I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 3

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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 3
September 12, 1992.
A small table was set up in a one-room apartment barely larger than a fist.
Mother had procured a cheap hanbok from somewhere and forcibly dressed me in it.
Father had been holding a disposable camera since morning, capturing everything—from me sleeping to yawning to even having my diaper changed.
“Kkook, look at Dad.”
[Sigh, how annoying. Just take the picture already. I’m smiling now.]
I flashed a smile for Father, who was earning my formula money.
The world has always run on capital. Workers smile at their bosses for pittance wages.
Father beamed with delight at my smile.
From what I’d gathered over the past few months, Father worked as a chef in someone else’s restaurant kitchen, earning about 500,000 won a month.
His routine was leaving at 10 a.m. and returning at 10 p.m., with only one day off per week.
He was being subjected to labor exploitation that would warrant a report to the Ministry of Labor.
Yet whether out of stupidity or kindness, he went to the restaurant without complaint every day, bringing home dishes made from expired ingredients to feed Mother.
Well, the two of them seemed to have no complaints between them.
“So-young, our Kkook really understands everything we say. Look how he smiles right at the camera.”
“Honey, should we make our Kkook an entertainer? I heard I was pretty from a young age.”
That’s fair.
Given my profession, I’d seen all manner of glamorous celebrities and even Miss Korea contestants with my own eyes, and Mother was genuinely beautiful.
Father had decent looks as well.
Though my facial features hadn’t yet become distinctly defined, whenever I looked in the mirror, my face seemed noticeably better than when I was the heir to the Samjeon Group.
[With this face, being an entertainer wouldn’t be bad in this life.]
Ding-dong.
At this busy moment, the doorbell rang.
“Who is it?”
Mother stood up and peered through the hole in the door, then turned to Father. She looked uneasy, unlike usual.
Mother spoke quietly to Father.
“Honey, it’s the Landlady.”
“Isn’t our lease almost up?”
“Yes. In three months… but the neighbors renewed their contract last month, and she raised the rent by 30,000 won.”
“30,000 won?”
Father’s eyes widened.
[Surely not. Mom, Dad. You’re really bulging your eyes out in shock over 30,000 won? What can you even do with 30,000 won? It’s hard enough to buy a single Cuban cigar I like….]
Ding-dong. Ding-dong. Ding-dong.
The doorbell kept ringing.
“Yes, coming.”
Mother quickly opened the door.
Short hair?
The short-haired woman who had vanished the moment Father appeared after taking Mother to the Hospital—she was the landlord of this place.
[Short hair, I’m grateful you saved my life… but you shouldn’t just show up at my home uninvited like this. Do you know who I am?]
When I cooed, Father quickly picked me up and patted my back.
It was a signal to shut my mouth and stay quiet.
Mother and Father were visibly anxious about offending the Landlady.
The short-haired woman surveyed the room with piercing eyes.
“You’re inside, so why are you opening the door so late?”
[What is this? I saved your life and expected some consideration, but you’re throwing your weight around? I know how to pull rank too—want me to tell you what it means when the chairman of the Samjeon Group throws his weight around? Huh?]
When I cooed again, Father’s hand patted me more firmly.
I immediately closed my mouth.
Right now, silence was clearly my only option. I’d already learned to read the room well enough.
Before I could reach the top position, I couldn’t afford to ignore anyone—not even Grandfather.
“Welcome. I went to thank you for saving us last time, but you weren’t home.”
Mother bowed deeply.
The short-haired woman glanced around the cramped apartment dismissively.
“I’ve been busy with work. I heard through the grapevine that everything’s fine. You received the compensation properly, didn’t you?”
“Actually, we were planning to bring you a gift—”
“Never mind. I was just doing my job.”
[Did she just cut off my mother? This woman’s got some nerve.]
The short-haired woman glanced at me cooing, then looked Father up and down.
“You look perfectly fine—are you unemployed? Home on a weekday?”
[This woman’s direct. I actually like that approach.]
“No, I took a day off because I had something to do today.”
“At least you have a job. There are so many people just lounging around these days.”
“But… what brings you here?”
Father asked nervously.
I relaxed my throat slightly.
[From the atmosphere, it looks like she’s here to raise the rent. Should I cry to make a scene?]
Just then, the short-haired woman removed her shoes and stepped inside.
“Aren’t you going to invite me in?”
“I’m sorry. We’re preparing for the first birthday celebration, so things are a bit hectic.”
First birthday celebration?
So today was my first birthday.
In that case, I couldn’t let this uninvited guest stay any longer.
“Wah.”
Just as I was about to cry, the short-haired woman beat me to it.
