I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 280

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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 280
In the car heading home, I looked at Jeon Tae-guk again.
Unable to win me over, so he decided to win over my parents instead?
[Even a dog at a village school learns the Thousand Character Classic after three years….]
Soon the car entered a familiar neighborhood.
The very neighborhood where the apartment I’d received as modeling fees was located!
Seoul had changed quite a bit in the meantime.
Apartments sprawled in every direction, with commercial buildings densely packed around them.
At that moment, Secretary Park Sung-hee turned around and looked at me.
“Sung-guk, I’ll prepare the materials and send them over by tonight.”
“Thank you for always accommodating my requests.”
“Please don’t mention it. I only became Young Master’s secretary thanks to your advice in the first place.”
“Do you have any regrets?”
As I smiled and asked, Jeon Tae-guk perked up his ears.
“Park Secretary, answer well.”
“No regrets. I’ve become someone indispensable to the heir of Samjeon Group. Isn’t that right, Young Master?”
“Indispensable to me? Sigh… I miss our Secretary Yang. I wonder how Secretary Yang’s studies are going.”
“Secretary Yang is studying well.”
“Sung-guk, how would you know that? Are you two secretly staying in touch?”
“We call each other occasionally to check in. Secretary Yang has FaceNote too, so you can see how he’s doing if you just look at his profile.”
“Ah… how bothersome.”
“It’s not bothersome—you just haven’t been interested until now.”
“I’m not the type to cling to people who’ve left.”
My eyes met Secretary Park Sung-hee’s.
I thought Jeon Tae-guk had broken up with Myung Hae-jin coolly, but the entire time he’d been coming back to Korea, he’d been stalking her various social media accounts.
“Secretary Park, why don’t you come to our house and have dinner with us?”
“I have a prior engagement.”
“Park Secretary, a prior engagement? What kind of engagement?”
In that moment, I could see Park Secretary flustering.
It seemed to be related to Jung-hee.
Looking at Secretary Park Sung-hee’s social media, there was clearly sparks flying between the two of them again.
“Secretary Park deserves some free time too. Tae-guk, let’s just enjoy dinner together as a family tonight.”
“Yeah… one more mouth to feed for boiled pork belly isn’t going to hurt….”
Jeon Tae-guk murmured quietly.
And finally, the car came to a stop in front of the house.
* * *
“Oppa!!!”
Ji-hee, now a year older, came running and hugged me.
“Ji-hee, have you been well?”
“Yeah… I thought I’d die missing you, oppa.”
Min-guk tapped Ji-hee’s back from behind.
“Jeon Ji-hee, wipe your mouth and stop lying. You were just drooling over East Junior on TV.”
“When did I! You’re the one who was mesmerized watching Wonder Girls!”
Min-guk and Ji-hee continued bickering.
I quickly stopped both of them.
“Alright, alright. It doesn’t matter who either of you were watching or if you were drooling. Min-guk, you missed your older brother, didn’t you?”
“Well, just a tiny bit.”
This kid was still in his rebellious phase.
“What about you, Ji-hee?”
“Oppa, I missed you a lot. Really, really a lot!”
[A younger sister really is the best.]
I lifted Ji-hee up into my arms.
Just then, Mother emerged from the kitchen wearing an apron.
“Sung-guk, Ji-hee’s getting heavy now. Put her down.”
“Ji-hee’s not heavy at all. Right, oppa?”
[Ji-hee, honestly… my arms are about to fall off.]
But as her older brother, I smiled.
“Our Ji-hee isn’t heavy at all.”
“See, Mom? Oppa says I’m not heavy at all.”
[The life of a firstborn son….]
Mother beamed and welcomed Jeon Tae-guk as well.
“It’s been a while, Tae-guk.”
“Yes, Mother. When will Father be home?”
“He said he’d come home a bit early since Sung-guk is here.”
“Father mentioned he’d teach Sung-guk about alcohol, so I brought something really special for him.”
“Your father will be delighted.”
Everyone seemed to be plotting something without me.
“Mom, I have a lot of work… I think I need to take care of some things after dinner.”
“Always so busy, our son.”
