I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 4

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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 4
More than ten days had passed since I’d clutched that ten-thousand-won bill at my first birthday celebration, yet my life remained fundamentally unchanged.
Wake, eat, sleep, and inevitably handle the biological necessities that followed—then eat again.
My legs had grown stronger, allowing me to walk while gripping the shelf with ease, though my speech remained underdeveloped.
How many more years would I have to endure this helpless existence before I could earn real money?
I lay sprawled on the floor, bottle in mouth, lost in thought.
[How do I make money?]
I never missed the economic segments on the daily news broadcasts.
The future appeared unchanged.
It was no different from the 1992 I remembered.
[If that’s the case, I need seed capital to start earning….]
Even my grandfather, the founder of Samjeon Group, had started with money from selling cattle in his rural village.
Ding-dong.
The doorbell rang.
Mother straightened up, holding her back, and glanced at the intercom screen before hurrying to the front door and opening it.
“Sister!”
The only person Mother called “sister” was the landlord—the Short-haired Woman.
Today, the Short-haired Woman wore a refined-looking suit.
“Sung-guk’s mother, staying home today?”
Still characteristically blunt.
“Because of the baby. Once Sung-guk grows up, I’m planning to work too.”
The Short-haired Woman handed Mother several brochures.
“Why don’t you try applying for this?”
“What is this?”
“Our company is looking for baby models for commercials. Since I work there, why not give it a shot?”
“Sister, you work at an Advertising Company?”
“Never mind the details. Just get some photos printed, fill out the application, and bring it to me by the day after tomorrow.”
A commercial model?
My mind snapped to attention.
I instinctively sensed this could translate into money.
It was the only thing I could possibly do while crawling around with a bottle in my mouth.
Fortunately, my innate sense for money seemed intact in this life as well.
The Short-haired Woman examined my face from every angle.
“You have a face that photographs well. Give it a try. It’s not like you have anything to lose. Besides, in this dirt-poor hovel, there’s no other way to make money anyway.”
[Exactly what I was thinking!]
To escape this dirt-poor existence, I had to accumulate seed capital by any means necessary.
My new goal was one hundred million won.
Accumulating that initial amount was the hard part; after that, money naturally breeds more money—that’s the fundamental principle of capitalism.
And the IMF crisis wasn’t far off!
Once I had seed capital, I could mobilize every bit of knowledge I possessed to lift this impoverished household out of poverty.
Mother tilted her head in confusion.
“Of course, we think Jeon Sung-guk is the most beautiful child in the world… but would others see it the same way? And he’s still so very young.”
[What is she talking about? I look in the mirror every day. A face like this isn’t common!]
I babbled indignantly with all the force I could muster, but Mother’s expression remained unmoved.
“I was just trying to help. If you don’t want to, there’s nothing I can do.”
The moment the Short-haired Woman reached for the blush, I let out another loud cry.
“Uh-uh. Uh-uh-uh. Uh-uh-ung.”
In translation, it meant this:
[Mother, this is an opportunity that won’t come again!]
Only then did Mother look down at me.
“Does our Jeon Sung-guk want to do this?”
Nod, nod.
I nodded decisively, twice over.
Forgetting to account for the weight of a toddler’s head, I’d tensed my neck so hard that I nearly headbutted the floor, barely managing to endure it.
The Short-haired Woman caught my signal with sharp instincts.
“Let’s give it a try. We do cast babies based on their faces, but honestly, we prefer children who don’t cry much during filming and understand instructions well. Jeon Sung-guk looks sharp, so let’s run a test.”
“If you think so.”
Mother still wore a worried expression.
I grabbed the hem of Mother’s skirt, which bulged slightly at the belly, with fierce determination.
[Mother, just trust me!]
* * *
Screech.
The bus arrived at Itaewon.
Mother struggled to carry me off the bus.
Father had pressed a ten-thousand-won bill into Mother’s hand, telling her to take a taxi since she was pregnant, but she took the bus instead.
As a result, I rode a bus for the first time in my life. And the jolting of the bus, that humble servant of the common people, made me terribly carsick.
My stomach was already in chaos.
[If my condition is this poor, the audition will be tough….]
