Chapter 157 – Higher, Even Higher – Part 10

Chapter 157 – Higher, Even Higher – Part 10

Woojin asked himself that question inwardly and moved towards the entrance to head to the yard.

It’s difficult for a late starter to catch up to someone who started first, unless they put in their full effort.

Of course, this assumes they can run faster than the person who started first.

Who will reach it first?

If you understand how the entity that is Lee Hyerim’s Aunt has lived and how she has been designed up to now, and then calculate the probabilities, you will find the answer.

Although everyone has different wills and standards for judgment, and believes they chose based on rational judgment,

that’s a misconception.

The unconscious and emotions have already made the choice, and self-consciousness rationalizes it.

It’s similar if you liken it to the process of purchasing and consuming goods.

Advertisements in the shopping room tempt people, and we unconsciously choose one thing as designed.

The temptation doesn’t stop there.

The reason for the decreased flow of visible cash is also to promote consumption.

When people spend cash directly, their brains show stimulation or stress reactions, and companies, understanding this very well, have utilized it to change the consumption system.

Cards are a good example.

It’s an invisible cash transaction.

When swiping a card, the brain falls into the illusion that no physical money is visible or being transacted.

As a result, they feel less stimulation and stress.

Instead, it increases dopamine, making consumption impulsive.

Using a credit card increases your credit rating.

So, they’re telling you to keep using it.

The convenience of electronic transactions, this also could be said to be in a similar context.

Thus, in the shopping room, people reach out to temptation, and unable to resist the lure of temptation, they begin to rationalize.

Such as ‘my credit will go up,’ or ‘it’s convenient,’ and so on.

Companies tempt people and even provide them with reasons to rationalize their choices.

And people eagerly take the bait.

The tempter knows consumers very well.

They can make people want to buy things they were normally indifferent to.

However, there are also people who are not easily swayed by temptation.

These are people with high self-esteem.

Even when temptation’s hand approaches them in the shopping room, they accept it indifferently.

Because it is significantly less than one’s own worth.

Simply put, it doesn’t matter if it’s there or not.

Even luxury goods that only a few possess are no exception.

The fundamental desire for showing off comes from a deficit.

People struggling with credit card debt due to excessive spending, or car-poor individuals, and so on.

Such things hold little meaning for people with high self-esteem.

Because they judge their own state to be more valuable than those things.

In other words, their internal deficit is small or non-existent.

These people have a high happiness index.

Pride and self-esteem are completely separate things.

And the method to increase self-esteem is simple.

Becoming a person needed by others.

If one understands this and puts in effort, self-esteem will take root and begin to grow.

Effort.

Some say it’s hard, some say it’s obvious, and some say it’s easy.

Who said effort was hard?

Think about it.

Is it the rationalization of self-consolation for losers?

Who said effort was obvious?

Did they think it was obvious, so they just did it, and it naturally happened?

Who says it’s easy?

Very few people say this.

But they don’t compare their standard of ‘hard’ to themselves through others.

Simply put, they are not influenced by what others say.

To give a simpler example,

Let’s assume someone works 12 hours a day.

What do you think?

Most people would think, “They must be tired. It must be hard.”

There was a high probability that they would think that.

However, the latter thinks differently.

Did they work wisely? Did they gain anything?

These two things refer to value.

Everyone recognizes it as the realm of self-development.

Even within a group, if you become a necessary presence, your value increases, and naturally, your self-esteem will rise.

If you consider an organism named Lee Jeongmi, analogizing these comprehensive things, it’s the same.

She has a deficit.

A deficit of what she doesn’t have, and a deficit of what she won’t be able to achieve in the future.

She was trying to fill that through her son, Lee Jeonghoon.

But her formula was a little wrong.

She’s never had it, so she doesn’t know the way well.

Because her pride was stronger than her self-esteem, she also didn’t know how to manage her emotions well.

Not knowing well, and making mistakes when you don’t know, and when that happens…

As Woojin continued his thoughts, they vanished from his mind as if evaporating.

The marbling of the 1++ number nine that Chairman Lee was trying to grill.

“Oh wow…”

Woojin muttered softly and approached Chairman Lee.

“The marbling is no joke.”

“Of course, it’s top grade, so it should be this righteous path.”

Sizzle-

As Chairman Lee placed the meat, an appetizing smell already rose.

At that moment.

Woojin’s eyebrow twitched.

“Chairman, I’ll grill it.”

“It’s fine. I want to grill it for you.

Since our daughter is here too, I want to feed her myself.”

Woojin slowly shook his head.

“Chairman. 1++ No. 9 beef doesn’t taste good if you grill it like that. Please give me the tongs.”

Chairman Lee had never heard Woojin use such a serious tone, not even when they were playing Go.

No, it was the first time he had seen him this serious since he stepped foot in his house.

“Oh really? Not only is he skilled at Go, but it seems Mr. Cotton Swab is also quite good at grilling meat?”

“Trust me.”

At Woojin’s eyes, which seemed to blaze, Chairman Lee chuckled and handed over the tongs.

Woojin quickly flipped it exactly twice.

Then he placed a piece of meat on a white plate prepared by the housekeeper and offered it to Chairman Lee.

“Try it.”

“This guy, why is he so serious about one piece of meat?”

Chairman Lee said that and brought the meat to his mouth.

Watching him, Woojin slowly nodded his head.

His gaze seemed to ask how the taste of truth was.

“Wow… Is it good because the meat is good? Or is it because Mr. Cotton Swab, who grilled it, is good?”

