Chapter 42

EP 8 - The Youngest Granddaughter of a Chaebol Family (5)

Chung Geumsoon led me to the wine bar in the hotel basement.

“What, what would you like to have? Honey...?”

“This one.”

Crunch. Crunch.

In the luxury room, two men in suits sat facing each other and ate the song room popcorn.

“Have you... read the contract carefully...?”

“Ah, yes. I did read it.”

In exchange for granting the Masuk project, I have to get married and have a child. My share of the company will be 0.38%. If we divorce, they will give me half of the assets.

In return.

I will protect them from the Fair Trade Commission and the prosecution, and they will provide me with a cheat key in the local constituency and the media.

I smiled awkwardly and handed back the contract.

“Um... Ms. Chung Geumsoon. Wouldn’t it be better to consult the Ministry of Interior and Safety or the Defense Acquisition Program Administration for such matters? At least someone higher up than me—”

“Well, I don’t think there’s anyone higher up than you...?”

“Then... can I take it that this is truly the chairman’s intention?”

Interpretation: Is this what your father taught you?

* * *

“Thank you for your proposal.”

Hey, you.

“The phrase ‘liver and gallbladder’ (肝膽相照) is too cautious to use in this context.”

If you want to make a deal, you have to show your cards.

“As a public official, I don’t want to be entangled in personal relationships, and I have doubts about whether this is truly for the national interest.”

You want me to do something dishonorable for money? Do you think I would?

“Of course, I believe that the Cheonmok Group has long understood my situation.”

I don’t think you expected me to accept this offer.

“In the same vein, I also infer that you have a more constructive vision for our relationship.”

That means you have some ulterior motive.

"However, I regret to say that our interests do not align."

Do you think I’m an idiot to be fooled by your smokescreen?

“I’m not very familiar with the business world.”

And how would I know about your situation?

“I don’t have the time for it either.”

Do I have to consider your feelings?

“With all due respect, it doesn’t seem like the Cheonmok Group fully trusts me.”

It’s better to be polite.

“As a matter of public service, I must be cautious, and I believe you understand that.”

Get lost.

“Given the current situation, I have to be careful.”

If you don’t want to get into trouble.

Chung Geumsoon looked at me with an enigmatic expression. It was hard to read. Her eyes were sad, her mouth was smiling, and the atmosphere was cold.

Of course, I didn’t think I would be swayed by her. I waited calmly for her next words.

“Sigh......”

A sigh came out before any words.

“Haha...!”

It was a laugh, not a sigh.

“Indeed... the basic principle is to invite someone three times, isn’t it...?”

“What?”

“Expensive men... aren’t bad...”

“What, what?”

“Honey.”

Chung Geumsoon laughed eerily.

“Umm, can we talk in a more private place...?”

I was dragged to her house.

*

“Welcome, Representative Han! I’m Chung Seung-yun, the CEO of Cheonmok Heavy Industries!”

“Ah, yes. Nice to meet you.”

“I’ve only seen you on TV, but you look even more impressive in person! I hope my brother didn’t cause any trouble on your way here.”

“Ah, brother...!”

“Hahaha...”

While Chung Geumsoon and her older brother were arguing, the second brother approached and extended his hand.

“I’m Chung Seung-moon, Executive Vice President of Cheonmok Heavy Industries. Nice to meet you, Representative Han Seung-moon.”

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Chung Seung-moon.”

“It’s an honor to meet you.”

“An honor, indeed...”

“I was deeply impressed by your handling of the Apgujeong case.”

His voice was too serious to be just excited about the name.

After greeting her parents and her brothers’ wives, I finally sat down for dinner.

The chairman was not in sight.

I asked Chung Geumsoon’s father, the vice chairman.

“Um, is the chairman...?”

“He is temporarily recuperating due to health reasons. He’s not seriously ill, but... Ah, we’ve prepared a small dinner. Please, have some.”

The atmosphere was very warm.

Occasionally, a hint of arrogance would slip out, but they seemed to restrain each other.

It was less dignified than a drama and more polite than I expected.

They seemed to be good at wearing masks.

No matter how kind they appeared.

They were, after all, people who used their daughters for business.

5 hours and 41 minutes.

That’s how long it took for me to escape from their house. I was counting the time, eager to leave.

I got to eat rice, tea, fruit, coffee, and even some expensive wine. It must have been very expensive, something I could never afford.

It was the first time I had such a luxurious meal, but the seat was uncomfortable, making my stomach feel heavy. I wanted to eat ramen. The price is ridiculous these days, though.

I felt like I had fallen into a very high-level pyramid scheme. After being pushed around for 5 hours, I was completely drained.

Metaphors in the news, hints in the greetings, and advice through proverbs and context. It was the most difficult and awkward conversation of my life.

What a scary group of people.

With a mind clouded by alcohol, I barely managed to escape from the house.

I stumbled and leaned against the wall, my weak body exhaling white breath.

“Hey, bro!”

“Yiho...!”

Yang Yiho caught me as I was about to fall.

“We can’t die here!”

“...Rather, hold a funeral for me.”

- Bang!

“Huh!”

“Yah!”

A passing Benz honked.

The front window rolled down, and Chung Geumsoon leaned out with a droopy-eyed smile.

“Hey, honey.”

“...Yes?”

“Do you want me to get you some hangover soup...?”

“...It’s 2 AM now?”

“I know a great place...”

“What...!”

“I won’t stick around, just hangover soup...”

“Hmm...”

“Ox head soup.”

“!”

*

On a cold winter night, hot broth entered my body. I felt happy to be alive. After mixing the ox head soup with rice and blowing on it, I took a big bite.

