Still, I Will Live As The Son-In-Law Of A Conglomerate [EN]: Chapter 50

50. 16th. An Uncomfortable Alliance (2)

Jang Ho-geon smiled, as if to answer Lee Soo-han’s curiosity.

“Our daughter seems to have a knack for money. She’s made nearly 40 billion won in a year, haha.”

The more Jang Ho-geon laughed heartily, the wider Lee Soo-han’s mouth gaped, as if his jaw would fall off.

How could Jang Ha-yeon, who had been devoted to hotel work, have made such a large sum of money? If she had made that money with her own ability, Jang Ha-yeon would have proven her qualifications as a successor.

“This time, exclude all the in-law bastards and proceed quietly. Do you understand what I mean?”

“Even if I do, I can’t touch it. All the land we circulated was bought by the in-laws and their cronies, hehe.”

As if responding to Lee Soo-han’s low laughter, Jang Ho-geon let out a soft exclamation.

“Oh, my. I forgot about that, haha.”

Since the end of last month, the Jo Guk Ilbo family and their underlings had bought a total of 70 billion won worth of Pyeongtaek land that Jang Ho-geon’s executives, including Lee Soo-han, had been circulating. Since there wasn’t a single spoon left for the in-laws to dip into this meal, Jang Ho-geon chuckled while tapping the armrest of the sofa.

“Chairman, it’s a phone call.”

“Ah, thank you.”

Jang Ho-geon stopped laughing and picked up the phone.

“This is Jang Ho-geon.”

[Hello, Chairman Jang. Thanks to your eldest daughter, our department store’s main branch is packed. You have a very wonderful daughter, heh heh.]

Even if it’s someone you dislike, praising their child makes parents dance. Jang Ho-geon’s hardened face gradually softened.

“My daughter seems to have some skill. If I had known this would happen, I would have had Shinseong Corporation do the department store business, haha.”

[Hehe, Shinseong Corporation… Are you managing the exchange rate well?]

At the sudden surprise attack, Jang Ho-geon frowned. Even when trying to be nice, he speaks so obnoxiously.

“What do you want, Chairman?”

[I don’t want anything. I was going to tell you about a lucrative business, but judging by the way you talk, it seems you don’t need it. Goodbye…]

As Lee Dae-soo was about to hang up, Jang Ho-geon urgently called out.

“Please wait a moment, Chairman. You have to tell me what it is…”

[If you want to know, come to Samcheong-dong in the evening. I’ll serve you newly brewed makgeolli [Korean rice wine] and boiled pork.]

With Lee Dae-soo’s notification, the call ended. As Jang Ho-geon put down the receiver, Lee Soo-han quickly asked.

“What’s wrong, Chairman? It sounded like Chairman Lee’s call…”

“That man seems to be planning something big.”

“What do you mean, ‘something’?”

“I’ll let you know after I meet him. It’s been decades since I’ve had makgeolli and suyuk [boiled pork slices] at his house.”

Neither Jang Ho-geon, muttering in a low voice, nor Lee Soo-han, looking at him, could know what Lee Dae-soo was thinking.

***

Lee Dae-soo, who had set the dinner table, was warming himself by a large brazier inside a large tent set up outdoors, listening to music coming from a gramophone.

The harmony coming from the brass. The sound was created by his late eldest son’s guitar playing and his eldest daughter-in-law’s singing, who had died tragically with his son.

[Master, Chairman Oh Hyun-moo of Geumgang Group has arrived.]

“Bring him in.”

As the tent was drawn back, a sturdy-looking man with broad shoulders entered. The man was Oh Hyun-moo, Chairman of Geumgang Group, who was Lee Seong-min’s maternal great-uncle.

“Have you been well, in-law?”

“It’s been a while, in-law. Sit down and have some tea first, haha.”

Oh Hyun-moo politely greeted Lee Dae-soo and then sat down, drinking the pre-dinner tea brought by the servant.

“My brother-in-law and Mi-yeon’s song is always good to listen to.”

“Indeed. I wish both your sister-in-law and my eldest son were alive to see Seong-min grow up…”

As Lee Dae-soo trailed off, he took a sip of tea and opened his mouth.

“It seems this old man has said something unnecessary. The living must live on, haha. I heard you’re changing the name to GK next year, why is that?”

As Lee Dae-soo changed the subject, Oh Hyun-moo gave a bitter smile.

