Golden Print [EN]: Chapter 263

Woo-jin’s words sounded big and not very clear at first.

Making beautiful buildings is, after all, a somewhat unclear idea.

However, the real point of Woo-jin’s words wasn’t just about ‘beautiful and magnificent architecture’.

He just used ‘beautiful and magnificent’ to show that ‘architecture’ itself was the most important thing for WJ Studio.

Jong-geol understood what Woo-jin was trying to say.

Jong-geol nodded slowly, a small smile appearing. His answer showed he truly understood.

He knew that business is not just about money. If you only chase money, you lose focus and the company can fail.

Jong-geol had learned this lesson slowly, even with his father, the chairman of Cheonwoong Construction, as his mentor. It took him until he was over forty to truly understand.

But here was Woo-jin, a young man in his twenties, who seemed to understand this naturally. Jong-geol found this very impressive.

Jong-geol thought about Woo-jin’s words for a moment, then spoke again.

“WJ Studio will need a lot of money in the future, I imagine.”

Woo-jin chuckled and replied.

“Indeed. To create the most magnificent architecture in the world, it will certainly require more than just a few pennies.”

Jong-geol smiled and responded.

“If CEO Seo keeps his focus, he will be able to earn plenty of money.”

“Enough to design and construct the best buildings in the world?”

Woo-jin’s eyes shone with passion, like a compass pointing north. At Woo-jin’s bold question, Jong-geol’s smile deepened.

“As long as the compass doesn’t break before reaching the destination.”

The compass Jong-geol spoke of was likely the passion and dream for architecture that Woo-jin had not yet lost.

Woo-jin understood it easily, and his mood improved even more.

Even though they had just met and talked briefly, Jong-geol seemed to see something important in Woo-jin.

“You seem to instinctively know this already, even without my saying it….”

Jong-geol added to Woo-jin, who was thinking about his last remark.

“Money is like a person; it runs away from those who want it too much.”

“……!”

Jong-geol’s quiet voice echoed in the room.

“If you remember that, CEO Seo’s compass is unlikely to break.”

The conversation between Jong-geol and Woo-jin at the top of the Cheonwoong Construction headquarters went on longer than expected.

As owners in the same industry with many common interests, they had endless stories to share.

Of course, Woo-jin’s knowledge and skills were still behind those of Jong-geol.

The experience and wisdom of many years was something Woo-jin could not easily match.

However, Woo-jin, having experienced the future, had knowledge that Jong-geol did not, and so the conversation was never one-sided.

“I truly enjoyed today, CEO Seo.”

“The feeling is mutual. Thank you for the invitation.”

Woo-jin thought they might go out for dinner, but they had their evening meal together inside the headquarters.

In the room right next to where Woo-jin had been talking with Jong-geol, a wonderful meal was waiting – dishes filled with colorful food, smelling delicious, like something from the best restaurant.

So, Woo-jin, having eaten his fill of delicious food, was able to leave the Cheonwoong headquarters in a truly good mood.

Woo-jin was also happy because he had achieved something useful.

“Ah, and CEO Seo.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

“I will take a close look at the brochure you gave me earlier after work.”

“Ah, haha. Thank you.”

He had brought the new brochure for and given it to Jong-geol at just the right time.

He said it was to show him his ideas about architecture and design.

But naturally, he also had other intentions.

‘Someone like CEO Cheon Jong-geol can certainly be considered a ‘Noblesse’.’

Arco would be launched targeting the richest and most powerful people in Korean society.

And how appealing this Cheongdam Arco would be to such high society could be sufficiently judged through Jong-geol.

‘I don’t have high expectations, but if Chairman Cheon shows interest….’

On the way back to Seongsu after the meeting with Jong-geol, Woo-jin became even more curious about what impact today’s meeting might have on him in the future.

After the special meeting with CEO Cheon Jong-geol, Woo-jin’s daily life was once again flowing by as busily as ever.

As January ended and February approached, many things were progressing, both personally and professionally.

But among all those things, the one that Woo-jin had been focusing on the most recently was the work related to the Icheon City Unit Plan.

In particular, Woo-jin couldn’t help but pay attention to the matters related to the Architects Association.

The Architects Association had interfered in his plans, and Woo-jin wanted to get back at them. He had to be very careful.

“Did you look into , Hyung?”

Woo-jin asked, and Jin-tae nodded and replied.

“I did.”

“What’s it like?”

“It was a design office affiliated with the association, just as you said, but I couldn’t find any particular circumstances.”

“Hmm……. Is that so?”

“It’s not like I can do a background check at the level of a private detective, so I couldn’t dig too deeply….”

“Ah, I didn’t want you to go that far either.”

“Anyway, what’s confirmed is that they definitely have connections with the association, to some extent?”

“I see.”

“Judging by the circumstances alone, it seemed like the competition itself was entered into very normally.”

