I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 345

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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 345
At Jeon Tae-guk’s words, all the employees’ gazes turned toward him.
I placed my hands on my hips.
“William, are you seriously telling me this SNS I’m thinking of actually exists in South Korea?”
“Yeah.”
Jeon Tae-guk answered with remarkable composure.
[This can’t be right! That was popular when I was dead!]
The employees murmured among themselves.
“William, what is it?”
Kim Ye-rim asked with a puzzled expression.
“Wait, didn’t everyone use Hanuri?”
“What’s Hanuri?”
Hanuri.
I’d never heard of it before.
At that moment, Choi Sung-deok clapped his hands together.
“Oh, that’s right! Hanuri Cam! CEO Sung-guk, didn’t you mention Hanuri Cam?”
“I’ve never heard of it.”
“There’s no way Sung-guk would know about something like that. He moved to the United States when he was young, and he’s not exactly the type to communicate through Hanuri Cam anyway.”
“William, what I want to know is exactly what this Hanuri Cam is.”
“Sung-guk, how about we break for lunch and continue afterward? In the meantime, we can look into what Hanuri Cam is. I’ll also dig up some old materials.”
So Hanuri was similar to TikTok!
I felt like I needed to find out about this Hanuri thing right away.
“Let’s all have lunch first. I need to learn more about Hanuri.”
The employees quietly stood up and left the Conference Room.
* * *
I skipped lunch and was in Adam’s office listening to Choi Sung-deok explain Hanuri Cam.
“CEO Sung-guk, the thing is, the original purpose and usage you mentioned—uploading short videos—is actually different from what Hanuri was.”
“What was the original purpose?”
“Video chatting. You’d attach a camera to your computer and use it to chat face-to-face with people you got along with.”
“Video chatting?”
“Yes. Friends would do it with each other, and strangers would too. It was basically a video chatting program like that.”
It was the kind of thing a friendless Jeon Tae-guk would have enjoyed.
“But what is William talking about?”
“Ah, that’s… what they called ‘animated GIFs.’ People would upload short effects using GIF files through Hanuri Cam. Let me show you some of the materials I found.”
Choi Sung-deok showed me animated GIFs from Hanuri that had once been popular on the internet.
There were GIFs of people appearing to ride on a vacuum cleaner, friends bickering with each other, women winking, men flexing their physiques—a variety of different animated GIFs.
“Hmm… looking at just this, I can see why they’d say it’s similar. Is this service still being provided?”
“It was wildly popular in the early 2000s, but nobody uses it anymore.”
“I see… I’ll bring this up with the legal teams at Samjeon and Hyojin Group, but honestly, it doesn’t seem like there would be any major issues. Our platform is primarily an SNS for uploading short videos, whereas Hanuri was a video chatting service where these animated GIFs naturally emerged as a form of play.”
Knock. Knock.
A knock sounded at the door.
Soon, Jeon Tae-guk appeared with glistening eyes around them, poking his head through.
“William, is something the matter?”
“Sung-guk, you found my memories for me.”
Jeon Tae-guk entered Adam’s office and began showing me a video of Hanuri that he’d found on his laptop.
His head tilted at a forty-five-degree angle, his expression brimming with affected charm.
Moreover, unlike other Hanuri users, Jeon Tae-guk was dressed in a sharp suit.
“Sung-guk, how do I look? Back then, Hanuri’s video quality was so poor that everyone looked beautiful and handsome anyway.”
“William, did you get makeup done for a video call?”
At my words, Jeon Tae-guk’s eyes widened.
“Sung-guk, how did you know?”
“I was just surprised that William, who studied in the United States all along, used Hanuri.”
“I came back to Korea every vacation. All my friends were doing it then. I wanted to do it properly, so before using Hanuri, I went to a beauty salon in Cheongdam-dong where celebrities go, got a full makeup done, had my hair done, put on a suit and everything. See here?”
Jeon Tae-guk proudly showed me a photo of himself in the suit.
“Even back then, I was in love with Gucci.”
I shook my head with a wry smile.
“William, anyway, thanks to you, I learned about Hanuri, and I’d like to ask Samjeon and Hyojin Group to review it legally so there won’t be any disputes later with TikTok that I’m developing.”
“Yeah, okay. I’ll contact Samjeon right away.”
