Still, I Will Live As The Son-In-Law Of A Conglomerate [EN]: Chapter 36

36. 12th. As Expected, Unexpectedly (2)

“Don’t worry, President Cho. Chairman Lee said that if you publish an apology article and articles praising Haedong Group, he will place advertisements. Dongyang Ilbo needs to regain its former glory, right? Don’t forget to include an article about Ha-yeon. See you next time, haha.”

Hanging up the phone, Jang Ho-geon smiled wryly and said to Lee Soo-han.

“The top dog doesn’t give the second dog a chance. Maybe the third.”

“With Hanyang Ilbo gaining momentum with Taehyun backing them, they had no choice but to contact Dongyang Ilbo, which still has some teeth.”

Jang Ho-geon and Lee Soo-han exchanged sinister smiles.

As soon as Jang Ho-geon heard Lee Soo-han’s plan, he slapped his knee and called Lee Dae-soo and Cho Hyung-man. Fortunately, he was able to get ahead of the game because Cho Hyung-man reached an agreement while on his way to meet Hwang Hyun-sung.

“It’s fortunate that he’s cooperating. Is it because they’re from the same hometown? Heh heh.”

Lee Soo-han was momentarily startled by Jang Ho-geon’s heavy laughter. He always called Lee Dae-soo ‘that old man,’ but now ‘that person’? The atmosphere between them seemed to be changing, but he quickly composed himself.

“Chairman Lee has had a strong attachment to his hometown since the days of the previous chairman, hasn’t he? It will also be helpful to Ha-yeon, Chairman.”

“It has to be. It’s all for the good of my children. By the way, what happened to what was leaked through that child?”

“It’s been taken care of. Since Godeok-myeon is far from Pyeongtaek Port, there won’t be any inquiries yet, so we’ll need to circulate the land registry a few times and leak it to the local residents little by little.”

Jang Ho-geon looked at Lee Soo-han with a sinister smile.

“Now I can fill my people’s pockets. It will be interesting to see Cho Hyung-man get ripped off for money, hehe.”

Jang Ho-geon intended to redistribute the shares he had been stealing, regardless of whether his in-laws complained that they were being too harsh. Those who cause internal strife without even being able to reunite the group don’t deserve to take even a dime from Shinseong Group.

“They’ll buy it 100 percent. We’re putting it under the names of those who shake out anchovies and catch shrimp [small-time investors], so there’s no room to suspect that our executives’ ‘retirement funds’ are involved.”

Jang Ho-geon nodded at Lee Soo-han’s confirmation and immediately picked up the phone. He needed another person to extract the marrow from the rat bastards.

“Yes, *hyungnim* [older brother/respected elder]. We’re all set on our end. Keep a close watch on the headquarters.”

[Don’t worry, Chairman. After hearing from Director Lee, I sent all the guys who were attached to the in-laws to Jeju Island’s Korea Hotel on the day the contract was signed. Their backgrounds were all garbage, so the in-laws won’t be able to object.]

“Thank you, *hyungnim*. Please take good care of Ha-yeon so she doesn’t get shaken up. I’ll contact you again later.”

Jang Ho-geon ended the call after entrusting Jung Chang-ho. All that was left was to trust that his daughter and his friend’s son would endure until the matter was settled.

***

A few days later.

Waking up at 4 a.m., Park Tae-jin and I put on our protective gear, grabbed our bamboo swords, and began sparring in the garden. Jang Ha-yeon also woke up at 4 a.m. to prepare for work, so I wanted to start the day early like her, even though I was just lazing around.

“Tait!”

“Haat!”

Yelling short and thick shouts loud enough for each other to hear, we rushed forward and clashed our bamboo swords.

Clang! Clang!

“Hait!”

With a short shout, Park Tae-jin struck my head,

“Heuryat!”

Not wanting to lose, I immediately struck his side and retreated.

After exchanging dozens of blows, clashing our bamboo swords and striking each other’s protective gear, we looked at each other from a distance and nodded before kneeling on the lawn.

With our hands on our thighs, we bowed to each other to end the sparring. Park Tae-jin, removing his mask, caught his breath and said to me.

