The Baby Seizes Fortune - Chapter 24

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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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Episode 24

* * *

“Hello, everyone. I’m Teacher Noh Ji-hye, and I’ll be leading the Rabbit Class from now on. Please take care of me.”

The 24-year-old rookie female teacher greeted them with her hair tightly tied back and a nervous expression on her face.

Unlike other preschools where competition for positions was fierce even during the IMF period, Somang Preschool had virtually no competition, and rumors in the industry suggested that the director would soon close the preschool.

Nevertheless, the reason she chose this preschool was…

‘Because I got rejected from everywhere else…’

For a preschool teacher, she had a shy demeanor, lacked confidence, and had a voice as small as a mosquito’s… Though she graduated from a prestigious university’s early childhood education department, she failed all her interviews.

The only place that accepted her was this Somang Preschool, where Director Jo Mi-sook had a conversation with her and encouraged her, saying she would do well.

“Teacher, that kid is picking his nose.”

“Woooooooooo!”

“…”

“…”

The 5-year-old Rabbit Class new students she was assigned to teach numbered eight in total.

The mischievous-looking children ran around the classroom without paying any attention to their teacher, tattling on each other’s behavior or staring blankly out the window.

‘But the most burdensome child is… that one.’

It was the boy sitting in the front left seat with bored-looking eyes.

A young master from a chaebol family whose noble bearing was evident, completely out of place in this old preschool.

According to the information she received in advance, he was also said to be gifted.

‘Phew… Pull yourself together… You can do this.’

“Now, everyone, please pay attention…!”

But Teacher Noh Ji-hye’s mosquito-small voice didn’t even reach the ears of the children who were busy playing in the back.

Just as the days ahead seemed daunting.

“…”

A pretty girl with pigtails sitting in the front right suddenly stood up from her seat.

This child had also caught her attention considerably.

Setting aside her pretty face, throughout the entrance ceremony, a male actor from 【Typhoon Internal Medicine】 had been enthusiastically waving while wearing sunglasses.

She didn’t know if he was her father, but it was clear that this child was very much loved.

Her name was ‘Gu Chaea,’ if she remembered correctly.

‘The director seemed to know her separately too.’

Chaea stood in front of Ji-hye and bowed politely.

“Uh… yes. Do you need help?”

“No. I’m going to help you, Teacher.”

“Huh?”

Soon Chaea picked up a piece of chalk from under the preschool blackboard and pressed it against the board, scraping it.

Screeeeech- Squeak-

The moment a spine-chilling sound echoed through the classroom, everyone screamed in pain and covered their ears.

“Ahhhhh!”

“Ugh, what is this…!”

Hee-jae, who had been sitting quietly, didn’t cover his ears but slightly furrowed his brow.

Cold water was thrown over the chaotic preschool classroom, and all the children opened their mouths and stared at Chaea.

Chaea coldly hardened her eyebrows and looked at one child.

It was the child who had been the loudest since the entrance ceremony and had been teasing the girls.

A name tag reading ‘Ju Yeong-min’ was attached to the child’s left chest.

“Wh-what.”

The boy who had been playfully causing trouble was startled by Chaea’s intimidating presence as she stood in front of everyone, glaring at him.

“…”

“Why are you only looking at me…”

“…”

After staring at Yeong-min for a long time, Chaea put down the chalk and slowly returned to her seat.

[When your mind is unsettled by a noisy atmosphere, target the center of it.]

It was today’s fortune that she had checked in the morning, and the effect was definite.

Ji-hye blinked in surprise at this small child’s performance, which had instantly calmed the classroom’s chaotic atmosphere.

“Hiccup.”

Soon, sniffling and crying sounds burst out from the back.

“It’s sc-scary. Waaah.”

“Ah…”

Teacher Noh Ji-hye, who had been standing there dazed for a moment, finally came to her senses and comforted the crying child a little, then spoke to the children who were now paying attention to her quite well, unlike before.

“Th-then I’ll tell you about the rules for preschool life.”

Ji-hye felt her hair standing on end at the sight of Chaea looking at her with a faint smile as if nothing had happened.

‘What is this child?’

* * *

Living preschool life with an adult’s mind would be a kind of ordeal.

‘Unless you really love and find children adorable.’

After I went to the front of the classroom and made them quiet earlier, the children seemed to feel some kind of barrier with me and couldn’t approach easily, but that was actually a good thing.

‘But why did he come here?’

I glanced at Kang Hee-jae sitting next to me.

I thought it was already somewhat special that the young master of Tomorrow Finance was attending preschool instead of receiving premium individual education,

But he came to this run-down Somang Preschool instead of a good preschool like Edinburgh!

