The Chaebol Family’s Youngest Daughter Doesn’t Hide Her Acting Skills - Chapter 30

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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 30

 

After calming my surging emotions, I calmly brought up the matter related to Park Yeon-hui.

 

As befitting a business mogul, Grandfather knew about Mora Entertainment’s misdeeds even better than I did. Just how extensive was his information network?

 

It turned out that the CEO of Mora Entertainment and Team Leader Kim Song-jun were brothers.

 

‘A family-like company run by family members…’

 

With his older brother backing him up, Team Leader Kim Song-jun must have been thrilled to exploit Park Yeon-hui. They were accomplices, the two of them.

 

When I mentioned that Team Leader Kim Song-jun had given me his business card, Grandfather exploded, calling him a scoundrel who ran things in a shady manner.

 

He was so angry that I worried he might grab his neck and fall backward.

 

‘It seems like he’ll step in personally.’

 

I was about to leave Grandfather’s private office when I thought of Woon Seong-ha. He said he’d start learning acting from a teacher today.

 

‘It’s not time yet. Let me be patient a little longer.’

 

Grow quickly and enter Grandfather’s jewelry box, Woon Seong-ha.

 

Though I wasn’t even Grandfather, I smacked my lips and left the private office.

 

On the way to the main lobby, I could see trumpet vine creepers through the wide glass windows.

 

I took out the trumpet vine that Grandfather had given me. The flower that Mother loved.

 

Thinking of Mother, the look in Grandfather’s eyes when he gazed at Mother’s childhood photo kept flickering in my mind.

 

Was that how Grandfather remembered Mother?

 

The Mother I remembered was…

 

‘Ju Sae-i, don’t bother Dokyung again!’

 

‘When did I!’

 

‘If you do that, Grandfather will scold you!’

 

‘I don’t care! Mother, hug me! Hug me!’

 

Even when I didn’t listen and acted wild and defiant, she would eventually lift me up and hold me…

 

‘Our daughter, what should we do since you’re so pretty? Mother and Father will cry so much on the day Sae-i gets married, right?’

 

‘I’m going to marry Mother and Father!’

 

‘Oh my, Mother agrees!’

 

An adult who might have been strict with others but was gentle with me, who loved me dearly.

 

Father often said that I was an only daughter who wouldn’t have been satisfied even if given everything in the world.

 

Suddenly, I missed Mother.

 

Had Grandfather felt this way earlier too? Was that why he gazed at Mother for so long?

 

At the stinging sensation in my nose, I deliberately made a sniffling sound. I walked briskly, pretending not to be melancholy.

 

Just as I was passing through the lobby heading to my quarters.

 

“Oppa, leaving already? You didn’t even tell me you were coming to Jaedamjae…”

 

“I didn’t come to see you, so I didn’t mention it. Don’t follow me.”

 

I saw Ju Suyeon sticking close to Ryu Dokyung’s side, chattering away.

 

From how dressed up she was, it seemed she’d come to see Grandfather about successor business. Dongwoo and Seohe had recently formed a technology partnership.

 

‘Our Grandfather is particularly fond of Ryu Dokyung too.’

 

Grandfather had liked Ryu Dokyung since childhood, saying he was tall and handsome.

 

Was that cold, handsome type Grandfather’s preference?

 

That wouldn’t do… Woon Seong-ha was the complete opposite of Ryu Dokyung – a warm, gentle type.

 

In the past, he might have coveted Seo Hajun who had reached the pinnacle of acting, but what if I pushed forward Woon Seong-ha, who was still a sprout and didn’t match his facial preferences, only to get rejected?

 

Hoping that Grandfather’s ability to recognize genius before it bloomed would kick in, I quickened my pace. I didn’t want to catch Ryu Dokyung’s eye.

 

“Uh…”

 

Did I walk too fast? Instead, I made direct eye contact with Ryu Dokyung.

 

Let me just ignore him and walk…

 

I tried to pass by quickly, pretending not to see him, but I could feel Ryu Dokyung following me from behind with his long strides.

 

Sure enough.

 

“…Hey.”

 

Ryu Dokyung, who had overtaken me in an instant, blocked my path.

 

Perhaps because it was obvious I’d deliberately tried to ignore and pass him, his expression was even sharper with hurt feelings. But that was only momentary.

 

His expression gradually cracked as he studied my face intently.

 

Ryu Dokyung’s characteristic cold face disappeared, and with worried eyes, he asked carefully.

 

“…Were you crying?”

 

I couldn’t hide my surprise and averted my eyes. My shoulders flinched.

 

Not knowing how to respond, I just kept moving my lips.

 

How would Ryu Dokyung react if I answered that I just got emotional thinking about Mother?

 

‘I don’t want to do that.’

