Chapter 54: To Obtain a Greater Fruit (1)
After Cha Eun-yu’s appearance on the “My House” broadcast aired, Iljin Group’s stock price rose an additional 3.2% in a single day.
Even though it was the end of the year, the relentless climb in share value had lifted the entire company’s mood to a level it had never reached before.
Se-ah’s spirits, which had been as heavy as lead during the Christmas holiday because of the restaurant incident, had lifted of their own accord.
She was constantly being praised by everyone she encountered.
“Healthy, congratulations on the great success. Chief Han Se-ah.”
“Your insight is truly remarkable. You’ve only been here two months and yet you’ve already pushed through such a spectacular product.”
“Ho-ho. Spectacular? The product hasn’t even launched yet.”
“Oh, did you not hear? Product inquiries are already pouring in.”
“With this level of visibility, sales will explode the moment it hits the shelves. No need to worry.”
“Ho-ho. Do you really think so?”
Se-ah’s shoulders refused to stop rising in delight.
By the end of the year, mentions of Healthy had skyrocketed.
This was thanks to Lee Jung-wan recruiting famous actors and models with Se-ah’s help to run viral SNS advertisements for the product.
It was nine o’clock in the morning on New Year’s Day.
Various online shopping malls had launched Healthy’s first launch discount event as their New Year special.
As a result, the product crossed ten billion won in sales within a single day.
If things continued like this, they might even reach the break-even target of three months’ profit in just one month.
Lee Jung-wan rushed to Chief Han Se-ah’s office the moment he arrived at work to deliver the joyous news.
“Chief, did you hear the news? Healthy sales have broken ten billion won in a single day.”
“Ho-ho. Of course it’s obvious. I poured so much money into Healthy. Still, Team Leader worked hard too.”
“It’s all thanks to Chief’s support.”
“Ten billion a day… I wonder if we’ll hit a hundred billion in a month. Is the production volume sufficient?”
“Of course it is.”
Even the stock they had hidden for China sales was already being absorbed domestically.
Additional production had already begun at the outsourcing company.
Producing sixty thousand units by the end of January was nothing.
Even if it meant staying up all night, they had to make it. Thirty thousand won in profit per unit.
‘Sixty thousand units times thirty thousand won… that’s eighteen billion. This is definitely a home run!’
Lee Jung-wan had planned to enjoy the fruits of this business and then move to the United States with his wife and children.
He forced his rising mouth corners under control and gave the answer that perfectly matched Se-ah’s intentions.
“Sixty thousand units will be enough. If more sales come in, we’ll have to start taking reservations.”
“Really? Then I suppose we need to expand the outsourcing company. Team Leader, please look into suitable partners. No, wait. If annual sales reach a hundred billion, can Iljin Electronics handle it? Who owns Iljin Electronics again?”
Iljin Electronics was a small-to-medium enterprise compared to the pharmaceutical or confectionery divisions, and it was managed by Han Kyung-min.
It primarily produced built-in electronic appliances for the apartments supplied by his father’s Iljin Construction.
“President Han Kyung-min, eldest son of President Han Seung-jun.”
Iljin Electronics did not handle small appliances, but Se-ah issued the order without knowing that detail.
“Ah~ I see. Then contact the person in charge and tell them to come to my office soon.”
The staff member would surely grumble about being summoned for something like this, but Lee Jung-wan simply answered “Understood” and left.
If Iljin Electronics refused, Se-ah would be furious and order him to expand the current outsourcing company anyway.
There was no need to sit quietly and advise someone who could simply pick up the phone.
Although the first day’s sales were not comparable, Healthy’s sales volume continued to climb steadily.
One week later, sales had broken twenty billion won.
By the time Se-ah’s spirits had reached the heavens.
Chairman Wang summoned her.
Se-ah asked Oh Seung-won, who had brought the news, with an excited expression.
“At this timing, calling me to the Chairman… is this good news?”
“It seems so. He probably called to praise Healthy’s sales performance.”