“Hoo, your skills have improved a lot. It seems like I’m gradually falling behind, haha.”

“I still have a long way to go to catch up to *hyung* [older brother/respected elder]. Not to mention your late father’s skills.”

I also removed my mask, answered, and stood up from the lawn, wiping the moisture from my knees.

Even after sparring for over 30 years, including my past life, and learning the patterns, Park Tae-jin was a formidable opponent who faced me with new patterns.

The Shinseong Group that I know is just as formidable, but I untied the towel around my head, ran my fingers through my hair to shake off the sweat, and shook off my worries as well.

While wiping my head with the towel, I faintly heard a thud.

“I’ll be back.”

Holding the mask under my arm and the bamboo sword in my hand, I went down, picked up the newspaper bundle that had fallen in the garden, and went inside.

After showering, I came down and sat at the table with Park Tae-jin, taking a spoonful of cereal and looking at the Dongyang Ilbo that we each held.

[Special contract between H Group and S Group.

H Group has agreed to pay for the Korea Hotel accommodation expenses of Ms. J, the eldest daughter in charge of consulting, in the process of entrusting S Group with department store consulting. Compared to the accommodations where ordinary consulting firm employees stay when receiving requests, Korea Hotel is…]

As expected, I folded the newspaper, which was no longer worth reading, and placed it on the chair next to me.

Hwang Hyun-sung must have obtained the contract information through some channel and given it to Cho Hyung-man, president of Dongyang Ilbo.

Hwang Hyun-sung of Joguk Ilbo wouldn’t stand by and watch Hanyang Ilbo rise, so he must have moved the easily manipulated third-place newspaper. He probably even planned to pit Hanyang Ilbo and Dongyang Ilbo against each other in this opportunity.

Still, I was curious.

Everything is going according to my plan, but even to me, who is only naive on the surface but worn out on the inside, my grandfather is not someone who will be easily defeated… What kind of deals went on between whom up there?

***

The articles criticizing Haedong Group and Shinseong Group were not only known to Lee Sung-min in Itaewon.

Clack.

“Hyung-man must be having a hard time. Chairman Cho must be uncomfortable too.”

Lee Dae-soo, who was sitting at his desk, put down today’s Dongyang Ilbo newspaper and said, and Go Seung-joo also put down his teacup.

“That’s right, Chairman. President Cho’s house of Dongyang Ilbo has been helping each other since the days of the previous chairman, hasn’t it? Even if you heard that the chairman agreed to Chairman Jang’s request, you’ll still feel uncomfortable.”

Go Seung-joo had also seen the newspaper article. Nevertheless, he spoke calmly because Haedong Group had also lent a hand in this matter.

“Hyung is right, Father. Haven’t we been helping each other since Grandfather’s time because we’re from the same hometown? Dongyang Ilbo’s help was crucial in not listing Mulsan and Jonggeum during the Corporate Disclosure Promotion Act…”

Lee Myung-jin, who was across from Go Seung-joo, was also feeling uneasy. Even though they were distant in official settings, wasn’t the secret relationship between Haedong Group and Dongyang Ilbo known to everyone in the business world?

“We have to help each other as much as we give and take. If we wrap up this matter well and push them further, it’s rumored that you and Hyung-man have raised your children well, so try to do well when the kids go to college, hehe.”

Lee Dae-soo chuckled lowly, and Lee Myung-jin also smiled.

“We can’t force them to go on blind dates, Father. We’ll let them meet naturally and have a formal meeting when they say they like each other, haha.”

Lee Myung-jin, who had been laughing heartily, suddenly stopped laughing. His own children could be taken care of by him and his wife, but there was a troubling child, or rather, child’ren’.

“I’m worried about the two children. I can assume that Sung-min was prepared since he planned this, but I hope the child who will become my niece-in-law won’t get hurt…”

Lee Myung-jin regarded the promise he made with his brother during the Iraq construction site as a lifelong promise, so he trailed off, seemingly worried. Lee Dae-soo, understanding his only remaining son, spoke calmly.

“Everything goes according to its inherent nature. I saw that child’s picture, and her eyes are sharp, so she must have a strong will. Trust and watch over her. Go and do your work.”

