I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 87

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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 87
Father’s car had changed.
It wasn’t an old, beat-up used vehicle—it was a brand-new domestic SUV he’d recently purchased.
“Wow! Dad!”
I quickly examined the car from every angle.
[Jeon Sung-guk, calm down. Are you really getting emotional over a domestic SUV?]
Despite my inner thoughts, I found myself genuinely excited, inspecting the vehicle from top to bottom.
“Dad, this is so cool.”
“Right? Your dad made a big decision buying this. Our family is five people now, after all. When we go on trips, we can all fit in this car.”
For the first time in a while, I felt my shoulders bouncing with joy.
“Dad, where are we going today?”
Father was loading several boxes into the trunk.
“Oh, to your dad’s hometown. Your mom needs to watch Min-guk and Ji-hee, so let’s just go quickly—just you and me.”
Dad’s hometown?
Then that place must be…
* * *
A sign reading 【Seochon Orphanage】 appeared in the distance.
Father’s hometown was the orphanage itself.
Mother and Father had been making small donations to the orphanage over the years. However, since they had to open the restaurant every day, they hadn’t been able to visit in person until now.
“Sung-guk, your dad’s restaurant has quite a few employees working there now.”
“Dad, how many?”
“Two of them! So now your dad can take days like this to visit his hometown. Ah, it feels good.”
A smile never left Father’s face.
He must have endured plenty of ridicule growing up in the orphanage and carried many wounds, yet he still spoke fondly of it as his hometown.
“Sung-guk, this is where your dad and mom grew up, so you must never forget it. When you grow up and good things happen to you, you need to help the people here a lot.”
“Yes, Dad!”
I answered loudly.
[Dad, of course. I’m going to donate a lot. I’m going to make a ton of money. Donations are tax deductible anyway.]
Father reached over and gently stroked my head with one hand.
“Sung-guk, it really feels like both your mom and I have had our lives changed since you were born into our family.”
[Dad, are you trying to get emotional again?]
One of Father’s biggest weaknesses was that whenever his emotions welled up, he’d bring up old stories and tell them again and again.
Usually, those stories began with my birth.
Of course, my birth was special, but hearing it every time we visited was starting to get tedious.
“Sung-guk, your mom and I talk about this every single time. What would have happened if we hadn’t made the decision to have Sung-guk at such a young age?”
[Wait, I’ve never heard this before. Don’t tell me… you were thinking of getting rid of me?]
This was new information, so it caught my attention.
It sounded like I could have disappeared at the cellular division stage.
“Back then, your mom and I were both so young and had no money that we couldn’t see how we’d take responsibility for you. But your mom said something to me. She said we both grew up abandoned and struggling, but she didn’t want to give up on having a child. She wanted to take responsibility all the way through. Ah, I probably shouldn’t be telling you this.”
Father finally stopped talking and refocused on driving, collecting himself.
“Sung-guk, you really are a blessing. Your mother and I are always so proud of you. You know that, right?”
“Yes, Father!”
[Of course. If I’m not something to be proud of, who is?]
Father’s car was already turning into Seochon Orphanage.
* * *
The elderly Kindergarten Principal was waiting to greet us.
She had clearly been informed beforehand.
As Father’s car pulled into the orphanage, she waved her hand broadly.
“Grandfather came out to greet us.”
[Grandfather? Is that really how you address the orphanage principal?]
Father’s eyes were beginning to redden.
I quickly placed my hand on Father’s thigh.
[Father, maintain your composure!]
A soft grunt.
Father sniffled and brought the car to a stop.
“Sung-guk, let’s greet Grandfather.”
“Yes!”
As I opened the car door and stepped out, the orphanage principal greeted me with a warm smile.
“Ji-sung, so this is your son Sung-guk.”
“Yes, Father.”
“My goodness, he’s as handsome as he looked on TV when he was little. Your mother and father were both beautiful and handsome from childhood too. He really does resemble the best of both Ji-sung and So-young.”
“Thank you.”
I bowed respectfully at the waist.
“Such good manners too. And I hear you study exceptionally well?”
“I just returned from the United States recently. I was selected as a Hyojin Group Scholarship Foundation scholar and have been studying there.”
