Chapter 151: I am Choi Jae-ho, CEO of JH Health.
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 151: I am Choi Jae-ho, CEO of JH Health.
I entered the hall where the secret party was being held, accompanied by Yeong-eun.
‘Whoa.’
People I had only ever seen on TV or in the news were gathered in small groups, engaged in conversation.
They were influential figures who held significant sway not only in the economy but also in politics.
The ratio of men to women was about half and half.
Regardless of age or gender, the eyes of everyone in the room turned toward Yeong-eun and me as we made our entrance.
"Ho, isn't that the granddaughter of the Jeil Group?"
"I heard she was close with Olivia, and here they are meeting like this."
"But who is that man next to her?"
"He must be the one. The CEO of JH, the company that recently received investment from Jeil Group and Rhino."
"Ah, the one from the rumors...?"
"I heard he’s quite skilled. I’m curious to see what he’s like."
I could hear everything—their evaluations of me and their talk about Yeong-eun.
JH.
It was the logo of the new gym I had established.
It was a name I had created to expand beyond the gym into comprehensive cosmetics and various other businesses in the future.
They were already speaking that name as if they were well aware of it.
I guess even the top 1% gossip amongst themselves just like anyone else.
"Don't pay them any mind. They're just curious; it'll cool down soon enough," Yeong-eun whispered softly, just loud enough for me to hear.
If she said so, then it must be true.
I nodded and followed her further inside.
"You're here."
I spotted Olivia, who was surrounded by people and chatting.
Dressed in a white gown, she was dazzlingly beautiful.
"You must have been getting beauty treatments somewhere recently. Your skin looks amazing, Olivia."
"Your figure seems even better too. Have you started working out again lately?"
"Even your aura seems more pleasant."
Olivia, who had been happily chatting with the guests, turned her gaze toward Yeong-eun and me.
As our eyes met, she spoke to me with a slight edge in her voice.
"Honestly, I expected you to enter with me... I'm a little disappointed."
She clicked her tongue as if truly regretful.
"Still, I can't neglect my duties as an investor."
She introduced me to the prominent figures from the political and business worlds she had been talking to.
"Everyone, meet Mr. Choi Jae-ho, the CEO of JH, the company I've invested in."
As soon as Olivia finished speaking, the people who had been eyeing me as if appraising my worth greeted me with polite smiles.
"Pleasure to meet you. I'm Rowan Smith. I run a small watch shop in Switzerland."
He was a titan right from the start.
Rowan Smith, the head of R-lex?
Calling a global luxury watch manufacturer a "small watch shop"... that was a bit too humble, wasn't it?
"I am Jean Borgne Florian. I run a wine vineyard in France. It is a pleasure to meet you."
And now the CEO of the world's number one wine producer.
Just being in their presence made my head spin.
Besides them, the room was filled with CEOs of renowned corporations and political heavyweights.
I looked at the wives standing beside them.
Every single one of them was a beauty.
Perhaps they were former models, as they all had long, slender limbs.
They say rich men marry beautiful women, and it clearly wasn't just a saying.
There were also female entrepreneurs in elegant dresses.
From Japan, the UK, China, and even Russia.
It seemed she had invited people based on their ability regardless of nationality, as the room was filled with a diverse crowd.
Only after being introduced to the women was I finally able to speak.
"Hello. I am Choi Jae-ho, the CEO of JH. I recently started this new venture after receiving investments from the two ladies here."
As soon as my greeting ended, questions came pouring in.
"Olivia was praising you quite a bit. She said the level of your massages is on a different plane."
"I was thinking, 'How different could it really be?' Would you be able to show us?"
"Everyone is curious why Lawrence, who always held her parties in the US, came all the way to Korea to host one this time."
Their eyes were full of curiosity.
Why are they being so proactive?
I expected some cold elitism, but instead, they were the ones approaching me eagerly.
I could guess the reason with a quick glance at Olivia.
She must have talked me up a lot.
She was watching me being surrounded by the party guests, her lips twitching as if she were proud of the situation she had created.
I’ll have to give her a thank-you gift later.
Olivia had set the stage for me.
I’d be a fool if I couldn't win them over in a place like this.
Having grasped the situation, I opened my mouth with a smile.
"I think I should explain the charm of our business first. Since I can't give you a full PT session here, I'll demonstrate with a simple massage."
I took a moment to look around at the women.
"Is there anyone here who feels like their skin has been sagging lately, or feels like they've aged? Or perhaps someone who feels discomfort somewhere in their body?"
Amidst the hesitating crowd, one person stepped forward first.
"I would like to try it."
The person who stepped up was a Japanese woman speaking slightly awkward English.
She was a beauty with the sultry, mature charm of someone in her thirties.
"Ah, then please come this way for a moment."
When I offered her a chair while speaking fluent Japanese, she looked at me again, appearing surprised.
"Your Japanese is very good."
"Of course. I have to be prepared to welcome various guests in the future. May I ask your name?"
"It's Yoko."
After answering Yoko in Japanese, I addressed the gathered crowd in English.
"Then, I will perform a brief massage. Where do you feel discomfort?"
