The Baby Seizes Fortune - Chapter 57
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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 57
* * *
A new Sub Quest had appeared this morning.
[Sub Quest: Bad Father. Repay your benefactor.]
[Reward: New Home]
I rubbed my eyes at the unbelievable reward.
‘Was the ‘benefactor’ referring to the landlord’s family?’
Even while living in the rooftop apartment, I had never once seen the landlord.
I figured there must be some story behind it, but looking at his appearance, I could roughly understand.
The smell of alcohol wafting from him in broad daylight and his flushed red face.
“This woman has been having an affair with some young punk? And look at that face, like some gigolo!”
“Father! Stop it! I brought my tenant brother here to stop you!”
Despite Minsu’s words, the man raised his voice and shouted loudly.
“Stop what? You disrespectful brat.”
“You’re the one who abandoned Mom and me 10 years ago and left home!”
Minsu burst out as if he couldn’t stand it anymore.
The Landlady, who had collapsed behind them, trembled and tried to calm her son.
“Oh my, Minsu.”
“Damn it!”
The man pushed Junho, who was blocking between him and Minsu, and pointed aggressively at the Landlady and Minsu.
“Shut up, I heard all about this place being redeveloped.”
So this trash who hadn’t come home for 10 years returned for this reason.
“So don’t make excuses and don’t talk nonsense. Got it?”
‘But why didn’t they get divorced… the answer to that is probably…’
It must be due to the social perception of divorce in this era.
And institutionally, divorced women faced many inconveniences in raising children.
Because of the Household Head System.
“I’m the head of this household! Huh?”
The Household Head System was an old system that established family relationships centered on men, which wasn’t abolished until 2008.
For example, if a woman divorced, even if she was raising the child, it was difficult for her to exercise rights as a legal guardian.
Children were principally under their father’s Family Registry, and when divorced, women returned to their parents’ Family Registry.
Therefore, even when documents needed to be submitted for school or insurance matters concerning the child, divorced women faced tremendous inconvenience.
So even when husbands left home, there were often cases like the Landlady who raised children without actually divorcing.
‘But now there shouldn’t be any major problems with divorce.’
Since Minsu had become an adult.
So the Landlady mentioned divorce to her husband who came back after 10 years demanding the house that would be redeveloped,
And the result…
The Landlady’s bright red cheek told the story.
‘Piece of trash.’
“If you continue this, I’ll call the Police.”
Junho said firmly with furrowed brows.
“Police? The head of household comes back to educate his disobedient wife, what can the Police do about that, huh?”
Ha, whenever I hear such words, as someone from the future, my small fists tremble with rage.
The wording that takes domestic violence lightly is really fucking disgusting.
‘But… wait, thinking about it.’
The existence of the Household Head System is infuriating, but conversely, there were still other systems remaining, right?
For example…
‘I might be able to use that.’
The man seemed to lack the strength to overcome Junho and raise his hand against the Landlady again, so he fumed and pointed.
“Anyway, I’ll come again, so have the bankbook and everything ready by then. How dare you be disrespectful in front of your husband. We’re family for life! Don’t think about escaping.”
And he turned around sharply.
“Ha…”
Tears of anger welled up in Minsu’s eyes as he clenched his fists.
“Minsu…”
Junho reached out to pat Minsu’s shoulder and checked on the Landlady who sat in a daze.
“Landlady, are you alright?”
* * *
“Father has no right to take a single penny from this house. This house was left to Mother by Grandmother.”
On the porch under the moonlight, Minsu opened his heart to Junho.
The Landlady was resting in her room, holding her head from the earlier shock.
“But how, how can he do that? Actually, I’m more of an idiot. I couldn’t even protect Mother from getting hurt.”
He was barely twenty, just an adult, and from what I heard, Minsu seemed to be a victim of domestic violence too.
He said that from childhood, just seeing his father’s face made his heart race and his mind go blank.
At least after that man left home, he and his mother had lived supporting each other, but now darkness had fallen over their lives again.
“Really… I don’t know how to protect Mom. I thought only happy times were left.”
“Minsu…”
Junho looked at Minsu with a bitter expression.
There was a method of gathering evidence that the man didn’t support the family and finding a lawyer for divorce proceedings, but given the current situation where he left after making threats before the redevelopment compensation, a faster and more certain method was needed.
“Chaea knows a good method, should I tell you?”
Usually in such matters, someone would say that a child shouldn’t interfere in adult conversations, but if it’s me, Gu Chaea, it’s different!
At my words, Junho immediately picked me up and sat me on his lap.
Junho already respected me and had experienced firsthand that everything I said worked out well.
Junho said to Minsu.
“Minsu. It might seem strange, but… should we listen to our Chaea’s thoughts? Chaea is a genius, you know.”
Minsu nodded at this.
“Well, it doesn’t matter… I’m also grateful to Chaea…”
A faint smile crossed Minsu’s bitter lips.
“I’m living thinking I’m fortunate to have come to Yeongseong University.”
Finally, under both their gazes, I opened my mouth.
“You know, that man earlier. I think he has a girlfriend.”
“…Huh?”
Minsu blinked.
“Father has… a woman?”
“His clothes were crisply ironed, and he smelled of perfume. Floral scent.”
The distinct smell that had drifted to my nose.
Such a patriarchal man probably wouldn’t have ironed his shirt well himself,
And befitting the gene provider of the handsome Minsu, his build was decent, so it wouldn’t be strange if he had a woman.
“Come to think of it, the fragrance from Father wasn’t men’s cologne.”
Minsu’s eyes, which had been immersed only in helplessness, became clearer than before.
I continued with what I had observed earlier.
“And he had a ring on his left hand. Wasn’t it a wedding ring?”
“Mother always lamented that she never received a ring from Father… so it can’t be.”
Junho, seemingly surprised by my and Minsu’s conversation, said.
“When did you notice all that, Chaea?”
My name is Gu Chaea. I’m a detective.
“No way… Ha…”
Soon Minsu’s eyebrows stood up stiffly.
“He’s living with a woman himself, yet he grabbed Junho’s collar and cornered Mother like that earlier?”
“Since he’s living that way himself, he must have felt more guilty.”
Junho shook his head and said.
The area around his neck was still slightly red from being grabbed by the collar by that bastard.
‘How dare he do this to our dad, I absolutely can’t forgive him.’
“But… even if I confront Father about whether he has another woman, he’ll definitely turn the tables on me.”
Even as Minsu made an angry expression, he frowned as if feeling overwhelmed at the thought of dealing with that unreasonable person.
“Then…”
I opened my mouth with a sly smile.
“…we should call the police.”
“…Police?”
“Police?”
Junho and Minsu asked simultaneously with puzzled voices.
“The landlady hasn’t divorced that man yet, right? That might actually help us.”
Among the laws and systems that hadn’t been abolished yet in this era was this one.
“If we catch that man for adultery.”
At this, Junho’s eyes widened, and Minsu jumped up in surprise.
“Adultery… crime?”
I said with a bright, innocent smile.
“It was written in the script Mom was practicing. If you’re married but do bad things with someone else, the police officers will arrest you!”
Since this was somewhat embarrassing content to come from a child’s mouth, I had to use the mom card again.
I had just reconfirmed the current laws through Noah.
There was a time when married people were punished under criminal law for having sexual relations with someone other than their spouse.
After debates for and against, it was abolished in 2015.
In the 90s, people actually went to prison because of adultery laws.
It was a perfect chance to get rid of that crazy bastard and get a divorce.
“Ah.”
Junho and Minsu covered their mouths with their hands in surprise.
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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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