The Genius Decided To Live An Ordinary Life [EN]: Chapter 75

After Yoo Junshik left, only three people remained in the reception room.

Whenever Yoo Myung-sun asked something, Hong Gijun explained without hesitation.

Yoo Myung-sun leaned towards Hong Gijun, listening intently like an old man learning from a young teacher, occasionally showing great surprise or laughter.

At the end of their conversation, he patted his son-in-law’s back with a resounding thud, expressing his satisfaction.

“I’ll be up for a moment.”

Yoo Myung-sun headed to the restroom. Despite taking care of his health, the pesky thing acted up as he got older.

Crunch, crunch-.

As silence returned to the reception room, only the sound of Yoo Sera stuffing and chewing cookies could be heard.

It was strange to see her brother bowing his head and using formal language with her husband, while her usually cheerful husband received the greeting with the gravity of a general.

These days, her father just beams whenever he sees his son-in-law. Lately, he’s been talking about dollars and gold, looking pleased. Does he see her husband as a gold nugget?

But what does it matter?

Yoo Sera thought the cookies at her father’s house were delicious. They were handmade cookies sent monthly from Saein Trading in Hong Kong, but because of the limited supply, her father didn’t even share them with his children.

Even with the delicious cookies in front of them, the men didn’t touch them. Men are so dumb.

‘Hehe-, I’ll eat them all myself.’

She also drank milk when her throat got dry.

Crunch, crunch-.

Cookie crumbs flew everywhere.

Hong Gijun stared blankly at the scene.

His daughter was starving in the study, and yet her mother seemed to see her as a rival for food. Is she really a lioness, or a pig? Is she really a noble orchid, or a pig? Well, she’s pretty, so it’s forgivable.

Yoo Sera’s eyes met his. Almost reflexively, Yoo Sera tilted her chin up. The crumbs on her mouth fell in a flurry.

“What?”

Hong Gijun, who was about to say something to his thirty-five-year-old wife, brought up a long-planned remark. He braced his lower abdomen. It took great courage to speak directly to a lioness.

“Eat a lot…”

He didn’t forget to give her the most awkward smile he could muster. It was the best forced smile he could manage.

Hong Gijun’s heart pounded like a mouse in front of a lion.

That pig aside…

As soon as he got home, he needed to make an encouraging call to Yoo Moonshik.

He had dreamed of being a movie actor, and seeing him in person, he was convinced he would have done well as an actor.

– “Brother-in-law, can I really stop working at the company now?”

– “Just do a few things I ask of you.”

– “Won’t that sly Junshik notice?”

– “I trust your acting skills, brother. You dreamed of being an actor, didn’t you? Act to your heart’s content. I’ll take care of everything else.”

– “I have plenty of money now. My father wouldn’t abandon his children. I really hate working at the company.”

He had a weakness for women, but he was friendly to Hong Gijun. The eldest son, with no interest or ambition in the group’s affairs. He was a pawn destined to fail anyway, so Hong Gijun was using him. Early retirement was his reward.

Perhaps Yoo Moonshik would meet with the president of Daejung Electronics after some rest.

‘Was I moving too fast?’

He had aimed for it, but honestly, he hadn’t expected to be recognized so quickly. But his father-in-law was far beyond Hong Gijun’s expectations. If he thought someone was talented, he hired them regardless of their background or education. In that sense, Hong Gijun was also a talent who exceeded the expectations of the world.

‘Now, the next step is to pass the semiconductor manufacturing equipment design to the second brother-in-law through Deputy Manager Min Yong-rak, and then reorganize the chemical business structure.’

Yoo Junshik resembled Chairman Yoo Myung-sun, with a good sense and a broad vision. He knew from experience that it was better to bring the ambitious Yoo Junshik to his side rather than push him out.

‘I can’t get rid of my younger brother-in-law, who is smart and will work like my right hand.’

He couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought of Yoo Moonshik, who was wary of his smart younger brother Yoo Junshik, despite claiming to have no ambition.

As he organized his next plan in his head, Yoo Myung-sun appeared with a refreshed face.

“Who would have thought that Kim guy would give up the telecommunications business? Anyway, our Gijun is a great man. That Park guy was stupid to let such talent rot as a mere section chief.”

Even after pushing out his eldest son, Yoo Myung-sun seemed to be in a good mood. The fact that he called his son-in-law ‘our Gijun’ was proof of that. Park probably referred to Chairman Park Woon-chul of Daejung Group. Everyone in the business world knew that Yoo Myung-sun and Park Woon-chul were friends.

