Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 732

735

Reincarnated as a Building Owner

Shin Min-ki spoke first when Hyun-sung was late to answer.

“Is there a reason why it’s difficult to answer?”

“That’s….”

Hyun-sung hesitated for a moment, then spoke as if he had made up his mind.

“No, it’s not that. It’s just that I’m worried about whether the Chairman will believe what I say.”

“So, you’re saying something happened during the summer vacation.”

“Yes, that’s right. I don’t know if you’ll understand if I say I had an… awakening.”

“An awakening?”

Shin Min-ki stared at Hyun-sung with wide eyes. Hyun-sung immediately answered again.

“Yes, that’s right. I had a great realization, in my own way. So, after that, my life completely changed, 180 degrees. Everything, even studying.”

Hyun-sung had no choice but to lie.

In this situation, he couldn’t tell the truth about regressing, so he explained it as having a personal realization.

In a way, many thoughts *did* change while regressing, so his life *could* be said to have changed.

So, it wasn’t entirely a lie to say that his life changed because he had a great realization, except for the regression part.

“You had a great realization? So, after that, your life completely changed?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Hmm….”

Shin Min-ki was lost in thought for a moment.

Hyun-sung said he had an awakening.

Awakening?

Awakening is to realize and understand a mistake or a previously unknown truth.

In the end, he had an awakening, and his life completely changed after that.

If that’s true, there’s nothing more to say. People change when they gain enlightenment.

For now, I have no choice but to believe those words.

After thinking for a while, Shin Min-ki nodded as if he understood and said again.

“Yes, good. I will believe what you say, President Kim. If I deny that, we can’t have a conversation anymore. But what I still don’t understand is that you went to Gangneung and came back home that same day. Is that also in the same context?”

Hyun-sung smiled inwardly.

He hadn’t expected such detailed scrutiny.

But since he had decided to lie anyway, he was confident that he could make up any excuse.

“Yes, that’s right. As you know from the investigation, I fell into the sea that day and nearly died. After that, the world looked different. People say that people change when they overcome a near-death experience.”

Hyun-sung subtly watched Shin Min-ki’s reaction. Shin Min-ki also nodded as if he agreed. Hyun-sung continued immediately after confirming that.

“Actually, that was the moment.”

“That moment?”

“Yes, the moment I had an awakening. It happened right after I was rescued by the rescue team and woke up. I thought I shouldn’t live like that anymore. So, I came back that day. My parents are suffering in the fields even on those hot summer days, and I thought I couldn’t just play around.”

It is said that one lie leads to another.

Hyun-sung was a prime example. Once he lied, he was now even using his parents to cover it up.

But Shin Min-ki, who had no way of knowing that, looked at Hyun-sung with an admiring expression.

“Hehe, that was the reason.”

Shin Min-ki looked at Hyun-sung and smiled pleasantly.

It was a plausible story.

People don’t usually change. Why else would there be the saying, ‘You can’t teach an old dog new tricks’?

But there are exceptions in the face of death.

Often, people who have faced death head-on completely change.

It was the moment when Hyun-sung’s change became understandable.

Shin Min-ki nodded and asked again.

“Yes, good. Now I think I understand why CEO Kim changed after the summer vacation. Anyone is helpless in the face of death.”

Shin Min-ki continued.

“Then I’ll ask you another question.”

“Yes.”

“What happened with that wild ginseng [a rare and highly valued medicinal root]? Wild ginseng has been considered a spiritual object since ancient times, and even expert *Simmani* [ginseng hunters] find it difficult to dig up. Yet you managed to find it.”

*Smile.*

Hyun-sung smiled slightly.

He was now confident that he could make up any answer to that question.

Hyun-sung said confidently.

“I had a dream.”

“A dream?”

“Yes, that’s right. I saw wild ginseng in my dream. So, I went up to the mountain the next day. But when I went up, I couldn’t see the wild ginseng. So, I searched for wild ginseng for 20 days, and my stamina improved. Oh, and I dug up and ate one wild ginseng in the mountain. But it turned out that the wild ginseng I ate was over 100 years old. So, there were changes in my body. Thanks to that, I was able to deal with the guy who had been bullying me after the second semester started. Of course, I don’t know if you’ve investigated this far.”

