How many joints does a person have?
I don’t know the exact number, but giving a joint or two to the brat in front of me would probably be beneficial to the world.
I met Im Ha-yeon’s incredulous expression and nodded.
Jeon Gil-san. Today, I’ll turn you into a custom-made mutant with a few extra joints.
“Wait! I’m not saying I’m going to rob you of your business!”
Did Jeon Gil-san sense the atmosphere? He shouted in a panic.
“I know all about the ruckus you caused in Yichang! We need to take care of that lying mouth of yours first.”
Im Ha-yeon lifted her heels as if about to charge out. Jeon Gil-san frantically crossed his arms in a clumsy defensive stance and shouted again.
“Even though I did threaten competitors in Yichang, I never forcibly took their businesses! Even when I promised to recruit Ho Pil, didn’t I promise a generous reward?!”
Im Ha-yeon looked at me, demanding confirmation.
“He did say that.”
I nodded, albeit with some reluctance.
“Sigh… If we don’t clear up this misunderstanding, we won’t get anywhere.”
Jeon Gil-san took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart, and looked at me.
“What misunderstanding are you talking about?”
“I never asked Daso-gak to take revenge on you.”
Jeon Gil-san, with a serious face, blurted out an unexpected fact.
“You never asked for revenge?”
Where is this guy lying from?
“No matter how much I tried, I wasn’t foolish enough to get involved with the Sichuan Tang Family while handling the craziness in Yichang. I was planning to set my personal feelings aside since I lost in business.”
“But I was robbed of Daso-gak!”
I glared at Jeon Gil-san, demanding further explanation.
“Sigh… I just explained it to my mother. I had to tell her why I failed in Yichang. But I never imagined she would run off to my grandfather with that information.”
“That’s a lie! What was that about tigers then?!”
“Ugh! That was… out of sheer momentary exhilaration! And logically, if a tiger cub gets bitten, the mother tiger wouldn’t just sit by, right?!”
He said he would put aside his personal feelings, huh?
Jeon Gil-san looked embarrassed, as if admitting he was bluffing made him flush.
“Given your current situation, you expect me to believe that?”
“I’m serious! I have no desire to live my life worrying about choking on my food! This was entirely plotted by my mother and grandfather! I really have nothing to do with it!”
Jeon Gil-san desperately claimed his innocence with all his might.
Looks like Jeon Gil-san was traumatized from being harshly dealt with by the Sichuan Tang Family. Right. He’s trying to blame his mother for the situation.
I had anticipated that this brat would get a huge scolding for being a troublemaker!
I remembered the face of Man Geum-jeon, who had laughed heartily after hearing about how I had tricked his bratty grandson.
It seemed Man Geum-jeon didn’t bring me to Wuhan purely for revenge on his grandson.
The root of the matter was, indeed, tied to the Master Baek.
“Just as I was about to write a letter to Sichuan…”
The fact that you provided the starting point only adds to my frustration. I casually showed a letter addressed to the Sichuan Tang Family resting on the table.
“No way! It’s not true! Really!”
Jeon Gil-san stood up, his face pale, shaking as if he felt wronged.
“Even if I say no, that won’t change anything.”
“Sigh… Fine! Even if it’s not my fault, I still have a moral responsibility.”
“Moral responsibility? What are you talking about?”
“This business. I’ll buy it for a handsome price.”
“My business for a handsome price?!”
“Food delivery using carrier pigeons. I believe it will bring a revolutionary change to the food service industry in Wuhan. I couldn’t imagine who would come up with such an idea, but I never thought it would be you! For the sake of my morals, I’ll pay the full amount written on this receipt. Isn’t that a pretty generous amount?”
Jeon Gil-san handed me a familiar receipt.
“Hmm? What’s this?”
It looked identical to the receipt I got from Man Geum-jeon, even with the same amount.
“So, what do you think? Is this enough to make you consider selling the business?”
“That’s a lot of money, but compared to what I’ve invested in this business, it’s still lacking.”
I shook my head in disagreement toward Jeon Gil-san’s confident face.
“Is this really such an expensive business?”
Jeon Gil-san’s eyes widened as if he couldn’t believe my words.
If you don’t believe me, just ask directly.
“Gugu, come here.”
“Gugu!”
Gugu flew from the cage to the table in one leap at my call.
