I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 469

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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 469
Secretary Kim Mi-so fell silent for a moment, as if lost in thought.
[I need to take the initiative here.]
I quickly continued speaking.
“Secretary Kim, this is work. You’ll be following my schedule throughout the Cannes Film Festival anyway, so let’s go together.”
“CEO…”
Secretary Kim Mi-so’s voice when addressing me carried a slightly darker tone.
“Are you… using me? Because of Emma Watson?”
“Hmm… to be precise, it’s not because of Emma Watson, but because of the media. Once the press sees me and Emma Watson together on the red carpet, they’ll inevitably try to connect us again no matter what.”
“I understand. I’ll prepare accordingly. Walking the red carpet at Cannes is an honor in itself, CEO.”
Secretary Kim Mi-so bowed and left.
But something felt off.
Did Secretary Kim Mi-so truly view this as mere work? Or…
I shook my head.
The words Teacher Lee of Samcheong-dong had spoken came to mind.
Until I settle all the karmic debts of this life, romance is absolutely forbidden! Marriage is absolutely forbidden!
* * *
– CEO Jeon Sung-guk’s first production and investment film “The Whip” invited to the non-competition section of Cannes Film Festival! The film industry is watching CEO Jeon Sung-guk’s unstoppable momentum!
– Global media is closely watching whether CEO Jeon Sung-guk and Emma Watson will meet on the red carpet.
The life of a celebrity truly is…
The aspect I struggled most to adapt to in this life was the invasion of privacy.
Of course, in my previous life, the media also gossiped about my marriage and conflicts, but they didn’t scrutinize every single meeting like this. And certainly not on a global scale!
Creak. Creak. Creak. Creak.
The terrifying sound of the front door opening announced Jeon Tae-guk’s arrival.
“Sung-guk, are you all set?”
“Can’t I just wear something I already have?”
“A black suit is standard for the Cannes red carpet. It’s a festival rule, so you have to follow it.”
[I know that already…]
To stand on the Cannes red carpet, men had to wear suits and women had to wear dresses.
“Sun-hee is bringing you, Ji-hee, and Secretary Kim. She’s paying for all the outfits you’ll wear to Cannes. She even sent a car for Secretary Kim Mi-so and Ji-hee to come together.”
“But hyung… I’m curious about something.”
“What are you curious about?”
“You and Sun-hee’s family weren’t exactly close to begin with, were you?”
“I told you before. Our fathers are enemies, but Sun-hee and I get along fine.”
In my previous life, Sun-hee and I weren’t particularly close either.
We weren’t enemies, but I’d say we were awkward when we met.
“And once I inherit Samjeon, I want to build a closer relationship with Sun-hee. Our fields are different anyway, so we could help each other out. With her broadcasting station and films, we could do Samsung product placements and such…”
[He’s improving bit by bit. A dog at a village school learning to read?]
Jeon Tae-guk was developing gradually with each passing day.
I finished the remaining coffee and stood up from my seat.
“Let’s head out, Sung-guk. Oh, and I have a partner for the Red Carpet this time.”
“Who?”
“Secretary Kim Mi-so. We’re planning to walk the Red Carpet together. That’s why we’re going together.”
In that moment, Jeon Tae-guk’s eyes narrowed as he looked at me with a mischievous grin.
“Sung-guk… don’t tell me…”
“It’s purely business. When I meet Emma Watson on the Red Carpet, it’s better if things feel less awkward. And if we both have partners, the media might be more subdued about it.”
“Sung-guk, I’m not stupid enough to miss that. But aren’t you using your secretary a bit too much? That’s what I was going to ask about. Though you seem pretty flustered right now.”
“Me? Flustered? When was I flustered? I just thought you might read too much into it.”
“I see… Anyway, I’ll wait for Sun-hee. Let’s go.”
Jeon Tae-guk left with an unreadable expression.
* * *
We arrived not at the usual Samjeon Department Store, but at an upscale boutique in Cheongdam-dong.
As the door opened, Jeon Sun-hee, who had been sipping champagne since morning, greeted us enthusiastically.