Feeling the heat that could scorch my mouth, I swallowed, and it felt like a ball of fire sliding down my esophagus.

“Ah... this is it...”

Slurp. Slurp. Sniff. Slurp.

The white, refreshing broth seemed to sober me up. I asked, savoring the subtle meat flavor.

“Mr. Chung Sang-mu.”

“Yes...?”

“Didn’t you say we were going to a private place...?”

Who would take someone to their house after saying they were going to a private place? I asked her, a bit flustered.

Chung Geumsoon answered naturally.

“Usually... a place with few people is considered private, right...?”

“Yes.”

“There’s no one at home. It’s a private place, isn’t it...”

The alcohol is really wearing off.

I’ve had a proper hangover cure.

I could only stare at her with wide eyes. Yang Yiho dropped his chopsticks.

When Chung Geumsoon raised her hand, the owner brought a bottle of soju.

“Can you pour me a shot...?”

“Yes, Vice President.”

The store’s shutter came down. The owner disappeared, and there were no other customers.

It was a private room.

She smiled faintly and began to speak softly.

“Well... it’s fine if you listen...”

She glanced at Yang Yiho.

She was asking if he should hear this important conversation. Before I could answer, Yang Yiho got up from his seat.

Oops.

I grabbed him and made him sit down. He had done all the dirty work for the foundation for half a year.

And he had a gun in his pocket. I delivered a cool line.

“If you don’t trust, don’t use. If you use, trust.”

“Do you like Romance of the Three Kingdoms...?”

Actually, it was a drama line. Chung Geumsoon smiled and tilted her soju glass.

“I’ve seen that too...”

“...Not particularly, but being next to Representative Yang Pan-seok, I’ve learned a lot.”

“Yeah, Representative Yang Pan-seok really likes Romance of the Three Kingdoms...”

I looked at her, wondering how she knew that.

“Um... he was my grandfather’s friend. Representative Yang Pan-seok...”

“Ah, the chairman...?”

“Yes... so I often saw him when I was young...”

I asked her.

“Then, did Representative Yang Pan-seok want us to be together?”

“No.”

She answered.

“I want it...”

Oops.

She held the glass with her thin fingers and drank it in one go, then smiled and poured me a drink.

“Let me read your mind, Seung-moon...”

It was a metaphor, but I flinched for a moment.

“Ridiculous nouveau riche offering money for my body... and they don’t even show their cards...”

Chung Geumsoon laughed and continued.

“Since we’re tangled up with Masuk... if we expose it as a national strategic resource in the media, people who like power will quickly heat up the situation...”

I took the glass she offered with a dry look.

“With martial law getting lax, the media is starting to counterattack, and the political world will need a scapegoat...”

I smiled silently and refilled her glass.

“So, the Industrial Bank, the Fair Trade Commission, and the National Tax Service... if they gradually cut away, it won’t be hard to dismantle the group...”

Chung Geumsoon must always have a recorder in her head. In fact, it was probably recording right now.

But the fact that she’s saying this...

“Our Mr. Chung Sang-mu, you’re not as timid as I thought...”

You’re ready to play a life-or-death game with me. Is that it?

“Seung-moon... you are indeed as scary as I thought... Hehe. I really know how to pick people...”

We finished half a bottle of soju. Chung Geumsoon, with a flushed face, mumbled.

“There’s a saying... a capable minister in times of peace, a cunning hero in times of chaos...”

It’s a saying about Cao Cao from Romance of the Three Kingdoms. In peaceful times, he would be an excellent minister. In chaotic times, he would be a cunning hero.

She refilled my glass again.

“Do you think the times change people...?”

“No.”

“Times of peace are just when cunning heroes can’t achieve their goals. I don’t think cunning heroes are satisfied with being capable ministers...”

“...”

“Ah...! That was a bit corny... Ugh...”

She splashed water on her dry face to sober up.

Chung Geumsoon slapped her cheeks with both hands and continued.

“Ah...! Now, the main point!”

She rested her face on her folded hands and smiled.

“Cheonmok Group’s cross-shareholding is in a web-like structure... the parent company is Cheonmok Heavy Industries, which builds ships...”

I started to think quickly.

Cross-shareholding.

Company A owns Company B.

Company B owns Company C.

Company C owns Company A.

The chaebol family only holds Company A.

Thus, they control both B and C.

This means the entire group is interconnected like a web, with Cheonmok Heavy Industries playing the role of Company A.

“What a mess? They didn’t learn their lesson even after the IMF crisis. They should have converted to a holding company.”

“Hmm... they didn’t have the money to do so. Anyway... with 4% of Cheonmok Heavy Industries, they controlled the entire group...”

This was possible because the chaebol’s political and business proteges provided a shield.

Blocking foreign capital. Blocking shareholder attacks. Blocking attempts by the Industrial Bank and the Fair Trade Commission to dismantle the group.

The problem is.

“The share defense has been breached.”

The country is in ruins.

It’s a natural progression. As the country fell, the invisible shield of power disappeared, and they couldn’t protect their shares.

They controlled dozens of companies with just one, but if that one is taken away...

“Especially, with a few subsidiaries collapsing... the funds to defend the shares are woefully insufficient...”

The group is on the verge of disintegration.

“Cheonmok Group... needs emergency funds to defend its shares. And a new shield.

So, what Cheonmok really wanted to say to Seung-moon is not to do business together, but...”

I continued her sentence.

“To offer your body before it all falls apart?”

“Bingo...!”

The most interesting part wasn’t the internal affairs of Cheonmok Group.

“Hey, honey...”

Her face, resting on her folded hands, smiled at me.

“I have a really cool plan...”

A bitter smile tilted her head.

“Can you help me just once...?”