Free Web NovelSong Hyeonji leaned in close as if to share a secret and whispered.
“Actually... Grandpa said if I don’t listen, he’ll marry me off to some other guy.”
“I get it, so could you back up a little?”
At that, Song Hyeonji gave me a sideways glance and backed off slightly.
“What? Are you getting nervous or something?”
“No.”
I pretended to stay calm, but my heart was still pounding.
“Oppa?”
“Just keep talking.”
I hurriedly redirected the conversation.
Song Hyeonji tilted her chin up and threatened half-jokingly.
“I want to date. I don’t want to blindly marry someone my family picked. It’s not like Grandpa told me to marry you—he just said to meet you, so I did. I’m dragging this out to buy time. If I find a guy I like, I’ll run off with him.”
I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Haha, did you just say you’re using me to my face?”
“Mm... but now that I’ve met you, you’re not bad. Maybe I don’t need to look for anyone else.”
“You really are something else.”
So honest it was almost brazen.
“What about you, oppa?”
“We just met today. What kind of question is that?”
I had no thoughts of dating or marriage. I already had my hands full with revenge against the people who killed me. I had eliminated my uncles, but it wasn’t complete revenge.
The massive enemy called Cheongpunghoe still remained.
“Ehhh~ But when I got close earlier, you flinched.”
Her bold and straightforward personality was somewhat charming.
But this wasn’t the time for flirting.
“That’s normal. Who doesn’t get startled when someone suddenly gets in their face? And it wasn’t even a secret.”
“It was fun.”
Song Hyeonji laughed brightly.
It was obvious she’d done it just to tease me.
“Was it fun?”
“Yup.”
Such a little fox.
If I kept talking to her, I’d get pulled in.
“Well, nice meeting you. Let’s catch {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} up again sometime.”
“Where do you think you’re going? You didn’t answer me. So what do you think about me?”
“What, whether I like you?”
Even as she asked, there was a glint of confidence in Song Hyeonji's eyes, like she already knew the answer would be yes.
The eyes of someone who knows exactly how others see her.
“I’ll think about it.”
“Wow! Really? Don’t just dodge! That’s not fair!”
While I was smiling at her fiery reaction, Chairman Song’s secretary approached. The Chairman had summoned us both.
When we entered, Chairman Song was grinning mischievously as he looked at me.
“So, you finally met?”
“Grandpa! It’s been a while. Have you been well?”
Song Hyeonji quickly ran over and sat right next to him.
“You rascal. We’ve got a guest.”
“Hehe.”
Even while scolding her, Chairman Song’s face was visibly cheerful. So the rumor was true—he really adored his granddaughter.
Soon, he puffed up and said proudly,
“So? Aren’t you glad you met her? She’s my granddaughter, but isn’t she first-class bride material?”
“Yes, she seems that way.”
Chairman Song clicked his tongue, apparently displeased by my flat reply.
“Tsk, boring bastard. You and that Cheon kid, you’re both so dull... What about you, Hyeonji?”
“I like him.”
“Hohoho, is that so?”
I looked across at Song Hyeonji.
She didn’t avoid my gaze—she stared straight back, eyes gleaming like she was saying, ‘What? You got a problem?’
I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Then see each other now and then. Muhyuk, get to know her. She’s my most precious granddaughter, which is why I introduced her to you.”
The first meeting had gone well, so I nodded.
“Understood.”
“Hoho, good.”
“Grandpa, now you have to keep your promise. I’m not interested in business or running companies, so you said I could live freely, remember?”
“Hoho, you rascal. You think it’ll be that easy?”
A clear look at Song Hyeonji's nature.
Can someone really live freely after being born as the granddaughter of Daehyeon Group’s chairman? More importantly, does anyone even exist who wouldn’t covet Daehyeon’s massive empire?
Now I understood why I’d never heard her name before.
She probably never appeared in the press or in chaebol gossip. And once Chairman Song passed, she likely ran far away from the dirty inheritance war and chose freedom.
“You promised. You said if I met Muhyuk oppa, you wouldn’t tell me to get married or anything.”
“Hoho.”
I decided to help her.
“I’ll talk with her now and then. I like that she’s different from the other chaebol heirs I know. You know about my family background, sir.”
Song Hyeonji didn’t understand, but Chairman Song caught on immediately.
Someone who gave up everything for love.
Maybe it was because she reminded me of my mom that I felt a little more drawn to her.
“Yes, I hope you two get along well.”
In the end, Chairman Song nodded.
And Song Hyeonji's face instantly lit up.
Whether it was because she didn’t have to be married off in a political alliance, or because she actually liked me—I’d find out eventually.
This wasn’t supposed to happen in the original timeline. How far things would go with Song Hyeonji, and in what direction, was still a mystery.
But before that, it was time to ask about the business matter I’d come here for.
“How did the talk with the president of Daehyeon Construction go?”
“You rascal, you understand what it means for Daehyeon Construction to take on a mere building project, right?”
Currently ranked #1 in subcontracting and construction capacity, Daehyeon Construction was Korea’s top construction company—also ranked in the global top 20.
But I gave Chairman Song a relaxed smile despite his scolding.
“I know. Still, I believe it’ll be a large-scale project. It’ll require a lot of money too.”
“And how much could that possibly be. Anyway, I mentioned it. Send someone from Geukseong Construction to Daehyeon Construction.”
“Thank you.”
A satisfied smile crept onto my lips as I got the result I wanted.
Chairman Song turned to Song Hyeonji.
“Did you exchange contact info?”
“Oh, right. Oppa, give me your number.”
Even when she acted differently, a chaebol was still a chaebol.
This was still an era where pagers were more common than cell phones, yet she asked for my number like it was the most natural thing in the world.
