Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 404

Shin Chun-oh looked intently at Director Kim Young-woo and asked, “Who?”

“It’s Yoo Min-chul.”

“Yoo Min-chul? What does he do?”

“He used to do installations in the area. He handled the construction for Hyun-sung’s store initially, and then for our chain stores in Hongcheon. Hyun-sung entrusted him with various other projects as well.”

“Hmm…”

Chairman Shin Chun-oh paused, lost in thought. Employing someone young wouldn’t have been easy.

Especially considering the mandatory military service and the need for someone to work independently, trust would have been a major concern.

And that wasn’t all.

Ultimately, the quality of work was paramount. No matter how trustworthy someone was, they were useless if they couldn’t deliver.

And the tasks were numerous: digging drainage ditches, building roads, and planting trees across that vast land. It was too much for an average person.

He needed someone trustworthy and skilled—someone he’d worked with multiple times. Having witnessed his work ethic, he’d have a good understanding of his capabilities.

And he would have developed a personal rapport with him.

‘Still, you can never truly know people. Especially since Kim is still young…’

“Director Kim.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

“Have you investigated this Yoo Min-chul? Given Kim’s youth, I’m concerned about whether he made the right choice.”

“I understand your concerns, Chairman. That’s why I already looked into it.”

“Indeed… And what did you find?”

“It’s a bit… complicated.”

Director Kim Young-woo hesitated, unable to complete his sentence.

Shin Chun-oh pressed him. “Why? What’s wrong? Speak plainly. Did you uncover something negative?”

“The findings are… divided.”

“Divided? What do you mean?”

“Well, it’s like…”

Director Kim Young-woo began to explain the details of his investigation. As he spoke, Chairman Shin Chun-oh listened intently, his lips pressed into a thin line. But strangely, his expression gradually shifted.

Initially serious, his face relaxed as time went on.

Finally, when Director Kim Young-woo finished, Chairman Shin Chun-oh spoke. “So, the conclusion is that Yoo Min-chul’s behavior changed after meeting Kim?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Before meeting Kim, he inflated construction costs, but he stopped doing that after? Is that what you’re saying?”

“Yes, exactly.”

“Of course, you discovered the reason, correct?”

“Yes, but the reason is… rather absurd.”

Director Kim Young-woo launched into another explanation. As he finished, Chairman Shin Chun-oh chuckled and said, “So, Park Hee-chul is the culprit after all?”

“Yes, Park Hee-chul primarily introduced him to work and apparently demanded a kickback as a finder’s fee. So, Yoo Min-chul had to inflate the construction costs.”

“Then the answer is clear.”

“Yes?”

“Park Hee-chul was the problem from the start. Now the whole picture comes together. Who saved Park Hee-chul’s life, as you know?”

Director Kim Young-woo answered immediately, as if it were obvious. “Hyun-sung, of course. He prevented him from going on that trip that day.”

“Exactly. Park Hee-chul changed from that moment onward.”

“He had a brush with death and changed?”

“Precisely. You’ve probably heard that people don’t change, right, Director Kim?”

“Yes, I’ve heard it often. There’s even a saying that you can’t fix people.”

“That’s right. It’s a common saying. People don’t change.

But that’s not always true.

It’s rare, but there are exceptions. Of course, those cases are very special.”

Chairman Shin Chun-oh continued, “But Park Hee-chul definitely changed, right?”

“Yes, a man who only cared about money completely transformed. He even stopped charging interest on private loans and did a lot of good for the village.”

“That’s right. Even a man obsessed with money couldn’t remain the same in the face of death. Only then did he realize he’d been living his life wrong.”

“That seems to be the case.”

Director Kim Young-woo nodded in agreement.

Then Chairman Shin Chun-oh continued, “So, the problem was Park Hee-chul from the beginning. Yoo Min-chul had to inflate the construction costs to meet his demands.”

“And as Park Hee-chul changed and stopped demanding kickbacks, Yoo Min-chul naturally had no need to inflate the costs, right?”

“Yes, exactly. That’s why his behavior changed after meeting Kim.”

