I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 351

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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 351
I watched Jin-seo’s excited expression.
In any case, work and personal matters had to be kept separate.
“I respect your opinion, Jin-seo.”
“Thank you, Sung-guk….”
“Still, just to be safe… consult with William about it.”
“Of course, I’ll need to discuss it with Tae-guk as well.”
Jin-seo glanced around the office with a relieved expression.
Her face glowed with emotion at the realization that this was the office where she would be working from now on.
“We’re having dinner at Mark’s place tonight. Lim Mi-mi said she’d lend us a guest room. You can stay there, Jin-seo.”
“I could stay at a hotel instead.”
“Lim Mi-mi said she couldn’t let you stay alone like that.”
“Then I’ll gratefully accept. But where will you be staying, sir?”
“The house next to Mark’s is where William and I used to live together. I’m planning to stay there.”
It seemed I’d finally get to experience a moment of complete solitude tonight.
“Could I see that house too? Since Tae-guk lived there, I’m curious about it.”
“I’ll show you before we have dinner.”
Mark approached with a long, lazy stretch.
“Mi-mi says it’s delivery only tonight. She doesn’t have the energy to cook. How about pizza?”
“Sounds good. Then let me post something on FaceNote and head home for the first time in a while.”
I sat down at the office table and cracked my knuckles.
– Hello, this is Jeon Sung-guk, CEO of FaceNote.
Recently, an unfortunate sexual harassment incident occurred at FaceNote. Immediately after the incident, we separated the victim and perpetrator, established an investigation committee, and conducted a multifaceted investigation into the circumstances of that day.
As a result, the perpetrator’s sexual harassment was confirmed, and we immediately terminated their employment.
Through this incident, we realized that our company’s internal regulations were lacking in provisions regarding gender issues. We have decided that in cases of sexual harassment, regardless of gender, the perpetrator will be terminated immediately upon proof of the offense.
At the same time, this incident made us acutely aware that FaceNote’s welfare provisions regarding gender issues are also inadequate.
To overcome this, FaceNote will establish a separate committee on gender issues, newly establish childcare facilities for married female employees, and open nursing rooms—all to be completed within this year.
Additionally, we will encourage paternity leave for male employees, and we will promptly establish and implement company regulations regarding childbirth congratulations gifts and educational support for children’s expenses for all employees, regardless of gender.
If you have any good suggestions regarding gender equality in the company after reading this post, please feel free to comment anytime.
We will carefully consider all feedback you provide.
* * *
“This is the house where Tae-guk and I lived together. The layout is identical to Mark’s place.”
Jin-seo looked around the house with curious eyes.
“It’s more modest than I expected.”
“The reason is simple. When Mark and I were living in that house, Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung forcibly got this place next door and attached it. So it had to be modest.”
“It seems you two weren’t close back then.”
“We’re not close now either.”
I answered honestly.
Jeon Tae-guk was nothing more than karmic debt from a past life to me—a useless nuisance, no more and no less.
“When Tae-guk is with me, he talks about you, CEO Sung-guk, quite a lot.”
Lim Jin-seo smiled faintly and continued speaking.
“At first, I thought he was just an annoying guy—younger than me, from a poor background, but with a sharp mind. But the more I got to know him, the more I realized he had real depth….”
[Jeon Tae-guk said that about me?]
Lim Jin-seo looked at me.
“He really trusts CEO Jeon Sung-guk a lot.”
“Lim Jin-seo, if all of this is leading to asking me to treat William better going forward, I’m not the kind of person who falls for that.”
Lim Jin-seo laughed and waved her hand dismissively.
“Of course I know your personality well. I just hope you won’t stab someone in the back who trusts you.”
“From where I’m standing, it seems like you wanting to work at the U.S. headquarters is the real backstab.”
“I’ll handle that smoothly.”
Just then, Mark sent a message saying the pizza had arrived.
“The pizza’s here. Let’s go.”
* * *
Mark, Lim Mi-mi, Lim Jin-seo, and I sprawled across the sofa after an exhausting day.
It had been such a long time since I’d lounged carelessly on a sofa, eating pizza and watching TV.