Lee Dae-soo sent the two men to the company after saying those words, then went up to the reception room and picked up the phone.

“Grandson, come over to Samcheong-dong with Tae-jin.”

***

Having entered Samcheong-dong, we were listening to the story that Grandfather told us in the reception room.

“So that’s why you accepted Uncle’s request, Grandfather.”

“I wondered why Dongyang Ilbo was being so aggressive after seeing the morning article, Chairman. I didn’t know you would hold hands with Chairman Jang…”

I expected it, but I didn’t know that Grandfather and Jang Ho-geon would join hands and bring in Dongyang Ilbo to take down Joguk Ilbo. Still, Jang Ho-geon and Lee Soo-han aren’t the type to end with a 15 billion loss, so what are they thinking?

Park Tae-jin was quite surprised, and unlike him, Grandfather looked at me, who was pointing out the two men’s intentions, and said.

“Your great-grandfather and Chairman Cho’s father were hometown friends who met while studying at Tokyo University. Your father promised to help him, who said he would build a university and a newspaper company when he returned after finishing school.”

I couldn’t believe it. Dongyang Ilbo was a company founded by my great-grandfather’s friend? The Dongyang Ilbo in my memory was a media company that became a second-tier company of Joguk Ilbo after Cho Hyung-man married his daughter to Jang Min-jae…

I had a lot of questions, but I couldn’t interrupt the flow, so I held back and listened to the old story.

“Your father kept that promise. After graduating, he returned to Korea, sold his vast fields, and gave the seed money to Chairman Cho’s father. With the rest, he founded Haedong Mulsan and either hired students from schools founded by the Go family or placed advertisements in Dongyang Ilbo.”

After that, I heard stories such as Haedong Mulsan’s Jeonju Paper Mill being built to supply newsprint to Dongyang Ilbo, or that 40% of the public advertisements that filled the Dongyang Ilbo pages, which had once lacked advertisements, were funded by our family’s private loans, and I felt like I had to correct several places in my national history textbook.

Park Tae-jin seemed to know these facts and nodded silently, but I had something to ask because of the unpleasant facts.

“They occasionally wrote sharp articles about our family… Weren’t you upset?”

I rummaged through my memories and asked because my father used to hold me and look at the newspaper, but Grandfather shook his head with a smile.

“It was a play that the two families made together.”

“Yes?”

“It was to allow proper reporters to nest in Dongyang Ilbo. They were allowed to write articles unconditionally as long as they brought solid evidence, so how much did they like it?”

Come to think of it, Dongyang Ilbo was a newspaper recognized for its high public credibility and opinionated articles. But I couldn’t understand Grandfather for helping to tarnish the family business that had been built up for generations.

Looking at me, who was puzzled, Grandfather wore an embarrassed expression. That face looked like a teenager.

“This grandfather’s original dream was to be a reporter, In-seok. Now I’m a tainted, dark old man, but I’ve been satisfied watching other guys do what I couldn’t do to their heart’s content, euhehe.”

“Ahahaha…”

I think I know now why Grandfather is called the ‘eccentric of the business world’.

He always seems like a strong and wise businessman, but isn’t it because of his unique subjectivity that others can’t understand if they don’t know his inner self? Everyone couldn’t easily look at Grandfather because he was like a rugby ball that didn’t know where it would bounce.

The laughter that filled the room subsided, and Grandfather took a sip of tea.

“It was ruined because of the military bastards, but it would be good to help Dongyang Ilbo rise again in this opportunity. Even if the tendency has changed, they won’t be servile, and if they build trust, they will grow enough to block the knife that Joguk Ilbo is aiming at our family’s money.”

As if he had never been like that, Grandfather returned to being a cold-blooded businessman. I also opened my mouth as the eldest grandson of a businessman.

“You’re saying you’re going to create checks and balances? Like the Three Kingdoms.”

Currently, only three newspaper companies in Korea boast a *dokbojeogin* [unique/unrivaled] scale: Joguk Ilbo, Hanyang Ilbo, and Dongyang Ilbo. If our family supports Dongyang Ilbo, the weakest of the three, it would be a matter of time to change from 2 strong and 1 weak to 2 strong and 1 medium.

