The Conglomerate Family Became A Villain [EN]: Chapter 72

72. A Long Day in LA (1)

Two days prior.

Busan City, New Democratic Alliance Headquarters.

Park Gwang-cheol, the chairman of the New Democratic Alliance’s Youth League, frowned as he looked at the bundles of cash in the small box.

“What is this?”

The young man sitting across from him replied in a soft voice.

“Please use this to help those in difficult situations due to the recent disaster.”

The hotel disaster site was under government control. Even if the New Democratic Alliance wanted to help, they had no way to do so. He raised his voice slightly at the end.

“Isn’t the government in charge of disaster recovery?”

The young man’s expression hardened, and he retorted.

“Do you believe the current government, Chairman?”

“Umm…….”

Chairman Park Gwang-cheol could only groan softly. The current government wasn’t exactly known for its trustworthiness, even setting aside those with military backgrounds. Many high-ranking officials were entangled in bribery, school ties, and regional connections. In fact, this wasn’t unique to South Korea; most developing countries were in the same situation.

‘I can’t expect transparent fund execution in South Korea right now.’

He could only sigh inwardly.

“I have also delivered a certain amount of money to Busan City. It will probably be announced under the name of the Daewoon Group.”

The young man had previously identified himself as the grandson of Daewoon Group Chairman Jung Woo-sun.

“Then what will happen to this money?”

“Please use it for the hotel employees and their families who suffered in the disaster or lost their jobs due to the fire, rather than the affluent people who stayed at the hotel.”

In the 1980s, those who could afford to stay in hotels were, as the young man said, affluent people. Their deaths were certainly sad and unfortunate, but their families were less likely to face significant economic hardship.

On the other hand, those who lost their jobs due to the hotel fire and their families would immediately face the difficulty of losing income.

Chairman Park Gwang-cheol’s brow furrowed upon hearing Jung Hyun-woo’s words.

‘To think of those who lost their jobs and their families first because of the disaster.’

He asked cautiously.

“Is this Chairman Jung’s idea?”

“No.”

“If it’s not the Chairman’s idea…….”

“It’s my idea.”

Chairman Park Gwang-cheol took a deep breath.

‘Hoo, is Daewoon Group producing such talented people?’

It seemed too thoughtful to be the idea of a young man who wasn’t even twenty years old.

Jung Hyun-woo raised his voice slightly, seeing him narrow his brow.

“Chairman Park, you seem to think I’m too considerate for my age.”

Park Gwang-cheol honestly admitted.

“Wouldn’t I have to think that way?”

Jung Hyun-woo smiled faintly.

“Actually, it’s my uncle’s idea.”

Chairman Park Gwang-cheol’s brow unfurled upon hearing his answer.

“I knew it.”

Jung Hyun-woo spread his hands as if he were giving a speech.

“My uncle explained the reason why we have so much money like this. He said that heaven gave us this money to help those in need, not for luxury or indulgence. So, we must always use money carefully.”

It was a rather exaggerated story, but Chairman Park Gwang-cheol listened to him calmly.

‘Hmm. Money given by heaven. If you replace the divine right of kings in an absolute monarchy with money, it would be exactly like this.’

He felt a bitter sense of justification for wealth as he listened to Jung Hyun-woo’s story. However, compared to the *chaebols* [large, family-owned industrial conglomerates] who didn’t even pretend to be charitable, it was a story worthy of praise.

“If it’s your uncle…….”

Jung Hyun-woo raised his voice, thinking this was the right moment.

“It’s Jung Min-young, Managing Director of Daewoon Construction.”

“Ah, Managing Director Jung Min-young.”

Chairman Park Gwang-cheol made a mental note to remember the name of Jung Min-young, Managing Director of Daewoon Construction.

‘He may not be someone who can help us directly, but at least he won’t be a bad person.’

Jung Hyun-woo put his hands down and said.

“If my uncle has the opportunity to help those in need, he will reach out again next time.”