“CEO Jeon! Do you get more handsome every time I see you?”
“You’re too kind.”
“I’m here too, you know.”
“You’re always the same, Tae-guk. That’s your charm.”
“Noona, I’ve been dieting a lot now, so I don’t fall short anywhere.”
“Tae-guk, no matter how much you diet or dress yourself head to toe in luxury brands, you’ll always be overshadowed standing next to the CEO. You know that’s why you stick with him, right?”
“Noona, give me a glass of champagne too. I’m burning up inside.”
Jeon Sun-hee smiled and handed me a glass of champagne.
I scanned the boutique briefly.
Though I’m not particularly fond of shopping, it was clearly a curated boutique selling luxury brands from around the world. There were many brands rarely seen domestically.
Soon, Ji-hee and Secretary Kim Mi-so arrived as well.
The moment Jeon Sun-hee saw Ji-hee, her eyes lit up.
“Ji-hee, it’s been so long.”
“Noona, how have you been?”
“I’ve missed you so much. Ji-hee, that photo from your Seoul National University entrance went viral online. How is that photo even art… Really, this family should debut in entertainment. Ji-hee, if studying gets too hard, want to try acting?”
“Noona, not just anyone can become an actor. I find studying easier.”
“How does our Ji-hee speak so eloquently…”
Jeon Sun-hee was still utterly smitten with Ji-hee.
I quietly approached Secretary Kim Mi-so.
“Jeon Sun-hee really likes Ji-hee.”
“If I had a younger sister like Ji-hee, I’d adore her too.”
“That message you and Tae-guk sent me thanking me last time—you made him send it, didn’t you?”
“No comment.”
Secretary Kim Mi-so smiled knowingly.
Secretary Kim Mi-so’s greatest strength was that she couldn’t lie. “No comment” meant yes.
“Hey, why are those two whispering over there?”
Jeon Sun-hee handed a glass of champagne to Secretary Kim Mi-so.
“Hello. I’m Secretary Kim Mi-so, CEO Jeon Sung-guk’s secretary.”
“I’ve heard a lot about you. Tae-guk mentioned you were originally a secretary at Samjeon?”
“Yes, I was assigned to Mi-jin.”
“That must have been exhausting.”
“Not at all. Mi-jin is actually quite kind on a personal level.”
“We all know that already, so….”
Secretary Kim Mi-so accepted the champagne Jeon Sun-hee offered and smiled ambiguously.
“By the way, Mi-jin will be coming to Cannes too. Tae-guk, you got the call, right?”
“Yes, I got it, but Mi-jin and I won’t run into each other.”
“You two should try to get along better as siblings.”
“That’s impossible in the Samjeon Family. You’re not close with Jae-jin either, are you?”
“True enough….”
Jeon Jae-jin was Jeon Sun-hee’s older brother.
But their paths rarely crossed at any events.
* * *
While we sipped champagne, a renowned stylist entered and began showing us suits and dresses.
“I’m going with Gucci. You know I’m a Gucci fanatic.”
“The new Gucci designer hasn’t been impressing me much….”
Jeon Tae-guk selected his usual favorite Gucci from among the various options, and the moment I saw Tom Ford’s suit—from a designer who had left Gucci to start his own brand—I chose it immediately.
“CEO, your eye for fashion is truly exceptional.”
Jeon Sun-hee seemed to admire my taste.
[CEO Sun-hee, I was a tycoon in my past life too. I wore these brands all the time….]
There was another reason I’d chosen my outfit so quickly.
I had something I wanted to discuss with Jeon Sun-hee.
“CEO, will you be hosting a party at Cannes again this year?”
“Of course.”
Jeon Sun-hee took a sip of champagne and lifted the corner of her mouth slightly.
“CEO, there’s a reason you came to this gathering today, isn’t there?”
“Perhaps a little.”
“As expected, our CEO never makes a move without purpose. Sometimes, watching you like this, I think you resemble Uncle more than Tae-guk does.”
