Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: The Hanam Guy Wants to Become a Daughtercon
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Yu Kyung-su's face twisted in rage.
Before his eyes stood his precious granddaughter, utterly dejected, her hands held high in the air. It might not be an illusion that his son and daughter-in-law, who had gone to the heavens today of all days, came to mind.
"So-geum."
"Yes, Grandfather."
He stared at the innocent ceiling and let out a deep sigh.
"Do you really think this old man would ask you to do something he deemed impossible?"
"…"
"Tsk tsk, everything was for your own good."
"Grandfather…"
The gift his son had left behind as his final legacy.
It wasn't a company or money—it was a single life.
The thrill and sense of responsibility when he first held his granddaughter, and all those moments flashed by like a panorama. Son or daughter, what did it matter?
The joy of becoming a grandfather made him feel like he owned the world.
When Yu So-geum was in middle school and beat up kids indiscriminately, she was still just lovable. What about high school? Even when her homeroom teacher suspected her of smoking, he tried to understand.
He himself secretly smoked when stressed, after all.
Knowing her generation was different from his, he raised his granddaughter with utmost care and affection.
He even understood when she did drugs.
And when the sex scandals broke, he understood those too.
Perhaps both could be chalked up to human instincts.
However.
He never dreamed she would so callously reject her grandfather's one and only request—the first and the last. The words about making her like his daughter-in-law weren't literally about dieting from 90kg to 40kg.
He just wanted to test his granddaughter's resolve.
Even if it was just losing 1kg.
"So-geum, do you think I really meant to turn you into your mother? To be honest, old man here never expected it from the start."
This was no small matter.
If she couldn't even read such simple intentions, there was no choice but to appoint a professional manager to succeed Future Distribution in the future.
For the first time, Yu Kyung-su, whose pride ran to his bones as a chaebol heir, looked at his granddaughter with displeased eyes. Look at her, eyes darting around—not a sign of remorse, just scheming how to wriggle out of this situation.
"Elder."
Moon Tae-young, the head of Future Distribution's Strategic Planning Office, cautiously spoke up. How long had it been since he last saw the chairman with such a defeated expression?
Not since he stepped back from the Future Group's successor battle.
No, perhaps even more so now…
"We need to approach this differently."
His daughter's marriage was already a lost cause.
Time to think of another way.
The only flaw was that no good ideas came to mind.
"Shall I reach out again?"
"No. Contacting him won't change anything, so we'll just have to wait and see."
Someone with that level of ability would eventually reveal himself to the world.
As the old saying goes, a needle in a bag (囊中之錐).
You can't hide a awl in a sack forever.
There were many ways to forge connections, not limited to blood ties forged in flesh and blood.
Just like Moon Tae-young here.
"If we wait, the time will surely come."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Lately, he'd been running around busily.
Not for work, but to coordinate schedules with Jin Seol-hwa.
"Your little sister is coming to Korea?"
"Yes. I was thinking of asking for your permission, President…"
No, why did he need to give permission for her sister's situation?
What reason?
From a third party's view, it was utterly baffling, but hearing Jin Seol-young's circumstances made him nod instinctively.
Leukemia requires regular checkups even after a cure.
The human body isn't a machine; once broken, it never fully recovers. In a hundred years, such issues might be solvable, but with current tech, no.
"Hmm…"
Jin Seol-hwa's position was firmly Selig's CEO.
Building plants worldwide would mean endless business trips.
Her sister would inevitably be left alone.
'She could hire a housekeeper, but the world's a rough place.'
He understood her desire to keep her sister safe.
Plus, acquiring Handong Medical Center would neatly solve hospital issues.
'Maybe expand the grounds for a helipad?'
A neighboring estate had just become available. The owner put the mansion on the market, and he was torn.
Buy it or not…
"She starts first year of middle school next year, right?"
"Yes."
"Puberty's coming soon, then."
"That's why I'm worried. Fortunately, she's a thoughtful kid, so no troublemaking."
"We'll need to prepare a room. Cleaning, cute furniture…"
"N-No need for that! Any spare room will do."
No, no, no.
Absolutely not.
Once humans develop a sense of self, they crave personal space. Kids might laugh happily if you barge in as a child, but teens? Knocking becomes basic etiquette.
"We'll find a room for Seol-young and a good school."
Something any parent should naturally consider.
"I just want her to live like a normal kid."
"Is that so?"
"Yes, eating tasty food, making friends, going to academies—like any other child."
Hmm, but in Korea, connections through school, region, and blood aren't empty words. That's why exam-takers grind to enter top universities like Korea University.