“So, Yoo Min-chul is trustworthy after all?”

“That’s what I’m saying. Plus, he’s been doing installation work for a long time, so he’ll excel at whatever he does, even if he’s not doing the physical labor anymore.”

Director Kim Young-woo nodded, taking in Chairman Shin Chun-oh’s words.

“That’s right. He’ll be supervising now.”

“Exactly, and there’s no one better to supervise. He’s more of an expert than anyone else when it comes to the work itself, so he’ll be a good supervisor, right?”

“Now that you mention it, that’s true. The conclusion is that Hyun-sung chose the right person after all.”

“Haha, that’s what I’m saying. I was worried for nothing.”

Chuckling, Chairman Shin Chun-oh nodded and smiled.

Initially, he was concerned about the hiring decision, but knowing the man’s background, he realized his worries were unfounded. That’s why he couldn’t help but smile.

Chairman Shin Chun-oh asked, “So, what kind of construction are they doing these days?”

“They’ve been continuously working on land consolidation, drainage, and road construction for over three months. But the road is… unique.”

“Road? What’s unique about the road?”

“It’s not straight, but curved. These days, it’s common to straighten even winding roads, but Hyun-sung is doing the opposite. He’s leaving the existing provincial roads as they are, but all the new roads on his land are curved. Winding…”

Director Kim Young-woo couldn’t understand it, even after receiving the report.

These days, even in rural areas, it’s standard practice to make rice paddies and fields neat and straight during land consolidation. And they go to great lengths to make the roads even straighter.

But Hyun-sung is pursuing curves, which he couldn’t comprehend.

Chairman Shin Chun-oh thought for a moment and then said, “You said the road isn’t straight, but curved?”

“Yes, that’s right. He plans to plant cherry trees along that winding road next year. All along the roads on that vast land.”

“Hmm…”

Chairman Shin Chun-oh was lost in thought again.

Then, after a moment, he continued, “Director Kim, do you prefer straight lines or curves?”

“Are you talking about roads?”

“Yes, the road that Kim is building now.”

“Well, since the purpose of a road is transportation, I think a straight line is better than a curve.”

“What if the purpose isn’t just transportation?”

“Yes? What do you mean…”

Director Kim Young-woo tilted his head, puzzled.

Then Chairman Shin Chun-oh continued, “Let’s ask about that directly. To the person involved.”

“Yes? Are you suggesting we go to Gangwon-do?”

“Yes, you said Kim’s enlistment date is the 5th, right?”

“Yes, the day after tomorrow.”

“Hmm… The day after tomorrow. Then let’s leave tomorrow morning. I need to see the restaurant site with my own eyes, as well as the road under construction. And even though we offered to get him out of military service, he insisted on going, so we should at least treat him to a meal before he leaves.”

“Ah… Yes, I understand. Then I’ll escort you tomorrow morning.”

A smile spread across Chairman Shin Chun-oh’s face. Of course, he was happy to see Hyun-sung, but there was another reason this time.

The thought of over 200,000 *pyeong* [approximately 165 acres] of land filled with cherry blossoms in a few years made him smile.

But one thing kept bothering him. Why, of all things…

***

The next day.

“Is this the place?” Chairman Shin Chun-oh asked, looking at Director Kim Young-woo as he got out of the car.

Director Kim Young-woo guided Chairman Shin Chun-oh to a spot with a panoramic view of the village.

Having arrived, Chairman Shin Chun-oh looked around for a moment.

“Haha…”

Chairman Shin Chun-oh could only laugh. He had expected it to some extent, but seeing it with his own eyes, the scale was beyond imagination.

Over 100 pieces of heavy equipment were moving non-stop, and there seemed to be at least 500 people working.

“Director Kim.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

“The scale is more significant than expected, isn’t it?”

“That’s what I’m saying. Even when I received the reports, I didn’t fully grasp it, but seeing it with my own eyes, I’m speechless. For a 21-year-old to be overseeing such a massive construction…”

Director Kim Young-woo shook his head. He had been receiving reports for the past three months, so he knew the scale, but he still couldn’t believe it when he saw it in person.

