Chapter 21

Chapter 21

What Kind of Windfall Is This? (2)

‘From of old, a bribe is something that accompanies a solicitation. It seems Chairman Cha discovered the pages I cut out.’

I stroked my pocket.

A neatly folded paper was caught.

‘Since I found a lot of treasures in our house safe, I don’t need to say anything regrettable. But there’s no reason to refuse the sincerity of wanting to take care of it. This is also necessary for seizing the initiative.’

Secretary Kim said.

“The young master probably already guesses what I came to solicit for.”

Of course.

I obediently nodded.

It’s comfortable because I don’t have to pretend in front of Secretary Kim.

“What I’m curious about is not the content of the solicitation, but the content of the bribe.”

Click.

I opened the main gate for him.

“Please come in. Even if I call it a bribe, it will be hard to compare to the 2 billion extracted from U-gwang.”

It was after turning red in the face with Chairman Cha at the Taeseong Hotel coffee shop a few hours ago.

So I couldn’t help but respond curtly naturally.

“Then I’ll excuse myself.”

Secretary Kim entered inside the main gate while politely bowing.

‘He brought quite a lot of people.’

Not only the security team people, but there were about ten people wearing different work clothes.

“These are people to help with chores.”

Secretary Kim said while walking with heavy steps toward the garden.

“This side are cleaning maids from our Taeseong Hotel. Their skills are quite excellent.”

I was worried about Mom cleaning alone anyway. It worked out well.

“This side is the remodeling person in charge affiliated with Taeseong Construction, a skilled person who cleanly fixes most defects from plumbing to electricity.”

“I’m Manager Kim of Taeseong Construction.”

He came in pushing a cart loaded with a tool box with a rumble.

“This side is the head Japanese cuisine chef and assistant chef of the Taeseong Hotel restaurant. They will prepare dinner for the young master and Ms. Lee Su-jin.”

“Then what about the Taeseong Hotel restaurant?”

“It’s fine. Since there are chef corps specializing in Western, Chinese, and Korean cuisine remaining, it should be sufficiently coverable even if Japanese cuisine is absent for a day.”

Honk!

A horn sound was heard from outside the main gate.

“I also called a fuel truck. From what I saw earlier, this is a house that uses an oil boiler. Since the pyeong is large, I prepared it thinking the oil might be insufficient.”

Secretary Kim works well!

The eye for detail is quite good.

The thing I need most right now is people to help with housework.

“Do you like it?”

Of course.

But I deliberately answered indifferently.

“Do you think you can buy my favor with this much?”

“No way. This is merely a trick used to gain time to talk.”

Secretary Kim politely opened the front door while bowing at the waist.

“Young Master, please go inside first.”

I didn’t refuse Secretary Kim’s goodwill.

* * *

“These are the gifts the chairman promised.”

At Secretary Kim’s eye gesture, the real estate agency uncle hurriedly ran out.

“I get to meet the little young master twice in one day today.”

It was the very real estate agency uncle who had arranged the contract for this house, when lottery wives were densely packed in Myeongdong.

“This time you’re looking for Gangnam apartments? As expected, it was too regrettable to just pass by? So I came again!”

The real estate agency uncle began laying out highest-grade apartment documents one after another.

“I brought only very good properties. I recommend Hyunmu Apartment, Cheonma Apartment, and Geumjo Apartment!”

Not only that.

“There are also commercial buildings. This is Jongno, this is Euljiro, that is Namdaemun, that is Dongdaemun!”

Every document the real estate agency uncle laid out one after another was all flashing with golden light.

“Are these not catching your eye at all? Just say anything! I’ll search the entire country and immediately present a perfectly matching property!”

The real estate agency uncle rubbed his palms and smiled.

“If you just sign the contract, I’ll take responsibility and solve everything in one stop including the court registration with the judicial scrivener. Hehehe!”

I snorted.

“Surely this isn’t the bribe?”

“No way. This is the chairman’s gift to Ms. Lee Su-jin.”

Mother who had been listening quietly carefully opened her mouth.

“Could you perhaps put all these apartments and commercial buildings under our Jeong-hyeok’s name?”

“Possible. Shall we proceed that way?”

Before Mother could answer, I blocked it.

“No need. Mom, this is Mom’s share that Chairman Cha prepared. I’ll take care of my share myself so you don’t need to worry.”

I turned to look at Secretary Kim.

“Please put it under Mom’s name. I won’t accept other proposals.”

“Let’s do that.”

Secretary Kim took out a black card.

“It’s Taeseong’s membership. Please use this when using the Taeseong Hotel and resort, golf course, and department store. We will treat you extremely well as a VIP.”

Then he put a Montblanc fountain pen in Mother’s hand.

“Whether to gift it to the son or not is up to the building owner. So Ms. Lee Su-jin, please carefully choose the real estate yourself. You’ll need to deliberate carefully, so in the meantime I’ll look after the young master.”

At Secretary Kim’s eye gesture, the real estate agency uncle gathered the real estate documents in a hurry.

“Besides these, our real estate agency has quite a few prime properties. Please carefully and thoroughly choose as much as you like, Madam!”

The real estate agency uncle pushed Mother’s back and entered the small room.

Secretary Kim pushed up his silver-framed glasses.

“Now I can start a proper conversation with the young master.”

It meant it was time for the bribe exchange from now on.

Secretary Kim took out a thick paper envelope.

“Cash 30 million won.”

“Chairman Cha’s generosity is smaller than expected.”

I didn’t hide my dissatisfaction.

