Chapter 35: That’s Enough. He’s Fine. Everyone Out.

“That’s enough. He’s fine. Everyone out.”

The secretaries released President Jo Dae-ho’s arms and bowed their heads.

“Oh, and get some coffee ready.”

Chairman Song said to the closing door.

Chairman Song sat the lingering President Jo Dae-ho on the sofa, offering an awkward smile.

“Sorry about that, I’ve been a bit out of it lately.”

“Not at all, Chairman. I read the news. It was my fault for barging in.”

“When was the last time we saw each other?”

“Two years ago, at the Automobile Association’s dinner meeting.”

“Ah, right. When we were getting squeezed for association donations.”

The stiffness in their faces eased.

“How have you been? I heard about you leaving your position at the automobile company.”

“I’m keeping busy with odd jobs at a packaging factory.”

“A packaging factory?”

He’d heard rumors of being sidelined, but he never imagined it would be this much of a demotion.

Chairman Song frowned.

“Chairman Jin is going too far. Considering your position within the group… that’s harsh.”

Climbing to the position of president at Soonyang Automobile meant dedicating one’s entire life to Soonyang. To be ousted to some backwater factory he probably didn’t even know existed, all because Chairman Jin’s pride was hurt, was too much.

Chairman Song witnessed Chairman Jin’s ruthless nature once again.

“So, what brings you here so suddenly? It’s probably because of this, right?”

Chairman Song shook the newspaper, and President Jo Dae-ho nodded.

“Is Chairman Jin behind this?”

“Probably.”

“Why? To swallow Ajin Automobile?”

“Maybe.”

The media, Yeouido, the Blue House—everyone was likely turning their backs on him. Chairman Jin’s influence was more than enough to make it happen.

“Why the sudden ambition?”

“Fighting to win is not only difficult but also time-consuming. He’s simply chosen the path to victory without a fight. Just like he’s always done.”

Chairman Song stared intently at President Jo Dae-ho before asking,

“What’s your reason for coming? A banished subject wouldn’t come bearing imperial decrees… Is this a defection?”

“The reason a salaried employee shows up unannounced on a day like this is obvious, isn’t it? Today seemed like the most opportune time to ask for a job.”

“We don’t have plans to hire experienced executives… What to do about this?”

Chairman Song fanned himself with the newspaper.

“You even pull out private loans when you’re in a tight spot, surely hiring someone isn’t a big deal when it’s not in the plans?”

“You’ve gotten quite bold, President Jo. Haha.”

“When you’re starving, you lose face and pride. It’s embarrassing, but true.”

“Experienced hires usually have something valuable to offer. What could President Jo possibly have?”

“I laid the cement for the Soonyang Automobile factory. I also personally signed the technical alliance agreement for the assembly line.”

“If that’s all, I’m disappointed. We have plenty of engineers ourselves.”

“Under Chairman Jin’s orders, I’ve gotten my hands dirty with soil, blood, and even shit. If I throw all that cleanly back at Chairman Jin… the Soonyang Group will be too busy showering to think straight for a year.”

“Looks like President Jo is planning to wash away even the glue fumes from the packaging factory with this opportunity.”

President Jo Dae-ho rubbed his hands together, a subtle smile on his face.

“Are you satisfied with my resume now?”

“Your resume is good, but I’m not sure if there’s a position here that would satisfy President Jo.”

“The president of Ajin Automobile is your right-hand man… a vice president position would be more than enough for me. I’d be happy with the salary of the Soonyang Automobile president.”

Chairman Song stood up from the sofa, and President Jo Dae-ho immediately followed suit.

“Is President Jo going back home?”

“I will pay my respects to my ancestors.”

“Then come back after visiting your hometown. We’ll talk more then. Take it easy.”

Jo Dae-ho bowed and left the chairman’s office with a smile.

Alone, Chairman Song Hyun-chang let out a long sigh and sank into his chair.

He lit a cigarette, something he hadn’t done in a while. He had a lot to think about.