“He’s a wonderful person.”

Chairman Park Gwang-cheol didn’t forget to add a few words of blessing.

After a short conversation, Jung Hyun-woo got up from his seat.

“I’ll be on my way.”

It was when Chairman Park Gwang-cheol stood up to see him off.

“It’s okay.”

“Still…….”

“If you come out, Chairman, there will be many eyes watching.”

The early 1980s could be called a period of public security rule. The atmosphere had loosened slightly in early 1984, but it wasn’t as free as the 1990s.

If someone saw him and Jung Hyun-woo together, things could get complicated.

“I understand. Then, please be careful.”

“Please work hard, Chairman.”

Jung Hyun-woo nodded lightly and went outside.

‘I’ve laid a foundation for my little uncle for now.’

The reason he visited Busan was for Jung Min-young.

‘If Grandpa is still alive by the next government, the foundation laid today will surely be a great help.’

Jung Hyun-woo came out of the party’s back door and walked down the alley. He moved on foot like this to avoid attracting attention.

After walking for a while, he opened the back door of an old shopping center building and went inside.

“Have you arrived?”

Inside, Deputy Manager Seong Hyeong-jin was waiting for him.

“Deputy Manager Seong, you thought it was suspicious, right?”

“Ah, no.”

Jung Hyun-woo said as he walked towards the main gate of the shopping center building.

“There’s no special reason for moving like this. I just wanted to avoid the attention of others.”

“Young Master, are you going back to Seoul now?”

“I’m going to Daejeon.”

“Dae, Daejeon?”

“It’s the place from last time.”

Deputy Manager Seong Hyeong-jin followed him and bowed his head.

“I understand.”

Jung Hyun-woo had previously visited Daejeon once to meet Choi Kyung-min.

* * *

Daejeon City.

The place Jung Hyun-woo visited with Choi Kyung-min was a *seolleongtang* [ox bone soup] restaurant.

“I didn’t know you liked soup, Young Master.”

“I don’t particularly like it.”

“But last time it was spicy fish stew…….”

Choi Kyung-min wondered if Jung Hyun-woo was self-conscious about his preferences.

‘Did I ask a pointless question?’

He felt he needed to be mindful of Jung Hyun-woo since he was now under his wing.

“I’m trying to eat a lot before I get on the plane.”

“When are you going back to the United States?”

“I’m taking a plane tomorrow.”

Choi Kyung-min’s eyes widened at his answer.

“You’re going back tomorrow?”

He must have a lot to do the day before returning home.

“Originally, I had a dinner appointment with my grandfather.”

“So you came to see me because that appointment was canceled.”

Jung Hyun-woo nodded and said.

“I can’t compete with the Qatari prince.”

At the same time.

Chairman Jung Woo-sun was attending a farewell banquet for the Qatari prince with his two sons. If it weren’t for this event, Jung Hyun-woo wouldn’t have gone to Busan.

“I heard that Daewoon Construction has won a big project in Qatar.”

“The news travels fast.”

“Didn’t the Young Master tell you to establish an informant at headquarters?”

Jung Hyun-woo chuckled at the words.

“Are you saying that you wouldn’t have known if it wasn’t for me?”

“I would have only known what was in the newspaper.”

Choi Kyung-min was already anticipating his next instruction.

“Secretary Choi.”

“Tell me.”

“You will be transferred to the Seoul headquarters soon.”

Choi Kyung-min couldn’t help but pause at his words.

“Young Master, it hasn’t even been a month since the regular personnel changes.”

It was too soon to move to Seoul.

He was implying this.

“It’s an agreement with Director Hong.”

“Ah, Director Hong…….”

Jung Hyun-woo said, picking up his chopsticks.

“I’m saying this because I’m afraid you’ll misunderstand, but Director Hong is not ‘my man’.”

Jung Hyun-woo and Director Hong Won-ik had points of contact in several areas, but they weren’t yet fully aligned.

“I understand.”

“Eat.”

