“Is everyone here?”

Tak-hyeon Lee came out of the study and looked around at the children gathered in the living room.

“The fourth one isn’t here yet.”

At Suk-ja Chu’s words, Tak-hyeon knit his brow slightly and said,

“We can’t wait forever on someone who’s late. Never mind, let’s begin.”

Just as Mun-jong and the others slowly rose from their seats at Tak-hyeon’s gesture, Chang-jong Lee hurried into the living room.

“Huff, huff… I’m sorry. I’m a bit late.”

“Why are you so late?”

Suk-ja approached Chang-jong and brushed off his clothes with her hand.

And, checking behind him, she said,

“Did you come alone again?”

“What’s got her so out of sorts? Is it because she was told to raise the child you brought home from outside? Does she mean to live drawing a line between herself and the rest of us?”

When Suk-ja, feeling sorry for Chang-jong who’d come alone without his wife, asked, Jeong-eun spoke in a sulky voice.

“Mom. You should stop too. Do you think she’ll even come here if you carry on like that? She’s someone who lived apart for years even after marrying — do you think she’ll come just because she’s in Korea?”

Having finished speaking to Suk-ja, Jeong-eun turned to Chang-jong and said,

“If it’s going to be like that, just divorce. Why live together? Father also told you before to divor—”

“Divorce absolutely will not do.”

Suk-ja suddenly shouted.

“Do you want to see your younger brother become a lone widower?”

“Mom, these days people divorce and meet another woman and remarry, all the time. Or you can just comfortably see women and live… What’s the big deal about divorce?”

“Even so, divorce won’t do!”

When Suk-ja leapt up in opposition, Jeong-eun said nothing more and turned her head away.

And when a brief silence settled, Tak-hyeon opened his mouth.

“If you’re all done, let’s go. It’s late.”

When Tak-hyeon left the living room first, Suk-ja, Mun-jong, and the others followed him out.

And lastly, Seong-ho gave Gyeong-eun a look and stepped out of the living room, and so the Pyeongchang-dong weekend began.

The meal was quiet, no different from usual.

Following the wishes of Tak-hyeon, who didn’t like talking while eating, the children, daughters-in-law, and sons-in-law present simply ate quietly.

Around the time everyone had finished eating, drunk their scorched-rice water, and freshened their mouths, Tak-hyeon spoke first.

“You’ve all surely heard about what happened in Los Angeles.”

At Tak-hyeon’s opening words, Jeong-eun looked back and forth between Tak-hyeon and Seong-ho.

And, with interested eyes, she waited for Tak-hyeon’s next words.

“As you’ve all heard, Kim has come to step down from the seat of Head of the Restructuring Headquarters.”

“Then what about the next Head? Who’s it going to be?”

Unable to hold back, Jeong-eun asked Tak-hyeon.

“It’s not you, so drop your interest.”

When Tak-hyeon looked at her as if displeased that she’d cut him off and spoke, Jeong-eun pursed her lips and said,

“Even if it’s not me, Brother-in-law Cha here—”

“Have you hit ten million Ilhyeon Card subscribers?”

“No — why are you asking about subscriber numbers here?”

When Jeong-eun asked as if dumbfounded, Tak-hyeon spoke in a cold voice.

“You and Brother-in-law Cha just focus on the ten million you yourself boasted of, and the twelve million next year.”

“I can do that on my own. As if that’s some difficult thing… At the rate subscribers are growing now, I can hit it twice — no, three times as fast.”

Jeong-eun looked around at the other siblings present in a confident voice and said,

“Among the people here, who do you think could come to Ilhyeon Card and grow subscriber numbers faster than me? No one. There’s no one who could do better than me.”

Jeong-eun spoke with her head held stiff and high, as if to say name someone if there was one.

Unable to keep watching Jeong-eun like that, Hyeon-ju Bang slipped in.

“I’ve noticed lately there are a lot of promotional events on the streets. I see a lot of them offering money if you sign up, too. Young miss, are you growing subscriber numbers by giving out money?”

At those words, Jeong-eun’s head turned.

“Sister-in-law. Whether we give out money or give out buildings, what does it matter?”

“No. It’s just, isn’t it so?”

Hyeon-ju Bang studied Tak-hyeon’s expression and, apparently judging it was all right to continue, went on.

“Because it seems like something even I, a housewife, could do. It’s not a special method, is it? ‘I’ll give you 30,000 won, so get a card issued.’ There’d be no one who’d refuse that…”

Hyeon-ju Bang looked at her husband Mun-jong with a face that asked whether she was wrong.

