Chapter 138 – Recruitment – Part 9

Chapter 138 – Recruitment – Part 9

At the mention of artifacts, Lee Hyerim tilted her head, as if she didn’t understand.

Suddenly, her eyes widened slightly.

“You’re not planning to bury them where the development is happening, are you?”

If artifacts are discovered at a construction site, the project comes to a complete halt, no matter how much money has been invested.

Woojin nodded, speaking as if it were obvious.

“Yes, I’m going to bury them.”

Lee Hyerim, her expression blank, instinctively asked,

“Why?”

“I heard that GH Construction, SH Construction’s competitor, recently secured a 2 trillion won contract.

What would happen if GH Construction also wins more bids for the development site in this new city?”

Lee Hyerim’s pupils trembled slightly.

If that happens, it would be embarrassing to even refer to them as competing companies.

The gap between SH Construction and GH Construction would widen even further.

In that case, the politicians who were connected to SH Construction would switch their allegiance to GH Construction.

Though she hated to admit it, for the benefit of the company, they were necessary people on any righteous path.

Lee Hyerim suddenly chuckled when she had such a thought.

It was because she felt like she was becoming a materialist herself.

At that moment, Woojin spoke.

“Do you think GH Construction just cleanly and transparently won a 2 trillion won contract? I don’t think so.

Bribes, entertainment, artwork, expensive…”

Lee Hyerim slowly nodded at the words Woojin rattled off.

Even the smallest things, there must have been things exchanged.

“I think it’s better for good people to make money than for bad people to make money.”

Only then will the world be peaceful.

And she belongs to that world.

“Good people?

Are there good people in this business?”

Woojin, who had a straw in his mouth, replied.

“Hyerim, others steal the blood, sweat, and time of others, but you just borrow them.

And you can pay it back later.

Because in my eyes, you are that kind of person.”

Lee Hyerim gave an awkward laugh.

It’s still unclear if she can reach that position.

And that she is good?

She had never thought that before.

Nor had she ever heard anyone call her good.

She grew up always hearing her older siblings call her vulgar, and even those who called themselves her friends only threw out artificial words to get in her good graces.

Except for one or two, of course.

Lee Hyerim chuckled and said,

“Didn’t you tell me to become someone to be feared?”

“People always wear several masks the moment they leave their homes.

I think it would be good to think of it as choosing one of them to wear.

A mask that can instill fear in your opponent.”

Lee Hyerim shook her head.

Still, hearing that she was kind didn’t make her feel bad.

No, it wasn’t just anyone, but those words came from Woojin’s mouth, and that made her happy.

But, let’s say you got the Artifacts and buried them, as you said.

Many companies will try to bid on them.

Of course, our SH Construction will too.

The site will be decided randomly.

If we bury the Artifacts in the wrong place and we end up bidding on that site, wouldn’t it be useless?

The nuance of what Woojin was saying was that Artifacts would be found on a site bid on by another company.

Knowing in advance and burying them there?

That would be difficult unless you were a Fortune Teller.

No, if it’s Woojin…

So I’m thinking of buying properties all over the place, in every direction.

The Artifacts are already buried in all directions.

Hyerim blinked.

So, we’ll observe the situation and then remove the Artifacts from the sites we’ve bid on?

Yes, I’ll spread the retrieved Artifacts at a distance on the sites that rival companies have bid on.

So they can come out one after another, like digging up sweet potato vines.

If the conditions and situation are right, we won’t even need to do that.

Woojin spoke so nonchalantly, as if it were someone else’s story.

Then wouldn’t we also take a hit?

If an Artifact is discovered right next to us, the construction might stop in some way or another.

No, that won’t happen.

I’ll make sure the Artifacts are a one-time event, a single occurrence.

A one-time occurrence?

“Yeah. So…”

Lee Hyerim’s expression changed moment by moment as she listened to Woojin’s story.

It was almost unbelievable that Woojin had these thoughts.

But they were things worth trying.

No, as Woojin said, the probability of it happening was very high.

Lee Hyerim suddenly looked at Woojin with a fresh perspective.

It felt like Woojin was gradually changing.

At that moment, Woojin turned his gaze to the window and spoke.

“I’m just adapting to the situation.”

People live by adapting to their environment.

Most people live that way.

He was no different from others, simply living by adapting to his surroundings ordinarily.

As long as he didn’t attract people’s attention like celebrities, that was all that mattered.

Then.

A woman’s sharp voice was heard from the coffee shop.

“How could you do that!”

Woojin’s head turned to the sound.

The woman stood up and shouted at the man, who seemed to have done something wrong.

“Don’t ever appear before me again.”

The woman turned away without hesitation.

No, the man grabbed her arm.

“I said I’m sorry. Don’t do this, let’s sit down.

Let’s calm down and talk, okay?”

“Aren’t you going to let go of this?”

“Jiyeon.”

“I told you to let go.”

“Jiyeon.”

The woman twisted her body towards the man.

And then she suddenly kicked the inside of the man’s groin.

“Ugh!”

“Does it hurt a lot? Sorry, it was a joke.

I apologized, so we’re good, right?”

The woman, who had spoken briefly, turned around, and the man, groaning in pain, curled up and fell onto the sofa.

Woojin, who had been looking at them alternately,

“Oh my…”

And he opened his mouth again, watching the woman head for the exit.

“Isn’t that a bit too much of a joke!”

It wasn’t a loud voice, and the woman had already left and couldn’t hear, but Lee Hyerim shook her head.

