The Genius Grandson Of The Cash King Becomes A Tycoon [EN]: Chapter 93

#093

“President, this is Yoon Jeong-hoon.”

“Speak.”

Goo Han-soo’s voice was stiff at the sudden call.

“Shinhwa Construction is undertaking a development project in Seongnam City.”

“Hmm, so?”

Was it because of the term ‘development project’?

The curiosity in his voice quickly turned to displeasure.

Jeong-hoon was momentarily taken aback but quickly regained his composure.

“It’s a land development project we’re doing, but it’s not for personal gain.”

A man busier than anyone.

He needed to get to the point quickly.

“If a development project undertaken by a construction company isn’t for personal profit, then what is it for?”

“We will gather software companies and developers in one place through the Pangyo development in Seongnam City. We’re creating Korea’s Silicon Valley.”

The President didn’t respond.

Jeong-hoon assumed he was surprised by his unexpected plan.

Jeong-hoon pressed him.

“There are endless opportunities in the internet space. It’s a new world without the constraints of time and space. Please help the workers of Korea build a new empire there, Mr. President!”

“Building an empire won’t be easy.”

“It can be done if people gather. America does it, so there’s no reason we can’t. Koreans have the most outstanding brains in the world. Korea should have at least one or two places like Silicon Valley.”

“That’s right. It would be good to have such places. Was that Chairman Yoon’s plan?”

“Yes, Mr. President.”

Jeong-hoon’s voice was full of conviction.

Because he was certain, he could argue strongly.

A longer silence than expected followed.

“…Shinhwa Construction’s development project will proceed quickly. I will also watch with interest. Korea’s Silicon Valley… I look forward to it, Chairman Yoon Jeong-hoon.”

“Thank you, Mr. President.”

“I should be the one thanking you. Aren’t you going to create a tremendous number of jobs in the future? Hahaha.”

The displeasure from earlier had completely disappeared from his voice.

Now, he didn’t hide his expectations.

“If the sales go well, I’ll ask for a bowl of *makgeolli* [Korean rice wine].”

“Yes, Mr. President.”

After hanging up, Jeong-hoon turned to look at CEO Lee Soo-hong.

He was dumbfounded.

He had resolved the matter in a way he had never anticipated.

An hour later, Soo-hong’s phone was ringing off the hook.

It was officials from Seongnam City Hall and Gyeonggi Provincial Office.

They asked him to come in immediately to discuss the licensing issues.

They didn’t forget to ask him to forget any grievances he might have had.

***

A call came from Lim Cheol-soo.

“Jeong-hoon, how are you doing?”

“I’m swamped. With corporate acquisitions and even establishing a grandmother’s financial group…”

“Wow, you’ve really become a chairman. Amazing, how did you do that…”

“I don’t do anything. I just review what the people below me do.”

“Still, because you set the direction properly, Shinhwa Empire Holdings is running properly without collapsing.”

“Is that so?”

“Of course, it is. Aren’t you coming to America anytime soon?”

“I need to go, but I’m too busy here.”

Jeong-hoon asked Lim Cheol-soo about the Lone Star Fund he had requested information on.

He was curious about who they were, the ones who had acquired Korea Exchange Bank in the past.

“It’s hard to track. The headquarters is in the Cayman Islands, so it’s difficult to trace. Rumor has it that the funds are likely from the mafia, but it’s not certain. And all the companies they invested in were completely cleaned out.”

“Is that so?”

The mafia is trying to acquire a Korean bank. They wouldn’t have come to Korea, which has no ties, on their own.

They must have collaborated with the Cheonji Association.

Age of globalization.

Not only corporations but also criminal organizations were globally allied and growing in power.

“Please keep investigating. By the way, how are the recent performances?”

“We have good companies lined up. So, we choose to invest, so the rate of return is bound to be high. And you’re like a prophet, picking them for us, so how can it not be good? But do we really have to invest in that Roblox company?”

“Why? Is the reputation not good?”

“No, they’re skilled and creative. But they’re too creative, saying they’re going to start a ‘Meta’ bus company on the internet, which I don’t understand. It seems too creative. The internet is already difficult, but they’re creating a new world inside it. Geez.”

Lim Cheol-soo spoke with a negative tone.