Mun-jong nodded at Hyeon-ju Bang’s words and said,

“Growing subscriber numbers that way isn’t a difficult thing.”

“Good grief. Now I’m hearing all sorts of talk.”

Jeong-eun rolled up her sleeves, shot a glare at Hyeon-ju Bang, and said,

“Sister-in-law. What do you know? You seem to think we’re simply handing out money — fine. Since it’s come to this, since the subject’s come up, I’ll tell you what Ilhyeon Card’s strategy is, so wash out your ears and listen well.”

With a face full of derision, Jeong-eun explained Ilhyeon Card’s policy to Hyeon-ju Bang.

“We’re not simply giving out money to grow subscriber numbers. When someone who’s received money opens a card, even if they toss the card at home and do nothing, a 30,000-won annual fee automatically goes out each year. Understand? Even if we give 30,000 won to a new subscriber, it means we can recover it within a year.”

Jeong-eun found Hyeon-ju Bang’s remark — that they were simply inflating subscriber numbers by handing out money — nothing but laughable.

Seemingly resolved to score points solidly with Tak-hyeon since it had come to this, she continued.

“Father. Once they sign up after receiving money, what will they do? They’ll use the card. They go to a shop, eat some snacks, hand over the card — that’s all our commission. And you think that’s all? People who need quick cash. People who find it hard to go to a bank, submit documents, and wait for a loan to be approved. For those people, we plan to expand cash advances and card loans.”

“Cash advances and card loans?”

When Tak-hyeon showed interest, Jeong-eun spoke in an excited voice.

“The interest is a full 29%. And if you take the interest up front, the actual interest rate soars well past 30%. We just sit and lend money and can eat interest of over 30%. And that’s not all? From the moment they borrow money from us, they have to keep using our card. What a profitable business it is. Isn’t it?”

Tak-hyeon, arms crossed, gave no answer at all to Jeong-eun’s question.

But Jeong-eun, having confirmed that Tak-hyeon was listening to her seriously, spoke in a confident voice.

“Simply raising subscriber numbers to ten million and twelve million isn’t what matters. We have to grow subscriber numbers no matter what, even by scattering money. The customers grown that way will fill our pockets.”

Jeong-eun turned her head and looked at Hyeon-ju Bang again.

And, with a face full of derision, she said,

“Sister-in-law, do you understand what I’m saying?”

When Hyeon-ju Bang could say nothing, Jeong-eun, at the sight of her, twisted the corner of her mouth up even further and said,

“Sister-in-law, you thought we were simply scattering money to draw in subscribers, didn’t you? Do you think we’re like you? Don’t prattle on about what you don’t even know — you just keep house and raise children. Ah! Then again, with Seon-myeong gone to America, there’s no child to raise, is there?”

Jeong-eun turned her gaze from Hyeon-ju Bang to Mun-jong.

“Brother, you go bring home a child from somewhere like Chang-jong did and ask Sister-in-law to raise it. She seems bored.”

“Young miss!”

“Jeong-eun!”

Hyeon-ju Bang and Mun-jong flared up at Jeong-eun’s words and shouted.

At that, Jeong-eun shouted in an even louder voice,

“That’s why I said if you don’t know anything, stay quiet! And drop your interest in other people’s companies.”

“Hey! Jeong-eun!”

Unable to endure it, Mun-jong rose from his seat and jabbed a finger toward Jeong-eun.

“How lively you all are — a fine sight to see.”

Mun-jong, about to spew crude curses at Jeong-eun, couldn’t get out the curses that had risen to his throat at Tak-hyeon’s words.

Mun-jong looked back and forth between Hyeon-ju Bang, whose face had gone bright red and who looked about to shed tears any moment, Jeong-eun looking at Hyeon-ju Bang with eyes full of derision, and Tak-hyeon watching his children with indifferent eyes and crossed arms, and let out a great sigh.

“Haah… watch your words a little.”

Mun-jong, unable to simply sit back down, threw a remark toward Jeong-eun.

“Hmph! You look to yourself, Brother. Don’t go thinking of butting into other people’s lives.”

“Hey! You—”

Mun-jong, seated, raised his hand toward Jeong-eun.

“What? Going to hit me? You mean to take a swing?”

“You…”

At the sight of the needling Jeong-eun, Mun-jong closed his eyes and trembled, his hand shaking.