“Is this the Nine Black Qi Hands that’s currently the hot topic?”
I’ll show you why it’s such a topic.
Gugu, are you ready? After giving Gugu a glance, I performed the hand gestures I learned from Im Ha-yeon.
“Gugu. Roll to the left! Roll to the right! Do a somersault!”
Gugu showcased tricks worthy of an admission fee in the tight space on the table in an instant.
“Oooooo. To think it understands me this well. Uh-oh! This little guy is pooping!”
“Gugu good!”
Realizing the situation, Gugu did another somersault and dropped a load on Jeon Gil-san.
No matter how I think about it, Gugu seems to be a magical creature.
“As you can see, the training cost for the Nine Black Qi Hands is tremendous. Considering the initial investment, the amount written on the receipt wouldn’t even recoup the principal.”
“Hmm… Then I will take moral responsibility and offer you double the amount on that receipt, but…”
“Double?!”
That was enough to widen his eyes.
“But there’s a condition. Let’s write two contracts.”
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
“Well, it’s complicated. You pay me upfront, and once you get the money, you just stamp that you sold it for the price I initially suggested.”
“You mean a side agreement? Why would you want that?”
If I’m going to buy a business, I wouldn’t need it at all. So why?
“There are some complex matters with the family. Just know that much.”
“Double the amount, huh…”
That’s enough to take over and renovate two taverns, so it certainly sounds like a big amount.
“With that, even if I can’t set up a store as good as Daso-gak when I go back to Yichang, I can definitely set up a decent bookstore. With The Rise of the Tang Family out and now debt-free, I can rise again. What do you think? Wouldn’t this suffice for moral responsibility?”
It’s certainly an attractive proposal. But something feels off.
Why would a guy uninterested in business and wanting to live off his parents’ money want to take over a business?
If the opponent is openly dangling bait in front of me, it’s essential to understand why they’re doing it, not just what they’re after.
Why has it come to this? Why is this brat offering me such a deal?
To take moral responsibility? Is he scared of the Sichuan Tang Family? No. That’s a secondary reason. He didn’t even know I was here.
I search for hints in my mind.
Jeon Gil-san, the grandson of Man Geum-jeon. The receipt from Man Geum-jeon. It’s the same receipt I have. Plus, a side contract. If it needs to be validated by someone, it could be used. And involving family matters?
I’m starting to get the picture.
“Do I have to decide right now?”
I feigned hesitation, making a conflicted expression as I asked Jeon Gil-san.
“Some thought would be needed. The date for confirming repayment capability is coming up soon… but I think I could manage it within three days.”
Confirmation of repayment capability? My suspicions are turning into certainty.
“I’ll send someone to Man Geum Bookstore if I think of something.”
“I’ll be waiting for a good answer.”
Jeon Gil-san nodded and stepped back.
“Should I sprinkle some salt?”
“Gugu! Gugu!”
Gugu seemed so angry that he turned his butt towards Jeon Gil-san, who had vanished.
“That’ll do. Gugu, don’t poop!”
“Gugu…”
Pretending to be disappointed.
“Im Ha-yeon, can you go check on Haomun for a sec?”
“Why Haomun?”
“I have something worrying me. I need information.”
If my suspicions are correct, this deal cannot happen.
“Got it. I’ll be back in no time.”
———————–
Im Ha-yeon returned with information from Haomun quicker than I thought.
“Man Geum-jeon gave the same test to his grandsons as he did to me…”
As expected. I quietly muttered while sitting in the office.
In the information brought by Im Ha-yeon, there were recent reports that Man Geum-jeon’s grandsons were starting a new business.
Why are Man Geum-jeon’s grandsons undergoing the same test as me?
No, I have to think the other way around. Why am I taking the same test as his grandsons?
Suddenly, what Man Geum-jeon said during our first meeting popped into my mind.
“No way. That can’t be.”
Man Geum-jeon knows about my connection with Hwa-rin, so it can’t be true. I chuckled at the absurd thought and redirected my thinking.
What Man Geum-jeon’s grandsons are doing is probably a successor exam for Man Geum-jeon.
The one to inherit Man Geum-jeon’s will and the one to inherit Master Baek’s will.
Since they’re evaluating similar capabilities, he probably couldn’t be bothered to give them different tests.
