Chapter 2

After more than two hours of flying, the plane finally arrived at Incheon International Airport in South Korea.

Exiting customs, Choi Gi-chan and his two companions were picked up by the Choi family’s butler, who had been waiting for them. The car quickly made its way from Incheon into Seoul. The Choi family residence was located in Seocho District, a well-known upscale residential area in Seoul. Due to its location south of the Han River and its vast expanse, many wealthy people chose to live there.

The Choi family residence was very close to the headquarters of Samsung Group, and this area was also a concentration of the residences of Korea’s elite families. Many top families lived nearby, so when the car entered this area, it was noticeable that there were far fewer pedestrians. Security personnel could be seen patrolling the streets from time to time.

Returning to the courtyard where he had grown up, Choi Gi-chan only managed a brief greeting with his grandfather before being interrupted. Choi Gi-chan, who had rushed back after a long journey, clearly had little time for pleasantries. Just as he had washed off the dust from his journey, the butler came to inform him that Mr. Lee M. B. and his grandfather had arrived.

Choi Woo-dragon and Choi Gi-chan went to receive the guests, while the grandmother took Choi Jung-woon to the living room on the second floor. The grandmother, who was over eighty, had not seen her eldest grandson for three years. She could not bear to let him go for a moment. Her weathered hands caressed Choi Jung-woon’s cheeks, saying, "Jung-woon, I'm sorry. You've come all this way, and we should have welcomed you properly, but things are too important. I hope our eldest grandson can understand."

Choi Jung-woon held his grandmother’s hands in his own, looking at the elderly woman who had aged over the past three years but whose love for him had not diminished with time. A warm current welled up in his heart. "It's okay, Grandma. I'm not leaving this time. I'll have plenty of time to make you happy. I just hope you won't find me too bothersome."

At this moment, the elderly woman became particularly talkative. She asked a series of questions: whether he missed home in China, if he could eat authentic Korean cuisine, if anyone had bullied him, and so on.

Choi Jung-woon patiently answered each question and shared many interesting stories, making the elderly woman laugh continuously. It wasn't until Choi Jung-woon needed to take a shower and change clothes that his grandmother went downstairs to attend to the guests.

Returning to his old room, Choi Jung-woon found that the interior was still the same as before. The large, soft bed had new bedding, sheets, pillows, and pillowcases, but they were still in his favorite white color. On the bedside table, a photo was still placed. In the photo, Choi Jung-woon, Choi Si-won, and Choi Ji-yeon, the three siblings, were hugging each other, their smiles bright and sunny. At this moment, his siblings should be scratching their heads in class, eagerly wanting to come home to see their returning brother.

At the desk opposite the bed, the old desktop computer had been replaced with the latest brand. It was spotless, gleaming with a metallic sheen, clearly a recent replacement. The wardrobe was filled with brand new clothes.

Over the past three years, Choi Jung-woon had grown to 176 cm, and his old clothes no longer fit. His family, who had been informed of his return, had prepared enough new clothes for him.

The bathroom was still the same unusual orange color, even the lighting was the same. This was Choi Jung-woon's favorite bathroom color, which made him feel particularly calm and warm. The neatly arranged bathroom items were still unopened, ready to start their mission today.

After a quick tour, he returned to the bedroom. Pulling back the curtains, he let the warm sunlight fill the room. Leaning by the window, he saw a group of men in black suits and sunglasses standing guard in the courtyard, their expressions alert as they observed everything around them. The once lush grass had been trampled by these men, losing its natural charm. These important figures, with every move, caused inconvenience and expense.

Unwilling to let these unexpected intruders ruin his good mood, Choi Jung-woon turned and walked into the bathroom. After three years away, even the water from the showerhead felt particularly refreshing. He took a refreshing cold shower and changed into casual clothes.

As he walked back to the window, he saw the courtyard gate open, and a boy around thirteen or fourteen years old rode in on a mountain bike. The bulging backpack on his back made him look like a turtle. It was Choi Si-won, who had known about his return and rushed home as soon as school ended. Even though the school was not far from home, the hot afternoon and his urgency had left his handsome face covered in sweat.

Seeing his lively younger brother after three years, Choi Jung-woon missed him a lot and ran down the stairs to greet him. Just as he rushed down the stairs, he came to an abrupt stop, cold sweat streaming down his forehead.

In the hall, no fewer than twenty men in black suits and sunglasses were coldly watching him. The two men guarding the living room door had their hands on their armpits. "Uncles, what are you planning to do?!"