“Well, we can’t always succeed. Just invest about 20 million won [approximately $15,000 USD]. It’s okay to lose that much, right?”

Jeong-hoon had only seen Roblox in newspaper articles.

A company featured in a planning article about notable Silicon Valley companies in his past life.

Jeong-hoon couldn’t be sure what would happen in the future, but he thought it was promising.

‘Who knows, maybe 20 million won will turn into 25 billion.’

“Still, how can you only invest 20 million won? If you’re going to do it, you should invest at least 1 billion won [approximately $750,000 USD]. If you invest like that, we’ll get a bad reputation in Silicon Valley. We have a certain stature. Hehe.”

Just from his voice, Lim Cheol-soo’s shoulders were puffed up with pride.

It was true that the rate of return was so high that even Wall Street was following us.

“Yes, you decide that. 1 billion won isn’t bad either.”

Just as he was about to hang up, Lim Cheol-soo urgently said one more thing.

“Oh, right, Steve Chen from PayPal came to see me the other day.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah, it’s about investment… It’s a video service company, and it seems like a good item. How much should we invest?”

Jeong-hoon pondered. Investment and acquisition…

Google will acquire it in a few years.

Steve will be in charge of management anyway, and Google will just provide the money.

Then, all we have to do is acquire it and provide the money.

We can acquire YouTube, which dominates the internet video streaming market.

And we can have the powerful force of a new online public opinion medium that surpasses the influence of newspapers and broadcasting.

“Um, don’t invest. Tell Steve Chen to come to Korea. Tell him that if I approve, I’ll invest a large amount.”

“To Korea? Will that guy go?”

“He’ll come if he’s desperate. So… make him come. Don’t be too forceful.”

“Ha, you… you bad kid, you always make me play the villain. Okay, I’ll gently coax him and ship him to Korea. Talk to him well. Our young master!”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Steve’s personality is unique, so it might not be easy, but it was worth a try.

‘Well, if it fails, I’ll just invest as originally planned.’

Even that alone can earn hundreds of millions of dollars.

***

Chuseok [Korean Thanksgiving] was approaching.

As the holiday approached, Grandma was sick again.

Jeong-hoon went to the hospital with Grandma, but as always, they didn’t know the cause.

He asked Uncle Man-ho.

“When did Grandma start getting sick?”

“Well, it was from the year after Hyun-joong left…”

He felt that Grandma’s illness was related to his parents’ death.

Lunar New Year and Chuseok.

Family members who were far away come home.

Grandma and Jeong-hoon had to go, but…

They still hadn’t gone to their parents’ graves.

There was no reason.

Being busy was an excuse.

He went to Grandma’s bedroom.

“Grandma, I think I should go to Mom and Dad’s grave.”

“……”

She didn’t answer.

“If you don’t want to go, I’ll go alone tomorrow. I don’t know why I did that, but I think I should go now.”

“……. Okay. Do that. Man-ho will tell you the location.”

Grandma continued to lie in bed.

Jeong-hoon looked at his grandmother lying down and then came out.

When he asked Uncle Man-ho for the location of the grave, he told him it was in Yangpyeong.

He told him to go with Hyun-soo tomorrow.

He called Da-hye.

He wanted to introduce Da-hye to his parents, and she readily agreed.

He couldn’t sleep until late at night.

Lying in bed, he pondered why he hadn’t visited his parents’ grave until now.

Fear?

There was no other reason.

Why was Grandma sick?

He was curious, but no answer came.

Jeong-hoon searched for a non-existent answer and fell asleep.

The next day, before leaving to visit the grave, Jeong-hoon stood in front of Grandma’s bedroom.

“Grandma, I’ll be back. If you feel a little better, come too. Dad and Mom will miss you too… Please brag about me there. I’m too embarrassed to do it myself.”

A small voice was heard from inside the bedroom.

“…Come back safely.”

It was a weak voice.

Jeong-hoon picked up Da-hye and went to the grave where his parents were.

His parents’ grave was on a sunny hillside in Yangpyeong.

The Han River flowed in front, and there was a lush forest behind, a warm place with good sunlight.

His parents’ small and cozy dwelling was kept clean and well-maintained.

“Uncle Man-ho sometimes comes and pulls out the weeds. But the Madam has never come.”

