Still, I Will Live As The Son-In-Law Of A Conglomerate [EN]: Chapter 58

58. 18th. As You Sow (4)

A few days later.

The three of us contacted Grandpa and Go Seung-ju, boarded a plane to Korea, arrived at the house in Itaewon, unpacked, and headed down to the underground garage.

“It’s piled up a lot.”

“It’s already been four months. You didn’t touch it even after coming in at the end of the year, so it can’t be helped.”

As much dust as there was piled on the car, there were many things accomplished, but it was palpable that there were even more things to do. After wiping off the dust, we took the car and entered the main house in Samcheong-dong.

“You must be tired from traveling. I’m sorry you couldn’t even shake off the jet lag.”

“It’s alright, Hyung-nim [term of endearment for an older brother or male friend]. Those of us in the paper business live like nomads, hehe.”

Seon Hae-cheol looked at Go Seung-ju’s face and smiled leisurely.

As he said, both he and I would live like nomads. Not just ordinary shepherds, but as khans shaking the world.

“Belated Happy New Year, Uncle.”

“Yes. Let’s go in. Chairman is waiting.”

The three of us entered the reception room and bowed deeply to Grandpa.

“We’re back, Chairman. Belated Happy New Year.”

“Happy New Year, Grandpa.”

“You’ve worked hard in a faraway land. Sit down.”

At Grandpa’s words, we sat down and drank the green tea brought by the employees.

“This is made from the first leaves picked this time at the Boseong Tea Garden. The aroma and taste will be good.”

The organic green tea, made with carefully pan-fried tea leaves picked by hand by the people working at the tea garden, was truly amazing. The moderately bitter taste and refreshing aroma were like a separate fatigue recovery drink.

Seon Hae-cheol put down his cup and smiled.

“My boss would like it too, haha.”

“I’ve already packed a box for the person Hae-cheol is serving. I don’t know if it will suit a Westerner’s taste, but tell them it’s a gift from an old man, and give it to them, heh heh.”

Grandpa laughed heartily, and only after we had finished all the green tea and refreshments did he move on to a serious topic.

“Thanks to you, we’ve unlocked the tied-up money, so let me start by saying thank you. You’ve all worked hard.”

“It’s nothing, Grandpa. Representative Lawrence helped us, so it was easily accomplished.”

Grandpa smiled contentedly at my words.

“I thought she was a strong woman when I saw her last time… Serve her well and learn from her. I’ve packed a box for Miss Lawrence’s share, so give it to her.”

Seeing Grandpa laughing heartily, I felt like laughing inside. If Claire knew that I was her proxy, she would faint, so I couldn’t laugh and answered humbly.

“Yes, Grandpa. I will learn diligently.”

“Okay. The money problem is solved, so let me ask you something else.”

We sensed that what was coming was coming, and we pricked up our ears at Grandpa’s next words.

“Before you came, I talked to Chief Go, Representative Bae, Representative Tae, Representative Jo, and President Lee about adjusting relations with the government. Whether we should go with those guys who treat us like their money bags or not. What do you think, Seong-min?”

It was as expected. Perhaps because he was a person who had been hibernating as a businessman for the past ten years, which were like a gutter, due to his pride higher than the sky, it seemed that the humiliation he suffered from this regime was etched in his bones.

Was there anything more to say? I opened my mouth immediately.

“We have to push them one more time, Grandpa.”

“Push them one more time… Tell me the reason.”

Before answering, there was something I wanted to ask. It was a story that deviated from the main point, but I had to check and move on.

“Grandpa, is Haedong Construction also in charge of construction in the Gyeongsang Province area?”

“Gyeongsang Province? Why are you asking that?”

“Since last year, Haedong Construction has been in charge of government-funded construction and safety services. It’s the government’s and ruling party’s turf, so if they have influence…”

Grandpa blinked and cut me off with a smirk.

“Those guys took the Blue House [the presidential residence] by dividing Yeongnam [a region in southeastern Korea]. Even if we prevented the Seongsu Bridge and Ahyeon-dong accidents thanks to us, do you think they would give up their turf? How much money did the Miryong Group and Cheongsu Group give to the ruling party in that neighborhood?”

