Chapter 117: The Art of the Gift

“How in the world does he come up with ideas like this? Sometimes, I just can’t believe this kid is really only eight years old.”

Chairman Cha rubbed his eyes and read it again.

Even though he knew nothing had changed, he couldn’t help but go over it once more.

“A method to win over the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency and the Army Security Commander to our side, huh. What could that be?”

Chairman Cha paced around his office, organizing his thoughts.

“No matter how much I rack my brain, I can’t figure it out. If this were a money-making venture, I would’ve already thought up dozens of strategies by now. Tsk.”

He furrowed his brows in frustration.

There’s skill in flattery, timing in bribery, and even cooking someone over requires its own tricks.

Chairman Cha might’ve been a born merchant, but he was never a born politician.

The evaluation from the Chief of Presidential Security wasn’t all that different, either.

-Don’t stubbornly cling only to your business. You should learn how to make requests the proper way.

-Instead of dumping all that money into technology development and facility investment, spread some around to grease the right palms up and down the ladder. You’re too uptight, that’s why Taesung can’t grow any bigger.

-If you act this stiff, what do you think it means that His Excellency hasn’t cast aside Taesung yet? He’s turning a blind eye out of goodwill.

-Being good at business isn’t everything. Do as you did today. Then His Excellency will view you more favorably.

A sigh escaped Chairman Cha’s lips.

“It’s true, when it comes to this sort of thing, Junghyuk’s sharper than I am.”

He quietly set down the crumpled note.

“Secretary Kim, do you think I’m blocking Junghyuk’s management out of spite?”

“Of course not. But I can also understand Young Master Junghyuk’s position.”

“Of course you do. How could I not understand how he feels? To him, it must’ve sounded like giving him a toy and telling him not to play with it.”

Chairman Cha let out a small sigh.

“It was a decision I made for Junghyuk’s sake, for Taesung’s sake.”

“With the acquisition of this affiliate, shares and influence will change significantly. It’s inevitable that the battle for Taesung’s management rights will intensify.”

“I know. Unlike Ukwang, we don’t have just one son, and we don’t treat daughters as outsiders just because they marry out.”

This was what worried Chairman Cha most.

“No matter how fierce the fight gets, I can’t put my eight-year-old grandson at the very front lines, where he’s sure to be the first to take the arrows.”

In any war, it’s the weakest part that collapses first.

“I have to buy time until Sungjoon matures a bit more, and until Junghyuk grows up, too.”

“Do you really think Young Master doesn’t know that and just demanded management rights?”

Secretary Kim gently pointed to the employment contract.

“President Shim and the Taesung Construction executives are holding firm by Young Master Junghyuk’s side. Why not trust them and leave it to them?”

“Hmm.”

“If you transfer all the shares of the acquired affiliates as promised, Young Master Junghyuk can call a general meeting and replace the management. Do you think he doesn’t know that?”

Secretary Kim was unusually resolute.

“The reason he sent a note like this despite that must mean he doesn’t want to be at odds with you, Chairman.”

“I know. Why wouldn’t I know? That’s why my mind is so unsettled.”

Chairman Cha took a deep breath.

“Ukwang Refinery.”

“Isn’t that the affiliate the eldest young master’s been eyeing?”

“If not for the trick Junghyuk taught me, I never would’ve even gotten a hint from the Chief of Presidential Security about transferring an Ukwang affiliate to Taesung! Junghyuk made that possible—why should I just hand it over to Daejoon?”

If you think about it, the only reason the Chief of Presidential Security was so eager from the beginning was all thanks to the advice of this eight-year-old grandson.

Chairman Cha stopped pacing and slumped into his chair.

“He’s after Yugoil, so if I bring him Ukwang Refinery, Junghyuk will be happy. That’s as far as I’ll go as his grandfather.”

He drew a clear line.

“I won’t stop a more capable one from rising up and seizing opportunity. But I won’t stand by and watch my young child get bloodied in the adults’ fight!”

“Chairman, before you begin anything, why not have a talk with Young Master Junghyuk first?”

“You want me to sit my grandson down and plead with him to understand my position?”

“Chairman.”

“This is work time! I’ll finish company business first. Later!”

Chairman Cha opened the mountain of documents stacked on his desk.

