Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 496

A few months later.

The academy was thriving.

Among its offerings, the Korean language class for the elderly proved surprisingly popular. Individuals who had once been unable to write their own names were now composing not only their names but also those of their children, a feat that filled them with immense joy.

The side dish lunchbox delivery service for the elderly was also running smoothly.

Every morning at five o’clock, Chairman Shin Chun-oh, Manager Choi Jin-young, and Hyun-sung convened in front of the restaurant to begin their deliveries.

Chairman Shin Chun-oh was particularly happy when he first started delivering side dishes.

The reason was simple: volunteering.

He derived immense satisfaction from contributing to the well-being of others.

Moreover, this was a novel experience for him, amplifying his sense of accomplishment.

Chairman Shin Chun-oh also discovered another source of enjoyment in his life: making friends.

While delivering side dishes, he encountered individuals of similar age, fostering natural and engaging conversations.

The endeavor transcended mere delivery; it was about forging connections with people.

Perhaps this social interaction was as valuable a gift to the elderly as the side dishes themselves, a sentiment that resonated with Chairman Shin Chun-oh.

Regardless of the underlying reasons, the outcome was undeniably positive.

All ten oriental medicine clinics had reached full occupancy and commenced treatments. Hyun-sung had successfully established the oriental medicine clinic complex he had envisioned from the outset.

The influx of hospitals spurred improvements in their services, initiating a beneficial cycle of competition.

This was a positive outcome that he had anticipated and hoped for from the beginning.

The patients who visited the hospitals naturally reaped the benefits.

The initial concerns about a potential shortage of patients dissipated with the arrival of cherry blossoms in mid-April.

The medical tourism initiative championed by Manager Han Seok-ho of Minjung Korean Medicine Clinic proved effective. At the current pace, there would be no shortage of patients in the foreseeable future, ensuring smooth management.

Then, one late summer day…

Knock, knock.

The person who opened the office door was an unexpected figure: Grandpa Lee Seok-man.

Hyun-sung leaped to his feet and greeted Lee Seok-man warmly.

“Oh! Grandpa, welcome.”

“I wasn’t sure if an old man like me could come here.”

“What are you talking about? Of course, you can come in. Please, have a seat over here.”

As Lee Seok-man settled into the chair, Hyun-sung retrieved a cool drink from the refrigerator and offered it to him.

“Grandpa, please have this.”

“You shouldn’t have gone to all this trouble…”

After taking a sip of his drink and catching his breath, Lee Seok-man asked Hyun-sung out of curiosity.

“Is something the matter?”

This marked Lee Seok-man’s first visit to the office, prompting Hyun-sung to wonder if something was amiss.

“It’s nothing, I just wanted to give you this.”

Lee Seok-man handed Hyun-sung a black plastic bag.

Hyun-sung accepted the bag, noticing it was warm to the touch.

He immediately knew what it contained.

“Grandpa, this is…”

“Yes, you know it’s potatoes. I just boiled them a little while ago, so eat them before they get cold. It’s the first crop of potatoes today, so I brought them.”

“…”

What could he say?

Instead of replying, Hyun-sung promptly took out a potato, peeled it, and took a bite.

Chew, chew.

The taste of the potato spreading through his mouth was more delicious than ever.

“Grandpa, it’s so delicious. The potatoes are perfectly ripe. It’s so soft and delicious.”

“Hehe, really?”

“Of course, why would I lie? I’m not going to share this potato with anyone; I’m going to eat it all by myself.”

He mentioned that these were the first potatoes he had harvested that day, and he had boiled them and brought them over immediately.

Knowing the sentiment behind the gesture, Hyun-sung diligently ate the potatoes.

Lee Seok-man smiled as he watched him and then spoke.

“Thank you.”

“Thank you for what? I’m the one who’s grateful. Thanks to you, Grandpa, I get to eat such delicious potatoes.”

“No, I’m not talking about that; I’m thanking you for something else.”

“Yes? Something else?”

“Yes, for everything. The side dishes you bring every morning, the cleaning that the women’s association does once a month. And thanks to you, I can now write my name and address with my own hands. It’s all thanks to you.”