Chairman Shin Chun-oh pointed to a specific area and said, “So, they’re creating housing sites on both sides of the river over there?”

“Yes, that’s right. They’ve already finalized the land-use changes with the county office, and even the Gangwon-do governor visited recently.”

“Of course, they would. They should actively support efforts to transform a village into such an innovative city. It would be spectacular to build a house there. Children will be playing in the river during the summer.”

“Yes, that’s right. They’re planting aquatic plants and trees around the river and raising the ground by 20 meters [approximately 65 feet] to prevent flood damage.”

While they were talking, a man who appeared to be the general supervisor approached and bowed to Chairman Shin Chun-oh.

“Are you Chairman Shin of Nongshim?”

“Haha, I am. And you are?”

“I thought so. I’m Yoo Min-chul, the director in charge of this project.”

“Ah! That Yoo… Min-chul.”

The name Yoo Min-chul immediately clicked in Chairman Shin Chun-oh’s mind.

“How did you know I was coming?”

“Ah, the president mentioned that you would be arriving this morning while he was at the county office. He’ll be here in about an hour.”

Chairman Shin Chun-oh looked at Director Kim Young-woo and asked, “Did you tell Kim in advance?”

“No. The chairman said it would interfere with his work, so I didn’t contact him.”

“Haha, so we’re in Kim’s palm after all?”

“That’s what I’m saying. How did Hyun-sung know we were coming?”

Chairman Shin Chun-oh and Director Kim Young-woo shook their heads in disbelief.

Yoo Min-chul looked at Chairman Shin Chun-oh and said, “The president asked me to explain the construction site to you. If you’re interested, I can start now.”

“I don’t want to bother you when you’re busy.”

“Not at all. I’m honored to have this opportunity. Please wait a moment.”

Yoo Min-chul began to unload a board from the truck and set it up.

Seeing this, Chairman Shin Chun-oh asked with a smile, “Did Kim order this too?”

“Ah, yes. He told me three days ago that you would be coming soon and to prepare the board and explain everything properly.”

“Haha, is that so? So, we were Sun Wukong [a character from Journey to the West who could never escape the Buddha’s palm] after all.”

“Yes?”

“Ah, never mind. Please proceed with the explanation, Director.”

Chairman Shin Chun-oh shook his head, looking at Director Kim Young-woo, who also shook his head in disbelief.

Hyun-sung had known for three days that they were coming. They didn’t know how, but the realization left them feeling empty.

Yoo Min-chul bowed to Chairman Shin Chun-oh.

“Chairman, I’ll begin.”

“Yes, please.”

“First, I’ll start with the first plan. The first is…”

“Wait a minute.”

Chairman Shin Chun-oh raised his hand, interrupting Yoo Min-chul.

Yoo Min-chul asked, “Yes, Chairman, please go ahead.”

“I apologize for interrupting. You mentioned the first plan. Does that mean there will be second and third plans in the future?”

“Yes, that’s right. The president said there are a total of five plans. The first three are scheduled before his military discharge, and the remaining two are after.”

“Haha… I understand. Please continue the explanation.”

“Yes, the first plan is the most basic…”

Yoo Min-chul bowed and continued his explanation. The longer he spoke, the more surprised Chairman Shin Chun-oh became.

Whenever he had a question, he raised his hand and asked, showing genuine interest.

How much time had passed?

Yoo Min-chul was nearing the end of his explanation when Chairman Shin Chun-oh raised his hand again.

“So, President Kim is going to plant cherry trees on both sides of all the roads in this area of over 200,000 *pyeong*?”

“Yes, that’s right. He said he wants to plant the most cherry trees in a single space in Korea.”

“But, the cherry tree is the national flower of Japan, so I’m concerned about that…”

“Ah! Is that so? I wasn’t aware of that and simply followed the president’s instructions…”

Just then, a truck came up the mountainside. It was Hyun-sung’s truck.

Director Kim Young-woo looked at Chairman Shin Chun-oh and said, “Chairman, the Buddha is arriving…”