Chapter 208: Negotiation
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Once he was left alone, Ji-Su continued to sip from his glass quietly. He pondered over something for a short moment, before finally picking up the envelope and carefully opening it.
Inside there was a piece of paper with writing on it and several pictures.
Ji-Su turned the envelope upside down and scattered all its content on the table. He first picked up the written report to read.
Once he was done, Ji-Su let out a long, tired sigh.
This entire situation made his heart feel very complicated. He was torn between so many feelings that it was difficult to discern which one he should follow.
Should he continue? Was it really worth it?
But regardless of this momentary confusion, Ji-Su knew he couldn't give up, not yet. There were still so many things left to do. He couldn't become soft-hearted right now. He had to steel his heart and see everything through until the very end.
Taking the glass to his lips, Ji-Su stared down at the photographs scattered on the desk, absentmindedly brushing his fingers over them.
A moment later, he picked one picture and, leaning his head back into the chair, he raised it to his eye level.
In the photograph, a young man was walking out of a hospital. He had been captured just as he turned his head to glance one last time at the building behind him. The distance was quite far, but Ji-Su could still see the sorrowful expression on that person's face.
Rubbing his thumb on the corner of the photograph, Ji-Su let out a low hum.
"I see. So that's what happened to you."
The next moment, a deep, rumbling laugh broke out from his throat.
"Ah, this is really hilarious, isn't it, Kang Ji-Won? Who could have thought that you of all people would actually end up experiencing something like this? And from a person like him no less. Really pitiful to say the least."
Ji-Su paused, letting out a few more chuckles before finally calming down.
"Now, let's see what my uncle has been up to lately."
Next, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number.
As soon as the name 'Uncle Jeong' flashed on the screen, a strange smile bloomed on Ji-Su's lips.
This uncle Jeong of his was the oldest son of the man who raised Ji-Su's mother. Their parents remarried when both children were very young, so they ended up being very close. Jeong liked this younger sister of his, always spoiling her.
Uncle Jeong's family was slightly well-off. However, they were part of the lower nouveau riche category of wealthy people, small businessmen with a few neighborhood stores. They couldn't be compared to the likes of the Kang family, who were many generations of rich people.
After that night marked by infidelity, Ji-Su's mother's side of the family was very displeased. After all, their adoptive daughter went after a married man and even got pregnant with him.
The matter of having a child out of wedlock might have been dealt with somehow, but when Ji-Su's mother thought of going to claim the rights for her child, her family cut her off. They didn't want to risk angering someone like old man Kang and have their entire business diced and sold for scraps.
As a consequence, the young single mother and the baby boy became estranged from their adoptive family.
The only person who continued to stay by her side was this Uncle Jeong. Just like when they were children, he kept spoiling his step sister. He tried to help her as much as he could without being discovered by his parents. That meant he couldn't offer too much money all at once, nor could he help with more complicated issues.
Ji-Su's mother never forgot all his support. Once she got married to Chairman Kang and became wealthy, she was finally able to repay him for everything he'd done in the past. In order to do that, she financed all his businesses, assisting with his capital ventures, while also helping him personally on the side.
Among these rather private dealings was also Uncle Jeong's wish to build a hospital. Thus, Ji-Su's mother became an anonymous donor for the construction of SuWon Hospital. This was a place where only the rich and well-connected people could go to.
Coincidentally, or not, this also happened to be the place where Jung Seok's mother was hospitalized.
And for some time now, Ji-Su had known that his mother and Uncle Jeong had worked together to make this happen. Otherwise, how could someone from a poor family such as Jung Seok could afford a room and even a surgery in such a high ranking hospital?
That time, after dropping Jung Seok off, Ji-Su had called Uncle Jeong in order to clear up his suspicions. After probing his uncle, he was able to confirm that Jung Seok's mother was indeed being treated at SuWon hospital.
The call suddenly connected and Uncle Jeong drawl could be heard from the other end.
"Little Ji-Su, how are you my boy?"
"Uncle Jeong, how are things at the hospital?"
"Oh? Asking about that again, are we?" Uncle Jeong chuckled. "Keep this up, my boy, and I might end up giving it to you as a gift. Wouldn't you prefer being a hospital Director rather than a low-ranking worker at your father's company?"