Lee Seok-man paused to catch his breath before continuing.

“Do you know what I’m doing these days?”

“Yes? Well… I don’t really know…”

“I write a diary every day. It’s only been a little over ten days since I started writing a diary, but it’s so much fun. I really didn’t know that knowing Korean was so good. So I’ve set a goal for myself these days.”

“A goal?”

“Yes, I’m going to try a little harder and write a letter.”

Upon hearing the word “letter,” Hyun-sung smiled.

It had only been a little over three months since Lee Seok-man had started learning Korean, yet he was already planning to write a letter after his diary. Hyun-sung couldn’t help but smile at the thought.

Then he wondered who the letter was for.

“Who are you going to write the letter to?”

“You.”

“Yes? Me?”

This was entirely unexpected.

Lee Seok-man saw Hyun-sung almost every morning while delivering side dishes. The fact that he intended to write a letter in addition to these encounters surprised him.

“Yes, I’m going to practice hard and write a letter.”

“Practice?”

Hyun-sung tilted his head, confused by Lee Seok-man’s words.

He had clearly stated that he was already writing a diary, implying a basic understanding of Korean. If that were the case, he should be capable of writing a letter already. The mention of further practice puzzled Hyun-sung.

As Hyun-sung tilted his head, Lee Seok-man elaborated.

“I’m going to write it perfectly.”

“Perfectly?”

“Yes, I’m still lacking a lot. I get my diary checked by my teacher every day, but there are still too many misspelled words. So I can’t write it yet. But wait a little longer. I will in the future…”

Lee Seok-man’s explanation was more detailed than Hyun-sung had anticipated.

Despite the length, the core message was simple.

He was capable of writing a letter now, but he chose not to. He wanted to compose a flawless letter, written entirely by his own hand.

The reason was equally straightforward.

He believed that this was the most appropriate way to express his gratitude.

Only then did Hyun-sung understand Lee Seok-man’s intention to postpone writing the letter.

Hyun-sung gazed at Lee Seok-man.

Although his face was etched with deep wrinkles, his eyes shone with an unprecedented brightness as he spoke.

His appearance evoked both pity and gratitude.

Hyun-sung quietly addressed Lee Seok-man.

“Grandpa!”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“You can just write it. It doesn’t have to be perfect. I’m just grateful that you’re writing me a letter.”

“That’s not true. I can’t accept that. I’m not paying to learn; I’m learning for free, so people should at least have that much conscience, right?”

“Conscience?”

At the word “conscience,” Hyun-sung scratched his head slightly.

He didn’t fully grasp the intended meaning.

Lee Seok-man elaborated further.

“As people get older, they tend to become more shameless. They pretend not to know even though they know. But I can’t accept that myself. Even though I have more wrinkles like this now, I want to keep my conscience at least until now. And in fact…”

Lee Seok-man’s explanation continued at length.

It echoed his earlier sentiments, emphasizing that mastering Korean was the most fitting way to reciprocate the assistance he was receiving.

He considered it the bare minimum to maintain his conscience.

Ultimately, his definition of “conscience” revolved around diligently working to repay the help he was receiving.

When Lee Seok-man finished speaking, Hyun-sung nodded quietly and responded.

“Yes, I understand what you mean. Then I will now wait for Grandpa’s letter.”

That was the conclusion Hyun-sung reached. He believed it was the most considerate approach for Lee Seok-man and the most ideal resolution.

It was at that moment that a peculiar statement escaped Lee Seok-man’s lips.

“Next, I’m going to find my place.”

“Yes? Did you say your place now?”

Hyun-sung stared at Lee Seok-man, unsure of the precise meaning of the word “place.”

Lee Seok-man continued.

“Yes, my place. Somehow, I’ve turned seventy. Of course, it’s my fault, but after giving it all to my children, I’m not even getting a birthday meal. But even now…”

Lee Seok-man’s story continued at length.

This time, he spoke of his family, recounting how he had sold all his land to raise and marry off his children, only to be abandoned by them later.

In essence, he had been forsaken when he became penniless.

After sharing this, Lee Seok-man suddenly looked at Hyun-sung and smiled.

Hyun-sung tilted his head again.