Before his lottery win, he worked at a small firm. During his interview, the boss asked:
-Do-jun, what university did you graduate from?
It was right there on his resume, but the boss wanted to hear it. Sweat poured—he'd gone to an average school.
The girl next to him? From Yeonsin University, second only to Korea U in prestige. Damn boss was a Yeonsin alum too.
Wonder how fast she rocketed to manager?
"I'll handle the school issue. Aren't you busy with headquarters work, Seol-hwa?"
She bowed deeper, apologetic.
Well, no blood shared, but he didn't see Jin Seol-hwa as an outsider. Honestly, if marrying, she'd be top bride material worldwide.
"Then, sister's matter settled—next item."
No one foresaw that item being a bombshell.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ To expose Yu So-geum's misdeeds to the world, a special incident was needed.
And those who could create such incidents were commonly called 'reporters'.
Reporters operated in myriad fields—enough to exhaust fingers and toes just listing the visible ones.
Reporting, investigative, entertainment, sports, economy, politics, science & tech, war correspondents, etc.
From those gathering social, political, economic news for the public to those risking life on battlefields.
A truly diverse bunch.
Reporter Lee Dong-wook.
A veteran who'd devoted 15 years to politics.
Whatever happened, from some point he began writing articles venting against chaebols, earning the moniker 'Chaebol Killer'.
A man entered the coffee shop.
With a limp from a bad leg, his approach was far from ordinary.
Stress had thinned his crown.
Dark circles under his eyes, as expected of a reporter.
One corner of his mouth twitched, eyes burning with resentment toward the culprit who dragged him here.
"You the guy?"
What a first line.
Well, he was the desperate one, so answer.
"Kim Do-jun."
"Right. Why'd you want to meet here?"
This guy's no small fry.
At least not a journalist who sells his soul for cash.
Looked like the type to blast nonsense into an article for revenge.
"Here to commission you."
With that, he slid over an envelope with a 50 million won check.
Of course, this guy couldn't be bought with money.
Just a small token of sincerity.
To show he meant business…
"What's this?"
"This commission targets a chaebol family."
"So you're giving me this cash?"
"Once the article drops, the world erupts—you'll need a safe hideout, right?"
Exactly.
Even a toothless tiger is still a tiger, as Yu Kyung-su said.
When facing a beast, you notice the maw's fangs less than the exterior.
If someone sniped Future Distribution with an article.
It'd spark a media crackdown.
"…"
Lee Dong-wook eyed the envelope and me alternately, then pushed it back. No piddly sum could hire him.
"Take it back. I'm not in this for the dough."
"Because of your son?"
"…What?"
Ember—Im Yun-ah—had dug up plenty.
Lee Dong-wook once had a son.
Nothing exceptional, just a diligent young man. To buy a birthday gift for his dad, he squeezed extra hours.
Then trouble hit.
One day, urgent call to Lee: son hospitalized.
Life hanging by a thread.
At the hospital, hooked to machines.
Why? Drunk driving.
The perp who did this to his beloved son? A chaebol third-gen.
HT Group, 8th in Korea's biz rankings.
15 affiliates, market cap 50 trillion.
One man vs. mega-group? Outcome obvious.
Drunk driving equals attempted murder.
Blood alcohol revoked license, yet got suspended sentence via 'diminished capacity' excuse.
"Six years ago, HT Group's youngest son DUI'd. Victim? A rule-following diligent youth."
"…"
"Despite such grave crime, he's still living it up."
"You!"
"You know Yu So-geum? Impossible not to. Famous chaebol wastrel."
"!"
"And that she's linked to the perp who ruined your son."
Private probe? Mind-blowing.
Who'd guess they'd be so close-knit?
Birds of a feather, as they say.
Drug issues and sex scandals tied to those two too.
Not content with drunk-driving innocents to ruin, committing major crimes sparking social outrage even now.
Leveraging chaebol brute force.
"Who the hell are you? Where from? Sent by HT?"
Misread the envelope handoff?
Whoosh!
Im Yun-ah shot up beside him.
One order, and she'd take down the reporter.
Especially after he dumped his water glass over my head.
Damn, refreshing.
Dressed up nice for this VIP meet…
"Get that filthy mug outta my sight."
Lee Dong-wook spat in my face and turned to leave the shop.
"Reporter Lee Dong-wook."
He halted at the voice calling him.
"Don't you want revenge for your son, comatose six years?"
"!"
"How long will you stew? Don't you feel wronged? If it were me, no holds barred. Especially with power and money."
Lee Dong-wook couldn't hide his trembling pupils at my words.
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