"Don't worry about me uncle." Ji-Su's lips curved into a smile devoid of myrth. "When it comes to acting upon greed, you and my mother are the best."
There was a slight pause from Uncle Jeong's side. Then, after several seconds, the man spoke again.
"What do you want, Ji-Su?" he asked, sounding upset.
"I want to have that person moved. Someone will come there soon and deal with all the paperwork. You just need to talk to the woman's family and deal with anything that might arise."
"And why would I do that? Have I lost my mind, listening to a young pup's orders?!" Uncle Jeong sneered.
"Be reasonable, uncle." Ji-Su sighed, faking a distressed manner of speaking. "You wouldn't want your darling sister to find out how you manage the money she gives you, right?"
"Still threatening me with that? Aren't you using the same method as before?"
"It might be the same method, uncle, but with new information." Ji-Su let out an ominous laugh. "I'm sure mother would be heartbroken if she knew how you used most of her money to buy clubs and arcades downtown. All this while lying to her that you are struggling financially to keep the hospital running."
At this point, a loud bang rang inside the phone, probably from a crashing object.
"Alright you little bastard, have it your way for now." Uncle Jeong said through gritted teeth, then added quickly. "You're lucky I like you so much. But even so, threaten me one more time, and I'll make sure you regret it."
"Oh, I wouldn't call this a threat, uncle." Ji-Su retorted with a small laugh in his voice.
"What would you call it then?"
"Negotiation between business partners.." Ji-Su replied breezily.
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Once he was left alone, Ji-Su continued to sip from his glass quietly. He pondered over something for a short moment, before finally picking up the envelope and carefully opening it.
Inside there was a piece of paper with writing on it and several pictures.
Ji-Su turned the envelope upside down and scattered all its content on the table. He first picked up the written report to read.
Once he was done, Ji-Su let out a long, tired sigh.
This entire situation made his heart feel very complicated. He was torn between so many feelings that it was difficult to discern which one he should follow.
Should he continue? Was it really worth it?
But regardless of this momentary confusion, Ji-Su knew he couldn't give up, not yet. There were still so many things left to do. He couldn't become soft-hearted right now. He had to steel his heart and see everything through until the very end.
Taking the glass to his lips, Ji-Su stared down at the photographs scattered on the desk, absentmindedly brushing his fingers over them.
A moment later, he picked one picture and, leaning his head back into the chair, he raised it to his eye level.
In the photograph, a young man was walking out of a hospital. He had been captured just as he turned his head to glance one last time at the building behind him. The distance was quite far, but Ji-Su could still see the sorrowful expression on that person's face.
Rubbing his thumb on the corner of the photograph, Ji-Su let out a low hum.
"I see. So that's what happened to you."
The next moment, a deep, rumbling laugh broke out from his throat.
"Ah, this is really hilarious, isn't it, Kang Ji-Won? Who could have thought that you of all people would actually end up experiencing something like this? And from a person like him no less. Really pitiful to say the least."
Ji-Su paused, letting out a few more chuckles before finally calming down.
"Now, let's see what my uncle has been up to lately."
Next, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number.
As soon as the name 'Uncle Jeong' flashed on the screen, a strange smile bloomed on Ji-Su's lips.
This uncle Jeong of his was the oldest son of the man who raised Ji-Su's mother. Their parents remarried when both children were very young, so they ended up being very close. Jeong liked this younger sister of his, always spoiling her.
Uncle Jeong's family was slightly well-off. However, they were part of the lower nouveau riche category of wealthy people, small businessmen with a few neighborhood stores. They couldn't be compared to the likes of the Kang family, who were many generations of rich people.
After that night marked by infidelity, Ji-Su's mother's side of the family was very displeased. After all, their adoptive daughter went after a married man and even got pregnant with him.
The matter of having a child out of wedlock might have been dealt with somehow, but when Ji-Su's mother thought of going to claim the rights for her child, her family cut her off. They didn't want to risk angering someone like old man Kang and have their entire business diced and sold for scraps.
As a consequence, the young single mother and the baby boy became estranged from their adoptive family.
The only person who continued to stay by her side was this Uncle Jeong. Just like when they were children, he kept spoiling his step sister. He tried to help her as much as he could without being discovered by his parents. That meant he couldn't offer too much money all at once, nor could he help with more complicated issues.
