Still, I Will Live As The Son-In-Law Of A Conglomerate [EN]: Chapter 173

173. 49th. Marriage is Work for Some (2)

While Lee Sung-min was waiting on standby, the two fathers-in-law were having tea in a quiet room, avoiding the guests.

“Your in-law is trying hard not to show it.”

“I can only apologize to my wife. I brought Ha-yeon without considering her feelings.”

Lee Dae-soo and Jang Ho-geon were worried that Hwang Na-yeon would ruin the wedding, but their fears were unfounded. Hwang Na-yeon was receiving guests with a smile, showing no displeasure.

“Your children didn’t come.”

“I sent them all on business trips. There was no way to stop them.”

Seeing Jang Ho-geon’s bitter expression, Lee Dae-soo nodded calmly. Hwang Na-yeon was mature enough to restrain herself, but Jang Ho-geon’s energetic children would likely be out of control, so it was better for them to stay away.

“You’ve worked hard raising our eldest grandson’s wife, in-law.”

“You’ve also worked hard raising my son-in-law, in-law.”

Lee Dae-soo and Jang Ho-geon finally offered each other comfort for their shared hardships.

How much had they both suffered raising the protagonists of today’s wedding? They understood the struggles of embracing a wandering eldest grandson and protecting a daughter brought in from the outside. The two men’s words of comfort were heartfelt and genuine.

“You managed to allow the children’s honeymoon.”

“I wish I could charter a private plane and send them on a world tour, but these are difficult times, so I have no choice but to let them have their way.”

Jang Ho-geon responded with a wry smile to Lee Dae-soo’s words.

After the ceremony, the couple would visit the columbarium [a place for the respectful and usually public storage of urns holding cremated remains of the deceased] of the deceased—Lee Dae-soo’s eldest son and his wife, and Jang Ho-geon’s friend and his wife—to pay their respects, before going on their honeymoon to Jeju Island.

It might seem unusual for a chaebol [a South Korean term for a large, family-owned business conglomerate] family to go to Jeju Island, but this is a time of financial crisis. If they went on a honeymoon abroad, they would be criticized for the extravagance of the upper class, so both Jang Ho-geon and Lee Dae-soo readily agreed to the couple’s request.

“Let’s stop talking about the children’s marriage. The two of them took care of everything from A to Z. If you have anything to say, feel free to speak, in-law.”

Chaebol weddings are often another business venue.

It’s a tough life having to take care of company matters even on a celebratory day, but what can they do? The fate of the company and its employees rests on their shoulders.

Lee Dae-soo set the stage, and Jang Ho-geon nodded.

“Yes, in-law. We will be assessing Shinseong Life’s stock price soon through a due diligence [an investigation or audit of a potential investment or deal to confirm all facts] by the Big Four accounting firms.”

“How much are you going to extract?”

“We will raise it to 700,000 won [South Korean currency] per share. Then, I will donate Shinseong Life shares under my name to clear Shinseong Motors’ debt.”

Lee Dae-soo wore a mischievous smile at Jang Ho-geon’s plan.

“The pockets of the accounting firm representatives and bank presidents must be empty soon, hahaha.”

Shinseong Life is at the center of the group’s governance structure, but at 700,000 won per share, its market capitalization is more than double that of Shinseong Electronics. Lee Dae-soo knew how much money he had to spread around to artificially inflate that stock price and offer those shares in lieu of debt.

Lee Dae-soo, who had been laughing grimly, took a sip of tea and asked.

“If you sweet-talk the bankers and clear your debt with your shares, you’re asking us to take over Shinseong Motors, right?”

At Lee Dae-soo’s response, Jang Ho-geon nodded with a stiff expression. How regrettable it must be to lose the car business he cherished because he missed the timing?

“Yes. We would appreciate it if you could value it at 800 billion won.”

Jang Ho-geon, who had lowered his head, bit his lip.

Could there be a greater humiliation in the history of Shinseong Group? But now was the time to discard what had to be discarded and save what had to be saved.

Lee Dae-soo also knew Jang Ho-geon’s love for cars, and now that he was the father-in-law of his eldest grandson, he composed himself and nodded.

“I understand. Let me know as soon as the negotiations are over.”

“Yes, in-law.”

***

Around the time the main hosts of both families finished their conversation and left the room.

“Thank you for coming, Chairman.”

“Not at all. You’re working hard to host the wedding for your orphaned nephew, hahaha.”

Lee Myung-jin in a suit and Jung Yu-min in a hanbok [traditional Korean dress] were standing in for Lee Dae-soo, who had briefly left his seat, and were responding to Myung Jin-ho on behalf of Lee Sung-min’s host.

“No, Chairman. My wife and I are only standing in for my late brother and sister-in-law, and we feel sorry for them.”

“You too, but President Lee was a very desirable person, hahaha.”

“Yes. I’m treating Sung-min as a replacement for my late brother and trying to get along well with him, haha.”

While briefly talking about the deceased, Lee Myung-jin said to Myung Jin-ho with an embarrassed expression.

“I look forward to your kind cooperation in the automotive market in the future. Please be gentle, haha.”

