Chapter 103: The Price of Merit

“It was after the Wookwang Construction bribery ledger was uploaded to the Blue House.”

I added slyly.

“The anger at the Blue House was barely quelled when Chairman Kim of Wookwang donated his personal assets, resigned from his position as CEO, and even held a press conference to apologize to the public.”

My grandfather and I watched that press conference together.

Right here, in the Taesung Group Chairman’s office.

I tapped the statement of former Taesung Construction CEO Cha Yun-seong with my fingertips.

“What would happen if I pushed this to Chairman Kim of Woo Kwang?”

“No way. Yoon Seong is your great-uncle. If he gets involved in the bribery of Woo Kwang Construction, he’ll be in trouble.”

Grandfather shook his head.

“How many of the Woo Kwang presidents have been taken to the central government right now? They are being tortured and even jailed. What are you going to do if you keep biting Yoon Seong?”

“Then, should we just hang on to Chairman Kim’s son?”

My grandfather looked at me with surprised eyes.

“Since Chairman Kim has stepped down from his position as a sign of self-reflection, his son, who is said to have been borrowing money abroad, has no choice but to return to Korea and take over as CEO.”

Chairman Kim has only one son.

In order to prevent Wookwang Steel’s deficit, he was traveling abroad to borrow money.

“I don’t have a father to protect me, my affiliates are on the verge of bankruptcy, and even public opinion and the Blue House have turned their backs on me. I’m in a helpless situation.”

I think you understand what I mean.

Grandfather’s mouth began to open wider and wider.

“If this gets to the Blue House, the Blue House’s anger will be directed at Chairman Kim’s son, who has no shield. If Chairman Kim’s son also falls, Woo Kwang will have no answer.”

That must be the situation that Chairman Kim feared the most.

“If you were Chairman Kim, who would you choose between your grandfather who was kicked out of Taesung and his son who will have to shoulder the burden of Woo-kwang in the future?”

“Huh······! From the beginning, there was only one answer that Woo-kwang could choose. It’s the only way.”

Grandfather nodded.

“I can’t stand to see my only son fall into the abyss.”

“So, in exchange for burning this statement, you can get one of Woo Kwang’s affiliates.”

“Burn the statement?”

“Then you’re going to put it in Chairman Kim’s hands? If you really want to be threatened by your grandfather, then go ahead and do it.”

“On the condition that you burn the statement. Okay.”

I smiled brightly.

“It’s the 2 billion won that my father earned with great difficulty from Taesung Construction in the Middle East.”

Now, here’s the main point.

“If that money is returned to the Wookwang affiliates after being used for puppies, whose share would be best for those affiliates?”

Of course we should take care of that for our father!

“······?”

“······!”

Not only Grandfather, but even President Shim and Secretary Kim looked at me with their mouths wide open.

I shrugged.

“If you get caught robbing someone else’s house, shouldn’t you pay it back with interest?”

So we have to pay back our father!

“Apart from our father, are there any other children who have contributed to the Wookwang Construction bribery ledger?”

You said you would reward those who have achieved great things.

“If you’re going to feed my baby, please feed him with Dad’s bowl.”

“Hahahaha!”

Grandpa burst into laughter.

Secretary Kim nodded.

“Chairman, what you said is correct. Please take care of that for Young Master Seongjun.”

“So you’re saying that since the money came from Taesung Construction’s safe and was bribes given by Seongjun with the money he earned in the Middle East, the harvest should also be his?”

My grandfather’s gaze towards me became more subtle.

“Now that I think about it, you came to me to claim your parents’ share.”

I think I’ve taken care of my parents’ share.

Then, from now on, should I take care of my share too?

“Okay, so now I think we’re done with all the business. Grandpa really needs to go to the executive meeting······.”

“Not yet. I still have my share.”

“What? Your share?”

I took a neatly folded piece of paper out of my coin purse.

“I’m talking about the affiliate executive meeting that will be held in this conference room.”

It was a meeting of executives of Taesung’s former affiliates, to which even the resigned CEO Sim was called.

“This is a meeting to specifically plan and discuss the acquisition of Wookwang’s affiliates, right?”

“okay.”

“Please take care of my share of the Wookwang affiliates that Taesung will take over.”

“what?”

“This was the price we paid in exchange for three pages of the Woo Kwang Construction bribery ledger. Do you remember?”

I took out my grandfather’s handwritten note from my coin purse.

