Still, I Will Live As The Son-In-Law Of A Conglomerate [EN]: Chapter 115

115. 33rd. At the Boundary of Winter and Spring, Beginning and End (7)

Jang Ha-yeon chuckled, seeing me blink.

“We need to make sure your mother can’t find fault, right?”

It was as I expected. Though the scale was different, just as my family and I had tried to use Shinseong, Taehyun, and GK as bulletproof vests during the yen-dollar speculation, Jang Ha-yeon was planning to bring in Jang Yong-jae, Jang Su-yeon, and Jang Min-jae as her own shields.

“How much are you going to bring in?”

“Since the current exchange rate is 900 won per dollar…”

Jang Ha-yeon, who had been counting on her fingers, looked up.

“Let’s just bring in $600,000 each. Sound good?”

Upon receiving her proposal, I pondered for a moment. What would the return rate be if things went according to my plan, and what was the maximum amount those guys could lose without it mattering?

After diligently crunching numbers in my head, I nodded.

“Deal. Let’s only bring in that much.”

I couldn’t help but smile at the thought of them increasing our petty cash and becoming our bullet shields. Jang Ha-yeon and I smiled at each other.

***

Having returned home, Jang Ha-yeon immediately went up to the second floor and stood in front of the study door.

Knock, knock. At the sound of the knock, Jang Ho-geon, who had been enjoying a Japanese animated film, hurriedly turned off the TV, opened a file, and shouted towards the door.

“Who is it?”

Annoyance was evident in Jang Ho-geon’s voice. How could he be in a good mood when his few hobbies were being disturbed?

“It’s Ha-yeon, Father.”

However, Jang Ho-geon’s expression softened at the sound of his eldest daughter’s voice from outside the door.

“Come in.”

With the sound of the door opening, Jang Ha-yeon carefully entered.

“What’s the matter?”

“I met with Seong-min, and…”

As she told him about the discussion during their date, Jang Ho-geon exclaimed.

“Oh, really?”

“Yes. I thought it would be good to help promote Haedong Securities. I told them the principal would be fully guaranteed.”

“Hmm…”

Jang Ho-geon made a light humming sound.

It was clear that stock derivatives, including stock futures, were risky investments.

However, according to the information reported by Lee Soo-han, the twenty people sent by Haedong Securities to the Hong Kong branch were top-notch talents who had received training at Standard Capital for a year.

He was certain that talents trained in Wall Street, the heart of global finance, would not lose the principal, even if they didn’t make huge profits. For Jang Ho-geon, it was an opportunity to help his daughter’s marriage, so there was no reason to refuse.

“Alright. I’ll give Yong-jae, Su-yeon, and Min-jae 500 million won each in my name and have them put it into Haedong Securities.”

“Thank you, Father.”

Jang Ha-yeon’s face brightened. Wasn’t this an opportunity to not only control her three siblings but also score points with Lee Seong-min? Jang Ho-geon wore a pleased smile, unaware of his daughter’s intentions.

“Thank you? I should be giving you a fortune, but I’m sorry I can’t.”

“No, Father. I’m grateful just for you lending me money when you trusted me before.”

Jang Ho-geon looked at her with even more affection as Jang Ha-yeon vehemently declined with modesty. His daughter, who looked exactly like the woman he loved most, seemed even more pitiful and admirable today.

“Thank you, Ha-yeon. Go and rest, heh heh.”

“Yes.”

The next morning.

After finishing his meal, Jang Ho-geon drank his scorched-rice tea and announced what he had decided yesterday to the whole family.

“Father?”

“Dad?”

Jang Yong-jae, Jang Min-jae, and Jang Su-yeon couldn’t believe their father’s words. He was a man who hated money leaving the group, even if it was a small amount, yet he was going to entrust money to Haedong Securities in their names?

“Those people have been trained on Wall Street. I’ll see how good they are with your money, and if they’re good, I’ll scout them.”

Only after hearing Jang Ho-geon’s explanation did the three siblings nod in understanding, and Jang Ha-yeon also nodded in agreement.

“I’ll take care of the gift tax cleanly, so do as I say.”

“Yes, Father.”

After completing the first step within the family, Jang Ho-geon went to Seonguiwon [likely a significant location or building within the Shinseong Group] and summoned Lee Soo-han to give instructions as Jang Ha-yeon had requested.

“To Haedong Securities?”

“Is there a problem?”

Lee Soo-han quickly replied upon seeing Jang Ho-geon’s expressionless face.

“No, Chairman. But why suddenly…?”

“I have to help my daughter’s marriage. She’ll be thirty next year, how long can I watch those two dawdling?”

Only then did Lee Soo-han nod.

If the third generation of Shinseong Group entrusted even a small amount of investment to Haedong Securities, it could be sufficient publicity material.