Even though it appears that he and Geum Seok-ho are leading the business, the eldest nephew who is getting married today will also be leading the automotive business together.

Lee Myung-jin wanted to help his beloved eldest nephew settle down more smoothly, so he asked, but what came back was Myung Jin-ho’s sharp reply.

“Hey, you! If you raise Haedong Motors with your family’s money, isn’t it only a matter of time before you catch up with my eldest son? What you said is what I wanted to say, hahaha.”

While Lee Myung-jin and Myung Jin-ho were exchanging business stories half-jokingly, Lee Dae-soo approached.

“Oh, Brother. Have you arrived? Hahaha.”

“Hey, do you know what your second son said to me?”

“What did he say?”

“He told us to look out for him in the car business. That’s what I wanted to say.”

Lee Dae-soo smiled as he saw Myung Jin-ho’s bitter smile.

“Even if Haedong Motors has been normalized, it’s only half of Taehyun’s production volume, Brother. Our second son is asking for a favor, so why are you pretending? Hahaha.”

Lee Dae-soo, who was laughing heartily, knew what Lee Myung-jin was thinking. Wasn’t he hoping and caring for the eldest grandson of this family to walk a flowery path?

Even though he knew that Standard Capital was the eldest grandson’s vault, Lee Dae-soo looked at Lee Myung-jin and his wife with a satisfied look because his second son would have said that.

“If you build a factory and produce cars with the overflowing money in Haedong Group’s coffers, how can we hold out? Instead of that, let’s liquidate the other guys and have Haedong and Taehyun split the domestic market in half, hehe.”

“Can we do that as we please? The timing and opportunity have to be right, haha.”

“Don’t try to fool me, you. Hehe.”

Lee Dae-soo and Myung Jin-ho were talking as if they were chatting while laughing heartily, but unlike ordinary weddings, chaebol weddings are places where all kinds of deals are made. Lee Dae-soo, who was looking around, said to Myung Jin-ho.

“Instead of this, why don’t we have a quiet cup of tea somewhere? What do you think?”

At Lee Dae-soo’s suggestion, Myung Jin-ho looked around and nodded.

“That would be good. I’m over eighty years old, so it’s hard to stand for a long time. Or is it? Hahaha.”

“That’s right. Let’s go inside, hahaha.”

Lee Dae-soo and Myung Jin-ho, who went into the VIP room with ridiculous pretenses, drank the tea that the employee brought.

“Looking back on the past year, it’s a world of difference. I didn’t know you would soar like this.”

“It’s fortunate that I’m seeing the light in my old age. I’ve relieved the worry of my children going hungry, so my heart is a little lighter, hahaha.”

The two old men, sitting across from each other with a table in between, took another sip of tea with a frank expression.

“As you know, the only places that will survive in the automotive market are Taehyun and Haedong. One has been eliminated, another is on its last legs, and the other has incurred the President’s displeasure, right?”

Lee Dae-soo nodded at Myung Jin-ho’s words.

Miryong Group handed over the ailing Miryong Motors to Daeju Motors and barely avoided the group’s dissolution only after receiving a large investment from the eldest grandson.

Shinseong Group, as Jang Ho-geon had just told him, is in the process of negotiating debt relief using Shinseong Life shares to inflate the stock price after separating Shinseong Corporation’s automotive business division into Shinseong Motors.

Here, Daeju Group, which swallowed Miryong Motors with Daeju Motors at the forefront, is busy preparing self-rescue measures because the entire group incurred the President’s displeasure due to the gold-collecting campaign.

In the end, the only places that will survive in the domestic automotive market are Haedong and Taehyun, as Myung Jin-ho said.

“You’re right, Brother. Taehyun has existing capabilities, and we won’t be lacking in financial power. Still, you know that Kang Oh-joong is not easy to deal with.”

Myung Jin-ho, who narrowed his eyes for a moment, asked Lee Dae-soo.

“Could that guy be using slush funds [illegally obtained money, often used for bribery or other illicit purposes]?”

“It’s not certain, but we should include it in the list of possibilities. Isn’t that the method that you, Brother, and Chairman Jang, who became Sung-min’s father-in-law, used when acquiring Ado Motors?”

“Hmm…”

Myung Jin-ho, who was stroking his chin and making a humming sound, emptied the lukewarm tea in one gulp.

“I understand. Let’s postpone that story until next time.”

The alliances and mergers in the automotive industry are not an urgent matter.

Above all, today is the day that the eldest grandson of the Lee family of Haedong Group, the oldest chaebol in this country, is going to his lover in a flower palanquin [a covered litter, often ornately decorated, carried on poles by several people] after five years of devoted love.

It is impossible to hold the host and drag out a heavy story for a long time on someone else’s family celebration. Myung Jin-ho smiled awkwardly and decided to postpone it until next time.

“You thought well, Brother. There is plenty of time, hahaha.”

Only then did Lee Dae-soo also stand up from his seat with Myung Jin-ho with a comfortable expression. Lee Dae-soo thought that the reorganization of the automotive industry could be discussed after the eldest grandson and his wife returned from their honeymoon.

