Chapter 75
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: Spreading Happiness
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The meal with Lee Myung-ho was delightful. The satisfaction far exceeded my expectations.
Lee Myung-ho was an incredibly knowledgeable and principled man. I learned so much from listening to him and taking it all in.
“Thank you for the great advice.”
“Actually, I’m the one who should thank you, Jin-seong.”
“Me?”
“Last time, you sent me that red ginseng and told me health comes before work, remember?”
It was the Misfortune Diary incident.
The diary had said Lee Myung-ho would collapse from overwork. I’d gifted him the ginseng and messaged him to prioritize his health.
“Thanks to what you said, Jin-seong, I took a good look at my own condition. I’d been buried in work, practically a zombie.”
“Aha.”
“I slept it off, work be damned. Once I rested, my efficiency shot up, the little mistakes vanished, and I nailed the project.”
“Glad to hear it.”
“Everything fell into place because of you. Without your advice, I’d have burned out and collapsed for sure. The project would’ve tanked too.”
Because I’d helped, Lee Myung-ho hadn’t collapsed from overwork.
His project’s success skyrocketed the company’s value.
His standing and treatment at work had soared as well.
“I’m stuffed.”
“It was delicious.”
We finished eating. Lee Myung-ho insisted on paying as the older brother figure and settled the bill. We stepped out of the restaurant.
We found a nearby café.
“I’ll have a peach iced tea.”
“Boss, one mango juice and one peach iced tea, please.”
Lee Myung-ho covered the drinks too. Jin-seong sipped his while soaking in even more great conversation.
“Hyung, let’s meet up like this whenever we have time.”
“Sure.”
Inner Thoughts: Talking with him, Jin-seong seems like an even kinder and better friend than I imagined. Meeting often would be great.
Inner Thoughts: But man, Jin-seong’s changed a ton. Lost weight, face got handsome, even looks taller...
Jin-seong’s mother, Kim Ji-young, was sweating buckets in the cafeteria kitchen as she worked nonstop.
Boiling four servings of doenjang stew, three of kimchi stew, frying five portions of pork stir-fry—her mind was in total chaos.
“One more burner!”
“Yes—!”
“Two more soft tofu stews!”
“Yes—!”
“Three more tofu stews!”
“Yes—!”
The work never ended.
“Three servings of kimchi stew!”
“Yes—!”
“One serving of doenjang stew!”
“Yes—!”
“Three pork rice sets!”
“Rice sets? Yes—!”
It was a hectic morning.
‘My son?’
As she wiped sweat with a dry rag, her beloved eldest son called.
“Hey, son, what’s up?”
Joy seeped into her voice.
—Transferred ninety million won.
“Really?”
—Yeah. Check it.
“Thank you. Thank you so much.”
She checked her account.
[90,000,000 KRW Deposited]
Kim Ji-young’s eyes welled up.
She was already grateful he’d grown up right, but now he was helping her out—this gratitude was beyond words.
—Mom, work tough?
Truth be told, it was exhausting.
She started at dawn in the kitchen, then part-timed at the convenience store in the afternoon. At her age, it was brutal.
—Ease up on work. At least drop one job.
Her son’s caring words touched her deeply.
She had no money luck, but her children’s love made up for it.
—I’ll take care of the siblings’ futures. Tuition if needed, support for their dreams.
—So no money worries. Cut back on work. I want your health first, Mom. Live long and healthy.
—Don’t stress about retirement either. I can handle the family now. Hey? Why crying? Don’t cry.
Listening to her son, emotions overflowed.
“...Thank you. Just hearing that gives me strength.”
—Yeah. Mom got no passport?
Passport?
She didn’t.
Overseas trip?
She’d never even been to Jeju, let alone abroad.
Born poor, she’d toiled her whole life.
—Get a passport. I’ll send you overseas soon.
“Really?”
—When have I ever lied? Get it with Dad.
“No need. It’s fine. No trip necessary. Your thought is enough.”
—Anyway. Get it done. Think about where—Asia, Europe, anywhere.
She hung up.
‘He’s all grown up...’
Kim Ji-young shed endless tears.
[3,682,000 KRW]
She’d paid off all the loans.
Her minus life was over—finally, plus life.
The soul-crushing debt.
The endless torment of debt.
Freedom at last.
Son, thank you. Thanks to you, I paid off all the debt.
Thank you so much. Now I can see hope.
Yeah. Quit work right now.
Got it. Thanks. I’ll quit the convenience store.
Come home often. I’ll cook lots of good food.
Love you.
Kim Ji-young quit her convenience store job.