“Okay. I understand, Hyung.”

After the phone call with Director Jo Yong-hyun at the beginning of the year, the first thing Woo-jin did was to find out information about through Jin-tae.

His goal wasn’t to find proof of wrongdoing between and the Architects Association and destroy them.

Although he was displeased that only this one company had entered the competition for the city planning design announcement, taking them down right now was, in many ways, a difficult task for Woo-jin as well.

‘It would be difficult to find evidence, but even if I found it and took them down, re-announcing the competition would delay things by a month.’

Moreover, in order to properly strike a blow against the Architects Association on this occasion, he needed to make them get more involved so that they couldn’t easily pull out.

For the time being, ignoring their intended city planning design bid was, in many ways, the better option.

So, entrusting Jin-tae with the investigation of was killing two birds with one stone.

If he found any bait related to the association during the investigation process, it could become a weapon to attack the association later.

Since they would be proceeding with the city planning design here, he also wanted to check if they actually had the skills.

If they were too unskilled, he had to find another way, even if it delayed the plan.

“Then that part is settled….”

Woo-jin continued.

“What about the company’s skills?”

To that question, an unexpected reaction came this time.

“This part, well, there was no need to look into it separately.”

“What do you mean by that?”

At Woo-jin’s question, Jin-tae shrugged his shoulders and replied.

“They’re a very famous company in the city planning field.”

“Ah…… Is that so?”

“They seem to have considerable experience with national projects……. They have so many portfolios in this area that I didn’t think there was any need to worry so much.”

Unlike the Seongsu District design competition, this time the association had definitely pushed in a skilled company.

‘Well, they wouldn’t repeat the same mistake twice.’

So, Woo-jin was able to feel relieved in the first instance.

If this company was too unskilled, he had to replace them somehow, even if it meant a significant loss of time.

‘That’s a relief.’

From the association’s point of view, they had pushed in a skilled company to avoid being pushed back by Woo-jin or other companies, but as a result, it was helpful to Woo-jin.

“Anyway, thanks for looking into it.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Is the Arco project going well?”

“Waiting for a reply from Dajin Construction.”

“Didn’t the reply come last time?”

“Ah, the design confirmation is over, now we just need to set the schedule.”

“I see. Set up a meeting as soon as the schedule comes out.”

“Okay.”

As Jin-tae left the CEO’s office, Woo-jin immediately picked up the phone.

The person he called next was Director Jo Yong-hyun.

“Yes, Director. Is it a good time to talk?”

[Yes, it is. Is there something wrong?]

“Haha, it’s nothing much. I said I would do some verification last time, right?”

[Ah……! You’re talking about .]

“Yes, that’s right.”

[How was it? Our Cultural Affairs Bureau thought it wasn’t bad internally.]

“I think so too.”

[Oh, shall we proceed then?]

“Yes! I think you can proceed.”

While talking to Director Jo Yong-hyun, Woo-jin’s gaze was on the calendar.

‘For now, there are no problems with the schedule……. At this rate, we can sell the land by the end of next month or early March.’

And Woo-jin’s expression brightened a little more.

If all the side stories of are broadcast by the end of February, the situation was flowing according to the best-case scenario, with the land sale being launched around that time, when it would be at its peak.

‘The only variable is still the audit…….’

Woo-jin, who had become curious, spoke into the receiver again.

“By the way, Director.”

[Yes, CEO.]

“That audit you mentioned last time……. Has it started yet?”

At Woo-jin’s question, Jo Yong-hyun replied in a bitter voice.

[Yes, it started yesterday.]

And Woo-jin, guessing the cause of that voice, sighed briefly.

“Hoo. That must be tough.”

[Well, there’s nothing else that’s hard, but the paperwork is really painful.]

“It seems pretty intense?”

[I know, right? I don’t know what they think they’re going to find to eat up that they’re doing this much…….]

“Hmm…….”

[CEO, please prepare in advance as well. It seems like it will go straight to you as soon as our audit is over.]

Woo-jin, who was thinking about something for a moment, opened his mouth again.

“Roughly when do you think it will come to my side?”

[Hmm……. Wouldn’t it take about a month?]

“A month……. That’s the time it takes for the audit on the Icheon side to be completed?”

[That’s right. CEO, you’re ultimately an external party, and internal audits always come first when conducting audits.]

“I understand, Director. Thank you for telling me.”

At Woo-jin’s words, Director Jo Yong-hyun asked back in a slightly curious voice.

[But CEO, why are you asking about the timing?]

And to that question, Woo-jin replied with a smile.

“I can’t just keep getting hit, can I? I need to give them a taste of their own medicine too.”

[Pardon?]

One corner of Woo-jin’s mouth curled up slightly.

“There’s something like that. Anyway, the project will be fine, so don’t worry too much, Director.”