“I was going to create an internet homepage, but the names we could use were already registered in other countries. I decided to change the company name to refresh the group’s atmosphere, haha.”

“It seems your family makes home appliances too well. There are bound to be such petty people everywhere, aren’t there? Haha.”

While Lee Dae-soo and Oh Hyun-moo were talking about business, trying to forget the sadness about the two people who had passed away, the butler’s voice was heard.

[Master, Chairman Myung Jin-ho of Taehyun Group has arrived.]

Once again, the tent entrance was drawn back, and a white-haired old man with a stocky build entered, leaning on a decorative cane.

“It’s been a while, Chairman Lee. But, what’s Chairman Oh doing here?”

“I would like to ask you, Chairman Myung. What’s going on, in-law?”

While receiving the gazes of Myung Jin-ho and Oh Hyun-moo at the same time, Lee Dae-soo calmly drank his tea.

“Sit down, brother. In-law, please sit down and wait as well. One more person has to come.”

Hearing Lee Dae-soo’s words, the two wondered who the owner of the remaining seat was.

[Master, Chairman Jang Ho-geon of Shinseong Group has entered.]

The butler announced that the owner of the seat had arrived, and Jang Ho-geon entered the tent.

“Samcheong-dong is still the same…”

Jang Ho-geon paused briefly as he entered, greeting Myung Jin-ho and Oh Hyun-moo, before finishing his sentence. As the heads of the three most powerful conglomerates in Korea gathered, Lee Dae-soo said with a faint smile.

“It seems everyone who’s coming has arrived. Butler, bring out the table.”

“Yes, Master.”

Not long after Jang Ho-geon sat down, brass kettles filled with makgeolli and plates of food were laid out on the table.

“Have a drink, brother.”

“I will.”

Lee Dae-soo picked up the kettle, stood up from his seat, and filled the makgeolli for Myung Jin-ho, Oh Hyun-moo, and Jang Ho-geon, then sat down and filled his own bowl.

“Winter makgeolli has a rich taste. It’s thick and sweet, I like it very much, hehe.”

Myung Jin-ho, who had drunk the alcohol, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and chuckled. Lee Dae-soo also smiled at him.

“You have a knack for taste. It’s makgeolli brewed with new rice from a brewery in Gimje, hehe.”

Oh Hyun-moo also put down his half-empty brass bowl and gave a bitter smile.

“It feels like I’m drinking it for the first time in a while. I used to go to Itaewon with my brother-in-law and drink it often when he was alive.”

“It was great to fix cars with Myung-woo, sweat a bucket, and then drink it.”

Jang Ho-geon, who recalled memories with his friend, also smiled sadly and emptied the remaining makgeolli in one gulp.

As the kettle and food dishes were emptied, Lee Dae-soo held the phone in his hand.

“The reason I asked you to come today is because of business. Please wait a moment.”

As the three blinked, Lee Dae-soo spoke into the phone.

“Come in.”

With the short call, Go Seung-joo entered the tent. He was carrying a briefcase as always.

“Distribute them.”

“Yes. First, I’ll distribute the non-disclosure agreements. This is a significant business for everyone gathered here, so I ask for your understanding.”

Go Seung-joo took out a file and a fountain pen from his bag and placed them in front of Myung Jin-ho, Oh Hyun-moo, Jang Ho-geon, and Lee Dae-soo, and stood behind Lee Dae-soo.

“Please sign first. I’ll tell you about the business after that.”

“I understand. Your second son is helping our second child, so there’s no reason not to.”

Myung Jin-ho, the first generation of the business world, signed without even looking at the contents of the contract, and Oh Hyun-moo and Jang Ho-geon, who were looking at the contents, quickly picked up their pens. They couldn’t ignore the seniority, could they?

Thus, the non-disclosure agreement was completed only after each person signed the contract and passed it around, filling each paper with the signatures of the four people.

“Distribute them.”

“Yes.”

Go Seung-joo distributed new files to Lee Dae-soo, Myung Jin-ho, Oh Hyun-moo, and Jang Ho-geon.

“What you’re seeing now is a business that I’m proposing for everyone gathered here to prosper. Take a good look.”

Hearing Lee Dae-soo’s words, the three opened the files.

“Chairman Lee?”

“In-law?”

“Chairman?”

Everyone called out to Lee Dae-soo without exception. At the same time, the eyes of the three people looking at him were wide open.

