Still, I Will Live As The Son-In-Law Of A Conglomerate [EN]: Chapter 138

138. 40th. Preparing for the Deal (2)

It had been a day since I received a call from my grandfather, finalized the acquisition of Ado Motors with the creditors, and contacted the Hong Kong branch of Haedong Securities.

“Director Lee probably last saw those guys in October, but it’s been almost a year since I’ve seen them, haha.”

“That’s right, haha.”

Jo Young-chan and I were at Gimpo Airport to greet the Haedong Securities team upon their arrival. Given the current situation, we couldn’t prepare a lavish welcome, but they were our most *jarangseureoun* [cherished/esteemed] talents.

After a while, familiar faces appeared as the arrival gate opened.

“Director!”

“Hyung [older brother/term of endearment for a close male friend or colleague]!”

Seeing Park Tae-jin waving with a bright expression, I waved back vigorously. It had only been two months since I last saw him, but I couldn’t hide my joy at the fact that he was finally back, so I ran to Park Tae-jin.

“You’ve worked hard, Hyung.”

“Not at all, Director. I came back after a good rest, haha.”

Smiling at Park Tae-jin, I moved to stand in front of Min-hyung and Joo Seung-bin.

“Director Min, Manager Joo.”

“Yes, Director.”

“Thank you. If you hadn’t believed in me, the Hong Kong project wouldn’t have even started.”

After expressing my gratitude, I bowed lightly to both of them.

‘You can’t just be stiff because you’re in a higher position. If they are people you want to have on your side, you should occasionally say thank you, apologize, and show them that you can bow your head.’

As soon as I bowed, Min-hyung and Joo Seung-bin hurriedly placed their hands on my arms from both sides.

“Please don’t do that, Director. If it weren’t for you and the CEO, how could guys like us have come this far?”

“Director Min is right, Director. I don’t know how to express my gratitude to you.”

Only after hearing their dissuasion did I raise my head. I was pleased to see that the eyes of both of them and the remaining 18 members looking at me had softened.

“You’ve all worked really hard for the past year. This time, I’ll make sure each of you gets a bonus and dividends of 10 billion won [approximately $7.5 million USD]. Next time you go out, I’ll send you as branch managers or corporate managers. What do you think, CEO?”

“D, Director?”

Jo Young-chan, who had been laughing heartily at the dumbfounded twenty people, answered me.

“They’ve done so well, we have to give them at least that much, right? You’ll all have executive nameplates when you go out then, haha.”

“Yes, CEO!”

At their energetic response, Jo Young-chan laughed heartily and came to my side.

“They’re all full of energy. Take a good rest for a few days and give me a call, and we’ll have a meal together at a nice place.”

“Thank you, CEO!”

No matter what anyone says, these are my *jarangseureoun* [cherished/esteemed] people that I can be proud of anywhere. Their faces were full of pride as they answered once again.

***

After returning home, Park Tae-jin and I unpacked our luggage and headed to Samcheong-dong.

“I’m back, Chairman.”

Park Tae-jin, who entered through the door, bowed as soon as he saw my grandfather in front of him. My grandfather, seeing this, put one knee on the floor and stroked Park Tae-jin’s back.

“You’ve worked hard, Tae-jin. Don’t stay in that dusty place, get up quickly, euhehe [old man’s laugh].”

My grandfather and I went to the study with Park Tae-jin, who had stood up, and had tea.

“You’ve worked hard to revive the family fortune, Tae-jin.”

“Not at all, Chairman.”

At my grandfather’s praise and comfort after putting down his teacup, Park Tae-jin also put down his teacup and bowed his head. My grandfather smiled contentedly as he looked at Park Tae-jin.

“Both you and Sung-min are now respectable *jungjin* [core members/pillars] of Haedong. So.”

My grandfather stopped talking and got up from the sofa. He went to the desk, pulled out a drawer, and took out a file contained within.

“Take it. I processed it to give it to you when the time comes.”

Park Tae-jin received the file that my grandfather handed him with both hands. My grandfather smiled as he reached out to Park Tae-jin.

“I think it would be good to see it in this place, haha.”

“Yes… Chairman.”

Park Tae-jin opened the cover and his eyes widened at the contents written inside.

“Chairman?”

“It’s 2 percent of Haedong Corporation’s stock. I transferred it to your name last September, so take it.”

Haedong Corporation’s stock is currently the most expensive stock in this country. Isn’t it the stock of the head of the cash-rich Haedong Group and the largest and most powerful general trading company in this country?

For my grandfather to give Park Tae-jin even 2 percent of that stock meant that he was acknowledging him as a member of the group’s leadership.

“Still, I’m not yet…”

Park Tae-jin tried to decline, conscious of his position, but my grandfather raised his voice.

“I paid a lot of taxes to process that, you rascal. Are you going to pay that money back? Haha.”

