I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 460

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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 460
– Three key points to watch at the 2013 Seoul National University entrance ceremony!
First, will Jeon Sung-guk, the representative of the global enterprise FaceNote, make an appearance?
Second, will Jeon Tae-guk, executive director of Samjeon Group, a world-class domestic corporation, make an appearance?
Third, will Min-guk, a member of the rising idol group Sevens, make an appearance?
I shook my head as I read the article.
“Who on earth publishes such pathetic articles?”
“CEO, you may find it pathetic, but it shows just how much attention you and your family are receiving.”
Secretary Kim Mi-so smoothed over my sharp complaint.
“As if attending Seoul National University is such a big deal…”
“CEO, you should only say such things when you’re with me or your family. Every South Korean citizen wants to attend Seoul National University. But since not everyone can, admission itself is an honor. I wanted to go there too, but I couldn’t.”
[I attended in my previous life, Secretary Kim.]
I set the tablet on my desk with a listless expression.
“So, should we leave around 9 AM to make it to the entrance ceremony on time?”
“Yes. We’ll depart from here, and Executive Director Jeon Tae-guk has made a reservation at the Samjeon Hotel Chinese Restaurant for the evening as a celebration of the entrance ceremony.”
I scratched my temple.
“It seems like Tae-guk always prioritizes our family’s events over his own family’s events.”
“CEO, interpret it in a positive light. I’m also connected to Samjeon Group, but in South Korea, there’s nothing wrong with being favorably linked to Samjeon.”
Of course, I wasn’t unaware of what Secretary Kim Mi-so was saying.
But Jeon Tae-guk was ultimately a businessman. Businessmen don’t act without profit.
The reason Jeon Tae-guk looked after our family was certainly because there was benefit to be gained in terms of image and connections.
“I’ll attend for now. Tell Min-guk to clear his schedule. It may just be Seoul National University, but it’s my younger brother’s entrance ceremony—the family should go and celebrate.”
“Understood. I’ll take care of arranging the flowers.”
Secretary Kim Mi-so certainly had good sense.
* * *
– Let’s meet at Samjeon Department Store at 9 PM on February 24th!
February was nearly over, and I received a strange message from Jeon Tae-guk.
9 PM was even the closing time for the department store—why would he want to meet there?
Was this a voice phishing scam?
I quickly called Jeon Tae-guk.
– Hey, Sung-guk.
Jeon Tae-guk answered cheerfully.
“Hyung, did you really send that message?”
– You saw it?
“February 24th at 9 PM is Sunday night. But why Samjeon Department Store?”
– Ah… actually, I was thinking of doing some shopping for clothes to wear to Ji-hee’s entrance ceremony. Since Ji-hee’s having her entrance ceremony too, she’ll probably need new clothes… and our parents will too. From what I can see, you’re the one who needs it most, always going around in hoodies and padding jackets. I’m planning to go shopping at Samjeon Department Store that night. Going during the day just means dealing with crowds.
The shopping style of the Samjeon family owner was actually quite low-key.
Since every movement became an issue, there was a separate department dedicated to shopping. There was no need to go through the hassle of renting out the entire department store.
But Jeon Tae-guk seemed quite different from such Samjeon family traditions.
Even after observing this for a long time, it was difficult to adapt to.
“Hyung… I don’t really need fancy clothes. Even in March, the entrance ceremony will be cold, so something warm is best.”
One thing I learned from being reborn was that substance mattered more than formality.
Nothing beat a padded jacket when it was cold.
– Sung-guk, right now all sorts of media outlets are betting on whether you, Min-guk, and I will show up to Ji-hee’s entrance ceremony or not. A padded jacket is definitely out of the question. And Ji-hee has her pride too. Word’s already spreading that she has a world-class CEO as her older brother. If you show up in a hoodie, you’ll regret it.
“Hyung, I don’t care about that sort of thing.”
[My presence matters more than anything, Tae-guk.]
– Anyway, everyone’s gathering that night! You should know that everyone except you has already agreed.
Jeon Tae-guk hung up the phone.
