Chapter 51

“I hope you can deliver on your promise this time!”

After pinching the bridge of his nose again, Old Chaer, looking a bit weary, hesitated for a moment and then sighed, “Also, he did save my wife after all. Once we find him, try to be gentle, don’t hurt him.”

“Got it, we’ll remember that!”

“Hmm, if you’ve remembered, let’s go. Go fetch the stuff back for me!”

After the group from the detective agency left with their new mission, the exhausted old man slumped in his office chair lined with thick cushions. He pressed his two index fingers and middle fingers together, massaging his aching temples.

Getting old already…

With Chal Department Store growing stronger over the years, living comfortably has made my vigilance drop too much. If I were twenty years ago, even ten years ago, there’s no way I would have allowed things to get this far.

Even if I couldn’t bring myself to shut down Water Power Corporation’s project from the start, I wouldn’t have been so negligent as to not even demand control, just letting those scoundrels slap ‘Chaer’ onto their company name…

Just as Old Chaer was pondering how to quickly cultivate a worthy successor while he still had enough energy, there came a knock on the office door.

“Knock, knock-knock.”

The old man’s body tensed at the sound of the knock, like flipping a switch, immediately reverting to his sharp and capable demeanor. Straightening his slightly hunched back, while flipping through documents, he responded loudly,

“Come in!”

“Dad, it’s us!”

Accompanied by an exasperated tone, a doll-faced young woman in a business suit supported Madam Chael into the office.

“Chaer!”

Once the door closed, confirming that their voices wouldn’t carry outside, the clearly infuriated middle-aged woman screamed, “What’s going on with the company shares! You gave away forty percent of the shares, is Chal Department Store still Chal Department Store?”

“Do you even have the face to come to me?”

Before the middle-aged woman could speak, Old Chaer already knew what she was going to say. Slamming the table forcefully, glaring fiercely, he thundered angrily, “How about the Water Power Corporation thing? Did the issues I worried about back then actually happen? If I hadn’t reacted fast and didn’t rely solely on you for negotiations, Chal Department Store would be gone now!”

“…”

Hearing Old Chaer mention the Water Power Corporation matter, the middle-aged woman lost some of her bravado but still persisted, “Still, you shouldn’t have given away forty percent of the shares all at once, and most of them were from my family side…”

“If you hadn’t given up forty percent of the shares, would you still be standing here yelling at me now?”

Not hiding his fatigue in front of his family, Old Chaer leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temple wearily, “Have you forgotten? Fifteen years ago when Chal Department Store almost collapsed, I didn’t give up even a single share. I’m absolutely more opposed to giving away shares than you are, but this time we really had no choice.

On the surface, the problem seems solved, but the solution was too brutal. We’re making a lot of money, but we’ve harmed the interests of all our peers in one fell swoop.

Do you know? The price standards of fifteen entire industries have been slashed to rock bottom by us. The Business Federation already has strong opinions. If we didn’t distribute the shares and let them have a taste too, guess what would happen eventually?”

Looking at his wife who suddenly trembled all over, seemingly realizing something, Old Chaer said expressionlessly, “This year Chal Department Store will indeed grow significantly, but once the year-end passes, the heat dies down, and the compensation is paid out, Chal Department Store won’t belong to Chaer anymore.

Without the support of the Business Federation and the legislators, I alone can’t hold onto this company, let alone guarantee basic safety. By then, our family will only be able to reunite in prison. Got it?”

Seeing his wife, who finally snapped out of the stimulation of vast amounts of money and was now sweating profusely, Old Chaer seemed still unsatisfied, knocking on the table and raising his voice,

“Do you know what your stupidest move was? If you don’t, let me tell you! Your biggest stupidity is always thinking everything will follow the rules!

Do you think writing a veto power in the contract could stop those old nobles from messing around?

Do you think by hijacking factories and retail channels, we could force everyone to compromise?

Do you think once the company grows big, we don’t need to consider the Business Federation’s opinion anymore?

