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Chapter 19
Seohee returned home immediately. With Isu not around, she had plenty of time to be alone and to study.
Sitting at her desk, Seohee prepared for her midterms. Since she had already forgotten most of the theory, it would take some time to get a grasp of it, but it wasn’t too difficult.
As she was engrossed in her books, she moved her stiff neck back and forth. When she closed her book and turned her head, her eyes landed on the takeout cup on her desk, still half full.
“Jin Woo-hyuk.”
Thinking of him naturally, Seohee reflected to make sure she hadn’t missed anything. Besides becoming a world-renowned investor, what else had happened?
She rummaged through her memories and recalled the conversation where Isu had been so flustered.
[Unni, did you know Jin Woo-hyuk is the son of Jin Seong-hyun from the Daehan Party?]
[No?]
[Well, it wasn’t public knowledge. But the crazy part is… Jin Woo-hyuk, the great Jin Woo-hyuk, is actually an illegitimate child of Representative Jin Seong-hyun. Can you believe it?]
Seohee searched for Jin Seong-hyun on a search engine. Articles about him popped up in a row:
“Clean and righteous former prosecutor Jin Seong-hyun enters politics for reform and innovation”
“Jin Seong-hyun elected Seongwon mayor with overwhelming support”
“A livable Seongwon City thanks to Jin Seong-hyun’s clean administration”
Most of the articles were favorable, showing he enjoyed strong support for his clean and honest image.
This was completely different from someone who commits infidelity and has an illegitimate child behind their spouse’s back. She hadn’t paid much attention at the time, but now it all made sense.
Jin Woo-hyuk didn’t want his origins to be known. He probably hated the idea of using his father’s influence to shape his own future.
It wasn’t hard to understand. She herself wouldn’t want to rely on the power of a father who denied her existence.
“In that sense, he’s really impressive.”
If he had used Representative Jin Seong-hyun’s influence, everything would have been easy. He wouldn’t have suffered that humiliation at her hands. But Woo-hyuk had done it himself, choosing the harder path—it was admirable. Though, thanks to her, this life would be a bit easier.
But she still needed more money.
“Hmm. I guess there’s no other way.”
Seohee reached for a notebook from the bookshelf. It was the one she had used to organize her memories after returning to the past.
As she flipped through a few pages, her hand stopped on one page. It was a field her grandfather had been interested in.
He had said that biotech stocks would be the trend. Seohee had once studied biotech stocks diligently to help her grandfather.
AI Bio. This company had appeared like a comet during the biotech boom, claiming to have developed a colorectal cancer treatment.
Taekyu, who understood Chairman Han’s tastes, had recommended it as a good investment. Seohee had watched it closely. Having a good sense of business trends, she had persuaded him not to acquire the company.
Soon after, an announcement that the company had successfully passed Phase 2 clinical trials sent its stock skyrocketing. It didn’t take long to realize it was a manipulated stock.
A month later, the results were revealed to be false, and the stock plummeted, eventually facing delisting.
“The news of clinical trial success should come soon.”
That meant it was the perfect time to invest. She had 50 million won, enough to multiply several times by the end of the year.
She closed the notebook, thinking she should visit the brokerage tomorrow. Just then, she received a notification that her grandfather had returned.
It was time to give her grandfather some support.
“Welcome back.”
Hearing Seohee’s cheerful voice, Chairman Han’s lips curved into a gentle smile. Though he was smiling, a shadow still lingered on his face.
“Seeing you greet me makes my fatigue fade away.”
Seohee knew why his expression was so grave. It had to be the reconstruction project that Shinsung Construction was desperately trying to win. It was a massive project in Seoul’s prime area, coveted by many top companies.
Shinsung Construction was one of the top firms in the industry and had been building its reputation. In the past, the company had poured tremendous effort into lobbying to secure this project and had won it dramatically.
If the project had ended successfully as expected, things would have been fine, but the building had reached a stage where it could collapse.
