Chapter 174: Why Bother When I Can See It at the Office?

“We could have just discussed this at the office.”

“Where… where am I? This looks like Miracle Headquarters… maybe?”

His speech was hesitant, his eyes darted around, and his fingertips trembled slightly.

The way the three men entering the conference room behaved made it clear they were nervous.

They seemed unsure how to treat the founder’s grandson and the majority shareholder—someone who held their job security in his hands but rarely interfered.

“Please, have a seat. You’re right, this is Miracle Headquarters, but this is where I usually work alone. It’s just me and a few staff members here.”

I immediately told them to relax, hoping to ease their awkwardness as they settled into their seats.

“Please, speak comfortably as you always have. While I am the majority shareholder, I don’t hold any official position in the company, and frankly, being addressed formally makes me more uncomfortable.”

“Is that really alright?”

“Of course. Just because we’re speaking informally doesn’t change anyone’s position.”

Positions don’t change… meaning I still control your careers and I’m still your superior.

The three presidents’ expressions tightened.

“The reason I called you here urgently isn’t about other matters.”

I tossed the newspaper onto the table, and their stiff faces flushed crimson.

“You’ve all seen the article, haven’t you?”

“Yes. We were just discussing this…”

“One moment, please. May I speak first?”

President Yang Woo-chan closed his mouth and nodded.

“President Lee Min-seop.”

“Huh?”

His eyes widened in surprise.

“I enjoyed your press conference.”

“Oh, you saw it?”

“Yes. It was on the lunchtime news. But you completely denied the article. What was it you said? Ah, something about how the stock price shouldn’t fall because of a reporter’s fictional story, right?”

“Y-yes.”

“But what made you so sure it was fiction?”

“Well, obviously… there’s no reason to sell off a profitable Soonyang subsidiary, is there?”

“Selling a publicly traded company involves selling the shares held by the majority shareholders. The ownership changes hands. So, shouldn’t the first thing you have done after seeing this article been to ask me about it?”

……

He avoided my gaze, unable to answer. He knew perfectly well that no excuse would work.

The other two seemed to have read my intentions, subtly starting to look elsewhere.

“President Yang Woo-chan and President Ko In-kyu.”

Hearing their names, they could no longer avoid my stare.

“This is truly baffling. Why would you consult with people from other companies about an article concerning Soonyang Card? The two vice-chairmen you met with early this morning have absolutely no say in our company’s affairs.”

“W-well, that’s…”

“Ah, since the two vice-chairmen are my uncles, I suppose they can offer some friendly advice if I ask. But that’s about it, isn’t it?”

They all shut their mouths, only clearing their throats repeatedly. They had nothing to say, and their pride must have been wounded.

Now it’s time to play the immature card. I feel a bit sorry for the old guys, but what choice do I have?

They’re the ones who run to my uncles whenever there’s a problem; it’s their own fault.

“Is this your way of saying you don’t recognize me?”

“D-Do-jun, that’s not it…”

President Yang Woo-chan stammered, flustered.

“What more can I concede? I haven’t made any personnel changes out of consideration for your positions, and I’ve said I won’t interfere in management. So, you should at least acknowledge my position as the majority shareholder. Shouldn’t you?”

They all kept their heads down, their faces flushed. Is this too soft? Should I push harder?

“Frankly, if I really wanted to, I could make a few of your companies crumble with a snap of my fingers. At best, you’re managing insurance saleswomen and raking in interest by issuing credit cards left and right. What’s so impressive about that?”

The old men’s eyebrows twitched, their foreheads furrowing deeply.

“The reason I’m considering selling the credit card company is simply good investment strategy. Life insurance, fire insurance, and securities firms draw money in from customers, but with credit cards, we’re lending our money to customers. I can make dozens of times more by investing that money myself. Do you understand? Do you understand what kind of person I am?”

President Lee Min-seop seemed to be at his breaking point. Would one more word cause him to throw everything down and walk out?

“You presidents have dedicated your lives to the Soonyang Group, so it probably seems grand to you, but you’re frogs in a well. Look at America. The last ten years have been an unprecedented boom. The Dow Jones index has increased fivefold. Has Soonyang grown fivefold?”

Is that a stretch? Comparing a stock index to a company’s growth rate? But what does it matter? I’m playing the part of a cocky kid showing off anyway.

“The money you make selling cell phones and washing machines? You can make that much in a few days on Wall Street. The world is dominated by finance, but you’re still running around like crazy talking about production and exports… Frankly, it’s pathetic.”

Finally, Yang Woo-chan, unable to hold back any longer, grit his teeth and spoke.

“What are you trying to say? That we should just shut everything down and become an investment firm?”

“I’d like to, but since my grandfather left it to me, I have to hold onto it for a while. Ah, I plan to turn Soonyang Securities into an investment firm, so I’ll have to keep that one.”

As I put on the most arrogant expression I could muster, Lee Min-seop finally exploded.

“What does a little brat like you know! You little bastard. I was laying cement and building factories before you were even born! It’s because of those factories that a little punk like you is playing chairman!”

“If you want to cling to nostalgia and talk about how great things were back then, then retire and go back to your hometown. Time always moves forward. It doesn’t go in reverse.”

My immediate retort left Lee Min-seop trembling, speechless.

