I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 36

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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 36
I trotted over to Mother and nestled against her.
“Mother, I’m home.”
“Sung-guk, did you have fun at kindergarten?”
“Yes!”
Behind that simple answer lay a more complex truth.
[Jeon Mi-jin is clingy and annoying, but I absolutely love using English and French. The teachers seem to be struggling to keep up with my level now. Still, they’re all kind, so it’s easy enough to adjust.]
Father reached over and ruffled my hair.
“Sung-guk, let’s eat some of the boiled pork I made.”
“Wow! I’m starving, Father!”
“Come sit down. Secretary Yang, please have a seat too. I’ll bring out the rest of the food.”
“Oh, and could you pack ten sets of boiled pork for my coworkers? I’ll give them to my friends who are working late on my way out.”
“Of course, I’ll prepare that.”
“Let’s talk about Sung-guk first before you prepare it. Father should hear about this too.”
Father removed his apron and sat down at the table.
Father and Mother, Manager Kim Mi-young, myself, and Min-guk squirming in his stroller in the corner.
Just as Chairman Jeon Ju-shin had said, I had plenty of allies to stand against Secretary Yang right now.
Father quickly poured soju into Secretary Yang’s glass.
“A drink won’t hurt, will it?”
“I would’ve been disappointed if soju was missing from boiled pork.”
Secretary Yang’s known capacity was half a bottle of soju.
Of course, that was his publicly acknowledged limit.
In reality, Secretary Yang could easily drink four or five bottles, but because he could never afford to let his guard down, he always drank moderately in public.
Gulp.
Secretary Yang emptied his first glass cleanly.
“Your boiled pork is delicious no matter when I eat it. Are you thinking of expanding the business in the future?”
“Customer recognition comes first. We’re gaining more customers gradually, but we’re still in the early stages.”
“Sung-guk has a cautious side that’s unusual for a child—he must take after you.”
Secretary Yang smiled at me.
[Secretary Yang, stop smiling and show your true colors already. How much longer are we going to sit here eating boiled pork?]
“Actually, the reason I asked to meet like this today is, as I mentioned, about Sung-guk’s education….”
Secretary Yang paused for a moment.
It seemed like he was communicating with someone about what we’d discussed in the car earlier.
It had to be the Iron Lady.
I stroked my chin thoughtfully.
“I feel a bit awkward saying this, but it seems like we’ve been participating too much in Sung-guk’s education.”
[Exactly. Secretary Yang, don’t overstep your bounds.]
I crossed my arms firmly.
“The truth is, we’ve heard from those around us that Sung-guk possesses exceptional abilities. The teachers who’ve instructed him have all consistently said that he’s far superior to the other children.”
[I’m tired of hearing this same praise over and over. Come on, Secretary Yang, get to the point already.]
“I want to be clear that what I’m about to share is merely my opinion, so please take it as such.”
“Please, speak freely.”
Father quickly refilled Secretary Yang’s empty glass with soju.
Secretary Yang drank half the soju before speaking.
“Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung…”
[Not the Iron Lady?]
“Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung has gently recommended that Sung-guk study abroad in the United States.”
[What did he just say!]
This was entirely unexpected.
I had naturally assumed the Iron Lady sent Secretary Yang today—and with the intention of cultivating me as a piano prodigy at that.
Yet here Secretary Yang was, relaying Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung’s words.
Mother, Father, and Manager Kim Mi-young all wore expressions of surprise.
“Secretary Yang, are you saying you’ll support Sung-guk’s study abroad?”
“Of course, with your parents’ permission. As you know, our country’s gifted education programs are still quite underdeveloped. We believe a talent like Sung-guk should be educated in a larger arena. Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung’s children, Mi-jin and Tae-guk, will be studying abroad in the United States soon. They’ll be going with my son, and the Chairman gently suggested that Sung-guk might join them as well.”
Father and Mother looked somewhat bewildered.
As for me, there was no confusion whatsoever.
My position was resolute.
“I don’t want to.”
“Sung-guk, you don’t want to?”