"Ah, my wrinkles have gotten a bit deeper lately. Can you care for that as well?"
"Of course. May I ask your age?"
"It's rude to ask a lady's age, but I'll answer this time. I am thirty-seven this year."
I had thought she was in her early thirties.
It seemed she took very thorough care of herself.
In my gym, nothing is impossible.
To my eyes, she had almost no wrinkles for her age, but it would feel different to her.
Caring for even these small dissatisfactions is the starting point of success.
I began to lightly rub Yoko's face.
I specifically targeted the smile lines around her nose, where she said the wrinkles had deepened.
"Mmm..."
A low moan escaped Yoko's lips every time I rubbed.
Startled by the sound she had made unconsciously, she quickly clamped her mouth shut.
Regardless, my massage continued.
It meant I was stimulating the right spots.
After about five minutes of massaging...
"There we go."
I took my hands off her face.
Her skin, which was slightly flushed, had become firm and regained its luster, unlike just moments ago.
The faint smile lines that had been visible vanished as soon as the massage ended.
"Wow. They really faded."
At Yoko's exclamation as she looked in a mirror, the atmosphere around us shifted.
The doubt that had been in their eyes until a moment ago began to be replaced, bit by bit, by trust.
"This provides a temporary improvement in the skin for now, but if you receive it regularly, permanent skin improvement and aging care are possible."
"Is... is that true?"
"I do not lie to my clients."
Honesty is my motto, after all.
"In the future, we plan to develop and launch cosmetics that produce similar effects. We will be releasing products with effects such as aging care, anti-aging, elasticity, and blemish removal."
People's eyes sparkled.
Especially the women.
Among them, the eyes of the women around Yoko's age changed completely.
This was enough to say the promotion was a success.
"Can... can I register right now?"
"Ah, let's discuss that after the party is over."
Just then, the next guest asked me a question.
"My back has been aching; would it be alright if I had a turn?"
It was Florian, the CEO of the world's top wine producer.
A middle-aged man with a stylish beard.
I don't take men as members, but he was a perfect subject to demonstrate my massage on.
"Of course."
I had him sit in the chair.
And just like with Yoko, I massaged his back for five minutes.
Crack!
"Gah!"
Adjusting the position of his slightly misaligned vertebrae was a bonus service.
"Amazing... that this is possible..."
Florian blinked and felt his lower back.
He looked like he couldn't believe it.
"We aren't recruiting male members yet, but if you visit, Chairman, I will provide you with service anytime."
"I will definitely visit."
The guests, who had been watching me with curiosity, rushed forward, competing to have me massage them.
"My skin has been so dry lately."
"I get frequent spasms in my leg muscles..."
"I injured my ankle badly a long time ago, and it's been throbbing ever since..."
"I have wrinkles too..."
They sought me out for various reasons.
As I provided care for all of them, smiles bloomed on their faces.
"I'd like my breasts to be a bit larger."
"I can do that for you if you visit the gym later."
"I see. Then I'll make sure to visit."
I couldn't exactly massage someone's breasts here, after all.
People's attention became increasingly focused.
By now, almost everyone was watching my massage show.
Since Olivia didn't stop it, the party naturally became my solo stage.
This is what she was aiming for.
Bringing her connections here to show me off.
It was a much more efficient method to create a stage through a large party than introducing me to each person individually.
It was a method no one but Olivia would have even thought to attempt.
"If you visit our establishment, we will provide professional care, so please just let us know."
After caring for about ten people, I finished the massages.
I couldn't satisfy everyone here.
This was exactly the right amount.
Those who were curious would come, and they would spread the word.
That was enough.
After that, customers would increase even if I didn't do things like this.
"That was tiring, wasn't it? You worked hard."
Olivia, who had been waiting for me at a table, handed me a handkerchief.
"Thank you."
As I wiped my sweat with the handkerchief she gave me, Yeong-eun took my hand.
"Aren't you tired?"
She gently kneaded my right hand as if massaging it.
Just like I had massaged the other guests.
"It's tough, but I have to put in the work. That's how people will come."
"...You looked cool."
"Huh?"
"I'm saying you looked cool, not being intimidated even in front of those powerful people."
"I agree. Honestly, I didn't know you'd handle it this well. I thought you might be flustered."
Olivia began kneading and massaging my left hand.
"Honestly, there aren't many men like you. Someone so brimming with confidence in their skills."
"I suppose you liked what you saw."
"Yes, I liked it in many ways."
Olivia couldn't meet my eyes the whole time she was speaking.
Did she want to focus that much on the massage?
"In that case, I'll have to live up to your expectations."
"I hope you do."
It was while I was receiving massages from the two women.
"Oh? Oppa?"
Hyun-kyung, dressed in a yellow gown, asked as she saw me.
"You were here?"
"You came here too?"
"Of course! I was invited by Ollie! But..."
She narrowed her eyes as she looked at Yeong-eun and Olivia massaging my hands.
"You guys seem quite close."
"Ah, it's been a while, Hyun-kyung."
Yeong-eun, meeting Hyun-kyung's eyes, gave a confident smile.
Wait a minute.
Is it okay if I step out for a second?