I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 321

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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 321
One hundred thousand bitcoins plus one hundred more.
In ten years, how many pizzas could I buy with that money?
I could probably even buy a pizza company….
I smiled at James Sakamoto’s message.
* * *
Min-guk, who had left Boarding School, the trainees, and Ji-hee headed to the airport with Sam and Susan to depart for Disneyland.
With so many people, Mark and Lim Mi-mi took charge of the trainees, while I drove Min-guk, Ji-hee, Sam, and Susan in my car.
Sam and Susan were visibly tense, no matter how you looked at them.
It seemed the mission I’d given them was weighing on their minds.
I casually spoke to them in English.
“Sam, Susan. Don’t be so nervous. Min-guk and his friends are practically adults now. Just take good care of Ji-hee.”
“Oppa, don’t worry about me! I found videos of Disneyland on YouTube. I even searched the internet!”
Ji-hee answered crisply in English.
She truly took after me—sharp-witted, brilliant academically. If only her face resembled mine more….
But the gods don’t give everything.
I consoled myself inwardly.
Min-guk’s eyes widened as he stared at Ji-hee.
“Ji-hee, when did you get so good at English?”
I shot Min-guk a pointed look and spoke in English.
“Min-guk, Sam and Susan are here with us, right? These two can’t speak a word of Korean. Since you’ll be spending two nights and three days with them, from now on you’ll use only English. Understood?”
“Hyung, my friends are here too. Using only English is impossible, and my English and the trainees’ English aren’t that good. Dohyung says he can barely understand anything.”
I looked at Sam.
“Sam, I think I need to explain the rules of this trip to them.”
“Hyung, what are you talking about? Didn’t you send us to English language training so we could study hard and have fun before going back to Korea, and then you’re sending us to Disneyland?”
“Ji-hee was the one who studied hard during the language training. Jeon Min-guk, do you know what your test results and teacher’s evaluation were like?”
“Well, that’s….”
Min-guk already knew his own shortcomings well.
“Hyung, I’ve been cooped up in the dormitory for twenty-four hours… I was just spreading Korean widely.”
“And what about the slang?”
“Well, that’s… those people work so hard, and while helping them out, we ended up talking about this and that… that’s just how it is. I’m overflowing with humanitarian spirit!”
If only he’d stop talking!
But I, Jeon Sung-guk, wasn’t someone to be outdone in words.
“Min-guk, I want you to become an excellent singer and introduce Korean to people all over the world at that time. Just like now. To do that, you need to practice as if it were real, don’t you? You have two nights and three days left to practice in this country called America, and it would be a waste of time to just let that pass by!”
“Then, hyung. Can I just teach Korean to people at Disneyland?”
“Min-guk, if you want to teach Korean to Americans, you’ll first need to be able to explain it well in English.”
“Ah….”
Only then did Min-guk grasp my meaning, and he clenched his fists tightly.
“You’re really a ruthless hyung.”
“Susan, Sam. Please explain the rules of this trip.”
Susan glanced back and forth between Min-guk and Ji-hee at my words.
“Sam and I will be tagging along as chaperones, but Sung-guk gave us strict orders not to help with anything unless you explain it to us in English.”
“I’m fine with it. I’m Jeon Ji-hee, after all.”
Of course, it was Min-guk who bristled at that remark.
“You heartless older brother! So you’re saying I have to ask for everything in English—even going to the restroom or eating?”
“Of course!”
My answer was resolute.
“I’m not going! Not to Disneyland or anywhere!”
Min-guk threw a tantrum like he used to as a child.
I had prepared for this, though.
“Min-guk, you don’t have to go if you don’t want to. But instead, you’ll have to stay in the same house with me for two nights and three days, speaking only English. How does that sound?”
“Ugh… what a merciless choice. Fine, I’ll go! I’ll just keep silent! I’ll ride all the roller coasters at Disneyland without saying a word!”
“Suit yourself.”
I shrugged my shoulders.
