Still, I Will Live As The Son-In-Law Of A Conglomerate [EN]: Chapter 77

77. 22nd. Give and Take (7)

After dropping Jang Ha-yeon off at the main building of the Goryeo Hotel, Jang Ho-geon headed to the Shinsegi Group headquarters in Myeongdong.

“Welcome, Chairman Jang Ho-geon. The Chairman is waiting for you.”

“Let’s go, Chief Jo.”

He entered the headquarters building and headed to the Chairman’s office, guided by Jo Seok-han.

“It’s been a while, Sister.”

“What brings you here? You handed over all the deals we had to the Haedong Group.”

Jang Ho-geon ignored Jang Ho-gyeong’s sharp greeting and comfortably plopped down on the 100 million won leather sofa, as if it were his own living room sofa.

“Are you sulking over something like that? Even so, all the holiday gift sets we use are sourced from Jeil Milling, aren’t they?”

“Just that? Showing off.”

Jang Ho-geon glared as Jang Ho-gyeong snapped at him for crossing his legs. Even though she was his sister, he still sold her hundreds of billions worth of Jeil Milling holiday gift sets every year, which were more expensive than those of other companies!

Jang Ho-geon was about to yell at her, asking if that money came from digging in the ground, but he sighed. That wasn’t what he came to talk about.

“Let’s talk while having something to drink. Aren’t you even going to offer a cup of water to your brother who came after so long?”

Jang Ho-gyeong suppressed the twitching of her cheeks and pressed the intercom.

“Two juices.”

Not long after Jang Ho-gyeong sat on the upper seat of the sofa, an employee came in and placed two glasses of fresh juice down.

Jang Ho-geon picked up the cup, took a sip of the juice, and nodded with his lower lip slightly protruding. Jang Ho-gyeong suppressed the urge to pour the juice over that loathsome face of his, which had been annoying since childhood.

“Now that you’ve quenched your thirst, tell me. What brings you here?”

“I just came from Haedong Mart, Sister.”

“Why were you there?”

“Why are you so surprised all of a sudden? When the gentleman’s agreement ends, I have to prepare to jump in too. Isn’t that obvious?”

“…You!”

At Jang Ho-geon’s provocation, Jang Ho-gyeong’s eyes and voice immediately rose. He came to rub salt in her wounds and then declare war!

Jang Ho-geon chuckled and waved his hand as he saw Jang Ho-gyeong’s fist trembling on the armrest.

“Just kidding, just kidding. What would I do with the small change of ordinary people? Cash comes out sufficiently from the financial sector, and if I were to put money into a mart, it would be better to expand a semiconductor factory or an automobile factory.”

In reality, Jang Ho-geon had no great attachment to distribution. As the eldest son, he wanted to swallow all the affiliates, but he was already stretched thin just growing the affiliates he currently held.

Fortunately, Shinseong Corporation had some leeway thanks to the recent currency speculation, so he had recently been trying to break ground in Australia. Although it was a place that Haedong Group was involved in, it was an opportunity to show those executives who had ignored him since his time as vice president what he was capable of, and it was also a way to grow Shinseong Corporation, which controlled Shinseong Electronics, so he had long since thrown away any cheap guilt.

Not knowing Jang Ho-geon’s inner thoughts, Jang Ho-gyeong looked at him with a displeased expression and said,

“Stop beating around the bush and get to the point. What do you want to say?”

Jang Ho-geon took a sip of juice and let out a light breath.

“I took a look around the Eunpyeong branch… I thought you might become crippled later on.”

“What?”

“If you fall behind in distribution and only maintain first place in milling, wouldn’t that be considered crippled?”

“Are you done talking?”

Even as sparks flew from Jang Ho-gyeong’s eyes, Jang Ho-geon continued to say what he had to say.

“I’m not done. I went there today and saw that it was very well decorated. The prices were low, and the service and quality were all good. It was crowded with people from the first day, so you’ll know if you watch it this Saturday.”

Unlike Jang Ho-geon, who spoke calmly, Jang Ho-gyeong scoffed.

“You don’t know the distribution business, but if you do business like that, you’ll go bankrupt soon. You’ll throw away all the money you earned in Japan, won’t you?”

