Chapter 130 – Recruitment – Part 1

Chapter 130 – Recruitment – Part 1

Seeing Cha Juhyeok’s surprise, Lee Hyerim calmly greeted him.

“Welcome.”

Only then did Cha Juhyeok bow.

At the same time, he quickly racked his brain to understand the situation.

He knew that Shin Woojin was Young Lady Lee Hyerim’s parachute, but just a moment ago, they were speaking informally to each other.

Did the Young Lady put Shin Woojin in SH Strategy to watch over him?

Just then, Lee Hyerim’s voice was heard.

“Don’t just stand there, please sit down.”

“Yes.”

Assistant Manager Cha Juhyeok sat to Lee Hyerim’s right.

It was a seat about 50cm to her right.

At first, he was puzzled to see no customers in such a high-class bar, but seeing the Young Lady, he immediately understood.

It was highly likely that she had rented it out.

And in this high-class bar, Shin Woojin, who was sitting to the Young Lady’s left, was eating spicy rice cakes.

Cha Juhyeok was dumbfounded.

Just then, Woojin, who was elegantly (?) eating his spicy rice cakes, paused and spoke.

“Hyerim…”

“Yes?”

“There are no eggs.”

“No what?”

“Boiled eggs.”

Seeing Woojin’s dejected expression as he looked at the spicy rice cakes, Lee Hyerim immediately called the bartender.

“Please order the spicy rice cakes with eggs again.”

No.

Woojin asked the Bartender,

Where did you order it from?

I ordered it from Kongtteok Kongtteok Tteokbokki. If you don’t like it, I can order from somewhere else.

It’s fine.

Woojin said that and then muttered as if he would never forget it again,

Kongtteok Kongtteok…

Cha Juhyeok blinked and watched the two of them.

This situation was very unfamiliar.

And he instinctively said to Woojin,

Mr. Woojin, I think you forgot to use the title Young Lady.

Woojin replied,

I’m quitting.

What? What did you say? You’re leaving SH Strategy?

He had fully grasped how SH Strategy was operating.

Two days were enough.

No, it’s only been a few days since you joined…

Then Lee Hyerim said,

Your name is Assistant Manager Cha Juhyeok, correct?

Cha Juhyeok replied nervously,

Yes, that’s right, Young Lady.

Lee Hyerim nodded and said to the Bartender,

Pour this person a drink.

The Bartender poured a whiskey worth over one million won into an old-fashioned glass and carefully handed it to Cha Juhyeok.

Thank you.

Cha Juhyeok turned his body, took a sip of whiskey, and when he turned back to his original position, Lee Hyerim spoke.

“Is the work environment at SH Strategy good?”

Cha Juhyeok’s gaze darted around.

‘Is she testing me?’

“Yes. I am very satisfied, Young Lady.”

Lee Hyerim slowly nodded and continued speaking.

“Even with a high annual salary, maintaining your dignity must cost quite a bit. How do you manage to cover that?”

Cha Juhyeok’s suit, shoes, and watch were all expensive luxury brands.

“Not just me, but all staff members at SH Strategy are doing their best to ensure they don’t tarnish the image of Shinhwa Group.”

“Why does it sound to me like you’re even siphoning off money to dress up?”

Cha Juhyeok waved his hands emphatically.

“Young Lady! No! Absolutely not!”

He said that, but there had been occasional instances of skimming, such as when the Shinhwa Group’s heirs were caught by reporters or had to pay damages for property destruction, he would negotiate a 20 million won compensation down to 19 million won and pocket a million won.

He thought it was all in cash, so it couldn’t be traced, and that a million won was pocket change to Shinhwa Group, so they wouldn’t care.

Lee Hyerim turned her head and stared at Cha Juhyeok.

Cha Juhyeok felt a cold sweat run down his back.

She was someone who was ignored by her siblings.

And she was young, too.

However, no matter how much she was ignored or how young she was, the bloodline of Shinhwa Group was clearly felt in her eyes.

“Oh, Young Lady, it’s really not true.”

Lee Hyerim nodded.

“Well, those things can be made up.”

“Excuse me?”

“Embezzling ten million won, embezzling twenty million won. Putting all these things together to make it an embezzlement of a billion, ten billion won… would that be difficult? Why do I think it would be easy?”

