Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Grandfather’s Generous Promise

Grandfather laughed heartily.

“What? Snatch Taeseong Chemicals from U-gwang? Do you think this is something like snatching a friend’s toy?”

“What if I can?”

“Business is not that easy.”

“So I’m saying what if. If only that 30 billion won shackle wasn’t there, would you permit our Mom and Dad’s marriage?”

“Hmm, then there’s no particular reason for me to oppose this marriage either.”

Good!

“But the problem is that it’s not that easy as said. You young one probably don’t know yet how complicated and difficult the money, people, and interests entangled in business are.”

A 30 billion won business.

Since it’s a company worth about 1.5 trillion won in 21st century prices, how heavy that shackle is.

Grandfather stroked my head.

“Someday when you grow a bit bigger, there will come a day when you also know. At that time, will you understand this Grandfather a little?”

“No matter how complicated and difficult, in the end it’s something people do, right?”

The hand of Grandfather stroking my head paused.

“If there’s just the courage and will to unravel that, there’s nothing that can’t be done.”

I held Grandfather’s hand.

I patted the back of Grandfather’s hand softly.

“Don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”

It was the small cheer I was giving.

“Try believing once. Me, and our Dad too.”

This was the small comfort I was giving.

‘I’ve already fully planned to swallow Taeseong Chemicals!’

Grandfather looked at me with a peculiar gaze.

He blankly looked down at his own hand that I was patting.

A wrinkled large hand and a small plump hand like a fern.

The size, complexion, and thickness were all different, but still we resembled each other somewhere.

“I believe. Why wouldn’t I believe my own son. I believed, so even if he only wandered outside until now······.”

Grandfather muttered softly to himself and then stubbornly closed his mouth tightly.

Instead, he placed his other hand on top of my hand as well.

It was warm.

“Grandfather will go now.”

“Since you came all the way here, you said you’d play with me?”

I decided to use the child’s privilege this time too.

Since I made our Father make that kind of expression, even as the son, I have to loosen it so the lump remains less.

Even if family, no, because they are family, more delicate after-service is needed.

“Let’s make a snowman together with me. I’ve never made a snowman even once. Okay?”

Of course, this is a lie.

Because I used to make snowmen well for our Gang-u since he was young.

“Do that with your dad. Isn’t it too regrettable to yield the first snowman to Grandfather?”

“What’s there to regret? I can make it with Grandfather, and make it again with Dad.”

“Ahem!”

“Are you busy? Then let’s just make one together. Okay? Still no?”

“Ahem! Then··· just one.”

Grandfather glanced at the snow field.

“This Grandfather is quite good at rolling if nothing else. I roll snow well, roll money well, roll business well, and roll subordinates quite well too.”

Grandfather rolled up his sleeves.

Then Secretary Kim ran over with a serious expression and pulled down Grandfather’s sleeves.

“You’ll catch a cold.”

“I’m not a body that catches a cold from this kind of thing yet.”

Secretary Kim took out leather gloves.

“Please wear the gloves.”

“I said I’m fine even without gloves?”

I also shook my head.

“If Grandfather doesn’t wear gloves, I won’t wear them either. If Grandfather rolls up his sleeves, I’ll also roll them up. Because I’m Grandfather’s grandson.”

“Ahem! I’m fine, but our precious grandson shouldn’t catch a cold. Secretary Kim, gloves!”

“Here they are.”

Grandfather and I entered the snow field side by side wearing gloves.

* * *

While the grandfather and grandson were making snowmen amicably.

Secretary Kim and Go manager stood side by side under the eaves and watched that sight.

The muscular giant Go manager crossed his arms with a contented expression.

“It seems like it’s been a long time seeing the chairman looking so joyful like that.”

Secretary Kim also agreed.

“Yes, he looks very good.”

“The vitality and energy that children give is really amazing. Just looking makes you smile naturally?”

“Well.”

Secretary Kim didn’t agree this time.

“The reason the chairman makes that kind of expression is probably because the opponent is Young Master Jeong-hyeok.”

Go manager looked at Secretary Kim anew.

“That’s not like Kim Young-geol?”

“You’ll know if you watch.”

The gaze that should flash coldly beyond the silver-framed glasses softened gently today.

Seeing such Secretary Kim, Go manager made a peculiar expression.

“Is it that much?”

“He’s a very special person.”

“Hmm.”

* * *

Grandfather dusted his hands.

“Grandfather should stop now.”

“We only made seven snowmen? Grandfather, Grandmother, Dad, Mom, me, and big uncle, little uncle. There’s also an aunt, right?”

“Make the rest with your dad. Oh dear, do you know how many snowballs this Grandfather rolled?”

“Seven bodies and seven heads, so only fourteen in total?”

“Oh my, I was rolling fourteen when I thought I was only rolling two?”

Grandfather also dusted my clothes.

Before I knew it, the gloves were wet, the clothes were wet, the sneakers were wet, and the hair was also wet.

Thanks to that, I trembled every time the cold wind of midwinter blew.

“This won’t do. Our precious child shouldn’t catch a cold. Go inside now.”

“It’s fine even if I get a bit wet.”

“You can make snowmen again next time. Grandfather should go now.”

“Then promise!”

I held out my little finger.

Originally, I only handle thumbprints instead of little fingers, and believe documents more than words.

But let’s consider this also the privilege of a child.

“Next time too, you’ll tell me stories of our Dad’s childhood while making our family snowmen?”

“Hear that from your dad too. I talked so much that my throat is dry!”

Grandfather was making a refreshed expression.

Not a forced smile, but a face smiling pleasantly while sweating.

Only then did I also smile brightly.

“Thank you so much for the Christmas gifts too, Grandfather.”

