Chapter 69: I Hope You Two Get Along Well

Song Hyun-ji leaned in close as if about to share a secret and whispered.

“Actually… Grandfather said he’d marry me off to someone else if I don’t listen.”

“I heard you so could you back off a bit?”

Song Hyun-ji glanced at me and moved away slightly.

“What? Are you getting nervous?”

“No.”

I tried to act calm but my heart still hadn’t settled.

“Oppa?”

“Just continue what you were saying.”

I hastily changed the subject.

Song Hyun-ji lifted her chin and said as if making a threat.

“I want to date. I don’t want to just marry someone the family chooses. I only met you because Grandfather said to meet not marry. I’m trying to buy time like this and if I meet a guy I like I’ll run away.”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Hahaha, are you saying you’re going to use me right to my face?”

“Hmm… But now that I’ve met you, oppa you’re not bad. I might not need to look for another guy.”

“You’re really something else.”

She was so honest it felt bold.

“What about you?”

“We just met today what are you talking about?”

I had no thoughts of dating or marriage. I was overwhelmed just thinking about revenge against those who killed me. I may have succeeded in eliminating my uncles but it couldn’t be called complete revenge.

After all there was still the big enemy the Cheongpung Group remaining.

“Aw come on~ You flinched when I got close just now.”

I did like her straightforward and honest demeanor.

But this wasn’t the time to be fooling around.

“That’s normal isn’t it? Who wouldn’t be surprised if someone suddenly got close? It’s not like it was some big secret.”

“It’s fun though.”

Song Hyun-ji giggled.

It seemed like she did it on purpose to tease me.

“Fun?”

“Yep.”

What a little fox.

If we kept talking I felt like I might get caught up in it.

“Well it was nice meeting you. Let’s see each other again sometime.”

“Where are you going? You have to answer. So what do you think?”

“About what? If I like you?”

Even as I asked her eyes held the confidence that I would definitely say yes.

They were the eyes of someone who clearly knew how others perceived them.

“I’ll think about it.”

“Wow! Really don’t back out okay? You’re not just saying that are you?”

As I was smiling at Song Hyun-ji’s huffing, Chairman Song’s secretary approached. Chairman Song had called us both in.

When we went inside Chairman Song was looking at me with a playful expression.

“You two finally met?”

“Grandfather! It’s been a while how have you been?”

Song Hyun-ji quickly went over to Chairman Song and promptly sat down next to him.

“You little rascal we have a guest.”

“Hehe.”

Even as he scolded her Chairman Song’s expression was very bright. It seemed true that she was his favorite granddaughter.

Soon Chairman Song asked with a boastful look as if to say ‘What do you think?’

“How was it? Aren’t you glad you met? She’s my granddaughter but she’d be a top bride anywhere.”

“Yes she seems that way.”

Chairman Song clicked his tongue displeased with my impassive response.

“Tsk that boring fellow. You and that Cheon fellow… What kind of reaction is that… Hyun-ji how was it?”

“I like him.”

“Ho ho ho is that so?”

I quietly looked at Song Hyun-ji sitting across from me.

Song Hyun-ji didn’t avoid my gaze and rolled her eyes at me as if to say ‘What? So what?’

I couldn’t help but smile.

“Well meet up occasionally. Mu-hyeok you too, meet her and get to know her. I introduced her to you because she’s my favorite granddaughter.”

Since the first meeting went well I nodded too.

“I understand.”

“Ho ho alright.”

“Grandfather you have to keep your promise now okay? You said you’d let me live freely without caring about business or the company remember? You didn’t forget right?”

“Ho ho you little rascal, how could that be up to you?”

This was a moment that showed Song Hyun-ji’s nature.

Would it be possible to live freely as the granddaughter of Chairman Song of the Daehyeon Group? No, even before that could there be someone who doesn’t covet the huge empire that is Daehyeon?

I seemed to understand why I had never heard Song Hyun-ji’s name before.