At least I have the purpose of retracing Saebyeol and Mincheol’s footsteps and finding something they buried.

As soon as the teacher left, I looked back and forth between the children playing like monkeys and Hee-jae sitting perfectly still in his seat without any disturbance.

‘It’s really like putting a real preschooler and a high school student in the same class.’

With an unreadable expression, Hee-jae was just quietly reading a book.

‘A five-year-old reading Crime and Punishment…’

I shook my head.

And as I slowly shifted my gaze to the window.

Chaea!

Still not having gone home, I made eye contact with Junho, who was waving both arms beyond the window and calling my name with his mouth.

‘It’s Dad.’

He was doing this during the entrance ceremony too, which was a bit embarrassing, but he’s really such a doting father!

When I raised my short hand and waved it a few times, Junho made a fighting gesture before turning around.

* * *

A black sedan stopped in front of Dongcheongje. When the driver opened the back door, Hee-jae got out of the car.

Wearing a gray coat, Hee-jae crossed the Dongcheongje garden where snow hadn’t melted yet and went inside. Then Chairman Kang, who was reading a newspaper in the spacious living room, smiled and welcomed his grandson.

“Welcome home. How was your first day?”

Chairman Kang had originally planned to attend the entrance ceremony, but due to an urgent meeting, he had sent servants instead.

“…It wasn’t too bad.”

“I see.”

Chairman Kang nodded at Hee-jae’s characteristically dry assessment.

Soon a servant took Hee-jae’s bag and coat, and Hee-jae sat on the sofa stool.

It was because Chairman Kang had the look of someone with many questions to ask.

“Did you become friends with any children?”

“…No.”

Well, he hadn’t expected this anyway.

Chairman Kang continued to ask.

“Or any child you’d like to become friends with.”

“…Not particularly.”

A small sigh escaped from between Chairman Kang’s lips.

A child without parents should at least have friends to bring some sunshine into his heart.

“Perhaps any child that caught your interest even a little…”

Even as he said this, he didn’t expect an answer.

But unlike his two firm responses from earlier, Hee-jae didn’t open his mouth for a long while.

And suddenly, as if something had occurred to him, his brow twitched slightly.

The sharp sound of chalk scraping against ears.

“….”

Even the clear gaze of the girl who had surveyed the suddenly quiet classroom.

Strangely, that image remained vividly in his mind.

Soon Hee-jae answered his grandfather.

“I’m still… not sure.”

Chairman Kang Un-san nodded at this and said.

“Yes, well, go and see how it goes. If anything happens, tell your grandfather. Understood?”

“Yes, Grandfather.”

After finishing his greeting, Hee-jae walked down the long corridor and entered his room on the second floor.

Hee-jae’s room looked like one large study.

The child took out ‘Crime and Punishment’ from the bag a servant had brought, placed it in an empty spot in the study, then took out another book and headed to his desk.

In the bright sunlight streaming through the window, the book title ‘Pride and Prejudice’ glinted.

* * *

Junho’s figure wearing large headphones appears on the CRT screen.

“Now, here’s today’s question.”

The moment the host’s voice was heard, I clenched my small hands tightly.

The person giving the clues desperately used hand and body gestures to explain the problem.

The audience burst into laughter at the sight of his exaggerated movements as he tried to convey even a single word.

Junho on screen shouts while only looking at his partner’s lip movements.

-Banana? …No?

-E! LEC! TRIC! BLAN! KET!

-Dragonfly…?

The audience’s laughter grew louder at Junho’s answers that were far from correct.

This was one of this era’s representative variety shows that was frustrating yet had a charm that kept you watching.

-Th… electric blanket…!

Seeing Junho finally understand the word, I patted him enthusiastically while sitting next to him watching together.

“Father, you did so well!!!”

When the mission ended successfully, the entire team jumped up and cheered with applause.

I also jumped up and gave thunderous applause.

Junho shrugged his shoulders and puffed out his chest proudly to me.

“I may look like this, but I’m genius Gu Chaea’s father. Hm? Amazing, right?”

“Our Father is the best!!”

“Hehe.”

After signing an exclusive contract with Westree, the agency provided Junho with a vehicle and manager, and actively secured variety show appearances for him.

Before his first variety show, he was incredibly nervous in front of me wondering if he could do well, but looking at the results, it seemed quite successful.

He properly established the image of an innocent and cute young man, so he might get love calls from other variety shows too.

But if there was one thing that bothered me…

“Father, but are you and the president still on bad terms?”

There had apparently been a small argument between Junho and the agency president recently.

He tried not to show it to me, but it was obvious he was upset, so when I pressed him about it, he honestly told me the reason.

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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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