“Instead of the Taesung Construction shares, you said you would give me 100% of the shares when you take over the failed company?”

President Shim turned his head quickly and looked at his grandfather.

“Mr. Chairman, did you write such a memorandum?”

“Ahem, that’s good! Since I made a promise, I have to keep it.”

Grandfather readily admitted it.

“Just pick one. A small affiliate with around 100 million won in sales.”

That’s not right.

Do you think I came all the way here to negotiate just to get something for nothing?

Grandpa struck first.

“Thanks to the contract, Taesung Chemical and Wookwang Securities are now available for sale? Well, let’s say we can hand them over since it doesn’t cost us a single penny.”

This is our mother’s share.

“The Woo-kwang affiliate that Yoon-seong got to eat raw in exchange for burning the statement? Yeah, let’s say he can hand it over since it doesn’t cost any more money.”

That’s our father’s job.

“But from now on, the subsidiaries of Wookwang that we have to acquire are the ones that we have to buy with money even if they are sold at a dirt-cheap price.”

So I prepared!

I opened my coin purse and took out another neatly folded piece of paper.

“Grandpa, you say you reward people according to their merits? Then I will claim 15 billion won worth of merits.”

“What? 15 billion?”

“Who do you think invited the four big shots of the underground financial world to the New Year’s Eve party and made them support Taesung Construction?”

I handed the paper to my grandfather.

“It was I who got the invitation, it was me who invited them, and it was me who got them to sponsor.”

He met a big shot in the underground financial world and sold subway station information in exchange for donations.

What I received in that way was this sponsorship contract.

“Myeongdong Songgolmae is 5 billion won, Maljukgeori Maldaegari is 5 billion won, Jongno Geumteotji is 3 billion won, and Magpie Mountain Bang Ms. is 2 billion won!”

I tapped the donation amount with my fingertips.

“I won’t charge you for hiring these guys as errand boys. This is a favor to me.”

Is that all?

“I did not include the donations from politicians who were swayed by their instigation and supported Taesung Construction. This is my service.”

I heard that the additional donation received was around 3 or 5 billion won.

“I didn’t include the cost of drawing the subway map or the cost of the oil crisis information. That was my dad’s share.”


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Secretary Kim, who had been listening quietly, added in a subtle way.

“Mr. Chairman, thanks to the subway route map drawn by Master Jeong-hyeok, the construction of Subway Line 2 was awarded, and if you include the road expansion and commercial construction of Gangnam Express Bus Terminal, it will easily exceed 200 billion won.”

“Phew!”

President Shim spit out his coffee while drinking it.

“Cough, thud, thud! Did Master Jeong-hyeok draw a subway map too? Cough! No, does that make sense?”

Mr. Shim took out a handkerchief while groaning.

Whatever.

Secretary Kim continued speaking calmly.

“Thanks to the note that Master Jeong-hyeok sent me in advance, I was even able to receive a separate invitation to the New Year’s luncheon at the Blue House.”

“Keuhuk! Kukuk!”

President Shim took a deep breath and then made another strange noise.

“Who do you think I should thank for receiving an invitation to the New Year’s luncheon at the Blue House?”

“An invitation to the Blue House New Year’s luncheon is an honor that cannot be bought with money, and it is an opportunity to gain special privileges. Isn’t it an arena where everyone is desperate to win major projects promoted by the government?”

Secretary Kim spoke bluntly.

“The chairman has also acknowledged how great the contribution of Master Jeong-hyeok is. I am the one who delivered the letter of thanks written by the chairman himself.”

“A letter of thanks from the chairman?”

President Shim screamed as if he had heard something that should not have been heard.

Whatever.

I raised my hand.

“Do you happen to lack the money to acquire the Wookwang affiliate? If so, I’ll lend a helping hand. Mr. Shim.”

“Yes? Yes!”

“It’s a piece of land purchased near Subway Line 2 Station under the name of an investment company. How much is it worth now?”

Grandfather opened his eyes wide in surprise.

“Investment company?”

“This is a company that was created separately by Master Jeonghyeok.”

Secretary Kim added a brief explanation.

Grandfather became even more excited.

“Jeong-hyeok is only eight years old! It’s ridiculous to establish an investment company, let alone run it!”

“Excuse me, Chairman, I am in charge of running that. As the president of the company.”

“President Shim, is that you?”

“It was for Taesung. Ahem, you know.”

