I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 495

—————

This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

—————

Chapter 495
Mark emerged from the office and noticed my dazed expression.
“Sung-guk, what’s with that face?”
“I gave Sam and Adam a raise. Two hundred percent.”
“Don’t tell me you’re upset about that?”
“No….”
“Then what?”
“I have this feeling that for Sam and Adam, marriage is more important than salary… and I’m wondering if I need to take responsibility for that too.”
Mark laughed and patted my back.
“Sung-guk, before Sam and Adam, there’s you. Since Emma Watson, you haven’t had a proper relationship, have you? The prom king of Phillips Academy being single… nobody would believe it.”
“Mark, you should spend your whole life grateful to Lim Mi-mi. If it weren’t for her, you’d be stuck working late at the company just like me.”
“Mi-mi is my savior. Sung-guk, even a total loser like me found a partner and I’m living happily. Somewhere in this world, there’s a woman who will save you too.”
“Mark, that sounds more like a curse, honestly.”
“Let’s just focus on work.”
Mark grinned and disappeared back into the office.
[Right, I should just focus on work.]
I searched for articles about TikTok that had been posted online.
– Barack Obama Challenge Crashes TikTok Servers!
– Who is the K-pop Group Sevens that Barack Obama Challenged?
– Sevens’ Title Track ‘Destiny’ Makes Historic Billboard Global Chart Debut!
Just as I’d predicted, Barack Obama was driving both TikTok and Sevens forward.
In a few years, Barack Obama might even be called the pioneer of K-pop.
* * *
Kim Mi-so showed her face in the office after a long time.
Since transferring to the marketing department, Kim Mi-so had been spending every moment adapting to her new duties.
On top of that, with Daniel now handling my secretary duties, I rarely saw her except when passing by in the company.
“CEO, it’s been a while since I’ve greeted you.”
“It has been a while, Kim Mi-so. How’s the work?”
“There’s still so much to learn. But my team members have been helping me well, so I think I’m adapting nicely.”
Kim Mi-so remained humble as always.
“What brings you by today?”
At that moment, Kim Mi-so’s expression became troubled.
“This isn’t really company business, but I felt I should ask for your understanding, CEO.”
A bad feeling crept over me.
Was this about Mi-jin?
“I heard that Mi-jin will be visiting CEO Jeon Tae-guk’s home this weekend. There’s also a small party planned for Saturday night.”
My bad premonition was never wrong.
“Why would Kim Mi-so be concerned about that?”
“Mi-jin’s current secretary is someone I went through training with at Samjeon. She came all the way to New York to handle Mi-jin’s affairs, but she’s getting married next month. However, Mi-jin suddenly started changing her schedule around, so she couldn’t even go see her wedding dress. She was complaining about it, so I wanted to help if it’s not too much trouble.”
I smoothed out my furrowed brow and asked.
“Is Secretary Kim Mi-so a good person? Or….”
“You’re asking if she’s foolish, aren’t you?”
“Not quite that far.”
“Well, that’s a relief then.”
Kim Mi-so smiled faintly and continued.
“I’ve known that friend since my days at Samsung, so I understand her character well. I’ve actually received help from her many times while working as your secretary. I’d like to treat this party as a small wedding gift and handle the arrangements on her behalf.”
“The party is on the weekend, and your personal time is your own—I won’t interfere.”
“I’ll prepare everything during the week so it doesn’t disrupt work.”
“You don’t need to ask my permission for something like this, Secretary Kim Mi-so.”
“But you’ll be attending the party anyway, won’t you?”
I hadn’t confirmed my attendance yet, but since the party was being held at my neighbor Jeon Tae-guk’s house, I had no choice but to go.
“I’m telling you in advance so you won’t be surprised when you see me there.”
“Understood. But… why is Jeon Mi-jin throwing a party here at Tae-guk’s place instead of in New York? Your counterpart should know the reason.”
“Well….”
Kim Mi-so hesitated for a moment before smiling.
I was seeing Kim Mi-so look flustered multiple times today.
