I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 354

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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 354
The son of Saudi Arabia’s king and a key figure in current Saudi politics.
Abdullah bin Naf.
His name essentially translates to Abdullah, son of Naf.
Secretary Park Sung-hee explained Abdullah bin Naf to me.
“He is the current king’s son and a minister.”
“In Saudi Arabia, ministerial positions are filled exclusively by the royal family, so his influence probably isn’t that significant.”
I tried to recall Abdullah bin Naf’s name in my mind.
In my previous life, oil money was one of the investments that provided breathing room during difficult times.
So whenever they visited, I, as vice chairman of Samjeon, would go out and meet with them several times.
But I had no recollection of Abdullah bin Naf’s name. Why?
“Secretary Park, could you compile and brief me on Abdullah bin Naf and the current situation in Saudi Arabia?”
“Yes, of course. I’ll also confirm the appointment details.”
“Thank you.”
Within just a few hours, Secretary Park Sung-hee sent me materials about Saudi Arabia’s current situation and the visiting king’s son.
In 2011, Muhammad bin Salah was the king.
Saudi Arabia practiced fraternal succession, where the throne passed not to a king’s son, but to the sons of the founding king.
Because of this, prominent princes were always targets of intrigue or elimination.
But from my memory, after Muhammad bin Salah, the king who ascended the throne appointed his son as crown prince.
Of course, this led to a bloody purge that became a global issue, but issues remained mere issues. No media could speak openly about it in the face of oil money.
Then, Secretary Park Sung-hee called me.
– Sung-guk, among the visitors this time, the person who wanted to meet you isn’t the king’s son but his cousin, they said.
“What is his name?”
– Muhammad bin Salah. Since he’s unfamiliar to us as well, Samjeon will investigate and send over the details.
Muhammad bin Salah!
The crown prince who carried out the bloody purge I remembered!
Within the next few years, Saudi Arabia will fall into his hands.
He was the very person who came to our country from Saudi Arabia and promised massive investment in Samjeon.
That meeting was a grueling day—I had skipped breakfast waiting at the hotel where Muhammad bin Salah was staying from morning.
But why would that fearsome Muhammad bin Salah want to see me?
Cold sweat trickled down my back for no reason.
* * *
I surveyed the three figures sprawled across the living room.
No matter that it was after work, three grown men sitting in the living room eating chicken and beer—really?
Those three were Sam, Adam, and Jeon Tae-guk.
It seemed I had to make a decision today.
“We only have three rooms, but there are four of us. Someone should probably find another place to stay. Or, since some of you already have homes, whoever is here without one should go back where they belong.”
Jeon Tae-guk sat on the sofa, letting my words go in one ear and out the other.
[Jeon Tae-guk, I’m talking about you!]
Sam and Adam just scratched their heads with embarrassed expressions.
“Sung-guk, I spoke with Adam about it. I really like it here. I’ve only been in Korea for a few days, and if I lived alone… I think I’d feel terribly lonely. I wouldn’t adjust well either.”
“Sam just broke up with you not long ago. I can’t in good conscience kick Sam out.”
Tae-guk tore off a chicken wing while muttering to himself.
“Of course, I respect Sam and Adam’s wishes completely. They’re the people I brought directly from the United States myself. If they want to leave, I’ll find them a place anytime.”
At my words, Sam and Adam’s gazes turned toward Tae-guk.
Of course, Tae-guk had no sense of the atmosphere whatsoever and continued tearing into chicken wings while sipping his beer.
“Tae-guk, what about the house at Samjeon Palace? The owner lives there all the time, and we’re just paying maintenance fees with no one using it.”
“Hmm… maintenance fees, that’s just pocket change….”
It was already common knowledge that maintenance fees meant nothing to Samjeon’s heir.
[I’m just telling you to read the room! Tae-guk!]
By the time I’d mentally drawn the character for patience three times over, Tae-guk suddenly jumped to his feet. Then he looked at me.
“Sung-guk, are you… telling me to leave right now?”
“Hyung, isn’t the house getting pretty cramped?”
“Cramped? I’ve lived in places in New York with two bedrooms and two bathrooms.”
[That’s because it’s New York! And two bedrooms with two bathrooms in Manhattan—what kind of place is that anyway! And you lived there alone!]
Tae-guk kept avoiding my gaze.
In that case, there was only one option left: brutal honesty.
“Hyung, I don’t think four of us can live in this house comfortably. There are only three bedrooms. One for Adam, one for Sam. If I use one as the owner, there’s nowhere for you to sleep. You’ve been sleeping in the living room every night lately.”
“Since I’ve lived alone in such a large house since childhood… I’ve found it’s not so bad living with multiple people in a small place like this.”
Sam and Adam were already watching Tae-guk and me carefully.
“Hyung, I can’t take it anymore. A home is a place to rest and prepare for tomorrow. But after work, I’m eating late-night snacks in the living room every day, and whenever I try to go in and get some work done, everyone’s laughing and making noise in the living room!”
“Sung-guk… you grew up in a tiny one-room place, so you’re really sensitive about these things.”
My fists clenched.
[Tae-guk, what am I going to do with you….]
Then Tae-guk clapped his hands together sharply.
“Sung-guk, I’ve got it….”
“Do you have a solution?”
“Let’s go to our house at Samjeon Palace together, you and me.”
“Why would I? This is the house Father bought for me to live independently.”
“Back then you had a girlfriend. You don’t now.”
“I’ll have one again!”
I began drawing the character for patience once more.
By the time I finished drawing it, I couldn’t predict how I might change.
