Max-Level Son of a Chaebol Family - Chapter 11
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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11. Getting My Own Home (1)
We came out of Myeongdong Jangsu Bank.
We had exchanged the Housing Lottery Ticket for cash.
Mother’s hands trembled as she looked at the amount printed in the Bank Passbook.
“Wow, it’s really ten million won.”
The Security Deposit we got back from Landlady Grandmother plus the Savings Mother had been steadily accumulating.
The total amount came to about ten million won.
It was money to buy an Apartment.
‘Look here, Mother. Father’s Watch is worth much more than that, you know? Ten million won wouldn’t even come close.’
I stroked my bulging pocket.
Father’s Watch that I had secretly brought was inside.
‘I heard Apartment prices are skyrocketing these days. Can we really buy an Apartment with just ten million won?’
Honestly, I brought it thinking I might sell it if necessary.
If I left it at the Inn, it would be perfect for getting stolen.
I glanced around at the Pawn Shops lined up along Myeongdong street.
‘Master’s Pawn Shop should be in the corner inside this Alley. Should I go visit?’
A big shot among big shots known in the Underground Finance Sector.
Also known as the Myeongdong Hawk.
That person was my Master.
‘That gentleman would have swept up every good Apartment in Gangnam by now.’
Why do you think Master was called the Myeongdong Hawk?
Because he had the eyes of a hawk.
Master’s specialty was picking out and sweeping up only the choicest items.
It took exactly 10 years to learn that keen eye.
* * *
The Real Estate Office street was packed with Real Estate Ladies.
Real Estate Lady refers to wealthy housewives who seek big profits through real estate speculation.
The representative new coined words that emerged as Gangnam rose were Real Estate Lady and premium.
The Real Estate Ladies were typically wives of high-ranking government officials, who swept through the Gangnam real estate market based on insider information their husbands secretly shared with them.
As such, Gangnam these days could be called the hottest real estate speculation ground in the entire nation.
“Hohoho, I heard the Hyeonmu Apartment in Apgujeong-dong has gone up so much lately? The premium has already reached eight hundred million. They say the commercial district designation is being expanded.”
“Still, I’m planning to buy the Daechi-dong Cheonma Apartment. Thanks to Korea University moving from Yeongeon, elite private tutors are flocking to Daechi-dong.”
“Banpo-dong is better. My husband said they’re planning to build another road there next year.”
Every time the Real Estate Ladies opened their mouths, premium information that ordinary people could hardly access poured out like a flood.
‘Wait, how far is it from there to here? Why can I hear the ladies whispering to each other so clearly?’
The Grim Reaper rose up like smoke from the ground, gave a thumbs up, then smoothly disappeared again.
I tugged at Mother’s sleeve.
“Mother, let’s go to that Real Estate Office.”
“Huh? But there are too many Real Estate Ladies crowded there.”
“That also means they have many appetizing properties.”
This was an era when people constantly peeked into Real Estate Offices at the rumor that real estate made money.
You had to monopolize good properties to make decent income.
Because they didn’t want to lose customers, Real Estate Offices in this area didn’t share properties with each other.
Since this Real Estate Office had an unusually large gathering of Real Estate Ladies, it was worth checking out.
“We’ll have to wait quite a while for our turn. Will that be okay?”
“I don’t mind.”
If we could choose good real estate, waiting was nothing.
We had plenty of time anyway.
“I want to watch and see what kind of properties the Real Estate Ladies are looking for. I’m so curious.”
“Then shall we do that?”
I took Mother’s hand and entered the Real Estate Office where people were particularly crowded.
A large Seoul City Map was hanging on one wall of the Real Estate Office.
The Real Estate Agent shouted loudly.
“Yeongdong is really good these days! You know Maljuk Intersection, right? Land prices are shooting up so fast you can’t even sleep!”
The Real Estate Agent drew a red circle on the map with a red pen.
He even drew three stars.
“If you just buy and hold, it’ll jump at least double, no, three or four times in a year!”
The Real Estate Ladies rummaged through the properties spread out on the table.
They were trying to pick and buy real estate they liked.
‘Wow, this place is a real goldmine.’
From ones with thin golden borders to ones completely shimmering with golden light.
Various real estate property documents glittered with golden light.
‘There definitely seem to be a lot of good properties here.’
One Apartment Lady picked up a real estate property document with a golden border.
“How much is this apartment?”
“Eighteen million won.”
“Oh my, it was only nine million won just two months ago, wasn’t it?”
“Are there any apartments without premiums these days? There aren’t any. We can’t sell them because there’s nothing available. That one is less expensive because it’s a smaller unit.”
Premiums were skyrocketing day by day.
“The price is reasonable. I’ll buy it. Prices keep going up these days, so I think I’ll regret it if I miss this opportunity.”
“I’ll take this one. Royal floor for twenty-three million. That’s right, isn’t it?”
Mother looked back at me with a bewildered expression.
The funds we had prepared were only ten million won.
Apgujeong Hyeonmu Apartment, Daechi-dong Cheonma Apartment, Banpo-dong Geumjo Apartment.
It seemed like we would need at least twenty million won to buy the apartments we were targeting.
“Jeong-hyeok, what should we do?”
Mother leaned over and whispered in my ear.
“Ten million won won’t even come close, will it? We might not be able to buy an apartment.”
Gangnam apartment prices were shocking.
‘Even with ten million won from the Housing Lottery Ticket first prize, we can’t buy a single apartment? ······Hmm?’
Among the filler properties that weren’t recommended listings, there was one document that shone particularly brilliantly with golden light.