Ji-Su's mother never forgot all his support. Once she got married to Chairman Kang and became wealthy, she was finally able to repay him for everything he'd done in the past. In order to do that, she financed all his businesses, assisting with his capital ventures, while also helping him personally on the side.
Among these rather private dealings was also Uncle Jeong's wish to build a hospital. Thus, Ji-Su's mother became an anonymous donor for the construction of SuWon Hospital. This was a place where only the rich and well-connected people could go to.
Coincidentally, or not, this also happened to be the place where Jung Seok's mother was hospitalized.
And for some time now, Ji-Su had known that his mother and Uncle Jeong had worked together to make this happen. Otherwise, how could someone from a poor family such as Jung Seok could afford a room and even a surgery in such a high ranking hospital?
That time, after dropping Jung Seok off, Ji-Su had called Uncle Jeong in order to clear up his suspicions. After probing his uncle, he was able to confirm that Jung Seok's mother was indeed being treated at SuWon hospital.
The call suddenly connected and Uncle Jeong drawl could be heard from the other end.
"Little Ji-Su, how are you my boy?"
"Uncle Jeong, how are things at the hospital?"
"Oh? Asking about that again, are we?" Uncle Jeong chuckled. "Keep this up, my boy, and I might end up giving it to you as a gift. Wouldn't you prefer being a hospital Director rather than a low-ranking worker at your father's company?"
"Don't worry about me uncle." Ji-Su's lips curved into a smile devoid of myrth. "When it comes to acting upon greed, you and my mother are the best."
There was a slight pause from Uncle Jeong's side. Then, after several seconds, the man spoke again.
"What do you want, Ji-Su?" he asked, sounding upset.
"I want to have that person moved. Someone will come there soon and deal with all the paperwork. You just need to talk to the woman's family and deal with anything that might arise."
"And why would I do that? Have I lost my mind, listening to a young pup's orders?!" Uncle Jeong sneered.
"Be reasonable, uncle." Ji-Su sighed, faking a distressed manner of speaking. "You wouldn't want your darling sister to find out how you manage the money she gives you, right?"
"Still threatening me with that? Aren't you using the same method as before?"
"It might be the same method, uncle, but with new information." Ji-Su let out an ominous laugh. "I'm sure mother would be heartbroken if she knew how you used most of her money to buy clubs and arcades downtown. All this while lying to her that you are struggling financially to keep the hospital running."
At this point, a loud bang rang inside the phone, probably from a crashing object.
"Alright you little bastard, have it your way for now." Uncle Jeong said through gritted teeth, then added quickly. "You're lucky I like you so much. But even so, threaten me one more time, and I'll make sure you regret it."
"Oh, I wouldn't call this a threat, uncle." Ji-Su retorted with a small laugh in his voice.
"What would you call it then?"
"Negotiation between business partners.." Ji-Su replied breezily.
Once he was left alone, Ji-Su continued to sip from his glass quietly. He pondered over something for a short moment, before finally picking up the envelope and carefully opening it.Inside there was a piece of paper with writing on it and several pictures.Ji-Su turned the envelope upside down and scattered all its content on the table. He first picked up the written report to read. Once he was done, Ji-Su let out a long, tired sigh. This entire situation made his heart feel very complicated. He was torn between so many feelings that it was difficult to discern which one he should follow. Should he continue? Was it really worth it?But regardless of this momentary confusion, Ji-Su knew he couldn't give up, not yet. There were still so many things left to do. He couldn't become soft-hearted right now. He had to steel his heart and see everything through until the very end.Taking the glass to his lips, Ji-Su stared down at the photographs scattered on the desk, absentmindedly brushing his fingers over them.A moment later, he picked one picture and, leaning his head back into the chair, he raised it to his eye level. In the photograph, a young man was walking out of a hospital. He had been captured just as he turned his head to glance one last time at the building behind him. The distance was quite far, but Ji-Su could still see the sorrowful expression on that person's face.Rubbing his thumb on the corner of the photograph, Ji-Su let out a low hum."I see. So that's what happened to you."The next moment, a deep, rumbling laugh broke out from his throat."Ah, this is really hilarious, isn't it, Kang Ji-Won? Who could have thought that you of all people would actually end up experiencing something like this? And from a person like