Middlemen had secretly reduced necessary steel and concrete or used cheaper materials. As a result, the government had to make an example, ultimately expelling Shinsung Construction from the industry. The group had suffered a significant blow.
From what she knew, the bidding was still ongoing, and the outcome was uncertain. It was the perfect timing to intervene and caution Chairman Han.
Seohee asked innocently, as if she knew nothing:
“Was everything okay, Grandpa?”
Of course, she already knew his response: nothing out of the ordinary.
“What would be wrong? Company matters are always the same.”
Exactly as expected. Running a company meant encountering problems large and small, as he said.
“You look more tired than usual. I was worried something might be wrong at the company.”
“If you’re so concerned, why not learn the business and help your grandfather?”
He was subtly suggesting she shouldn’t wait until vacation. Seohee seized the opportunity, smiling and linking her arm with his.
“Shouldn’t you test whether I’m capable of taking over your work? Somehow, you’re too lenient with me.”
She joked lightly, and a soft smile appeared on Chairman Han’s lips. Though disarmed before his granddaughter, he was always sharp when it came to business. His gaze remained keen despite the smile.
“Alright. Then let’s hear your opinion as well. And let’s discuss it over dinner. Oh, Director Oh!”
At his call, the dinner table was promptly set. Yesterday had been uncomfortable due to an unexpected guest, but today it seemed they could have a relaxed conversation.
When Chairman Han lifted his spoon, Seohee picked up her chopsticks to follow him. Just as the meal seemed to proceed normally, he spoke first.
“Do you know Shinsung Construction entered the redevelopment project?”
“Yes, I heard it’s a large-scale project with fierce competition.”
“Correct. As you said, it’s not just fierce, it’s chaotic. Some of the conditions they set are actually disadvantageous to us. What do you suggest we do?”
He was asking how to minimize their losses while winning the project. Seohee put down her chopsticks and looked him in the eye.
Her silent gaze seemed to make him realize there were no easy answers, and he chuckled.
“It’s alright. You might not have an immediate solution. If the executives of Shinsung Construction could think that easily, they’d all be out of a job.”
He encouraged her to eat.
“The soup’s getting cold. Let’s eat first.”
But Seohee wasn’t in the mood. She called him seriously:
“Grandpa.”
“Yes?”
“Should we really pursue this project even though it’s not favorable to us?”
“Companies are profit-driven, but sometimes you have to compromise. If it were a loss-making project, we’d naturally back out. But this one still yields decent profit. It’s just a matter of earning more or a little less.”
“So you’re saying if there’s a chance to earn more elsewhere, we could shift our focus?”
Chairman Han looked at her silently, unsure of her intent.
“Not wrong, but do you have a project that could yield more profit than a 300 billion won project?”
It was already a significant redevelopment in Seoul, and it was hard to guarantee a bigger opportunity.
“Yes, I do.”
Seohee’s firm reply made his eyes sparkle. He pressed her for details:
“Let’s hear it then.”
She hesitated, pretending to think deeply. Expectations were high, and disappointment often follows.
Though he had hoped for a brilliant idea from his granddaughter, she had no concrete answer. His face reflected a faint, empty smile.
Well, her experience didn’t match her enthusiasm yet. Still, he appreciated her willingness to help. If she continued learning with this passion, she would grow quickly.
He resumed eating, but Seohee’s voice stopped him:
“I’ll secure a contract within ten days. I’ll tell you what it is then.”
“You? What contract?”
Blinking in disbelief, he asked. Seohee smiled, eyes closed, and answered:
“Just wait. I won’t disappoint you.”
“Well, aren’t you confident.”
Chairman Han couldn’t take his eyes off his determined granddaughter. Her sudden transformation felt unfamiliar. He had thought she wasn’t interested in group affairs, but she was thinking deeply. It was admirable. He felt she was worthy of learning management just for that mindset.
“Oh, and Grandpa.”
“Go ahead.”
“I have a request.”
“What kind of request?”
“Please investigate the supervision company and Executive Director Jung Jae-jin. Secretly, so no one knows.”