Recognizing Choi Jung-woon, the guards, who had been briefed, knew he was the eldest grandson of the Choi family and turned to go about their business. Choi Jung-woon wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and ran to the door. "Don't scare me like that, okay? I'm scared."

Just as he opened the door, a sturdy boy crashed into his arms. Recognizing him, the boy's sunny face lit up with joy, and he hugged Choi Jung-woon, shouting, "Brother, you're finally back! I missed you so much!"

The shout drew the attention of everyone in the room. Seeing the unfriendly expressions of the men in black suits, Choi Jung-woon knew they shouldn't stay here long and quickly calmed his cousin, "Come, let's go upstairs."

Choi Si-won also realized his mistake. With so many unexpected guests at home, there must be something important. Seeing everyone on high alert, he awkwardly stuck out his tongue and followed Choi Jung-woon up the stairs.

In Choi Jung-woon's room, they closed the door and hugged, shouting and jumping for a few minutes before stopping. Looking at Choi Si-won, who had grown so much that he was almost as tall as him, Choi Jung-woon was amazed.

Three years ago, when he left, this kid was only up to his chin. He had grown so fast. According to the information from his past life, Choi Si-won would grow to 183 cm. Even if there was some exaggeration, he would definitely be 180 cm. At this rate, wouldn't he, as the older brother, be shorter than his younger brother? Thinking of this, Choi Jung-woon couldn't help but curse, "Damn, what have you been eating to grow so fast?"

Choi Si-won laughed, "I just grew like that. But, cousin, why haven't you grown much? Did you not eat well in China?"

"Who said that? I ate very well in China. Let me tell you, the food there is something you've never seen before." Choi Jung-woon proudly described the Peking duck from Quanjude, the hot dry noodles from Daoxiangcun, the potstickers from Houhai, and the Muslim hotpot from Donglai Shun, recounting them as if they were treasures. The rich and diverse Chinese cuisine was far superior to the monotonous Korean dishes.

Even Choi Si-won, from a wealthy family like the Chois, had never heard of so many delicious foods. With Choi Jung-woon's excellent storytelling skills, the descriptions of the food seemed to waft into Choi Si-won's nose, making him almost drool.

Choi Si-won, lost in the world of delicious food, suddenly saw his cousin's teasing expression and realized he was being played. Although the food was delicious, it wasn't as amazing as his cousin described. Growing up together, Choi Si-won was familiar with his cousin's tricks. He thought for a moment and came up with a plan, "With all this delicious food, cousin, why haven't you grown taller? Has your growth stopped?"

This comment put pressure on Choi Jung-woon, who immediately became furious and pounced on Choi Si-won, pinning him down and messing up his straight hair, "Hey, you little brat, you dare to tease your older brother?"

Choi Si-won, not to be outdone, started attacking Choi Jung-woon's weak spots. The two brothers rolled around on the floor, wrestling and laughing, until they were both exhausted.

Choi Jung-woon, too lazy to get up, tilted his head and asked, "Where's Ji-yeon? Isn't she in elementary school? Why is she back later than you?"

"Ji-yeon's school had an event today, so she's coming back later. She was complaining on the phone, saying she can't wait to come back and see what gifts her beloved cousin brought her."

"Hey, this girl, is her cousin less important than the gifts?"

Seeing his cousin's feigned anger, Choi Si-won burst into laughter. After laughing enough, his gaze softened, "Brother, you've become even more handsome. You're not even worse than HOT or H.O.T."

"Ha, I'm better than them," Choi Jung-woon boasted, "They all wear makeup. Look at your cousin, I'm all natural!"

"Hey, Choi Jung-woon, you're really over the top. After three years in China, without Grandpa and Grandma's discipline, you've become too wild."

Choi Jung-woon replied with a sly grin, "What are you going to do about it?" This genuinely frustrated the innocent and pure Choi Si-won.

After the laughter and play, the two teenagers talked about the changes in their lives over the past three years, losing track of time.

It wasn't until their cousin Choi Ji-yeon burst into the room that the three of them, who had been apart for so long, reunited. Choi Jung-woon took out the gifts for his younger siblings, making them both pleasantly surprised.

For Choi Si-won, he had a golden lucky charm, which he had obtained at the White Cloud Temple in Beijing. It was inscribed with the four characters "Yun Tong Heng Da" (Prosperous and Smooth), representing his hopes for his younger brother.