Seong-ho watched the scene with amusement from the very end seat.

They’re all having a fine time.

The sight of them carrying on like that, with no idea what was going to unfold or how, looked nothing but laughable to Seong-ho.

Yes. Enjoy it to your heart’s content now. Because it’ll cut off your arms and legs.

Seong-ho let out a sneer as he looked at Jeong-eun, holding Ilhyeon Card in her hand and wearing a triumphant expression.

She thought the goose called Ilhyeon Card was laying golden eggs, but Jeong-eun didn’t know it was in fact laying poisoned eggs.

“All right, then — may I say something now too?”

When Tak-hyeon, who’d had his arms crossed, opened his mouth, everyone present bowed their heads.

Tak-hyeon looked around at his children and said with a smile,

“Seeing you all so lively even on the weekend, I’m proud. Since you’re so lively, once you finish the meal, don’t think of going home — head to your companies.”

“Father. Suddenly, the company…?”

“Father, what Father!”

Tak-hyeon glared wide-eyed at Jeong-eun and said,

“President Lee. Go straight to the company, work out the expected profit per subscriber, and report it to me right away. And also organize and bring me the basis on which the figure of giving 30,000 won per subscriber came out.”

“That’s…”

“What? Can’t do it?”

“But today is Sunday…”

When Jeong-eun put on a troubled expression, Tak-hyeon snorted and said,

“You were brimming with energy just a moment ago — what? Now that it’s time to actually work, you don’t want to? If you don’t want to, there’s nothing for it. Quit.”

“Father!”

“It seems you sit at Ilhyeon Card as my daughter. But I have no need for that kind of daughter. I need an employee who’ll grow the company well.”

Tak-hyeon pressed Jeong-eun down and looked around at the children present.

“All of you, return to your companies too. And I hope you’ll show that liveliness at the company.”

Tak-hyeon swept his gaze over the children, who could give no answer, and let out a low mutter to himself.

“If you want to feed off my money, you ought to do at least that much, no?”

Sang-jong, Chang-jong, and Mun-jong — who’d quarreled with Jeong-eun — looked at Jeong-eun with resentful eyes.

Jeong-eun too, apparently in a bind, put on a wronged expression.

“Even so, Ilhyeon Card is…”

“Do you think I want to hear about Ilhyeon Card? I have no interest in what Ilhyeon Card is doing right now. What I demanded of you is only to bring me ten million subscribers within the year. Whether you play money games with those ten million or not is the next matter… Understand? Achieve that first and then talk about what comes next.”

Tak-hyeon’s words meant it was laughable to talk about the finish line without having even cleared the first hurdle.

Jeong-eun’s face turned red and her mouth clamped firmly shut.

Tak-hyeon, satisfied at the sight of Jeong-eun finally gone quiet, looked at Seong-ho and said,

“Now I can finally wrap up what I was saying earlier. Kim has come to step down from the Head’s seat, and I intend to seat Deputy Head Gyeong-deuk Lee, who’s been serving as Deputy Head, in the new Head’s seat.”

No one could offer a differing opinion to Tak-hyeon’s words, which fit the natural order.

Because if a Head was driven out without completing his term, it was right for the Deputy Head to take over.

“And Kim will…”

Pausing for a moment, Tak-hyeon looked around at those present.

The children, who’d bowed their heads, all looked at Tak-hyeon with curious faces.

They all felt curious about the next seat of Seong-ho, who’d been Head of the Restructuring Headquarters — a place that had held unprecedented, absolute authority until now.

Tak-hyeon studied his children’s gazes and slowly opened his mouth.

“Kim will be moving to Ilhyeon Securities.”

“Ilhyeon Securities?”

Everyone looked at Tak-hyeon with puzzled expressions.

“Yes. So know that’s how it is.”

Tak-hyeon, apparently thinking he’d said all he had to say, rose from his seat first.

And, looking down at his children still seated, he said,

“As I said earlier, all of you now return to your companies, work until six, and then leave. Secretary Hwang. Check whether these fellows worked until six, got it?”

“Yes. Understood.”

When Do-beom Hwang answered, Tak-hyeon turned just as he was and left the dining room.

When Tak-hyeon left, the gazes of Mun-jong and the others present naturally turned to Seong-ho.

Seong-ho put on the most rueful expression he could manage toward them, as they sent gazes each laden with a different meaning.

(End of Chapter 167)