CH 317

“Did you say, my son?” Hwang Jeong-Hu slowly asked.

“Yes,” Kang Jin-Ho replied unhesitantly.

“When you said my son, are you sure it was indeed my son?” Hwang Jeong-Hu's voice grew increasingly stiff and cold.

However, Kang Jin-Ho remained unperturbed as he nodded away. “Yes, I'm sure.”

"M-mm..." Hwang Jeong-Hu's expression crumpled. He seemed unsure of how to react. If someone other than Kang Jin-Ho said that, Hwang Jeong-Hu would have unhesitantly lost his cool.

Indeed, he would have raised his voice in anger without a second thought, even if he was talking to the President of South Korea. No matter how weakened he was, Hwang Jeong-Hu was still Hwang Jeong-Hu, after all!

However, he still had one person in this world he found a bit hesitant to do that. And that was Kang Jin-Ho. Not because of the possibility of bodily harm, no, but because he was his benefactor.

Kang Jin-Ho could be thinking that Hwang Jeong-Hu had already repaid all of his debt, but that was not how Hwang Jeong-Hu saw things.

Hwang Jeong-Hu was confined to the hospital bed, watching as his Jaegyeong was being driven toward complete ruination as death closed in on him.

However, Kang Jin-Ho showed up in the nick of time to save him. Nothing Hwang Jeong-Hu could do would be enough to repay that debt. Even if Kang Jin-Ho demanded all the wealth in Hwang Jeong-Hu's name, he would give it up without a moment's hesitation.

This was why Hwang Jeong-Hu couldn't get angry at Kang Jin-Ho.

"How did you meet him?"

Even so, Hwang Jeong-Hu couldn't stop himself from being curt with his tone. Just not raising his voice at Kang Jin-Ho was exhausting all the patience Hwang Jeong-Hu currently possessed.

“We ran into each other coincidentally while shopping in your department store.”

“I see. And you recognized who it was?”

"No, not exactly..." Kang Jin-Ho furrowed his brow a little, finding the act of verbally explaining everything a bit too cumbersome. "Something happened that day to get us acquainted."

"Mm... I see. Very well." Hwang Jeong-Hu groaned and stared at Kang Jin-Ho. "Why are you telling me this, though?"

“I thought you might be curious.”

“Curious? Me?”

“Yes.”

Hwang Jeong-Hu deeply furrowed his brows as if he couldn't see the logic here. "What made you think that?"

“Well, aren't you curious about them?”

"Not even remotely." Hwang Jeong-Hu replied immediately, his expression unyielding and stiff.

However, Kang Jin-Ho saw different emotions from that expression. If a person had to make such a face while denying something, it indicated they were actually 'thinking' a lot about the subject matter.

Of course, Hwang Jeong-Hu would unhappily argue the opposite, saying that it didn't even make sense.

"In that case, you won't mind if I stop here now, will you?" Kang Jin-Ho asked in a calm tone.

"You think I'll become curious and egg you on about it?"

Kang Jin-Ho didn't immediately respond, instead choosing to take another puff of his cigarette before carrying on. "He was worried about you."

“...”

“Apparently, your older brother, his uncle, has passed away from cancer. So, considering your age, he thought you needed to get a thorough check-up as soon as possible.”

“Is that what he wanted you to say to me?”

“No. He didn't want the details of our conversation to end up in your ears.”

Hwang Jeong-Hu seemed a little taken aback by that. He raised his head and looked, waiting to hear more.

Kang Jin-Ho could've held his tongue here, which would have whet Hwang Jeong-Hu's curiosity and anxiety a bit more. However, he wasn't here to negotiate, nor was he trying to take control of this conversation.

“Your son was trying to enter the department store's VIP lounge but was stopped at the entrance.”

“The VIP lounge, you say?”

“Yes.”

“That stupid fool... Still can't get rid of his vanity yet!” Hwang Jeong-Hu's expression crumpled hideously.

The scions of other wealthy families wouldn't run out of money even if they were disowned. To avoid paying the inheritance tax, these families would have started transferring some money into trust funds while the scions were still young.

However, Hwang Jeong-Hu didn't do that. He didn't even share a cent with his sons. The only wealth the Hwang family scions earned over the years came from the salaries they earned while working for Jaegyeong. Even then, Hwang Jeong-Hu made sure they wouldn't be paid fairly.

His reasoning was as simple as 'If you competed fairly with other new employees to get a job, do you honestly think you could've landed a role here?'