***

The wedding started when it was time. Park Tae-jin and Yoo Hyun-jung, Sun Hae-cheol and Claire, who were sitting at the same round table, looked at Lee Sung-min and Jang Ha-yeon, who were standing in front of the officiant.

“It seems like only yesterday that I changed that guy’s diapers… Time really flies, hehe.”

“That’s right, Brother. When I entered Samcheong-dong, he followed me around, calling me ‘hyung, hyung’ [Korean term for ‘older brother’ used by males], but it feels strange to see him become the head of a household, haha.”

Lee Sung-min is a cute nephew to Sun Hae-cheol and a younger brother to Park Tae-jin. The two people were only happy to see today’s wedding because they had watched the process of that little boy falling to the gutter and soaring up in a short period of time.

“I can’t believe Johnny is becoming the head of a household, Sun. He seemed immature when I first met him…”

Claire couldn’t tell all the stories because Yoo Hyun-jung was in front of her, but she also looked at Lee Sung-min’s back with a happy look.

The little boy in his early 20s, who had been at odds with her over the Pixar investment when they first met, has now become one of the richest people in the world, and he has also succeeded in the youth business, hasn’t he?

“But Sun, is it true that you changed Johnny’s diapers?”

“Why?”

“You’re going to change our children’s diapers with me too, right?”

Sun Hae-cheol smiled at Claire’s question as she stroked her lower abdomen.

“Don’t worry, that skill hasn’t gone anywhere, hehe.”

“I’m jealous of my brother-in-law. Oppa [Korean term for ‘older brother’ used by females], let’s try hard when we get married too. Okay?”

“Huh?”

Yoo Hyun-jung looked at Park Tae-jin, who was stunned by her question, with a sulky look.

“I want to have a baby soon too. I hope I have twins like Claire.”

“I’ll try, Hyun-jung.”

Sun Hae-cheol smiled as he looked at Park Tae-jin’s face, who swallowed hard.

“Tae-jin, you’re going to have to work hard? Having twins won’t be easy, hehe?”

***

After the wedding, which was a whirlwind, we went to our parents’ columbarium to pay our respects, and then took a plane to Jeju Island.

“Yes, Grandpa. We arrived safely.”

[Okay. You’ve worked hard today, so don’t overdo it. Do you understand?]

“Yes, Grandpa.”

After unpacking my luggage in the Presidential Suite of the Jeju Korea Hotel, I finished talking to my grandfather and called Jang Ho-geon to let him know that I had arrived safely before returning to the bed.

“Hoo, I don’t even know how I got through the wedding.”

A sigh came out of Jang Ha-yeon’s mouth as she unpacked her luggage and sat on the bed. I also sighed and sat next to her.

“Let’s watch it when the video comes out.”

It wasn’t just Jang Ha-yeon who didn’t remember. I also didn’t remember the moment of the wedding. I remember Jang Ho-geon handing Jang Ha-yeon’s hand to my college professor who was the officiant, but after that, it was like a blank sheet of paper as if the film had been cut off.

I was sitting on the bed, but I lay down on the bed without changing my clothes, and Jang Ha-yeon also lay down on the bed with me. I smiled at Jang Ha-yeon, who was using my arm as a pillow.

“How is it to be married?”

“It’s good. Now I’ve let people know that you’re my woman.”

Jang Ha-yeon kissed me as I smiled.

“I like it too. It’s only now that I realize that you’ve become my man, hehe.”

“From now on, let’s call each other ‘jagi’ [Korean term of endearment, similar to ‘honey’ or ‘darling’]. We’re officially married and it’s our honeymoon. Okay?”

“Okay, jagi.”

Jang Ha-yeon, who had a smile on her face along with her answer, looked at me for a long time before getting up from the bed.

“Why?”

“I’ve rested enough, so I have to go to work. We’re here on a business trip as well as our honeymoon.”

As Jang Ha-yeon said, we were on a business trip to Jeju Island as well as our honeymoon.

We chose a domestic trip because we couldn’t help but be aware of the public’s eyes because of the foreign exchange crisis, but we came to take care of the resorts and golf courses under the existing Haedong Corporation’s leisure business division in addition to the Jeju Korea Hotel and golf course.

“Grandpa told me to just rest today. Let’s rest only today and work, Nuna [Korean term for ‘older sister’ used by males].”

“No. How can the eldest grandson’s wife of Haedong Group play around?”

I couldn’t help but laugh as I looked at her shaking her head. Who would stop that woman’s love for work, but I wanted to refuse to be buried in work from the beginning of our ‘official honeymoon day’.

“Still, we have to rest for a day. Besides, we haven’t eaten anything, have we?”

“Ah… that’s right.”

We both only shared half an apple each for breakfast because we were nervous about getting sick during the wedding. Now that the tension has been relieved, Jang Ha-yeon frowned slightly as if she was very hungry.

“So let’s rest and recharge for one day. We’re doing this to live, right?”

Jang Ha-yeon smiled at me, but even chaebols like us work to live. Now that we’ve come to Jeju Island, we should eat the local delicacies.