Mother asked carefully.
“No! Mom, Dad, I don’t want to be apart from you.”
This was the surface reason, of course. Study abroad held little of value for me to learn.
I had already endured enough of that life in my previous existence.
And to go with Tae-guk and Mi-jin of all people? I had no desire to go anywhere with those fools.
Secretary Yang finished his soju.
“Sung-guk certainly has strong opinions.”
“Secretary Yang, when you speak of supporting Sung-guk’s studies, you mean gifted education programs in the United States, correct?”
Manager Kim Mi-young asked carefully.
“Precisely. First, we’d need about a year for him to adjust, though given Sung-guk’s current abilities, that timeline might be shortened. After that, we plan to enroll him in one of America’s gifted education programs.”
[They’ve already planned everything out!]
I stared at Secretary Yang with a pouty expression.
“If Sung-guk grows into an outstanding talent, it would bring great joy to Samjeon.”
“We appreciate the offer. However, this proposal is quite sudden, and I think we’ll need some time to consider it.”
“Of course. Would the end of this month give you enough time to think it over? We’ll need that much time to begin the study abroad procedures.”
“Yes, we’ll do that. Sung-guk’s opinion is important too.”
“Whether Sung-guk goes abroad or not, he’ll certainly grow into an exceptional talent here as well.”
[I’m already an exceptional talent. Don’t worry, Secretary Yang.]
* * *
I hugged my pillow and deliberately went into the room where Mother, Father, and Min-guk were sleeping.
Tonight, I would need to sleep in this corner and eavesdrop on Mother and Father’s conversation.
Min-guk had already fallen fast asleep.
I lay down beside him, placing a pillow between us.
“Sung-guk, are you sleeping here tonight?”
Mother gently patted my belly.
“Yes.”
“Alright, let’s all four of us sleep here tonight.”
Father, fresh from his bath, turned off the bedroom light, leaving only the nightlight on.
Four of us sleeping in this cramped room—in my previous life, I could never have imagined such a thing.
Min-guk thrashed about in his sleep, repeatedly striking my face and belly with his arm, but it was bearable.
[This is what life is all about.]
I closed my eyes slowly.
Sleep wouldn’t come, but I needed to pretend to be asleep so that Mother and Father would start their conversation.
“Sung-guk’s asleep.”
I heard Mother’s hushed voice.
“So-young, remember what Secretary Yang said earlier? What do you think about it?”
“Honestly, it’s so sudden I can’t even think straight.”
[Mother, Father. Raising me, you’ll face plenty of situations like this. You’d better prepare yourselves.]
Thump.
Min-guk’s arm struck my face again.
[Is that a challenge?]
I pretended to thrash about and casually draped my leg across his. Immediately, his thrashing subsided.
“So-young, I’m wondering if we should send Sung-guk to study abroad in the United States at such a young age. Especially mixed in with those wealthy children.”
[I already said I didn’t want to, Father.]
“Sung-guk said he didn’t want to either. He’s such an exceptional child that I’m sure he’d do well here, but as Secretary Yang suggested, wouldn’t it be good for him to experience bigger waters? It seems like such an incredible opportunity that I’m hesitant.”
[Mother, didn’t I tell you in my previous life that I’ve set foot on every continent across all five oceans?]
“I’m worried we haven’t learned enough to give Sung-guk a proper education.”
[Father, I’ll grow up just fine on my own, so don’t worry.]
Thump.
Min-guk placed his leg on me again.
I pretended to thrash and subdued him once more.
“So-young, look at Sung-guk and Min-guk.”
“When you see how Sung-guk takes care of Min-guk, he really acts like an older brother.”
[Mother, I’m looking after him because he’s a burden in life. I’m worried he’ll become an even bigger one.]
Father let out a series of quiet sighs.
“We have time, so let’s hear Sung-guk’s opinion and Manager Kim Mi-young’s opinion too.”
“It’s such a wonderful opportunity for Sung-guk’s future. But how can we send such a young child to America alone? Even with all this talk of liberalized overseas travel these days, it won’t be easy for us to go to America. Honey, I think I’ll cry every day missing Sung-guk.”