His sons were all occupying important positions that usually demanded quite a princely sum of annual salary, but Hwang Jeong-Hu paid them less than half. However, the sons couldn't dare voice their dissatisfaction openly at the ruthless pressure of Hwang Jeong-Hu's emperor-like authority in the corporation.

Find the original at "pawread dot com".

When Hwang Jeong-Hu made his triumphant return to the top and took everything away from his sons, they probably didn't have anything to their names. Rich people apparently had enough assets to sustain themselves for at least three years, even after declaring bankruptcy, which meant Hwang Jeong-Hu's sons should have had something to get by even after they were kicked out. However, it would be impossible for them to maintain their previous lifestyle.

The sons could have found jobs in other corporations since they had experience, albeit brief, in leading Jaegyeong. Unfortunately for them, the news of Hwang Jeong-Hu's return had spread far and wide by then. No one wanted to hire his sons since they didn't want to risk creating friction with one of the titans of the industry.

But now, one of Hwang Jeong-Hu's sons was trying to enter the VIP lounge of a department store?

Hwang Jeong-Hu tutted, unimpressed. “Vanity always eats away at people.”

"He was there with his son," said Kang Jin-Ho, shutting Hwang Jeong-Hu's mouth in the process. "It seemed like your son was thinking about taking a short break during the shopping trip. However, with his child watching him, it seemed he couldn't back down."

“Really? Tsk, tsk!” Hwang Jeong-Hu no longer bothered to hide his discomfort. “A man needs to live by his means, I tell you! That's how it's supposed to be!”

“You might be right…”

“So? Is this why you're here? To tell me how my idiot sons are doing these days?”

Anyone could see that Hwang Jeong-Hu was deeply pissed off. However, Kang Jin-Ho couldn't tell whether that anger stemmed from him bringing this unwelcome news or the state of the sons causing heartache in Hwang Jeong-Hu.

Hwang Jeong-Hu finished smoking his cigarette, then pulled out a fresh one and mouthed it. He was obviously trying hard not to show his innards were burning in frustration but clearly failing at his task.

“If only my sons were like you...!”

Kang Jin-Ho shook his head. “According to my mother's observation, I don't have much in the way of adorableness, apparently.”

“You think my sons are adorable, then?! If they aren't gonna be adorable and all that, at least they should've been whip-smart!”

“...Please calm down, Chairman.”

“Tsk.” Hwang Jeong-Hu stubbed the cigarette on the ashtray. His hand movement showed how irritated he was feeling. “Why aren't you saying anything, then?”

“What do you want me to say, Chairman?”

“You obviously didn't come here to tell me only that, right? I'm sure you have a lot more to say. So, why aren't you saying anything?”

Kang Jin-Ho slowly shook his head. "A conversation can happen only when the speaker and the listener both participate."

Hwang Jeong-Hu wasn't dumb enough to miss the meaning behind what Kang Jin-Ho said just now. His glare lowered to the floor in dissatisfaction. A few seconds later, Hwang Jeong-Hu sighed deeply. “...Can you wait for a bit longer?”

“Of course.”

The living room was overtaken by silence so chokingly quiet that the wall-mounted clock's second hand could be heard ticking away. Kang Jin-Ho had no reason to feel nervous here, while Hwang Jeong-Hu was trying to calm his anger down, so the only one fidgeting anxiously in this situation was the housekeeper auntie standing in the corner of the living room.

'Just who is this young man that he...'

Even Director Baek Yeong-Gi watched what he said in front of Chairman Hwang Jeong-Hu. He could offer advice when needed but still dared not bring up any way-too-sensitive topics. It was because he knew how fiery Hwang Jeong-Hu's tempers could get.

However, that young man unhesitantly went straight for the most sensitive topic in Hwang Jeong-Hu's personal life. The housekeeper auntie was puzzled by that fearless young man, but she also found Hwang Jeong-Hu's behavior just as puzzling. Why wasn't he getting angry after what that young man brazenly said to him?

“...I think I've calmed down enough.” Hwang Jeong-Hu raised his head and looked at Kang Jin-Ho, his expression a little less gloomy. “So, what was that you wanted to say to me?”

“I've already said them…”

Hwang Jeong-Hu cocked an eyebrow, his lips clamped shut. Kang Jin-Ho spoke about Hwang Jeong-Hu's sons just now. And the discussion before that was about...

“So, it's not me lamenting stuff, but being lonely. Is that what you want to say to me?”