As we exchanged contact info, Chairman Song watched us with a pleased look, then motioned to Hyeonji.
“Hyeonji, go on now. Grandpa’s got more to talk about with this one.”
“Okay, Grandpa. I’ll come again!”
Song Hyeonji gave Chairman Song a quick hug. As he chuckled, she winked at me.
“Oppa, see you next time!”
Then she vanished like the wind.
Should I call that cool?
“Childish, huh?”
“Not at all.”
“She’s still the granddaughter I treasure most. Maybe because I spoiled her too much, she doesn’t watch my mood at all. Even now, grown up, she’s still all over the place...”
“I think that’s what makes her more likable. And it’s obvious you care deeply for her, Chairman.”
“That’s true.”
Even within his own family, Chairman Song had a reputation as a tiger, yet he was unusually soft toward Hyeonji.
I thought of asking who her mother was but decided against it. It wasn’t information I needed.
But then, Chairman Song spoke first.
“I have a hidden child.”
Though he had only officially married once, Chairman Song had been with many women and had several children. It wasn’t exactly a secret.
His wife was often referred to as the epitome of the long-suffering Korean wife.
Of the children that exist now, three were from extramarital affairs. But this one was apparently even more secret.
Seeing my expression, Chairman Song nodded knowingly.
“Yes, I’ve got lots of children. But there was one no one knew about. The mother refused so strongly that I couldn’t put the child in my family register... Anyway, she’s that child’s daughter. Her parents died young, and she’s been raised by her grandmother.”
His tone was casual, but his face showed a hint of bitterness.
“Maybe that’s why I treasure her even more. She was a child without greed, and Hyeonji seems to take after her. I want you to look after her after I’m gone. I know you understand what I mean.”
It was clear Chairman Song anticipated what would happen after his death.
“I understand. I’ll treat her like a younger sister and keep an eye on her. Don’t worry.”
Hearing my answer, Chairman Song nodded several times.
The bitter look on the old man’s face soon changed.
“I’ve been hearing rumors you’re recovering funds lately. What’s going on?”
Rumors had already spread that Chairman Cheon in Myeongdong was recalling his funds.
Aside from the conglomerates we hadn’t touched yet, I had recovered most of them myself.
The companies likely to survive post-IMF were untouched. But even those, no matter how much I wanted to lend to them, weren’t taking new loans.
With banks and securities firms offering low-interest loans, only those in dire straits were turning to loan sharks.
“I’m cleaning up the books overall. I haven’t touched the top-tier conglomerates yet. Daehyeon shouldn’t be affected. If we recover funds now, it could collapse.”
“Hoho. What was that? Daehyeon, collapsing?”
Chairman Song burst out laughing at the absurdity.
But it was true—due to government pressure, Daehyeon was unable to secure loans.
Thanks to Grandpa continuing to lend emergency funds, they weren’t experiencing a full cash crunch, but it was tough for them to invest aggressively.
Still, Daehyeon remained Korea’s leading corporate group.
Even Ilseong Group, which would later make Korea known as the Republic of Ilseong, couldn’t compare to Daehyeon at this time.
The backstory of Ilseong’s founder and Chairman Song would be talked about long after their deaths. Their influence in this era was simply that massive.
But no one could avoid the IMF.
There wasn’t a single Korean conglomerate that would come out of the foreign exchange crisis unscathed.
“I want to secure cash reserves. Grandpa is planning to retire now. And it’s simpler to clean up past loans.”
“Hmm... Don’t tell me this is because you think that old prediction about Korea going bankrupt will come true? Don’t you see how strong the economy is? Even if you leave it alone, interest keeps rolling in—why would you stockpile cash?”
He wasn’t wrong.
This was an unprecedented boom.
Low interest rates, low oil prices, low exchange rates.
Korea was growing at a staggering pace.
But within months, thanks to negotiations among powers like the U.S. and Japan, the dollar would surge and the yen would weaken.
And with that, the boom would end.
“I think our economy is extremely abnormal. The corruption and collusion between government and business are too severe. The debt ratio is also dangerously high. One day, like a bomb, it’s going to blow. No—I believe it definitely will. I just don’t know when.”
“Hmm...”
Chairman Song rested his chin on his hand, listening intently.
“But that’s not the reason for the withdrawals. I plan to run the loan business differently from Grandpa. This fund recall is part of that preparation. His power will vanish when he passes.”
“Times have changed. But the Cheon family’s money isn’t going anywhere, is it? That’s power.”
It was half true.
But money alone wouldn’t get me the revenge I wanted.
Cheongpunghoe couldn’t be taken down with money alone.
“In your and Grandpa’s time, money was power. But not anymore. You know things have changed. You probably feel it more than anyone.”
“Hohoho.”
Even under the brutal military dictatorship, the conglomerates thrived by greasing palms.
They were the pillars of Korea’s economy. At hearings or government audits, even the powerful bowed their heads before them.
But not Chairman Cheon.
Because Grandpa had only money.
Without his ledger, all his wealth would have been torn apart and stolen by those in power.
The IMF crisis was the final chance.
My one chance to gain power—my one chance to fight Cheongpunghoe.
Cheongpunghoe must be in chaos right now.
On March 1, 1995, the president gave a special address during the demolition ceremony of the old Japanese Government-General Building to commemorate the 50th anniversary of liberation.
Japan was reacting furiously. freewebnøvel.coɱ
Because Cheongpunghoe was doing everything it could to stop it.
And now the great powers—Japan, the U.S.—were beginning to move. The yen had started to weaken.
—This... monstrous bastard.
Han Kyungyeong’s reaction was only natural.
We had bet on the yen’s fall faster than anyone else.
Compared to other hedge funds, our profits would be in a league of their own.
< I Hope You Two Get Along Well. > End.