That’s right. The current ruling party seized power by causing regional antagonism with the ‘Chowon Bokjip Incident,’ and the Miryong Group and Cheongsu Group, based in Daegu and Gyeongbuk, were the ruling party’s cash cows.

“Besides, these guys are now trying to sit on top of our heads. They’re bragging about the accidents your uncle prevented as their achievements, and they’re even trying to squeeze out the money earned in Japan, aren’t they? And what about trying to push that money to the HanGo Group parasites?”

Listening to Grandpa’s words, I found the answer to the problem that I, as a regressor, had taken on alone.

‘It can’t change anymore. I have to cut it off here.’

I had decided to throw away the pathetic hypocrisy and conscience as a regressor after that day in Tokyo and run as my desires pointed. More than anything…

‘Even if I go and make noise, no one will listen. To the world, I’m just a slightly eccentric heir to a chaebol [large family-owned conglomerate] family.’

The only ones who know my true self in this life are Seon Hae-cheol and Park Tae-jin. Even they don’t know that I’m a regressor. So, if I bury the ‘upcoming tragedy,’ no one will know.

“I shouldn’t have asked. I’m sorry, Grandpa.”

After organizing my thoughts, I deliberately made a gloomy expression and answered, then bowed my head. I heard Grandpa’s soft voice to me.

“There’s no need to be sorry. Your uncle is complaining that he doesn’t have enough hands even without that construction, so we’ve decided to increase the number of public recruitments in the second half of the year, euhehe.”

At the sound of laughter that sounded like comforting me, that pathetic conscience rose again. Is this unavoidable, damn it.

Grandpa, who had been laughing heartily, suddenly stopped laughing and narrowed his eyes.

“But… why did you ask about the Gyeongsang Province government-funded construction?”

“Yes?”

“What I’m asking now is about adjusting relations with the government. Why did your uncle’s business come up?”

Damn it!

Only I should know about the future, but Grandpa’s intuition was too good.

The major disaster that will happen soon is now beyond my control. I quickly began to open the door to escape from that pathetic conscience and Grandpa’s intuition that were chasing after me.

“We can’t just not go to Gyeongsang Province because it’s Jeolla Province forever, can we? A proper businessman should do business anywhere, haha.”

“Hmm…”

Grandpa was still staring at me intently, stroking his chin. I shouldn’t have asked. Damn it.

Grandpa put down his hand that had been touching his chin.

“That’s right. A real businessman has to throw away personal feelings and make money, euhehe.”

“That’s right, Grandpa. So, I’d like to trade the sale of bonds for Haedong Construction’s entry into Gyeongsang Province and additional Haedong Merchant Bank branches.”

“Hoo…”

An exclamation flowed from Grandpa’s mouth, and Go Seung-ju also wore a satisfied smile. I had to push harder, taking advantage of the momentum.

“Haedong Construction’s brand value has increased since the Seongsu Bridge accident, and Haedong Merchant Bank alone has more than ten times the capital of other companies and a high loan recovery rate. We need to grow these two businesses further on the condition of providing election funds, Grandpa.”

Grandpa heard those words and called Go Seung-ju.

“Chief Go, what do you think?”

“I’ll have to hear from President Lee and Representative Jo, but it doesn’t seem impossible, Chairman.”

Go Seung-ju was speaking while trying to pull down the corners of his mouth.

If the business area of Haedong Construction, the leading vehicle for the group’s heavy industry sector, increases, cement, steel, and heavy industry can also grow.

In addition, if the sales network of Haedong Merchant Bank, the group’s bank, expands, the scale of assets will increase, and the loan limit that can be provided to affiliates will also increase. As the person in charge of the group’s finances, Go Seung-ju would want to whistle.

Grandpa nodded with a wrinkle-free face, as if he thought it wasn’t bad either.

“I understand. After selling the bonds, you meet and give them the election funds. It would be appropriate around May. The election will catch fire, hehe.”

