You Have Been Defended [EN]: Chapter 213

“Attorney Cha, aren’t you pushing it a bit too hard?”

“……Yeah, are you sure you’re okay with this?”

Choi Jong-hyun and Jo Bong-joon stared wide-eyed at the number on the screen.

They grabbed my hand as I was about to click, reminding me to think it over one more time.

I brushed Jo Bong-joon’s hand away and moved the mouse back to the transfer button.

“This is the safest way to use that method. And it’s going to a good cause anyway, so what’s the big deal? Consider it a social contribution.”

“Attorney Byun, you’ve made a lot of money too, so it’s good to use it for good causes.”

Office Manager Oh chimed in, and Choi Jong-hyun threw up his hands as if he didn’t know what to say.

“Well, it’s his money, he can spend it how he wants. I haven’t heard anything about Light and Salt being problematic.”

“How naive. Do you think there wouldn’t be any problems? Those guys might be in cahoots, and Minwoo Party members are probably throwing money at them to look good to Lee Jung-chan. There must be something going on between the foundation and Lee Jung-chan.”

“We’ll find out if we investigate.”

I replied briefly.

Even if there are problems with the foundation, it’s not a big deal.

Once the Lee Se-hyung case breaks, Light and Salt Welfare Foundation for the Disabled, where Lee Se-hyung worked, will inevitably be investigated.

Then, checking for any misappropriated funds will be a piece of cake.

Park Young-gi will help me anyway.

If problems arise then, we can request a refund of the donation on the grounds that it’s an unreliable organization.

Well, if there are no problems, we can just ask them to use it for good.

“Right, you’ve made billions in real estate gains, so this is nothing. Hit it! Hit it!

[Do you want to transfer ₩500,000,000 to the Light and Salt Welfare Foundation for the Disabled? (KRW 500 million)]

“Wow, 500 million has so many zeros?”

“Is this even a transferable amount at once?”

“It’s a business account.”

I clicked the confirm button without hesitation.

[Transfer complete.]

“Wow. It’s transferred. Everyone, let’s give him a round of applause.”

At Choi Jong-hyun’s instigation, everyone in the office applauded me.

“If it were me, I’d think about infiltrating as an employee, not donating 500 million to attend the event.”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

“Besides, my face is a bit too well-known. I’m also curious about the faces of the people attending.”

Even if reporters go, not all attendees will be highlighted.

Attending the event will make it easier to identify the Lee Jung-chan line, and maybe even discover something else.

Above all, as someone who pays a huge amount in taxes every year, I also have the advantage of getting a deduction for making a donation.

The money I’m making now is on a scale I never even touched in my previous life.

It’s wealth obtained through future knowledge, that is, through loopholes, so it seems right to contribute to society to some extent.

“Jo Bong-joon, you’ve made a lot of money from stocks too, haven’t you? Donate some.”

“I have to support my elderly mother and siblings, so I don’t have any money left over. My back is breaking. Breaking.”

“You just bought a new car recently, didn’t you?”

“Hyung [older brother/friend], be quiet.”

“Don’t just invest in good things for yourself, tell me about them too.”

Kang Min-jae, who recently became interested in stocks, said to Jo Bong-joon.

“Hey, Min-jae. What are you lacking that you’re even trying to do stocks?”

“It’s not that I’m rich, it’s that my grandfather is rich.”

“So your grandfather won’t leave you a penny?”

“It’s not that, but…….”

“You greedy bastard.”

While the three were busily chattering, the phone started ringing.

I held up the receiver, signaling them to be quiet.

“Yes. This is Attorney Cha Joo-han’s office.”

-Hello. This is the Light and Salt Welfare Foundation for the Disabled.

“Yes.”

-We noticed that you donated ₩500,000,000 through our website just now. So, we’re calling to confirm. There might be cases where the amount was transferred incorrectly.

“No, ₩500,000,000 is correct.”

-……Ah, I see. It’s such a large amount, we were all very surprised. Thank you so much for your interest in welfare for the disabled. We will try to ensure it is used for those who need it most.

“Yes, thank you for your hard work.”

-If you need a press release, please let us know. We can, uh, get an article out.

“No, thank you. I wanted to donate quietly.”

-Ah, then should we send you a donation certificate?

The foundation staff member continued to speak in a very excited and cautious tone.

They seemed very surprised that someone with no prior connection to the Light and Salt Welfare Foundation for the Disabled would suddenly donate such a large sum.

“Yes. I would appreciate that.”

-Yes, then we will send the donation certificate to the address you provided on the website. Thank you again for your donation.

And the call ended.

“Attorney Cha, didn’t they invite you to the event?”

“No, not yet.”

“Surely they wouldn’t not invite you to the event after donating 500 million, would they?”

Choi Jong-hyun said in a worried voice.

I shook my head.

“They won’t. He is someone who donates such a large amount from the beginning, they will definitely want to catch me. And who would think that someone would donate 500 million with impure intentions?”

“That’s true. It’s not 5,000, it’s hard to donate 500 million unless you have genuine good intentions.”