“You’ll offer me coffee, right?”
“Of course. Please, come in.”
My kind mother even put a pot of water on the stove to make coffee.
[Mother’s heart is as vast as the Pacific Ocean!]
When I babbled, the short-haired woman sat beside me and glanced down at me.
“You remember me from last time, right? I’m the one who saved you, and that’s why you’re having this birthday celebration. Don’t forget that.”
[How dare you speak informally to me? Do you know who I am? I’m the heir to the Samjeon Group, Jeon Sung-guk! Did you hear? I was responsible for the charisma of South Korea’s business world. Have you not heard of that?]
“You certainly do talk a lot.”
The short-haired woman patted my head several times.
Father prepared coffee and offered it to the Landlady.
“Please have some. We only have instant coffee at home.”
“I wasn’t expecting much. I’ll enjoy it. Your child is so pretty—takes after both mom and dad.”
“Hehe. Thank you so much.”
Father broke into a foolish grin at the single compliment.
[No shame at all?]
“Raising a child costs a lot of money. How about raising the rent by 30,000 won?”
The short-haired woman raised the monthly rent without warning or preamble.
“What, what did you say?”
Father stammered.
“What do you mean ‘what’? The rent. You’re renewing the lease, right?”
The short-haired woman came in with shameless audacity.
[This woman knows how to negotiate.]
I looked at the short-haired woman again.
As if raising the rent by 30,000 won was some grand favor she was bestowing.
Such negotiation tactics had often proven useful within the Group.
“Ma’am, 30,000 won is simply too much money for us.”
Father, coming to his senses, fumbled for words.
Mother quickly came forward and knelt down.
“We’re expecting our second child next year.”
A moment of silence.
It was a quiet tremor that occurred only in my mind.
[Wait, what did you say? A second child?]
I opened my eyes wide and looked up at Mother.
[No, Mom, Dad. You’re going to have another child and raise it in this tiny apartment? On a monthly salary of less than 500,000 won?]
The short-haired woman stared intently at me babbling away.
“It’s like the child is actually speaking.”
“We’re sometimes surprised by it too.”
Father patted my head.
“I’m sorry, but I have my own circumstances. I need that 30,000 won increase. You know there’s no rent this cheap with both the subway station and bus stop so close by, right?”
If the rent went up by 30,000 won and a second child was born, my share of the pie would only grow smaller.
So I decided to use my ultimate technique.
I stretched out my tiny fern-like hand. And I smiled madly with an innocent grin. Looking at this cold, short-haired landlady who seemed impenetrable….
Indeed, capital always demands a price.
I saw the short-haired woman’s expression soften slightly.
“Oh my, why is the child doing this? Are you doing this to me right now?”
Father quickly picked me up in his arms.
“Our little Sung-guk seems to have caught the lady’s eye. Would you like to hold him?”
“The lady? I’m not even married.”
The short-haired woman’s voice turned cold again.
Father had clearly downed his drink in one gulp without reading the room. At least he had the decency to apologize quickly.
“My apologies….”
Now it was my turn to make a move.
I stretched my arms toward the short-haired woman and flailed my limbs about. Simultaneously, I flashed a disarming smile.
[How could you not hold me after this? Come on, hold me. I’m absolutely irresistible.]
“My goodness, why does this little one like me so much?”
The corners of the short-haired woman’s mouth lifted slightly.
[You have no idea this isn’t genuine affection, do you?]
“Sister, please hold him just once. Today is our Sung-guk’s first birthday celebration, after all.”
Mother was at least a flexible person.
She even called the short-haired woman “sister” when “landlady” would have been more fitting.
Only then did the short-haired woman’s expression soften.
“Well, I suppose I could.”
The short-haired woman reluctantly picked me up. But I caught the smile playing at her lips.
[Short-hair, how’s this? Aren’t I absolutely adorable?]
She clearly liked it, but the rent situation kept her from showing it.
Time for my finishing move.
I wriggled slightly.
The short-haired woman immediately looked flustered and glanced at Mother.
“Why is the baby squirming like that?”
“Oh my, perhaps because you’re a stranger. Kkokki hasn’t seen many unfamiliar faces.”
Just as Mother reached to take me, I pushed her away and instead threw myself into the short-haired woman’s arms.
Then I rubbed my soft forehead against her face.
“My goodness, why does this child like me so much?”
Giggle, giggle.
I laughed continuously at the short-haired woman.
[I’m not asking you to raise the rent, Landlady. Just promise you won’t increase it.]
Mother jumped in with quick instincts.
“Sister, Sung-guk likes you so much. Would you join us for his first birthday celebration?”
“Right, you said today was his birthday?”