“…I’m sorry, Chairman!”

Park Tae-jin hurriedly bowed his head, and my grandfather looked at him with a gentle smile and said.

“I gave Seung-joo that much when he became the chief of staff. Seung-joo and you are like my sons, so I have to divide it equally, haha.”

Park Tae-jin’s eyes reddened at my grandfather’s warm laughter. It was visible that he was trying hard to hold back, but his eyes were filled with tears.

“Thank you, Chairman! I will work hard!”

“Of course, you have to. You’re family, so you have to work hard, euhehehe [old man’s laugh]!”

Park Tae-jin bowed deeply to my grandfather, and my grandfather laughed heartily and looked at Park Tae-jin with a satisfied expression. Seeing that Park Tae-jin had finally become a true member of our family, I also felt proud.

***

As the lingering feelings subsided, my grandfather took a sip of tea and opened his mouth.

“It seems like I’ll finally be able to send both of you off to get married. Isn’t that right?”

“Yes, Grandfather.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

At my grandfather’s subtle gaze, we all straightened our backs and chests and looked at my grandfather. My grandfather, noticing that we were ready to get married, opened his mouth with a satisfied expression.

“Good. Marriage can be done anytime, so it seems like it’s time, but…”

I don’t know what’s holding him back again. I wish he would tell us quickly without hesitating… We waited without showing any reaction and received an unexpected question from my grandfather.

“The upcoming election, what do you think of it?”

It was a sudden question, but I answered without hesitation.

“The current ruling party is not an option.”

“Hoo, you answer like a knife, so there must be a reason. Tell me.”

He probably already knows, but I took a breath and opened my mouth.

“They are the ruling party that ruined the country’s economy. If they succeed in being re-elected despite that, they will become endlessly arrogant. More than anything, they will retaliate against us for belatedly starting to release dollars. They will look for a scapegoat to blame their mistakes on no matter what.”

“That’s not all, is it?”

My grandfather’s eyes were full of expectation. I looked at those eyes and asked my grandfather.

“This time, I would like to hear Director Park Tae-jin’s opinion as well. He is a shareholder of Haedong Corporation and will be promoted to executive director next year, isn’t he?”

“That’s good too. Director Park, you speak as well.”

After taking a moment to catch his breath, Park Tae-jin opened his mouth.

“Director Lee’s opinion is also correct, but the opposition party’s candidate Kim lost to the current president in the last election. If he fails to be elected this time, it will be difficult to expect the next time, so if our group, including the chairman, helps him get elected, it will be helpful for future business expansion. Of course.”

Park Tae-jin reattached the words he had paused.

“I don’t think Chairman will ever take profits at a bargain price from the government, so I don’t think candidate Kim’s side will put a big brake on our business expansion.”

My grandfather listened to our answers and nodded with a satisfied expression.

“It’s as you both answered. Then, what should we do to get candidate Kim elected?”

He’s asking even though he already knows, but if he wants me to answer, I have no choice but to answer. I gave the answer I had been thinking about for a long time, the answer my grandfather wanted to hear.

“I will go see Henry, Grandfather. I will go and ask him to support candidate Kim’s side.”

“It will be possible, Chairman. Lord Royce promised Chairman at Hyung’s wedding, so if the conditions are right, it will be possible.”

Only after hearing Park Tae-jin’s subsequent answer did my grandfather look at us with a satisfied expression and say.

“Good. Your marriage will be after you come back from your business trip to the United States. Sung-min is the partner of the American in-laws, so it will be easily resolved. Take a good rest for a few days and come back.”

My grandfather’s order was over, but I informed my grandfather of one more thing I had to do.

“As soon as I meet Henry, I will also resolve the loan from Chase Manhattan, Grandfather.”

“Okay. Bring back 4 billion dollars while you’re at it, haha.”

###

After receiving my grandfather’s pleasant eviction order, the two of us went to the Standard Capital office. After hearing the story of my grandfather’s stock donation, Seon Hae-cheol looked at Park Tae-jin with a satisfied expression.

“Congratulations, Tae-jin.”

“Not at all, Hyung. It’s Haedong Corporation stock that even Hyung didn’t receive…”

Park Tae-jin trailed off, probably feeling uneasy, but Seon Hae-cheol waved his hand.

“It’s okay, you rascal. I managed Chairman’s overseas slush fund and went as high as I wanted, so that’s enough for me. Thanks to that, I married a good woman like Claire, didn’t I?”

“Still…”

“I said it’s okay, didn’t I? This time, I took over Jang Ho-min’s affiliates and handed them over to Haedong Corporation, and all the disposal profits that fall to Standard are all mine. Sung-min said he would give it to me, so that’s enough, hehe.”

Seon Hae-cheol, who was laughing casually, lightly tapped the armrest of the sofa and asked me.

