I’d Rather Live as a Villain

I’d Rather Live as a Villain – Episode 38

(Don’t criticize me for doing too well)

The atmosphere turned awkward at the husband’s words.

Ahn Cheol-hyun’s wife hurriedly placed the kettle filled with ceremonial liquor here and there, giving her husband a meaningful look.

“Why bring up such a heavy topic on a day like today? It’s not like today is the only day we have. Let’s talk about it next time, next time. Please, go ahead and eat.”

But Ahn Cheol-hyun showed no signs of backing down.

T&GV’s CEO, Ahn Seong-hyun, was also hoping that this opportunity would allow his brother to get a clear stance from his brother-in-law.

“On a day like today, if not now, when will we bring up such a conversation? Isn’t it more ridiculous to meet separately with my brother-in-law to discuss such sensitive matters? Don’t you agree, brother-in-law?”

Chairman Kang Man-ho silently picked up the teapot and poured for his brother-in-law, then went to fill his own cup.

Just then, Yoon Tae-sik quickly took the teapot and filled his father-in-law’s cup.

“Honey.”

His wife was embarrassed.

But her husband paid no mind.

Eventually, Chairman Kang Man-ho himself smiled at his brother-in-law’s wife, signaling that it was alright.

“That’s exactly right. If we don’t talk about these things on a day like today, when will we ever have a heart-to-heart about such matters? But brother-in-law.”

“Yes.”

“Let’s eat while we talk. It’s not every day that a son-in-law raises a glass in front of his mother-in-law who has passed away.”

“…”

“The preparations were made by your wife, but still, from Yoon’s perspective, it’s the first time he’s receiving a meal from his mother-in-law since the wedding.”

The smile on Chairman Kang Man-ho’s face as he said this contained both guilt and sorrow for his wife who had passed away first.

Chairman Kang Man-ho then looked at his youngest brother-in-law, CEO Ahn Seong-hyun, and his children, and said,

“Let’s eat. Let’s have our meal. We can talk slowly while eating.”

Although his youngest brother-in-law was five years younger than his own wife, the children of his youngest brother-in-law were inevitably older than his daughter, Moon-jeong.

Born to Chairman Kang Man-ho and Lady Ahn Young-hee after eight long years of marriage without children, their daughter Moon-jeong was destined to be the youngest in both her paternal and maternal families.

“Why do you think I came here today? Every year on this day, not only Moon-jeong but also I feel uneasy.”

Chairman Kang Man-ho, now approaching seventy.

However, the wife in his heart still maintained the youth of her forties.

His wife, who had continued to get pregnant and suffer miscarriages in an attempt to produce an heir, a son to carry on the Daeyoung legacy, even after giving birth to Moon-jeong.

The existence of a son he had outside was ultimately what caused his wife such severe mental anguish, pressure, and anxiety.

And that mental anguish, pressure, and anxiety always seemed to bring brightness to his wife, but instead, it caused depression, anxiety, and insomnia, leading to her mental decline.

After Moon-jeong was born, there were two more miscarriages.

Each time a precious life closed its eyes and came into the world from her body, she aged a decade.

In body, mind, and spirit.

Eventually, she left the world too soon, without even reaching fifty.

The guilt and regret over his wife’s absence were significant, but the succession of Daeyoung’s legacy was even more so.

After his wife passed away, and from the moment Go Young-sook took her place, Chairman Kang Man-ho and the Daeyoung family were forever indebted to Hanshin Newspaper.

That’s why, when his brother-in-law wanted to hold his wife’s memorial service at the family’s Seongbuk-dong residence, he couldn’t say no, nor suggest they stay in Pyeongchang-dong instead.

He knew the brothers-in-law would never accept entrusting the wife’s memorial service to the new lady of the Pyeongchang-dong house.

Every year on his wife’s anniversary, Chairman Kang Man-ho would quell his churning heart by spending time alone at a nearby temple or some quiet place.

Still, he lacked the courage to visit his in-laws’ Seongbuk-dong home with his daughter.