“If I sell the business for double the principal, I could accomplish the test of increasing the money all at once.”
The issue is, is it money that will satisfy Man Geum-jeon?
– I will confirm if you are indeed the one to inherit Master Baek’s will.
Selling a recently established business to others and claiming to have fulfilled Master Baek’s will with that profit—would that satisfy Man Geum-jeon?
If I were Man Geum-jeon, it would sound like a flimsy excuse to me. Furthermore, there’s an additional problem.
“Gugu!”
“Right. I need to sort out your master issue too.”
I gently patted Gugu, who had landed on my shoulder, and dove back into my thoughts.
If I sell the business here, I won’t gain any recognition from Simun. If that happens, I won’t be able to save Im Ha-yeon.
Selling the business to Jeon Gil-san is a measure that wouldn’t even guarantee solving one problem.
Conversely, if I maintain the business properly, I could indeed earn double the original amount, and if I squeezed out every bit, maybe I’d be able to afford Im Ha-yeon’s miracle.
“It’s like cutting open the belly of a golden-egg-laying pigeon.”
Why would I sell a business that only I can run?
“Gugu?”
Gugu looked at me as if to ask how I could say such a thing.
“No, I don’t mean to cut your belly open…”
I chuckled as Gugu looked at me with distrust before hiding back in its nest and stared at the ceiling.
Selling the business to Jeon Gil-san is a poor choice. However, as I fell into doubt, one worry remained.
Our delivery business is running smoothly, but can we really recover the principal by the designated time?
Will we reach the amount that satisfies Man Geum-jeon?
While the business continues to grow, the truth is, time is running short. If only there were a way to earn money faster.
The problem is that I can’t spend the full amount written on the receipt for further endeavors.
Huh?
A way to earn money faster?
“Isn’t there a way to double my money without spending a bit?”
That’s not a poor choice but a brilliant one that has dawned on me.
——-
The meeting with Jeon Gil-san proceeded swiftly.
“Have you made a decision?”
“Double is certainly a large amount. But when it comes to Man Geum-jeon, that changes everything.”
I said with a confident smile like a seasoned detective who had figured it all out.
“Tch. Where did you hear that? Does that mean you need more money?”
“That’s not what I mean. It’s about the side contract. Isn’t that a loophole? Do you think Man Geum-jeon would let it slide knowing about the side contract?”
“If we don’t get caught…”
Jeon Gil-san hesitated, fidgeting awkwardly.
“This is the test set for you by your grandfather. Frankly speaking, wouldn’t Man Geum-jeon know all about the money flow in Wuhan? Do you really believe you wouldn’t get caught?”
“…If you keep quiet about it, maybe it will work out?”
“Sigh…”
You idiot. This reckless punk. I couldn’t suppress a sigh at such a poor statement.
Man Geum-jeon has set up a lineage of grandsons completely with the fantasy.
It was a contract that should never happen in the first place.
Signing a side contract would be an act of deceit against Man Geum-jeon.
If meddled with the succession battle, he could retract the promise of eliminating my debts out of goodwill. But I didn’t call Jeon Gil-san just to refuse.
I need to pass Man Geum-jeon’s test. For that, I will need to utilize this brat.
“You said during our previous drinking session you were not confident in running a business.”
I brought up the conversation from when we drank together in Yichang.
“You don’t really have any confidence at all…”
Jeon Gil-san avoided my gaze, unable to say he was confident.
“What’s that? You mean you have no confidence in beating other competitors?”
Don’t think of escaping now. I’ll drive a chill through his weak point.
“Ugh…”
Once I hit his weak spot, it’s time to apply the magic.
“If there’s a way to make the business run automatically with just money, what would you say?”
I threw a captivating proposition to the brat.
“You’re suggesting I should invest in you? I need to run my own business.”
“What I’m suggesting isn’t an investment, it’s a business.”
“There’s no way such a business exists.”
Oh, but it does.
Jeon Gil-san needs a business, and I need to earn money.
To do that, I need to make him believe he’s running the business while he takes on the risks.
The hard work should be done by Jeon Gil-san while the money is genuinely made by me.
This is a plan to suck Jeon Gil-san’s money dry while he fails miserably.
“I wonder if you’ve ever heard of a franchise?”
Jeon Gil-san, you will be my slave.
