I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 29

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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 29
I grumbled inwardly.
I knew exactly how much wealth the Samjeon Group possessed and how much slush fund they had hidden away, but there was no point in a five-year-old pretending to understand such things—no one would believe me anyway.
[Times like this call for jjajangmyeon.]
I slurped the noodles with all my might.
Slurrrp. Slurrrp. Slurrrp.
Mother trailed off, visibly flustered.
“I’m not sure we should accept something so substantial….”
“Vice Chairman, thank you so much for such a generous offer. I’ll need to discuss this with Sung-guk’s father as well. Would it be alright if we received the detailed proposal through Secretary Yang, and then we could consider it and get back to you?”
Kim Mi-young handled the situation with admirable composure.
Indeed, such matters were always clearer when viewed through a third party’s eyes.
Vice Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung nodded in agreement.
“Of course. You absolutely should discuss it with your father. I apologize for keeping you from your meal. Please, enjoy your food now. Though it seems Sung-guk is already doing an excellent job of that.”
“Jjajangmyeon. Yummy!”
I even gave a thumbs up.
Vice Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung gazed at me with an enigmatic smile.
[What does that smile mean?]
Just then, Secretary Yang’s phone rang loudly.
Secretary Yang quietly answered the call in the corner, then hurried over to Vice Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung and whispered something urgently.
Vice Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung masked his expression as much as possible and rose hastily.
“An urgent matter has come up at the company that I need to attend to. As we discussed, I’ll have Secretary Yang contact you regarding Sung-guk’s matter, and we’ll arrange another dinner together next time.”
Even in this pressing situation, Vice Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung maintained his composure. He quietly excused himself from the room.
[Is today that day?]
The day Chairman Jeon Ju-shin collapsed.
The day I died, when my heart was torn apart by unbearable pain.
I recalled my grandfather’s death.
As he always did on summer afternoons, my grandfather had watered his beloved garden plants generously, then entered the living room for a brief nap. He never woke up. Never again.
It was likely the same cause as my own death—myocardial infarction.
Suddenly, the jjajangmyeon lost its flavor.
I set down my fork and reached for a napkin to wipe my mouth.
“Sung-guk, aren’t you going to eat more?”
Mother looked slightly taken aback.
“Mom!”
“What is it, Sung-guk?”
“Sleepy.”
“Alright, let’s finish up here with the manager and head home soon.”
“Okay.”
I nodded and let out a long yawn.
Whether from being full or from the tension of filming finally releasing, drowsiness crashed over me like a tidal wave.
* * *
I opened my eyes the next morning.
As soon as I woke, I went to the restroom to relieve myself, then skillfully turned on the TV.
By now, I could easily turn the TV on and off without anyone’s help.
The news naturally covered the death of Jeon Ju-shin, Chairman of Samjeon Group, as a major story.
Every news outlet made a fuss as if South Korea’s entire economy would crumble from Chairman Jeon Ju-shin’s passing.
[The Chairman of Samjeon Group died, but South Korea’s economy won’t collapse.]
The news showed Vice Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung’s stern face, followed by his younger brother’s.
Reports followed that Vice Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung would assume the position of group chairman according to Chairman Jeon Ju-shin’s will, and a procession of political and business figures came to pay respects.
Mother approached and pushed a banana into my mouth.
“Sung-guk, you’re watching the news right after waking up?”
“Uncle!”
I pointed at Vice Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung on the TV screen with my finger.
“Oh, that uncle’s father left for heaven today. Really, what will happen to Samjeon Group?”
[Mom, you should worry about SKJ Planning and our family instead. Don’t worry about the chaebol.]
South Korean people were really quite peculiar.
Nearly every household had at least one Samjeon Electronics appliance, and someone you knew distantly worked for Samjeon Group.
So whenever something happened to Samjeon, they worried and criticized as if it were their own problem.
“Mom, food!”
“Right, Sung-guk. Let’s go see Dad’s shop today. Dad said he’d bring both you and Min-guk to see it later.”
“Great!”
I wiggled my bottom a little.
Mother laughed and patted my bottom.
“Sung-guk makes me smile.”
[Of course!]
In this life, only my survival skills were reaching max level.
* * *
“Hmm….”
I looked up at Father’s shop with my hands clasped behind my back.
