Still, I Will Live As The Son-In-Law Of A Conglomerate [EN]: Chapter 11

3rd. Commencing Action (4)

“Oh, Min-jae. Now? I think I can see you in the evening… Call. See you later.”

After finishing my morning class and stepping outside the building, I ended the call with Jang Min-jae and put the brick-sized phone in my bag.

“Lunch with the older brother, dinner with the younger brother, huh…”

Muttering to myself, I sat on a bench and drank the canned coffee I was holding.

While I could understand Jang Yong-jae wanting to meet for lunch, Jang Min-jae, who had been distant with me during this time, calling to meet meant only one thing.

The real-name financial system [a system requiring all financial transactions to be conducted under real names to prevent money laundering and tax evasion].

Even if Go Seung-ju handled himself well at the meeting with other group secretary chiefs, Jang Ho-geon, who harbors hundreds of snakes [a metaphor for someone who is cunning and deceitful], and the fox-like Lee Soo-han would never let it pass.

I thought it was a good thing. Adults should stick with adults, and kids with kids, right? After finishing the canned coffee, I took out my phone from my bag again and made a call.

“Yes, Uncle. It’s Sung-min. Yong-jae and Jang Min-jae want to see me. Yes, it’s obvious. With Ho-geon’s personality, he wouldn’t let it pass. I see. Then I’ll keep an eye on those two.”

It was as expected. Lee Soo-han wanted to see Go Seung-ju… Is Shinseong Group already keeping him in check?

Lee Soo-han will be well taken care of by Go Seung-ju, so I should meet those two guys. If I get the chance, making them bicker from now on wouldn’t be bad.

Driving to the meeting place, I checked my wristwatch. Of course, Jang Yong-jae was nowhere to be seen.

“This bastard, was this a habit from this time…”

Damn it, he asked to meet first, so he should be the one waiting, but is he mistaken because his group’s ranking is higher?

Even in my past life, Jang Yong-jae always arrived late for appointments with people he considered beneath him, and it seemed like he was looking down on me this time too.

It was fortunate that I didn’t have an afternoon class, or I would have lost attendance points.

Honk honk!

While grumbling and kicking the ground with my heel, I heard a honking sound. Turning my head towards the sound, I saw Jang Yong-jae lowering the car window and waving from afar.

“Sung-min, what are you doing there!”

Hearing Jang Yong-jae’s voice reminded me of the words I heard before my death.

[…Even at that age, he’s well-maintained and worth selling… We can declare him missing in the Caribbean Sea and sell him off. …Go Seung-ju and Lee Myung-jin have nothing, so we can just run them over with a truck, right?]

Damn it… I wanted to smash him with a dump truck and turn him into a bloody mess, but I couldn’t ruin things, so I took a deep breath.

Thanks to the air permeating my lungs, I cooled down my anger and played the role of ’20-year-old Lee Sung-min’ who knew nothing.

“Hyung!” [Korean term for older brother or a respected male figure]

A method acting performance that even Robert De Niro would applaud.

Suppressing the urge to vomit, I ran towards Jang Yong-jae, who was getting out of the driver’s seat, pretending to be happy.

“Why are you so late?”

“I was coming from the main building, so I got delayed.”

“Ah… right?”

I had forgotten. This guy must have been working at Shinseong Corporation’s automobile business division since last year, and his position is… probably a section chief? He must be busy building a factory in Busan, but he came all the way here, so it seems like Jang Ho-geon or he himself is anxious.

“You must have been very hungry? This place is good, so eat a lot, haha.”

“Thanks, Hyung.”

With smiles for show, Jang Yong-jae and I entered the restaurant and went into a pre-arranged room.

“Let’s have the assorted platter. They butcher cows here every day, so the meat is quite fresh.”

“Sure. Let’s start with two servings each.”

After placing the order, we put two pieces of each cut of beef, set on a tray like sashimi, on the grill over the charcoal.

“I’m treating you to celebrate your discharge from the hospital, so eat a lot, haha.”

Celebrating my discharge is bullshit.

Even if I hadn’t contacted her, Jang Ha-yeon came to the hospital every day and kept me company for an hour. What a quick celebration, you bastard.