 

Unlike me, who at least had Father to rely on, Ryu Dokyung had lost both parents.

 

I might have whined to Ryu Dokyung when I was young and immature, but now I knew I couldn’t do that anymore.

 

“Tell me, what happened?”

 

“…My eyes were just stinging from the wind on my way back from seeing the Chairman.”

 

After much deliberation, I chose to make an excuse.

 

Ryu Dokyung said nothing. Though he seemed to realize it was a lie, he just gazed at me silently with quiet eyes.

 

“I’ll be going now. I have things to do.”

 

Feeling like he’d see through me if I talked more, I passed him and headed to my quarters.

 

“Ju Sae-i.”

 

Ryu Dokyung called out to stop me. I could feel his gaze on my back, but I deliberately ignored it and continued walking.

 

Then.

 

“…Don’t try to bear everything alone.”

 

Ryu Dokyung muttered toward my back. It was something the current cold-blooded Ryu Dokyung would never say.

 

What exactly was he telling me not to bear alone?

 

From the background of how Uncle had targeted Father and me in my past life, how Father died protecting me, and how I’d accidentally returned to the past – these were all things I had no choice but to bear alone.

 

It’s not like he’d bear it all for me anyway.

 

Yet that single phrase he threw out as if worried about me was exactly something the Ryu Dokyung I’d liked in my childhood would have said…

 

‘This is why I didn’t want to be caught crying.’

 

For a moment, one side of my chest felt heavy.

 

***

 

The day of the meeting with Writer Choi Gi-yeong.

 

After talking with Grandfather, I sent a text to the phone number I’d received.

 

I thought we’d coordinate leisurely since she’d be busy, but contrary to expectations, she called within 10 seconds of my text.

 

After dissuading the writer who said she could meet right away, we finally set a meeting schedule.

 

Even when I said I’d go near her studio, Writer Choi Gi-yeong kept refusing. Since she insisted on coming to my side, we agreed to meet at a midpoint.

 

There happened to be a cafe there that was Writer Choi Gi-yeong’s hidden coffee gem.

 

“Ready to go now?”

 

“Yes!”

 

“I don’t know why I’m the one getting nervous…”

 

Today’s driver was our Father, Han Junho.

 

Remembering how he’d watched all of Writer Choi Gi-yeong’s dramas despite being busy, I casually mentioned it, and Father volunteered to be the driver.

 

Well, I had no reason to refuse when the most trustworthy person in the world offered to come with me.

 

So we arrived at the cafe in Father’s car.

 

Perhaps because it was time for everyone to be at work, the cafe was quiet. When we went up to the second floor, there was exactly one customer in that spacious cafe.

 

Seeing someone wearing earphones and diligently typing on a laptop, I almost mistook them for Writer Choi Gi-yeong for a moment.

 

[I just parked. I’ll buy the drinks, so sit comfortably and wait.]

 

If Writer Choi Gi-yeong’s message hadn’t arrived just then, I might have approached and sat in front of them.

 

Father took a seat at a distance from me. Something about not wanting to burden his daughter who was starting her social life.

 

Shortly after, Writer Choi Gi-yeong plopped down in the seat across from me. Then she smoothly pushed a drink toward me. It seemed she’d ordered and received drinks from the first floor.

 

“You have an even more attractive face up close, Sae-i.”

 

Writer Choi Gi-yeong, who had been looking me over with honey-dripping eyes from the start, immediately pulled out a stack of papers from her bag. It appeared to be a script.

 

“Have you ever watched my dramas?”

 

“I’ve watched many of them.”

 

“Then do you know something about me too?”

 

While she looked similar to writer Choi Gi-jeong in appearance, her atmosphere was completely different. If her younger sister writer Choi Gi-jeong had a calm tone, writer Choi Gi-yeong was sharp.

 

“I need to choose the actors first before the script writing flows smoothly. I’d even scrap the work if casting falls through later.”

 

“….”

 

“I’ll be direct. I wrote this drama with Sae-i in mind.”

 

“When did you see me?”

 

“My sister kept praising you like she had a motor in her mouth, so I went to the set to take a look. During the script reading.”

 

I had no idea at all….

 

“Here, take a look at this and tell me what you think. If it’s not good, I’ll scrap it and rewrite it until it satisfies you, Sae-i.”

 

Why would you go that far for me….

 

I could see Father sitting over there getting excited as he listened to our conversation.

 

Still puzzled, I quickly skimmed through the cover of the script the writer handed me. The title in bold font immediately caught my eye.

 

[Choi Gi-yeong·Gyeonggi Tourism Business Official Collaboration Short Drama]

 

[<May the Mountain God Protect You> Ep.1―4(Complete)]

 

Wait a minute.

 

…Is this the work I know, by any chance?

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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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