This local election is the first election to be held. Whether it’s the ruling party or the opposition party, they will fight to the death because of the symbolism.

Grandpa seemed like he would put the weight on the scale when it was most intense. Isn’t he the one who can mobilize cash without a label enough to crush the places that bet first?

“Thank you, Grandpa.”

“What thanks? If you endure a moment’s anger, you avoid a hundred days of worry. Our eldest grandson’s patience is like steel, so my grandfather’s heart is strong, heh heh.”

Listening to Grandpa’s laughter, I could finally take a breath… No, I couldn’t. Was this also a test?

“Grandpa?”

“You’ve come in after a long time, so get some rest. Don’t you have someone you want to see? Hehe.”

Grandpa chuckled as he looked at Seon Hae-cheol and Park Tae-jin, who couldn’t hide their flustered expressions like me.

Come to think of it, Jang Ha-yeon’s face was becoming blurry, and he even arranged that… Since Grandpa also has consideration, I should focus on Jang Ha-yeon now.

***

After dismissing the three, Lee Dae-soo looked at Go Seung-ju and laughed heartily.

“That guy is really amazing. How does he see through my heart so well?”

“Even decent fortune tellers can’t put their business card in front of Seong-min, haha.”

“Even if you don’t drink or smoke, you shouldn’t easily cut off politicians and public officials. He knows exactly that you have to give them one more *yeopjeon* [old Korean coin] and make them move as you want, euhehe.”

The two had decided to grow the group’s business through this deal. They set the answer sheet to see Lee Seong-min’s capacity and had him bring the answer, and suggesting to grow Haedong Merchant Bank, which had not been in the spotlight among the group’s three axes, was a 120 percent exemplary answer.

“His insight is one thing, but he’s dealing with a man named Henry, who Hae-cheol is serving… That’s amazing, haha.”

“I don’t know what kind of deal they made, but seeing that he’s even won over such a big shot, I think it was a good thing to let him work in the United States, euhaha.”

Lee Dae-soo, who had been laughing heartily, stopped laughing and twisted his lips.

“I want to slowly bring him into the group when this is over… I can’t let such a smart guy go around from the bottom, so I’m going crazy.”

Lee Dae-soo smacked his lips as if he was inwardly disappointed.

Even if he wanted to give him an executive office in the headquarters right away, he couldn’t break the ‘custom of the successor’ that had been passed down for generations. It’s just that Lee Seong-min isn’t his own blood.

He was also reluctant to ask Standard Capital to set up a Korean corporation. The three groups knew that Standard Capital had participated in the last yen-dollar speculation, so it was still too early.

“I have no choice but to leave it as it is. But…”

Lee Dae-soo trailed off and tapped the desk with his fingernails. It seemed like he was worried about something.

“Prepare for the equity reorganization at the end of the year. Separate the heavy industry affiliates held by Moolsan into a holding company. And…”

He said that Haedong Moolsan would hold 50 percent of the shares of the newly created heavy industry holding company and Haedong Merchant Bank, and Lee Myung-jin would receive the heavy industry holding company, and Lee Seong-min would receive the remaining 50 percent of the shares of Haedong Merchant Bank.

“Chairman?”

Go Seung-ju wanted to ask if Lee Dae-soo was serious about Lee Dae-soo’s instructions after finishing his worries.

Haedong Group has a clean governance structure, and the owner family’s stake is overwhelming, so the equity reorganization ends in the blink of an eye. However, if the equity is reorganized according to Lee Dae-soo’s instructions, it would only place Haedong Moolsan at the top of the governance structure.

‘If it were the chairman, he would cleanly separate and hand it over…’

Go Seung-ju, who had been by Lee Dae-soo’s side for decades, could not understand Lee Dae-soo this time. Isn’t he a man who is more certain about his own line than anyone else?

Lee Dae-soo looked at Go Seung-ju’s puzzled eyes and said indifferently.

“The wind is unusual, so I’m doing this.”

Go Seung-ju’s expression changed at the word ‘wind.’

“If you say wind…?”

“I’m talking about the wind blowing inside and outside this country.”