him no less. Really pitiful to say the least."Ji-Su paused, letting out a few more chuckles before finally calming down. "Now, let's see what my uncle has been up to lately."Next, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number. As soon as the name 'Uncle Jeong' flashed on the screen, a strange smile bloomed on Ji-Su's lips. This uncle Jeong of his was the oldest son of the man who raised Ji-Su's mother. Their parents remarried when both children were very young, so they ended up being very close. Jeong liked this younger sister of his, always spoiling her. Uncle Jeong's family was slightly well-off. However, they were part of the lower nouveau riche category of wealthy people, small businessmen with a few neighborhood stores. They couldn't be compared to the likes of the Kang family, who were many generations of rich people.After that night marked by infidelity, Ji-Su's mother's side of the family was very displeased. After all, their adoptive daughter went after a married man and even got pregnant with him. The matter of having a child out of wedlock might have been dealt with somehow, but when Ji-Su's mother thought of going to claim the rights for her child, her family cut her off. They didn't want to risk angering someone like old man Kang and have their entire business diced and sold for scraps. As a consequence, the young single mother and the baby boy became estranged from their adoptive family.The only person who continued to stay by her side was this Uncle Jeong. Just like when they were children, he kept spoiling his step sister. He tried to help her as much as he could without being discovered by his parents. That meant he couldn't offer too much money all at once, nor could he help with more complicated issues.Ji-Su's mother never forgot all his support. Once she got married to Chairman Kang and became wealthy, she was finally able to repay him for everything he'd done in the past. In order to do that, she financed all his businesses, assisting with his capital ventures, while also helping him personally on the side. Among these rather private dealings was also Uncle Jeong's wish to build a hospital. Thus, Ji-Su's mother became an anonymous donor for the construction of SuWon Hospital. This was a place where only the rich and well-connected people could go to.Coincidentally, or not, this also happened to be the place where Jung Seok's mother was hospitalized. And for some time now, Ji-Su had known that his mother and Uncle Jeong had worked together to make this happen. Otherwise, how could someone from a poor family such as Jung Seok could afford a room and even a surgery in such a high ranking hospital?That time, after dropping Jung Seok off, Ji-Su had called Uncle Jeong in order to clear up his suspicions. After probing his uncle, he was able to confirm that Jung Seok's mother was indeed being treated at SuWon hospital.The call suddenly connected and Uncle Jeong drawl could be heard from the other end. "Little Ji-Su, how are you my boy?" "Uncle Jeong, how are things at the hospital?" "Oh? Asking about that again, are we?" Uncle Jeong chuckled. "Keep this up, my boy, and I might end up giving it to you as a gift. Wouldn't you prefer being a hospital Director rather than a low-ranking worker at your father's company?" "Don't worry about me uncle." Ji-Su's lips curved into a smile devoid of myrth. "When it comes to acting upon greed, you and my mother are the best."There was a slight pause from Uncle Jeong's side. Then, after several seconds, the man spoke again."What do you want, Ji-Su?" he asked, sounding upset. "I want to have that person moved. Someone will come there soon and deal with all the paperwork. You just need to talk to the woman's family and deal with anything that might arise.""And why would I do that? Have I lost my mind, listening to a young pup's orders?!" Uncle Jeong sneered."Be reasonable, uncle." Ji-Su sighed, faking a distressed manner of speaking. "You wouldn't want your darling sister to find out how you manage the money she gives you, right?""Still threatening me with that? Aren't you using the same method as before?""It might be the same method, uncle, but with new information." Ji-Su let out an ominous laugh. "I'm sure mother would be heartbroken if she knew how you used most of her money to buy clubs and arcades downtown. All this while lying to her that you are struggling financially to keep the hospital running." At this point, a loud bang rang inside the phone, probably from a crashing object. "Alright you little bastard, have it your way for now." Uncle Jeong said through gritted teeth, then added quickly. "You're lucky I like you so much. But even so, threaten me one more time, and I'll make sure you regret it." "Oh, I wouldn't call this a threat, uncle." Ji-Su retorted with a small laugh in his voice."What would you call it then?""Negotiation between business partners.." Ji-Su replied breezily.