Proposals for acquiring Ukwang affiliates, written by executives from every department, filled the desk.

“Just reviewing the proposals for Ukwang’s affiliate acquisitions will take forever! Even twelve bodies wouldn’t be enough!”

“That’s why I was wondering if you’d like to take a look at this.”

Secretary Kim placed a thick stack of documents, which he’d been carrying at his side, onto the desk.

On the covers, documents were numbered from 1 to 41.

“These were prepared when Young Master Junghyuk sat in on the last full Taesung Group affiliate executive meeting.”

“Heh…”

“It looks like he reviewed Ukwang affiliates and prioritized them for merger and acquisition.”

“What?”

“As you’ll see, he’s classified them into short- and long-term investment targets, and briefly explained the reasons, too.”

“...Unbelievable.”

No wonder he seemed so eager at the executive meeting.

Chairman Cha couldn’t help but let out a wry chuckle.

“That kid keeps surprising me in all sorts of ways.”

“I suggest you focus on the parts marked with stars for review.”

***

“Honestly, this is something else. So thorough, ha ha ha!”

Chairman Cha’s eyes sparkled as he read his eight-year-old grandson’s notes.

A few parts, in particular, stood out.

“He’s rather harsh in his evaluation of Ukwang Motor, Ukwang Heavy Equipment, and Ukwang Refinery. But, well, his reasoning is solid.”

He tried to force down the corners of his mouth, which kept twitching up.

“Even as a child, he’s got a real head for business.”

“That’s why I’m suggesting it. Since you’re going to hand over these affiliates to Young Master Junghyuk anyway, it seems best to first ask what kind of vision he has in mind.”

Junghyuk had drawn three big X marks on the Ukwang Refinery file.

“Hmm, I guess Junghyuk and I are divided on this one. President Shim and I are very positive about acquiring Ukwang Refinery, so why did he strike it out like this?”

Chairman Cha flipped through the approval documents and found the .

“If you want to start a refinery from scratch, even pouring in a ton of money might not be enough. If you can get one cheap, you absolutely should.”

“In that regard, Young Master Junghyuk left a note.”

Secretary Kim handed him a slip marked ‘2’ on the cover.



“Well, the refinery would have to bear them.”

Chairman Cha muttered without realizing.

“Chairman, for that same reason, refineries couldn’t handle the financial strain and wobbled badly during the last oil shock.”

“Hmm.”

He continued reading.



“Samhwang Refinery. Their scale is small, so they always lose to Ukwang in competition.”



“...!”

It felt like lightning struck in Chairman Cha’s mind.

It was different from racking his brain over how to win over the Director of Central Intelligence and the Army Security Commander.

His mental abacus started clicking, and he instantly came up with dozens of strategies.

He slapped his knee.

“Even if there wasn’t an oil shock, there was bound to be a bloody battle between Samhwang and Ukwang over the refinery!”

For a refinery, the basic requirement is a certain asset size.

Taesung wasn’t the only one whose eyes would turn red at such a rare opportunity.

“I know full well that Samhwang Refinery has close ties with the Director of Central Intelligence and the Army Security Commander. That’s why I’ve been worried Taesung would get dragged into a mud fight!”

Chairman Cha grabbed the crumpled note marked ‘1’ and laughed loudly.

“If, by chance, Taesung can win over both the Director of Central Intelligence and the Army Security Commander, things would get much easier... Wait! Even so, are we still tossing away Ukwang Refinery? Why? For what? For whom?”

Without a word, Secretary Kim slid over a note marked ‘3’.

Chairman Cha snatched it up like an eagle grabbing its prey.



“Then what is it?”

He quickly flipped the note to check the back.



Still harping on management rights, even at the end!

Honestly, he’s incorrigible!

“That’s right, if there’s something you want, you’ve got to push this hard to call yourself a Taesung! Hahahaha!”

A wide grin stretched across Chairman Cha’s face.

“I can’t stand it! I just can’t take it anymore!”

He jumped up and hurriedly grabbed his coat from the rack.

“Secretary Kim, what was my schedule this morning?”

“Chairman, you have Taesung Electronics’ new product launch and Taesung Heavy Industries’ mid-year investment briefing scheduled for this morning.”

