I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 508

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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 508
At Diego’s words, Daniel and I were momentarily at a loss for words.
I had come here to acquire Don Julio.
Of course, my true intention was to buy Don Julio, hand it over to Jack Dorsey, and then acquire Twitter.
If I were to recklessly attempt to purchase Twitter right now, Jack Dorsey was the type of man who would undoubtedly demand an astronomical price.
I crossed my arms and fell into contemplation.
“Diego, but I’m curious about something. Don Julio’s financial situation is currently dire, isn’t it? It’s already been put on the market. To be honest, I don’t see many companies within Mexico capable of acquiring Don Julio.”
“Your assessment is likely correct, sir. The Mexican people are well aware that Don Julio’s management is incompetent. It’s a brand passed down through generations, but the current management is too busy launching other ventures with money earned from Don Julio. Still, if Don Julio is in danger of being sold, the people would likely contribute to the company to save it. To be frank, the Don Julio CEO putting the company on the market partly stems from exploiting that national sentiment.”
“So they’re trying to save the company and secure funds by exploiting the people’s sympathy.”
“That’s my analysis. There have been cases where Mexican companies have survived in this manner.”
The Don Julio CEO putting the company on the market was a form of performance.
Since it was a national brand, once news spread that it could be sold to foreign interests, the people would inevitably try to save Don Julio by any means necessary.
Moreover, by exploiting this sympathy, the political sphere could also provide various benefits.
If I were to recklessly acquire Don Julio in such circumstances, I could become the public enemy of Mexico.
And this situation would certainly impact the various social media platforms I operated.
“Hmm… Diego, would it be alright if I asked you for a favor?”
“What kind of favor?”
“As you mentioned, if a foreigner—especially someone like me, an Asian—were to buy Don Julio, the backlash would likely be substantial.”
“If it were even possible to buy it.”
His words implied that it might not be possible at all.
“Diego, in that case, I’d like to find a different approach.”
“I’ll help with whatever I can.”
“If you assist me well with this matter, I will certainly provide you with proper compensation.”
At my words, Diego’s expression showed slight surprise.
“However, if the deal doesn’t go through, there will be no compensation either.”
“Simply working and assisting you, sir, would be a great joy for me.”
“Diego, before I meet with the Don Julio CEO tomorrow at lunch, please uncover all of his weaknesses. Of course, we’ll investigate separately as well, but I need you to interpret it through the perspective of Mexican sentiment.”
“Don’t worry, sir. The thesis I’m preparing at business school is precisely about indigenous Mexican enterprises. In a way, Don Julio’s rise and fall follows the pattern that Mexican companies experience, so I’ve already collected substantial materials.”
Diego showed his enthusiasm.
“Then, Diego, teach me a Mexican toast for today. I’ll use it tomorrow.”
“Of course. Now, everyone raise your glasses.”
Diego raised a glass brimming with tequila.
“First, you shout ‘Arriba (up), Abajo (down), Al Centro (to the center), Adentro (inside)’ and then toss it back!”
Daniel and I followed Diego’s instruction, raising our glasses high and shouting.
“Arriba (up)! Abajo (down)! Al Centro (to the center)! Adentro (inside)!”
* * *
Daniel, whom I met at the Hotel Restaurant, was suffering from a hangover.
“Are you alright, sir?”
“I drank moderately yesterday.”
After Diego taught me the toast, I had several glasses of tequila, but I left early.
But Daniel seemed to have quite a bit of a hangover from spending time with Diego afterward.
“After the CEO left, I got caught up with Diego and drank quite a bit, so my stomach feels terrible.”
“Have a hearty breakfast. You’ll probably need to drink a little more at lunch too.”
“Sigh, yes… But CEO, did you really work yesterday as well?”
“I reviewed the financial documents on Don Julio’s status again. I also looked over the materials Diego sent late at night.”
“Diego is quite impressive.”
Daniel shook his head in disbelief.
“Daniel, stay sharp. This is dangerous Mexico, after all.”
“Yes, CEO!”
Daniel gulped down his coffee.
And I continued reviewing the documents.
Don Julio’s executives displayed the typical characteristics of corrupt managers.
The company carried substantial debt, and issues like wage theft had apparently surfaced recently.
The company’s welfare standards were abysmal.
Female employees were advised to resign upon marriage, and pregnant employees were openly reassigned to dead-end positions to force them out of the company.
Funneling money to politicians was a routine practice, and the CEO owned various real estate properties overseas.
I took a sip of coffee.
“Hmm… It seems like there’s something worth exposing here….”
“CEO, but a national enterprise isn’t something you usually touch. Do you see a weakness?”
“There are so many weaknesses it’s troublesome. If I find one that would provoke the resentment of Mexican citizens and expose it, that should work….”
I stood up abruptly from my seat.
“CEO, where are you going?”
“I need to revise the plan.”
“CEO, should we cancel today’s meeting with the Don Julio CEO?”
“No, we’ll proceed with today’s schedule as planned.”
I downed my coffee and headed to my hotel room.
I needed one person to rush to Mexico immediately.
* * *
I adjusted my hoodie while quietly reciting the toast Diego had taught me.
“Arriba! Abajo! Al centro! Adentro!”
Daniel looked at me with a worried expression from beside me.
“CEO, will this operation really work?”
“If it doesn’t work, there’s nothing we can do about it. But we have to try. That’s the only way we can buy Twitter at a lower price.”
I looked at Diego standing beside Daniel.