Father, without anyone prompting him, began boasting about me enthusiastically.
[Father, you’re embarrassing me. Please stop.]
The Kindergarten Principal patted my head approvingly.
“Ji-sung was always such a good student. I was deeply sorry that he didn’t have the means to continue his education, but his son is so intelligent. He takes after Ji-sung.”
[I have an IQ of 121, Principal. I’m not that brilliant. My grades are the result of my blood, sweat, and tears.]
“Father, I brought some gifts.”
Father, looking embarrassed, opened the trunk and began unloading the prepared gifts.
“What’s all this? I’m already grateful for the scholarship you provide every year.”
“Giving money is the easiest way to help.”
“Let me call some of my children.”
“Of course.”
Soon several sturdy male students came rushing out.
Then they saw me and looked startled.
“Wow, I’ve seen this guy somewhere before.”
[I was the star of a TV reality show. An exclusive model for Samjeon Electronics. There’s no way you wouldn’t know. Pretty cool, right?]
The Kindergarten Principal grabbed my shoulder and introduced me to the children.
“This is Ji-sung’s son, who grew up here at our orphanage. You all know Ji-sung, right?”
“The Won Uncle’s Bossam guy!”
“That’s right. His son—the one whose father makes that stuff they sell at convenience stores. He used to work as a child actor, and now he’s studying abroad in the United States on a scholarship.”
“Wow.”
The boys stood speechless.
[They’re in awe because he’s such an accomplished person, right?]
I knew this look all too well.
Just then, one of the boys suddenly scooped me up into his arms.
“You’re so cute. Want to play with your hyung?”
“Sure, Sung-guk. While Dad prepares the bossam, go play with your hyungs.”
Before I knew it, I was being pulled into the orphanage by these older boys.
This was my first time visiting the orphanage.
Of course, in my previous life, I’d donated to countless orphanages and support centers, but I never went in person unless there were photographers around.
I stepped into this unfamiliar orphanage.
So this is where Mother and Father grew up.
I saw children my age and high school-aged hyungs and noonas.
They all looked at me with bright, curious faces.
“Is that the famous Sung-guk?”
“Wow, he’s really handsome.”
“This is the first time I’ve seen someone from TV.”
The hyung holding my hand cautioned the other children.
“Sung-guk’s tired. Everyone, study on your own until dinner, and we’ll see you later.”
“Yes, hyung.”
The children answered and scattered in an instant.
The hyung holding my hand looked down at me for a moment, then smiled warmly.
“Sung-guk, the kids think you’re really amazing. Usually when people come to visit us, they just say hello and leave right away.”
I used to be like that too.
“Sung-guk, is there anything you want to do?”
“I want to see your room, hyung.”
I wanted to see the room that Father must have used as well.
* * *
The room, where six people shared the space, had barely any room to stand.
Six wardrobes were lined up against the wall, and they had to lay their bedding in the remaining space.
The wardrobes doubled as lockers and were packed full of textbooks.
“Hyung, where do you study?”
“There’s a study room. We study there, or we set up a small desk here.”
The conditions were harsh.
I pulled out a high school English textbook.
For me, it was child’s play.
“Sung-guk, you study in the United States, so you must speak English well?”
[Of course.]
The student quickly opened his textbook.
“Read this. Can you even read high school material?”
I was currently attending high school in the United States, after all.
Without showing any hesitation, I began reading through the textbook.
“Your pronunciation is perfect. You sound like an English recording.”
Children had gathered around, staring at me in amazement.
The student looked at me with envy.
“Sung-guk, how do you study to speak English so well?”
[You’d have to be reborn.]
Instead of saying that, I offered practical advice.
“Hyung, there’s no way around it when learning a foreign language—memorization is key. Since textbook English is the foundation, try memorizing at least one page a day. First, read the English, interpret it into Korean, then read the English again while memorizing the meaning.”
“Wow, that’s amazing. I should try following Sung-guk’s method. Thanks, Sung-guk.”
[Don’t mention it.]
I shrugged my shoulders.
Just then, I heard Father’s voice from outside.