Seeing her pale complexion, barely staying upright with her daughter’s support, Old Chaer’s eyes flashed with a hint of pity but ultimately hardened his heart to deliver the final blow: “People were willing to play by the rules with you because they had no confidence in winning otherwise! But now we’ve engaged in predatory pricing, breaking the tacit rules, leaving others with no way out. Do you still expect them not to retaliate and continue playing fair with you?

At a time like this, if you don’t quickly give up shares and pull capable people in to help shoulder the burden, are you planning to sit there dumbly laughing as you wait to die surrounded by money?”

“Dad! You…you shouldn’t talk like that. Mom was just trying to help, maybe her vision was just a little lacking.

But Dad, think about it. How many people can start from scratch, build themselves up over twenty years from a street vendor to one of the top three merchants in the capital city? How can ordinary people compare to you!”

Worriedly glancing at her trembling mother, the doll-faced girl hurriedly signaled subtly and tried hard to smooth things over, “Dad! Mom used to be a pampered noble lady. After running away from home and following you, she learned to wash clothes and cook, stayed up late every night helping you manage inventory and accounts, fighting alongside you until today. It wasn’t easy!

Over all these years, aside from this mistake in judgment, she has managed the company affairs neatly for you, never causing any chaos. And when I was little, you were always busy, she had to take care of me while also learning how to…”

“Stop talking.”

Shaking off her daughter’s supporting hand, the woman, whose appearance resembled her daughter by sixty percent, showing traces of her youthful innocence, pursed her lips and stubbornly turned her head, saying:

“If I’m wrong, then I’m wrong. Why are you bringing up these past matters? Following him when I ran away from home was my own choice! Making mistakes now is also my own decision; there’s no need to bring up past events for sympathy!

And look at your dad, if no one takes care of him, he might work himself to death in the office. You stay here and watch over him! There are too many customers coming to buy things now, the staff might not be able to handle it all, I need to supervise!”

“Mom, your illness has just gotten better, should I…”

“No need for you!”

“…”

Watching his wife storm out of the room, Old Chaer remained silent for a moment, then waved his hand, telling his daughter who wanted to say more, “You don’t need to persuade her. I don’t blame her. The reason I spoke so harshly earlier was to make her remember this lesson well. As for those past events, I actually remember them clearer than you do.

Do you know? Because Dad was too poor to afford supplements for your mom, after giving birth to you, her health wasn’t great, and she hardly had any breast milk.

Back then, I had to earn money to support the family, working long hours day and night, unable to help. She, who used to be pampered, had to wear a tattered apron, holding you, who was starving and crying nonstop, begging people everywhere for help. In the end, she had to kneel down to beg for a bit of milk…”

Recalling the tough days of the past, Old Chaer’s eyes darkened, saying, “When I saw that scene upon rushing home early out of worry for the family situation back then, I resolved then and there, even if I sold my soul to demons and became a completely despicable person, I would ensure that the two of you live a good life! Sigh… Thinking about it now, it’s truly…

In my whole life, I’ve feared no one, but I always end up losing to your mom. Back when the Water Power Corporation was being established, if I had held out a little longer, perhaps things wouldn’t have escalated to this point… Forget it, let’s not talk about these things anymore.”

Gently touching the four stacked metal boxes on his right, confirming that the locks were still intact, Old Chaer shook his head slightly and said,

“Let’s go. Your mom isn’t in good health, we should…”

“Trouble!”

Just as the father and daughter were about to stand up, the office door was abruptly flung open, and an employee dressed as a salesperson rushed in, panicking, “Boss! A creature just emerged from the cash box at the shopping plaza…”

“Croak! Croak!”

Two deafening frog croaks from outside the window interrupted the employee before she could finish speaking. Meanwhile, a warm, clear male baritone resonated simultaneously in the hearts of over fifty thousand people around the Chal Department Store headquarters.

“O ye seekers of wealth, I ask you.”

Struggling to climb out of the massive cash box, the giant toad covered in various currencies inflated its golden cheek pouches, spewing out a river-like flow of golden wheels with a loud croak, then kindly smiled gently as it narrowed its eyes.

“Would the gold I spew forth suffice to purchase your lives?”

(Chapter End)