She probably never appeared in the media or chaebol rumors. I wondered if she might have left to live freely away from the dirty fight that would break out after Chairman Song’s death.

“You promised didn’t you? That you wouldn’t say to marry Mu-hyeok oppa or do this or that if I met him.”

“Ho ho.”

Thinking of helping Song Hyun-ji I opened my mouth.

“I’ll meet and talk with her occasionally. I like that Hyun-ji is different from the chaebol people I know. You know about our family history right?”

Song Hyun-ji didn’t understand what I said but Chairman Song understood right away.

Someone who gave up everything and left because of love.

Maybe I liked Song Hyun-ji more because my mom came to mind.

“Alright I hope you two get along well.”

In the end Chairman Song nodded.

Song Hyun-ji’s face immediately brightened.

Whether she was happy she didn’t have to be sold off in a political marriage with another chaebol family or if she really liked me we’d find out as we spent time together.

Originally this meeting with Song Hyun-ji wouldn’t have happened. How long and in what way it would continue was still uncertain.

More importantly it was time to ask about the results of the meeting I came for.

“Did you talk well with Daehyeon Construction’s president?”

“You rascal do you know what it means for Daehyeon Construction to participate in building just one building?”

Daehyeon Construction was currently ranked 1st in contract orders and 1st in construction capability evaluation. It was the top construction company in Korea and ranked in the top 20 globally.

But I smiled confidently at Chairman Song who was chiding me.

“I know. But the scale will probably be considerable. It will cost a lot too.”

“Even so how much could it be? Anyway I’ve talked to them. Send someone from Geukseong Construction to Daehyeon Construction for the details.”

“Thank you.”

A satisfied smile spread across my face as I achieved the desired result.

Chairman Song asked looking at Song Hyun-ji.

“Did you exchange contact information?”

“Oh right oppa give me your number.”

Even if I said no the chaebol world was still the chaebol world.

In an era where pagers were still more common than mobile phones she asked for my number as if it were obvious.

Chairman Song who had been watching us exchange contact information contentedly gestured to Song Hyun-ji.

“Hyun-ji you can go now. Grandpa has more to talk about with this fellow.”

“Okay Grandfather I’ll come again.”

Song Hyun-ji lightly hugged Chairman Song. And while Chairman Song was laughing ho ho she winked at me.

“Oppa see you next time!”

Then she disappeared like the wind.

Should I call that cool?

“She’s immature isn’t she?”

“Not at all.”

“Still she’s the granddaughter I cherish most in our family. Maybe it’s because I spoiled her but she doesn’t pay attention to me at all. Even as an adult she’s still so carefree…”

“That’s why she seems even better. You seem to like her too Chairman.”

“That is true.”

It was fascinating to see Chairman Song who was rumored to be a tiger even to his family show such a weak side only to Song Hyun-ji.

I thought about asking whose daughter she was but stopped. It wasn’t information I needed to know.

But contrary to my thoughts Chairman Song spoke first.

“I have a hidden child.”

Chairman Song had only married once but he had met many women and had children. It was such a well-known story that it wasn’t even surprising anymore.

It was to the point where Chairman Song’s wife was called the epitome of a long-suffering wife in Korea.

Among his current children three were born out of wedlock. Yet he said he had a hidden child?

Seeing my expression Chairman Song nodded as if he understood.

“Having many children is well-known. But there was one child no one knew about. The child’s mother strongly refused so I couldn’t put the child on the family register in the end… Anyway she’s that child’s daughter. The child and their spouse died early and she’s living with her grandmother.”

Chairman Song spoke calmly but bitterness could be felt in his expression.

“So I might cherish her more. She was a child without greed and it seems Hyun-ji takes after her in that regard. I’d like you to look after her even if I die. You’ll understand what I mean.”

It seemed Chairman Song was also anticipating what would happen after his death.

“I understand. I’ll treat her like a little sister and look after her. Don’t worry too much.”