* * *
Sam and Susan departed for Disneyland with Min-guk, Ji-hee, and the other trainees in tow.
Mark and Lim Mi-mi watched me with worried eyes.
“Sung-guk, are you really sure about this? Sam and Susan tend to be softhearted.”
“Sam and Susan may be softhearted, but once a rule is set, they follow it to the letter—they’re model rule-followers. They’ll stick to my rules without question. Neither of them has a flexible bone in their body.”
That was precisely why I had chosen them.
“Anyway, I’m glad I wasn’t born as Sung-guk’s younger sibling.”
“Me too, Mark.”
“It’s all the heart of a Korean eldest son wanting the best for them. When they grow up, they’ll understand that they owe their ability to function as proper people to this eldest son’s rigorous education.”
Mark and Lim Mi-mi shook their heads in disbelief.
* * *
I headed toward Charlie Jobs’ Mansion to meet with him.
I had promised to help Charlie Jobs with his autobiography during my remaining two nights and three days in the United States.
Soon, Charlie Jobs’ Mansion came into view in the distance.
From now on, roughly one more year.
That was the time remaining for Charlie Jobs.
* * *
As I arrived at the study door, I heard Charlie Jobs’ agitated voice from inside.
“When I think about it, I’m absolutely furious! How could they force me out of the company I founded—Apple!”
It seemed he was recounting the time he stepped down from his position as Apple’s CEO.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
As I knocked, Charlie Jobs opened the door, his face flushed with emotion.
“Sung-guk, welcome. I was just recounting the bitter experience of failure. It would probably be good for you to hear it too.”
“Charlie, don’t get too worked up.”
“It’s strange how people work. I thought I had forgotten it all, and I even made a triumphant return, yet when I recall those days, I become like this.”
Charlie Jobs shook his head.
At that moment, the author writing Charlie Jobs’ autobiography stood up and extended his hand.
“I’m Willie Isaacson, currently writing Charlie Jobs’ autobiography.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Jeon Sung-guk of FaceNote.”
“I know. Feel free to contact me anytime if you need help with the autobiography.”
“I will.”
I smiled and shook Willie Isaacson’s hand.
But I’d never write an autobiography.
If I wrote about being reborn in my second life and living it all over again, everyone would surely think I was insane.
“Well, shall we move on to the next story?”
Charlie Jobs, true to his impatient nature, launched into the next tale.
“Actually… I was really angry when they fired me from the company back then. I’d built that company from a garage.”
Charlie Jobs’ grievances continued for a while, and eventually the conversation shifted to his romantic life.
“Sung-guk, I hear you’ve been dating lately… how is it?”
“I’m just happy.”
“You’re truly fortunate. I’ve never been happy in any of my relationships.”
[Charlie, that’s because you love yourself too much.]
Charlie Jobs took my hand and met my eyes.
“If you were my son, I’d really want to tell you this.”
[Charlie, instead of just imagining he’s your son, why don’t you actually think of him as one and leave him your inheritance?]
Charlie Jobs gazed steadily into my eyes and continued.
“Don’t let work interfere with love, and don’t let love interfere with work.”
“I’ll remember that, Charlie.”
And so my two nights and three days with Charlie Jobs ended with listening to his life story.
Though I already knew the broad strokes of Charlie Jobs’ life from reading his autobiography in my previous life, hearing it directly from him carried a different weight.
Success and failure, and obsession.
His life, which appeared so glorious to others, had never escaped the storm for even a single moment.
It was always turbulent, a life spent struggling to survive within that whirlwind.
And Charlie Jobs offered me this advice as well.
“Sung-guk, rather than standing at the edge of the storm, try to become the eye of the storm. That way you can always remain calm.”
I parted with Charlie Jobs, looking forward to our next meeting.
And I remembered his words about always becoming the eye of the storm.
* * *
Tomorrow had finally arrived—the day I would return to Korea.
After finishing my final meeting at FaceNote’s United States headquarters, I sipped coffee while gazing out the darkened window.