“I’ve said my piece. The credit card company will be sold off, and any other companies with low returns will be sold as well. The benchmark for returns will be my personal investment returns. I’m happy to disclose my returns at any time. If you don’t like my approach, you only have one choice. Move to my uncles’ companies, which you seem to prefer. After you hand in your resignations, of course.”

The part about handing in their resignations was sincere.

I wasn’t the one who appointed them to their positions, so they don’t accept me. When they look at me, they probably see a ten-year-old boy. How could they possibly stand behind me?

I need to appoint the CEOs myself. Only then will the memory of that triumphant moment in their careers be linked to me.

I need executives who have that kind of memory of me.

“I’ve said everything I needed to. You can leave now. I have a lot of work to do.”

Before I even finished speaking, they all scrambled up and left.

The anger they had suppressed was evident in the loud slam of the door—*bang*!

Now they’ll run to my uncles and exaggerate everything I said, hoping my uncles will judge me based on their stories.

* * *

Jin Dong-ki chuckled wryly as he looked at the sign in front of the Soonyang Hotel’s Japanese restaurant.

“Closed today due to internal repairs. We apologize for any inconvenience to our customers.”

It was almost certainly the work of Vice-chairman Jin Young-ki.

The eldest son is filled with a sense of entitlement, unable to bear being in the same space as ordinary people.

Born as the eldest son of Soonyang’s founder, he sees himself as chosen and can’t shake the compulsion for everything to be special.

Jin Dong-ki shook his head and opened the door.

“Welcome, Vice-chairman. Your seat is this way.”

“Hasn’t anyone else arrived yet?”

“No, sir.”

Seeing the employee who couldn’t meet his gaze, as if their tardiness was his fault, irritated him.

“Bring me a cold beer first. And move the table by the window.”

Jin Dong-ki settled into a seat by the window with the best view of the still-snowy garden.

The icy beer the employee brought soothed his nerves after a single sip.

The entrance became noisy, and Jin Young-ki strode in.

“Are you alone? Where’s Yoon-ki?”

“Not yet. He’ll be here, I guess. Sit down.”

“What’s that guy doing? Why isn’t he moving quicker!”

Jin Young-ki also frowned and raised his hand. An employee scurried over and bowed deeply.

“Bring me a beer and some food. I’ll wait while I eat.”

“Yes, Vice-chairman.”

Course after course of dishes arrived, but the two men didn’t touch the food, just sipping their beer in silence for a while.

Finally, Vice-chairman Jin Young-ki spoke.

“What’s Yoon-ki doing? It’s been thirty minutes.”

“Maybe he’s giving us some time.”

“Time for what?”

“Time to negotiate beforehand.”

Jin Young-ki slammed his beer glass down, a peculiar smile on his face. It looked like a sneer.

“Back off. You and I both know each other’s companies inside and out… You don’t have the funds to acquire the credit card company.”

“I have a little nest egg.”

“Don’t overextend yourself because of greed. The credit card company isn’t exactly a crucial subsidiary anyway.”

“Isn’t it the same for you? You have the immensely profitable Soonyang Electronics. What do you need a money-lending company for?”

“My reasons are different from yours. Don’t you think?”

The goal is to increase the number of Soonyang’s subsidiaries. The specifics might differ, but the main objective is just for show.

The number of key subsidiaries. The more you have, the higher your status is perceived to be.

After Father passed away, when outsiders look at Soonyang, the primary way they’ll assess which of the two brothers is superior is by size.

Revenue, operating profit, number of subsidiaries, and so on.

A company’s efforts to increase its size are no different from the two brothers’ efforts to expand their subsidiaries.

Vice-chairman Jin Young-ki had already assessed Soonyang Card’s corporate value. He also knew the shareholdings needed to control the company and had sufficient funds.

Unless his young nephew did something crazy, Soonyang Card would certainly be his.

As the two men glared at each other, the entrance became noisy again.

“Who told you to run the business like this?”

“That’s not the issue…”

“Regardless! Do you know how much the daily sales are here? Does that money just fall from the sky if we close for a day? What are you even thinking?”

“W-we apologize. But Vice-chairman Jin’s instructions were…”

“Vice-chairman? Vice-chairman Jin Seo-yoon?”

“Ah, no. Vice-chairman Jin Young-ki…”

“What?”

He was speaking so loudly; there was no way he couldn’t hear.

Vice-chairman Jin Young-ki’s face contorted in displeasure.

Besides, that voice didn’t belong to his brother, whom they were waiting for.

“Hyung-nim. Isn’t that… Do-jun?”

“Why are you asking? Just by his towering height, you can tell it’s him. But what’s going on here?”

“Yeah. Why is he here?”

As Jin Dong-ki took out his cell phone, a text message arrived with a *ding*.

“Settle it directly with him. Soonyang’s subsidiaries don’t belong to me; they belong to Do-jun. Don’t push him too hard and make him cry. Reason with him gently… Goodbye.”

Just as a dumbfounded Jin Dong-ki was about to call Jin Yun-ki, his nephew strode over to their table.

“I apologize for being late, Uncles. Father contacted me suddenly, so I rushed over as quickly as I could.”

The two men sighed briefly as they watched their nephew bow respectfully. The thought of negotiating with him to hand over or sell the company was incredibly awkward.