‘That one alone is shining like a light bulb here.’
I became curious about what kind of property it could be.
* * *
“Sorry for the wait. What are you looking for? Jeonse, monthly rent, or purchase?”
Finally, our turn came.
“We’d like to buy a house.”
The Real Estate Agent looked us over from head to toe with sharp eyes.
“How about this one?”
What the Real Estate Agent recommended was a Shanty House in Guro-dong.
That place is scheduled for forced demolition. Is this guy joking right now?
“We’re looking for a small apartment. Around 24 pyeong.”
“Apartments are so expensive these days, you know. From what I can see, it doesn’t look like you have that much spare money.”
The Real Estate Agent laid out documents on the table one by one.
This one’s a shack, that one’s a shack, they’re all shacks.
Without even asking what Mother’s budget was, he only brought out shacks.
“Depending on the area, the road, the size, house prices are all different. Not all shacks are the same, you know.”
Oh my, this guy really!
Thud!
I placed Father’s Watch on the table.
“The recommended properties here are really poor. Are these kinds of things all you have to offer?”
Seeing Father’s Watch, the Real Estate Agent’s eyes widened.
It was obviously an extremely expensive, top-grade luxury watch.
The Real Estate Agent looked back and forth between Father’s Watch on the table and us.
“Never mind that. Show me that one. The one you just pushed under the table.”
“This one?”
Among the bundle of documents the Real Estate Agent picked up, there was the property I wanted.
“Yes, that one.”
Let’s see what kind of property this is that’s glowing like an incandescent bulb for show.
I extended my hand.
But the Real Estate Agent raised his hand upward.
It meant he had no intention of showing me the property.
“What’s your total budget? This is real estate that we only show to upper-class ladies among the Real Estate Ladies.”
That makes sense.
Even if it’s just a decoy property for show, the Real Estate Ladies would be displeased if he pushed something too shabby on them.
“Would you understand if I told you that everything here is exclusively luxury homes in Hannam-dong, Seongbuk-dong, and Pyeongchang-dong?”
This would be the perfect timing to threaten him.
What a shame.
Ding.
Just then, the Real Estate Office door opened and a handsome middle-aged Uncle entered.
He had neatly slicked-back hair and wore a Suit without a single wrinkle out of place.
He was a man who looked quite good in Silver-rimmed Glasses that concealed his sharp gaze.
He spotted us and strode over in our direction.
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.”
He bowed politely toward Mother.
Mother couldn’t hide her bewildered expression.
“Isn’t there still quite a bit of time left before our appointment? Besides, the meeting place isn’t here either…”
“These are the Chairman’s orders. I have no intention of interfering, so please finish your business first. I’ll speak with you separately afterward.”
His tone was cold but extremely polite.
His posture was as straight as if measured with a ruler, and his presence was as sharp as a blade.
‘Who is this guy?’
Without realizing it, my eyes narrowed.
“Who are you, Uncle?”
“I am Kim Yeong-geol, Chief Secretary serving the Chairman of Taeseong Group.”
The Real Estate Agent sucked in a sharp breath.
“Tae, Taeseong Group!”
Regardless of that.
Only after hearing the name Kim Yeong-geol did I realize who the man in front of me was.
‘He was one of Chairman Cha’s closest confidants who secretly assists him. They say he handles even the dirty work.’
Secretary Kim silently picked up the watch that was placed on the table.
After examining it carefully, he politely returned it to Mother.
“This is definitely Young Master Seong-jun’s. Was it Cha Jeong-hyeok?”
“How do you know our Jeong-hyeok’s name?”
Secretary Kim didn’t answer Mother’s question.
Instead, he carefully examined me from head to toe.
His gaze was quite sharp.
But I didn’t avoid that gaze.
There was no reason to avoid it, and I had no intention of avoiding it.
‘The bastard who looks away first is the coward. I’m the type who doesn’t avoid fights that come my way.’
A brief glimmer passed through our locked eyes.
Secretary Kim knelt on one knee to match my eye level.
“You look exactly like Young Master Seong-jun did as a child. You’re the spitting image of your Father.”
Secretary Kim took out a business card from his jacket and held it out to me.
“Young Master Jeong-hyeok, please contact me through this number from now on.”
It was the phone number for the Taeseong Group Chairman’s Secretariat that connected directly to Secretary Kim.
But Mother blocked it with her palm.
“That’s not necessary. What would a seven-year-old child need a business card for?”
“The future is hard to guarantee. Isn’t it better to have it and not use it than to need it and not have it?”
“We won’t have any reason to see each other again.”
“Well, you never know. Sometimes in life you need a joker. For instance, when dealing with trash that acts annoying without knowing their place.”
Secretary Kim looked coldly at the Real Estate Agent.
“We can’t have filth staining the precious hands of the young master.”
The Real Estate Agent’s complexion changed drastically.
He immediately clasped his hands together respectfully and smiled obsequiously.
“Will that property from earlier work? If there’s any real estate you want, just tell me the conditions! I’ll scour the Eight Provinces of the Nation to find it and present it to you!”
I’m not interested in anything else.
This is the only thing I’m curious about.
I selected and pulled out the documents that were glowing like an incandescent bulb from among the real estate listings the Real Estate Agent was holding.
There was a reason why only those documents were flashing like a light bulb.
“A 700-pyeong lot with a 114-pyeong building, plus a Hannam-dong Luxury Detached House that even comes with a swimming pool!”
How did such a luxury house end up being sold at such a low price?
This was a windfall that was rarely encountered.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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