“Apparently, Miss Mi-jin recently opened an Instagrim account, and she’s been getting upset frequently about having few followers. Since she’s the daughter of the Samjeon Family but hasn’t had the best image so far, it seems she wants to hold a party here to post photos with celebrities and influential people.”
I began mentally drawing the character for patience.
She’s coming all the way to Silicon Valley just to throw a party to increase her Instagrim followers?
“CEO, please don’t be too upset. Miss Mi-jin’s efforts to increase her Instagrim followers are also connected to her future fashion business venture, so it’s not purely a personal matter.”
[That clothing business will fail! I know it will!]
I shouted inwardly, though it was pointless.
It was a classic case of failure—lacking any creativity whatsoever, she’d be copying luxury brands with cheap materials and competing on lower prices, which would inevitably collapse.
“I’m not angry. I’m simply at a loss for words. Please proceed with the party without disrupting work.”
“Yes, CEO.”
* * *
From Saturday morning onward, numerous vehicles began arriving in front of Jeon Tae-guk’s house.
They were vehicles from the companies handling party decorations and catering.
As a result, Jeon Tae-guk and Lee Kyung-soo had taken refuge at my home.
“Anyway, I don’t like what Jeon Mi-jin is doing….”
Jeon Tae-guk had been in quite a foul mood since yesterday. He likes parties, but he dislikes Jeon Mi-jin.
Moreover, she’d arbitrarily decided to hold the party at his house, and he’d been unable to sleep in on Saturday morning, putting him even more on edge.
At that moment, Ji-hee emerged from her room with a bag slung over her shoulder.
Ji-hee was dressed casually and carried a sports bag across her body.
“Ji-hee, you’re coming to the party tonight, right?”
“Mi-jin unnie contacted me directly and insisted I come. When I said no, she promised to donate ten thousand dollars in my name just for attending, so I decided to go.”
“Ten thousand dollars? That’s about ten million won! Wherever CEO Jeon Sung-guk or Ji-hee go, money follows. I should have said no too.”
Lee Kyung-soo marveled.
“Even if you said no, Mi-jin wouldn’t bat an eye.”
“True enough….”
Lee Kyung-soo’s face twisted into a bitter smile at Jeon Tae-guk’s words.
After Ji-hee left, Jeon Tae-guk asked me to follow his newly created Instagrim account.
Everyone was gradually shifting away from FaceNote and toward Instagrim.
A single photograph was beginning to replace lengthy prose as the medium of emotion. The tide of social media trends was turning.
“Sung-guk, follow me back. You have to—it’ll boost my follower count like crazy. But… I can’t find your Instagrim account anywhere.”
“That’s because I haven’t created one, so it doesn’t exist.”
“Sung-guk, that’s ridiculous! The CEO of Instagrim doesn’t have an Instagrim account?!”
Lee Kyung-soo stared at me in shock as well.
“CEO, you should create one right away.”
“I’ll think about it.”
I drained my coffee in one long gulp.
[If I start using Instagrim, the world will go absolutely insane again.]
* * *
Jeon Mi-jin rang the doorbell to my home—not Jeon Tae-guk’s house—just after lunch ended. Secretary Kim Mi-so was with her.
“What brings you here?”
“That’s my line. Why are you here?”
“Because you’ve been so busy with party preparations that I can’t even rest at home!”
True to form, the close siblings immediately began bickering the moment they saw each other.
Jeon Mi-jin briefly dismissed Jeon Tae-guk and walked straight toward me.
“Sung-guk, you’re coming to the party with Ji-hee today, right? I brought some clothes for you to wear.”
“What about me?”
Jeon Tae-guk interjected from the side, poking his head forward.
“You have plenty of clothes. Wear whatever you want.”
“Sung-guk has plenty too.”
“I’m here as a sponsor!”
A sponsor?
“Sung-guk, I’ve been really interested in this designer lately… these are from their brand. They’re a new designer, but they’re really good. They’ll look perfect on you and Ji-hee.”
My brow furrowed.
“Jeon Mi-jin, I’m not interested in sponsorships. Ji-hee and I will wear our own clothes to the party.”
“Can’t you just wear them? I can pay you however much you want.”