She threw a modest party. Pork belly to celebrate clearing the debt. She was so happy she even had a beer.
Jin-seong’s father, Yoo Dae-in, was driving a forklift at the factory.
His main job was the forklift. When things were slow, he tidied the warehouse or helped with production.
The job wasn’t easy.
Not the work itself, but dealing with people.
‘Sigh... that damn brat...’
He had to endure the young boss’s rude speech and snide remarks.
‘Sigh... that little bitch...’
He had to laugh off the young boss’s girlfriend’s whining.
‘Sigh... those fuckers...’
The bald section chief—who couldn’t do shit and was the boss’s uncle, a total freeloader—made his blood boil.
“You know my son got into a Seoul uni? Kid even bought himself a suit with his tutoring cash.”
“Haha, my daughter’s making a fuss about sending me abroad. Off to Vietnam thanks to her.”
“Apartment prices doubled. Gonna triple or quadruple soon.”
He listened to his coworkers’ boasts.
Kids, grandkids, money—one-upmanship galore.
In the old days, it would’ve made his stomach twist with envy.
But now? Not a single brag fazed him.
‘My eldest gives me plenty of pocket money too.’
Lately, he got over 300,000 won a month from his eldest.
Some months, over 500,000.
‘My eldest is such a filial son. Filial.’
Just recently, the boy had cleared their 90 million won debt entirely.
His wife had lightened up and quit the store job.
—Dad.
Mid-forklift drive, his eldest called.
“Huh? What’s up?”
—Working?
“Yeah. On the forklift.”
—New Sorento’s getting delivered later.
“No way?!”
Yoo Dae-in got excited.
—Yeah. Told ’em drop it at home, so check after work. Call if any issues.
“Haha—hahaha—thanks. Really thanks. Drive safe. Wait, no—I’ll swing by tonight, break her in.”
—Sounds good. Come over. I’ll treat to octopus shabu-shabu. Had it recently—insane.
“Kuh, perfect.”
He couldn’t contain his grin. Shoulders bouncing.
Pure bliss.
Sorento gift from eldest—bliss. Octopus shabu together—double bliss.
‘Eldest is the best. The best.’
Yoo Dae-in beamed all shift.
“Something good happen?”
“You’re glowing.”
Coworkers asked, puzzled.
“My eldest bought me a car.”
He couldn’t not brag.
That evening.
He left his trusty old Morning behind and drove the Sorento. Visited his eldest and scarfed shabu-shabu.
Next morning.
Drove the Sorento to work. Coworkers eyed his new baby with envy.
‘Happy.’
Today, the young boss’s barbs, girlfriend’s nagging, uncle’s freeloading—they bounced off like nothing.
He just chuckled benevolently, zero impact.
Jin-seong’s little sister, Yoo Seol, stroked the ring her big brother had gifted her.
‘Weird.’
Just wearing it calmed her mind. Negative thoughts faded, study stress eased.
Her study time stretched longer. Focus sharpened big time.
‘Big bro... thank you...’
Lately, she adored her big bro. Slimmed-down version, handsome upgrade, generous allowance— all great.
The only one who truly got her. The only one who said, “Don’t fake it.”
‘Big bro... I’ll do my best...!’
She giggled—buck teeth peeking. Yoo Seol studied like mad. Brain-numbing grind.
Had dinner with parents.
‘Home vibe’s totally changed.’
Parents’ dark, weary faces? Gone.
Darkness vanished, smiles bloomed.
Mom especially—unrecognizable.
‘Our Kim lady was so prickly... always exhausted... now smiling nonstop.’
All thanks to big bro.
He’d cleared the family debt, brightening everything.
Without him, gloom central.
Oppa~
Why? Allowance run out?
Yep! Spent it all!
OK, sending 50k.
Waaah! Oppa best! BEST!!
Truth was, she still had allowance left.
But hey, more money’s always better.
Oppa thaaanks!!
Really really thaaanks!!
Oppa’s the best, best!!
That last message was her true feelings.
“I want everyone around me to be happy...”
Healthy.
Everything going smoothly.
[Wish Tree: 6/100]
He watered the Wish Tree.
“Ehehehehe—”
He checked stocks. A deeply sinister, sly grin spread across his face.
He’d financed the Sorento.
Avante? Next time.
Didn’t pay the 35 million loan.
All-in on stocks.
‘Car matter? Stocks do.’
Over 4x gains.
Couldn’t miss this massive event.
A-young-ah. Oppa bought stocks.
Huh?! For real?
What stock did you buy~?
Share please >_<
Just like that?
Do something cute and maybe lololol