“And until the results come out, this is absolutely confidential.”
* * *
I never expected TikTok to get caught up in a legal issue with Hanuri, a video chat site.
Thinking about it carefully, TikTok’s short videos and Hanuri’s were clearly different things. But regardless, right now I felt like I was speeding down the autobahn when suddenly one of my car’s turn signals came on.
As soon as I got home, I went to my room without even eating.
For the first time in my life, I felt like a crisis had arrived.
Knock. Knock.
A knocking sound came from the door.
Adam poked his head in.
“Sung-guk, are you alright?”
“I’d like to be alone today, Adam.”
“Still, you should eat.”
“Sung-guk, I told the Samjeon Legal Team to find out as quickly as possible if there are any legal issues, so it should come out soon. Everyone’s working overtime.”
“Thank you, Tae-guk.”
“Oh, Sung-guk. I was thinking of visiting Teacher Lee of Samcheongdong today. Want to come with me? I’m nervous about the fortune reading.”
I paused to think for a moment, then nodded my head.
“Sure, hyung.”
Staying home would only clutter my mind.
I immediately picked up the car keys and stood up.
* * *
I parked the car in front of Master Lee’s traditional hanok house, nestled deep in Samcheongdong.
The surroundings were quite dim, and few people were about.
Jeon Tae-guk got out and rang the doorbell, and a man soon appeared. He was an attendant to Teacher Lee of Samcheong-dong.
“He’s waiting in the inner quarters.”
We followed the man’s guidance into the inner quarters.
Teacher Lee of Samcheong-dong’s home hadn’t changed at all.
I entered with familiar ease.
“Sung-guk, have you been here before?”
“Why do you ask?”
“You look completely at home.”
“I came here when I was young. Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung arranged it for me.”
“I see….”
Jeon Tae-guk nodded and followed me inside.
The man stopped in front of the inner quarters and opened the door.
“Please come in.”
* * *
Only after several layers of doors opened did Teacher Lee of Samcheong-dong appear.
It had been over a decade since I’d last seen Teacher Lee of Samcheong-dong in this lifetime.
In that time, Teacher Lee of Samcheong-dong had become unmistakably elderly.
“How have you been?”
“Welcome, young master.”
“Do you perhaps remember this place? Jeon Sung-guk….”
“Of course I do.”
Teacher Lee of Samcheong-dong studied me carefully.
His gaze wasn’t unpleasant. Rather, it was warm.
“Please, all of you sit. What would you like to drink?”
“I’ll have coffee. Sung-guk, what about you?”
“Could I have barley tea, please?”
I recalled the barley tea I’d drunk at Teacher Lee of Samcheong-dong’s house in my previous life.
“How did you know our barley tea is so fragrant?”
“I smelled it as we came in.”
I gave a vague excuse.
Soon the coffee Jeon Tae-guk requested and the barley tea I’d asked for arrived.
Teacher Lee of Samcheong-dong took a sip of barley tea and alternated his gaze between Jeon Tae-guk and me.
“Your connection is very auspicious.”
[What is he talking about all of a sudden?]
“Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung once brought me both of your birth times. At that time, I said: if you were born from the same womb, you would share the bond of brothers, but since you were born from different wombs and separated, you will help each other like brothers for your entire lives.”
[To be precise, I’m the one carrying him along, not the other way around.]
Jeon Tae-guk’s face had already gone slack with amazement at Teacher Lee of Samcheong-dong’s words.
“Master, you’re truly remarkable. How did you know? I really do look after Sung-guk like my own brother. Isn’t that right, Sung-guk?”
“Yes… hyung.”
I gave a short answer because I couldn’t be bothered to say more.
Teacher Lee of Samcheong-dong smiled knowingly, as if he could read my thoughts.
“Well then, what brings you here today?”
Jeon Tae-guk handed Teacher Lee of Samcheong-dong a slip of paper with Lim Jin-seo’s birth date and time of birth that he had prepared in advance.
“Master, you know my birth time, don’t you?”
“Of course. You want me to check your compatibility with this person, yes?”
“Yes!”
Jeon Tae-guk answered almost involuntarily.
“Just a moment….”
Teacher Lee of Samcheong-dong wrote Jeon Tae-guk’s and Lim Jin-seo’s birth dates and times on a blank sheet of paper, then began his analysis.