“I never liked that bastard… Still can’t bring myself to.”

Muttering to himself, Chairman Song called all the automobile executives through his secretary.

The executives who rushed in, initially erupted in anger at Chairman Song’s explanation, but after calming down, their opinions diverged.

“Soonyang will push through with their financial power. We need to start buying up shares to defend our management rights.”

“Where will we get the funds to buy shares?”

“We’ll look into getting the maximum loan possible using our existing shares as collateral.”

“Exactly. We’ll get bank loans and some quick cash, and use that money to shake up the stock market. If the stock price goes up, Soonyang will hesitate.”

Opinions were divided, but there was no decisive solution. Even after a costly fight, they couldn’t be sure of the outcome.

Chairman Song presented the executives with an even more difficult problem.

“Look at the news now. Today is just the beginning. They’ll try to shake me up next, questioning my ethics. It’s obvious where that leads—a prosecutor’s summons.”

No one is perfectly clean. A conglomerate chairman in a professional management system would have lived with plenty of dirt on his hands.

A single prosecutor’s breath could be enough to bring an indictment.

“Why is everyone so quiet? The company needs to be protected, or are you all okay with me being arrested?”

“Of course not. No, Chairman!”

All the executives waved their hands frantically. Seeing their reaction, Chairman Song chuckled and dropped another piece of information.

“Your sincerity is appreciated. That’s enough. Actually, the reason I called you all here is different. Jo Dae-ho came by. Remember him? The former president of Soonyang Automobile?”

“Why did Jo Dae-ho come?”

“He asked for a position. Said he’d be thankful for a vice president role at Ajin Automobile.”

Vice president. It was a double-edged sword. Either a strong candidate for the next president, or a mere figurehead occupying a position.

But the vice president position Jo Dae-ho was talking about was one where he’d simply collect a salary.

The executives welcomed the idea with open arms.

“This is great news. Jo Dae-ho was Soonyang’s loyal dog and a close aide to Chairman Jin. He knows all of Soonyang’s dirty secrets. If Soonyang knows Jo Dae-ho has joined Ajin, they won’t act carelessly.”

“If they start throwing dirt, Soonyang has ten times more dirt than we do, so they’ll back off.”

With a way to stop the opponent’s attack, everyone seemed relieved. If the enemy’s attack stopped, they could release funds and expedite the work of solidifying their management control.

“Didn’t you just call Jo Dae-ho Soonyang’s loyal dog? A dog doesn’t change its owner. Why do you think Jo Dae-ho is on our side?”

At Chairman Song’s words, all the executives fell silent again.

It was the Trojans who dragged the wooden horse left behind by the Greeks into their city.

* * *

“Our Do-jun, why so quiet?”

“Ah, it’s nothing.”

His quick-witted grandfather had already noticed my unease.

“Are you hitting puberty already?”

“Huh?”

“Are you starting to hide things from your old grandpa? I’m hurt, haha.”

They say when you get old, you get upset over trivial things. Although he was smiling, a shadow of sadness flickered across his face.

Now that things have come to this, I might as well ask.

“The newspaper today… it’s quite noisy….”

“Ajin Automobile?”

“Yes.”

“Why? Is something strange?”

“Well… you always used to get angry and demand to find out who was behind it whenever news about our Soonyang Group appeared in the papers.”

“That’s right. You remember.”

“Yes.”

Chairman Jin took my hand and sat me beside him, beginning to impart his wisdom.

“Do-jun, how do newspapers make money?”

“Isn’t it from advertisements?”

My grandfather snapped his fingers.

“Yes, that’s what everyone thinks. But newspapers make money by selling letters.”

“Letters? Articles?”

“That’s right. Do you know how many letters are on one page of a newspaper?”

“No.”

“Usually around five thousand. Each and every one of those letters is exchanged for money.”

Damn it, I asked one question and now I’m about to listen to a long explanation of things I already know. But I have to pretend to be learning something new and have a sparkle in my eyes.