This was hardly a moment for laughter.

Intrigued, Hyun-sung immediately inquired.

“Grandpa, what does that smile mean?”

“The real estate agent visited me a few days ago.”

“Are you talking about President Park In-soo from the real estate agency?”

“Yes, but that president told me a very interesting story.”

There was only one reason for a real estate agent to visit: a potential sale.

Yet, he was smiling?

Ultimately, that implied…

As soon as he reached this conclusion, Hyun-sung asked.

“Did President Park say he would buy the house?”

“It’s not that President Park is going to buy it, but someone is coveting our house. More precisely, it’s not the house, but the land.”

“The land? Are you saying that someone is going to build a house there? But who is it?”

“He hasn’t told me that yet, but the important thing is money. Well, he’s talking about two hundred million [Korean Won, approximately $150,000 USD].”

“Two hundred million? If it’s two hundred million, it’s not 2,000, is it… is it 200 million won?”

Smirk.

Instead of answering verbally, Lee Seok-man nodded and smiled.

Lee Seok-man’s demeanor was noticeably different from when he had first entered the office. There was a clear reason for this change.

Hyun-sung had a question.

Lee Seok-man had mentioned finding his place, then segued into a discussion about his family affairs, culminating in the revelation of the real estate agent’s visit and the offer of 200 million won.

So, in essence, he was implying that he would use that 200 million won to find his place, wasn’t he?

How…?

Curious, Hyun-sung immediately asked.

“What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to tell my children about this.”

“Tell them?”

“Yes, that’s how they’ll take the bait, right? I’m going to go fishing for the first time in a long time. I haven’t been able to use my strength because I haven’t had anything until now, but if I have bait worth 200 million won, things will be different, right?”

Lee Seok-man chuckled lightly and continued.

“I made a mistake once, but I won’t make the same mistake twice.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m going to hold on to it until the end. Anyway, if it’s 200 million won now, that amount will go up even more in the future. The more I hold on to it, the better my children will have to treat me. Anyway, I’m going to use that as my last card. I’m never going to sell it before I die.”

“So you’re saying you’re going to leave it as an inheritance?”

“That’s right, so I’m going to tell my children in advance. I’m going to tell them that I’ll divide it up depending on how they do in the future. I’m definitely going to tell them that I might give it all to one person if things go wrong. Maybe if that happens, all three of them won’t neglect me like they do now. Don’t you think?”

Pfft.

Hyun-sung couldn’t suppress his laughter.

This was a game that Lee Seok-man was destined to win. While it might seem unfair from the children’s perspective, from Lee Seok-man’s standpoint, there was no better way to ensure he was well-cared for in his final years.

The presence of three children only amplified the effectiveness of this strategy.

Lee Seok-man continued.

“Do you know who made this possible?”

“Isn’t this because of the land, not because of anyone?”

“You’re wrong. It’s all because of you.”

“Yes? Why is it because of me?”

“Didn’t you develop this village this much? If you hadn’t been here, that land wouldn’t be worth 200 million won, let alone 20 million won. Thanks to you, I can have hope at the end.”

To be honest, he wasn’t wrong. Compared to his previous life, the current land price had increased at least tenfold.

“Whatever the reason, it’s a good thing. So when are you going to tell them?”

“I’m going to write a letter to you first, and then I’m going to write a letter to my children with the same content.”

Hyun-sung tilted his head again.

He couldn’t understand why Lee Seok-man intended to convey this information in a letter rather than a phone call.

Lee Seok-man smiled and explained.

“I want to give my children a good blow [a surprise]. I’m sure my children will be surprised to see me, who didn’t even know how to write my name, writing a letter.”

“Ah, I see.”

“I’m going to show them that I’m not the same as before. It probably won’t take long. I’m also very curious to see how they’ll react.”

Only then did Hyun-sung understand Lee Seok-man’s insistence on writing the letter perfectly. He wanted to present his transformed self to his children with dignity.

And more than anything, Hyun-sung was equally curious about their reaction.

“Grandpa, fighting! [Good luck!]”

Hyun-sung pumped his fists in encouragement.

Lee Seok-man reciprocated with a clenched fist and a nod.