Just when she thought he had changed, Woojin was back to his usual self.

“What… are you practicing lines or something?

Going back to acting?”

Woojin brought the sweet drink to his mouth.

———————————————————————————————–

After some time, Lee Yohwan was able to be released with a suspended sentence.

Public opinion was seething with anger, but Lee Yohwan, who didn’t even treat them as people, was utterly calm.

He immediately went to the office of SH Construction, where he had served as Managing Director.

Seeing the completely changed interior and the nameplate [Lee Hyerim], Lee Yohwan let out a small laugh.

“Our Hyerim has risen in the world, hasn’t she?”

Lee Hyerim sat on the sofa with a calm smile.

“It’s just a temporary position. Congratulations on getting out.

It’s so chaotic being in this position.

But don’t you have something to tell me?

Something to tell you? Oh… you want to hear ‘thank you’?

Thank you very much. But haven’t I already repaid you enough?

Two million shares of the hotel. Perhaps I’m not grand enough for it. It feels like a burdensome righteous path to hold onto.

Lee Hyerim glanced at Lee Yohwan, holding her coffee cup.

His greed was immediately apparent.

If I press Lee Yohwan’s trigger button here…

It feels like I’ve made an enemy.

An enemy?

You know, brother, how much Siyoung is interested in the hotel.

Lee Yohwan ground his teeth.

Why would she ask you to hand over the shares? Is she offering a premium?

She didn’t say that, but it seems she dislikes me more now that I hold the shares.

I’ve been feeling it a lot lately.

Of course, Siyoung still doesn’t know I hold the shares.

Listen to your brother. Don’t ever fall for sweet talk.

I mean, don’t give up the shares. What you hold is your dowry for marriage.

I don’t know who your future husband will be, but if you have it, you won’t be intimidated.

As your brother, I can’t stand to see you in such a state.

Lee Yohwan said that, but he truly believed the shares Lee Hyerim held were entirely his.

Something he could reclaim at any opportunity.

But what will you do now? I think Father will tell you to leave the country even today.

Leave the country?

I’ll just think of it as a vacation to clear my head.

There’s something I need to do before I go, though…

“Something to do?”

Lee Yohwan nodded instead of answering.

It was Lee Siyoung.

He was planning to send that bitch who took his shares to hell.

“Father is very angry. It’s best not to do anything to displease Father.”

“Oh my… just the thought of my pretty little sister caring for her older brother makes me feel so strong.”

Lee Yohwan, with Lee Siyoung on his mind, smiled faintly.

‘I’ll definitely screw her over.’

————————————————————————————–

Two days later.

Woojin, having checked the company list given to Lee Hyerim by the Professional Manager of SH Construction, was entering a small building.

[Uri Engineering]

It was a small company that designed plumbing and electrical systems.

As Woojin entered the office, about fifteen staff members glanced at him.

A neat suit, and a princely face that seemed cold at first glance.

He couldn’t help but draw attention.

Just then, a man who looked to be in his late 30s approached and quickly scanned Woojin up and down.

He looked incredibly young, but he was the company’s director.

Perhaps he was born with a silver spoon.

“Director Shin Woojin?”

“Yes. I’m here to see the Boss.”

“This way.”

Woojin followed the案内 to the office.

As soon as he entered, a middle-aged person in a company jacket stood up and greeted Woojin.

“Welcome. Thank you for making the effort to come.”

“Hello.”

Woojin pulled a business card from his pocket and handed it to him.

[J&R Future]

Director Shin Woojin

“Please have a seat.”

At the President’s words, Woojin, who had quickly finished observing his surroundings, sat down.

He was a person without pretense.

However, he sometimes hid his identity.

The President smiled warmly and said,

“You must be tired from your long journey. Coffee…”

“No, thank you. I don’t have much time, so I’ll get straight to the point.”

There are many types of persuasion.

Woojin chose the persuasion of the strong.

SH ConstructionIra visited a small company with a powerful background.

The strong party’s proposal always brings more than just persuasion.

Woojin continued speaking in a very businesslike manner.

“As I briefly explained before I came, J&R Future is a company established by Young Lady Lee Hyerim of Shinhwa Group.”

The President looked at the business card Woojin handed him and slowly nodded.

“I know that even though you are the boss, you are running around with a manager’s business card to secure contracts.

However, if you put up our J&R Future signboard, you won’t have to do that anymore.”

“Excuse me?”

Woojin took out a contract from his briefcase and placed it on the table.

If you just sign here, you won’t have to do that anymore.

You won’t have to run around, and we promise you steady work, that is, regular orders.

This is also specified in the contract.”

The President’s eyes wavered slightly.

It was an incredibly good offer, but he wondered why this was suddenly happening to him.

“Do you need time to think?”

“It’s just so sudden. Hahahaha. It seems like a truly good offer for me, but…”

Woojin nodded and stood up from his seat.

“I think it’s not bad to think about it carefully.

However, I have a meeting with a company in the same industry as Mask Uri Engineering.

If I sign the documents there, Uri Engineering will no longer have any ties with J&R Future as of today. So long.”

Woojin bowed slightly, then walked out the door without hesitation.

Just then.

“Director Shin.”

Woojin turned his body halfway towards him.

“Have you thought it all through?”

“I’ll sign it.”

Woojin nodded slowly.

“It won’t be a family-like company.

I only promise as much as you can handle, as much as you work hard.”

Woojin began to pick up small but good companies one by one, as if he were shopping.