“Well, Sister. Do you happen to know the Rothschild family?”

Jang Ho-gyeong, who had briefly frowned at the sudden question, spat out in a sharp voice.

“The family that made money with British government bonds during the Napoleonic Wars?”

“That’s right. But that family, even if they squandered their own family’s wealth, they protected the wealth of the feudal lords they were in charge of without taking a single coin, even though the money owners had fled during the war.”

“So, what are you trying to say?”

“Thanks to that, the feudal lords gave money to that family again. In the end, whether it’s money lending or distribution, the most important thing in business is honesty and trust. Anyway, I won’t touch distribution and will only watch.”

Jang Ho-gyeong stared at Jang Ho-geon’s expressionless face with narrowed eyes. The corners of her lips were subtly twitching.

“I wondered what kind of grand story you were going to tell, but that was it?”

“What do you mean?”

Jang Ho-gyeong blurred the end of her words and watched Jang Ho-geon’s face gradually harden, as if enjoying it.

“Are you still hung up on that girl? You even wrote a formal betrothal agreement with Lee Myung-woo in the past, saying you’d marry off your daughter you brought from outside.”

To bring up the memory of an oath made with her best friend, who had passed away… Jang Ho-geon glared at his sister with sharply honed eyes and raised his voice.

“Stop it. It’s all over.”

“You don’t believe that old man will protect her instead, do you? I opposed the two of you doing the car business together too.”

As if he thought he would show an unsightly sight if he said any more, Jang Ho-geon threw the last words he wanted to say to Jang Ho-gyeong.

“I’ve said all I need to say, so I’ll be going now. Take good care of the core assets Father left you, so that I don’t have to take them.”

With those words, Jang Ho-geon looked at Jang Ho-gyeong, finished the remaining juice, and left the room.

“That detestable bastard, showing off…”

Jang Ho-gyeong glared at the door her brother, whom she could never catch up to, had left through.

***

After the grand opening, I was so busy running the mart that I didn’t know how September 30th came to be.

Today was the day for the monthly settlement.

From lunchtime, all the employees were glued to their computers and documents, tallying the sales from the first day of the opening to today.

“The sales for the produce section are in.”

“The livestock performance has been compiled.”

“Liquor/beverages are also finished.”

“Seafood is also done.”

Each person organized and brought in the sales for their respective corners, and Na Chang-seok compiled the data. Because the head of the business division insisted on doing it himself as it was Haedong Mart’s first sales settlement, the team members stood around Na Chang-seok, watching him type on the computer keyboard.

“Haedong Mart’s September sales are…”

As everyone swallowed hard, Na Chang-seok opened his mouth again.

“8,082,145,280 won in sales with an operating profit of 462,763,120 won!”

“Wow!”

As the announcement was made, everyone scattered documents into the air or hugged each other and jumped around in a frenzy.

“Congratulations, Lee Seong-min!”

“Yes?”

“The results, the results! 8.1 billion in sales with an operating profit margin of 5 percent!”

The team members showed me the settlement report they received from Na Chang-seok, but it was an obvious result. Considering the prices of this era, it was a great achievement, but the land we were sitting on was also larger than that of SSK Mart, and if a new town was built, it wouldn’t be an unreachable place to aim for 300 billion in sales through expansion, would it?

Still.

I’m not stupid enough to spoil the mood or pour cold water on the team members who are genuinely happy. That’s the kind of guy I am.

Thump!

“We’re having a company dinner on the rooftop tonight! I’ll go all out with an expensive buffet!”

When I slammed the desk and shouted, people’s eyes widened.

“A buffet?”

“We have to get in the mood for the first month, right? Pick out whatever you want to drink from the liquor corner! I’ll pay for it!”

Since we were open until 11 PM, some of the office workers had to guard the office. I decided on a buffet because I wanted everyone to enjoy today’s achievements without a single person missing out.

“Seong-min, you’re so cool!”

“Lee Seong-min, hooray!”

“Lee Seong-min! Lee Seong-min!”

Buffet trucks came in one by one to set up on the rooftop in time for dinner, and we went up to the rooftop as soon as it turned 6 PM, watching the sky turn red.

“Heh? Is this all buffet?”

“Oh my, it’s a feast?”