Was it just my imagination that Jeon Tae-guk, who’d never even been near Seoul National University, seemed more excited than Ji-hee?
* * *
It had been quite a while since I’d last been in the Samjeon Department Store with its doors closed.
In my previous life, I’d done this exactly once—just once.
It was when I was briefly dating an actress.
She came from a poor background and had become an actress because of her beautiful face, so she harbored strong fantasies about the wealthy elite.
– Mr. Sung-guk, can you really close down a department store and shop like they do in dramas?
– There’s nothing stopping us.
I must have lost my mind back then too, because I actually closed the Samjeon Department Store and spent nearly three hours wandering through every corner with my personal shopper.
The actress swept up merchandise like she was picking vegetables and meat at a supermarket.
Of course, once I came to my senses not long after, I deducted the entire shopping amount from the consolation gift I gave her when we broke up.
Secretary Yang appeared beside Jeon Tae-guk for the first time in ages.
[If Secretary Yang is moving, then Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung knows about it too.]
Secretary Yang greeted our family with his characteristically warm smile.
“Congratulations on your admission to Seoul National University, Ji-hee.”
“Thank you.”
“Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung asked me to pass along a message. He says he apparently has no talent for raising children, and he envies your parents so much.”
It was Jeon Tae-guk who looked embarrassed at those words.
“Father is always putting his children down….”
“Young Master, but the Chairman says he’s glad to see your father finally getting his act together and working hard at the company. He says academic credentials have minimal impact on running a business.”
Despite that, Samjeon was famous in the job market as a company that only demanded high credentials and elite backgrounds.
In South Korea, getting into Samjeon itself was proof of being an elite.
“In any case, the Chairman wanted to congratulate Ji-hee in person, but he has many overseas schedules these days and can’t find the time. He also asked me to convey his request, and the Chairman wants to give an entrance gift as well. And… he ordered all regular stores closed and had only luxury brands opened. The Chairman wanted you to know this is from his heart. By the way, he said there’s no limit on the amount.”
[The father certainly has a bigger heart than the son.]
Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung was definitely the type to give generously when he decided to.
Secretary Yang led our family inside.
“Well then, shall we go in? Whose clothes should we look at first?”
“Of course we should look at Ji-hee’s first since she’s the one entering Seoul National University. Secretary Yang, my wife and I have clothes we can wear, so we don’t need to look.”
“Sir, your wife must have worked hard to send Ji-hee to Seoul National University. You can’t leave empty-handed. And this was also Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung’s request.”
Jeon Tae-guk leaned over and whispered to me.
“Sung-guk, I asked Father to do this. But doesn’t it feel like Father’s getting all the credit for it?”
“Hyung, you’re still a salaried employee. The Chairman is the one who runs Samjeon.”
“Anyway, I should use Dad’s card today too.”
Jeon Tae-guk shrugged his shoulders and headed inside.
* * *
This shopping trip even had a professional Stylist accompanying us to assist Ji-hee.
The professional Stylist presented a week’s worth of outfits, introducing herself as a stylist specializing in college freshmen.
“Ji-hee, I thought you were incredibly cute when I saw you filming an advertisement with Kim Yeo-na when you were younger, and look how beautifully you’ve grown. And Seoul National University at that… your parents must be so happy.”
“I’m only sixteen.”
“Oh my… but your height?”
“167 centimeters.”
Ji-hee, who had only reached my waist last year, had grown a full 7 centimeters during winter break.
Taking a break from studying, eating well, and sleeping properly had apparently done the trick.
“Oh my… with this beauty and height… if you grew just a bit more, have you thought about entering something like Miss Korea, Ji-hee?”
“I’m not interested in beauty pageants. Stylist, I think I just need one outfit for formal occasions like the entrance ceremony, and maybe one outfit for when I want to dress up occasionally. I’ll buy what you recommend for those. For everything else, I’d like to stick with training clothes and sneakers.”
“But when you start college, you’ll go on blind dates and MT trips, and you’re going to wear training clothes for all of that?”