It was a loss for Shinseong Group, but stock derivatives were difficult to make a big hit with, and even if they lost all that money, Jang Ho-geon could throw away about 1.5 billion won compared to the huge ‘business’ of Jang Ha-yeon and Lee Seong-min’s marriage.

“I understand, Chairman. I will contact Haedong Securities to handle it.”

“Good work.”

***

“Yes, Director Lee. I am truly grateful and apologetic for being indebted to Chairman Jang like this. Yes, I will tell our people to just put in the money.”

Jo Young-chan put down the phone next to the sofa and laughed as he looked at me.

“Director Lee, you are truly ruthless, hehe.”

“You flatter me, CEO.”

Jo Young-chan drank milk tea with me, being modest. It was milk tea with not much sugar, but today it was as sweet as if he had poured a spoonful full of sugar into it.

“To treat the Jang family like your own limbs… Jang Byung-ho will be wailing underground, hahaha.”

“What can we do? The dead have no say, hehe.”

Jo Young-chan laughed heartily after taking a sip of tea and putting down the cup, and I also let out a sinister laugh.

Jang Byung-ho, the founding chairman of Shinseong Group, who shook the Korean business world.

Jang Byung-ho, who made me suffer every year during the memorial service, would surely be hitting the ground and wailing in the underworld, as Jo Young-chan said. So much so that he would die twice from not being able to contain his anger.

“Thanks to you, our ammunition will be replenished. I was dying because the money I put into the futures market had decreased to $100 million, but adding another $100 million will make me feel secure, haha.”

“They are players who are running for us, so we have to reduce their concerns about ammunition. The burden will be great due to external variables anyway.”

According to Park Tae-jin’s report, the Hong Kong stock market, which had been moving steadily until January and February, fell to 12,489 points as the Hong Kong handover issue surfaced.

Because of that, everyone, including Min Joo-hyung and Joo Seung-bin, were working day and night to find ways to recover as if they had lost their own money, but $100 million was not too much to spend to stay with talents who had that much responsibility for a long time.

Jo Young-chan laughed at my calm reply.

“On the contrary, it might be an opportunity to buy more in the current situation. Both the UK and China have vested interests in the Hong Kong handover issue.”

“Is it because of the relationship between the investor and the investment destination?”

Jo Young-chan nodded as he looked at me when I asked cautiously.

“That’s right. The UK economy revolves around finance, but where is there a more attractive investment market than China? It will continue to grow steadily in the future. China will also have one more channel to attract capital from the UK, the US, and other developed countries when it takes over Hong Kong, so it will be resolved well.”

Jo Young-chan’s answer was very clear. Seeing him cut out all the side branches and pinpoint only the essence, it was more than enough reason for my grandfather to treat him like a brother and say that we would work well together.

Jo Young-chan, who had been laughing and drinking tea, put down his teacup.

“Are you really going to make them trade options in the Hong Kong stock market?”

“Of course. If the ammunition increases, shouldn’t we go into a game with better dividends if we’re gamblers?”

Although I answered in a matter-of-fact tone, Jo Young-chan didn’t seem worried. Rather, he nodded as if he was satisfied with my reaction.

“I knew it. You were planning to make Haedong Investment & Securities and Haedong Securities the main pillars with this opportunity.”

“Even if we work hard to make products and sell them all over the world, it won’t work if finance doesn’t support it. This opportunity will not only build the experience of those people but also generate greater profits to support manufacturing and distribution, CEO.”

In modern capitalism, manufacturing, distribution, and finance are one and the same. If you know that Sony’s financial subsidiary, Sony Financial, was the foundation for its revival even as it was being pushed back by Shinseong and GK, then separating non-financial and financial is like the sound of amateurs.

Nevertheless, politicians and public officials who uphold the separation of banking and commerce like a religion are swarming in this country, so I have to grow Haedong Investment & Securities and Haedong Securities, which I control, and Standard Capital and I have to guarantee the group’s affiliates. As for me, who is weak in details, if not technology development trends, supporting the ammunition is the best I can do.

“That method is the most realistic after all. There’s no business in front of money.”

“Yes, CEO.”

I, who had been thinking about the blueprint for the future, quickly folded the blueprint that had unfolded in my head and answered him after hearing Jo Young-chan’s answer. Jo Young-chan chuckled as he looked at me.

“You were thinking about something else, Director Lee.”

“Ahaha… I’m sorry, CEO.”

Jo Young-chan didn’t erase his smile even at my awkward appearance.

“It can happen. If you’re a young friend like you, it’s good to imagine as much as you want. If you’re lucky like you, you should draw an even bigger picture and move forward steadily, haha.”

Thank you, CEO. I don’t know when it will be, but I will definitely invite you as the first chairman of Haedong Financial Group.

I drank tea while looking at Jo Young-chan, hiding those words.

***

1997’s spring was a cruel month.