“Sung-guk, where are you?”
The student quickly opened the door and answered.
“Sung-guk is here.”
“Everyone, it’s dinner time. Let’s eat.”
“Yes!”
The student looked after me as we left the room.
Even as I left, I surveyed the shabby room one last time.
“Hmm.”
* * *
The Seochon Orphanage’s special Christmas Eve meal was Father’s bossam and beef soup.
With the meat and kimchi Father had sent in advance, each tray was generously filled with bossam meat.
“Sung-guk, eat with your hyungs.”
“Okay.”
I took the tray Father handed me and sat among the older boys.
After finishing the serving, Father sat down with the Kindergarten Principal.
The student looked at me with excitement.
“Sung-guk, your father’s bossam is really delicious. I want to learn cooking after I graduate high school too.”
“If you study hard, you’ll be able to.”
“Sung-guk, do you have to study hard to learn cooking?”
“Father researched and worked incredibly hard.”
“I see.”
The student seemed lost in thought for a moment as he ate his bossam, then suddenly looked up.
“Sung-guk, I’ll study hard too.”
“Yes, hyung. But what’s your name?”
“Jeon Soo-hyun.”
“Soo-hyun hyung, if things get tough later, come find my father. I’ll tell him about you.”
Jeon Soo-hyun looked at me with a bewildered expression.
“Oh, I understand. Thank you.”
If he thought he was destined to fail, he wouldn’t seek out Father. But if he truly wanted to seize any opportunity for success, he would come looking.
Opportunities could never be created entirely by oneself.
But grasping an opportunity once it was created—that was something only you could do.
* * *
After finishing dinner, Father handed the Kindergarten Principal a certificate of donation for ten million won, along with cake, pastries, and the clothes he’d prepared, then climbed back into the car.
We didn’t take any photographs.
It was what Father wanted.
He’d endured politicians and social organizations for far too long—those who only cared about documentation and records.
The Kindergarten Principal came out to see us off at the car.
“Next time, bring So-young too.”
“When Sung-guk’s younger siblings are older, I’ll bring them along.”
“Good.”
“Father, please take care of yourself. Make sure you get your checkups and take your supplements.”
“I will. I’ll take good care of myself.”
The Kindergarten Principal waved until Father’s car disappeared from the orphanage.
Father’s eyes had reddened again.
Like saying goodbye to a true father.
“Mm. So, Sung-guk, how was today?”
Father awkwardly struck up a conversation with me.
“It was good. Soo-hyun hyung said he wants to learn cooking after he graduates high school.”
“Is that so?”
“So I told him to study hard and come find you.”
I heard Father laugh.
“Since it’s coming from our Sung-guk, I’ll have to remember it. Jeon Soo-hyun. He’s the hyung who showed us around the orphanage earlier, right?”
“Yeah. The one with the dark complexion and acne.”
I remembered Jeon Soo-hyun clearly.
When I was Vice Chairman of Samjeon Group, I’d conducted many interviews with physiognomists present, so I could read people’s faces reasonably well.
“That hyung seemed like a genuinely good person. I think he’d do well at work too.”
“It seems Sung-guk took a liking to that hyung.”
[Father, I’m Jeon Sung-guk. I’m not being swayed by kindness—I’m telling you that when you hire someone, you need to hire the right person. When will you ever understand this deeper meaning of mine?]
I shook my head.
“By the way, Sung-guk. Let’s go home and cut the cake.”
“Okay, Father.”
“What?”
“I want to make a donation to the orphanage too.”
“You too, Sung-guk? What do you want to donate?”
“How much would it cost to remodel the orphanage?”
Father stared at me with a surprised expression.
“Dad, keep your eyes on the road. You’re driving right now.”
“Oh, but why all of a sudden? Sung-guk?”
“I think if my juniors from the orphanage lived in a better environment, they’d do better once they enter society.”
Father smiled warmly and stroked my head.
[Everyone’s been petting me so much today.]
“I had that thought too, but it costs quite a bit. How about we save up together next year and make a donation?”
“Sure!”
I nodded in agreement.
Of course, I could easily do it alone, but I wanted to boost Father’s spirits a little.

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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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