I swallowed hard, clinging to Mother as we entered a building in Itaewon.
Mother took several deep breaths in the lobby before heading to the information desk.
“Um… where is the baby audition being held today?”
“It’s in the Conference Room on the third floor. Just go to the right and take the elevator.”
“Thank you.”
Mother gripped my hand firmly and headed for the elevator.
With just the photograph taken on a disposable camera from the Short-haired Woman, I breezed through the document screening.
Only ten children who passed the document review would audition today.
Ding.
The sound of the elevator coming to a stop echoed.
As the doors opened, Mother stepped inside.
In the elevator were another child and parents who appeared to be my competitors today.
The woman in the elevator was wearing a designer one-piece dress and carrying a designer handbag—so refined that it made Mother’s black long dress, the one she wore on occasional dates with Father, look shabby by comparison.
The person holding a child who appeared to be my age was a middle-aged woman. She seemed to be a Nanny.
The Wealthy Woman glanced at Mother and me with cold disdain, then hurried out as soon as the elevator stopped at the third floor.
Her expression was as unpleasant as if germs were spreading throughout the elevator.
Before my regression, I had looked at others with that same face.
I despised sharing an elevator with ordinary employees so much that the Samjeon Group had even installed a private elevator exclusively for me.
And now I had become that person….
I felt my spirits sink a little.
Mother patted my bottom gently.
“Sung-guk, don’t fall asleep.”
[I’m not sleepy. My heart just feels heavy.]
“Sung-guk, after we finish here, let’s use the money your father gave us for a taxi and eat something delicious. Should we get chicken?”
[That’s what you want to eat. I still don’t have all my teeth, so I can’t tear into chicken.]
“Mother will buy you a banana instead.”
[Fine, banana. That’ll cheer me up.]
Mother followed the sign marking the audition venue and entered a large Conference Room.
* * *
Ten mothers holding their children listened to instructions from the Perm-haired Assistant Director.
“First, the Director will conduct a camera test. Only two or three children who pass the camera test will advance to the final round. When I call your name, please come forward and we’ll begin the camera test.”
“Yes.”
The other mothers responded with excitement tinged with slight nervousness.
Among them, Mother alone seemed somewhat dispirited.
Mother was observing the appearance of the other children sitting nearby.
Not a single child was dressed as plainly as I was—in clothes barely different from underwear. All the others were dressed up to an almost comical degree.
I tugged at Mother’s sleeve and flashed a bright smile.
[Mother, appearance doesn’t matter. My face is worth a million dollars.]
Mother barely managed to gather her spirits and smiled.
“Sung-guk, let’s do our best.”
[Of course I will.]
After several children went in, finally it was my turn.
Blinding lights and reflectors.
And before me, a camera.
The camera was a fairly familiar medium to me.
Living as the eldest son of the Samjeon Group, I had stood before cameras countless times, whether I wanted to or not.
Because of this, the Samjeon Group had even established a dedicated camera test team and media training team just for me.
They prepared for every scenario—exiting airports, inspecting factories and company buildings, shaking hands with presidents, or even making court appearances for unfortunate matters.
Which facial angle looked best on camera, which colors suited me best. I had even undergone dermatological treatments before important events.
Beneath the blinding lights, I recalled the camera flashes that had been directed at me before my regression.
“Sung-guk?”
The Director, who looked like a mountain bandit, stared at me intently from behind the camera as he watched the monitor.
“Jeon Sung-guk?”
[Director, why do you keep calling me?]
I looked up at the Director immediately.
“How old is Sung-guk?”
“He’s 14 months old, Director.”
Mother answered quickly.
The Director turned his gaze back to me.
“Alright, Sung-guk. From now on, the camera is going to film you. Don’t be too startled, and please, I’m begging you—don’t cry like all the other kids this time. I’m really begging you. My ears are absolutely shot today.”
Nod, nod.
I bobbed my head with a knowing grin, as if I understood perfectly.
“This kid seems to understand what I’m saying.”
“Of all the children I’ve seen, he seems to comprehend instructions the best, Director.”
The female staff member beside me, who had been touching my head, agreed.
“I’m just talking. How would a baby understand anything? Come on, let’s start the camera test.”