Hearing my answer Chairman Song nodded a few times.

The old man’s bitter expression soon changed.

“I hear rumors that you’re collecting funds these days what’s going on?”

The rumor that Myeong-dong’s Chairman Cheon was collecting funds had already spread widely.

I had collected from most except for the chaebols I hadn’t taken over yet.

After the IMF I left alone the good companies among those that survived but even if I wanted to give more loans to such companies they wouldn’t take them.

It seemed that since it was an era where banks and merchant banks lent money at low interest rates they wouldn’t borrow private loans unless it was extremely urgent.

“We’re settling debts overall. We haven’t settled with the top conglomerates yet. There won’t be any problems with Daehyeon. If we collect now the company would go bankrupt right?”

“Ho ho what? The great Daehyeon?”

Chairman Song laughed loudly as if he found it absurd.

But it was true that Daehyeon couldn’t get loans due to government pressure.

Thanks to Grandfather continuing to lend urgent funds there was no financial strain but it was difficult to invest aggressively.

Of course even so Daehyeon was still the best corporate group in Korea.

Even Il-seong Group which would later bbe called the Republic of Il-sung was no match for thhe current Daehyeon.

The behind-the-scenes story of Il-sung’s founder and Daehyyeon’s Chairman Song was talked about even after their deaths. It was an anecdote that showed how great their influence was in this era.

However they couldn’t avoid the IMF.

There wasn’t a single large company in Korea that could avoid the foreign exchange crisis.

“There’s also a reason to secure cash assets. You said you’re retiring now Grandfather and it’s easier to settle the loans that went out before.”

“Hmm… Surely you’re not doing this because of what you said before about Korea going bankrupt? Do you not know how much of a boom it is now? Why hold onto cash assets when interest keeps coming in even if you leave it alone?”

He was right.

An era of prosperity that would never come again.

Low interest rates, low oil prices, and low exchange rates.

Korea was growing rapidly.

But in a few months negotiations between powerful countries like the U.S. and Japan would lead to a continued strong dollar and the start of a weak yen.

That would mark the end of the prosperous era.

“I think our country’s economy is too abnormal. There’s too much corruption and collusion between politics and business. The debt ratio is also too high. It might explode all at once like a bomb one day. No I’m certain it will. I just don’t know when.”

“Hmm…”

Chairman Song put his hand on his chin and focused on my words.

“But that’s not why I’m collecting. I plan to do private lending differently from you Grandfather and the current fund collection is part of that preparation. Your power will disappear when you pass away.”

“Times have changed. But it’s not like that Cheon fellow’s money is going anywhere right? That’s power.”

The saying that money is power was half right.

But money alone wasn’t enough for the revenge I wanted.

The Cheongpung Group wasn’t an opponent that could be fought with just money.

“In your and Grandfather’s era money was power. But not anymore. You know it’s different from then too Chairman. You must be feeling it the most.”

“Ho ho ho.”

Even during the fierce military regime the chairmen of large companies had prospered by paying bribes.

Many powerful people bowed their heads to them even at places like parliamentary hearings or government audits saying they were the people supporting our country’s economy.

But Chairman Cheon wasn’t like that.

That was because Grandfather only had money.

If it weren’t for Grandfather’s ledger all that wealth would have been torn apart and gone to those with power.

The IMF was the last chance.

A chance for me to have power… to face the Cheongpung Group.

The Cheongpung Group must be in chaos now.

On March 1 1995 marking the 50th anniversary of liberation the President made a special announcement along with the declaration of demolition of the old Government-General Building.

With Japan showing intense reactions now

It was because the Cheongpung Group was trying their best to prevent it.

Time passed and finally the movements of powerful countries like Japan and the U.S. began. The yen started to weaken.

― This… monster.

It was perhaps natural for Han Gyeong-yeong to react this way.

It was because we had bet on the weak yen faster than anyone else. We would probably make incomparably more profits than other hedge funds.