The short-haired woman’s voice had become noticeably softer.
My finishing move never fails.
“Yes. We’re both orphans, you see. We have no family coming. So my husband and I were planning to keep it simple, but it would be wonderful if you’d join us.”
“I don’t have time right now….”
The short-haired woman trailed off. I could see her resolve wavering slightly.
[Wait! So they’re both orphans? Was I born without even a brass spoon in my mouth?]
I bonked my forehead with my fist.
They say it’s harder for a rich man to enter heaven than for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, but this life was clearly a curse.
[Sigh.]
I exhaled a long breath and nestled closer against the short-haired woman.
Born to the poorest of the poor, I had to deploy cuteness as a weapon.
Of course, before my regression, I’d never needed to resort to such tactics.
I didn’t need to be cute—everything had already been flawlessly arranged for me, requiring no effort on my part.
[Gulp.]
I swallowed back my tears and forced a sorrowful expression as I looked at the short-haired woman.
“Oh my, sister. Just look at our Sung-guk’s face. He seems so disappointed that you haven’t visited. It’s really quite touching.”
The short-haired woman glanced at me, then looked toward my parents.
“Well, a first birthday is a first birthday. So… would it be alright if I visited the baby often?”
This was unexpected.
My parents seemed quite surprised as well.
Mother paused thoughtfully, then adopted a pitiful expression.
“We’re so grateful that you adore our Sung-guk so much. We’re orphans with nowhere to rely on, and honestly, thirty thousand won is a tremendous sum for us.”
[Wow, Mother’s quick on her feet. This is practically Samjeon Electronics customer service level response.]
Mother was clearly more adaptable than Father.
It seemed financial discussions would flow better with her going forward.
I studied the short-haired woman’s expression carefully. I could see her wavering. This was my moment!
[Come on, Landlady. Cut us some slack, yeah? My parents could probably win first place in a poverty competition, don’t you think?]
I tugged at the hem of the short-haired woman’s clothing and made my expression as pitiful as possible.
The short-haired woman seemed to have made her decision and spoke abruptly.
“Fine. I won’t raise the rent.”
“Really?”
Father asked in astonishment.
“I keep my word. But why is the first birthday celebration so sparse?”
“It’s just the two of us doing this.”
“I’ll go upstairs and bring down some meat. Think of it as a birthday gift.”
“Thank you so much. Thank you so much.”
My parents bowed repeatedly in gratitude.
The short-haired woman put on her shoes, then glanced back. Had she changed her mind?
“Oh, and this is absolutely secret. I’ve raised rent for all the other tenants.”
“Of course. We won’t tell a soul.”
Father answered quickly.
Bang.
As the front door closed, my parents grabbed each other’s hands and bounced up and down.
“Honey, our Sung-guk really is a blessing, isn’t he?”
“So-young, you shouldn’t jump around. Our little pumpkin!!!”
“Oh, sorry.”
[Tsk tsk. So clumsy.]
Mother quickly scooped me into her arms and pressed her cheek against mine, rubbing gently. The scent of baby powder washed over me, and drowsiness began to overtake my senses.
“Our little blessing. Sung-guk, you can’t fall asleep. We need to take your first birthday photos.”
[This is beyond my control, you know…]
My eyes were already half-closed.
“So-young, keep doing that. He looks absolutely precious right now.”
Click.
Father snapped another photograph.
Back when I was the heir to the Samjeon Group, my first birthday photos were taken by David Son, the world-renowned photographer who had also shot Madonna and President Trump.
An entire studio had been rented, and at the Diamond Hall of the Samjeon Hotel, dignitaries from politics and business had gathered to celebrate my first birthday.
The five-tiered cake was a masterpiece from France’s greatest pastry chef, and every dish that day had been prepared by the Samjeon Hotel’s chefs.
But now, my reality consisted of nothing more than a disposable camera, a pitiful first birthday table, and uninvited guests.
* * *
“Sung-guk, what would you like to pick?”
Father was smiling as he looked at the meager first birthday table.
I knew instantly what I had to choose.
“Honey, what do you think Sung-guk will pick? I’m so nervous.”
Mother was trembling with anticipation, and even her short hair seemed to hold its breath.
I brushed aside the thread and arrow, the judge’s gavel, and various other trinkets, and picked up a single crisp bill.
It was a ten-thousand-won note.
This is my goal for this life. Money!
I’m going to earn money like a madman and lift this impoverished family out of poverty!
I clutched the ten-thousand-won bill in my hand and grinned at Mother and Father.
[From now on, I, Jeon Sung-guk, will lift this poor family to prosperity! Just you wait!]

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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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