Chapter 148 – Higher, Even Higher – Part 1

Chapter 148 – Higher, Even Higher – Part 1

Lee Hyerim asked with a surprised expression.

“Suddenly?”

“Yes. He’s the one who built Shinhwa Group, isn’t he? I’ve never met anyone like that, so I’d like to meet him once.”

Lee Hyerim’s flustered expression didn’t easily fade.

Because she hadn’t even imagined Woojin would say something like this.

Lee Hyerim suddenly imagined herself and Woojin standing side by side in front of her grandfather.

‘This is something he and I built together.’

‘You’re a match made in heaven. Get married.’

What am I thinking!

“My grandfather has a rather eccentric personality.”

Lee Hyerim deliberately changed the subject.

He’s not someone who mingles much with ordinary people, except for occasionally meeting old friends.

Because his daily routine revolves entirely around business.

It was obvious he would consider seeing Woojin an unproductive activity.

The person who might say hurtful things to Woojin was Chairman Lee Jeongmun, the owner of Shinhwa Group and her grandfather.

Lee Hyerim didn’t want that situation.

Lee Hyerim, lost in thought for a moment, looked at Woojin again.

For a moment, his earlier thought didn’t make sense to him.

‘Wait, Woojin getting hurt?’

Woojin had a steel mentality like no other.

It even went beyond that, making him feel flustered.

He thinks about thoughts above thoughts, and then thoughts below thoughts.

He also blends in and adapts to his surrounding environment to suit the situation…

Just as if he himself became spring, summer, autumn, and winter every time the seasons changed clothes.

Then, Woojin opened his mouth.

“If I bring up Brain Food, I think he’ll meet me.”

If you enter a tiger’s den holding good bait, the owner of the den will welcome you.

Even if it’s just a small piece of flesh.

Chairman Lee Jeongmun designed himself that way.

He started as a peddler and built the Shinhwa Group.

A person who wasn’t designed by his surrounding environment but pushed forward and proactively designed himself, that is, his own person.

A person who, upon discovering prey, would not hesitate to bare his fangs.

That prey, whether it be someone else’s time, sweat, or blood, didn’t matter to him; he was a person who wanted to live forever through the Shinhwa Group, even if his body rotted away.

To such a person, Brain Food would seem like very good prey.

The factory in the Middle East was also almost complete, and it would look as fresh as a fish just caught.

To understand the Chairman more clearly, he had to see him in person.

How to put it.

One could say Woojin was going to see what the Chairman looked like.

Lee Hyerim opened her mouth again, her eyes wide with surprise.

“Brain Food?”

She had heard Woojin talk about it before, but she didn’t realize how surprising it was.

At first glance, it could be interpreted as helping Mansu, but the scale was too large.

“Yes, I think it would be good if Brain Food was included in J&R Future, which you made, Hyerim.

Brain Food seems like it could be an opportunity to become more solid in many ways.”

“Oh, then…”

If J&R Future were to join hands with Brain Food, which was poised to leap forward in the Middle East, as well as the Yongsan New City development, it would be as good as expanding globally.

And it would happen in an instant.

Woojin turned his gaze to the window and spoke.

People were lining up for the Snack Bar, where you had to wear a diaper to eat.

“Hyerim.”

“Huh? Yes?”

“I’ve thought about it a lot.”

“Thought about what?”

“Can I go and eat just one fish cake? I only ate tteokbokki, sundae, and튀, but I made the mistake of only drinking the broth and not eating the fish cake.”

–

The next day.

Woojin’s Mom approached Woojin, who was dressed in a suit.

“My handsome son, where are you going?”

“To meet someone.”

Mom recalled what Bomi had said yesterday.

‘Mom, I think my brother has a girlfriend. She’s really pretty.’

“Perhaps a girlfriend?”

“Just a girl friend.”

“A friend?”

“Yes.”

“You’re going out dressed so well for a friend?”

“I also have to meet someone I need to be formal with.”

“Really? My son is so handsome, why doesn’t he have a girlfriend?”

“I don’t need one right now.”

There was still so much he wanted to try.

Woojin also planned to date when the time was right.

He had never experienced it before, after all.

“I’ll be back.”

“Are you going to eat lunch?”

“Yes! I’ll be back.”

His mother smiled as Woojin turned to leave.

Perhaps because he had returned from the military, her son’s back seemed broader.

No, before, she used to worry about her son, but as time went on, he looked incredibly reliable.

Woojin then left the house and approached Lee Hyerim’s car, which was a sedan, not a sports car.

He tapped on the driver’s side window.

Lee Hyerim rolled down the window, revealing her face.

Given the occasion, she had a very innocent look, as if she had barely any makeup on.

“Aren’t you getting in?”

“Young Lady, I’ll drive.”

“…What are you talking about?”

“Hurry up.”

With Woojin at the steering wheel, the sedan glided away.

Their destination was the Shinhwa Group Chairman’s residence in Hannam-dong.

Lee Hyerim glanced at Woojin.

She had occasionally seen her father’s siblings get nervous in front of her grandfather, but she couldn’t find any trace of that in Woojin, no matter how hard she looked.

He would probably be the same even if he met her grandfather right now.

The thought that it was truly like Woojin made her smile once again.

Just then, Woojin spoke as he saw police officers directing traffic with red batons.

“What in the world is going on?”

A few minutes later, Woojin understood why.

There seemed to have been a collision, but fortunately, the drivers looked unharmed.