Hyun-sung deliberately said everything in advance, even things he hadn’t been asked. Otherwise, he thought he would ask and check everything one by one.

Was it because it was effective?

Shin Min-ki just nodded and didn’t ask any further questions.

Hyun-sung picked up a well-cooked piece of pork rind from the grill and placed it on Shin Min-ki’s plate, saying.

“Now, try this pork rind. It has a magical taste like *Gopchang* [grilled small intestines]. Oh, it tastes great if you dip it in bean flour.”

“Oh, is that so? Then, trusting CEO Kim, shall we try it?”

Shin Min-ki confidently brought the pork rind to his mouth, unlike when he first ate *Gopchang*.

“Hehe, this is the taste!”

Shin Min-ki, who was eating pork rind, looked at Hyun-sung with a satisfied smile.

“Is it okay?”

“It’s a different taste from *Gopchang*, but this one is also quite delicious. Hehe, it’s amazing how this taste comes from the rind.”

“It’s high in collagen, so it’s good for skin beauty and joint cartilage. So, you can eat a lot.”

“Oh, is that so!”

Shin Min-ki’s voice gained strength, and his chopsticks began to move busily.

So, the two of them were busy eating pork rind for a long time.

Then, at some point, Shin Min-ki looked at Hyun-sung and asked again.

“So, what happened with the university? You clearly passed Korea University, but you gave it up and went to Gangsang University in the province. For me, this was also something I couldn’t understand at all.”

“Hmm….”

Hyun-sung thought for a moment and said immediately.

“The sea.”

“Yes? The sea?”

“Yes, that’s right. I like the sea. So, I went to Gangsang University in Gangneung. I don’t know if you know, but in the case of Gangsang University, you can go to the sea right away even if you drive for only 10 minutes.”

“You gave up Korea University and chose Gangsang University because you like the sea?”

“Yes, that’s right. That was the reason.”

Hyun-sung had no choice but to lie again. There was no way to explain this any other way.

The biggest reason Hyun-sung chose Gangsang University was to prevent his friend’s accident.

In his previous life, that friend lost one leg in a motorcycle accident.

Knowing that, he couldn’t just pretend not to know.

In the end, he was able to prevent his friend’s accident.

But since he couldn’t tell this story as it is, Hyun-sung had no choice but to make excuses about the sea.

On the other hand, Shin Min-ki was just dumbfounded.

Who in the world would choose a university because of the sea? Moreover, giving up Korea University, not just any other university.

Others would be making a huge fuss about it.

But since Hyun-sung, the person involved, said so, he has nothing to say.

“I can’t help but laugh because I’m so dumbfounded. Hehe….”

Shin Min-ki just laughed in vain as if he was dumbfounded.

Then he picked up the soju [Korean distilled spirit] glass in front of him.

“CEO Kim, let’s have a drink. Frankly, I don’t understand at all, but since you say so, I have nothing to say. Come on, let’s drink.”

The two lightly clinked their soju glasses and emptied their glasses.

The expressions of the two people were definitely different. Shin Min-ki had a somewhat frustrated expression, and Hyun-sung was smiling slightly as if he was having fun.

After a while, Hyun-sung, who was eating pork rind as a snack, asked Shin Min-ki.

“Have all your questions been resolved now?”

“What should I do? The real question starts now.”

“Yes? Starting now?”

Hyun-sung looked at Shin Min-ki. Then Shin Min-ki immediately opened his mouth.

“This is what I was really curious about.”

“What is it?”

“Ilsan.”

“Ilsan? Ah, Ilsan….”

Hyun-sung immediately sensed what Shin Min-ki was trying to say when he said ‘Ilsan’.

Perhaps he will talk about Hyun-sung investing in Ilsan land and earning 50 billion won [approximately $40 million USD].

No surprise.

The words that Hyun-sung expected came out of his mouth.

“50 billion won. You invested there, and three years later, it was announced as a new city development zone. Thanks to that, you earned 50 billion won. Am I right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Hyun-sung nodded. Then he waited for the next question. The next question was obvious anyway.

As expected, Shin Min-ki’s question followed immediately.

“What happened? It’s too huge an amount to just call it a coincidence. Can you explain it?”

“Hmm… I had a dream.”

Hyun-sung thought for a moment and turned it into a dream this time, like the wild ginseng.