“The guy I raised like a son is in a pretty high position at a foreign investment firm. He brought this to me, and I thought it would be a shame to keep it to myself, so I decided to expand the game. What do you think?”

If they acquire the convertible bonds as written in the contract, the risk is reduced. Perhaps because of the alcohol that had risen late, the faces of the three people immediately flushed.

“As requested by them, Taehyun Construction and Shinseong Electronics will put up $200 million each, and in-law, you will put up $100 million each for Geumgang Electronics and Geumgang Chemical. I will put up $1 billion with Haedong Corporation and guarantee the remaining cash for the three of you.”

Hearing Lee Dae-soo’s words, Myung Jin-ho’s eyes widened.

“You, you, are you crazy? $1 billion plus 600 billion won…”

“If you’re going to use that money for currency speculation, are you asking me to lend it to you, brother? To clear out Taehyun Construction’s receivables in Iraq?”

Lee Dae-soo asked bluntly, but Myung Jin-ho couldn’t bring himself to speak.

During the 8.3 debt freeze [a period of economic austerity in South Korea], Lee Dae-soo had partnered with Shinseong’s Jang Byung-ho to stab him in the back, but he still gave Taehyun Construction a way to breathe through a joint venture. How could he, wearing a human mask, say anything when he was even offering to include legitimate currency speculation?

“Don’t worry about me. If I earn it, I’ll recover the money I lost during the financial real-name system [a financial reform in South Korea], euhehe.”

Believing in the skill and luck of his eldest grandson, who had earned $1 billion on the other side of the world, Lee Dae-soo laughed heartily.

Hearing the two’s story, Jang Ho-geon opened his mouth. His expression was full of reluctance.

“I’m sorry, Chairman, but we can’t leave this entirely in the hands of foreigners.”

“Then are you saying you’re going to jump into the speculation game yourself? Or… are you thinking of sending that friend Jung Chang-ho or Lee Soo-han to prison?”

As Lee Dae-soo asked sarcastically with a hardened face, Jang Ho-geon’s face also hardened.

“I can’t do that. I would like each group to send an observer.”

“An observer?”

“Yes. We need to know in real time how much they are increasing the betting scale in order to accurately distribute the profits, don’t we? What do you think, in-law?”

At Jang Ho-geon’s question, Oh Hyun-moo raised his voice with a stiff expression.

“In-law? Watch your words, Chairman Jang. Are you saying ‘in-law’ even after the late Chairman Jang delayed our family’s entry into the semiconductor business by siding with the soldiers?”

“The price for that has been paid sufficiently in other ways, Chairman Oh?”

While Geumgang Group’s Oh Hyun-moo and Shinseong Group’s Jang Ho-geon glared at each other, sparking flames because of the animosity that had turned them from in-laws to enemies in their fathers’ generation, Lee Dae-soo raised both hands and waved them.

“Alright, alright, calm down. Chairman Jang seems to be right. To settle accounts accurately, it would be good to select and send one person each. Contact me as soon as you decide.”

###

After hastily wrapping up the meeting and sending the three away.

Lee Dae-soo held out his hand to Go Seung-joo, extending only his index and middle fingers.

“Seung-joo. Give me one.”

“Yes?”

Go Seung-joo paused for a moment. Lee Dae-soo, who had quit smoking more than 20 years ago because he didn’t want to smell like an old man, was going to smoke?

“I’m thinking too much, so I’m craving one.”

“…Yes, Chairman.”

Go Seung-joo quickly took out one of his thin cigars, placed it between Lee Dae-soo’s fingers, and even lit it for him. Lee Dae-soo took a puff of the cigarette smoke and exhaled it with a sigh.

“That was almost a big problem.”

Lee Dae-soo muttered quietly, and Go Seung-joo carefully asked.

“Is it because of the Geumgang and Shinseong deal? The one that Shinseong Group Chairman Jang Byung-ho handed over as compensation for blocking Seong-min’s mother’s family’s entry into the semiconductor business…?”

Go Seung-joo trailed off because it was an uncomfortable matter to say more. Lee Dae-soo looked at Go Seung-joo, took a puff of the cigarette, and then put it out in the ashtray, saying.

“Yes. It would be a disaster if Jin-ho knew. Isn’t he the kind of person who would try to bring down Shinseong no matter what?”

“That’s right. Taehyun Electronics couldn’t enter the home appliance market because the late Chairman Jang Byung-ho blocked it.”

