Chapter 149 – Higher, Even Higher – Part 2

Chapter 149 – Higher, Even Higher – Part 2

Chairman Lee looked at Woojin with amusement.

“You see a move that completes the group?”

Woojin took another step closer to Chairman Lee, gazing at the Go board, and began to speak.

At one time, the media had labeled Chairman Lee as a Go enthusiast.

“If I may venture a guess, the situation seems to be one of ‘Penetrating the Profound’ (通幽, Go reaching a profound state).

Although the white stones are an Unsettled Group, I believe they can gain an advantage over the black stones.”

He was implying a 6-dan level.

Chairman Lee’s eyes, as he stroked his chin, became even more intrigued than before.

He had once paid a 9-dan player to play countless games of Go.

Even now, when he felt like playing Go, he would call someone to play, and Chairman Lee was unofficially and accurately aware of his own rank.

It was exactly a 6th dan.

Even a 9th dan would consider their skill to be around a 6th dan.

But the guy in front of him guessed it right away.

While looking at the white and black stones that hadn’t even progressed a third of the way.

“Don’t just stand there, sit down.”

As Woojin sat down, Chairman Lee crossed his arms and looked down at the Go board.

Most of the time, crossing arms was a defensive mechanism, but not now.

If one considered the organic nature of people flexibly according to the situation and environment, Chairman Lee had not lost interest.

And an unconscious, unknown anticipation as well.

“According to you, the black stones are not even an incomplete life, can you make them a complete life?”

“If you give me a chance, I will try.”

Chairman Lee slid the white porcelain bowl containing the black stones to Woojin.

And as if ringing the bell for the start of the game, Chairman Lee placed a white stone on the Go board with a thud!

Woojin, who held a Go stone with his long fingers, immediately placed a black stone next to Chairman Lee’s white stone.

Thud!

As Chairman Lee placed another Go stone, the Go board made a crisp sound.

“What do you think Go is?”

“I think it’s a battle of joseki and haengma.”

When Chairman Lee made an amused expression, Woojin made another move.

At that moment, Chairman Lee’s face seemed to tilt slightly.

It was because he made a move that was completely unrelated, not avoiding a fight.

Chairman Lee asked in a slightly disappointed voice.

He felt his interest waning.

“Why did you place it there?”

“It might sound arrogant, but I thought ten moves ahead and placed it here.”

“What? This is an interesting friend, isn’t it?”

Chairman Lee confidently made a move as if telling him to do his best.

Woojin made his move as soon as Chairman Lee made his, just like before.

Watching that scene, Lee Hyerim occasionally just blinked.

She didn’t know how to play Go, but she could tell that as time went on, her grandfather was silently concentrating.

That was only natural.

Woojin’s moves were so bewildering, it was like looking at a magazine puzzle he’d never seen before.

Since it was a move he’d never seen, it was difficult to counter, and the time Chairman Lee spent holding a stone gradually increased.

“Bring some tea here.”

Chairman Lee said, taking a breath, and made a move.

Then he asked,

“How long have you been playing Go?”

Woojin didn’t honestly say it was his first time.

“I’ve been playing since I was young.”

He only watched.

If he had played Go with someone else, he would have said he’d only read ‘a ton’ of books, but given the situation, he didn’t say such a thing.

Chairman Lee played a white stone and spoke again.

“What about your rank?”

With this kind of skill, there must surely be an official rank.

He knew this from playing with 9-dan players many times.

Woojin immediately made a move and replied,

“I don’t have one.”

At that single word, Chairman Lee, who had been focused on the Go board, raised his head.

“None?”

“Yes.”

Chairman Lee asked again with a look of disbelief.

“So, what rank do you think you are?”

With that, he placed a white stone.

“I’m not sure what rank I can compete with, but…”

Woojin closed his eyes,

The Go board’s dimensions are 42cm wide and 45cm long.

The lines are 39.5cm, and the vertical lines are 42.6cm.

The Go stones are about 21.5mm wide and 9mm high.

Even with his eyes closed, the Go board was vividly drawn in his mind.

Of course, even the positions of the Go stones he had placed just moments ago.

Woojin’s hand scraped the white ceramic bowl, picking up a black stone.

“The diagonal move to the left of the center.”

Woojin placed the black stone with his eyes still closed.

He attacked with his eyes closed.

Chairman Lee, surprised at what this guy was doing, still placed a white stone.

Clack.

Woojin, not only with his eyes closed this time, lifted his head to the ceiling as he made his move.

“Seven, eight.”

Clack.

Chairman Lee said nothing, simply watched Woojin with a look that asked, ‘What kind of guy is this?’ and made his move.

Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack.

Several moves were exchanged like that, and Woojin, opening his eyes, placed the last move—no, the move that would finish the game.

Clack.

“I’m not sure what rank my Go skills should be considered, but it seems I can at least create a Righteous Path that forms Wansaeng.”

The white stones were broken, and the black territory was firmly established.

Chairman Lee was looking at Woojin as if he were a strange person he had never seen before.

Then, Chairman Lee smacked the sofa and said,

“Although the world is full of hidden eccentrics,

This is a first for me! Hahahaha!”

“Thank you for your kind words.”

Then, Chairman Lee picked up the handset and called somewhere.

“Tell Chairman Kim that we’ll have dinner another time.”

Chairman Lee, who had spoken briefly, put down the handset and said,

“Another round?”

“It would be an honor.”

Chairman Lee chuckled and began collecting the white stones one by one.

“It’s no fun just playing. How about we make a bet?