“Sera, you’ll visit your in-laws first this Chuseok [Korean Thanksgiving], right?”

Yoo Myung-sun, with his eyes on the Go board, asked.

It could be interpreted as a request to come to her parents’ house first, but a subtle nudge wouldn’t work on the ever-cheerful Yoo Sera.

“Dad, we’re going on a trip for Chuseok.”

“A trip?”

“Yeah, with Kwangyeon oppa-.”

Oops.

Yoo Sera shut her mouth and rolled her eyes. Her mouth was always getting her into trouble.

But it was already too late.

“Kwangyeon? Are you talking about Son Kwangyeon?”

Yoo Myung-sun put down the Go stone and looked at his daughter.

It was shocking news enough to make him take his eyes off the Go board, where he had been completely focused. But he wasn’t angry at his daughter.

‘That guy was alive?’

There was no news of his death, but he had been abandoned like an orphan, so it was safe to assume he was dead. His friend, Park Woon-chul, the number one influencer in the Korean business world, had been searching for him for years, but had never found him.

Yoo Sera glanced at Yoo Myung-sun.

“Dad, we met by chance. It’s not like I didn’t tell you on purpose-.”

“Hoo-. Hong, let’s stop here for today.”

Yoo Myung-sun sighed deeply and threw down the Go stones.

“Yes, Father-in-law.”

Hong Gijun, who had been on edge due to his wife’s slip of the tongue, straightened his posture.

He called him ‘Father’ when he called him Gijun, and ‘Father-in-law’ when he called him Hong.

***

“Grandpa, I’ll come for Chuseok-.”

“Ohoho-. Yes, my puppy.”

Chairman Yoo Myung-sun watched his daughter Yoo Sera’s family leave the garden with his hands behind his back. He sighed without even realizing it.

‘I’m thinking about the cigarettes I quit.’

He had thought that he might become an actor like his mother.

He was talking about Son Kwangyeon. He looked so much like his mother that he was considered beautiful even though he was a boy. And he was also very smart.

‘Or maybe he just studied after losing his mother.’

When he entered the top university in the country with the highest score in the business administration department, Yoo Myung-sun took an interest in his path.

Park Woon-chul had secretly supported him so that he wouldn’t be in financial difficulty. But he also heard that Son Kwangyeon, who hated the Park family, refused the money offered by Park Woon-chul’s secretary, saying he didn’t need it.

A beautiful woman. Yoo Myung-sun first saw Son Moon-ye, who worked as a receptionist at the Seoul Merchants Association, where he hung out with Park Woon-chul and others. If a tear dropped by the moon goddess were to be born as life, it would look like that. Park Woon-chul was proud, saying that his business was booming and that he had decided to support Son Moon-ye’s acting career.

‘It’s already been 40 years.’

Tsck-. The vivid memory left a bitter taste in his mouth.

After Son Moon-ye died, Park Woon-chul had wanted to register Son Kwangyeon in his family register. However, Park Woon-chul, who had entered into a de facto marriage at the age of eighteen and had a son and a daughter with his legal wife, was unable to register Son Kwangyeon in his family register. No, he couldn’t even show him to the world. It wasn’t a matter of loyalty to his wife and children. It was because Park Woon-chul, who was running his business with the help of his in-laws, was powerless at the time.

“Manager Kwon.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

“Tell Madam Lee to bring me a drink. Something strong.”

“Understood.”

When Son Moon-ye died, when he couldn’t find Son Kwangyeon, Park Woon-chul called Yoo Myung-sun while drunk and ranted. Yoo Myung-sun was the only one who knew what the Son family meant to Park Woon-chul.

‘You fool. If you couldn’t take responsibility, you shouldn’t have kept it in your heart.’

Park Woon-chul, who had succeeded with the help of his in-laws, would not have been able to show Son Kwangyeon proudly. Yoo Myung-sun, who had thought of that, secretly supported Son Kwangyeon. It wasn’t because of Park Woon-chul. It was for Son Moon-ye. She was a woman who followed Yoo Myung-sun like an older brother, having lost all her siblings in the war.

‘How could Moon-ye be with that thieving Park guy?’

He had questioned him several times, but Park Woon-chul never told him.

Yoo Myung-sun always treated Son Moon-ye with respect. He thought of her like a younger sister, and he didn’t have any lecherous thoughts like someone else.

In the reception room, the housekeeper, Madam Lee, brought out some Kaoliang liquor [a strong Chinese liquor] and simple snacks.

“Kuh-.”

He emptied a glass in one gulp and squeezed his lips until his cheeks were hollow. He didn’t even look at the snacks.