“Since I’m young anyway, I won’t be going on blind dates. I made a promise with my oldest brother, so after the entrance ceremony, I need to study for the bar exam. Training clothes are the best for studying anyway.”
“College days are so precious. The campus blooms with flowers, and beneath them you play cozily with friends….”
The Stylist lamented, but Ji-hee didn’t hear her.
That’s when Jeon Tae-guk stepped in.
“Stylist, Ji-hee really isn’t interested in these things. And as you know, among the people in this household, Sung-guk and Ji-hee both think clothes are just for covering up heat and cold. Please show us the product list you prepared.”
“Yes, here it is.”
The Stylist handed over the list she had prepared for Ji-hee with a defeated expression.
“It’s a trendy style, but it’s not too flashy and quite refined. Just prepare all of these, and let Ji-hee choose the training clothes she wants.”
“Yes…”
The Stylist looked at me with a sad expression, then handed the materials she had prepared for Jeon Tae-guk to him.
“This is for CEO Jeon Sung-guk. I spent an entire week looking at photos of CEO Jeon Sung-guk preparing this. Executive, please make sure he wears it exactly like this.”
“Don’t worry.”
The Stylist led Ji-hee up to the floor with training clothes.
Jeon Tae-guk marveled at the materials the Stylist had created.
“Sung-guk, look at this. It’s completely cool. I want to dress like this too….”
“You should dress like that, hyung. I’ll just pick out a hoodie or something.”
“Sung-guk, it’s still your sister’s entrance ceremony… you should look sharp.”
“Tae-guk hyung, share that material with me. You keep yours. Let’s both dress sharp.”
Min-guk quickly interjected.
“Right, Sung-guk would look good even in pajamas, so women would like him anyway. Min-guk, let’s you and I dress sharp.”
“Sounds good!”
Secretary Yang approached us.
“CEO, you should pick out some nice clothes too.”
“Tae-guk hyung occasionally takes me to events and bought me suits, so I don’t need to buy new ones.”
“Looking at it this way, CEO, you’re really frugal. Chul-soo was saying that FaceNote is now a bigger company than Samjeon.”
“I only have stocks. I need to be careful to live well.”
I shrugged and picked out a few hoodies and jeans.
* * *
Jeon Ji-hee’s Seoul National University entrance ceremony finally arrived.
From dawn, Sam, Adam, and Jeon Tae-guk came and went from our home in a flurry of activity.
Sam and Adam also wanted to attend Ji-hee’s entrance ceremony, so they had even taken days off work.
That day, I put on the hoodie I’d bought at the department store.
Then Jeon Tae-guk threw a fit.
“Sung-guk! No way! Please wear a suit!”
“Hyung, it’s just a Seoul National University entrance ceremony. What’s the big deal?”
“There are going to be reporters everywhere today. You, me, and Min-guk need to show up in matching suits just like in The Godfather. Min-guk already agreed to coordinate with us.”
Wait.
I looked at Jeon Tae-guk with a puzzled expression.
“Hyung, why would there be reporters everywhere?”
Could it be…?
“Well… it’s my first time having someone close to me attend a Seoul National University entrance ceremony. So I invited some reporters to document the occasion.”
“But you’re not the one entering the university.”
“Sung-guk, do you know what’s funny about Korean people?”
I waited for Jeon Tae-guk’s next words.
“Even if they didn’t graduate from Seoul National University themselves, if their family member or acquaintance does, they feel like their own status rises. I didn’t graduate from Seoul National University. But my younger brother did. So people won’t think I’m stupid—they’ll think I just didn’t study hard enough.”
My eyes narrowed.
Jeon Tae-guk adjusted the collar of his jacket.
“Sung-guk, so the reason I’m being so careful today is all groundwork for my future. My friend went to Harvard. My friend’s younger brother goes to Seoul National University. There’s a saying about birds of a feather flocking together. People will think I must be someone special to be associated with such accomplished people.”
[A country bumpkin slowly becoming terrifying…]
The once-naive Jeon Tae-guk was now subtly exploiting me and my family.
It seemed I would need to keep a close eye on Jeon Tae-guk from now on.

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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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