Grandfather looked back and forth between President Shim and Secretary Kim.

“Did you both know? That Jeong-hyeok founded an investment company?”

“I helped set up an investment company.”

“Secretary Kim, you?”

Now was not the time to be arguing over something like that.

“Mr. Shim, I’m thinking of taking out a loan using that land as collateral. How much cash can I raise?”

“Well, I guess I should first ask how many of the 100,000 pyeong you plan to use as collateral.”

“That’s enough!”

Grandfather waved his hand.

“There is no need to empty the pockets of your eight-year-old grandson because you don’t have the money to acquire the Wookwang affiliate! Our Taesung is not a poor company to that extent.”

Suddenly, Grandpa started laughing out loud.

“Are you saying that an eight-year-old founded an investment company? And you stole President Shim, who none of my children could recruit, and put him in the position of the president?”

The empty laughter soon turned into hearty laughter.

“How did the guy who went to a pawn shop to borrow money when he bought a house in Hannam-dong end up buying a hundred thousand pyeong of land near a subway station?”

Grandpa banged the table with both hands.

“Yes, this is how my grandson should be! If he is of Taeseong Cha’s blood, he should be like this by the age of eight!”

“Mr. Chairman?”

President Shim looked at the grandfather as if he were looking at a crazy person.

On the other hand, Secretary Kim smiled proudly, the corners of her eyes curling.

“You are right.”

“No, is this something that even Secretary Kim would agree to?”

President Shim turned his head quickly and looked at Secretary Kim.

“No, am I the only one who finds this situation absurd and shocking? Is it really just me?”

President Shim muttered softly.

“Anyway, I feel like I’m possessed by a ghost whenever I’m with Master Jeonghyeok. Will this really end with “He’s my child?”

“Hahaha, yeah, a promise is a promise!”

My grandfather laughed out loud as he looked at the papers spread out on the table in the living room.

“If you have done something good, you have the right to demand a proper reward. Secretary Kim!”

“Yes, sir.”

“Out of the Wookwang affiliates that Taesung will acquire in the future, the stocks worth 15 billion won in affiliates will belong to Jeonghyeok!”

“yes.”

“In recognition of Jeong-hyeok’s contributions to chemical mergers and acquisitions, Taesung Chemical and Wookwang Securities will also be recognized as Jeong-hyeok’s!”

“yes.”

uh?

“Grandpa, chemistry is······.”

“If you want to send it as part of your mother’s dowry, do it yourself. I have no control over what you do with yours. So either give your share to your mother yourself or not.”

Grandpa said bluntly.

“I also acknowledge that Jeong-hyeok brought the bribe ledger from Wookwang Construction, and I also acknowledge that Jeong-hyeok’s share in this matter is also his.”

Huh? This is our father’s share?

“All of the Woo Kwang affiliates promised by the Blue House and the Woo Kwang affiliates that we receive in exchange for burning the statements! Either you personally donate the shares to your father or not!”

Before I could open my mouth, my grandfather was faster.

“None of my children have contributed to this! The one who has done the work gets the reward! Let’s keep it simple!”

“you’re right.”

Secretary Kim smiled broadly and agreed.

Only President Shim was out of breath.

“No, Mr. Chairman! How many affiliates do you have······! And you’re even skipping your own children to give it to your eight-year-old grandson······!”

Finally, President Shim became serious.

“Are you serious, Chairman? Did I hear you correctly just now?”

“Your hearing is fine! I don’t have dementia yet either!”

I clapped my hands.

“Okay, so there’s only one task left to solve today.”

“assignment?”

“This is something that needs to be resolved at the executive meeting of Taesung’s former affiliates.”

“In that case, let’s discuss which affiliate of Wookwang we should acquire······.”

“No.”

I waved my index finger from side to side.

“You said it was an affiliate that I was going to acquire? Then why should I choose it instead of the executives?”

“Then what are the remaining tasks······?”

“Grandfather’s task is to persuade all of Taesung’s affiliated company presidents and executives to accept this result.”

“······!”

He pointed at me with his index finger, which he had been shaking from side to side.

“I’m an eight-year-old kid. How many subsidiaries will fall to me this time?”

“······!”

The old man, who had been roughly counting numbers, opened his mouth wide.

President Shim’s jaw dropped, and even Secretary Kim dropped the documents she was holding.

“What should I do? Should I attend the affiliate company’s executive meeting starting today?”