Jeon Sun-hee’s uncle was none other than Jeon Jae-hyung, Jeon Tae-guk’s father.
“So, what do you want? Of course, we’ll invite you to our party.”
“There’s a drama that aired in the United States recently that’s been getting a lot of buzz.”
“Hmm… which one?”
“House of Cards.”
“Ah, that American drama? I enjoyed it too. Would you like me to introduce you to the director or writer?”
“I appreciate that, but I’m actually interested in meeting the production company behind it.”
“The production company?”
“Netflix.”
Jeon Sun-hee tilted her head thoughtfully.
“You mean that streaming site company?”
“Yes. I heard they’re coming to Cannes this time too. I was hoping we could arrange a meeting.”
“CEO Jeon, are you asking me to invite the Netflix CEO right now?”
“Only if you haven’t already.”
I smiled faintly and took a sip of champagne.
“It seems like I haven’t. There’s still time before Cannes, so I’ll send an invitation through my secretary. But CEO Jeon, are you interested in Netflix too?”
“I’ve always been interested in new things. Movies and TV are outdated media now, after all.”
“That kind of thinking is what made you the king of social media. Is there anything else you want?”
Jeon Sun-hee asked directly.
That was her nature. She asked without hesitation, and if she liked something, she would push for it endlessly.
“Director Bong Joon-ho is going to Cannes this time too.”
“Yes, he’ll definitely come to our party. We’ve already signed a contract for his next project.”
“I was thinking it might be worth connecting that project with Netflix.”
“With Netflix?”
Jeon Sun-hee tilted her head at this point.
Director Bong Joon-ho was simply a director with box office power.
It didn’t seem like there was any reason for such a director to work with a streaming site.
“People always want to consume new content. From running YouTube, I’ve noticed that people are increasingly tired of having to adjust their schedules to watch dramas. Consuming content whenever I want, whatever I want to watch, wherever I want—that model seems promising for the future.”
“That sounds like you’re saying the end of movie theaters and TV is coming soon.”
“The end is too grand a word. Every industry has its harsh seasons.”
Jeon Sun-hee drank her champagne in one go.
“Fine. Let’s arrange a proper meeting at Cannes. Director Bong Joon-ho, Netflix, and you will all be there together.”
“Thank you.”
I expressed my gratitude respectfully.
Director Bong Joon-ho’s next project would be released on Netflix.
It’s a work Netflix is investing effort into for their Korean expansion, but they won’t see much profit from it. However, Netflix’s real leap comes after that.
When the world stops because of COVID and people fear leaving their homes, Netflix will take flight with wings.
Of course, CEO Jeon Sun-hee will play the role of connecting me with Netflix, but she won’t invest in Netflix herself.
That was the inevitable habit of Korean conglomerates who feared taking risks.
Just then, Ji-hee and Secretary Kim Mi-so emerged from finishing their dress fittings.
Ji-hee had chosen a cute dress befitting her young age, while Secretary Kim Mi-so had chosen a simple black dress that matched her personality.
And my gaze stopped on Secretary Kim Mi-so.
“Absolutely stunning! Ji-hee and Secretary Kim! You both look perfect!”
Jeon Sun-hee cheered.
* * *
May in Cannes was magical.
Pleasantly warm weather. Sunlight pouring down. And crowds of people everywhere. And photographers eager to capture celebrities.
Dennis, Secretary Kim Mi-so, Ji-hee, and I were riding in a limousine toward the Red Carpet venue.
Dennis was so nervous that his leg bounced incessantly.
I firmly gripped Dennis’s knee.
“Dennis, don’t be nervous.”
“Sung-guk, I’m not made of steel like you are.”
“Once it’s over and we hit the party, you’ll feel a lot better.”
“Sigh… I wish that moment would come already.”
And finally, the limousine arrived at the Red Carpet.
The Staff Member signaled that it was our turn to exit, and the limousine door swung open.
I extended my hand to Secretary Kim Mi-so.
“Secretary Kim, shall we walk the Red Carpet?”
“Yes, CEO.”
Secretary Kim Mi-so gripped my hand firmly.

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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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