“That man was truly ruthless. Anyway, the fact that we know about the two families’ deal is something that neither the in-law nor Ho-geon will know. What was the amount?”

“It’s about 15 percent, but it’s impossible to track even in Myeong-dong after the financial real-name system. I’m sorry, Chairman.”

Go Seung-joo lowered his head, but Lee Dae-soo’s face didn’t seem to mind. Rather, he had an expression that it was natural.

“No. Your in-law’s family is as meticulous as ours, so it can’t be helped. I don’t know when I should tell our eldest grandson about that 15 percent.”

Lee Dae-soo only smiled with an unknown smile.

***

I was having a small party at home with Seon Hae-cheol, Claire, and Park Tae-jin when I received a call from Go Seung-joo.

“I didn’t even have to tell you. Thank you, Uncle.”

[Don’t mention it. If other affiliates make money, it will create variables in our business, so we have to make them spend money right away, hehe.]

Both my grandfather and Go Seung-joo were seasoned businessmen. They had the same idea of designating affiliates with fixed expenses in order to prevent resource development competition between the general trading companies of the three groups and Haedong Corporation.

I smiled brightly, but I couldn’t smile anymore. It was because of Go Seung-joo’s following words.

[But… there’s bad news.]

“Bad news?”

[Each group has decided to send an observer to Triumph’s Japanese branch.]

“An observer?”

My voice rose without me realizing it. An observer?

[Shinseong Chairman Jang Ho-geon requested it. He insisted that we need to know in real time how much we’re earning on-site in order to settle accounts accurately. I’m sorry.]

Damn it.

I have to handle this yen appreciation betting directly. I have to direct the site myself to end it happily without anyone getting hurt, but if the three major conglomerates send observers, they will investigate me.

“I understand, Uncle. Instead, please let the observers work too. They have to suffer the same.”

[Alright. We’ll put Tae-jin forward, so let Hae-cheol and CEO Lawrence know.]

“Yes.”

As soon as I hung up, Seon Hae-cheol put down his champagne glass.

“An observer? Do they not trust us?”

“The chairman didn’t do that, did he, Johnny?”

Seeing Claire also looking embarrassed, I shook my head.

“Shinseong Group requested it.”

Seon Hae-cheol blinked and then opened his mouth.

“Shinseong? Jang Ho-geon?”

“Yes.”

“Damn bastard. He was Myung-woo’s friend…”

Seon Hae-cheol cursed and clenched his fist. Claire’s eyes widened at those words.

“Shinseong Electronics Chairman Jang Ho-geon?”

“That’s right. That guy is this kid’s father’s friend.”

“Oh my… Johnny, is that true?”

I nodded to Claire, who was surprised by Seon Hae-cheol’s answer.

“That’s right. He’s my late father’s friend.”

“You look different today, kid.”

Seon Hae-cheol chuckled at Claire, who was surprised like a rabbit.

“You’ll be even more surprised, won’t you? Seong-min, your mother’s family has also entered this betting game, right?”

“What are you talking about, Seon? Are you saying that Taehyun or Geumgang is Johnny’s mother’s family?”

“Ask the person involved, hehe.”

Seon Hae-cheol chuckled as he looked at Claire. Claire pouted slightly and then looked at me with curious eyes. If she wants to know, I should tell her.

“Geumgang Group is my mother’s family. My first maternal uncle is the group’s chairman.”

“Really?”

“Yes. And I inherited 1 percent of the shares of Geumgang Electronics and Geumgang Chemical from my mother.”

Geumgang Electronics and Geumgang Chemical are the two major holding companies of Geumgang Group. In other words, they are the two pillars that support my mother’s family, the Oh family, and my mother’s mother’s family, the Hae family.

In the conservative family tradition of my mother’s family, the fact that my mother inherited 1 percent of the shares of those two companies was possible because my maternal grandfather, who was the second chairman, cherished his eldest daughter the most.

‘If you think about it, I was rich even at this time. The problem was that I had no intention of using it.’

In this era of my past life, my head was filled with very naive thoughts that I just needed to work hard at the company and inherit the stocks. I bitterly realized how futile that was after marrying Jang Su-yeon.

Looking at me, who was speaking calmly with a bitter smile, Claire shook her head.

“You have enough to live on, why are you going through this hardship?”

“A smart rabbit digs three burrows, haha.”

I will continue to dig multiple burrows in the future. Because the future is an area that I know yet cannot know.