“What? Never?”

“I have never accompanied her.”

“Hmm……”

‘Surely she hasn’t never come, has she?’

That couldn’t be.

She wouldn’t leave her son and daughter-in-law to be lonely here.

While he was lost in thought, Da-hye set up a simple memorial table in front of his parents’ grave.

She gestured to him.

Jeong-hoon stood next to her.

And like a couple, they bowed to his parents.

The first time, there were no emotions.

The second time was the same.

Only tears flowed.

Jeong-hoon realized.

He saw the death he had only felt through Grandma’s words and the words of those around him before his eyes.

His parents’ death became a reality.

Jeong-hoon’s body lost strength, and he couldn’t stand up.

He lay face down for a while.

Da-hye, who was next to him, slowly stroked Jeong-hoon’s back without saying a word.

Carefully and warmly, as if soothing a child crying in fear of the deep night.

Her touch gradually lifted Jeong-hoon up.

When he stood up again, Jeong-hoon felt it himself.

He had become a little stronger.

He had finally accepted his parents’ absence, which he had been closing his eyes to and putting off.

“Hoo……”

Jeong-hoon held her hand tightly.

“I greeted my parents for the first time. That’s why I wanted to introduce you today. You’re a woman who deserves it.”

“Thank you.”

The two sat quietly by their parents’ graves.

Sitting there, they watched the river flowing indifferently.

Da-hye leaned her head on Jeong-hoon’s shoulder without a word.

They let the regrets and longings that had been piling up in their hearts flow into the river.

“Hmm.”

He heard a sound from behind.

Grandma had come.

“Grandma, you came?”

“Yes……. This is it…… Hoo.”

Grandma took a deep breath and then looked around.

She stroked the burial mound and pulled out a few small weeds that remained.

And she quietly spoke to herself.

“Hyun-joong, Mom is here. You’ve been waiting a long time. I’m too late. Our pretty daughter Hyun-joo is doing well, right? Man-ho found a good place. I tried to come every time, but my feet wouldn’t move. I guess I was that scared. I couldn’t send off my only remaining son and daughter-in-law. Until today, Mom had Hyun-joong and Hyun-joo in my heart… but I’ll let you go now. Hyun-joong, your son took revenge coolly. You and Hyun-joo can rest in peace now. Goodbye. Hyun-joong, Hyun-joo.”

Grandma said her final farewell.

She held the liquor in her hand and sprinkled it little by little around the burial mound.

After emptying the bottle, she only looked at the two mounds for a while.

Her hands and shoulders were shaking.

Jeong-hoon quietly went to Grandma’s side and took her hand.

Da-hye also took Grandma’s hand.

The three stood silently like that.

The sunset warmly wrapped around their shoulders.

***

Grandma went into the house.

With a bittersweet expression, she went into the house and lay down.

She looked tired from the emotional exhaustion.

Jeong-hoon and Da-hye went to a Chinese restaurant to meet Eun-soo.

It was Da-hye’s first time.

It was a place that Eun-soo and Jeong-hoon, along with Senior Cheol-joong, had frequented.

“I used to come here often with Senior Cheol-joong and Eun-soo. Eun-soo will be here soon.”

Jeong-hoon went inside with Da-hye.

“Oh, hello. You came separately today. The friend who came earlier is already eating.”

“What? Eun-soo?”

“No. Not Eun-soo.”

Jeong-hoon turned his head at the owner’s words.

A man sitting alone in the corner caught his eye.

The back of his head was familiar, and he was definitely Senior Cheol-joong.

“Hey, Kang Cheol-joong.”

Da-hye called him.

He turned his head in surprise.

It was really Senior Cheol-joong.

He hadn’t seen him once since he graduated, passed the bar exam, and was appointed as a prosecutor.

He avoided him.

He was a senior who took such good care of him when he was an orphan.

Why?

Would he answer today?

‘What happened to Uncle? Could it be that he found out what Uncle did?’

Jeong-hoon sat down in front of him with a stiff face.

And he raised his hand and said to the owner.

“Please give me a bottle of *Kaoliang* liquor here.”

There were so many stories he had to tell him.

Genius Grandson of the Cash King, Becoming a Chaebol.