Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 121

121

“So, do you remember now?”

“Of course, I remember. If you had held on just a little longer back then, I could have doubled my earnings.”

“Does that mean you already knew about the dormant period?”

“Of course.”

“I see… Hmph…”

President Kim Jin-yong nodded and sighed.

He had hoped otherwise. But as expected, Hyun-sung already knew about the dormant period. Well, that’s why he would have set such conditions.

“Are you relieved now?”

“A little. I was honestly curious. But how did you know about the dormant period? It’s not something just anyone can know.”

Pfft!

The moment Hyun-sung heard that, he couldn’t help but laugh.

Because the person who told him about the dormant period was none other than Kim Jin-yong’s only son, Kim Dong-soo.

“I saw it in a book once.”

Hyun-sung had no choice but to lie.

The two men sat facing each other.

Hyun-sung looked at President Kim Jin-yong and said,

“I have a request.”

“You said a request?”

“Yes, it’s actually my second purpose for coming here.”

“The first was the red pepper powder, and the second purpose is… well, what is that second purpose?”

President Kim Jin-yong looked at Hyun-sung with amusement. Then Hyun-sung spoke again.

“Do you happen to know of any specialty crops that can be grown in our village?”

“Specialty crops?”

President Kim Jin-yong looked at Hyun-sung intently, surprised that he brought up specialty crops, and asked again.

“Yes, what can we plant in our village?”

“Heh, this is quite something.”

“Don’t tease me, I’m seriously asking. So, if there are any crops that can make money, please recommend them. You know best, don’t you?”

“So, you’re going to save the village now, is that it?”

“That’s too ambitious. Honestly, I’m just frustrated.”

It was an honest feeling.

Mostly, they plant potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn. In the future, they will also grow ginseng, but that’s something that will only be possible in 20-30 years. The temperature is too low now, so ginseng is impossible.

So, there’s not much to earn. Naturally, they can’t escape the cycle of poverty. That’s the most fundamental reason why people have no choice but to leave their hometown as time goes by.

“So, you want to plant crops that will help the village?”

“Yes, I thought you might know since you handle a lot of medicinal herbs, so I’m asking for your help.”

“Where in Hongcheon did you say it was?”

“Seomyeong.”

President Kim Jin-yong pondered for a moment, then opened his mouth.

“If it’s Seomyeong, it’s a cold place, so ginseng won’t work either, um… let’s see. Ah! That would be good.”

“What is it?”

“Have you ever heard of Angelica?”

“Isn’t that the one with roots used as a medicinal herb? I think the young leaves are also eaten as wraps.”

President Kim Jin-yong nodded at Hyun-sung’s explanation and continued.

“You know it well. That’s the crop. I don’t think there’s a better crop than that.”

“Can you make money by growing it?”

“Isn’t that the key? If you do well, you can probably make more than ten times what you’re making now.”

“That much?”

“Of course, farming varies from person to person, but if you follow the basics to some extent, it will be much better than now.”

Hyun-sung clenched his fist without realizing it.

Hyun-sung thought that if they could earn that much income, not many people would leave their hometown.

In the future, the hometown was empty.

How desperate must the people who left have been?

At this point, Hyun-sung’s interest began to grow even more.

“How about the sales channels?”

“Sales channels? Don’t worry about that, my friend. I can handle that much on my own.”

“Really?”

It was music to his ears.

That means that as long as they make the product, they don’t have to worry about sales channels.

After all, Kim Jin-yong’s Sungsim Herbal Medicine Store is one of the best in Gyeongdong Market [a large traditional medicine market in Seoul]. If he’s willing, handling that much would be a piece of cake.

Hyun-sung smiled as he looked at President Kim Jin-yong.

Then President Kim Jin-yong continued.

“Are you that happy?”

“Yes, I am. I’m so happy to have such a reliable person by my side.”

“Heh, this friend has a talent for making people helpless.”

“Hehe. Does it work that way?” The two men looked at each other and laughed.

Hyun-sung was benefiting a lot from his military buddy, Kim Dong-soo. If it weren’t for Kim Dong-soo, it would have been difficult for anything to work out properly, including the wild ginseng.

While Hyun-sung was thinking about his military buddy, Kim Dong-soo, President Kim Jin-yong was thinking about something else.

It was none other than the young friend named Hyun-sung sitting in front of him.

He thought he was unusual from the first meeting. This friend sitting in front of him was the one who made him, who had been in business for over 30 years, kneel.

As if he had learned telepathy, he shook people’s hearts.

Now he says he’s going to save the village, not just for his own personal success.

What on earth…….

Then Hyun-sung opened his mouth again.

“Then I’ll trust you, President.”

“Does your father know?”

“Not yet. I’m going down today to tell him. If I start with my father first, I think the others will naturally follow.”

There is a limit to persuasion.

If he goes down now and tries to persuade the villagers, no one will listen to Hyun-sung.