“Really? Then I’ll have to behave quietly today. Ho-ho.”
She arrived at Chairman Wang’s mansion dressed with special care.
Walking through the vast garden befitting the mansion, Se-ah imagined what reward she might receive.
Guided by Director Do Jin-sung, they arrived at the Japanese-style, delicately decorated reception hall.
Se-ah, with her cute voice fully activated, ran straight to Chairman Han Chung-won.
“Grandpa, I’m here. Your granddaughter~.”
“Ho-ho. You’re here?”
Chairman Han Chung-won was once again in his wheelchair.
Se-ah had heard that he had collapsed from a brain hemorrhage before he learned she was a descendant of the Han family.
The aftereffects seemed to linger.
Still, he looked far more energetic than before.
How fortunate.
‘I must never die early. I haven’t received a single thing from Grandpa yet.’
Se-ah, who had perfectly adopted the image of a cute and lively granddaughter before entering the mansion, approached the wrinkled old Chairman Han Chung-won to imitate a friendly granddaughter, hugged him, and kissed his cheek.
Se-ah, who usually found the strange smell so unpleasant that she avoided old people, but with money, what could she not do?
“Grandpa, are you feeling well?”
“Ho-ho. Thanks to your concern, I’ve improved a lot.”
“Really, it’s so fortunate~ Grandpa.”
Even the blunt Chairman Han Chung-won melted under the aegyo of his cute granddaughter.
He smiled kindly and asked.
“Did you hear the news? The business I’ve been pushing is going well?”
“Yes~ Good luck, I guess.”
“Luck is skill too. As expected from my bloodline, you don’t miss opportunities. Yeah~ If it’s a Han, of course you’d do it!”
“Ho-ho-ho. That’s why~. I thought it would definitely work~.”
“Ho-ho. Really?”
The warm atmosphere between the beautiful grandpa and granddaughter was like a scene from a fairy tale.
Director Do Jin-sung’s mouth curved into a pleased smile from his distant position at the reception entrance.
No family member had approached Chairman Han with such sweetness.
After all, Chairman Han was ruthless toward his own family as well.
The harmonious mood continued.
Chairman Han asked Se-ah.
“Out of appreciation, I’d like to give my granddaughter a gift. Is there anything you want?”
Se-ah tensed and swallowed hard when she heard those words.
The words “Iljin Department Store” rose to the tip of her tongue, but she barely managed to hold them back.
It was because of her mother’s advice.
‘Department store? Hotel? Hah! You think that’s enough? It’s been twenty-seven years! Thanks to my dad committing suicide, I lived twenty-seven years without ever knowing that man’s true face. I never once enjoyed the benefits of a chaebol family! While raising you alone, how much…’
Her mother’s voice had choked up and she had been unable to continue.
Finally, after adjusting her emotions, she had spoken.
Don’t think about the small profit right in front of you—buy Chairman Han’s heart.
To do that, you had to somehow place yourself close to the old man.
Honestly, her mother’s suggestion hadn’t been very appealing, but it was not wrong.
‘Not the department store or hotel, but Iljin Group.’
On the day she had met Kang Minhyuk at the restaurant.
Kang Minhyuk’s confident expression still lingered in her mind.
‘To beat him, I need to become the owner of Iljin Group!’
That was why she had decided.
The owner of Iljin Group.
To achieve that, she had to somehow turn Chairman Han Chung-won into her own puppet.
Se-ah gave a dejected expression and appealed to Chairman Han’s emotions.
“I… grew up without my father… Mom is always busy with work… I spent a lot of time alone at home. So, I don’t know how envious I was of friends who had many family members.”
“Such… If I had known earlier, it would have been better. I’m sorry.”
“No. Even now, being able to be with Grandpa like this is wonderful! So, um… Can I live with Grandpa?”
“What? Me? Live here?”
Chairman Han was quite shocked.
He asked in a slightly trembling voice.
“Is that the only thing you want?”
Se-ah smiled with an innocent expression and answered.