He could have just called it a coincidence. But like he said, the amount of profit he got from there was too big.

“Did you just say a dream?”

“Yes, that’s right. I tend to have… special dreams.”

“Hmm….”

Shin Min-ki was lost in thought for a moment.

As expected. Even when talking to Manager Yoon, he had heard a similar story. The reason was because Hyun-sung had said it himself.

That’s the story of the signboard when opening a ramen shop.

Before advertising Shin Ramyun [a popular brand of instant noodles] on TV, he used the image of Shin Ramyun as the signboard image. Not only that, but he also knew exactly when Shin Ramyun would be released.

At that time, he said that he had seen the fact in advance in a dream and made the signboard.

“Is it in the same context as when you put the image of Shin Ramyun on the signboard in advance when you opened the ramen shop?”

“Did you know about that too?”

“Yes, I received a report from our Manager Yoon. At that time, you told our head office staff that you had seen it in a dream and made the signboard. Of course, you also knew the release date of Shin Ramyun. Am I right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Hyun-sung was surprised even while answering. He didn’t know he would investigate such detailed parts.

Shin Min-ki asked again.

“In the end, you’re saying that you saw in a dream in advance that Ilsan would become a new city?”

“That’s right.”

“Hmm….”

Shin Min-ki nodded and opened his mouth again.

“Is the IMF crisis [1997 Asian Financial Crisis] the same?”

“The IMF crisis?”

“Yes, didn’t you earn 3 trillion won [approximately $2.4 billion USD] in dollars and stocks at that time? So, in the end, you became an asset holder of over 4 trillion won [approximately $3.2 billion USD].”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Hyun-sung had no choice but to nod this time as well. In reality, it was possible because he had regressed, but he had no choice but to explain it this way to him now.

‘As expected!’

Shin Min-ki felt excited without realizing it.

As expected, it was revealed that he had a special ability.

That’s a dream.

He can see the future in his dreams.

The problem is whether that dream will be helpful to Shin Min-ki himself.

‘Hmm….’

Shin Min-ki, who was worried, picked up the soju glass in front of him and poured it into his mouth.

He couldn’t even taste the bitterness of soju.

He could tell that he was that excited.

“Hoo….”

Shin Min-ki took care of his breathing first. Then he looked at Hyun-sung and asked carefully.

“Um… can I ask you just one thing?”

“Yes, of course.”

Hyun-sung nodded. He had a sense of what question he would ask anyway.

“It’s not something else, it’s about our Nongshim [a major South Korean food and beverage company].”

Hyun-sung smiled inwardly. It was what he expected anyway.

Perhaps it is the ultimate purpose for him to visit him today.

From his point of view, the future of Nongshim would be the most important thing.

Shin Min-ki continued.

“I’ll ask you directly. What will happen to our Nongshim in the future?”

“Hmm….”

Hyun-sung couldn’t help but worry.

There was only one reason for worrying: whether it is appropriate to talk about the facts he knew in his previous life.

‘What should I do?’

Hyun-sung, who was worried, nodded as if he had made up his mind. Then he said immediately.

“You are building a factory in Shenyang, China, right now?”

Hyun-sung’s decision was to tell him to some extent since this was the case.

To do so, he needed his absolute trust. So, he brought up the story of the factory in China first.

“Huh? Did that come out in your dream too?”

Shin Min-ki couldn’t help but be surprised.

Of course, it is true that the construction is underway in Shenyang, China, with the goal of completing it in October of next year. But only internal managers know this.

Frankly, he had some doubts about Hyun-sung’s dream.

Even if he sees the future in his dreams, he had a feeling of doubt.

But Hyun-sung is now accurately telling the factory information being built in Shenyang, China.

“It’s scheduled to be completed in October 2000, right?”

“Huh….”

Shin Min-ki was speechless. This was a ghostly thing. He now knows the exact completion date.

If this is the case, there is no room for further doubt.

Shin Min-ki felt like the alcohol he had been drinking had completely worn off.

“CEO Kim, I’m asking you. What will happen to our Nongshim in the future?”

Shin Min-ki’s eyes had changed. It was definitely different from the eyes he had when he asked vaguely a little while ago.

In the end, it meant that absolute trust had been built in Hyun-sung’s words.

Hyun-sung looked at him for a moment and opened his mouth.