“Of course, I wouldn’t know about outside, but I had no face to meet you all and come to this house.”

“…”

“I’ve always been grateful. Sometimes it was burdensome, but…”

Looking at An Cheol-hyun.

“Even without saying it, I’ve been comfortable in many ways since you started designing our Moon-jung’s image through Hanshin Newspaper.”

It was a sensitive matter.

His son, and the mother of his son.

He couldn’t give the impression that he was only taking care of Moon-jung.

On the other hand, he had to convey his father’s special love to Moon-jung.

If Hanshin Newspaper took the lead in this role, instead of the Daeyoung family, it was a different story.

Hanshin Newspaper had a just cause, and the Daeyoung family had no grounds to object.

“Moon-jung’s image has been splendidly crafted with the uncles’ affection, hasn’t it?”

“…”

“From now on, please design our Yoon son-in-law a bit.”

As soon as those words ended, An Cheol-hyun, CEO An Seong-hyun, and their children could tell where the current chairman of Daeyoung’s heart was leaning.

“Moon-jung’s case won’t require as much effort. I was surprised myself, how could I not have recognized it sooner? The talent and potential he has is immense, our Yoon son-in-law.”

Before long, Chairman Kang Man-ho’s hand was on his son-in-law’s shoulder.

“It’s a shameless request, but when the time comes to make a decision, please ensure there’s no discord, so these friends don’t have to work too hard. Do me this favor.”

As soon as his brother-in-law finished speaking, An Cheol-hyun emptied his glass.

And passing the empty glass to Yoon Tae-sik, he simultaneously picked up the jug filled with liquor.

“Our nephew-in-law… Is there really a need to design him with such care? The original mold is already this excellent.”

Kang Moon-jung read the room’s atmosphere.

Was there a need for the mood to turn heavy again?

As if suddenly recording an unexpected defeat, Moon-jung blinked and cast a questioning look towards her uncle, a friend-like figure.

“What’s that?”

“What do you mean?”

“That thing uncle just said. Does it mean I’m such a mess that I need a lot of work… Is that what it means?”

“Ah, if uncle says so, that’s probably what he means.”

“No, I think he was serious just now. Ugh, I’m being compared to someone else, and not just anyone, but my own husband?”

It was then that the usual light breeze began to blow towards the main house of the Seongbuk-dong Hanshin Daily.

***

There was something I couldn’t understand.

Hanshin Daily is going to ‘design’ me from now on?

The very word ‘design’ being used in this context was slightly fascinating, but I thought I understood the nuance well enough.

But aside from that, my father-in-law.

I began to question the position held by Chairman Kang Man-ho.

Why would he go about things in such a complicated way?

It didn’t make sense.

If he had decided to favor the executive director for the succession, why not just push forward with that decision?

Since when did Daeyoung consider kindness and personal recognition when deciding on a successor?

The second-generation chairman, Kang Ki-young, and the current third-generation chairman, Kang Man-ho.

Both had secured their positions after competing to the end with their siblings.

And it was their parents’ generation that had instigated this.

But now, to come out and say, ‘I’m different, I want a peaceful method’… I couldn’t understand the reason behind this change.

It wasn’t like him to not support at all, but this passive support wasn’t the style of the father-in-law I knew.

And yet, I couldn’t ask the executive director about it while No Gyu-hyung, the manager, was driving us in the car.

“It’s late. Go up and wash up, then sleep.”

“But…”

We had arrived home.

It was just before we went our separate ways in the living room.

“About father-in-law.”

“Dad? What about dad?”

“Earlier in Seongbuk-dong, he seemed to show support for you, right? That’s how I understood it.”

“I understood it that way too.”

What kind of reaction is this?

It’s as if he knew in advance that his father-in-law would support him.

Well, that could be possible.

“I feel the same way. But why are you trying to complicate things like earlier?”

“Complicate?”

There was something I didn’t know.

A part I hadn’t considered at all.

But after hearing the story, it seemed inevitable.

