Chapter 13: Living as Yoon Hyun-woo, Cleaning the Jin Family’s Outhouse

When I was living as Yoon Hyun-woo, cleaning the Jin family’s outhouse, Jin Yun-ki, Jin Sang-jun, and Jin Do-jun weren’t on my radar because their branch of the family was completely ignored by the group.

Because of that, I only remembered that there were twelve third-generation members in total. I racked my brain, trying to figure out why Jin Do-jun’s name didn’t stick, and the final piece of the puzzle was that clue.

The Soonyang family’s tragic car accident.

I learned about it while searching through old articles during my time as a servant for this family, but I quickly forgot. After all, it wasn’t a family worth paying attention to.

The disappointing part is that I don’t remember any of the details of the car accident.

I spent months racking my brain to recall the exact date, time, place, and cause, but nothing came to me.

I need to be careful not to drastically change the future, but what would happen if I avoided death, and if there was a major fight for control of Soonyang Group?

Also, if I could make my grandfather, Jin Yang-cheol, live even a little longer, would the future change significantly?

I still don’t have the answers to these confusing questions.

Every day, I have to carefully monitor my actions and their consequences. For now, that’s all I can do.

Today, I need to have a very meticulous and careful dinner.

Because it’s a meal just between my grandfather and me.

***

“Has our little one arrived?”

“Grandfather.”

Damn it!

Acting like a grandson who adores his grandfather, rushing over to him—this is the hardest part.

Chairman Jin chuckled briefly while touching my face, then sat me down in the dining chair.

The special suite in the Soonyang Hotel’s Western restaurant.

Today, he probably wanted to spend time alone with me, without anyone interfering or watching.

How happy must he have been this morning when he anxiously watched the election results and found out his bet had paid off?

For the next five years, Soonyang Group can run wild without any obstacles.

“Chairman Jin’s help will never be forgotten. Thank you.”

As if to prove the immediate effect of his bet, the moment the election results were announced, the president-elect called directly to offer his greetings.

“Our Do-jun, today this old man will buy you delicious things and all the toys you want. How about that?”

“Haven’t I told you my grades yet?”

“Grades?”

“Yes.”

“Ah…! That’s right. We made a promise on your grandfather’s birthday, didn’t we?”

Of course, he would have forgotten all about that promise. Today isn’t about that; it’s because of my advice. He made a big bet on one candidate and won big.

“So, did you keep your promise?”

“Yes. I got ‘soo’ in all subjects. I got a hundred in everything.”

Chairman Jin blinked and asked again.

“A hundred in all subjects?”

“Yes. I’m the only one in my class who got a perfect score.”

“Oh my, our Do-jun… you’re raising the stakes. What should I do? It’s too late to go buy a horse today.”

As if I’d covet a horse. He’s just using the horse as an excuse to get me something bigger. If he really wants to buy me what I truly desire, our old man will have to shell out some serious cash.

“It’s okay. I can’t ride it anyway. I can learn to ride during winter vacation, and you can buy it for me after that. But Grandfather.”

“Yes.”

“If it’s not because of the promise, then why…?”

“Ah, that’s right. Because of our Do-jun, your grandfather’s company is going to get much bigger.”

The company is getting bigger. In other words, they’re going to make a huge amount of money.

Ordinary merchants invest money and make a profit.

Big merchants invest in political power and secure favors.

While ordinary merchants are satisfied with a 10% or 20% profit, big merchants need favors that guarantee tens or hundreds of times the profit to be satisfied.

He invested in the most significant political power, the next president, so the results will undoubtedly be enormous.

I grinned broadly and said.

“Then you can give me something even bigger than what you promised, right?”

“Something bigger? Of course. I should give you something bigger and better. Let’s see… I was going to buy you a real horse, so what could be bigger than that?”

“I’ve been thinking about it, Grandfather.”

“Yes, tell me.”

“If you buy a horse, you’ll keep it at your ranch in Jeju Island, right?”

“Of course. I can’t keep it at home, can I?”

“But I want to ride a horse every day, and I can’t do that if it’s in Jeju.”

“Is that so? Then what should we do…?”

As Chairman Jin pondered a solution, the food began to arrive.

As expected, since he owns the hotel, the food was extraordinary.

Even though it was clearly a Western restaurant, sushi and sashimi, bulgogi and soybean paste stew, and steak were served together, along with jajangmyeon and various cakes that were clearly prepared for me.

Being an old man, he probably prefers the hanjeongsik style of laying everything out at once.

“Shall we eat first and then think about it?”

Yes, let’s eat first. A lot, and deliciously.

For Grandfather, what could be happier than seeing his own flesh and blood eating well?

Sure enough, Chairman Jin began to watch me devour the dishes with a very pleased expression.

“Grandfather, please eat too.”

“Okay, okay. Heh heh.”

Chairman Jin swallowed a few pieces of sashimi with a benevolent smile.

“If we want to make it so our Do-jun can ride a horse every day, it seems like we’ll have to acquire another ranch.”

That’s it. That’s exactly what I wanted to hear.