For Choi Ji-yeon, he had a small white jade Guanyin statue. The statue had a small hole, allowing it to be worn around the neck on a chain. It was made of genuine Hetian jade, with a milky white color and no impurities. It felt warm in winter and cool in summer, with a calming effect.

As they were talking, their grandmother walked in, "You three, are you done chatting? It's time for dinner."

Choi Jung-woon turned to the window and saw that it was already dark. It seemed the meeting with his grandfather had lasted quite a while.

In the dining room, he saw two elderly men sitting at the main table: his grandfather and his grandfather on his mother's side, whom he had only seen in photos. His usually busy uncle and aunt were also there.

Although Choi Jung-woon had never met his maternal grandfather, he felt no sense of estrangement. After greeting his grandparents, uncle, and aunt, he rushed to his grandfather's arms, calling out "Grandpa" repeatedly. During the meal, he kept serving his grandfather dishes and pouring him wine.

His grandfather, who had missed his grandson for sixteen years, let him sit beside him and couldn't take his eyes off him.

During the meal, Choi Jung-woon took out the gifts for the elders. Each gift was carefully chosen, not very expensive but very suitable for their tastes, earning him praise from everyone.

For his grandfather, he had a Duan inkstone, which his grandfather loved for calligraphy. He held it in his hands, unable to let it go.

For his grandmother, he had a set of the Siku Quanshu, as she was a cultural scholar with a deep interest in ancient Chinese culture, something even Choi Jung-woon, a Chinese soul, admired.

For his uncle, he had a Rongchang folding fan, with a painting of bamboo by Zheng Banqiao on one side and a poem by the great leader on the other, fitting his uncle's successful image.

For his aunt, he had a cloisonné enamel piece, which delighted her as a renowned artist.

Finally, Choi Jung-woon carefully presented a scroll to his grandfather. When the scroll was unrolled, the four large characters "Dao Zhi Yong Heng" (The Way is Eternal) stood out, exuding a powerful aura. His usually refined grandfather admired it with a serious expression.

This calligraphy was obtained by Choi Jung-woon in his second year of junior high school, when he saw a traveling monk practicing calligraphy in a remote alley. With his rich experience from his past life, Choi Jung-woon immediately recognized the monk's calligraphy as extraordinary. He finally obtained the piece after treating the monk to a sumptuous vegetarian meal. Now, giving it to his grandfather, it was the perfect gift.

After a long while, his grandfather gently exhaled and looked at him with a satisfied expression, "Jung-woon, you've done well this time. Maintain your determination, and remember not to be arrogant. Keep working hard."

Choi Jung-woon was taken aback but quickly understood. His grandfather was referring to the plan he had proposed. Turning to look, he saw Pan Jingzhen nodding slightly. It seemed that during the meeting, everyone had finally reached a consensus, and the final result would soon be revealed.

Choi Jung-woon humbly replied, "It's all thanks to the guidance of the elders. I don't know much, but I'm glad I could help the family. I won't let the elders down in the future."

His grandfather patted Choi Jung-woon's shoulder heavily, "Good. At your young age, you can remain humble and focused. In the future, you will surely achieve great things."

Dinner was not long, and his grandfather left. Before leaving, he repeatedly instructed Choi Jung-woon to study hard, take care of his health, and stay in touch.

Watching his grandfather leave with the last group of men in black suits, Choi Jung-woon said to his mother, "Grandpa is so busy."

Pan Jingzhen, still looking in the direction her father had left, sighed, "This time, he might not come back for a long time."

Choi Jung-woon comforted her, "Mom, don't worry. Grandpa has a great destiny and will achieve even greater things in the future."

Pan Jingzhen glared at her son and playfully patted his head, "When did you learn to predict the future? I don't wish for anything extraordinary for your grandfather. I just want him to be safe. Every time he goes to dangerous places, your grandmother, aunt, and I are always worried. But he is so devoted to his work that no amount of persuasion can change his mind." Her expression turned somber, and she turned to go back to her room.

Choi Jung-woon, looking at his mother's forlorn back, wanted to tell her about his grandfather's future achievements. But such a shocking revelation was too much to share. He could only comfort himself, "Mom, don't worry. You will see how great your father will become."

Pan Ki-moon, a famous diplomat and politician in South Korea, was elected as the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations on October 9, 2006, succeeding Kofi Annan.

With such a powerful grandfather, Choi Jung-woon was even more confident in his future plans. However, no one could have imagined that this slender, refined old man would achieve such remarkable success.

With such a powerful in-law, the Choi family would become even more illustrious.