DYEH 20

Chapter 20

“Supervisor? Executive Jeong Jae-jin?”

The sudden topic left Chairman Han bewildered. His face showed that he couldn’t understand a word Seo-hee was saying.

He prided himself on having met many people over his seventy years. By now, he thought he could read a person’s thoughts just by looking into their eyes.

Yet now, he understood nothing. Even though she was his granddaughter, living under the same roof for over twenty years, he had no idea what she was thinking. It felt as if she had suddenly become someone else.

Reading the confusion on his face, Seo-hee smiled faintly and spoke. She felt it was necessary to satisfy his curiosity.

“Yes. I heard from the professor that the darkest place is right under the lamp.”

Of course, she had no intention of speaking honestly. If she told him that she, having never even set foot near Shinsung Construction, knew that the supervision company and Executive Jeong had deliberately altered designs and pocketed construction funds, no matter how influential he was, he wouldn’t believe it.

For a suspicious person, the only way was to let them confront the truth directly.

“So the supervision company and Jeong Jae-jin are right under the lamp?”
“I think you’d know better, Grandpa.”

Chairman Han was a man who always emphasized that wherever people live, it must be solid and safe. Yet, under the very principles of Shinsung Construction, repeated issues of defects and shoddy work had arisen, which clearly indicated a problem.

He had summoned the CEO and vice president of the construction company to reprimand them, but their answer was that it couldn’t be helped. Some corners were cut to meet the construction schedule, and minor defects happen in any construction company.

Although he had suspicions, no major problems had arisen before, and he had accepted that minor defects were unavoidable, so he hadn’t intervened deeply. Hearing an unexpected comment from his granddaughter, he asked, hiding his inner surprise,

“What else do I need to know?”
“After hearing my story, I think you might have guessed already.”
“Guessed what?”
“That there’s an issue you haven’t precisely identified.”
“That’s Jeong Jae-jin?”
“I do have ears, Grandpa. You know well the bad rumors about Executive Jeong.”
“Still, he’s good at his work.”
“That’s why it might have been easier for him.”

Seo-hee, who already knew the outcome of the future, didn’t have a fully rational reason to persuade him. Being good at work and using that skill to satisfy greed are completely different matters.

“These days, there are a lot of cases where construction materials are diverted and designs are changed without permission. It wouldn’t hurt to check in advance.”
“Hmm.”
“Better safe than sorry, right?”

With a smile and a pointed remark, Chairman Han finally nodded. He also found it suspicious, so confirming it beforehand wouldn’t hurt.

“Alright. I’ll have it checked. It might even be interesting to see if Seo-hee is right.”

He nodded with his usual kind smile.

“And about what we talked about earlier…”
“Yes?”
“I’m looking forward to it.”

Though it could have been a burdensome remark, Seo-hee didn’t show it and lifted the corners of her mouth.

“But, Grandpa…”
“Yes?”
“I think you taught me that there should always be compensation in a deal.”

She meant: if she secured a contract, what would he give in return. He would have understood her meaning immediately.

“Ha ha ha. So my granddaughter has learned how to negotiate now, huh?”

Indeed, just like my granddaughter.

“What do you want?”
“An incentive.”
“Incentive? You want money?”

The sudden mention of an incentive made him look at Seo-hee with surprise.

“I learned that the more money you have, the better.”

It was something Chairman Han had often said to his children and grandchildren:

[Who in this world dislikes money? Whether you have little or much, money brings worries, but it’s far better to have it than not. Take as much as you can.]

Seo-hee had simply returned his own words.

“And I also learned that every achievement deserves a fair reward.”

Hearing her speak clearly, Chairman Han laughed heartily.

“Ha ha ha. This grandpa was wrong. I was trying to get a freebie.”

Wiping off his laughter, he spoke in the voice of a group owner rather than a grandfather:

“Alright. If you win the contract, I’ll give you an incentive. But the deal must be fair, right? Otherwise, what do I get?”

He knew he would win anyway, but he had to play along.

Seo-hee spoke seriously:

“I’ll give you what you want, Grandpa.”
“Whatever it is?”
“Yes. Whatever it is.”

He felt inwardly pleased with his granddaughter’s boldness. How could she secure a project worth more than 300 billion won? Yet he liked her confident assurance.

“I don’t do deals where I take a loss.”
“I know.”
“And don’t change your mind later.”
“Of course.”

Naturally, she intended to win, but she nodded, hiding her true thoughts.

“Then let’s talk again in ten days.”

Their paused meal resumed, and they finished their dishes cleanly. It was in stark contrast to the meals with the Tae-gyu family.

Two days later, Seo-hee was busy from early morning. According to her research, the person she wanted to meet would be arriving today.

If she was to win her bet with her grandfather, this meeting had to succeed. Usually, she only traveled to and from school, so she hadn’t used a car, but today was special.

Should she ask the driver? No, it would be better to move quietly by herself. She grabbed the car keys and went down to the first floor, where Manager Oh greeted her.

“Miss, are you going out?”

He still seemed surprised that she was up so early on a weekend.

“Yes. I have somewhere to be early.”
“What about breakfast?”
“I’m fine today. I’ll be a little late. See you!”

Seo-hee cheerfully waved to Manager Oh and stepped out. The drive to the airport was longer than expected, but the roads were clear, so she would likely arrive on time.

Her only worry was…

“You can do this, Han Seo-hee.”

She muttered a self-encouraging spell. Listening to music, she soon reached the airport.

Once inside, she quickly checked the flight arrivals. Monitors around displayed real-time flight information.

“There it is.”

Her expression brightened as she scanned the monitor. The flight she pointed to was marked as arrived.

Her pace quickened. The gate opened, and travelers with luggage streamed out.

Seo-hee’s eyes darted, searching for someone in her memory. She focused to avoid missing the person among similar-looking travelers.

At that moment, a woman in a black hijab exited the gate. Her large eyes, high nose, and striking features immediately drew attention.

“Found her.”

Her outfit was neat yet comfortable. The purpose of her visit was obvious at a glance: a reasonably sized suitcase, traveling like any tourist.

Her name was Suar. She was a government official from the Amadan country in the Middle East and could award a massive contract.

Seo-hee followed her from a distance. If her memory was correct, Suar would soon lose her luggage, including her passport. Many ignored her pleas for help, and she would struggle. Luckily, an employee from Daeju Construction, returning from a business trip, would help her.

When in crisis abroad, receiving help makes one more grateful than usual. Being ignored and desperate amplifies that feeling. She believed that a company with employees willing to help strangers in such situations could be trusted.

Suar entrusted Daeju Construction with her large-scale bridge construction project. The project was so large it was later shared with another company, but even splitting it, the profits were enormous.

It was an opportunity she had to seize. As Seo-hee expected, the moment arrived.

At the taxi stand, Suar checked a map while her luggage was unloaded. At that moment, a taxi driver mistakenly put her suitcase in the trunk, thinking it belonged to someone else.

Suar, unaware that her luggage was being taken elsewhere, remained focused on her task. When she realized, her face turned pale. She searched her pockets, but her phone and wallet were already gone with the luggage.

Help me!

Her trembling voice called for help—the moment Seo-hee had been waiting for.

Now it was her turn to act—before anyone else reached out.

Seo-hee approached Suar slowly, smiling gently.

“What’s the matter?”

Hearing the kind voice in fluent English, a faint smile appeared on Suar’s face.

“Oh, please help me.”

It was time to seize the opportunity.