Mother nestled into Father’s embrace.
In my previous life, Father and Mother always prioritized my future. Even as I followed the elite path in Korea, I occasionally traveled abroad with attendants. My busy parents never had time to follow me. They never even said they missed me, lest my resolve weaken.
But this young mother and father were already shedding tears, saying they would miss me.
[This must be what an ordinary family is like.]
I embraced Min-guk, trying to soothe the bitterness in my heart.
[Little brother, comfort me a little.]
“Hng. Hng.”
Even in his sleep, Min-guk sought me out and nestled against me.
If I went to study abroad in the United States, would I really have to give up this comfort I’d found for the first time in my life?
I clamped my mouth shut.
* * *
“Sung-guk!”
Mother’s startled voice reached me through the haze of sleep.
I’d fallen asleep late last night trying to ease my bitterness, so I’d overslept.
[Huh? What’s this dampness?]
Especially around my pants.
Mother quickly roused me.
“Sung-guk, can you wake up?”
“Yeah!”
I rubbed my eyes with my hands.
[Min-guk, that brat. Looks like he wet the bed.]
I gave Min-guk a light kick with my foot.
But wait! Min-guk’s pants were completely dry.
[Could it be… that I did it?]
I quickly touched my pants. They were soaked through, underwear and all.
Mother brought a wet washcloth and wiped down my body.
“This won’t do. Sung-guk, let’s go take a shower in the bathroom.”
“Mom…”
I called out to her in a startled voice.
“It’s okay. Our Sung-guk must have been very tired.”
Mother held me close and walked toward the bathroom.
I buried my face in Mother’s shoulder.
This was the greatest humiliation of Jeon Sung-guk’s entire life.
[Me, wetting the bed! Me! This Jeon Sung-guk!]
“So this Sung-guk thought he was all grown up, but he’s still a bedwetter.”
Father approached with a teasing tone.
[Dad, be quiet!]
Even my earlobes flushed red.
“Sung-guk, actually, I wet the bed at night until first grade too. Back then, the Kindergarten Principal scolded me so much. I thought I’d die from fear.”
“Honey, don’t tease Sung-guk.”
Mother quickly undressed me and washed my entire body with warm water.
I’d never experienced such humiliation before.
After I’d been potty trained, I’d always controlled my bladder on schedule.
There were times when it was difficult, but wetting the bed so thoroughly that the blankets were soaked while sleeping at night—in my five-year-old life, or even counting my past life, this had never happened before.
“So-young, this just won’t do.”
“What won’t?”
“How can I send this bedwetting brat to the United States alone? When I was young and the Kindergarten Principal scolded me, it hurt so deeply. I kept wondering if my parents would have disciplined me so harshly if they were alive. Growing up without parents was truly painful, even at such a young age. If Sung-guk goes to America and makes a mistake while he’s alone, we won’t be there to protect him.”
[Dad, what are you talking about? I’ve been the one protecting you and Mom all this time.]
“Oh, you little bedwetter. Let’s wait until you’re older before going to America. Until Sung-guk can handle everything on his own, your mother and I will stay right by your side and protect you. Understood?”
My throat tightened.
My eyes began to redden again.
[You foolish, immature Mom and Dad! Why are you protecting me? I’m the one protecting you!]
“Sniff—”
Despite what I felt inside, tears blurred my vision.
“Honey, go away. Just prepare breakfast. Sung-guk is embarrassed and crying.”
I buried myself in Mother’s embrace.
She stroked my back tenderly, again and again.
“Sung-guk, it’s alright. Your father was just teasing. You don’t usually do this sort of thing. You won’t wet the bed anymore, right?”
“Mom.”
I called out to her through my sniffles.
“Sung-guk, were you sad?”
“Mom, will you protect me?”
“Of course. Your mother and father exist in this world for the sole purpose of protecting Sung-guk. Do you understand?”
“Yes!”
I held back my tears and nestled into Mother’s arms.

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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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