“I believe it’s a synergistic effect of good quality meat and the person grilling it.”

“He also has a subtly humorous talent, doesn’t he? Haha! Jeongmi. You come over here and try a piece too.”

When she approached, Woojin casually grilled and gave her some meat.

“Hmm… It’s juicy and delicious. Is it because a handsome man grilled it?”

Woojin lightly dismissed her words, and after that, he casually grilled and served meat to Chairman Lee and Lee Jeongmi, while he carefully grilled the meat he would eat himself.

–

That evening.

Assistant Manager Cha Juhyeok, after leaving work at SH Strategy, stopped his car in front of a house-like establishment radiating a soft light.

It was a traditional Korean restaurant.

Several large pine trees were planted at the entrance, which looked peculiar yet elegant.

Cha Juhyeok tidied his clothes and then entered, where he was guided by a Waiter to a private room.

Inside, Lee Hyerim and Woojin were seated. Woojin, as if he had been waiting, finished ordering from the Waiter.

At this, Cha Juhyeok gave an awkward smile and spoke.

“You could have started without me…”

“It’s been a while. How have you been?”

“Yes. I’ve been doing well, thanks to Young Lady.”

To be honest, it was a lie.

Every day was precarious, like walking on thin ice, due to his role as a spy.

Woojin, who was neatly folding a wet wipe, spoke.

“Thank you for organizing the data so meticulously. It was useful information.”

Cha Juhyeok let out another awkward laugh.

While Lee Hyerim was one thing, Shin Woojin, who had joined SH Strategy as a junior employee, still hadn’t gotten used to him.

The younger man seemed to have no inhibitions or fear when it came to his actions.

Especially against Shinhwa Group.

He was truly curious where Lee Hyerim had brought Shin Woojin from.

“Hahahaha. I’m just grateful you think so.”

At that moment, Lee Hyerim suddenly recited an address.

“Samseong-dong…”

Cha Juhyeok’s eyes widened as he asked again.

“Excuse me?”

“Should I tell you again?”

“No. I’ve memorized it! What should I do? Shadowing? Or perhaps an undercover operation…”

“If you ever want to move, you can go into that Residential-Commercial Complex.

It’s purchased under someone else’s name, so people won’t suspect anything.

Unless they’re following Assistant Manager Cha Juhyeok, that is.

You said your mother likes flowers, right?

The terrace is as wide as a garden, so she can plant flowers and water them. She won’t be lonely.

If things go smoothly, the ownership of that house will be transferred to Assistant Manager Cha Juhyeok.”

Cha Juhyeok’s expression became bewildered at Lee Hyerim’s unexpected words.

“You don’t have to do all this…”

“Then… should I cancel it?”

“My mother would love it.”

Lee Hyerim gave a small smile and motioned to Assistant Manager Cha Juhyeok’s side.

There was something thin and square wrapped in cloth.

“You’ll know when you unwrap it at home, but it’s a painting.

If you ever need quick cash, put it up for auction, and I’ll buy it from you. It’s a gift.”

“Ah…”

Assistant Manager Cha Juhyeok felt as if all the hardships he had endured at SH Strategy, constantly being on edge and sweating, had vanished.

The Residential-Commercial Complex apartment she pointed to boasted a price range that ordinary office workers could only dream of.

Although his annual salary was just over 100 million won, it was an apartment he could never hope to afford in his lifetime.

And on top of that, a painting.

Assistant Manager Cha Juhyeok stood up and bowed deeply.

“Thank you. I will work even harder in the future.”

“Please, have a seat. I prepared this Righteous Path gift because I believe it’s only natural for my people.”

“Thank you.”

Cha Juhyeok tried his best to suppress his excited feelings and mumbled to himself.

“My people?”

Will he really take me to the end?

Cha Juhyeok, who worked at SH Strategy, knew Shinhwa Group well.

At least better than others.

Anyone who damages or harms Shinhwa Group’s image is immediately dealt with.

Everything they have is taken away, or they go to jail.

Even if their usefulness declines, the same applies.

Can I really go all the way with them?

Will they take me along?

At that moment, Assistant Manager Cha Juhyeok felt Woojin’s gaze and gave an awkward smile.

And he spoke, as if hiding his thoughts.

“Director Shin Woojin, you seem to get more handsome every day.”

“Assistant Manager Cha.”

“Yes?”

“Let’s stay together until the end.”

Woojin, who spoke as if surprising Assistant Manager Cha Juhyeok with mind reading, continued.

“Young Lady Lee Hyerim wants Assistant Manager Cha to become a new Guardian of Shinhwa Group, at SH Strategy.”

Assistant Manager Cha Juhyeok’s head naturally turned to Lee Hyerim.

She, with a slight smile, slowly nodded her head.

And then she opened her mouth.

“Soon, the Shinhwa Group legal team will be mobilized because of Shinhwa Electric.

I’d like to hear it. What kind of stories will be exchanged?

Cha Juhyeok understood Lee Hyerim’s words at once.

“The recording won’t have legal effect…”

Assistant Manager Cha Juhyeok’s words were cut off by Woojin’s voice, who was fiddling with a water glass engraved with a phoenix, as if admiring it.

“This is the touch of a master craftsman…

It will be effective in the media. No matter how much you try to stop it, if it swells up like a rapid current, the dam will…”

This can also be called politics.

And the flower of politics is incitement.

“It won’t be able to hold and will burst with a bang…”