I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 54

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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 54
Jeon Jae-hyung didn’t avoid my gaze either.
I smiled faintly. Children’s smiles are always helpful.
But Jeon Jae-hyung didn’t budge an inch.
“Chairman, wouldn’t it be better to seek advice from experts?”
“Perhaps. I just have too much on my mind these days, so I asked.”
“However….”
I paused to collect myself. Simply letting it go didn’t sit right with my nature either.
“Samsung Automotive’s financial structure isn’t looking good. Especially in times like these, it’s only deteriorating further. If you’re going to sell it anyway, I’d boldly move to settle it quickly if I were you. A spoiled fruit will only delay its decay in the refrigerator, not prevent it.”
I felt Jeon Jae-hyung’s eyes sharpen. He paused for a moment, then smiled slightly.
‘A spoiled fruit will only delay its decay in the refrigerator, not prevent it….’
It was the first time he’d heard such a metaphor.
“Now then, let’s eat. I’ve made things difficult for everyone during mealtime for no reason.”
[Phew.]
I finally let out a breath of relief.
I shifted the conversation back to Jeon Jae-hyung and Father.
“Your bossam is truly delicious, Father.”
“I learned the recipe from the bossam restaurant where I used to work.”
Father seemed overwhelmed by the tycoon’s compliment.
Jeon Jae-hyung suddenly scratched his temple with his right ring finger as if remembering something.
[That habit of yours hasn’t changed, Jeon Jae-hyung.]
It was a habit he had whenever an idea came to mind.
“This is just a thought, but if I were in your position, I might have considered opening a chain restaurant.”
“A chain restaurant?”
“There are various chains even now, but consumers will increasingly trust and visit chain restaurants managed by headquarters that guarantee quality. Your bossam is certainly recognized for its taste. With proper investment, I think a nationwide chain is entirely feasible.”
Jeon Jae-hyung truly had the bearing of an entrepreneur.
At that moment, Jeon Jae-hyung stared directly at me.
[Why is he looking at me like that?]
My entire body went rigid.
My right ring finger was scratching my temple!
Awkwardly, I slowly lowered my hand beneath the table. I’d been careless. I too had the habit of scratching around my temple when lost in thought, just like Jeon Jae-hyung.
Jeon Jae-hyung smiled wryly and handed something to Mother.
It looked like a memo written on a small slip of paper.
“Our family visits a fortune teller every year for New Year’s readings. I’ve made a reservation under Sung-guk’s name, so feel free to visit whenever you’d like.”
[Could it be Samcheongdong?]
Mother accepted the slip with a bewildered expression.
“Where is this place?”
“It’s not anything strange—it’s a renowned fortune teller. As you know, when we hire people for key positions at our company, we also consider their physiognomy and birth charts. This is someone we consult regularly. Since Sung-guk is starting elementary school and you’re both running a business, why don’t you go for fun and get a reading?”
“I’ve never had anything like this done before.”
Mother’s bewilderment was evident.
Father answered with a smile instead.
“Thank you so much for going to such lengths. I’ll enjoy reading the fortune prediction for the new year.”
I watched Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung, whose smile was enigmatic.
[Something feels off about this….]
* * *
Samcheongdong.
I stepped into the familiar alley.
Samcheongdong in the new year of 1998 was the quintessential quiet Seoul neighborhood.
A few old establishments were visible.
[Is that the famous Sujebi Restaurant…. As if flour is something so remarkable. Tsk, tsk, tsk.]
As Samcheongdong became somewhat well-known, I had seen crowds of people lined up in front of this place. Now it simply looked like a charming neighborhood restaurant.
“Sung-guk, shall we go to that restaurant with Father?”
[Father, I’ll pass on the sujebi. My belly seems to be getting rounder lately because of all the flour.]
Caught by Father’s hand, I was already heading toward the Sujebi Restaurant. Mother, holding Min-guk, followed behind.
“Honey, are you getting sujebi?”
“This place really seems like a hidden gem. The aroma of anchovy broth wafting from far away is incredible.”
Father entered the sujebi restaurant as if entranced.
Mother, Min-guk, and I had no choice but to sit at a table in the corner of the restaurant.
The menu was simple.
Only sujebi and potato pancakes.
“Three servings of sujebi and one order of potato pancakes, please.”