Capillaries appeared in Cha Juhyeok’s eyes.

“Young Lady, why are you doing this to me…?”

Lee Hyerim, who thought she had scared him enough, as Woojin suggested, cut him off.

“From now on, report all incidents and accidents that occur at Shinhwa Group to me.”

“Huh?”

“Will you live as an employee your whole life, or will you take my hand and rise to the top? I believe you understand very well what my words mean right now.”

Cha Juhyeok’s eyes trembled like aspen leaves.

It meant to be her eyes and ears.

It meant to get involved in the fierce struggle of the unseen siblings.

Just then, Woojin said, as if tossing it out.

“Assistant Manager Cha, you won’t lose anything. Even if the Young Lady’s chances of rising are low, she is still of the owner’s bloodline. There’s always a possibility. If the Young Lady succeeds…”

Cha Juhyeok swallowed dryly.

If he did nothing, he’d remain an employee. If the Young Lady failed, he’d still be an employee. But if the Young Lady could rise…

As his mind raced, Lee Hyerim spoke.

“May I pour you a drink?”

“Thank you.”

Cha Juhyeok emptied the whiskey remaining in the on-the-rocks glass in one gulp, then politely held out the glass.

Lee Hyerim, holding the whiskey, began to fill his glass.

It was filled by a third. Then by half, and when the whiskey was almost overflowing in the on-the-rocks glass, shimmering.

Lee Hyerim put down the bottle and said.

“By the look on your face, it seems you’re thinking something interesting. Do you think I’m making a deal with you, Assistant Manager Cha?”

“Oh, no.”

“You like whiskey, don’t you?”

No sooner had Lee Hyerim finished speaking than Cha Juhyeok gulped down the whiskey as if he had received an order.

“Cough! Cough!”

Cha Juhyeok, who had slammed down the whiskey, felt like he was going to throw up, but he swallowed several times and held it back.

Lee Hyerim began to refill his whiskey glass again.

Lee Hyerim’s eyes seemed to waver as she watched the glass slowly fill.

Then Woojin’s words came to mind.

‘Hyerim, you must become someone to be feared. Someone who is feared, but can also offer hope.’

Lee Hyerim composed herself again, her gaze fixed steadily on the glass.

Her lips parted once more.

“Or do I look like someone who is currently pleading with Assistant Manager Cha Juhyeok?”

“Oh, no, you don’t.”

“Drink it.”

Cha Juhyeok guzzled down the whiskey again.

Lee Hyerim looked at him, his face and neck flushed crimson, and said,

“Our Yohwan-oppa. Who do you think made him that way?”

Cha Juhyeok’s eyes widened.

He hadn’t expected it at all.

It was something even the blood relatives of Shinhwa Group didn’t know.

Because even SH Strategy hadn’t grasped it.

Lee Hyerim, who normally didn’t even care about Shinhwa Group’s affairs…

“From now on, I will buy the sweat you shed, Assistant Manager Cha.”

Lee Hyerim slid the white envelope that had been in front of her across the table towards Cha Juhyeok.

“This money will serve as collateral.”

“Young Lady…”

Cha Juhyeok, who had been looking down and shifting his gaze around, seemed to make a decision, adjusted his clothes, and bowed deeply to Lee Hyerim.

Anyway, if he refused, she would invent something and have him fired from the company.

No, she could even pin embezzlement on him and have him handcuffed.

In that case…

There’s a saying that it’s better to be alive, even if you’re rolling in a dog poop field.

Perhaps it’s an opportunity in life.

“I will serve you to the best of my ability.”

Lee Hyerim picked up an empty shot glass and held it out to Cha Juhyeok.

“Pour it.”

It was an order.

Cha Juhyeok politely filled Lee Hyerim’s glass with alcohol.

“Thank you.”

“Not at all.”

“You may go.”

As soon as Lee Hyerim finished speaking, Cha Juhyeok bowed deeply once more and left the bar with the envelope.

Lee Hyerim put down the shot glass, swept back her hair, and let out a low sigh.

Then Woojin, who had put down his chopsticks, spoke.

“The Winner Takes It All.”

Lee Hyerim chuckled, as if relieved of tension.

Woojin continued.

“A successful coup…”

Lee Hyerim smiled slightly and finished Woojin’s sentence.