Even when I watched the news that was broadcast every morning and night, most of the news was about where went bankrupt and where entered court receivership [a form of bankruptcy protection].

Having gotten tired of watching, I stopped watching TV and locked myself in my room and began to focus on overcoming this crisis and creating a new plan based on the data I had ordered from Standard Capital.

So today, I warmed up Ottogi Foods’ 3-minute curry [a popular instant curry brand] from the weekend morning in this house, which I was guarding alone without Park Tae-jin, and rushed up to my room to check the plans I had made so far.

“Hmm…”

I covered the documents, got up from my desk, and looked at the large paper hanging on one side of the wall.

The large paper contained the future Haedong Group’s governance structure and business groups that I was envisioning. It was a picture that other people would point fingers at and say was crazy, but it was something only I could do.

“Geez…”

A hollow laugh came out as I looked at it.

In my previous life, I had a lot of headaches because of Shinseong Group’s governance structure, but now I’m setting up the governance structure first and then acquiring companies or growing businesses… The company work that made me live with headaches has now changed like putting together Lego blocks, so I felt strange.

In the process of completing this picture, Shinseong Group will be torn apart and absorbed into our family. We will remove all of Shinseong’s signs and make it so that the fact that Shinseong was the number one company can only be found in the records.

While I was steeling myself while looking at the paper, the phone rang outside. I went down to the first floor and picked up the phone.

“Yes, this is Lee Seong-min.”

“It’s your grandpa. They’re going to announce the Hango Group acquisition bid at noon today, do you want to come over to Samcheong-dong [a wealthy district in Seoul] and watch? Hehehe.”

“I don’t think I need to watch since I can hear you laughing, Grandpa? Hehe.”

When I teased him with a sly tone, my grandfather’s loud voice hit my eardrums.

“Hey, you! You never know until the last hidden card is revealed. Stop talking nonsense and come over and have a meal with your grandpa. These things are fun to watch in real time, hehe.”

“Okay, Grandpa. I’ll be there on time.”

“Okay, haha.”

After hanging up the phone and finishing what I was doing, I went to Samcheong-dong on time. I knew it when I saw the cars parked in the parking lot, but I had a meal with the existing group executives and the heads of the heavy industry affiliates and went up to the study.

“Did you make sure?”

“Yes, Chairman. We plan to acquire Hango Construction, Hango Energy, Daedong Shipbuilding, and Sangha Pharmaceuticals all through the asset-liability transfer method [a method of acquiring a company by assuming its assets and liabilities]. The acquiring entity is…”

The grandfather asking questions, Go Seung-joo answering, and the heads nodding at their Q&A were really scary people. To prevent even a single share of stock from being diluted, Hango Construction was acquired by Haedong Construction, Daedong Shipbuilding by Haedong Heavy Industries, and Hango Energy and Sangha Pharmaceuticals by Haedong Corporation, absorbing all assets… .

The money spent on all those mergers and acquisitions was only 300 billion won [approximately $300 million USD]. Even with half of the debt, the cost of attaching nearly 1 trillion won [approximately $1 trillion USD] in assets and thousands of executives and employees to the Haedong Group was only 300 billion won.

When Go Seung-joo’s answer was over, my grandfather sipped a mouthful of black tea.

“Well done. It will be difficult for the next few years, but take good care of it with the heart of a farmer. As the company grows, your assets will also grow and your nameplates will become heavier, hehe.”

All the heads laughed at my grandfather’s laughter. Whether it was before or not, a debt of 500 billion won [approximately $500 million USD] was nothing to the Haedong Group, so everyone was full of confidence.

As time passed and it became 12 o’clock, I quickly turned on the TV.

“We will announce the results of the Hango Group acquisition bid. After reviewing both price and non-price factors, the negotiator for the acquisition of Hango Steel has been selected as the Shinseong Heavy Industries-Shinseong Construction consortium, which offered 1 trillion won and 1.2 billion dollars.”

Even though the biggest sale went to the hateful guy, the people in the study nodded silently. Judging from the fact that they didn’t have unpleasant expressions, it seemed certain that our group would take the remaining four affiliates.

“Next, we will announce the results of the acquisition bids for Hango Construction, Hango Energy, Daedong Shipbuilding, and Sangha Pharmaceuticals. After reviewing both price and non-price factors, we would like to inform you that the above four companies will be acquired by Haedong Corporation, Haedong Construction, and Haedong Heavy Industries.”

“Wow!”

All the heads shouted loudly, and my grandfather also clenched his fist. My hands and feet were also tingling, but that was only for a moment, and Go Seung-joo received an urgent phone call and walked to the corner.

“What?”

The scream that came out of Go Seung-joo’s mouth silenced the study as if cold water had been poured on it. I also became uneasy at Go Seung-joo’s appearance. It seemed that others felt the same way, and a strange tension began to circulate in the study.