The moment the Director finished speaking, the camera began rolling.
Since it was video rather than still photography, there was no shutter sound, but the lighting was quite intense.
I gazed at the camera and freely expressed smiles, hearty laughter, and coy expressions. Sometimes I rolled around like a child while looking elsewhere.
I occasionally mixed in the gestures of Jamjam and Dori-dori that I’d recently learned.
It was the result of practicing in front of the mirror at home in preparation for the camera test.
Mother, standing in the corner, watched me with a face full of emotion.
[It’s too early to be moved yet.]
I quickly adjusted my posture, tilted my head back slightly, and threw a wink.
Wink!
At the same time, applause erupted.
The Director smiled warmly and raised his hand.
“Cut! No need to film any more. This kid is definitely the final choice. Passed!”
Smirk.
I lifted the right corner of my mouth slightly.
[That’s all it takes.]
* * *
For the final audition, I and the son of the Wealthy Woman advanced.
There were definitely many children who looked cuter than this one, so it was surprising that he made it through.
I examined my competitor keenly.
To win the competition, analyzing the opponent first was the top priority.
But this child who advanced with me was just a baby with round eyes and nothing else particularly distinctive.
Mother sat beside me, bouncing her leg slightly. Her nervousness was evident.
“Sung-guk, don’t be nervous.”
[Mother, you’re the one who shouldn’t be nervous.]
“Sung-guk is very nervous, isn’t he? But I really need to use the restroom….”
The moment Mother finished speaking, the Wealthy Woman gave a signal to the middle-aged woman holding the baby. Then the middle-aged woman spoke to Mother.
“I’ll watch the child. Please go to the restroom.”
“Really?”
“Of course.”
“Thank you so much.”
Mother looked down at me.
“Sung-guk, Mother will be right back from the restroom. Listen well to what the lady says, okay?”
“Okay.”
I nodded my head.
I’d heard that pregnant women need to use the restroom frequently, and it seemed Mother had been holding it in all this time for my sake.
Mother quickly stood up and left the Waiting Room.
The middle-aged woman glanced at me and muttered under her breath.
“What a pretty child.”
“Pardon?”
The Wealthy Woman asked in a sharp voice.
“Nothing, ma’am. Just a passing thought.”
“If you think he’s so pretty, why don’t you raise him instead?”
“I apologize, ma’am.”
“Watch what you say. Children hear everything. How ignorant.”
[I wonder who’s actually ignorant here. Tsk, tsk.]
I clicked my tongue inwardly.
Click.
The Waiting Room door opened and the Perm-haired Assistant Director entered. She bowed her head to the Wealthy Woman with practiced ease.
“Ma’am, you’ve been practicing with the child quite a bit, haven’t you?”
[Wait, what’s happening here? That woman already knows the final script audition content.]
The Wealthy Woman nodded slightly.
“I’m just trying to create childhood memories for my own child, but why is this so difficult? My child has to compete with someone like this?”
[Someone like this? Is she talking about me? Jeon Sung-guk?]
A dull ache began creeping up the back of my head.
In that instant, I understood the entire situation.
The model was already predetermined, and the audition was merely a formality. Moreover, the Perm-haired Assistant Director had conveniently sent Mother to the restroom to coordinate their story.
“Ma’am, please be patient. If the Director finds out, it will be problematic.”
“Doesn’t the Director know our family?”
“The Director is not that kind of person. That’s why the higher-ups instructed us to keep it absolutely secret from him until the final decision. Since this child is doing it for the first time today, he probably won’t be able to do it. You’ve been practicing the father’s lines a lot, haven’t you?”
“I even hired a separate diction coach. Don’t worry.”
Just then, I heard Mother’s footsteps in the hallway.
As Mother opened the door and entered, the Perm-haired Assistant Director quickly smiled and looked at her.
“I came to explain the final audition guidelines.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I was in the restroom.”
“No problem. For the final audition, you’ll stand in front of a camera and deliver one line of dialogue. That’s all you need to do well.”
“What’s the line?”
“I apologize. For fairness, we’ll reveal the lines during the final audition.”
The Perm-haired Assistant Director scratched her head.
Mother nodded in understanding.
But I had already learned that crucial line.
Father.

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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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