“That rascal. As you said, if we support Dongyang Ilbo, it will at least become *chokhan* [Shu Han, one of the Three Kingdoms]. It would be great if we could complete the northern expedition beyond *ojangwon* [Battle of Wuzhang Plains, a significant battle in the Three Kingdoms period], euhehe.”

Grandfather, who had been laughing heartily, stopped laughing and opened his mouth thinly. His expression, as if he had realized something, seemed to have something to say.

“Sung-min, you should take good care of that child Ha-yeon. Even this grandfather sees that her heart is strong, but you have to show a trustworthy side at times like this to earn another point. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Grandfather. I will gratefully use the opportunity you have created.”

“Okay, hehe.”

It seemed that Grandfather also liked Jang Ha-yeon. Thank you, Grandfather.

***

I was planning to play the role of a filial grandson properly in this life, so after eating lunch and leaving Samcheong-dong, I picked up Jang Ha-yeon with Park Tae-jin and entered the restaurant street of Apgujeong Taehyun Department Store.

“Sung-min, did you see today’s article?”

“Dongyang Ilbo?”

Jang Ha-yeon, who was sitting across from me, nodded with a dark face.

“I don’t know where the information leaked from. I’m sure the secretariat was also hush-hush about it. Is the chairman… very angry?”

“I met Grandfather this morning and told him about it anyway. I told him not to misunderstand. Then he said he understood?”

Jang Ha-yeon’s face brightened up as she looked at me.

“Really?”

“I’m our grandfather’s eldest grandson. He said that the group also likes and overlooks the fact that the two families traded because of the Gangnam Terminal.”

After finishing the *yeonae* [dating/romance] coaching, Grandfather told me in detail what kind of benefits the packages traded with the Gangnam Terminal brought. To be honest, I was expecting it to some extent, but thinking of Grandfather’s face as he told me the story, it seemed that he liked Jang Ha-yeon.

Still, if you just pull without pushing, you will fall or get tired. I said to her, pushing her away a little.

“Instead, he told me to help *nuna* [older sister/term of endearment for older female] with the department store consulting well. We have to work really hard.”

Jang Ha-yeon immediately corrected her relaxed eyes and nodded with a firm expression.

“Of course. He looked at us favorably, so we have to work hard and do well. So, about that…”

Jang Ha-yeon took out documents and a camcorder from her Birkin bag.

“Are you going to film here?”

“Yes. After the field trip, I kept filming myself working in the hotel room.”

I couldn’t hide my admiration for her preparedness. She had even created real-time evidence, so it would be perfect to pay off the broadcasting company and spread it out to counterattack.

“I’ve put together a list of brands to put in each store. Take a look.”

“Wow… it’s good?”

I received the documents and turned the cover, and I was secretly surprised. Even a person like me, who is ignorant of aesthetic sense, would be tempted enough to want to give it to Jang Ha-yeon as a gift.

I wondered if it was just me, so I handed it to Park Tae-jin, but his reaction was the same.

“I don’t know much about women’s product composition, but even I would be tied to the men’s product counter. I’ll have to listen to the opinions of the distribution planning team and front-line store managers, but it seems like it can be refined according to the floating population, customer age, and income level according to the store location.”

“Thank you, *seonbaenim* [senior/mentor].”

Jang Ha-yeon, who smiled brightly at Park Tae-jin, heard the ringing tone coming from her bag and took out her cell phone.

“Yes, Jang Ha-yeon of Korea Hotel… Yes, Father. I’m at the Taehyun Department Store main branch with Sung-min and Manager Park right now. Yes. Sung-min calmed down the chairman, so it’s okay. I think we just need to do well with the consulting. You don’t have to do that… Thank you.”

“Was that *ajeossi* [middle-aged man/term for ‘uncle’]?”

Jang Ha-yeon nodded.

“Father said he would somehow cover up this matter. He told me to work hard with you, so let’s look around a little more.”

The shadow was also lifted from Jang Ha-yeon’s face, and it seems that I succeeded in putting up a smokescreen for my father-in-law. I wonder if these people will catch the rat bastards well with the ‘mousetrap’ that our family made.