“Why didn’t you treat me sooner? Were you raising a Korean cow to treat me with?”

Hiding such thoughts and subtly teasing him, Jang Yong-jae, whose eyes widened for a moment, exclaimed.

“Ha, you little punk? Man, how busy do you think I’ve been these days?”

“Doing what?”

“This hyung is so busy with the automobile business these days that I’m out of my mind.”

Jang Yong-jae sighed and shook his head.

He’s still a naive chaebol’s [a wealthy business conglomerate, often family-owned] son, but the more time passes, the more he turns into someone more vicious than his father.

That’s why he conspired with Jang Su-yeon to make me their siblings’ slave and even killed me, right?

Thinking about that made the fire inside me flare up, but this meeting was to test each other. After suppressing the fire, I blinked my eyes as if hearing it for the first time and asked.

“Automobile?”

“Yeah. Let’s put the meat on first. I’m hungry, hehe.”

We grilled and ate the meat on the grill, and as soon as the grill was empty, we put more meat on the grill again and again.

However, it wasn’t like we were just eating meat. Aren’t we chaebol family members, even if we’re still young?

“My father is under a lot of stress these days. It seems like he’s under a lot of stress because of the automobile business.”

“I guess so. Taehyun Group is also doing semiconductors, so Shinseong has to do automobiles to maintain balance. Shinseong Corporation also needs to grow.”

Unlike before, I’m now a person who’s experienced in corporate management. When I stabbed the core with a nonchalant expression, Jang Yong-jae’s pupils shook.

Shinseong Group’s automobile business, including its affiliates, lags behind Taehyun Group. Jang Ho-geon established Shinseong Motors by introducing Japanese technology when he was young, but it’s still a perennial last-place company.

Jang Yong-jae would want to solidify his succession structure by making his father’s beloved automobile business number one. In reality, even if they managed to become second, let alone surpass Taehyun, the number one automobile company, they should be grateful.

Of course, even after seeing Jang Yong-jae’s surprised expression, I opened my mouth with a nonchalant expression.

“Hyung, self-reliance isn’t everything, is it? Mergers and acquisitions are also possible.”

“Huh? W-well, right?”

Unlike me, who asked as if passing by, Jang Yong-jae’s pupils widened.

It’s understandable because Jang Ho-geon is secretly preparing to acquire Ado Motors.

He must have moved quite a bit of money under borrowed names to buy shares, but with the real-name financial system coming down like a bolt from the blue, it’s difficult to move money easily, so how frustrating must it be?

Anyway, the saying that you can never deceive eyes in gambling movies is true… Should I tease Jang Yong-jae a little more?

“Shinseong’s financial power is enough, isn’t it? Is the defending side coming on strong?”

“W-what are you talking about, you punk! How many places in this country have more money than my family! Maybe Taehyun.”

He’s getting angry after I poked him a little. Seeing Jang Yong-jae with the eyes of my past life, I could see how insignificant he was.

“I see. I thought your family lost money because of the real-name financial system.”

It was a waste of time to dig any further, so I roughly brushed it off, and Jang Yong-jae took a sip of water and acted serious.

“Since the topic of the real-name financial system came up, is your family okay?”

“Okay?”

“Your family has a lot of money too. Untraceable money.”

He’s throwing a fastball without being indirect… Jang Yong-jae is still immature.

While secretly ridiculing Jang Yong-jae, I put on a gloomy expression.

“Hyung, please order me a bottle of soju [a clear, colorless Korean distilled beverage].”

“Soju? You?”

Jang Yong-jae blinked his eyes and asked again. He knew well that my taste in this era was that of a gourmet and that I hated soju, which was full of artificial alcohol taste and aroma, so he must have been surprised.

“Why are you looking for soju, you?”

“Can’t you just order it?”

When I glared at him with murderous intent, Jang Yong-jae froze for a moment.

“Huh? …Okay! Here, add a bottle of soju!”

Jang Yong-jae hurriedly shouted outside, and an employee brought a bottle of soju on a tray. I snatched the soju placed on the table, opened the lid, and drank straight from the bottle.