Just then, the news on TV covered a sexual harassment incident at FaceNote.
– Today, CEO Jeon Sung-guk of FaceNote made an unprecedented move by publicly posting about an internal sexual harassment case on his FaceNote account, openly revealing how he terminated the perpetrator. FaceNote announced it would actively address internal gender issues going forward. In Silicon Valley, where IT companies are concentrated, this incident has prompted companies to explore new solutions for addressing gender problems in the workplace.
After watching the news, Mark looked at me with a noticeably softer expression.
“Sung-guk, Michael won’t sue, right?”
“If he’s a sensible person, he won’t. But lawsuits are a free choice. Still, he won’t win. I’ve already told Peter everything….”
Even if Michael sued, all he’d gain was the disgrace of being labeled a sexual harasser.
“Sung-guk, but when does your military service end?”
“Industrial technician military service is two years and ten months, so….”
I let out a quiet sigh.
[The Ministry of Defense’s clock just keeps ticking, doesn’t it?]
Mark patted my shoulder.
“Without you here, things have been so tough for me….”
“By the way, Mark. About Lim Jin-seo.”
At my words, Lim Jin-seo stopped eating pizza and looked at me with wide eyes.
“What about Lim Jin-seo?”
“She wants to work at the headquarters. Once I wrap up the Korean branch operations, I’m planning to send her to the main office. Set up a position for her in marketing.”
“That works out perfectly—I was just thinking about strengthening our Asia marketing.”
Mark looked at Lim Jin-seo.
“Lim Jin-seo, Sung-guk has said great things about you. I’m looking forward to working with you.”
“I’m looking forward to it as well.”
But for some reason, my heart remained unsettled.
At this rate, Jeon Tae-guk’s breakup next year was almost certain….
[But why does my heart feel so uncomfortable? Could it be that I’m actually worried about Jeon Tae-guk? No, that can’t be it… It’s just that I can’t stand watching him mope around after the breakup…. A dog at a village school whining gets exhausting!]
I crunched into my pizza.
* * *
At last, I was finally completely alone.
It had been a long time since I’d seen the dusky expanse of Silicon Valley stretching before me.
I pulled a cold beer from the refrigerator.
This was the apartment Yang Chul-soo had used before transferring to the Korea branch, so there was still beer left in the fridge.
Ding dong.
[Sigh… I finally had some time to myself….]
Mark’s face appeared on the intercom.
I opened the door, and Mark walked in while shaking a beer bottle.
“Mark, what brings you here at this hour?”
“Were you already drinking?”
“Yang Chul-soo left quite a bit behind.”
“No, I put those there myself when I heard you were coming.”
Mark could be surprisingly thoughtful at times.
“So what’s the occasion at this hour?”
“Mi-mi said she’s uncomfortable with Lim Jin-seo around, so she asked me to stay with you tonight.”
[So my private time is being invaded again…]
I let out a quiet sigh internally.
“Sung-guk….”
Mark called my name in a serious tone.
[When Mark speaks to me like this, something’s usually wrong….]
“Sung-guk, just having you here beside me like this… it means so much to me.”
Mark confessed his feelings shyly.
[Mark, by next year you’ll be one of the richest men in the world! How can you say such weak things!]
I took a sip of the cold beer and spoke the words I’d carefully considered.
“Mark, have you been struggling that much?”
There’s a concept in this world called socialization.
If I were my previous self, or if I acted on my true feelings in this life, I would naturally have scolded and pressured Mark.
But having been born into poverty and rolled through the depths to reach this point, I’d learned that sometimes you need to wear a social mask.
At the same time, I’d also learned that people sometimes need comfort.
Right now, Mark was seeking comfort from me.
And true to my prediction, Mark’s eyes were already glistening with tears at my single sentence.
“Sung-guk… I missed you so much.”
“Mark, people will get the wrong idea if they hear that.”
“What are you talking about? After everything we’ve been through together?”
[That sounds like it could be misunderstood too, Mark…]
Mark wrapped his arms around me and leaned his head on my shoulder, tears streaming down his face.