“It seems he’s not particularly interested in blocking the leaking water jar either. The subway construction bidding is right around the corner so it’s already busy, are you going to mobilize high-level personnel and search the ledgers of all affiliates?”

“Umm.”

“Is Chairman Cha’s temper calm enough to turn a blind eye even knowing there’s a traitor?”

No way.

If so, Secretary Kim wouldn’t have come charging in carrying all this.

“You brought a lot of Taeseong security guards. Surely you’re not thinking of catching a seven-year-old child and snatching it by force?”

“No way. How dare I do such a disrespectful act to the precious young master? If it was another guy, maybe.”

When Secretary Kim gestured, the security guard uncle brought one person.

“Uncle Cheol-gu!”

I stood up abruptly from the sofa.

Uncle Cheol-gu’s whole body was bruised in various colors, and there were wounds with blood flowing everywhere.

Traces of torture.

The bear-like Uncle Cheol-gu couldn’t even walk properly without the support of the Taeseong Group security guards.

A completely exhausted, very tired-looking expression.

“Uncle, are you okay?”

I ran over immediately.

“Are you hurt a lot? Is it okay even if you don’t go to the hospital?”

“Who is this? It’s the little kid?”

“That’s why I said to dig a lot of rabbit holes! To aim for the exact center of the target, you have to shoot higher than that so watch the line well!”

“Little kid, why are you here······.”

“I said it would be good to make copies! What were you doing all this time? You should have gone around finding the guys listed in the ledger one by one and threatened them first, what nonsense were you doing to get dragged to the Seobinggo basement?”

“No, so how do you······.”

Uncle Cheol-gu looked back and forth between me and Secretary Kim with a confused expression.

“Surely you were also caught and brought here?”

“······.”

Does this gentleman really have no brain.

Even if the intuition is good, why is the sense zero.

Uncle Cheol-gu sighed deeply.

“Several of the acquaintances entangled with me were dragged and saw a miserable sight······!”

Uncle Cheol-gu lowered his head deeply.

“Little kid, so I said you didn’t see it. Forget it cleanly. Getting dirtily entangled with me for no reason······, I’m sorry.”

Uncle Cheol-gu growled toward Secretary Kim like a wounded beast.

“It’s a seven-year-old little kid! What does a child know? Just send that one back! I beg you!”

Secretary Kim turned to look at me.

“That’s what he says. What will you do?”

It was a question to me.

But the answer was given by Uncle Cheol-gu instead.

“I don’t know anything! I really don’t know! But if you just send that child back, somehow······!”

“It’s fine, Uncle. You can stop.”

I sighed.

“If I don’t hand over this document, Uncle Cheol-gu will suffer a harsh fate, is that what you mean?”

“It will probably turn out that way. Because the chairman said he must see those three pages.”

Secretary Kim obediently nodded.

“Bring the person who wrote U-gwang Construction’s bribe ledger immediately. This is the chairman’s order.”

If Chairman Cha tries to forcibly open Uncle Cheol-gu’s mouth, what will happen.

Probably Uncle Cheol-gu would find it difficult to return safely.

“But I brought Mr. Park Cheol-gu to the young master first before dragging him in front of the chairman.”

So that’s why it’s a bribe?

“Boldly threatening a seven-year-old child, and shamelessly pushing what was promised as service as a bribe. I like that you don’t care about means and methods to create results.”

“······.”

Secretary Kim closed his mouth.

“Uncle Cheol-gu isn’t even my dad, do you think that kind of threat will work on me?”

Life is originally carrot and stick!

If threats don’t work, you have to sweetly add a bribe.

I clicked my tongue.

“The level difference with the bribe I gave is too much. The ledger I gave was at least 180 billion won.”

“······.”

“How much was the money leaking because of U-gwang? About 2 billion?”

“······.”

“Then how much will the money that continues to leak from now on be? What about rooting out the traitor who hit the back of the head? What about the Taeseong Group personnel who will roll around like dogs while investigating the ledgers?”

“······.”

“Yet you’re saying you’ll bring Uncle Cheol-gu calling it a bribe and wipe your mouth? Honestly, isn’t this trying to eat too freely?”

“······.”

I crossed my arms.

“Since you called it a bribe, I wondered just in case. It’s not even apologizing for insulting our Mom, or allowing the marriage.”

“······.”

“I wondered if you brought our Dad who you said you’d catch from the Middle East, but it’s not that either.”

“······.”

“Or you should have at least given a lot of Taeseong stocks. About 100 million won worth?”

I stamped the wooden floor.

“Doesn’t it have to be that much to be called a bribe?”

“As expected, you’re bold. I sincerely thank you for the active cooperation.”

Secretary Kim smiled gently.

“I will prepare the bribe according to the young master’s demands. It won’t take long. Please wait just 3 days.”

I also grinned.

‘As expected, words get through well with Secretary Kim. Yes, this is exactly colluding and playing goseot, customized service!’

If it’s Secretary Kim, he will cleanly prepare the things I demanded.

So didn’t I say it blatantly earlier.

I like that you create results without caring about means and methods?

'Then is it time to use the business card now?'

It’s a matter a bit difficult to demand as a bribe.

But if Secretary Kim cooperates well, I, Chairman Cha, Secretary Kim, and Uncle Cheol-gu can all get win-win-win-win!

'I know well what kind of incident will break out in which Taeseong affiliate soon.'

But there’s no way to explain where and how I obtained this information?

So who is the person needed?

Exactly Uncle Cheol-gu.