“Both born in 1987, both Rabbits….”
He muttered a few words to himself.
Then he looked at Jeon Tae-guk.
“Young master, this is quite a remarkable woman.”
“How did you know that, Master?”
“How? She’s the kind of person who can train our free-spirited young master, someone who doesn’t care what others think.”
“So our compatibility is good then? Actually, Father probably checked our compatibility using different birth information.”
“Yes, he did.”
“And how was it?”
“Hmm… I suspect that’s why Chairman Jeon had you two date in the first place….”
Teacher Lee of Samcheong-dong paused, choosing his words carefully.
“That compatibility had a beginning but no ending.”
“What do you mean by that, Master?”
“Exactly as I said—it was a connection that could never lead to marriage. Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung likely understood this and told you both to date instead.”
“Then, what about our compatibility based on our real birth dates?”
“Didn’t I already tell you? She’s the only person who can truly move your free-spirited heart. And if you lose her, young master, I suspect you won’t marry before forty.”
“Master, why would you say something so ominous!”
“It’s not ominous—it’s simply to say she is your fated match. However, there are signs of separation next year and the year after, so be especially careful.”
“Next year and the year after. I understand, Master.”
Now Teacher Lee of Samcheong-dong turned his gaze toward me.
“Sung-guk, your face is full of worry. What troubles you?”
“Well….”
I felt slightly taken aback.
It was about work… should I really discuss this here?
“Sung-guk, speak freely. Everyone comes here to unburden themselves.”
“I’m worried about some work matters… but how did you know I was worried?”
“Sung-guk, I’ve read your birth chart before. At that time, I saw you had a strong ability to believe in and push forward with your own thoughts and opinions. It felt like you believed only in yourself. When someone like that seeks me out, it means that belief is wavering—what else could it be but worry?”
Indeed, this was Teacher Lee of Samcheong-dong.
“As you say, that belief is beginning to waver. The business I’m currently pursuing has hit a reef.”
“Hmm… let me first look at your fortune for this year, and then examine this matter.”
Teacher Lee of Samcheong-dong examined my birth chart and smiled slightly.
“Master Lee, why do you say that?”
“Your fortune this year is quite fascinating.”
“Master Lee, what’s so fascinating about Sung-guk’s fortune?”
Jeon Tae-guk was even more curious than I was.
“Sung-guk, how much money do you need to earn before you’re satisfied?”
“Pardon?”
I asked back, confused by his question.
“When I read your fortune before, something was hazy… but now everything is becoming crystal clear. South Korea is not the right vessel for you. The world is your vessel. Becoming wealthy there, surpassing Samjeon—that’s nothing. This year is the stepping stone, and from next year, you’ll soar.”
[Teacher Lee of Samcheong-dong, I already know that!]
Once FaceNote goes public, I’ll become one of the wealthiest people in the world.
“What I really want to know is—”
“I know. Sung-guk, I’ll tell you this much. Believe in yourself more.”
* * *
– Hanuri was created for video chatting purposes, and animated GIFs are a derivative result of play. TikTok’s primary purpose is uploading short videos, so there don’t appear to be any legal issues whatsoever.
After receiving the official statements from the Samjeon and Hyojin Group legal teams, I finally let out a breath of relief.
Jeon Tae-guk, standing beside me, looked at the results and awkwardly tried to change the subject.
“Sung-guk, Teacher Lee of Samcheong-dong was right, wasn’t he? There was nothing to worry about.”
[You created all this worry in the first place, Jeon Tae-guk!]
In any case, I deserved to believe in myself more, just as Teacher Lee of Samcheong-dong had said.
[I doubted myself for nothing.]
Just then, Jeon Tae-guk tilted his head.
“Sung-guk, but is that really true?”
“What do you mean?”
“That thing Teacher Lee of Samcheong-dong said at the end.”
Feeling guilty for being the only one to have his compatibility read, Jeon Tae-guk even asked about my marriage prospects.
Teacher Lee of Samcheong-dong had said something vague about my marriage fortune.
– The time when you’ll meet true love will likely be when you’ve fulfilled your responsibilities to your family. Until then, there will be countless fleeting connections, but that’s when you’ll meet your true destiny.
Surely… that couldn’t be right?!
Suddenly, cold sweat trickled down my back.

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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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