“They’ll be in touch soon. I have somewhere to go, so I’ll get up first.”

“Where are you going?”

“I need to go scout an actor and a cameraman.”

I put on my jacket and stood up.

If I want to catch those nimble guys and put them to work, I need to prepare from now on.

When I arrived at Tae-shik’s office, he was dozing off with his feet on the desk.

Even as I approached him, he still couldn’t wake up.

I slammed the desk.

“Heoeuk, uh, Attorney……. When did you get here……?”

“A while ago. 3 hours ago.”

“Huh, then why didn’t you wake me up? No, did I really sleep for 3 hours?”

Tae-shik hurriedly checked the clock on his desk.

“Ah, what. I only slept for 10 minutes, why are you saying you came 3 hours ago.”

“Never mind, sit down.”

I said, sitting down at the table.

Tae-shik followed me sullenly and sat across from me, then said bluntly.

“What is it?”

“Call two of your employees who look decent.”

“Employees who look decent? Hmm, Ho-seok looks handsome.”

Among the employees gathered at the back table playing cards, a guy named Ho-seok jumped up.

“Did you call me, boss?”

……He looks manly, but he has a scar on his face.

“No, not him.”

“You’re out. Sit back down.”

As Tae-shik waved his hand, Ho-seok sat back down with a sullen face.

“I don’t need handsome. I need guys who look neat. Like they could be bodyguards for a rich family.”

“Ah! I have a guy like that. Jung-hyuk. Come here.”

“Yes, boss!”

Jung-hyuk, who was eating jajangmyeon [black bean noodles], jumped up at the call and ran to us.

“Hey, you bastard. Wipe the jajang sauce off your mouth. Why do you eat with so much on your face?”

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

At Tae-shik’s scolding, Jung-hyuk rubbed his mouth hard with a tissue.

“Hmm, button up your shirt properly and look neat.”

Jung-hyuk straightened his disheveled collar and stood at attention.

He certainly doesn’t look like a thug when he’s dressed neatly.

I think this is good enough.

“Are you a fast runner?”

“I was in the track and field club in high school!”

Jung-hyuk shouted.

He’s a bit too energetic, but I think he’ll do as he’s told if I tell him to be quiet.

“Can you act well?”

“I was in the drama club in middle school!”

[Truth]

I was suspicious, but he really was in the track and field club and the drama club.

“If you’re lying, you’re dead?”

Tae-shik said threateningly.

“It’s true! I’ll even get my student record!”

“I’m suspicious…….”

“It’s true!”

“Okay. I think this guy will do.”

Tae-shik, who had been glaring at Jung-hyuk, turned his head towards me and asked.

“But, what are you doing this for?”

“Let’s go on a mission.”

* * *

Around evening the next day, we were in the studio discussing the topic for the next broadcast.

“Ah, who’s got their ringtone on during the meeting, how rude?”

Choi Jong-hyun, who was busy working on the script for the broadcast, looked at me with a dissatisfied expression.

My cell phone was ringing.

“This is Cha Joo-han.”

-Ah, Attorney Cha Joo-han. This is Pastor Lee Seung-jin, the director of the Light and Salt Welfare Foundation for the Disabled. Is now a good time to talk?

“Yes. What’s the matter?”

-I’m calling to thank you for your great support to our foundation yesterday.

“No, I wanted to contribute to society, but I don’t know how, so I just donated to a place that does good work.”

-Haha, I see. It’s thanks to people like you, Attorney, that the world becomes more beautiful.

“You’re welcome.”

-Attorney, are you busy next Wednesday evening?

“Next Wednesday evening? No, I don’t have anything special.”

-That day, we are holding a small gathering to thank those who have given a lot of help to our foundation this year. I was wondering if you could attend. I would like to meet you in person and say hello.

This is it.

“There was such an event. Of course, I have to attend. I really wanted to meet a pastor who does good work.”

-Yes, I understand. Then, I will send an invitation to Representative Attorney Cha Joo-han.

“Ah, by the way, can escorts attend with me?”

-Of course. How many people are you expecting? The space is small, so it’s a little difficult to accommodate so many people.

“How many people are possible? Since our office donated together, it would be nice if the office staff could attend.”

-I think about three people would be possible. The invitation will have detailed procedures, so please refer to it, and I look forward to seeing you that day.

“Okay.”

As I put down the receiver, Choi Jong-hyun, who had shouted that it was rude to be on the phone during the meeting, perked up.

“Are they inviting you to the event? How many escorts can you take? Can I go too?”

When you look at it, Choi Jong-hyun’s obsession with Lee Jung-chan is sometimes confusing whether it’s love or hate.

Because it was an event with Lee Jung-chan and his son, his eyes were shining brightly.

“I don’t think it will work for the reporter and Jo Bong-joon. Lee Jung-chan is directly connected to the Myunghwa Pharmaceutical case, and it has been revealed that I am also involved in the Myunghwa Pharmaceutical case……. It will be too obvious if the two of you go together.”

“Ha……. Then who are you going with?”

“I have to take Attorney Kang, an actor, and a cameraman.”