“O-oh…”

Jang Yong-jae stared at me with wide eyes. He seemed surprised by the sight of me, who used to be so formal, drinking straight from the bottle.

Only after emptying half the bottle of soju did I take the bottle away from my mouth and let out a rough sigh. It was still 25 degrees, so my stomach felt hot.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“Okay? Haven’t you heard the news about my family?”

“What news?”

“My grandfather lost all the money he buried in Myeongdong!”

“What?”

When I shouted hard to deceive him, a smile unknowingly flashed across Jang Yong-jae’s face. It was obvious that his voice was getting louder as an act. Unlike before, his eyes were clear and the corners of his mouth didn’t droop, so it seemed like he thought he had gotten the answer he wanted.

I looked at his expression with half-open eyes and emptied the remaining half of the bottle.

Thud-.

“Haa, it’s really bitter.”

“Well, alcohol is bitter, isn’t it? I have to go to work now, so I can’t drink with you. I’ll drink with you next time, hehe.”

It seems like the acting is better because I’m drinking soju for the first time with this body that’s not used to soju. Seeing me frowning and breathing roughly, Jang Yong-jae’s smile seemed to indicate that his trick had worked.

I’ve seen everything I need to see, so it wouldn’t be bad to call it quits here. I have to meet the next sparring partner.

***

After being treated to expensive Korean beef and successfully deceiving Jang Yong-jae, I arrived an hour late at the high-end French restaurant I had promised to meet Jang Min-jae at. Because Jang Min-jae is punctual, I needed to provoke him appropriately so that it would be easier for me to play with him.

“Welcome. Do you have a reservation?”

“I’m with Jang Min-jae. He’ll know if I say Lee Sung-min.”

The employee at the counter checked the register and put on a welcoming smile.

“Ah, yes. He’s waiting inside. I’ll guide you.”

Following the employee, I opened the door to the hidden VIP room, and Jang Min-jae, who had a lean build, greeted me.

“It’s been a while, Hyung. Are you feeling okay?”

Jang Min-jae’s mouth was smiling, but his eyes weren’t, so it seemed like he was quite angry, but what did I care? I put on a straight face, raised my hand, and greeted him.

“Oh, yeah. How have you been?”

“Thanks to you. You must be hungry, let’s go inside and talk, haha.”

His polite attitude and the way he was acting with a good-natured smile… This guy was consistent.

Jang Min-jae, as I remember him, was always someone who was intimidated by something.

Whether it was his nature or not, he always took a defensive stance in the succession competition and had to be satisfied with the good-for-nothing titles of director of the Shinseong Museum and CEO of Shinseong Sports after being pushed aside by his older brother and sister. But…

[Brother-in-law, the business that my sister keeps failing at, let’s do it together. I’ll unconditionally follow your guidance, Brother-in-law. Let’s grow it like that and split it in half! With that, let’s take over Shinseong Group!]

Remembering the stories we exchanged while drinking the alcohol this guy bought me to comfort me, this guy was also a tiger cub and had a lot of greed.

In the end, he’s just as bad. I prepared the whole meal, but he wanted to split it in half! He probably thought he was being generous, but he was pushed back in the group’s hierarchy and influence, and wasn’t he the guy who stole the meal I prepared that Jang Su-yeon handed over, just like Jang Yong-jae?

If that was all, it would be fortunate, but if he didn’t like the aftertaste, he would often make someone a scapegoat and abandon them, so there was no reason to show any mercy.

Hiding such emotions, I entered the room and devoured the warm bread, jam, and mushroom vegetable soup with tomato sauce that came out with Jang Min-jae.

“This place is good, huh? Do they make the tomato sauce themselves?”

“I have to acknowledge Hyung’s taste. I’m glad I came here.”

Still.

To put it nicely, Jang Yong-jae was my way, but to put it badly, he was doing whatever he wanted. Unlike him, Jang Min-jae seemed to accurately recognize that his position was different from mine in this matter and was lowering his posture.

After eating all the appetizers, we started eating the tenderloin steak that followed.

The trinity of the crispy outer texture unique to pan-frying, the moist inner texture of medium-well, and the juice spreading in the mouth like rain in the desert… It was enough to make me look for the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

“It’s art, art. This is meat. It can’t be compared to what I ate at lunch.”