Hyun-sung thought it would be better to approach slowly, even if it’s a little late.

“You’ve thought it through well. No matter how good something is, it’s not easy to persuade someone. Especially if a young man like you comes forward. But if your father starts first and shows good results, the others will follow on their own.”

“I think so too. I don’t think it’s something that can be done in a hurry, and I’ll try to persuade my father first. I’ll contact you as soon as it’s decided.”

“Okay. And it would be better to get help with the detailed cultivation methods from someone who actually farms rather than from me. I’ll give you a memo later, so if your father makes up his mind, it would be much better to go there and learn.”

“If you do that for me, I couldn’t ask for anything more.”

Hyun-sung was very satisfied.

Because the best way is to learn from someone in that field.

It’s probably a client of Kim Jin-yong. If he just goes there without any introduction, they won’t welcome him, but if he goes with an introduction like this, it will be easier for both the other party and his father who is going to learn.

A little later.

Kim Jin-yong handed Hyun-sung a memo.

“This is where I do business. Later, if your father decides, visit them and ask for help, and they will teach you in detail.”

“Thank you. I’m receiving a lot of favors from you in many ways.”

“Favors? Don’t say such things. We’re just helping each other out.”

Kim Jin-yong’s character was revealed in his words. People give and receive help from others as they live.

But there are people who especially want to be praised every time. In reality, those people often don’t provide much help.

But Kim Jin-yong was definitely someone who had a lot to learn in that respect.

Hyun-sung, who received the memo, got up from his seat.

“Then I’ll contact you again next time.”

“Next time, if you run out of red pepper powder, just give me a call. Then I’ll get it and send it by mail. Don’t come all the way up here when you’re busy.”

“Yes, I understand. Thank you.”

“And this…….”

Kim Jin-yong handed Hyun-sung an envelope.

“What is this?”

“I can’t just sit still when you’re opening a business. It’s not much. Add it to your business preparation.”

“I’ll take it since you’re giving it to me, but I feel so bad about it.”

“Young friend, don’t say such things. And since you’ve started, make sure you hit the jackpot. If I ever go down there later, I’ll ask for a bowl of ramen [a cheap and common Korean noodle dish].”

“Not just ramen, I’ll catch you a sea bream.”

“Well, haha, hahaha…….”

Kim Jin-yong responded to Hyun-sung’s bluff with a big laugh. The more he knew him, the more genuine he seemed.

It’s not a matter of having a lot or a little money.

Hyun-sung knew very well that it’s not easy for a person to give even a little, so he was just grateful to Kim Jin-yong.

“I guess I’m lucky with people.”

“Are you saying that for me to hear?”

“Hehe, isn’t it true? No matter how rich a person is, it’s not easy to give even a grain of rice.”

“Anyway, you’re talking……, but you should go quickly if you’re going on a long journey. I like having you as a chat buddy, but.”

“Yes, I was just about to leave anyway. Then, until we meet again, I hope you stay healthy. Oh! The trend is spicy these days. If you can get habanero peppers, secure a lot of them. It will probably help you, President.”

“Huh! Is that what you’re saying again? Okay. I’ll think about it.”

Hyun-sung bowed to Kim Jin-yong and left Sungsim Herbal Medicine Store.

Kim Jin-yong was left alone.

“Habanero…….”

Kim Jin-yong’s head slowly began to move from side to side as he pondered for a long time.

***

That evening.

Hyun-sung entered the yard and shouted loudly.

“I’m home.” Bang.

The door opened and his mother came out to greet Hyun-sung.

“Welcome home. You must be tired from going on a long journey?”

“No, not really. But why is the house so quiet?”

“Ji-yeon went to play at her friend’s house and hasn’t come back yet, and your father went to visit Mr. Choi in the lower village.”

“Mr. Choi?”

Hyun-sung tilted his head. Because he knew that he didn’t have a good relationship with Choi Yoon-shik, who was called Mr. Choi.

Hyun-sung asked his mother.

“No, I thought my father and that man didn’t get along very well, why did he go there?”

“I don’t know, I don’t know either. I don’t know what kind of wind blew today, but he even bought alcohol and went there.”

“Alcohol……?”

Hyun-sung tilted his head again.

It’s because of the alcohol. These days, his father hardly drinks alcohol. In his past life, he lived in a drunken stupor because of the loan shark Park Hee-cheol, but that’s not the case now.

But he bought alcohol and went to Choi Yoon-shik, so Hyun-sung couldn’t understand.

Hyun-sung looked at his mother and continued.

“I’ll go to my father.”

“You must be hungry…….”

“No, I’m not very hungry. I’ll be right back.”

He felt uneasy for some reason. His father doesn’t like to say bad things. The fact that his father deliberately bought alcohol and went to see Choi Yoon-shik bothered him for some reason.

Thud.

Hyun-sung left the house, leaving his mother behind.