“Yes! Living with Grandpa would be too wonderful!”
Chairman Han pondered silently, then nodded.
“Alright, there’s nothing wrong with that.”
“Wow! Really?”
“I gave my permission. Who can object?”
“Wow~ Grandpa is the best!”
Se-ah, with a pure and innocent expression, hugged Chairman Han tightly.
Se-ah’s soft cheek pressed against Chairman Han’s face, and a pleasant scent wafted to his nose.
It was an extremely pleasant fragrance.
“Really~ Grandpa. Can I ask one more favor?”
“Alright.”
“Can my mom come too? I… haven’t lived apart from Mom before…”
If it had been the old Se-ah, she would have shouted at the thought of bringing another woman into the house.
But now, Chairman Han, whose reason was paralyzed, could not refuse Se-ah’s wish.
In the end, Se-ah had obtained Chairman Han’s permission.
This news spread throughout the Han family like wildfire.
Third son Han Seung-jun, who had flown into a rage upon hearing that Se-ah and her mother were moving into Chairman Han’s residence, went to find his older brother, Han Seung-woo.
“Dad, did your head injury cause you to go senile? How could you make such a decision without even saying a word to us?”
“Even late, I’m trying to bond with you. Besides, it’s Seung-jo’s daughter.”
“You’re so nonchalant. Aren’t you worried? She might take everything!”
When Han Seung-jun mentioned inheritance, Han Seung-woo’s calm expression cracked.
“Enough. He’s still alive. If anyone hears, they’ll think you wish him dead.”
“Who wants him dead? We have to defend the management rights! If Dad’s property really goes to Se-ah, then both of us are finished!”
“Please speak properly. As a representative, you’re acting like a child. Tch.”
In Han Seung-woo’s rebuke, Han Seung-jun hit his chest with a frustrated expression.
“Sigh~ I’m the idiot talking like this with my brother. I’m dumb! Fine, I’ll handle it my way. Instead, if I get all Dad’s property, no one will complain later!”
After Han Seung-jun’s declaration, he left.
Han Seung-woo stared at the door he had left through.
His eyes were full of deep thought.
But soon, he returned to reviewing the approval documents as if nothing had happened.
* * *
After work, in a small room near the bar close to home.
Oh Seung-won, sitting across from him, asked with an anxious expression.
“Healthy sales have already reached twenty-five billion won. We shouldn’t stay like this.”
So far, seventeen thousand units of Healthy had been sold.
The patent infringement lawsuit had already been filed through Im & Jeong.
Announcing it to the media would require waiting a little longer.
Until the negative reactions from real users expanded.
“After the viral promotion ends, real-user reviews will start appearing in about a week. It’s also time to ramp up production. When the product can no longer be shipped immediately and switches to reservations, that will probably be the best time to strike.”
“I understand. If you say so, we’ll wait. But… something concerning has come up.”
“What is it?”
“Chief Han Se-ah has moved into the Chairman’s residence.”
The unexpected situation had surprised him greatly.
“When?”
“Yesterday. Not the main house, but the guesthouse…”
It was unlikely that Se-ah had entered Chairman Wang’s house without purpose.
Chairman Wang was probably thinking the same thing.
‘Wang Chairman is holding Se-ah like a knife!’
Yeah.
When a blade had been sharpened to perfection, that was the moment it was sharpest.
The organizational restructuring usually held in March might begin earlier than planned.
Thinking that way, the next morning after arriving at work.
Team chief Kim, whose face had turned beet red, gathered the staff.
“Sorry.”
“……”
“Our team has been placed on standby.”
“What? What does that mean?”
“Our team’s performance last year was the worst… so we decided to reorganize the team.”
“No, what? Team chief. The worst performance is Team 3, right? I saw it with my own eyes?”
Team chief Kim let out a deep sigh, his expression strangely calm, as Section chief Seo looked on in astonishment.
“Puu— The eco-friendly plastic business. Dropped by Iljin Food. Not viable.”