“Woojin, I’m just saying this out of caution, but Grandfather is old, so he might not understand phrases like ‘What’s happening?’ ‘How did you do that?’ or ‘Damn Delicious’…”

Woojin nodded and replied,

“There’s a big generation gap, so it would sound like alien language to him. I shouldn’t use those words.”

From her perspective, Woojin’s words were truly a relief.

But why was a small sense of unease growing like a thread?

In less than an hour, Woojin was able to reach his destination.

Behind the large estate’s house, with its spacious stone-stepped yard, a small hiking trail was also visible.

That was also private property.

Lee Hyerim got out of the car, but Woojin did not.

This was to create a natural impression.

Before closing the car door, Lee Hyerim said to Woojin,

“See you later?”

“Yeah.”

Soon, Lee Hyerim headed to the entrance of the residence.

She exhaled lightly before grabbing the doorknob.

It was her first time meeting Grandfather alone as an adult, so she couldn’t help but feel nervous.

Then, her long, pale hand pulled the doorknob.

“Young Lady, you’re here?”

The Ajumma greeted Lee Hyerim with a bright smile.

“How have you been?”

“Very well. He’s waiting for you.”

Lee Hyerim moved to the Living Room with its high ceiling.

The Chairman of Shinhwa Group, sitting at the head of the table.

Grandfather, sitting in front of the Go Board, was toying with a Go Stone.

“Grandfather, I’m here.”

Lee Jeongmun looked up and offered a faint smile.

“Sit down.”

Despite Lee Jeongmun’s smile, Lee Hyerim felt nervous and took a seat.

“You must be busy, yet you called for me.”

“I had a moment. You did something very admirable. It’s something truly worthy of praise.”

“I think I was just lucky.”

“You accomplished this entirely on your own, without any help. You’re a hundred, a thousand times better than your older siblings who just take things like bird feed.

How did you come up with such a clever idea?”

“They say the position makes the person… Even though it’s a temporary role, as Managing Director of SH Construction, I didn’t want to lose to our competitor, GH Construction.”

Lee Jeongmun leaned back deep into the sofa, showing an intrigued expression.

“So, you could tolerate losing to your siblings until now?”

Lee Jeongmun’s gaze seemed to pierce through Lee Hyerim.

Lee Hyerim tensed her neck, trying to overcome the pressure.

“I didn’t have an opportunity. So, I created one.

And I also established another company…”

Lee Jeongmun did not hide his intrigued expression throughout Lee Hyerim’s story.

It was a story about creating a company called J&R Future and growing its size by picking up small businesses like gleanings.

It was quite systematic.

She merged the companies she gathered one by one, and then divided them by sector.

J&R Future was a company focused on construction, but it could easily be called a group.

Although small, it was sure to be busy due to the New City Development project.

When Lee Jeongmun leaned forward from the sofa, Lee Hyerim continued speaking, turning towards another part of the room.

“I’m also thinking about expanding overseas.”

“Expanding overseas?”

This time, Lee Jeongmun’s expression turned to one of puzzlement.

But his gaze, filled with gravity, remained unchanged.

“Yes. It’s called Brain Food, which is plant cultivation using LEDs, and…”

As she spoke about building a factory on a fairly large plot of land in the Middle East, and even mentioned bringing it into J&R Future,

“What kind of person do you think he is?”

“I’m still not sure, Grandfather. That’s why I brought him, just in case.

Could Grandfather take a look at him? To see if he’s someone I can trust.”

“You brought him?”

“Yes. I was hoping Grandfather would take a look.”

“Hahaha!”

Lee Jeongmun slapped the sofa and laughed heartily.

“Indeed, before proceeding with any work, it’s sometimes necessary to seek advice without regard for the means or methods.”

Lee Jeongmun was very pleased with Lee Hyerim’s idea.

“Tell him to come in, whoever he is.”

“It would be an honor for him to meet Grandfather.”

Lee Hyerim immediately called Woojin.

And not long after, Woojin entered.

Chairman Lee Jeongmun’s features came into clear view for Woojin.

His eyebrows extended like an eagle’s wings, and his double-lidded eyes gazed at him as if observing.

His lips were moderately drawn, and his jawline was somewhat slack with age.

His estimated height, even while sitting, was about 172cm.

His thighs were moderately spread, and both shoulders were at the same height without stiffness.

His arms rested naturally on the sofa.

It was the posture of a monarch.

It was a posture he was quite accustomed to.

Woojin bowed his head in greeting.

“Hello. My name is Shin Woojin. It’s an honor to meet you.”

Woojin bowed his head and briefly looked at the Go board.

The dimensions of the non-square Go board were 42cm wide and 45cm long.

The length from end to end of the horizontal Go lines was 39.5cm, and the vertical was 42.6cm.

The dimensions of one square on the Go board were 2.25cm wide and 2.34cm long.

The Go stone held in the Shinhwa Group Chairman’s hand was approximately 21.5mm wide and 9mm high.

The game laid out on the Go board with white and black stones seemed to be going back and forth, but the white stones held a slight advantage.

This also meant that Chairman Lee Jeongmun had unconsciously chosen the white stones as his main.

However, the white stones were an Unsettled Group, unable to find their way.

Woojin, who finished his observation in less than a minute, raised his head and spoke.

“I also enjoy Go, and I wonder if I might be so bold as to place a stone that I believe would complete the group?”