‘He was better than my sons.’

Watching Son Kwangyeon gently care for his daughter Yoo Sera when she was young, he couldn’t help but compare him to Yoo Moonshik and Yoo Junshik. He thought that people could be taught and changed, but that personality was something they were born with.

‘He was three or four years older than Sera, so he must be around forty now?’

Ah, he was a college classmate of Gijun.

Was he married? Did he have children?

Perhaps it was because he was so flustered by the sudden appearance of the name Son Kwangyeon. He hadn’t even asked how he was doing. He was a guy he had once looked after like a son, and he was disappointed that he hadn’t come to see him even though he was alive.

‘With that ability and that face, he must be married and have children.’

Would it be a son or a daughter?

How old would they be?

The old chairman’s eyes became wistful.

***

Fourteen-year-old Son Jinhyuk spent time with his younger sister, Son Yujin, during the holidays.

There were no relatives to visit, and his parents had gone on a trip to Hawaii, so he was happy that he didn’t see the county governor, politicians, bank presidents, and various association heads who came every holiday.

“Oh my, this house is nice.”

The police chief came by to see if everything was okay, smoked a cigarette, and walked around the house. What was he, a shaman? He was just an old man looking at the house.

The car carrying the police chief left, signaling the start of a peaceful Chuseok for the siblings.

“Ah, this is nice-.”

It was quiet, and he didn’t see any lovey-dovey couples making out, so Jinhyuk felt at peace. And it wasn’t like before, when he had nothing to do and no one to meet, so he spent it alone. Well, he wasn’t alone.

“Where did Yujin go?”

“-Heeung-ga-yo.”

Kkeueung-.

A cute voice came from inside the bathroom. How could even the sound of babies working on their studies be so lovely?

He chuckled and turned on the TV. To protect his cute sister’s poop privacy.

[-We are broadcasting the Chuseok Ssireum [Korean wrestling] Wrestling Tournament, which also serves as the 7th Annual Weight Class Ssireum Championship, from the Ssireum mecca, Jangchung Gymnasium. We have Um Gi-tak, the director of the Korea Ssireum Federation, as our commentator. Hello?]

[Sniff-. Yes, hello.]

[Finally, it’s the championship match for each weight class. Now! Commentator, please introduce the players. What kind of player is Choi Taeyang?]

[Sniff. Yes, he is a player who has won all the high school Yongsa-class [lightweight] tournaments this year. He is still a high school student, but sniff-. He has challenged his seniors, and his future is very sniff-, yes. Promising, you could say? Sniff-. Yes, that’s the kind of player he is.]

[How is it, isn’t it rare for a high school player to participate in a folk wrestling tournament?]

[Sniff-, from this year, if a player is registered with the association, and if their weight class and award record are good enough, sniff-. Yes, it’s called an invitation? Sniff-. Yes, that’s right.]

[Yes, I see. The two players have stood up at this moment. With the referee’s signal, the first match of the Halla Jangsa [heavyweight] championship will begin.]

Whoa-, Jinhyuk’s eyes and mouth became round like Yujin’s.

It seemed that the villagers were gathering at Choi Mikyung’s youth center because of Choi Taeyang. He had been weight training all summer vacation, and Choi Taeyang’s muscles were thick and ripped, like a bodybuilder. His flexible waist stood out, which didn’t match his steel-like body.

Jinhyuk covered his nose and focused on the screen as the smell wafted from the bathroom.

The TV announcer suddenly raised his voice.

[Japchigi [a wrestling technique]! Choi Taeyaaaang! He defeats his senior, Um Sung-tak, who was the Halla Jangsa champion last year and at the New Year’s tournament, with a skillful Japchigi! Wow- his skills are too good for a high school player, aren’t they? As far as I know, Um Sung-tak is also a great player. Commentator, what do you think? Please introduce Um Sung-tak as well-.]

[Sniff-, he’s my younger brother.]

[Yes……]

He wanted to watch the match more, but he heard a fairy’s voice from the bathroom.

“Oppa-, Yujin is done pooping-.”

“Oh my-, our Yujin is done pooping?”

“Yesh-. Ehehe.”

Jinhyuk didn’t hesitate to turn off the TV.

He took a deep breath and held it. It was because he had the illusion that a dark aura was coming out of the bathroom, fragrant and white. Her face and voice were like a fairy, but why did her smell have to be like that?

It seemed that his mother’s cooking had become saltier lately, maybe because she had lost her sense of smell because of Yujin.

Anyway…

The exciting Chuseok with his younger sister had begun.