Adam, who had been quiet, raised his hand.
“Adam, go ahead.”
“Sung-guk… can’t we all just live together? Honestly, I can’t even imagine one of us leaving. Think about it, Sung-guk. I’m sorry that we’re making noise and laughing in the living room so you can’t focus on work, but if you were alone, who would nag you to eat breakfast, ask if you’ve had dinner, ask what you’re doing on weekends…? It’s the same for me too.”
“That’s what I’m saying.”
Tae-guk nodded.
“So you’re all saying it’s good to live like this, all crowded together?”
“Yes!”
At the same time, the three of them answered in unison, excluding me.
“I understand your perspectives well. There’s a Korean saying: if you dislike the temple, the monk must leave. After this Saudi Arabia meeting, I’ll decide where I’ll be staying.”
Bang!
I deliberately shut the door hard as I left.
The TV sound in the living room faded, and I could hear the three of them whispering about something.
I put on my earphones and listened to music while preparing for the Saudi Arabia meeting.
Muhammad bin Salah.
In a few years, he would become the real power behind Saudi Arabia.
* * *
Abdullah bin Naf’s delegation from Saudi Arabia had rented the entire Samjeon Hotel.
This was the first time in Samjeon Hotel’s history.
Because of this, all the restaurants at Samjeon Hotel temporarily ceased operations, preparing only food for the strict Muslim delegation from Saudi Arabia led by Abdullah bin Naf.
As I arrived at the entrance of Samjeon Hotel, tension hung in the air unlike any other day.
I adjusted the collar of a jacket I hadn’t worn in a long time.
“Sung-guk, why am I suddenly feeling nervous…?”
Jeon Tae-guk, the successor to Samjeon, was with me.
Secretary Park Sung-hee had contacted me that her meeting with Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung would take place before mine.
“Go ahead and head up, hyung. It looks like mine will follow right after yours ends.”
“Ah, okay… Sung-guk, is there anything I should be careful about?”
“It would be best to speak as little as possible.”
“Ah, I’m confident about that!”
Jeon Tae-guk entered with visible nervousness.
* * *
Exactly thirty minutes later, the door opened and Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung and Jeon Tae-guk emerged.
I stood up from where I’d been sitting in the waiting room to greet them.
Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung’s expression was not bright.
It seemed he hadn’t obtained any definitive answers.
“Make sure you have a good meeting, Sung-guk.”
“Yes, Chairman.”
Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung left the room with his lips firmly pressed together.
Jeon Tae-guk approached and whispered quietly.
“Something feels off.”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s the Saudi Arabian king’s son, but he’s not making any decisions. It feels like he’s just observing. Isn’t the son supposed to be the next king?”
“Hyung, Saudi Arabia practices fraternal succession.”
“What? A country like that exists?”
I quickly signaled to Secretary Park Sung-hee.
She then grabbed Jeon Tae-guk’s sleeve and pulled him along.
“Young master, don’t do this here. Go downstairs and wait.”
“Ah… okay. Sung-guk, fighting!”
I adjusted my jacket again and waited for my name to be called.
Soon, a man dressed in traditional Islamic attire emerged and called my name.
“CEO Jeon Sung-guk.”
The man spoke fluent Korean.
“Yes.”
I stood up and followed the man’s guidance into the room where the Saudi Arabian prince and his cousin awaited.
* * *
[Just as I remembered—Muhammad bin Salah!]
Muhammad bin Salah sat beside the Saudi Arabian prince.
He was definitely younger than I remembered.
I greeted him respectfully and took my seat as the man indicated.
Abdullah bin Naf was the first to speak.
“I’ve heard much about CEO Jeon Sung-guk. Or rather, to be precise, I’ve come across many articles about you. The Achievement behind creating FaceNote, and even that legendary story of turning YouTube from losses into profits.”
Abdullah bin Naf smiled faintly and continued.
“Of course, there are also the romance articles.”
Thanks to that remark, the stiff atmosphere became considerably more relaxed.
“It seems I’ve become rather famous in various ways.”
“FaceNote is quite well-known in our Saudi Arabian society as well.”
The winds of change were clearly blowing even through the closed society of Saudi Arabia.
At that moment, Abdullah bin Naf glanced sideways at Muhammad bin Salah.
Muhammad bin Salah offered a shy smile and held out his phone to me.
“Is the person in this video perhaps your younger brother, CEO Jeon Sung-guk?”
My younger brother?
[Jeon Min-guk, what kind of trouble have you gotten into this time?]
I quickly checked the video on the phone Muhammad bin Salah had offered.
The video was from the Sevens YouTube channel, featuring the daily lives and practice sessions of members about to debut. It was a video of Min-guk taking the lead during practice.
“Yes, he is my younger brother. But he hasn’t debuted yet—how did you know about this?”
Muhammad bin Salah broke into a satisfied smile and opened his mouth.
“As you know, Saudi Arabia doesn’t have many resources besides oil. In fact, we’re severely lacking in that regard. So we’ve long pursued a strategy of investing the money earned from oil into various ventures in other countries to generate returns. I found out that this company is also one of the places where CEO Jeon Sung-guk has invested. Is that correct?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
I answered with a bewildered expression.
Muhammad bin Salah continued to wear a broad smile.
[Why is Muhammad acting like this? It’s becoming increasingly unsettling….]
Muhammad bin Salah showed me a photograph on his phone—a picture of his daughter, who appeared to be in her early teens.
“My daughter became completely captivated after watching this video. So I asked to meet with CEO Jeon Sung-guk because I was curious about possibly investing in this company.”

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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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