[Jeon Mi-jin, this is America. The chaebol tactics that work in Korea don’t work here.]
I could see Lee Kyung-soo barely suppressing a laugh, while Jeon Tae-guk let out a long sigh.
“Mi-jin, read the room. This is Silicon Valley. And in case you didn’t know, Sung-guk has more money than either of us now. Throwing money around to assert dominance doesn’t work here.”
For a moment, I looked at Jeon Tae-guk again.
[Is the fool actually reading the situation and understanding his place correctly?]
At Jeon Tae-guk’s words, Jeon Mi-jin crossed her arms with a pouty expression.
“I love this designer so much that I promised them I’d get CEO Jeon Sung-guk and his younger sister to wear their clothes, so I brought them here.”
“What do you gain if Ji-hee and I wear this designer’s clothes?”
“Well… this designer has a lot of Instagrim followers. They agreed to follow me back, and later, when I start my fashion business, they promised to help me.”
[Sigh… how pathetic can this get.]
Jeon Mi-jin often seemed unsure of who she really was.
“Mi-jin, what’s that designer’s name?”
“Alexa Max. Look her up. She’s a rising designer in New York these days.”
“Mi-jin, are you really cowering in front of some up-and-coming designer when you’re the daughter of Samjeon?”
My words made Jeon Mi-jin flinch.
“What do you mean, Sung-guk….”
“You’re the daughter of the Samjeon family. Your family is the richest in South Korea and among the wealthiest in the world. Yet you’re groveling before a designer who’s barely made a name for herself? Please, if you’re going to be the daughter of Samjeon, act like it. Why are you begging that designer to dress me and Ji-hee? You’re someone who could buy that designer’s entire brand.”
In that moment, Jeon Mi-jin’s eyes reddened with tears.
“I… I don’t even understand why I’m like this. People don’t want to be around me, so I end up begging every time. I spend so much money, but I don’t have a single real friend….”
True to being Jeon Tae-guk’s sister, she had inherited the same rock-bottom self-esteem.
“Mi-jin, from now on, act properly as the daughter of Samjeon. Don’t try to befriend people—stand above them instead. Once you’re born into a chaebol family, making genuine friends is harder than entering heaven.”
This was something my grandfather, Jeon Ju-shin, the first chairman of the late Samjeon, had once told me.
For someone born into a chaebol family, obtaining true friendship was nearly impossible.
That’s why he had told me as a child that I must reign above them, or else I would be used.
I handed Jeon Mi-jin a tissue.
“Wipe your tears. If you want a designer, don’t beg them—make them come looking for you. Ji-hee and I won’t be wearing these clothes today. And neither will you.”
“Okay. I understand, Sung-guk.”
Jeon Mi-jin quickly turned to Secretary Kim Mi-so.
“Secretary Kim, can you find out where we can shop for dresses around here?”
“Miss, let’s head out right away.”
Secretary Kim Mi-so took Jeon Mi-jin and left.
Jeon Tae-guk approached me with a slightly stiffened expression.
“Sung-guk, sometimes I think you resemble our father… but you really do resemble Grandfather too. What you just told Mi-jin is exactly what Grandfather told me.”
My life had changed, but Chairman Jeon Ju-shin’s wisdom had not.
Jeon Tae-guk continued.
“The truth is, both Mi-jin and I grew up under such an accomplished father that we both have rock-bottom self-esteem. Even with all the money and power in our hands, we’re always craving people’s affection… but when I’m with you, I realize how futile that really is. People ultimately only want one thing from Mi-jin and me….”
Jeon Tae-guk smiled bitterly.
“But being with you, it’s strange—I keep realizing who I am, how I should live. It seems Mi-jin had a small awakening of that today too….”
I looked at Jeon Tae-guk.
Both Jeon Tae-guk and Jeon Mi-jin had been annoying younger siblings in my previous life.
Still, only if they grew properly would my own heart feel a little lighter. As someone who had once been part of the Samjeon family.
I patted Jeon Tae-guk’s shoulder.
“Brother, shall we enjoy tonight’s party?”
“Sounds good!”
I was beginning to look forward to tonight’s party.

—————

This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

—————