Mother patted my bottom playfully, like she used to when I was a child.
“Mom, I’m twenty now.”
“Oh my! Is that so? Our son is twenty now? So that means Mom can’t spank you anymore?”
Mother really was incorrigible.
“By the way, how many days will you be staying with us this time?”
“I have dinner plans with Kim Yeo-na the day after tomorrow. And then I’m flying out the evening after that.”
“You’re only staying for three nights?”
“I carved out time from my busy schedule to come.”
“What a shame. I should tell your father to come home early. Now go change your clothes and come back out.”
“Okay.”
“You too, Tae-guk.”
“Yes, Mother. And we can’t forget a gift for you either. Here it is.”
“Oh my, what is this?”
“I picked up some Dior items from duty-free—they’re what mothers love these days. Secretary Park Sung-hee actually selected them; I just provided the card.”
“My goodness, what is all this….”
“Mother, Sung-guk is wonderful in every way, but he’s just not good at these kinds of thoughtful touches.”
“Really… even when our son came back from the United States, he never brought gifts like this….”
[Mom, what are you talking about! I bought you a luxury handbag!]
Mother beamed with delight as she gazed at the Dior bags, scarves, and various cosmetics that Jeon Tae-guk had presented.
[I suppose I should just focus on work….]
I opened the door with a wry smile.
* * *
In the meantime, an email had arrived from Secretary Park Sung-hee.
It contained detailed records of Kim Yeo-na’s family relationships and information about her parents.
Since I had never actually met them, I couldn’t quite grasp the full picture, but they were clearly a family that had sacrificed much for Kim Yeo-na’s sake.
Much like my own family.
From childhood, I had done everything to build up this household, but for my endeavors, Mother became my manager, and Father worked tirelessly boiling meat day and night.
[Hmm… I have a feeling Kim Yeo-na’s parents and my parents share the same wavelength….]
The more I reviewed the materials, the more convinced I became.
I thought I should visit the restaurant that Kim Yeo-na’s father runs tomorrow.
Just then, I heard Father coming in from outside.
“Jeon Sung-guk! Dad’s home!”
[Sigh… Dad, I’m not in elementary school anymore….]
But before I knew it, I was already on my feet, opening the door.
“Dad!”
“Oh my boy! Happy twentieth birthday!”
Father rubbed my cheeks vigorously with his cold hands.
“Dad… your hands are cold.”
“Got it, got it. To celebrate you turning twenty, Dad and you should have a drink together.”
Father gazed at Mother with eyes glistening with emotion.
“So-young, can you believe our Sung-guk has grown up so much that he’s now old enough to have a drink with me…?”
“Honey, Sung-guk has never had alcohol before, so take it easy on him.”
“Understood. Should we go with soju or beer?”
Just then, Jeon Tae-guk appeared carrying a box of whiskey.
“Father, what are you saying? On such a special day, he should have something like this.”
“It’s whiskey.”
Father only knew soju, beer, and makgeolli when it came to alcohol.
He had no idea that the bottle Jeon Tae-guk was holding was a 30-year-old Valentines worth about 500,000 won per bottle.
“Father, it’s not that expensive. Since this is his first time, I thought something at this level would be just right rather than something too pricey.”
“Tae-guk, a son’s first drink should be paid for by his father… I should buy it. Tae-guk, how much is it?”
[If Dad finds out, he’ll faint….]
I quickly grabbed the bottle of liquor.
“Father, the best way to enjoy alcohol is not knowing the price. Once you know it’s expensive, even if it doesn’t suit your palate, you convince yourself it tastes good because of the cost… that’s what I mean. Father, let’s just drink it. My older brother brought it with good intentions, after all.”
“Our Sung-guk really does think more deeply than your father.”
“Older brother, I’ll enjoy it.”
Just then, Mother called us from the kitchen.
“Everyone, are you ready to eat?”
And we all answered in perfect unison.
“Yes!”
* * *
Father poured the whiskey into the soju glass Mother had brought. Generously.
“Tae-guk, is this the right amount?”
“Sir, excellent. I actually prefer drinking it straight anyway. Adding ice is just throwing away the true taste of alcohol.”