Choi Kyung-min nodded and picked up his spoon.

“Young Master, if I move to the headquarters, how will we contact each other?”

Jung Hyun-woo had previously instructed him to contact the Daejeon branch office.

“When you come to Seoul, Secretary Choi, you will have to call the United States.”

“Where should I call?”

Jung Hyun-woo took out a small piece of paper and said.

“If you call the number written here after 11 p.m., it will work.”

11 p.m. in Seoul was morning in Boston.

“Is the day of the week the same?”

“Let’s do it on Tuesday.”

“Do you have a meeting on Monday?”

Most companies had weekly meetings on Monday mornings. Choi Kyung-min assumed that Jung Hyun-woo’s company wouldn’t be much different.

“Secretary Choi, you seem to have become more perceptive than before.”

Choi Kyung-min said, scooping up *seolleongtang*.

“I think it’s because life has become more challenging.”

Jung Hyun-woo chuckled at his words.

“Is that so, even though your wallet is thicker?”

“What do you mean my wallet is thicker? Isn’t the money you gave me for activity expenses?”

“Secretary Choi, this is unexpected.”

“Why is it unexpected?”

Jung Hyun-woo put down his spoon and asked back.

“Isn’t it tempting to skim a little off the business trip or activity expenses?”

Choi Kyung-min shook his head from side to side and raised his voice slightly at the end.

“Young Master, how can you do that with money?”

“I gave you plenty of money, thinking about that too…….”

“It seems I didn’t fully understand your deep intentions.”

Jung Hyun-woo felt comfortable talking to Choi Kyung-min.

‘Maybe it’s because he’s the first Korean I’ve met since I got a new name.’

He said, chewing on radish kimchi.

“I won’t say anything if you use it moderately.”

“I’m going to be more careful because you’re not watching, Young Master.”

“Secretary Choi, you have unexpectedly stubborn principles.”

Choi Kyung-min received his words in a stiff voice.

“I didn’t embezzle a penny even when I was in Boston.”

He meant that he didn’t waste a penny of the living expenses he received from Daewoon Group.

Jung Hyun-woo felt like teasing him further.

“Even the beer in the refrigerator?”

He was sure that Choi Kyung-min would be caught off guard by this question.

‘He won’t be able to deny the beer that filled the refrigerator.’

However, Choi Kyung-min answered his question calmly.

“I bought that with my salary.”

“Really?”

“Didn’t you know?”

Jung Hyun-woo couldn’t help but stick out his tongue.

‘Heh, Secretary Choi……. He was a much more thorough person than I expected.’

He thought that the department that suited Choi Kyung-min was not the secretary’s office but the accounting team.

“I lost.”

It was Jung Hyun-woo who raised the white flag first. He raised both hands and took out an envelope from his pocket.

“Secretary Choi, this is this year’s salary.”

Choi Kyung-min did not refuse the envelope he handed over. He reached out and received the envelope.

“Thank you.”

After he received the envelope, Jung Hyun-woo asked, teasing him.

“Aren’t you going to check the amount?”

“Didn’t I tell you that I would receive it as you gave it to me, Young Master?”

Choi Kyung-min wasn’t meticulous in these situations.

“Secretary Choi, you seem like someone I can’t quite figure out.”

“It’s fortunate that there are still parts that you don’t know about me, Young Master. I can’t be comfortable because it always feels like you’re seeing right through me.”

Jung Hyun-woo shrugged.

“How can you live if you know everything about others? They might be cursing me every day.”

“If it’s you, Young Master, that might very well be the case.”

Jung Hyun-woo joked slightly.

“Are you cursing me now?”

Choi Kyung-min countered with a joke.

“I’m telling you the reality.”

“Hehehe, you’re not giving in to the Daewoon Group troublemaker.”

The two had already emptied their bowls.

Tak.

It was Choi Kyung-min who put down his spoon first.

“Young Master, are you heading straight back?”