“We’ve been together since high school dormitory. So what’s the deal with the military that it has to separate us like this….”
[This is getting more complicated by the minute….]
I patted Mark’s back gently.
“Mark, calm down a bit.”
“Sung-guk, I don’t think I can survive without you.”
“You have Lim Mi-mi.”
“Mi-mi feels the same way. You have no idea how panicked she was when all this happened. Sung-guk, why don’t you just become a U.S. citizen right now and live with me here in America like this?”
“Mark, you need to marry Lim Mi-mi and live happily together. What are you talking about…?”
“I need you too, Sung-guk. You’re not planning to live in Korea forever, right?”
Mark was now rubbing his face against my shoulder.
I flicked his forehead with my finger, but Mark immediately pressed his face back against my shoulder.
“Mark, I’ll come back once I finish my military service.”
“Really?”
Only then did he lift his face, his eyes glistening with tears as he looked up at me.
“Next year I’ll debut Min-guk, and I’ll see Ji-hee enter high school… and then I’ll come back.”
“You promised!”
Mark extended his pinky finger.
[Sigh… this isn’t right, is it?]
In that moment, Mark grabbed my hand and hooked his pinky with mine.
“Sung-guk, I’ll wait for you here. You have to come back.”
“Mark, I’ll be back when we go public next year too, so please get it together and do your job properly! How are you going to run a company if you can’t even handle something like this!”
I couldn’t help but raise my voice.
But strangely, Mark just grinned.
“Now you sound like Jeon Sung-guk. Sung-guk, you need to come back quickly after finishing your military service.”
[What’s with this ominous feeling that people I need to take care of keep multiplying in both Korea and America…?]
I shook my head.
* * *
The moment we arrived at the airport, I spotted Jeon Tae-guk standing in the distance with a bouquet of flowers.
As Lim Jin-seo and I walked through the gate, Jeon Tae-guk waved the bouquet toward her and then started running toward us.
[After spending three nights and four days in America including flight time, anyone would think he hadn’t seen me in a year. Jeon Tae-guk.]
Jeon Tae-guk handed the bouquet to Lim Jin-seo.
“Jin-seo, you must be tired, right? Sung-guk didn’t make you work too hard, did he?”
“What would I be tired about? I just toured the headquarters. I only watched CEO Sung-guk handle business.”
Jeon Tae-guk looked at me with an impressed expression.
“Sung-guk, you handled this situation really well. I never thought you’d respond so quickly.”
“Hyung, I’m quite tired. If you two are going on a date, I’ll just take a taxi.”
I tried to get out of the way, sensing that Lim Jin-seo had something to say to Jeon Tae-guk.
“What are you talking about? I’ll drop you off, then take Jin-seo. Park Secretary, wait for us.”
Jeon Tae-guk had already taken Lim Jin-seo’s hand and walked ahead.
I wondered if he’d tell her about the U.S. branch on the way.
* * *
“Park Secretary, Sung-guk looks very tired. Let’s go to Apgujeong first.”
“I’ll drop you off first, Sung-guk.”
Finally, the car started moving.
And we were crossing the Yeongjong Bridge.
This meant we had barely left the Airport a few minutes ago, and it had been roughly ten minutes since Jin-seo received the bouquet.
At that moment, Jin-seo dropped a bombshell on Jeon Tae-guk.
“Tae-guk, I’ve decided to wrap up my work here in Korea and transfer to the headquarters in the United States.”
“What?”
Jeon Tae-guk, caught off guard, could only blink his small eyes.
“CEO Jeon and Mark from the U.S. headquarters have already discussed everything.”
“Jin-seo… what you’re saying right now…”
“Tae-guk, when men go to the military, women wait for them, right? Will you wait for me while I go learn how to work properly in the United States?”
For a moment, I doubted my own ears.
She actually dared to ask the heir to the Samjeon Group to wait for her!
Jeon Tae-guk soon smiled and nodded.
“Jin-seo, I’d wait for you even if you killed someone, went to prison, and came out after ten years!”
Secretary Park Sung-hee and I pressed our lips together and simultaneously stifled our laughter.

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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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