“Really?”

I quickly swallowed the food in my mouth and sparkled my eyes, and Chairman Jin smiled broadly.

“Of course. Didn’t I say I’d give you something bigger? I’ll gift you a ranch that our Do-jun can go to anytime. How about that?”

Oh, yes…! I almost said it.

I need to express the joy of achieving my goal, but as Chairman Jin’s grandson, there’s only one way to show my delight.

It’s cheesy, but I have no choice. I have to make my grandfather happy.

I got down from my chair and rushed over to Chairman Jin, throwing my arms around him.

“Heh heh heh, you rascal. Are you that happy?”

He chuckled repeatedly, clearly pleased by my affectionate embrace.

Okay, now it’s time to move on to the next step. I returned to my seat and tilted my head, saying.

“But Grandfather, where is your ranch? Near our house? Or near your house?”

“Heh heh, you’d get chased out if you raised horses in the middle of a residential area. Horse manure smells awful.”

“Then where is it?”

“If you go a little north of Seoul, there’s a place called Wondang, and there’s already a ranch there. We can just buy that one.”

Oh, a mistake!

Was there a ranch in Wondang? We absolutely must not buy it. That’s not where I want it.

He must have noticed my slight panic. Grandfather’s expression changed.

“Why? Don’t you like it?”

“Ah, no. I like it… but it’s too far.”

“Too far? Oh, you picky thing…….”

His tone was scolding, but he was still smiling.

“Our house is in Gangnam…….”

“There aren’t any ranches in southern Seoul.”

“We can make one. You’re good at making anything quickly, Grandfather.”

“What? Make one? Hahaha.”

I was the one who was taken aback by his sudden burst of laughter. I was worried it sounded a bit forced, but he was actually enjoying it and was happy.

“Do-jun.”

“Yes.”

“Do you know how many companies this old man’s company has?”

An unexpected question. There’s no way I don’t know about the 48 subsidiaries, but I shook my head.

“Soonyang has a total of 48 subsidiaries. I personally founded 19 of them. The rest were acquisitions.”

Acquisitions? Not takeovers?

“Most of the companies I built myself were created in the early days of my business. In other words, you have to start by building things yourself. That’s how you develop attachment and become determined to grow it bigger.”

Is this how he’s interpreting my suggestion to build a ranch? This old man might already be starting my management lessons.

Of course, that’s something to welcome.

“I really like that you think that if you want something, even if it’s difficult, you can just make it yourself.”

It’s not something a ten-year-old kid would understand. What kind of reaction would be appropriate?

Should I just blink? Or should I nod?

Maybe this hesitation of mine is the most plausible reaction. Chairman Jin, who had been observing me intently, lightly tapped the table and opened his mouth.

“Alright. I’ll help our Do-jun take his first step.”

Chairman Jin called out towards the side room door.

“Is anyone out there?”

The door opened, and a man in a suit entered.

“Yes, Chairman.”

“Bring me the maps of Seoul and Gyeonggi Province.”

“Yes? Ah, I understand.”

A moment later, the secretary brought a road map book and handed it to Chairman Jin.

“Is there anything else you need?”

“You’ve done well. You can go.”

Chairman Jin flipped through a few pages of the map book and began to examine it closely.

Soon, he took out a pen and drew a small circle on one spot on the map.

“Now, let’s see how good our Do-jun’s eyes are.”

The place he marked was right where our house was.

“Do-jun. That’s your house. Now, you mark the place where you want to build your ranch.”

I’m going crazy.

Because I’m so happy.

I really want to build dozens of ranches across the country. If I secure land in advance in places where land prices will skyrocket in ten or twenty years, how much more secure will I be in the upcoming Soonyang Group’s fight for control?

It’s no different than having hundreds of billions, or perhaps even trillions of won, ready as ammunition.

But for now, I have to choose just one place. The exact place I’ve already decided on.

I pretended to be troubled, flipping through the map and stalling for time.

Chairman Jin kept sending me warm smiles, finding my behavior adorable.

“You need to choose carefully. Of course, downtown Seoul is out, and we need to avoid the city center even in southern Gyeonggi.”

Don’t worry. I’m going to pick a place that will surprise you.

I confidently picked up the pen and drew a circle on one part of the map.

“Here.”

Chairman Jin studied the map I handed him and frowned.

“Hmm, this seems quite far from your house?”

“Does it?”

“You can see the whole map at a glance, but there’s a big difference between that and the actual distances. Well, you’re still too young to realize that.”

Seeing my sulky expression, he quickly started making excuses for me.

Chairman Jin checked the map once more and then called the secretary who was waiting outside.

“Find out the status of this land. Get an accurate assessment of the current situation.”

“Yes.”

The secretary took the map and quickly left, and my grandfather and I continued our meal. We briefly put the land conversation aside and switched the topic to school and friends.

My studies are excellent, needless to say, but I don’t have any friends. How can a forty-year-old mind be friends with snot-nosed kids?

As I vaguely said I was getting along fine with my friends, the secretary cautiously opened the door and came in.