We’ll grant each other’s wishes.”

“Sounds good.”

When Woojin readily agreed, Chairman Lee smiled.

“If I win, you have to come back at this time tomorrow and play Go with me.

What’s your wish?”

“That the Chairman grant Miss Lee Hyerim’s wish.”

At Woojin’s words, Chairman Lee showed a surprised expression.

Is he perhaps interested in his granddaughter?

As Chairman Lee was thinking that, Woojin, who had read his face, opened his mouth.

“Because if Miss Lee Hyerim does well, then the Brain Food we’re discussing will also do well.”

“Alright. But can you play with your eyes closed from the start?”

It was a kind of provocation.

Woojin’s intention to use the opponent’s pride to gain even a slight advantage in the game, to make him play that way, was clear to Chairman Lee.

And Woojin readily agreed.

“Yes.”

“Hahahaha! No peeking through your eyelids, right?”

Woojin closed his eyes and replied.

“Of course.”

As Woojin placed the black stone first, Chairman Lee cheerfully announced where he had placed his move.

Click!

“Lower right corner star point!”

Woojin matched Chairman Lee, placing his move on the star point, and Lee Hyerim, observing the situation, couldn’t help but wear a bewildered expression.

Apart from wondering what Woojin couldn’t do, the sight of him playing with his eyes closed was like watching a scene from a movie.

But it wasn’t a production; it was live, and it wasn’t a screen but reality.

Grandfather was the same.

Grandfather enjoying himself like that was truly something he had rarely seen.

It made sense, as Woojin was using Chairman Lee’s hobby.

Leaving aside the surrounding environment, everyone has different hobbies and they can’t be the same, but understanding and responding to the other person’s interests and hobbies can elicit a positive reaction.

–

Even after Woojin left, Chairman Lee continued to gaze intently at the Go board dominated by black stones.

While making moves, he checked the boy’s eyelids several times, but they remained firmly closed and unmoving.

Instead, he seemed to be straining his eyes even more, to the point where faint wrinkles were visible.

“Hahahaha, he’s an interesting fellow, Hyerim.”

“Yes, Grandfather.”

“His name was Woojin, right?”

The difference in status between himself and Shin Woojin was vast, like heaven and earth.

He liked Woojin, who had shown his spirit by utilizing his strengths even in front of him.

He even felt as if he was seeing a younger version of himself, who had risen from nothing.

“You called it brain food, right? He’s got a knack for business.”

Pretend to hold their hand and give them a few pennies.

When that kid rolls and rolls their Brain Food and gets a bit bigger, you can make them yours.

Your grandfather will help you with the allowance to give them. And bring them over sometimes.”

He wanted to play more Go, and he wanted to pit him against the 9-dan he knew.

Meanwhile, under the table, Lee Hyerim’s hand tightly gripped the hem of her skirt.

It meant to devour Brain Food in the future.

He was truly like a Grandfather.

However, Lee Hyerim had no such intention.

“That’s a separate matter; I lost the bet, so I must grant your wish.

Hahahah. Do you want something?”

He was about to praise her for the SH Construction matter anyway.

As Lee Hyerim’s lips parted, Chairman Lee smiled, watching her expression.

“It seems like you want something?”

“Well…”

“When you have an opportunity, you must seize it. Tell me.”

Lee Hyerim no longer hesitated and opened her mouth.

To become the person she had resolved to be, she had to easily shake off such worries.

“I want a stake in SH Construction.”

Chairman Lee’s eyes widened slightly.

“You want a stake?”

“Yes.”

Chairman Lee leaned back deeply into the sofa again.

“Do you know what you’re saying?”

“I want to participate in management.

That’s why I took over the GH Construction Site and set up Candle here.”

to see Grandfather like this.

Chairman Lee, who had been staring sharply at Lee Hyerim, slowly nodded his head.

For Chairman Lee, the continuation of Shinhwa Group meant living forever, even after his own death.

Regardless of children or grandchildren, if his blood flowed in them and they showed the ability to lead the group, it was right to observe them.

“If you acquire shares, it would be good for your father, Jeongcheol, but your other siblings won’t stand idly by, will they?”

“I can handle it.”

“Even your uncle and aunt?”

“Yes.”

“They won’t want to hand over a friendly stake, will they?”

Chairman Lee continued to question Lee Hyerim’s thoughts with a heavy gaze.

“So I thought about it. If you give me the SH Construction Rights Offering…”

It was a shocking story that would have left other family members speechless, but Chairman Lee’s expression was utterly calm.

“Go on.”

“I want to be assigned the new share subscription rights from the rights offering.

Seven percent.

I want it as a gift of praise from Grandfather.”

Chairman Lee relaxed his heavy gaze and opened his mouth, looking at Lee Hyerim as if she were a child.

“Let’s say I did a rights offering and gave you the priority as a gift.

Do you have the money to buy them?

And seven percent at that.”

“I have it now.”

She had received all the hotel shares that Lee Yohwan and Lee Siyoung had, and she had made enormous profits from the GH Construction shares.

And before GH Construction’s stock price plummeted, she bought SH Construction.

Naturally, upon hearing the news that GH Construction’s land would be transferred to SH Construction, the stock price soared to unprecedented heights.

Lee Hyerim, as if possessed by Woojin, or rather, as if their faces overlapped, spoke again.

“I have enough.”

Only then,

Chairman Lee showed a surprised expression, and Woojin, who had been tapping the steering wheel with his finger in the car, muttered briefly.

“Enough.”