I’m going to Korea with my head held high to indulge in my interests, so don’t worry.”
That was so typical of Christie.
Seeing how her interest in Korean celebrities extended not just to that, but to Korean history, culture, and food as well, it seemed like nurturing Sevens was indeed the right decision.
As Sevens grows and flourishes, it will bring honor to the nation and earn me money as well.
At the same time, Jeon Min-guk, the thorn in my side in this lifetime, would finally earn his keep!
* * *
Air Force One finally took off for Korea, the last leg of our journey.
The moment we boarded, Christie sat down next to me and gave me a knowing wink. I could guess what it meant.
“Christie, did you post the article?”
“Yes… right before boarding the plane.”
“Air Force One has full internet access anyway.”
“Still… you can’t expect me to jump out of the airplane right now.”
And exactly thirty minutes later, Gary Oldman, the presidential aide, approached with an angry expression and barked at Christie Kennedy.
“Christie! Jump out right now!!!”
* * *
Gary Oldman paced back and forth through the narrow aisle, his face flushed with rage.
“Christie, do you have any idea what you’ve just done? The United States needs Japan’s support right now. And you post about comfort women? Do you understand how sensitive Japan is about that issue?”
“I believed it was the most important issue in Korea-Japan relations, so I posted it during the flight from Japan to Korea.”
Christie answered confidently without backing down.
The angrier she made him, the more frustrated Gary Oldman became.
“Good grief, you brat. Who exactly are your connections? What makes you think you can pull this off?”
“We’re the Kennedy Family, after all.”
And as the conversation continued, she grew even more audacious.
“Wow, Christie Kennedy. The moment you step foot in Korea, you’re fired from your internship. And you can find your own way back to the United States!”
“Don’t worry, Gary.”
“I’m losing my mind! This is exactly why I said never to hire people who got their positions through connections!”
Gary Oldman finally exploded on his own and returned to his seat.
Christie flashed me a victory sign.
“Sung-guk, my plan worked perfectly.”
“What are you talking about, Christie?”
“Actually… I’ve been looking for an excuse to stay in Korea for a while.”
“What?”
[So Christie had this all planned out!]
Christie smiled and showed me several job postings.
“Korea seems to be hiring a lot of English teachers.”
“Christie, if you’re leaving like this, you won’t have a work visa or anything, so it’ll be difficult to find employment.”
“I’ll look into jobs first, and I can go back to the United States later. I’m from the Kennedy Family, Sung-guk. It’s not like I can’t afford to go back to America, so don’t worry.”
Christie resumed browsing the internet with a relaxed expression, searching for positions.
And one position seemed to fit perfectly.
* * *
Gary Oldman told me the appointment time with a weary expression.
“Sung-guk, there’s a meeting with Korean business leaders at Cheong Wa Dae starting at 5 p.m. Don’t be late.”
“Yes, sir!”
“And try not to get involved with Christie Kennedy if you can help it. That woman—I never know what she’ll do next. And it’s always something problematic.”
“I’ll be careful.”
Despite my words, I rushed out of the hotel and immediately got into a taxi with Christie Kennedy, who was waiting for me.
“Sung-guk, I really can see Jae-hee, right?”
“Yeah… and this is something I want to propose.”
“What?”
“That company is hiring someone to handle overseas marketing.”
“Don’t tell me… Sung-guk… you’re recommending me for that position?”
“The CEO has to like you, at least.”
“Sung-guk, you’re my savior!”
Christie Kennedy threw her arms around me.
[A savior, sure… but there’s nothing better for marketing than the fact that the Kennedy Family’s princess is both a devoted fan and the marketing director of Sevens.]

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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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