“I see.”

“On the surface, there are articles that seem completely unrelated to money, like an article about traffic congestion in Seoul. But that provides justification for expanding roads in the relevant area. Who do you think makes money from that article?”

“Construction companies that build roads?”

“That’s right. You know your stuff. Haha.”

My grandfather seemed pleased with my quick wit and patted my head. He then spent a good while explaining how to truly read the meaning behind articles, using various examples.

When will he answer my question?

“Then who is the Ajin Automobile article for?”

“A competitor who wants Ajin Automobile to be greatly shaken, wouldn’t you say?”

“Daehyun Automobile… or you, Grandfather?”

Chairman Jin’s hand patted my head again.

From that touch, I was sure that the article attacking Ajin Automobile was my grandfather’s doing.

Damn it.

To think my grandfather would target the company I’d already set my sights on.

My mind is complicated.

Is there a way to have it fall into my hands again after it goes to my grandfather? If that’s possible, it’d be like getting something for nothing…

Wait!

Could this current situation also be something that happened in my past life that I don’t know about?

Ajin was definitely swallowed up by Daehyun Automobile.

If so, then it’s obvious that whatever my grandfather is doing now will fail.

When I don’t know how things will unfold, I need to find a way to make things go in the direction I know as soon as possible.

* * *

With so much money, even honoring ancestors is done with money.

The holiday blues that Korean daughters-in-law complain about are hard to find in this family.

Three or four chefs and about a dozen assistant cooks occupied the kitchen, preparing all the food for the ancestral rites table.

While the ancestral rites table was being prepared, the family chatted and then bowed a few times, and the rites were over.

Breakfast was divided between two large dining tables. The chairman, his children, daughters-in-law, and sons-in-law at one table, and the grandchildren occupied the other.

I sat closest to the adults’ table, straining my ears.

“Oh, Yoon-ki. I heard the movie you made premiered yesterday? How’s it doing? What are the opening numbers?”

Everyone was curious, but the second son cautiously asked, mindful of Chairman Jin’s mood.

“Ah, Dong-ki hyung. It’s not bad. One theater is full, and the other… about half full.”

“Wow! That’s amazing, our little brother. Is it a success for your first film?”

“It’s only the first day. You never know until it’s out of theaters.”

My father made a whimpering sound, but his expression was different. He couldn’t hide his smile, so it seemed he wouldn’t be losing money at least.

Funnily enough, Chairman Jin didn’t seem displeased either, just eating his meal without saying much.

It was then that a comment that ruined the good atmosphere was heard.

“Sister-in-law, could you get me some more soup?”

Jin Dong-ki’s wife handed her soup bowl to my mother.

That bitch is habitually trying to boss my mother around. Ever since Chairman Jin showed affection for me, everyone has been cautious, but she’s still acting up.

I suspect it’s because of her complex. She’s the only daughter of a wealthy landowner in Gangnam, but her face is a mess. She’s consumed by inferiority and jealousy, going at it like there’s no tomorrow.

My father’s face twitched. Looks like he’s about to act like a husband. Indeed, a man needs to be out working to have the strength to protect his family.

But someone unexpected spoke before my father could.

“Second daughter-in-law, could you get me some more soup?”

“Yes?”

“Is the young one deaf? I said bring me some soup!”

At Chairman Jin’s booming voice, the second daughter-in-law turned pale and jumped up. My grandfather was already holding out his soup bowl.

The second daughter-in-law rushed to the kitchen to get the soup, but her hands were shaking so much that she spilled some.

After my grandfather received the soup and continued eating, the entire house was silent, chillingly so. Only the sound of my grandfather’s spoon could be heard.

It was a moment that settled everything with a single act.

It was also the moment he properly acknowledged my father as his son and my mother as his daughter-in-law.

I was thankful to the point of tears, but I have to stab my grandfather in the back.

I’m a little, no, incredibly sorry, but no one can touch what I’ve already claimed.

Sorry, Grandfather.