“If Tae-guk says so, then it must be right. After all, he’s the heir to the Samjeon Group….”
And I quickly grabbed the bottle and poured some into Father’s soju glass.
“Father, please accept a glass from your son too.”
“Yes, Sung-guk….”
Father’s eyes had been glistening, and now they were truly moist.
[Father, I remember it all. When I was crawling around, you’d come home from work and bring nearly expired sea snails from the restaurant, and you and Mother would share a glass of soju together.]
“Mother, you should have a glass too.”
“Yes, I should accept a glass from my son.”
[Mother really did love soju….]
I too felt a wave of emotion.
Already twenty years old by Korean age.
I had grown to the age my parents were twenty years ago.
“Sung-guk, I need a glass too.”
“Oh… older brother, I’m sorry.”
I poured one last glass for Jeon Tae-guk, who was clearly the pride of our household.
Once the drinks had been distributed, Father picked up his glass and looked at me with moist eyes.
“Sung-guk, congratulations on turning twenty… and please keep doing well like this. And… this is truly your mother’s and my wish.”
[Father, Mother. Should I buy you a house? Or get you a new car? I could even give you Samjeon stock. I have that kind of wealth.]
Father smiled softly and continued.
“Please, just try dating this year!”
“Sir, I agree completely!”
Jeon Tae-guk raised his glass high as well.
[Really, they’re all relentless about this….]
“Older brother, Ji-hee too!”
“Father, I’m a high school student now, so can’t I just have a tiny taste?”
“Jeon Min-guk!”
“Okay, I got it, Father. I’ll just drink water.”
And so all of us in the family clinked our glasses together.
For me turning twenty years old!
* * *
Father said that drinking was something you learned from your elders, and he kept tilting his glass before collapsing first.
Jeon Tae-guk also drank with me until the very end, then got up saying he needed to use the restroom, but he didn’t even make it to his room—he collapsed in the hallway and fell asleep.
I sat alone and quietly finished the bottle of liquor.
The second bottle that Jeon Tae-guk had brought was nearly empty as well.
[Really, everyone’s alcohol tolerance is this low….]
In my previous life, I had never met anyone who could outdrink me.
Whether it was mental fortitude or the blessing of a still-fresh liver… it seemed the same would be true in this life.
Click.
Just then, the door opened and Ji-hee emerged from her room, rubbing her sleepy eyes.
“Ji-hee, aren’t you sleeping?”
“I woke up. Aren’t you going to sleep?”
“I should. Just let me finish this….”
[After twenty years, the liquor tastes sweet. It’s sweet, Ji-hee.]
Ji-hee sat down in front of me and picked up a glass of water.
“Oppa, let me keep you company while you drink.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
I poured water into Ji-hee’s empty glass.
“Come on, shall we toast?”
“Cheers!”
We clinked our glasses and drank down the liquor and water in one gulp.
“Ahhh—”
Ji-hee even mimicked an adult.
“Ji-hee, you shouldn’t do things like that.”
“Dad and Mom sometimes do that when they drink soju….”
“That’s something you do after you grow up.”
“Ugh… you always say ‘after you grow up.'”
“Does our Ji-hee have a complaint?”
“Hmm… no.”
Ji-hee shook her head.
“How do you feel about having Mom and Dad, and brothers like me and Min-guk?”
Ji-hee thought for a moment, then looked up at me.
“I’m so happy….”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Aren’t you, Oppa?”
“Well… you see, when I was first born in this house, I was born in a one-room apartment that I’d only heard about in stories, and I was truly devastated. My parents were young and inexperienced, with no money… so I had to work incredibly hard to rebuild this family.”
Ji-hee patted my shoulder with her small, delicate hand.
“My Oppa went through so much hardship.”
Wait!
What did I just say?
The words I’d been muttering under my breath spilled out of my mouth because of the alcohol.
In that instant, the buzz evaporated.
“Ji-hee, about what I just said….”
“Oppa, Ji-hee understands everything.”
Understands what?
“The things you say are the same things Father says all the time! The more you grow up, the more you become just like Father!”

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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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