Men were just putting up the signboard.
“Sung-guk, Min-guk. This is Dad’s shop.”
“Won Uncle Bossam. Jamsil Branch.”
I read the signboard carefully, word by word.
By now, my family had accepted without question that I had taught myself to read.
Did they even realize this was only possible because I was Jeon Sung-guk?
I looked down at Min-guk, who still couldn’t speak properly.
[When our parents try to teach you, you’ll understand how much of a genius your older brother is.]
Min-guk grinned whenever he saw me, as if delighted.
[I told you not to smile when I smile, or you’ll grow attached!]
“Brother, like.”
Min-guk already had my hand in his mouth, sucking on it contentedly.
“Mother, Father are busy, so you mustn’t cause trouble. Just suck on your brother’s finger.”
“Okay!”
“Anyway, you’re quite good at responding.”
I surveyed the restaurant while letting Min-guk hold my hand.
The small space, barely three hundred square feet, had the kitchen taking up nearly half, leaving room for only four tables.
Father had opened a takeout-focused Bossam Restaurant, just as he’d mentioned before.
“Here comes the pig’s head!”
Kim Mi-young walked in carrying a pig’s head, her smile radiating boundless warmth.
[Looks like we’re doing a blessing ceremony.]
I rummaged through my pocket.
Fortunately, I found a few thousand won that the staff noona had given me on the film set.
Though I mainly did cutting ceremonies, I’d performed blessing ceremonies often enough to know the proper way.
Once the rice cakes arrived for delivery, the altar finally looked appropriately ceremonial.
When the Suyou Branch Manager of Won Uncle’s Bossam arrived, the small shop became completely packed.
“Come on, the manager should bow first!”
At the Suyou Branch Manager’s urging, Father stepped forward bashfully, bowed, went through the motions of prayer, then pulled out a white envelope he’d prepared and slipped it right into the pig’s mouth.
“Now it’s my turn. Please make Won Uncle’s Bossam a huge success!”
The Suyou Branch Manager finished his prayer, and just as Kim Mi-young was about to step forward, I suddenly raised my hand.
“Me!”
“Sung-guk, you’re going to do it?”
“Yes!”
Everyone watched me with laughter, and drawing on memories from my past life, I bowed with considerable dignity, then pulled out a thousand-won bill I’d prepared and slipped it into the pig’s mouth.
Everyone burst into applause and laughter.
“Our star really is different.”
The Won Uncle’s Bossam owner rushed over to embrace me, but I dodged and ran behind Mother, then laughed merrily from behind her as I watched everyone.
Mother gazed at me and continuously stroked my head.
“Sung-guk, you did so well.”
“Mother….”
[Why does my heart feel so strange?]
Even when I did things well, I received criticism far more often than praise.
The Iron Lady always pointed out what was lacking, and hiding behind Mother’s back after playing around—that memory didn’t exist in my past.
[Father, Mother….]
“Huh?”
Min-guk grasped my hand tightly with his saliva-covered one.
[Min-guk… what is this… why is everyone being so warm to me…. What did I do so well that everyone’s laughing and happy about it!]
I suddenly felt overwhelmed and burst into tears.
Mother lifted me into her arms and patted my back.
“Sung-guk, were you startled that we were laughing? We’re not making fun of you—everyone just thinks you’re adorable.”
[I know… I know that….]
The Suyou Branch Manager of Won Uncle’s Bossam appeared beside me and held out a ten-thousand-won bill.
“Oh my, this little rascal. Uncle was trying to give you pocket money for snacks, but I guess not.”
[It’s only ten thousand won.]
But I stretched out my hand and gripped the ten thousand won with stubborn determination.
[I’ll prove that even dust can pile up to become a mountain!]
Everyone in the store burst into laughter again at the sight of my furrowed brow as I clutched the bill.
“Sung-guk, are you feeling better now?”
“Yes, Mother!”
Mother patted my bottom affectionately.
* * *
“Honey, what should we do about Sung-guk’s kindergarten? I’ve put his name down at several nearby places, but none of them have called back.”
“So-young, should we not send Sung-guk to kindergarten?”
Perk.
I paused from watching the news and listened intently to Father’s words.