“You’re going to the United States?”

“Yes, Uncle. Henry’s support for candidate Kim is needed in line with this election.”

Seon Hae-cheol nodded as he looked at me answering.

“That would be good. Henry was still feeling uneasy because of the yen appreciation speculation, so he will accept it even for the sake of image management.”

Henry would do just that. He is an investor, but he is also a person who values honor and pride, so there will be no better opportunity than this one.

***

A few days later.

Seon Hae-cheol, Park Tae-jin, and I flew to New York and were meeting Henry.

“Marco asked you for such a favor?”

Seon Hae-cheol answered, looking at Henry, who was calling my grandfather’s English name without hesitation.

“That’s right, Henry. Despite the current foreign exchange crisis, the opposition candidate is at a disadvantage in Korea due to regionalism and the red complex [fear of communism].”

“Hmm…”

Henry made a humming sound after listening to Seon Hae-cheol’s explanation. Seeing that, Park Tae-jin took over the baton.

“I apologize for saying this, but that person is definitely not a communist, Lord Royce. The current ruling party and dictators have put an absurd label on him.”

If candidate Kim was a communist, he would have implemented even more capitalist policies than the ruling party. I nodded and continued to persuade them, following the two.

“Sun and Mr. Park are both right. So, if Henry supports candidate Kim, candidate Kim will be elected.”

Even if history flowed as it did, the opposition candidate would be elected, but I wanted to change the content of that election.

The opposition candidate must win the election with overwhelming support to secure the political momentum to overcome the number of National Assembly seats. Only with that power can we eat what we want without any noise.

Henry, who had been silently emptying his black tea, put down his cup.

“I will now keep the promise I made to Marco when I sent my daughter to Sun. I will also lend a hand.”

“Thank you, Henry. Thank you so much!”

I jumped up from my seat and bowed my head. Henry laughed heartily as he looked at me, but he waved his hand.

“There’s no need to thank me. I made money and gained honor thanks to Johnny, so I’m the one who’s grateful. Please sit down.”

Henry said to me, who was sitting on the sofa with an embarrassed smile.

“Actually, I’ve heard a little about ‘Mr. Kim.’ I heard that he opposed the military dictators from Johnny’s country about 20 years ago and lived in exile in this country, is that right?”

“That’s right, Henry. Not only that, but that person…”

I told him about the life journey of that person, who had succeeded in business in his youth, and even created a media company and wrote editorials himself, as well as the life of the ruling party candidate who would be attached to him, and Henry exclaimed.

“If that’s the case, he’ll be able to communicate better than the ruling party candidate who only looks through the law books. In times like these, a person with economic sense and who puts public interest before private interest should hold the key.”

Even if the candidate himself doesn’t know, there are many flies like the sons or the opposition party, so greasing is essential, but our family’s private loan organization can cover that much money. Isn’t the private loan market, where money that even the prosecution, police, and National Tax Service can’t find, is circulating, the place where the money that the superiors of the prosecution, police, and National Tax Service received came from?

“That’s why I recommended him, Henry. From now on, after purchasing Haedong Construction, Haedong Heavy Industries, and Haedong Cement stocks through Triumph Capital’s Korean subsidiary…”

Henry looked at me and laughed heartily as I told him about the scenario for future actions without mentioning any backroom deals.

“That’s a very good scenario! There’s no reason to refuse, haha!”

“Thank you, Henry. Thank you sincerely!”

The task of persuading Henry was successful. I wonder if Grandfather is doing well with ‘candidate Kim’?

###

When Lee Sung-min succeeded in meeting Henry and delivering the scenario, Lee Dae-soo was also holding a receiver to his ear in the study of the Samcheong-dong mansion.

“…That’s right, candidate. You are the only one who can clean up the current filth and debris and rebuild this country, so this is what I have prepared. So…”

Lee Dae-soo, who had always been humble to enhance his dignity throughout his life, was now sincerely humbling himself to ‘candidate Kim,’ who was communicating with him. Because he was the person who would help with the future of the Haedong Group that he and his grandson would draw, Lee Dae-soo’s voice was filled with desperation.

[I have also respected Chairman Lee Dae-soo’s character and management. Chairman Lee is the only one in the business world who cares about labor-management relations and builds companies while keeping the line, isn’t he? I sincerely thank you for Chairman Lee’s help, hehe.]

Lee Dae-soo’s expression brightened at the voice coming from across the receiver. He didn’t know the truth of the praise for himself, but wasn’t that a sign that he would accept his proposal and the resulting ‘deal’?

“Thank you, candidate. Since you said so, I will proceed as planned.”

Only after finishing the most important deal did Lee Dae-soo’s expression change brightly. His lips were twitching at the feeling that he would finally be able to properly resolve the resentment that had been *ssahin* [accumulated] for over 20 years.