“Sung-guk, aren’t you leaving work?”
“Sam and Susan said they’d come by, so I’m waiting to leave with them.”
“Mi-mi’s leaving tomorrow, so she’s waiting for us to spend tonight together.”
“Got it. I’ll let them know once Sam and Susan arrive.”
“Don’t be late!”
“Will do!”
After Mark left, the FaceNote office fell silent once more.
Adam, freshly returned from Paris, slipped back into overtime mode while watering the potted plants, and I noticed the nocturnal staff trickling in for their late shifts.
Ever since we switched to flexible work hours—where employees only needed to fulfill their required hours regardless of when they clocked in or out—arrival and departure times had become wonderfully varied, and productivity had actually improved.
Just then, Sam and Susan walked in wearing Disneyland t-shirts.
Sam quickly thrust a Disneyland souvenir into my hands.
“Sung-guk, we thought of you and picked this up together with Susan.”
“What is it?”
“Go ahead and open it.”
I unwrapped the Disneyland souvenir Sam had given me.
It was a mug featuring characters from Beauty and the Beast.
“Beauty and the Beast?”
“We bought it because it reminds us of Emma Watson and you.”
“I’m not exactly the Beast, am I?”
Susan laughed and offered an explanation.
“The Beast was transformed into a beast because of a curse, but he was originally a magnificent prince. Just like how true love is needed to break the curse and restore him to his true form, we thought it would be wonderful if Emma were the one to give you true love.”
“Sung-guk, since they’re couple items, we bought two.”
“I’ll give one to Emma when I see her.”
I smiled softly.
[Hmm… so Emma eventually ends up starring in this movie because of this mug….]
It seems the future truly unfolds from the smallest echoes of the past.
“By the way, thanks for the mug… what about what I asked you to do?”
“Here it is.”
Sam handed me the organized file.
It was the evaluation of Min-guk and Ji-hee’s English proficiency over the two nights and three days.
“Sung-guk, I don’t think you need to worry too much about Min-guk. He responds better to learning methods that spark interest rather than rote instruction. At first he was reluctant to talk with me, but once he started watching the anime I was watching, he began asking all sorts of questions.”
“What about Ji-hee?”
“Ji-hee seems like someone with a real gift for studying. She had no major communication issues to begin with, but she actually read the entire Harry Potter series in the original English over those two days.”
Susan also sang Ji-hee’s praises.
[So whose siblings are they, really….]
I looked at Sam and Susan with a satisfied expression.
“You two have worked hard. Now you both really need a proper vacation. Here are plane tickets and hotel accommodations for Cancun.”
“No, Sung-guk. We want to keep working now.”
Susan waved her hand.
“Susan, I already know you and Sam are dating.”
At those words, Sam’s eyes widened in shock.
“Sung-guk… how did you…”
“How? Every post Sam makes, every post Susan makes—you two are always the first to like each other’s content! It’s impossible not to notice!”
Sam and Susan were flustered, and Adam, who had been working nearby, heard our conversation and became even more flustered.
“Sam… Susan… was I the only one who didn’t know? Seriously?”
“Adam, I was going to tell you soon.”
“No… how could you be dating Susan when you’ve been working late every single day with me?”
Adam approached with a bewildered expression and pulled Sam into a tight embrace.
“Sam, congratulations!”
I quickly inserted myself into their moment of emotion.
“I’m happy for both of you, but the moment it interferes with work, you know what happens, right?”
“That will absolutely never happen, Sung-guk!”
“Same here!”
Sam and Susan shook their heads vigorously in agreement.
* * *
The moment I arrived at Incheon Airport, Secretary Yang’s phone call came through.
As if he knew the exact moment of my arrival.
I answered immediately.
“Secretary Yang, what’s this about?”
– Sung-guk, you’ve arrived, right?
“Yes.”
– Would it be possible for you to visit the Chairman right away?
“Right now?”
– Yes.
“May I ask what this is about?”
– The Chairman has a proposal for you. It concerns military service.

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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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