The people who came up to the rooftop were speechless at the buffet, which was evenly prepared with Chinese, Western, Japanese, and Korean food.

“What are you doing? Hurry up and eat.”

“…Yes!”

Everyone went to the table, picked up plates and spoons, and went around the buffet to fill their plates with what they wanted to eat, but Na Chang-seok looked at me with a slightly dark expression.

“I feel like I’m breaking the mood, but I don’t know if the field staff will be okay with this. Everyone is still working hard at the store…”

“They should enjoy it too. I’ve also laid out the same buffet in the cafeteria, hehe.”

Na Chang-seok looked at me with wide eyes, but I was rather impressed by the fact that Na Chang-seok pointed out the issue of discrimination between employees.

The field staff do more difficult work than us and serve customers in the field. Nevertheless, how many people have been hurt by all kinds of discrimination?

I used to be too busy with my own life to notice, but now I want to live a different life, and because I have the leeway to do so, I can take care of the field staff, who are the face of Haedong Mart.

Na Chang-seok smiled awkwardly as he looked at me smiling.

“I think I was worried for nothing. Thank you, haha.”

“Eat comfortably. I’m going to eat and drink a lot today too, haha.”

I took some food, sat down on a chair, and ate, and the sunset was coloring the clouds orange. With such a great background, I couldn’t just sit still.

“Chief, say a few words.”

“Yes?”

“You’re the head of the discount store business division. Can we leave out your thoughts?”

Even if I am Chairman Lee Dae-soo’s grandson, Na Chang-seok is the main character of today’s event. The people in this place will have to follow Na Chang-seok in the future, so he has to step up.

Na Chang-seok filled a paper cup with beer and stood up from his seat.

“Everyone has worked hard for the past month! Everyone fill your glasses!”

When Na Chang-seok shouted cheerfully, the team members quickly filled their paper cups with the alcohol or drinks they wanted to drink and held them up high.

“Let’s sell well in the future too! Haedong Mart!”

“Let’s try to sell well!”

After shouting the toast, everyone clinked the ends of their cups with the people next to them and emptied their drinks.

As Na Chang-seok sat down, the team members comforted or encouraged each other and chatted with their colleagues next to them. Among them, there were two people who particularly caught my eye.

“Deputy Manager, have you tried that over there? It’s delicious.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Yes. My plate is also empty, would you like to go with me?”

“S, sure.”

I couldn’t help but laugh when I saw Park Tae-jin and Yoo Hyun-jung. That cold and disciplined man was being dragged away without any resistance.

Na Chang-seok, who was drinking, tilted his head as he looked at the backs of the two people.

“Deputy Manager Park… even when he was the exclusive secretary to the big boss, he never gave a woman a second glance, but he seems very different these days.”

“I think so too. A close older brother of his scolded him for being a confirmed bachelor because his standards were too high, hehe.”

I hid what I had to hide and told him the story with Seon Hae-cheol, and Na Chang-seok laughed heartily.

“Deputy Manager Park had a bit of that. Still, I’m worried that he’ll be called a thief if he meets Director Yoo, haha.”

Still, they looked like a pretty good couple from afar. Seon Hae-cheol, it seems like you have to keep the promise you made to Park Tae-jin in New York?

While I was imagining how much Seon Hae-cheol would be scratched by Park Tae-jin, Na Chang-seok nudged my shoulder.

“Ah, Chief.”

“I don’t know what the person over there will think.”

Na Chang-seok reached out and pointed southeast.

“Over there…?”

“Chairman Jang Ho-gyeong. She was so proud of bringing in the first discount store in Korea, but wasn’t she thoroughly defeated by Lee Seong-min? Those people over there must be playing the role of a shaman to take the blame, hehe.”

With that old woman’s temper, she’ll need dozens of shamans to take the blame. Should I ask Grandpa to write an article about it? Telling her to bring in a hundred shamans to take the blame.

***

A few days later.

[Lee Seong-min, the fourth generation of Haedong Group, hits his second home run! Haedong Mart Eunpyeong branch, predicting annual sales of 100 billion!]

[Lee Seong-min, ‘the rising star of the business world,’ settles Haedong’s discount store business with exemplary leadership and unique sense!]