“Diego, while I have lunch with the Don Julio CEO, please find Stephanie Mayor.”
The moment Diego heard the name Stephanie Mayor, his eyes widened.
“CEO… Is she the one from my report…?”
“Yes, that’s right. The pregnant woman who worked at the Don Julio Factory. Due to difficult family circumstances, she continued working at the factory even after marriage, but the company kept reassigning her to dead-end positions because of her pregnancy, and she eventually miscarried.”
Diego had used her case as an example while sharply criticizing the problems current Mexican companies possessed.
“CEO, but… Don Julio covered up this woman’s case with money, so it didn’t become a major issue back then.”
“Yes, I understand. But the situation has changed now, hasn’t it?”
Diego stared at me with bewildered eyes.
“Diego, back then, poor laborers defended Stephanie, but now I’ve stepped forward. I, who have far more money than Don Julio.”
Still, Diego’s expression remained grim.
“CEO, no matter how much money you have or how much media you can buy… you won’t be able to control Mexico’s politicians.”
“Diego, don’t worry about that. Just find Stephanie for me. Leave the rest to me.”
“Yes, CEO.”
Diego left the Hotel Room with a troubled expression.
“CEO, isn’t Diego’s concern somewhat valid? It seems there are limits to what money can buy. This is Mexico, after all.”
“That’s why I called someone else. Someone from Mexico.”
“Really? Who is it?”
“You’ll see this evening. He’s flying in right now.”
* * *
The Don Julio CEO was a middle-aged Mexican man with a distinctive mustache.
He spoke fluent English.
“I graduated from university in the United States. It’s wonderful to meet you like this, CEO Jeon. I’m quite active on FaceNote myself. Don Julio’s marketing goes through there as well.”
“It’s truly an honor to meet the CEO of such a historically prestigious tequila company using FaceNote.”
“You’re as handsome and well-mannered as the rumors say.”
After exchanging brief pleasantries, we took our seats.
Though it was lunchtime, Don Julio tequila naturally graced the table.
I deliberately spoke a few awkward words of Mexican Spanish to win the Don Julio CEO’s favor.
“May I propose a toast? I learned it yesterday when I arrived in Mexico.”
“Of course!”
The Don Julio CEO readily accepted my proposal, and I shouted the toast Diego had taught me.
“Arriba! Abajo! Al centro! Adentro!”
“Perfect!”
The Don Julio CEO laughed brightly at my toast and downed the tequila in one gulp.
* * *
After a few glasses of tequila, the Don Julio CEO regarded me thoughtfully.
“Shall I try to guess why CEO Jeon wanted to meet me?”
“Do Mexicans have that ability too?”
“It’s an ability that comes with being Mexican, but I’ve also worked in this field for a long time. You might call it a businessman’s instinct….”
I nodded slightly.
“What reason do you suspect, CEO?”
“You want to buy Don Julio?”
“Hmm…. How did you know?”
“Rich businessmen who want to meet me always have obvious reasons. And what they want is equally obvious. Wealthy businessmen simply want to buy whatever they happen to like—liquor or soccer clubs. Am I right?”
I pretended to think for a moment, then shook my head.
“CEO, to be honest, I don’t like tequila.”
The Don Julio CEO looked slightly taken aback.
“You don’t like it?”
“That’s right. I don’t actually enjoy drinking tequila, and I have no particular desire to own the company either.”
“Then why would a busy executive like you travel all the way here from the United States just to meet with me?”
The Don Zio CEO revealed his true thoughts with the clumsiness of an inexperienced businessman.
“I’m not interested, but I happen to know someone who is very interested in the Don Zio company.”
The Don Zio CEO laughed loudly several times, then looked down at me with contempt.
“Jeon Tae-guk, stop playing word games. It looks like you’re trying to lowball me, but I’m not falling for that kind of trick. And while people say it’s a national company and can never be sold overseas, this is my company. If you offer enough, I’m willing to sell.”
“Hmm… I have no intention of buying Don Zio.”
“Jeon Tae-guk, are you messing with me right now? Are you?”
The Don Zio CEO’s expression turned menacing, and he stood up without hesitation.
“Jeon Tae-guk, you seem to be under a serious misunderstanding. In Mexico, you’re nothing but a foreigner. The notorious gangs here really love wealthy foreigners like you. The police are the same way.”
Finally, the Don Zio CEO revealed his true nature.
The fact that Don Zio’s management was connected to politics and gangs was far too obvious.
I drained the tequila in one gulp. Then I looked at the Don Zio CEO.
“Sir, there’s a Korean proverb called ‘a frog in a well.’ It means a frog living in a well thinks the well is the entire world. Just like you.”
“What did you say?!”
The Don Zio CEO erupted in anger.
The angrier he became, the calmer I grew.
“Don Zio will never be sold to a foreign company. The people won’t stand for it! And I guarantee you—I will never sell it to you!”
The Don Zio CEO shouted loudly and stormed out of his seat.
“Sir, that man seems very angry. What if he tries to harm us?”
“Don’t worry. I have more money than that man, and I know several people who can keep Mexico’s political circles in check. One of them is flying here right now.”
“Sir, who exactly is that person?”
Daniel asked with a worried expression.
I had made two phone calls this morning.
One was to Barack Obama, and the other was to Jeon Tae-guk.
“The person flying here right now is my older brother, Tae-guk.”
“Jeon Tae-guk? How can he keep Mexico’s political circles in check?”
“Mexico has a very large Samsung factory.”
I drained the remaining tequila in one gulp.

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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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