“Is not a coup.”

The next day.

Woojin, who had come to work at SH Strategy, stood before the Chief.

The Chief was staring at him as if to say, ‘What kind of guy is this?’

“You’re quitting?”

“Yes!”

“Hey. Where do you think you’ll get this kind of salary?”

“Considering the average new employee’s salary, I don’t think I’ll be able to get this kind of pay anywhere else.”

The Chief was dumbfounded by Woojin’s confident tone, not batting an eye.

“So, now that you’re here, it doesn’t seem to suit you?”

“Yes!”

The Chief snickered.

“Go out and try to find it then, see if finding a job that suits you is that easy.”

This young punk doesn’t know how scary the world is.

There was no need to advise such a fellow.

Once he matured and got knocked around by the world, he’d regret it bitterly.

“Go.”

The Chief had no regrets.

He only needed an obedient dog; a guy like that, swayed by emotions like a child, was worthless.

“Then I’ll be going!”

Woojin bowed slightly and then left the Chief’s office.

The Chief shook his head as if in disbelief.

Even his departing back, turning away after kicking out the good fortune that had rolled in, seemed audacious.

Woojin, having returned, began to clear his desk.

Cha Juhyeok, who was peeking at the scene, couldn’t say a word.

This wasn’t Shin Woojin’s demeanor on his first day. No, Woojin’s demeanor was the same, but it felt different to Cha Juhyeok.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t treat him carelessly; he couldn’t even talk to him.

Just then, Woojin put his belongings into a box and said,

“I came in as the Young Lady’s parachute and resigned in a few days. I also received luxury gifts while shopping with the Young Lady. Please let the Young Lady’s siblings know about this.”

Cha Juhyeok blurted out a word reflexively, like someone startled.

“Huh!?”

Soon, Woojin, holding the box, turned his head and looked at Cha Juhyeok.

“Shall I repeat it?”

“Oh, no. I will do that.”

Woojin, holding the box with both hands, bowed his head to him.

“Then, good luck with your work.”

***

Exactly 6 PM.

It was a private room at a luxury restaurant.

Two women and one man were present: Lee Hyerim’s older sisters and older brother.

Lee Hyerim’s siblings used to meet once a week, a gathering that Lee Jeongcheol had enforced for the siblings’ camaraderie.

“Yohwan, I knew he’d cause big trouble someday. What an embarrassment.”

“Father seems very angry. I hope the backlash doesn’t reach us.”

The eldest son, Lee Shincheol, who had been silently cutting his steak, spoke.

“Be careful how you conduct yourselves from now on. Endure even if there’s something you want to do.”

“Hey, if someone heard you, they’d think we were the ones who did something wrong.”

Lee Shincheol said no more, only bringing his water glass to his lips.

“Oh, older sister, did you know? Hyerim seems to be playing around with some guy. Buying him delicious food~ taking him shopping~ and this time, she got him a job at the company as a parachute hire?”

“I heard. Born from a lowly womb, where else would her behavior go?”

Lee Shincheol asked.

“Got him a job? Where?”

“Don’t even mention it. It’s SH Strategy. Still, when Yohwan was caught, she must have had some sense, as she made him resign immediately.”

“She must have done that to avoid being scolded by Father.”

Lee Shincheol’s brow twitched.

Even if she acted as she pleased, the fact that she had installed a parachute hire in the heart of Shinhwa Group made him frown.

At that moment, the click-clack of high heels was heard.

The owner of the sound was Lee Hyerim, dressed in a black suit, and her siblings’ gazes fixed on her.

Lee Hyerim felt it.

The gazes from her older brothers and sisters, who looked at her as if she were pathetic, had intensified a notch.

Naturally, Woojin’s words came to mind.

‘The opponent’s desire for a room is the best weapon to blind their eyes.’

If it had been in the past, she would have ignored such gazes, but now that she was aware of them, her lips kept wanting to curl up, even when she tried to hold back.

It was like watching a marionette on strings….

“Yohwan got arrested, but your expression looks quite bright?”

Another older sister also said, looking Lee Hyerim up and down with her arms crossed.

“What time is it now?”

Lee Hyerim finally couldn’t hold back and smiled brightly.

“The main character always arrives late, doesn’t she? Didn’t you know?”

And Woojin is here too.