“I’d like to talk more with Secretary Choi, but I don’t have time because I have to take a plane tomorrow.”

An answer that he would go straight back.

Choi Kyung-min got up from his seat first and said.

“I’ll take care of today’s meal with activity expenses.”

Jung Hyun-woo raised his eyebrows at his words.

“Why activity expenses?”

“There’s nothing harder than serving you, Young Master. I think it’s okay to use a little in these situations.”

Jung Hyun-woo sighed deeply and raised both hands.

“Hoo, I’m completely defeated by Secretary Choi today.”

He thought that Choi Kyung-min’s eloquence had improved since last time.

‘Maybe it’s because he has more peace of mind.’

The day Jung Hyun-woo first visited Daejeon.

Choi Kyung-min was finally able to decide which path he should take.

* * *

Thud.

With a light impact, the plane landed at LA International Airport.

Jung Hyun-woo straightened his body in first class.

“Is this LA?”

When traveling with Sarah, he always used economy class. But this time, he was sitting in first class, not economy class.

‘There’s no reason to refuse free stuff.’

The person who booked the first-class ticket he was sitting on was Director Hong Won-ik.

He handed over the first-class ticket and said this.

– It’s a gift from the Chairman.

He emphasized that he didn’t arrange it himself.

‘There was no need to go that far.’

Jung Hyun-woo thought that Director Hong Won-ik was as inflexible as Choi Kyung-min.

‘Maybe the boss is like that, so the subordinate is like that too.’

It was when he narrowed his eyes.

The captain’s announcement was heard.

Jung Hyun-woo listened to the announcement in English and regained his composure.

‘Now the vacation is over.’

He was scheduled to return to work as the representative of Victoria Corporation as soon as he arrived in LA.

20 minutes later.

Thanks to his permanent residency, Jung Hyun-woo was able to pass through the strict US immigration relatively easily.

‘I’m glad I got it.’

It was when he passed through the gate and came outside.

A blonde beauty ran towards him.

“Charlie!”

She was his sister, no, Sarah.

Jung Hyun-woo inadvertently opened his arms and hugged her.

“Sarah?”

He didn’t fall backward because his height and shoulders were wider than a year ago. But he was quite embarrassed by her unexpected reaction.

“Charlie! I really missed you.”

Sarah wrapped her arms around his body and showered kisses on his cheeks. Jung Hyun-woo was speechless at her excessive display of affection.

“Th, there…… people are watching.”

“What if they are!”

“…….”

Jung Hyun-woo couldn’t figure out why her affection for him had exploded.

‘Did someone sprinkle a love potion on her?’

Of course, he knew that wasn’t the case.

Sarah said, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“My savior. Now that Charlie’s here, I’m saved.”

Jung Hyun-woo felt a slight sense of foreboding in her words.

“Savior?”

“I don’t know how hard it was without Charlie all this time.”

Jung Hyun-woo could tell that Sarah had a hard time because of his absence.

‘I guess I can think of it as there were as many difficult things as the number of kisses.’

Sarah had resolved to work harder than usual, but she reached her limit when big incidents broke out one after another. If it weren’t for Robert’s backup, she might have burst into tears. She released her arms from Jung Hyun-woo’s neck and smiled shyly.

“Hahaha, was I a little too much?”

Jung Hyun-woo shrugged and replied.

“It’s not a little.”

If this wasn’t the United States, the surrounding gaze would have been focused at once.

‘And the people around would have whispered.’

Jung Hyun-woo was a teenager who didn’t even reach adulthood.

Sarah stood right in front of him and said.

“Charlie, Robert solved half of the problem, but there’s still a lot of work left.”

Jung Hyun-woo smiled softly and stroked her hair.

“Sarah, don’t worry. I came to LA to solve that remaining work.”

Sarah chuckled, thinking he was pretending to be an adult, and raised her voice.

“Let’s go! Let’s go! There are many people waiting for you!”

She took Jung Hyun-woo’s hand and headed to the parking lot.