I raised my thumb and admired it, and then smiled as I drank a sip of Chateau Lafite that filled my glass, but Jang Min-jae’s eyes shone sharply.

“What did you eat at lunch?”

“Ah, I ate Korean beef. Yong-jae Hyung bought it for me, so I saved money, haha.”

Unlike me, who was smiling, Jang Min-jae looked at me with an expression as if he had a mouthful of sand. How upset must he be that he was one step behind his older brother? I pretended not to know anything and took a sip of wine while receiving Jang Min-jae’s questions.

“What did you talk about with Hyung?”

“We talked about the company. Hyung is in charge of the automobile business at Shinseong Corporation now, right? I asked him in passing, but it seems like things aren’t going well. It seems like he’s doing something, but…”

I trailed off and cut the steak and chewed it.

He’s only a junior in college, so he doesn’t know anything about company matters, so how frustrated must he be? Seeing him struggling to endure his frustration, he was just cute.

“He must be having a hard time these days. He caused an incident at the Blue House.”

“That’s why my family is also dying. A bloodbath has blown through my family too.”

After putting on a gloomy expression and saying that, I sighed, and Jang Min-jae was flustered.

“A bloodbath?”

“Ah, that’s…”

While trailing off and fiddling with the wine glass, Jang Min-jae, who was anxious, called the waiter and ordered more alcohol.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, we’re family. But what’s wrong? Tell me, Hyung.”

I didn’t even look at Jang Min-jae and looked at the waiter pouring the alcohol. With a face full of worries.

“More.”

“M-more?”

Wine is usually not filled more than half of the glass. It’s even more so if the wine costs 10 million won as a base. But even after seeing Jang Min-jae’s eyes widening, I urged the waiter.

“Just fill it all the way to the end. If you fill it all the way, leave the wine bottle.”

I urged the waiter and Jang Min-jae as if I was frustrated, and Jang Min-jae gestured to the waiter with his eyes. Seeing that gesture, the waiter quickly filled the wine to the brim and left the bottle.

I smiled inwardly as I looked at the alcohol sloshing to the end of the large wine glass. Even if I don’t know, there must be hundreds of millions of won worth in this glass.

It’s a precious alcohol, but what can I do? I have to sacrifice it for the sake of a perfect play.

Gulp, gulp, gulp!

“Hyung?”

Jang Min-jae was horrified when I passed the precious alcohol through my throat without even tasting it. I put the wine glass down with a sound after drinking it all and smiled.

“Hyung… are you okay?”

Feeling Jang Min-jae’s gaze, I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and said roughly.

“Would you be okay? All the money from my family, the money that would have fallen to me, has flown away?”

I took the strength out of my eyes and asked bluntly with a slightly slurred voice. Shouldn’t I give the signal that my family also lost all the money they had hidden due to the real-name financial system? It’s a lie, though.

It’s the opposite of the truth, but Jang Min-jae sighed as he looked at me. You fool.

“I guess so. You must have a stomachache, listen to the rest, Hyung.”

“Wait a minute.”

Jang Min-jae, who was about to cut the steak with a fork and knife, stopped when he saw the hand I was holding up.

“I can’t drink alone. I have to fill a glass for the person who bought me comfort alcohol, right?”

“Hyung?”

Jang Min-jae’s pupils shook. How nervous must he be that I’m going to give alcohol to him, who can barely drink one and a half bottles of wine?

“You’re buying it, but I’m pouring it. Receive it and drink it all at once.”

“Yes…”

I picked up the wine bottle and went to Jang Min-jae and poured the wine into the glass he was holding. When I filled it past 30% and past half to 90%, Jang Min-jae’s eyes widened.

“Hyung?”

“If you’re a man, you have to drink this much. You’ll have a lot of opportunities to drink when you become Uncle’s successor in the future. Even if it’s not as much as Yong-jae Hyung, you have to take care of it properly, right?”

Saying that with a sly smile, Jang Min-jae’s face turned red. Was it because he was being compared to his older brother? Jang Min-jae closed his eyes tightly and swallowed the wine.