“Yes.”

“Look, Jin-Ho.” Hwang Jeong-Hu chuckled quietly. “You might be right. Who knows, I could be lonely right now.”

“...”

“But everyone at my age can't avoid being a partner with loneliness. Everyone is bound to feel the sense of loss, this sense of futility, at some point. That's what it means to gradually wither away until you die.”

“No,” Kang Jin-Ho resolutely shook his head. “It's not because you're dying, but due to your lingering attachments.”

Hwang Jeong-Hu's eyes powerfully quaked just then.

“When you're about to die, what you've achieved in your life no longer matters. What's important is whether you are satisfied or not. The reason for your loss of drive isn't due to your age. And it's also not down to your inability to keep up with the younger generation.”

“Is it? Then what?”

“You lack the passion to accept new things, the drive to get up and start running again.”

Hwang Jeong-Hu was unable to refute that assertion. Because... Kang Jin-Ho's words had accurately hit their mark.

When he heard that PCs were taking off overseas, Hwang Jeong-Hu rolled up his sleeves and started studying how to use one well before anyone else even thought about doing the same. Just how old was he already at that time?

The old Hwang Jeong-Hu would have poured his entire being to learn all the relevant knowledge so that he wouldn't get left behind by the younger generation. But now... What was he doing these days?

He had accepted being left behind and raised his hands in defeat!

'Passion, is it...' Hwang Jeong-Hu grimaced.

"Chairman, passion doesn't cool off because you get older. You get older because your passion is gone."

“Are you saying I got the order wrong?”

“I'm sure you've already realized it, Chairman.”

Hwang Jeong-Hu stared into Kang Jin-Ho's withdrawn eyes, and fierce light began flickering back to life in Hwang Jeong-Hu's own eyes. “So what?”

“...”

"What do you expect me to do here, then? To revive that dead flames of passion, I should clench my teeth and try even harder at my age? Perhaps to persevere through this bitter, poignant loneliness, I should allow my kids back into my life, is that it? Welcoming back the ones I kicked out with my own hands, is that your solution?"

“Either way should work…”

"Say something that makes sense, will you?!" Hwang Jeong-Hu finally lost his cool. "Why should I forgive those bastards? Did they not commit an unforgivable sin against me?! You better forget about trying to change my mind with crap like morals and filial pieties here, okay! Those man-made concepts are just a pack of rubbish with zero worth in my book!"

Kang Jin-Ho didn't say anything and just listened for the time being.

Those words flying out of Hwang Jeong-Hu's mouth right now... He probably was unable to say them to anyone else until today. Well, no one was asking him about it, and it wasn't as if he had anyone to talk to, either. Sometimes, unloading what was on a person's mind to someone else would bring a great catharsis—a release.

However, Hwang Jeong-Hu didn't have anyone.

'It's lonely, isn't it...'

All those who stood at the top were bound to be lonely. That was because they couldn't truly open their hearts to anyone. Folks wielding absolute power were bound to become isolated precisely because of the power they possessed.

...Just like how it was for Kang Jin-Ho back in Zhongyuan. That was why he knew listening quietly now was the best thing for Hwang Jeong-Hu.

“If those bastards acted like decent human beings while I was sick, I wouldn't have treated them that way, do you understand? Do you really think that I'm in the wrong here? Is that what you believe? In your opinion, do you really think that I have crossed the line, that I went overboard? Is that it? Say something, will you?”

Kang Jin-Ho unhesitantly replied as if there was no reason to waste time even thinking about it. "Nobody will be able to criticize the choices you made back then, Chairman. Those were the correct choices, and you had every right to choose them."

“Indeed! That's right! I was not wrong back then!” Hwang Jeong-Hu cried out loudly. “But why are you telling me now to care about those bastards?! I hadn't done anything wrong back then, but now I'm in the wrong?! Don't you see how nonsensical it is?”

Kang Jin-Ho observed Hwang Jeong-Hu's demeanor and shook his head. Despite the chairman practically getting ready to pounce on him like an angry predator, Kang Jin-Ho remained calm. “Chairman, I'm not saying you're in the wrong.”

“Then what is it?!”

“I'm trying to say... It's time to let go.”

“...Let go of what?”

Kang Jin-Ho spoke in a firm, unshakable tone. “Let go of the constraint you've placed on yourself. The one about needing to always live a straight-arrow life.”

At that, Hwang Jeong-Hu's eyes widened.