As Father placed the order, the Restaurant Ajumma with round eyes approached with a smile.
“Our portions are generous. Since the children are still young, just order two servings of sujebi and one potato pancake to share.”
“But there are four of us.”
“Oh my, the children are still so little. They won’t eat much anyway.”
[Ajumma, I eat more than you do.]
I pressed my lips together.
“Then, two servings of sujebi and one potato pancake, please.”
“Yes, but isn’t this child the one who appeared on TV long ago? With those singers. Am I right?”
“He did appear when he was very young. You remember?”
Mother asked in return.
“Your face hasn’t changed at all. Oh my, oh my. Just a moment.”
The Restaurant Ajumma relayed the order to the kitchen and quickly brought a pen and paper to the table.
“Could you give me an autograph? We do get talent here from time to time, but this is the first time someone this famous has visited.”
[Sigh, I don’t sign autographs just anywhere.]
As I furrowed my brow, Father gave me a subtle nudge in the ribs.
“Sung-guk, go ahead and do it.”
“I’ll give you free sujebi in exchange for your autograph.”
[So, free food…. With my signature, this place will become a pilgrimage site.]
I picked up the pen and signed with a flourish.
“My goodness, how does such a young child write so well?”
“I’m eight years old now.”
I stated my age to drive the point home, then flashed a bright smile. I’d never met an ajumma who could resist my smile.
“You’ve grown so much already. Time really does fly with other people’s children. Just wait a moment—I’ll bring the sujebi right away.”
Her instruction to make the sujebi generous enough reached our table.
“Thanks to Sung-guk, Dad saved some money, so I’ll buy you ice cream later.”
“Yay!”
“Honey, Min-guk and I want ice cream too!”
“Alright.”
Soon the sujebi and potato pancakes arrived.
True to the ajumma’s word, the sujebi was generous.
As I hesitated with my spoon, Father quickly transferred some sujebi to a smaller plate and blew on it gently.
“Sung-guk, it’s hot, so blow on it like Dad does before eating.”
[I’m not particularly fond of this common food, but I’ll eat it out of respect for Father’s effort.]
I pushed a cooled piece of sujebi into my mouth.
My eyes flew wide open in an instant.
What on earth is this taste?!
I quickly put another piece of sujebi in my mouth.
The umami-rich broth paired with a texture even softer than jjajangmyeon noodles melted down my throat.
Before I knew it, I was eating sujebi without even pausing to breathe.
“Sung-guk, eat slowly.”
[Mother, don’t interrupt me. I’ve never tasted anything like this before.]
Min-guk was equally engrossed, devouring his sujebi with fervor.
Father’s low chuckle echoed.
“Looks like both Sung-guk and Min-guk really love the sujebi.”
“Honey, let’s eat the potato pancakes. Let the boys have the sujebi.”
“Sure.”
Mother and Father focused on their potato pancakes, watching Min-guk and me discover the taste of sujebi for the first time.
“Honey, I think you’re really going to do well in the food business. You spotted this place at first glance.”
“So-young, I’ve been in the food business for years now. And you know what Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung said last time?”
[People gossip about their superiors behind their backs, yet Father uses such formal language. What’s that about?]
Father and Mother were genuinely kind people through and through.
“What did he say?”
“He suggested I try franchising the bossam restaurant.”
I paused with a piece of sujebi in my mouth and listened intently to Father’s words.
Unlike Mother, Father lacked flexibility, but he was genuinely passionate about food. However, he didn’t harbor the ambition to expand business on a large scale.
“Honey, have you really thought about it?”
“Not yet. We’ve only just become known in our neighborhood…. But I think it wouldn’t be bad to entertain such a dream.”
It was the first time I’d heard the word “dream” come from Father’s lips.
Did fathers have dreams too?
In my previous life, Father Jeon Jae-hyung, the vice chairman, had strived to inherit the Samjeon Group—and he succeeded. Yet no one ever asked him whether becoming the heir to Samjeon Group was his dream, or if he harbored different aspirations. The same held true for me.
In this life, I had never asked Father about his own dreams either. I simply assumed his role was to feed the family.
“So-young, times are tough with the IMF crisis right now. Honestly, bossam is a premium dish, so our sales have dropped considerably.”
Father spoke plainly about the current situation. His bossam restaurant, which primarily operated on delivery, had generated substantial profits through word-of-mouth, but the IMF crisis had severely diminished sales.