[Father, that’s a good idea. There’s nothing for me to learn at kindergarten. As I’ve said repeatedly, I speak six languages, right? Now I’m doing English, and maybe I should try Chinese and Japanese too? That would be problematic… They’re not going to drag me onto some gifted child discovery show again, are they? Being too talented is exhausting…]
Shake.
“Sung-guk, what are you muttering about by yourself?”
Father smiled at me.
“Father, kindergarten is boring.”
“So-young, Sung-guk says he doesn’t like kindergarten.”
“What does the child know? He’s just saying that because you are, and now he’s copying you. He needs to go to kindergarten to learn social skills and make friends. We’re in a new neighborhood, and he doesn’t have any neighborhood friends yet…”
“That’s true. When I was little, I was so envious seeing kindergarten graduation photos hanging in other kids’ homes.”
Father patted Mother’s back gently.
“By the way, honey. How are the sales these days?”
“Word of mouth is spreading, so they’re gradually increasing. Since we focus on delivery and takeout, it’s actually less stressful than the previous restaurant, and it feels more manageable.”
“Honey, thanks to our Sung-guk, I’m making money, and you’re the owner of the Bossam Restaurant. At this rate, aren’t we becoming tycoons?”
Mother smiled brightly.
[Mother, do you think anyone can become a tycoon? But don’t worry. I’m here.]
Just then, the news reported that the succession of the Samjeon Group had been finalized.
According to Chairman Jeon Ju-shin’s will, Vice Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung, the eldest son, officially took office as chairman, and his younger brother Jeon Jae-jin separated and established independence with one of the subsidiaries.
[Uncle, I hope you don’t mess that up later. Tsk tsk.]
As the succession structure was settled, Samjeon Electronics stock, which had dipped slightly after Chairman Jeon Ju-shin’s death, rose again.
“So-young, Samjeon stock went up again. At this rate, Sung-guk will become richer than us later.”
[That’s hardly enough to be called wealth…]
I toddled toward the kitchen.
Moving from the two-room apartment to this 34-pyeong place felt like I could finally breathe freely.
Min-guk was sleeping peacefully in the master bedroom without a care in the world.
I toddled toward the room where my desk was placed.
And I pulled out the copy of 【Mankiw’s Principles of Economics】 that I had bought before.
[It’s been a while since I’ve read this.]
As I turned page after page, I recalled the fundamentals I had forgotten.
At that moment, the phone rang.
Father answered it immediately.
“Secretary Yang, what’s the matter? Ah, yes….”
Secretary Yang?
I perked up my ears.
“Finding a kindergarten for Sung-guk isn’t easy. Thank you for looking into this for us.”
After hanging up, Father looked at Mother with a puzzled expression.
“So-young, Secretary Yang is asking how things are going with Sung-guk’s kindergarten.”
“Oh, I forgot. Honey, after giving birth to two children, my mind is completely scattered.”
“What did you forget?”
“On the last day of Sung-guk’s shoot for the Samjeon Electronics catalog, Vice Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung—or rather, Chairman now—anyway, the Chairman said that Sung-guk essentially saved his life during the Sampung Department Store collapse, so he’d take responsibility for his education for life. He’ll cover not just university but overseas studies as well. And he even offered special recruitment into the Samjeon Group.”
“How could you forget something like that!”
“I’m sorry. I was too busy with your restaurant opening. And honestly, I still can’t believe this is actually happening.”
Mother still looked skeptical.
[Mom, people from the Samjeon Group repay a favor tenfold and avenge a grudge a thousandfold.]
“Is he thinking of even arranging Sung-guk’s kindergarten? Even with the Samjeon Group’s influence, you can’t bypass the waiting list. That would be cutting corners. So-young, even if Secretary Yang offers to do that, let’s not do it.”
“Of course not, honey. I don’t want Sung-guk to get used to taking shortcuts from the very beginning.”
[Mom and Dad really do think straight. But Mom, Dad—the world runs on shortcuts.]
I turned the pages of my book slowly.
Then, suddenly, I remembered the kindergarten I attended as a child.
Samjeon Kindergarten, created by the Samjeon Group.
Officially, it was a kindergarten for dual-income couples within the group, but there was one special class within it.
It was the class attended by successors like me and children of political and business elites.
Children in this class received special education through a unique system.
[Wait, does that mean I have to go to kindergarten?]

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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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