“Then go inside quickly and unwrap the gifts. Secretary Kim!”

“Yes, Chairman.”

Grandfather hugged me tightly and walked out of the snow field.

Secretary Kim wiped me with a large bath towel he had already prepared.

Go manager took charge of Grandfather.

“Go inside and drink hot honey water first. Your insides have to warm up so you don’t get a stomachache.”

“Are you just going like this? Don’t you need this?”

I took out the coin wallet from my pocket.

He said if I always stuff important things into my pocket, he gave me something like this.

It was the bribe that the quick-witted security guard, the self-proclaimed number two, the security team leader Yu Jong-tae who volunteered to be my limb, offered to me.

I took out the gangji paper I had folded neatly.

It was in a clean state without a single drop of moisture.

“Oops! I was completely out of my mind with the grandson’s cuteness. Secretary Kim!”

“Yes, Chairman.”

Grandfather handed the document I gave to Secretary Kim.

“We also have to give the bribe we brought.”

“Here it is, Young Master.”

Secretary Kim handed me a document envelope.

“It’s 1% of Taeseong Construction’s shares.”

“Grandfather, aren’t you cutting too much?”

Taeseong Construction’s stock price was dirt cheap recently due to the lax management of the incompetent president and executives.

“Even if it looks small now, if we successfully win the Subway Line 2 construction, it will rise greatly soon.”

“Even the 10 million won first prize housing lottery is 100 won before winning.”

No matter what later, at the current market price, 1% of Taeseong Construction’s stocks doesn’t have the value of 100 million won.

“In the end, you’re saying you’ll freeload?”

“Taeseong Construction is your father’s share. So it would be much more valuable than other affiliates’ stocks?”

So that means a limited price?

“You’re going to show off while giving me what you’ll give to our Dad?”

“Originally, the company is owned by the major shareholder. If it’s stocks received from Grandfather, even your dad won’t be able to move against you?”

Grandfather said shamelessly.

I clicked my tongue.

This isn’t my style.

“I have no intention at all of wanting to snatch our Dad’s rice bowl. So I’ll receive something from another company instead of this.”

I pushed the document envelope containing Taeseong Construction’s stocks back.

But Grandfather didn’t receive it.

“That won’t do. No matter how much I like the grandson, I can’t snatch even my child’s rice bowl.”

It meant other affiliates were other children’s shares.

“Whether under a borrowed name or not, if you hand over 100 million won worth of shares of other Taeseong Group affiliates to one person, the entire group will be flipped upside down. So it was a demand that couldn’t be accepted from the beginning.”

Would I not know that.

“I shouldn’t make Grandfather troubled. Then I’ll receive something from another company instead of Taeseong altogether.”

“Another company? Are you saying that because you think Taeseong Chemicals will fall as your share?”

Even if you probe like that, it’s useless.

Taeseong Chemicals is the company I’ll prepare as our Mother’s dowry.

My share, I’ll take care of myself.

‘My share will be much bigger than that. Soon a dinosaur property that will flip the entire country upside down because of the oil shock is scheduled to come out.’

Grandfather subtly laid down a threat.

“Suppose I snatch Taeseong Chemicals and give it to you. Then not only your big uncle and little uncle but also the aunt won’t stay still. Your mom and dad will become very troubled.”

“Then not Taeseong Chemicals either.”

I also decided to subtly encourage Grandfather.

“Something like a new company or a failed company. That’s not expensive, right?”

“Oho, buy an unlisted company or a company worth acquiring and merging? It’s a gifting method many use.”

Even though I deliberately spoke like dog shit, you understood it like rice cake!

Grandfather only then readily nodded.

“Good. If it’s that, there’s nothing I can’t accept. Let’s decide to buy another company instead of Taeseong Construction’s stocks!”

Good!

I was waiting for exactly these words right now!

The reason I put forward bribe conditions that required negotiation from the beginning was because I wanted to settle with Grandfather and definitely receive this promise.

“You’re promising, right?”

“Of course. Grandfather has that much ability.”

Good! Exactly this!

“So about that.”

I smiled brightly and took out the new paper I had folded neatly from the coin wallet and held it out.

“Please write that promise here.”

“······.”

“I believe documents more than words, and thumbprints with signatures and seals more than little finger promises.”

“······.”

Grandfather turned to look at Secretary Kim.

“As expected, my grandson. See? Blood can’t be deceived?”

Somehow it was a face that looked happy.

Secretary Kim nodded with a contented expression, and Go manager turned pale and opened his mouth wide.

Regardless.

“That company has to be handed over completely, entirely, wholly, as my share?”

“So you mean 100% of the shares are your share so don’t touch it? Whatever, how much is an unlisted company or a failed company. I can even make one for you right today.”

“If necessary, you’ll sincerely, all together, unconditionally help me, right?”

“Cooperate with all your heart and strength? Of course. I never act carelessly in company matters. To properly raise even one, you have to put in effort.”

It’s a satisfactory answer.

I took out the Montblanc fountain pen from my coat pocket and put it in Grandfather’s hand.

“Write that too.”

“······.”

Grandfather turned to look at Secretary Kim.

“As expected, my child. So lovable I could die. Yes, at seven years old, it has to be this much.”

Go manager eventually dropped the bath towel he was holding.

“Chairman, is it really okay to do this?”

“What’s there that can’t be? Gifting an unlisted company? Promoting acquisition and merger? Do you think I can’t even prepare that much of a gift?”

Grandfather wrote down without hesitation.

He finished the signature and seal certainly and held out the written pledge, no, the IOU to me.

‘Wow!’

Of course, it was shining a hundred times brighter than the documents of this mansion.

It was a document from which a radiance so bright that it seemed my eyes would go blind, incomparable to an incandescent light bulb, was pouring out.