“If Sung-guk hadn’t insisted back then and we hadn’t bought the shop, we’d be struggling terribly with rent and commissions. So I’ve been thinking lately… Seoul has plenty of single-person households and newlyweds, so what if we created single-serving or two-person sets? Bossam requires a lot of hands-on preparation, so families with fewer members find it bothersome to make.”
While I listened to Father’s thoughts, Min-guk’s spoon made a beeline toward my plate.
Clack! I quickly blocked Min-guk’s spoon.
The little rascal was already eyeing his empty bowl, his mouth watering. Then he looked at me with the most pitiful expression in the world.
“Wheeee.”
[Playing the victim, are you? Look at that belly of yours, Jeon Min-guk.]
“Wheeee. Min-guk hungry.”
[Sigh… what a troublesome little brother. Go ahead, eat.]
I quietly pushed my plate toward Min-guk.
“Min-guk, you shouldn’t steal your older brother’s food.”
“Hyung, can Min-guk eat this?”
“Yes.”
I set down my spoon with dignity.
[So this is what it means to be an older brother in a struggling household….]
I swallowed bitterly.
“Honey, should I order one more serving of sujebi?”
“Mother, I’m full.”
I answered with composure. Father’s sales and net profits had been cut in half because of the IMF crisis—I had no appetite for another serving.
“Sung-guk, you can eat more.”
“No. Sung-guk is full.”
Father insisted, but I shook my head.
“Father.”
“What is it, Sung-guk?”
“From now on, single-person households will become the mainstream. Fewer people will have children too. So… Father’s idea is absolutely brilliant!”
I gave him a thumbs up.
“Really, Sung-guk?”
“Yes! Abroad, people already eat alone all the time. Our country will be the same soon. From watching economic news, everyone says the economy is struggling, so people aren’t getting married, and even living alone is difficult.”
I conveniently used economic news as my excuse.
In the future, single-person and two-person households will truly become the norm rather than family units. For them, buying prepared food is far more economical than cooking at home.
“That’s right. Lately, people looking for smaller portions of bossam keep increasing. If you watch the customers taking it out carefully, quite a few look like young students.”
“Honey, you’ve been observing that too?”
“The IMF has cut our sales, but it’s given me more time to brainstorm and analyze various things.”
Father wasn’t just skilled at cooking—he had a keen sense for the food business as well.
“So-young, do we really need to visit a fortune teller or whatever? We have such a clever Sung-guk right here.”
“Chairman Jeon already made an appointment for us, so we should go.”
“Understood.”
“Ugh.”
Min-guk beside me drained every last drop of the sujebi broth and let out a loud belch. Then, embarrassed by his own rudeness, he clapped his hands and laughed at himself.
[Sigh, this lump of trouble….]
I patted Min-guk’s back three times.
Min-guk picked up on the signal quickly and stood up from his seat.
In any case, in this life, Min-guk was sharper and more perceptive than Tae-guk. These were the virtues a child from a poor family needed to possess.
* * *
As we walked through the garden of an old traditional hanok house in Samcheongdong, an elegant hanok came into view.
A young man dressed in a hanbok greeted us.
“Master Lee is waiting for you.”
“Ah, yes.”
Father answered with an awkward expression and glanced slightly at Mother.
“So-young, this doesn’t look like a fortune teller’s place.”
“Mi-young unnie said that this place isn’t somewhere you can just book an appointment at, no matter how much money you have.”
“I’m nervous.”
“Honey, hold my hand.”
Mother gripped Father’s hand firmly.
Their romantic dynamic was becoming increasingly apparent to me.
A timid father and a bold mother. When I had the chance, I’d have to dig into their love story someday. Now that I was eight years old, I felt I could understand such things.
Following the young man inside, we entered a large room within the hanok.
There sat Master Lee, dressed in an immaculate hanbok. Despite being past sixty, her hair—streaked with gray—was undyed, yet it didn’t appear unkempt. Her eyes bore many wrinkles, and at first glance, she almost resembled a Buddhist nun.
Master Lee’s gaze swept across Mother’s, Father’s, and Min-guk’s faces in an instant. Then, finally, she looked at me. Her lips curved in a smile, but her eyes were piercing.
[Master Lee, it’s been a while. I’m Jeon Sung-guk, Chairman.]

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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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