Only then did Go Seung-ju know what Lee Dae-soo was worried about.

“Are you saying that an economic crisis will come?”

Go Seung-ju swallowed dry saliva at the sight of Lee Dae-soo’s hardened face. He had been lying down for ten years, but he was Lee Dae-soo, who had a broader and deeper insight than anyone else in the business world of this country, so he could not listen to his words carelessly.

“They’re pulling down the exchange rate by releasing foreign exchange reserves to make the national income 10,000 dollars, and they’re giving another trillion won to that trash Jeong Taek-ju… The Ado Group has more than 1 trillion won in accounting fraud. And what about the fact that the Westerners and the Japs conspired to lower the value of the yen last month?”

Only then did Go Seung-ju realize what Lee Dae-soo was worried about.

“That’s right. Our country is rotting inside, but Japan will recover its exchange rate with the reverse Plaza Accord.”

“If the yen exchange rate recovers, we can never beat Japan in the US market. But everyone is spending lavishly, so I’m worried.”

It is an extreme leap, but Haedong Group has survived to this day because it prepared for the worst when others were optimistic. Taking that history as a lesson, both Lee Dae-soo and Go Seung-ju thought that now was the most dangerous time.

“Then… is this governance structure reorganization a preemptive measure?”

“What can I do? If the country’s finances are ruined, I’ll have many opportunities to meet with the gold badges [influential people] and public officials. But neither of those two has connections to the higher-ups, so I have no choice but to step in.”

If an economic crisis hits, chaebols must survive by cooperating with the political world. Even Haedong Group, which is thorough in debt management, must secure one more insurance to ensure safety, so Go Seung-ju understood all of Lee Dae-soo’s intentions.

“I understand, Chairman. When should I make the notification?”

“Let them know after giving the election funds to both the ruling and opposition parties.”

Even though he wanted to step back and watch his children and grandchildren grow up alone, Lee Dae-soo could not let go of his role as the head of the family because of the situation inside and outside the country. Go Seung-ju read Lee Dae-soo’s anguish and only followed his will.

***

I came home, let out a hollow laugh, and sighed.

“Grandpa… I don’t know him at all.”

“It’s not for nothing that the chairman is called a strange person. But you’ve earned another point, so congratulations, hehe.”

Seon Hae-cheol laughed at me, but I don’t know how long the test will continue. At least, I have to inherit Haedong Merchant Bank within this year and make it a solid source of money…

Park Tae-jin, who was sitting on another sofa, also smiled and said to me.

“You’ve already created tens of billions of dollars in assets at your age. Don’t be impatient and go slowly. If you go as you are now, you will become a big mountain like the chairman someday.”

“Thank you, Hyung.”

Listening to Park Tae-jin’s words, my impatience subsided. Park Tae-jin reminded me of an important matter to me, who had become much lighter.

“You’ve returned after a long time, so do as the chairman said. It’s been more than three months since you last saw her, hasn’t it? She must be very upset.”

“I guess so. I haven’t seen her since the end of the year, so I don’t know if she’s sulking.”

Listening to him, I was worried about Jang Ha-yeon. It’s been over three months since I contacted her because I was working in the United States, so how upset would she be?

Seon Hae-cheol looked at Park Tae-jin and nodded, then asked me.

“Who is your girlfriend that you’re like that? If you had a guy like you as a boyfriend, you wouldn’t be able to wear rubber shoes backwards under normal circumstances, would you?” [idiom meaning she’d be head over heels]

Park Tae-jin looked at Seon Hae-cheol, who was tilting his head, and smirked.

“Well, Hyung-nim. You’d be surprised if you knew who it was?”

“Who is it? I don’t like making secrets from my partners? Those guys who know my relationship with Claire…”

I have to tell my uncle before he gets sulky. He’s not the kind of person who would go around telling everyone, and he’s not someone else either.

“It’s Ha-yeon Noona [term of endearment for an older sister or female friend].”

“Ha-yeon Noona? …You?”

Seon Hae-cheol looked at me with wide eyes.

I have to cover up the things I don’t want to remember while watching my uncle’s surprised face. From my head.