The lead at today's Pyeongchang-dong meal was Sang-jong.

"Father."

"Call him Chairman."

Mun-jong put in a sharp word for Sang-jong to sort out his form of address.

"What does it matter what I call him?"

Ordinarily Sang-jong would have hastily corrected himself, but today was different. Shooting Mun-jong a look that asked why he'd nitpick such a thing, he turned to Tak-hyeon and spoke again. "Father. Would you believe Dubo Steel is cutting the unit price on the rebar it supplies to Ilhyeon Construction by a full 20%?"

Wearing a triumphant expression, Sang-jong glanced over at Mun-jong. Confirming the look on Mun-jong's face — seething, about to boil over — Sang-jong laughed as if amused and went on. "And next year they say they'll consider a 30% cut."

"20% this year, 30% next?"

Tak-hyeon, spooning up his soup, put the question.

Forgetting even to eat, Sang-jong nodded and answered. "Yes. And that's the minimum. The minimum." He gave a shrug of his shoulders and said, "What did I tell you? I said investing in Dubo Steel was a sure profit, didn't I?"

As Sang-jong dressed up his own achievement, his wife, Min-yeong Oh, chimed in from beside him. "Father. Mother. Please give this man plenty of praise. He really worked so hard." Taking Sang-jong's arm, she went on praising him to her parents-in-law. "He agonized over it, night after night, barely sleeping properly. Kept saying that with such big money going in, it mustn't go wrong."

Watching quietly, Mun-jong's wife — Hyeon-ju Bang, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Ilhyeon house — threw in a remark. "Why are you talking up something he was simply supposed to do as if it were some grand feat?"

At Hyeon-ju dismissing it as nothing, Sang-jong smiled and said, "Sister-in-law. I'll have a good word with Dubo Steel and get them to review a price cut on the steel plate for heavy industry and automobiles next year too. So don't worry too much. When an elder brother's in a tight spot, shouldn't the younger help?"

"You…"

Angered, Mun-jong made to snap back, but with Tak-hyeon…