[Haedong Mart Eunpyeong branch presents a Korean-style discount store with disruptive innovation!]

Jang Ho-gyeong’s hands, which were holding the newspaper, trembled. A young kid lightly demolishing the monument she had built!

“…Aaaargh!”

Jang Ho-gyeong let out a piercing scream and tore the newspaper in half. She was so full of pride in leading the domestic discount store industry that she couldn’t bear this defeat even more.

As Jang Ho-gyeong was tearing the newspaper she had torn in half to shreds, she heard the phone ring.

“Shinsegi Group…”

[It’s me, Sister. Did you see today’s newspaper?]

Jang Ho-gyeong, who had been calmly answering the phone, raised her eyebrows when she heard Jang Ho-geon’s voice in her ear.

“So? You want me to suck up to that young kid?”

[Does pride feed you? You have to learn what you can.]

“You! Jang Ho-geon!”

[Have the secretariat analyze it, so that you won’t be ashamed in front of the ancestral rites table on Father’s upcoming memorial day.]

As the call ended, Jang Ho-gyeong put her hand on the intercom. If it was advice sharply thrown by her brother, whose management skills she acknowledged, it was worth following, so she pressed the button as her instincts dictated.

“Chief Jo! Analyze Haedong Mart right now!”

“…Yes?”

Jang Ho-gyeong shouted into the receiver at Jo Seok-han’s question.

“Do I have to say it again? Copy everything from A to Z and reflect it in the next opening! No! Overhaul all the stores you’ve opened now. Got it?”

“Yes, yes! Chairman!”

Bang!

Jang Ho-gyeong slammed the receiver down roughly after hearing Jo Seok-han’s answer. Considering that she had been screwed over by Haedong Group, from the Gangnam Terminal store opening to the Shinsegi Group internal transactions and the Haedong Mart Eunpyeong branch’s success, she was grinding her teeth.

“What the hell did I do to make them my enemy…!”

Jang Ho-gyeong, who was panting, received a new phone call.

“This is Jang Ho-gyeong…”

[This is Lee Dae-soo, Chairman Jang. How have you been?]

Lee Dae-soo’s smooth voice, whether he was a tiger or not, touched Jang Ho-gyeong’s ears. Unable to contain her anger, she spat out in a sharp voice.

“I’m not doing well because of your chairman’s eldest grandson.”

Even at the sharp words, Lee Dae-soo only laughed. He knew exactly how angry the trashy Jang Ho-gyeong would be because of the success of Haedong Mart, which was led by his eldest grandson.

[Hehe, what are you so upset about?]

“Are you even saying that?”

Because of Lee Dae-soo, who was subtly scratching her insides, Jang Ho-gyeong barely managed to resist the urge to hang up the phone right away.

“Why did you call?”

[Do I have to have a reason to call? My eldest grandson this time…]

“Chairman! If you come out like that, I’ll also go to Jeil Milling…!”

Lee Dae-soo stopped Jang Ho-gyeong, who was about to say that she would cut off the deal.

[Milling? Hmm, I currently have 300 billion won in Shinsegi Group promissory notes that I’ve been holding onto, and they’re due next month. Would it be okay to take them all and receive them in cash?]

Jang Ho-gyeong couldn’t say anything in response to Lee Dae-soo’s heavy hook.

‘The Shinsegi Group’s financial sector funds quota was used to buy land, expand factories, do logistics business, and invest in DreamWorks, so there’s not much left. And…’

Even if Jeil Milling was the number one food company in the industry and Shinsegi Group’s cash flow was good, they couldn’t come up with such a large sum of 300 billion won at once. Jang Ho-gyeong, who had finished calculating, gritted her teeth.

‘If something like this happens, you should have reported it sooner! Why do I have to be humiliated because you didn’t report it!’

Jang Ho-gyeong, who was silently screaming at her executives and employees, opened her mouth.

“I’m sorry, Chairman. I… misspoke.”

[Let’s do well in the future. Competition is competition, and deals are deals. Chairman Jang, whom Brother Byung-ho cherished, I believe you will act wisely.]

Jang Ho-gyeong clenched her fist after hanging up the phone. Her fingernails were digging into the inside of her tightly clenched fist, as if she would never forget the humiliation she had suffered today.