“You think I’m going to delay my time with Junghyuk just to hear some boring reports? Cancel everything!”

“Yes, sir.”

“The most important thing for Taesung’s future comes first! What could be more important than this? Secretary Kim, what are you doing? Let’s go!”

Secretary Kim answered with a yes and started gathering up the scattered documents.

Meanwhile, the impatient Chairman Cha strode out of the office.

Secretary Kim did not rush at all.

Tap tap tap.

With calm, graceful movements, he neatly stacked the documents that Chairman Cha had left in disarray.

He straightened out the creases on the tissue box, put back the chair that had rolled to the window, and gathered both the documents Chairman Cha had thrown and Junghyuk’s notes into his briefcase.

Crash bang!

“Secretary Kim!”

Chairman Cha, who had run out, came panting back in.

“The notes from Junghyuk! The executive meeting materials that listed the acquisition priorities!”

“Yes, right here. As you can see.”

Secretary Kim lifted his briefcase lightly.

“Let’s go! I’ve already told Chief Go to start the car and wait downstairs!”

“Yes, let’s go.”

Chairman Cha hurried out again.

Secretary Kim followed briskly behind.

Without a single hair out of place or a wrinkle in his suit, Secretary Kim signaled with his hand.

Immediately, an assistant secretary from the secretariat came running with a notepad.

“Reschedule Taesung Electronics’ new product launch for the same time tomorrow morning.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Move Taesung Heavy Industries’ investment briefing to 2 p.m. the day after tomorrow.”

“Understood.”

“Cancel my lunch appointment, too. I think the chairman will be eating in Hannam-dong today.”

“I’ll call with apologies and send flowers.”

“You’ll have to handle preparations for the afternoon meeting.”

“Yes, I’ll set it up in advance.”

Meanwhile, Chairman Cha was at the elevator, frantically pressing the down button six times per second.

Tap tap tap tap tap!

He couldn’t wait for the elevator, which was on its way up from the second basement to the thirty-second floor where his office was.

Ding!

The moment the elevator doors opened, Secretary Kim arrived at the elevator.

Tap tap tap tap tap!

As soon as Chairman Cha got in, he jabbed the B2 and close buttons six times a second.

During that time, Secretary Kim pulled a lint roller from his inner pocket and cleaned Chairman Cha’s suit.

Then, he took out a folding comb and quickly straightened the chairman’s hair, which had gotten disheveled in his rush.

Ding!

The moment the elevator reached the B2 parking lot, Secretary Kim slipped the comb back into his suit pocket.

The elevator doors slid open, and Chairman Cha shot out like a bullet, shouting loudly.

“Chief Go, start the car!”

He wasn’t even in the car yet.

As Chairman Cha looked around for the parked car, Secretary Kim was already waiting by the open rear door.

“Chairman, this way.”

“Chief Go, to Hannam-dong! Let’s go!”

Again, he wasn’t even in the car yet.

***

Gulp gulp gulp gulp!

Early in the morning, Grandpa barged into our house and downed his honey water in one shot without even pausing for breath.

“Take it! The management rights!”

Grandpa slammed down the pre-written agreement on my desk.

Of course, it glimmered with a dazzling golden light.

“What about persuading the family and Taesung Group executives?”

“Leave it to me. Do you really think your grandfather can’t handle that much?”

He was saying he’d made up his mind.

“But, for your own safety, I won’t let you be the face of this. Exercise your management rights through your investment company.”

“Thank you, Grandpa.”

“And don’t use this as an excuse to pick a fight with your uncle or aunt first. You can promise me that, right?”

Grandpa slapped a note marked ‘1’ down on my desk.

“So, what exactly do you want me to do?”

Life is always give and take!

If you get something, you’ve got to give something in return.

I also handed over the documents I’d prepared.

“Isn’t this Ukwang Construction’s bribe ledger?”

One copy was mixed with gold and red, the other with gold and black.

“Didn’t we agree not to hand over or keep the ones for the Director of Central Intelligence and the Army Security Commander?”

“No.”

I wagged my finger side to side.

“We only decided not to hand over the knife for purging to the Chief of Presidential Security and the Chief Secretary. These are more like gifts for the individuals themselves.”

“Gifts? Not bribes?”

There’s a clear difference between a gift and a bribe.