“Of course, I can understand that position, but it seemed odd to me that you were being so cautious not to disappoint the vice president.”

The executive shook his head, indicating I was misunderstanding.

“Perhaps Dad is not concerned about others right now, but about the aunts.”

“The aunts?”

I found myself tilting my head in confusion.

“The very Daeyoung that never gave the daughters any chance to participate in management, that was Grandfather’s doing. If an exception like me comes out, the most aggrieved would naturally be the aunts, their family, right?”

That’s right.

Content I hadn’t thought of at all.

“Yuseong Cosmo. One of the few companies that managed to grow during the tough IMF days. And who doesn’t know that the great aunt, not the uncle, was at the center of that achievement? How strong is the great aunt?”

She has the most intimidating presence.

“If she’s on your side, she’s worth a thousand soldiers; if she’s against you, there’s no answer. That’s the great aunt.”

“Do you think they might support the vice president?”

“I don’t know that.”

At that moment, I felt as if the face of the team owner, Kang Cheol-jin, flashed before my eyes.

“Or… could they use this as a pretext to induce a new succession structure?”

“I’ll handle the politics.”

It was a short statement, but it carried conviction.

“All you need to do is focus on the performance that has been supporting me, just as you have been doing, so that the politics I do can gain strength. Even though I may not look it, I’ve been watching organizational politics since I was 15, standing by Grandfather and Dad at every Daeyoung’s external event. Can a boat with only two rowers need more than two helmsmen? I’m probably better at this than you.”

At the moment I encountered an unexpected obstacle, fortunately, the direction I needed to go became even clearer.

And now I finally understood why my uncles had asked my father-in-law to have Hanshin Newspaper take the lead in designing me.

“We need overwhelming performance that no one can refute, right?”

“Isn’t it fine to come out anytime, not necessarily right now?”

“That’s true.”

“Are you confident?”

With a smile that suggested the futility of provoking a competitive spirit in me now, I replied confidently.

“When Mr. Moon Jung was 15, following your grandfather and father-in-law around, watching the political machinations, was I just an ignorant child?”

“…”

“Ever sold roasted sweet potatoes on the winter streets during your school days?”

“Roasted sweet potatoes?”

“To sell those roasted sweet potatoes well, you need planning and marketing. The rental price for the stall varies by company. Even the price of a box of sweet potatoes differs. Have you ever made 300,000 won in two hours by selling instant coffee for 500 won a cup, just adding hot water, and bundling it with a 300-won hand warmer hot pack for 2,000 won?”

“…”

“It wasn’t foreign currency from my father that I sold, but how did I make the money for my Spanish language study abroad? It wasn’t for nothing that I wanted to be a trade man, always looking up to Daeyoung Trading since I was young.”

“Your explanation is lengthy. Isn’t it only those who lack confidence who explain at length?”

“I’m not explaining, I’m asking if it’s okay to do too well. Don’t complain about this case, even if I handle it too well.”

At my words, the executive laughed with a dimple on his left cheek.

As if what we need now is not visible achievements but such confidence, he smiled shyly at me, reassuring himself with that confidence.

“Oh, right! The meeting with Director Lim Hyung-jun is tomorrow, isn’t it?”

Strictly speaking, it’s scheduled for Division Head Lim Hyung-jun to attend the presentation related to the Marco Machine as the representative of the FP (Foodservice Franchise Division) in distribution.

He’s currently overseeing Gold Line and Black Bean in distribution.

Naturally, we’re more than just acquaintances; he’s someone I was attached to every day during the launch of Gold Line.

“Yes.”

“Since I gave the okay, I can’t speak directly, but I’m skeptical about changing all the coffee machines in Gold Line branches without a good reason. You’ll have to grill him well tomorrow. You know, Director Lim. Once he says no, it’s no till the end.”

“Daeyoung Trading’s European Division, the Spain team. It’s not easy to be called the ace there, not as a manager but as a deputy. Don’t worry. Director Lim. By the end of the meeting tomorrow, you’ll be more obsessed with the Marco Machine than I am.”